"Jack McKinney - Robotech 16 - World Killers" - читать интересную книгу автора (McKinney Jack)

CHAPTER TWO
In the case of Garudan evolution, there can be no question that a wide spectrum of intracellular
organelles developed through the cannibalistic warfare among bacteria that led to an amazing
degree of symbiosis. The interactions of the entire Garudan ecosystem, the planet's dominant
species included, give weight to those who argue that the evolution of multicellular organisms
resulted from the extracellular symbiosis of monocellular organisms.
Like ours, a Garudan's body is composed of about ten quadrillion animal cells and another one
hundred quadrillion bacterial cells. But the range of microorganic activity and variety is far
greater, and the interaction of the symbionts far more complex.



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The upshot is that a Human who is exposed to Garudan atmosphere is like a pocket calculator
plugged into a mainframe: it is not designed for it and will quickly burn out.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, in light of recent research, the Garudans have a simple explanation for
the extraordinary nature of their planet's ecosystem: "Haydon wished it so."
Cabell, A Pedagogue Abroad: Notes on the Sentinels Campaign

Vince Grant's hand covered Lisa Hunter's forehead and then some. He drew it back, moist with her
perspiration. "She's still feverish." He struggled with himself for a moment, not sure if he could
or should say what else he was thinking.
Jean, Vince's wife, nodded slightly. The patients were all that way: Rick and Lisa, Karen
Penn and Miriya Sterling. They were comatose and failing fast, as a result of their exposure to
the Garudan atmosphere. They were tied down on gurneys to help control their intermittent
seizures.
The shuttlecraft's deckplates vibrated under Vince's boot soles. "Jean, what if Veidt's
wrong, or the Invid double-cross us?"
Somebody had to ask the question. The fate of worlds was riding on what the Sentinels
would do. Moralists would say that the lives of four individuals were as important as the life of
a planet or the outcome of a war, but Vince didn't have the luxury of dealing with the abstract.
He wiped the perspiration from Lisa's brow with a cloth and pulled the blanket back up
under her chin. He looked at the other stricken Sentinels.
Here were four lives that would come to an end unless the virtually miraculous Haydonian
healing crafts were brought to bear. But what might the survival of the Hunters and the others
cost?
The Invid sounded so accommodating-it could only be some sort of trick. Vince drew a
breath and smoothed out his uniform tunic. Given his size, no one-least of all, an XT-was likely
to notice the bulge of the Badger assault pistols he was wearing in shoulder rigs under each
armpit. If this was a trap, the Regent's hordes would find out how expensive a pricetag such a
seemingly simple skirmish could carry.
Vince was not particularly afraid of death. He had long since figured out his attitude
about dying, and other people sensed his inner calm. As the shuttle started to cut into Haydon
IV's atmosphere, Max Sterling appeared in the hatch, knotting his fingers together, and looked to
Vince.
Max had left his place at the controls, permitting Wolff to take over, and come aft to