"Evan Innes - America 2040 02 - Golden World" - читать интересную книгу автора (Innes Evan)

Rodrick allowed a few seconds to pass. Jackie Garvey crossed her long legs and looked up at him. She
felt that she knew the captain better than most; one aspect of their mission was the understood but
unstated order that women of childbearing age were to breed children. It had seemed logical, in the
beginning, that she was the perfect choice for the shipтАЩs bachelor commander. He winked at her, but her
answering smile was questioning. Things had seemed so promising early on, and then something had gone
wrong. They had been very good together, and then nothing.

The bridge, although not spacious, was never crowded. The ship had been built to fly herself. The bridge
crew consisted of Emi Zuki, computer programmer; Ito Zuki, her husband and astronavigator; Jackie
Garvey, shipтАЩs communicator, and the first officer, Rocky Miller, on standby. His wife, Dr. Amanda
Miller, was usually on the bridge during interesting maneuvers, but she and the bulk of her Life Sciences
staff, including the medical unit, were now on the surface.

There was one other figure on the bridge, a tall, slim, handsome individual in United States Navy white,
his chest resplendent with ribbons, his back stiff, a cap adorned with admiralтАЩs gold pulled rakishly low
over his piercing, unblinking eyes.

Rodrick swiveled his command seat. тАЬAdmiral?тАЭ he asked.

тАЬSir!тАЭ the admiral snapped.

It was difficult to remember, sometimes, that the admiral was one of Dr. Grace MonroeтАЩs тАЬboys,тАЭ that
those dark, piercing eyes were not really alive, that the impressive figure was built of synthetics, that the
brain behind those eyes was Dr. MonroeтАЩs greatest achievement. An electrical lead seemed to emerge
from the admiralтАЩs rear pocket. It was attached to Emi ZukiтАЩs main computer terminal.

тАЬHow do you read?тАЭ Rodrick asked.

тАЬAll systems at optimum efficiency, sir,тАЭ the admiral said.

The admiral had been proven invaluable. His lightning-fast brain, more than a computer, could be
synergically meshed with the shipтАЩs computers. Rodrick had come to depend on the admiral as one more
check on the ship s computer system.

тАЬPut me on all-ships circuit, Lieutenant Garvey,тАЭ Rodrick said, and when Jackie had pushed the proper
buttons, he took a deep breath. тАЬThis is the captain. In three minutes we will fire retro-rockets
preparatory to landing. Please position yourselves in your gravity couches at this time.тАЭ



During the stressful times, two things belied Max RosenтАЩs attempt to be cool and casualтАФhis face and
his Space Service uniform. During preparation for the landing, MaxтАЩs uniform had given up the light and
now looked as if it had been slept in for days. MaxтАЩs ability to perform a negative miracle on the uniform
was only one of his qualities that Dr. Grace Monroe found fascinating, especially since millions of dollars
had been spent in research to develop a fabric that would withstand long wear in cramped quarters. In
less than one hour, starting with a fresh uniform, Max could prove that all those millions had been wasted.

As Max watched the digital countdown clock display its ever-changing numbers, he ran long fingers
through his black, unruly hair, managing to muss it even more.