"Elizabeth Moon - Familias 05 - Rules of Engagement" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moon Elizabeth)

ways to profit from it. Mitch made himself sit still, and observed.
"What about the crew?" the Captain asked finally.
Mitch shrugged. "Our usual rules. We still need more females, if
we can find some that aren't too badly contaminated."
"You know, we've had to mute damn near every foreign female
we've brought in," Sam said. "And I worry about their effect on our
women."
Mitch smiled. "We're real men; we can control our women." The
others quickly nodded; nobody wanted to admit to having a problem in
that area. "Besides, we know God approves, because the imported
women have strong, healthy babies, fewer of 'em born with defects."
That, too, was unarguable. A child's defects reflected parental sin; if
healthy children came from women brought up in sin, then it must be
because God celebrated their release from the abominations of the
ungodly.
"If Parson Wells will bless your mission, Ranger Bowie, you have
my approval," the Captain said formally.
Just wait until he, Ranger Bowie, was Captain of Rangers, and
then see if he rolled over like that for anyone. Mitch nodded, and when
the parson came in he explained the proposed mission again. Parson
Wells pursed his lips, but finally nodded. "Just be sure to avoid
contamination, Ranger Bowie."
Mitch smiled. "Yes, sir, Parson. I got no intention of going
heathen." He had every intention of coming back with weapons, women,
wealthЧand every intention of making it to the captaincy before he was
many years older.
* * *


R.S.S. Training Command, Copper Mountain


Lieutenant Esmay Suiza arrived at Training Command's Copper
Mountain Base with high hopes only to find herself waiting her turn for
security clearance in a big echoing reception hall with two of the ugliest
murals she'd ever seen. On the right, over the com booths, a scene of
ships in combat in space. They looked nothing like ships as Esmay had
seen them from the outside. Realism would have been dull at best, but
she couldn't help an internal smirk at the astronomical decorations . . .
stars, comets, spiral galaxies. On the left, over the luggage dumps, a
scene depicting ground combat, which looked even less realistic than the
space one . . . for one thing, nobody's uniform ever stayed that clean.
For another, the artist had only a shaky grasp of anatomy and
perspective; all the figures looked squashed sideways.
Esmay tried to get her mind back to her own high hopes. A
change in track, from technical to command, and she was finally
pursuing her destiny, using her best talents. Certainly her commanders
thought so. She had made friends, including Barin Serrano who wasЧif
she was honest with herselfЧmuch more than a friend. In his admiration,
she felt herself more capable; in his concern, she felt herself loved. That