"Geoffrey A. Landis - David in the Lion's Den" - читать интересную книгу автора (Landis Geoffrey A)

DAVID IN THE LIONтАЩS DEN
Geoffrey A. Landis

Monday 25 March, U.S.A.

David had both of his arms up in a glove box when Jake walked into the lab.
He was concentrating on pipetting one drop of a cultured retrovirus into each of the
sixteen tissue culture samples that his grad student Asim had carefully prepared and
didnтАЩt notice Jake was there until he spoke.

тАЬHave you heard the news yet?тАЭ asked Jake. His voice was grim.

тАЬNews?тАЭ David Kantrowicz sighed. тАЬThereтАЩs news? No, havenтАЩt heard it.тАЭ He
put down the sample, capped it off, and withdrew his arms from the glove box
carefully.

He was a tall man, with dark curly hair and wire-rimmed glasses. Only a close
friend or exceptionally keen observer would notice the slight hesitation in his step
from where heтАЩd stopped a small-caliber bullet long ago. тАЬFrom your tone, though, I
can guess that itтАЩs not good. They made the decision? ItтАЩs Saud the younger?тАЭ

тАЬItтАЩs him.тАЭ

тАЬDamn.тАЭ After months of bitter infighting after the death of the king, the
council of princes of Saudi Arabia had finally reached agreement. Aboud ibn Abd
al-Saud would be king of Saudi Arabia, protector of Mecca and nominal leader of
the Moslems. It had come at the worst possible time, when the Arab world was
increasingly becoming disenchanted with the lack of any signs of resolution to the
peace process. Al-Saud was a fanatic; he had made his pledge that he would not
accept compromise with Israel of any sort, no matter how well crafted, or what the
cost. And the cost was sure to be high. No matter who won. тАЬAs my grandfather
would put it: oy, vey, such tsuris we need like we need holes in the head.тАЭ

тАЬYeah?тАЭ Jake said. тАЬDid your grandfather really talk like Woody Allen
imitating a Poconos comedian?тАЭ

David shrugged. тАЬHow should I know? He died when I was a kid. To hear my
father speak, he did. So anyway, weтАЩre ready?тАЭ

тАЬWeтАЩve talked about it enough. The question is, are you ready?тАЭ Jake asked.

тАЬI guess so.тАЭ David sighed again. He turned back to his glove box to start
putting away his samples. тАЬAlthough IтАЩd rather not. War is for young fellows, not
superannuated postdocs like me. But, last week I called Yosef in Tel Aviv. He said
that they were pretty sure it would be Saud, and when it hits the fan heтАЩd welcome
having me back with him. I told him that if it comes down to it, IтАЩll be there.тАЭ

тАЬYou donтАЩt count as old until you get tenure, kid. I got the tickets. You fly out
tonight at seven, arrive in Rome late morning, and get into Tel Aviv about two.тАЭ