"Robert A. Heinlein - Orphans of the Sky " - читать интересную книгу автора (Heinlein Robert A)

UNIVERSE



The Proxima Centauri Expedition, sponsored by the Jordan Foundation in
2119, was the first recorded attempt to reach the nearer stars of this galaxy.
Whatever its unhappy fate we can only conjecture.тАФQuoted from The
Romance of Modern Astrography, by Franklin Buck, published by Lux
Transcriptions, Ltd., 3.50 cr.



тАЮTHEREтАЩS A MUTIE! Look out!тАЬ
At the shouted warning, Hugh Hoyland ducked, with nothing to spare. An
egg-sized iron missile clanged against the bulkhead just above his scalp with
force that promised a fractured skull. The speed with which he crouched had
lifted his feet from the floor plates. Before his body could settle slowly to the
deck, he planted his feet against the bulkhead behind him and shoved. He
went shooting down the passageway in a long, flat dive, his knife drawn and
ready.
He twisted in the air, checked himself with his feet against the opposite
bulkhead at the turn in the passage from which the mutie had attacked him,
and floated lightly to his feet. The other branch of the passage was empty.
His two companions joined him, sliding awkwardly across the floor plates.
тАЮIs it gone?тАЬ demanded Alan Mahoney.
тАЮYes,тАЬ agreed Hoyland. тАЮI caught a glimpse of it as it ducked down that hatch.
A female, I think. Looked like it had four legs.тАЬ
тАЮTwo legs or four, weтАЩll never catch it now,тАЬ commented the third man.
тАЮWho the Huff wants to catch it?тАЬ protested Mahoney.
тАЮI donтАЩt.тАЬ
тАЮWell, I do, for one,тАЬ said Hoyland. тАЮBy Jordan, if its aim had been two inches
better, IтАЩd be ready for the Converter.тАЬ
тАЮCanтАЩt either one of you two speak three words without swearing?тАЬ the third
man disapproved. тАЮWhat if the Captain could hear you?тАЬ He touched his
forehead reverently as he mentioned the Captain.
тАЮOh, for JordanтАЩs sake,тАЬ snapped Hoyland, тАЮdonтАЩt be so stuffy, Mort Tyler.
YouтАЩre not a scientist yet. I reckon IтАЩm as devout as you are; thereтАЩs no grave
sin in occasionally giving vent to your feelings. Even the scientists do it. IтАЩve
heard тАЪem.тАЬ
Tyler opened his mouth as if to expostulate, then apparently thought better of
it. Mahoney touched Hoyland on the arm. тАЮLook, Hugh,тАЬ he pleaded, тАЮletтАЩs get
out of here. WeтАЩve never been this high before. IтАЩm jumpy; I want to get back
down to where I can feel some weight on my feet.тАЬ
Hoyland looked longingly toward the hatch through which his assailant had
disappeared while his hand rested on the grip of his knife, then be turned to
Mahoney. тАЮOK, kid,тАЬ he agreed, тАЮItтАЩs along trip down anyhow.тАЬ
He turned and slithered back toward the hatch, whereby they had reached
the level where they now were, the other two following him. Disregarding the
ladder by which they had mounted, he stepped off into the opening and
floated slowly down to the deck fifteen feet below, Tyler and Mahoney close