"Michael McCollum - Maker 2 - Procyion Promise" - читать интересную книгу автора (McCollum Michael)

тАЬWhich one is that?тАЭ Braedon asked, motioning toward the planet.

тАЬThat would be Mercury, I believe, Captain.

The speaker was a white haired man of sixty, whose face was set in a perpetual smile. Behind that idiotтАЩs
grin was one of the most perceptive brains Alpha had ever produced. Scholar Horace Emanuel Price had
contributed more to the final assault on the Star TravelerтАЩs secret than any man alive. When the time had
come to buildPromise , Price had been the only crewmember with a sure berth aboard the starship.

Braedon nodded. The only four planets in the solar system whose names he could remember were Earth,
Mars, Jupiter, and whatтАЩs-its-name with the ring. Compared to the topography of Alpha Canis Minor,
the Solar System was a relatively boring place. Of course, the home system did not have ProcyonтАЩs
white dwarf companion to liven things up.

тАЬAnything to report, Scholar?тАЭ

тАЬWe managed to find Earth without difficulty. It is the brightest radio star in the sky. PROMis monitoring.
Their neutrino count is higher than we expected, indicating our estimates of their productive potential are
conservative. No surprises yet, Captain.тАЭ

тАЬAt least they didnтАЩt blow themselves up while we were away.тАЭ

тАЬThank The Promise for small favors.тАЭ

Braedon signed off with Scholar Price and keyed for the computer. тАЬPROM ! тАЭ

тАЬYes, Robert.тАЭ

тАЬHow long to rendezvous with the probe?тАЭ

тАЬSix minutes, seventeen seconds.тАЭ

тАЬPlease tell the Chaplain to get ready then. IтАЩll give him twenty minutes for his ceremony, then everyone
goes back to his duty station.тАЭ

тАЬI have so informed him, Robert.тАЭ

тАЬLet me know when we come in range.тАЭ

тАЬOrder acknowledged and understood.тАЭ

Four minutes later, PROMnotified him that she had visual contact with the probe.

тАЬPut it on the screen,тАЭ he said. The screen jumped and suddenly there was a very tiny something at its
center, something that looked like two tiny marbles joined together with a toothpick.

тАЬWe are being scanned, Robert.тАЭ

тАЬScanned? By what?тАЭ