"Vonda N. McIntyre-Screwtop" - читать интересную книгу автора (McIntyre Vonda N)

"Yes," Miria said.
"Miria, half the people who were killed during the last set weren't more than five or six years older than
the boy who turned me in. Most of the people being sent here now are that age. What could they
possibly have done terrible enough to get them sent here?"
"I don't know," Miria said softly without looking up. "We need the power generators. Someone has to
drill the steam wells. Some of us will die in the work. But you're right about the young people. I've been
thinking about... other things. I had not noticed." She said that as if she had committed a crime, or more
exactly a sin, by not noticing.
"And the child..." Her voice trailed off and she smiled sadly at Kylis. "How old are you?"
"I don't know. Maybe twenty."
Miria raised one eyebrow. "Twenty? Older in experience, but not that old in time. You should not be
here."
"But I am. I'll survive it."
"I think you will. And what then?"
"Gryf and Jason and I have plans."
"On Redsun?"
"Gods, no."
"Kylis," Miria said carefully, "you do not know much about tetraparentals, do you?"
"How much do I need to know?"
"I was born here. I used to... to work for them. Their whole purpose is their intelligence. Normal
people like you and me bore them. They cannot tolerate us for long."
"Miria, stop it!"
"Your friend will only cause you pain. Give him up. Put him away from you. Urge him to go home."
"No! He knows I'm an ordinary person. We know what we're going to do."
"It makes no difference," Miria said with abrupt coldness. "He will not be allowed to leave Redsun."
Kylis felt the blood drain from her face. No one had ever said that so directly and brutally before.
"They can't keep him. How long will they make him stay here before they realize they can't break him?"
"He is important. He owes Redsun his existence."
"But he's a person with his own dreams. They can't make him a slave!"
"His research team is worthless without him."
"I don't care," Kylis said.
"You-- " Miria cut herself off. Her voice became much gentler. "They will try to persuade him to follow
their plans. He may decide to do as they ask."
"I wouldn't feel any obligation to the people who run things on Redsun even if I lived here. Why should
he be loyal to them? Why should you? What did they ever do but send you here? What will they let you
do when you get out? Anything decent or just more dirty, murderous jobs like this one?" She realized she
was shouting, and Miria looked stunned.
"I don't know," Miria said. "I don't know, Kylis. Please stop saying such dangerous things." She was
terrified and shaken, much more upset than when she had been crying.
Kylis moved nearer and took her hand. "I'm sorry, Miria, I didn't mean to hurt you or say anything that
could get you in trouble." She paused, wondering how far Miria's fear of Redsun's government might take
her from her loyalty.
"Miria, " she said on impulse, "have you ever thought of partnering with anybody?"
Miria hesitated so long that Kylis thought she would not answer. Kylis wondered if she had intruded
on Miria's past again.
"No," Miria finally said. "Never."
"Would you?"
"Think about it? Or do it?"
"Both. Partner with me and Gryf and Jason. Not just here, but when we get out."
"No," Miria said. "No, I couldn't." She sounded frightened again.