"George R. R. Martin -- Second Helpings" - читать интересную книгу автора (Martin George R R)

тАЬThere were several,тАЭ Tuf said. тАЬWitch, wizard, warlock. The nomenclature derives from Old Earth
myth, I believe.тАЭ
тАЬIt fits,тАЭ said Tolly Mune. тАЬSometimes I feel this ship is haunted.тАЭ
тАЬThis suggests why it is wiser to rely upon intellect rather than feelings, Portmaster. Accept my assurance
that if ghosts or other supernatural entities did in fact exist, they would be represented aboard the Ark by
cell samples, in order that they might be cloned. I have never encountered such samples. My stock in
trade does include species sometimes referred to as hooded draculas, wind-wraiths, lycanthropes,
vampires, garghouls, witchweed, and other such terms, but these are not the genuine mythic articles, I
fear.тАЭ
Tolly Mune smiled. тАЬGood thing.тАЭ
тАЬMore wine, perhaps? It is an excellent Rhiannese vintage.тАЭ
тАЬThatтАЩs one good idea,тАЭ she said, splashing some into her glass. She still would have preferred a squeeze
bulb; open liquids were sneaky things always waiting to spill. тАЬMy throatтАЩs dry anyway. You donтАЩt need
monsters, Tuf. This ship of yours could destroy worlds as it is.тАЭ
тАЬThis is obvious,тАЭ said Tuf. тАЬEqually obvious, it can save worlds.тАЭ
тАЬLike ours? You have a second miracle up your sleeve, Tuf?тАЭ
тАЬAlas, miracles are as mystic as ghosts and goblins, and there is nothing up my sleeves but my arms.
However, the human intellect is still capable of certain less-than-miraculous breakthroughs.тАЭ He rose
slowly to his full height. тАЬIf you are quite finished with your pop-onion pie and wine, perhaps you will
accompany me to the computer room. I have applied myself diligently to your problems and have arrived
at a few conclusions.тАЭ
Tolly Mune got up quickly. тАЬLead on,тАЭ she said.
тАЬNote,тАЭ said Haviland Tuf. He pressed a command key; a projection flashed upon one of the screens.
тАЬWhatтАЩs this?тАЭ asked Molly Tune.
тАЬThe projection I made five years ago,тАЭ he said. Dax hopped into his lap; Tuf reached out and stroked
the black kitten. тАЬThe parameters used were the then-current SтАЩuthlamese population figures and the
projected population growth, as of that time. My analysis indicated that the additional food resources
introduced into your society by means of what Cregor Blaxon was so kind as to dub TufтАЩs Flowering
should have given you at minimum ninety-four standard years before the specter of planetary famine again
threatened SтАЩuthlam.тАЭ
тАЬWell, thatтАЩs one goddamned projection that wasnтАЩt worth a pot of vermin,тАЭ Tolly Mune said bluntly.
Tuf raised a finger. тАЬA more volatile man than myself might take umbrage at the implication that his
analysis was defective. Fortunately, I am of a cool and tolerant nature. Nonetheless, you are most
incorrect, Portmaster Mune. My projections were as accurate as they could possibly have been.тАЭ
тАЬThen youтАЩre saying that we donтАЩt have starvation and collapse staring down at us eighteen years in the
future? That weтАЩve got, what, almost a century?тАЭ She shook her head. тАЬIтАЩd like to believe that, butтАФтАЭ
тАЬI said no such thing, Portmaster. Within its prescribed margin of error, the latest SтАЩuthlamese projection
also appears to be quite accurate insofar as I have been able to determine.тАЭ
тАЬBoth projections canтАЩt be correct,тАЭ she said. тАЬThatтАЩs impossible, Tuf.тАЭ
тАЬYou are wrong, madam. During the intervening five years, the parameters changed. Attend.тАЭ He
reached out and depressed another button. A new line, rising sharply, curved across the screen. тАЬThis
represents the present curve of population increase on SтАЩuthlam. Note how it climbs, Portmaster. An
astonishing rate of ascent. Were I of a poetic turn of mind, I might even say it soars. Fortunately, I am not
so afflicted. I am a blunt man who speaks bluntly.тАЭ He raised a finger. тАЬBefore we can hope to rectify
your situation, it is necessary to understand that situation and how it came to be. Here all is clarity. Five
years ago, I employed the resources of the Ark, and, if I may be so bold as to put my accustomed
modesty aside, tendered to you extraordinarily efficient service. The SтАЩuthlamese wasted no time in
undoing everything I had done. Let me put it succinctly, Portmaster. No sooner had the Flowering taken
root, so to speak, than your people rushed back to their private chambers, unleashed their carnal lusts
and parental urges, and began reproducing faster than ever. Mean family size is greater now than five