"George R. R. Martin - Manna From Heaven" - читать интересную книгу автора (Martin George R R)

but I think not. I speak for all the allies when I say that we cannot put our faith in yet another
breakthrough. SтАЩuthlam has had its greenings and flowerings and blossomings and ecological revolutions
before. In the end, nothing changes. We must conclude this matter once and for all.тАЭ
тАЬFar be it from me to interfere with your suicidal folly,тАЭ said Tuf. He scratched Dax behind an ear.
тАЬSuicidal folly?тАЭ Batch Norren said. тАЬWhatтАЩs that mean?тАЭ
Tolly Mune had been listening to it all. She turned to face the allies. тАЬThat means you lose, Norren,тАЭ she
said.
The envoys laughedтАФa polite chuckle from the Henry, a guffaw from the Jazbot, a booming thunder
from the cyborg. тАЬThe arrogance of the SтАЩuthlamese never ceases to amaze me,тАЭ said the man from
Skrymir. тАЬDonтАЩt be misled by this temporary stalemate, First Councillor. We are six worlds united as
one. Even with your new flotilla, we outnumber you and outgun you. We defeated you once before, you
might recall. WeтАЩll do it again.тАЭ
тАЬYou will not,тАЭ said Haviland Tuf.
As one, the envoys looked at him.
тАЬIn recent days I have taken the liberty of doing some small research. Certain facts have become
obvious. Firstly, the last local war was fought centuries ago. SтАЩuthlam suffered an undeniable defeat, yet
the allies are still recovering from their victory. SтАЩuthlam, however, with its greater population base and
more voracious technology, has long since left all effects of that struggle behind. Meanwhile, SтАЩuthlamese
science has advanced as swiftly as manna, if I may be permitted a colorful metaphor, while the allied
worlds owe what small advances they claim to knowledge and techniques imported from SтАЩuthlam.
Undeniably, the combined allied fleets are significantly more numerous than the SтАЩuthlamese Planetary
Defense Flotilla, yet most of the allied armada is functionally obsolete in the face of the sophisticated
weaponry and technology embodied in the new SтАЩuthlamese ships. Moreover, it is grossly inaccurate to
say the allies outnumber SтАЩuthlam in any real sense. You comprise six worlds against one, correct, but the
combined population of Vandeen, HenryтАЩs World, Jazbo, Roggandor, Skrymir, and the Azure Triune
totals scarcely four billionтАФless than one-tenth the population of SтАЩ uthlam alone.тАЭ
тАЬOne-tenth?тАЭ the Jazbot croaked. тАЬThatтАЩs wrong. IsnтАЩt it? It must be.тАЭ
тАЬThe Azure Triune has been given to understand that their numbers are barely six times our own.тАЭ
тАЬTwo-thirds of them are women and children,тАЭ the envoy from Skrymir was quick to point out.
тАЬOur women fight,тАЭ Tolly Mune snapped.
тАЬWhen they can find the time between litters,тАЭ commented Ratch Norren. тАЬTuf, they canтАЩt have ten times
our population. There are a lot of тАЩem, agreed, sure, but our best estimatesтАФтАЭ
тАЬSir,тАЭ said Tuf, тАЬyour best estimates are in error. Contain your chagrin. The secret is well kept, and when
one is counting such multitudes, one can easily misplace a billion here or a billion there. Nonetheless, the
facts are as I have stated them. At the moment, a delicate martial balance holds swayтАФthe allied ships
are more numerous, the SтАЩuthlamese flotilla more advanced and better armed. This is obviously
impermanent, as the SтАЩuthlamese technology enables them to produce war fleets far more swiftly than any
of the allies. I would venture to guess that just such an effort is currently underway.тАЭ Tuf looked at Tolly
Mune.
тАЬNo,тАЭ she said.
But Dax was looking at her, too. тАЬYes,тАЭ Tuf announced to the envoys. He raised a single finger.
тАЬTherefore, I propose you take advantage of this present rough equality to capitalize on the opportunity I
am offering you to solve the problem posed by SтАЩuthlam without resort to nuclear bombardment and
similar unpleasantries. Extend this armistice for one standard year, and allow me to seed SтАЩuthlam with
manna. At the end of that time, if you feel that SтАЩuthlam still constitutes a threat to your homeworlds, feel
free to resume hostilities.тАЭ
тАЬNeg, trader,тАЭ the cyborg from Roggandor said heavily. тАЬYou are impossibly naive. Give them a year,
you say, and let you do your tricks. How many new fleets will they build in a year?тАЭ
тАЬWeтАЩll agree to a moratorium on new arms-building if your worlds will do the same,тАЭ Tolly Mune said.
тАЬSo you say. I suppose we should trust you?тАЭ Ratch Norren sneered. тАЬTo hell with that. You Suthies