"C. Sanford Lowe & G. David Nordley - Loki's Realm" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lowe C Sanford)

chase faster than BroadfordтАЩs chancellor did, which was saying something, indeed.
тАЬAye, I suppose it is. ItтАЩs a good place to meet people when theyтАЩre not too
busy and pump their brains. Now, since youтАЩre here ... IтАЩve scanned DavraтАЩs notes
on the system feedback loops, and I wanted to fit it into the big picture, from your
perspective.тАЭ
Weaver waved me to a seat and ordered coffee from his replicator. He turned
back at me. тАЬCoffee?тАЭ
тАЬTea. Earl Grey with a bit of cream and sugar, if it wouldnтАЩt be a bother.тАЭ
He stepped over to the dispenser. тАЬWeтАЩre about three months behind where
we should be, even with the habitat construction delayed. I reckon itтАЩs manageable,
but itтАЩs worrisome.тАЭ He had the face of one who didnтАЩt need such worries.
тАЬThe research crew stays frozen then?тАЭ I asked.
тАЬUntil that habitat is ready, weтАЩve got nowhere to bunk тАШem.тАЭ
тАЬIs there nobody in there with expertise that we might use, say in a
brainstorming session?тАЭ
Weaver looked me in the eye. тАЬIтАЩve got what I think are the best experts on
this already. The group is about the right sizeтАФI donтАЩt want too many cooks. And I
definitely donтАЩt want any more politics. I also do not want there to be anything to
encourage the politics IтАЩve already got. Savvy?тАЭ
тАЬI think IтАЩve been very careful not to take sides, Dr. Weaver.тАЭ
He looked at me and nodded. тАЬWe have a break in the solar weather coming
up and DaggerтАЩs going to take a look-see at the habitat tomorrow, hoping to get
some ideas to speed up construction. You up for the trip?тАЭ
 IтАЩd not a thought about going off the ship, but the idea did arouse a bit of
curiosity in me.
тАЬHuh? I dinna see why not.тАЭ
тАЬYou two might find a thing or two to chat about on the way.тАЭ Weaver
grinned and clapped me on the back. тАЬLetтАЩs mosey.тАЭ
****
I met Dagger at the lift leading up to the runabout dock.
тАЬYouтАЩve been spending a lot of time with Emma.тАЭ He looked at me as if
testing to see my reaction.
I was duly taken aback and decided to avoid anything personal, at least for
now. тАЬIтАЩve learned a lot from her. We watched a big slagheap from the prograde
feed path hit Epsilon Eridani yesterday. SheтАЩs trying to detect any lasting
spectroscopic evidence of the impact.тАЭ
тАЬLike a star spot? The only star spots I know of come from huge magnetic
fields, so I donтАЩt...тАЭ Dagger stopped speaking and held up a hand; the lift had
arrived. We got on it and announced our destination.
Dagger turned to me again. тАЬNow, Bruce, you gotta keep in mind that this is a
relationship with a woman, and there are some things that, well, naturally go along
with that. CanтАЩt run away from that. Body wonтАЩt let you.тАЭ
I shivered at his crudeness but resolved to not play the tyro. тАЬAye and then
not aye. SheтАЩs a wonderful person, but matches my reserve all too well, if you
understand.тАЭ
To my surprise, he nodded quietly and sat for a moment, thinking. At last he
looked at me dead in the eye and said, тАЬSo you both wait тАШtill hell freezes over
before either of you makes a first move. I figured something like that. So throw a line
in another pond.тАЭ
тАЬAye ... Well, mine has never been all that needy, if ye ken.тАЭ