"James P. Hogan - Giants 2 - The Gentle Giants of Ganymede" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hogan James P)

discussion continued with Danchekker leading an examination of the principles
of scientific deduction and the techniques of logical analysis. Throughout,
the figure who had been following the proceedings silently from his seat at
the end of the table farthest from the screen continued to draw leisurely on
his cigarette, taking in every detail.
Dr. Victor Hunt had also accompanied the team of scientists who had come
with Jupiter Five more than three months before to study the Ganymean ship.
Although nothing truly spectacular had emerged during this time, huge volumes
of data on the structure, design and contents of the alien ship had been
amassed. Every day, newly removed devices and machinery were examined in the
laboratories of the surface bases and in the orbiting J4 and J5 mission
command ships. Findings from these tests were as yet fragmentary, but clues
were beginning to emerge from which a meaningful picture of the Ganymean
civilization and the mysterious events of twenty-five million years before
might eventually emerge.
That was Hunt's job. Originally a theoretical physicist specializing in
mathematical nucleonics, he had been brought into the
UN Space Arm from England to head a small group of UNSA scientists; the
group's task was to correlate the findings of the specialists working on the
project both on and around Ganymede and back on Earth. The specialists painted
the pieces of the puzzle; Hunt's group fitted them together. This arrangement
was devised by Hunt's immediate boss, Gregg Caldwell, executive director of
the Navigation and Communications Division of UNSA, headquartered in Houston.
The scheme had already worked well in enabling them to unravel successfully
the existence and fate of Minerva, and first signs were that it promised to
work well again.
He listened while the debate between the biologists went full circle to
end up focusing on the unfamiliar enzyme that had started the whole thing off.
"No, I'm afraid not," Danchekker said in reply to a question from
Rousson. "We have no idea at present what its purpose was. Certain functions
in its reaction equations suggest that it could have contributed to the
modification or breaking down of some kind of protein molecule, but precisely
what molecule or for what purpose we don't know." Danchekker gazed around the
room to invite further comment but nobody appeared to have anything to say.
The room became quiet. A mild hum from a nearby generator became noticeable
for the first time. At length Hunt stubbed his cigarette and sat back to rest
his elbows on the arms of his chair. "Sounds as if there's a problem there,
all right," he commented. "Enzymes aren't my line. I'm going to have to leave
this one completely to you people."
"An, nice to see you're still with us, Vic," Danchekker said, raising
his eyes to take in the far end of the table. "You haven't said a word since
we sat down."
"Listening and learning." Hunt grinned. "Didn't have a lot to
contribute."
"That sounds like a philosophical approach to life," Fichter said,
shuffling the papers in front of him. "Do you have many philosophies of
life...maybe a little red book full of them like that Chinese gentleman back
in nineteen whatever it was?"
"'Fraid not. Doesn't do to have too many philosophies about anything.
You always end up contradicting yourself. Blows your credibility."