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

Haviland TufтАЩs head moved slightly, and he looked directly at the speaker. тАЬAs I am not myself an eater
of animal flesh, I cannot answer that question from personal authority. I imagine, however, that meatbeast
would taste very good to any starving man.тАЭ He raised a hand, palm outward. тАЬLet us proceed,тАЭ he said,
and the picture behind him changed. Now the telescreen showed an endless flat plain under a double sun.
The plain was filled from horizon to horizon with plantsтАФugly looking things as tall as Tuf himself, their
stalks and leaves an oily black, their heads drooping beneath the weight of swollen whitish pods that
dripped a pale thick fluid.
тАЬThese, for reasons unknown to me, are called jersee-pods,тАЭ said Tuf. тАЬFive years ago, I gave you
omni-grain, whose caloric yield per square meter is dramatically higher than that of nanowheat, neograss,
and the other grains you had hitherto been planting. I note that you have sowed omni-grain extensively
and reaped the benefits thereof. I also note that you have continued to plant nanowheat, neograss,
spicepods, smackles, and numerous other types of fruit and vegetables, no doubt for the sake of variety
and culinary pleasure. This must cease. Culinary variety is a luxury the SтАЩuthlamese can no longer afford.
Caloric efficiency alone must henceforth be your byword. Every square meter of agricultural land on
SтАЩuthlam and your so-called Larder asteroids must immediately be turned over to jersee-pods.тАЭ
тАЬWhat kind of gunk is that dripping there?тАЭ someone called.
тАЬIs that thing a fruit or a vegetable?тАЭ a newspeep demanded to know.
тАЬCan you make bread from it?тАЭ another asked.
тАЬThe jersee-pod,тАЭ said Tuf, тАЬis inedible.тАЭ
A sudden clamorous uproar swept over the room, as a hundred people shouted and waved and threw
questions and began speeches.
Haviland Tuf waited calmly until there was silence. тАЬEach year,тАЭ he said, тАЬas your First Councillor could
tell you, were he only so inclined, your agricultural lands yield an ever-diminishing percentage of the
caloric needs of the swelling SтАЩuthlamese population, the difference being made up by increased
production from your food factories, where petrochemicals are processed into nutritious wafers and
paste and clever synthetic edibles. Alas, however, petroleum is a nonrenewable resource, and you are
running out. This process may be delayed, but ultimately it is inexorable. No doubt you are importing
some from other worlds, but that interstellar pipeline can yield you only so much. Five years ago, I
introduced into your seas a plankton of a variety called neptuneтАЩs shawl, colonies of which now creep up
your beaches and float upon the waves above your continental shelves. When dead and decayed,
neptuneтАЩs shawl can serve as a substitute for petrochemicals in your food factories.
тАЬJersee-pods might be looked upon as a nonaquatic analogue to neptuneтАЩs shawl. The pods produce a
fluid with certain biochemical similarities to raw crude oil. It is similar enough so that your food factories,
after a minimal retooling easily accomplished by a world of your undoubted technological expertise, can
make efficient use of it for processing into foodstuffs. Yet I must stress that you cannot simply plant these
pods here and there as a supplement to your present crops. For maximum benefit, they must be planted
universally, entirely supplanting the omni-grain, neograss, and other flora on which you have become
accustomed to rely for provender.тАЭ
A slender woman in the back stood up on her chair to be seen above the throng. тАЬTuf, who are you to
tell us that we have to give up real food?тАЭ she screamed, anger in her tone.
тАЬI, madam? I am but a humble ecological engineer engaged in the practice of his profession. It is not for
me to make your decisions. My task, so obviously thankless, consists of presenting you with the facts
and suggesting certain possible remedies which might be efficacious, however unpleasant. Thereafter, the
government and people of SтАЩuthlam must make the ultimate determination as to what course to follow.тАЭ
The audience was getting unruly again. Tuf raised a finger. тАЬQuiet, please. I will soon conclude my
presentation.тАЭ
The picture on the telescreen changed once more. тАЬCertain species and ecological strategies that I
introduced five years ago, when first employed by SтАЩuthlam, can and should remain in place. The
mushroom and fungus farms beneath your undercities should be maintained and expanded. I have several
new varieties of fungus to demonstrate to you. More efficient methods of farming the seas are certainly