"William Morrison - Playground" - читать интересную книгу автора (Morrison William)

"Seventeen hundred twenty-two em em Hg at ground level тАФ"
"Wow," said Jerry, who was eleven and knew that sea-level pressure on Earth was only 760 mm.
"That's a lot."
"Atmosheeric тАФ atmospheric composition: en two, 29 point seven, oh two, 31 point four, aitch ee,
fourteen point one тАФ"
"Too rich, but breathable," said George. "Thank God, we'll be able to adjust without too much
trouble, and won't have to wear our space suits."
"Now don't make any promises you can't keep," warned Sabina. "You know we'll have to check on
microorganisms first."
"I'm sorry I said anything," said George stiffly. "But I thought they knew that. We always check on
microorganisms."
Carl, a bright-eyed youngster of three, had been standing there listening in wide-eyed silence. Now
he said, "Mommy."
"Yes, Carl."
"I wanna go home."
"Of course we'll go home, Carl."
"I don't wanna go to any planick."
"We gotta go to the planet first," explained Jerry. "We can't help ourselves. Pop gotta fix the engines
тАФ"
"I wanna go home. I don't wanna go to any planick. I wanna go home, I don't wanna go to any
planick, I wanna go home, I don't wanna тАФ"
George closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Here we go again, he thought. Next time I say
anything about taking these kids on a vacation in space I'll know it's time to have my head examined.
Sabina looked as harried as he felt. She said, "You take over the ship, George. I've got a nice
heat-pop for Carl. Would you like a nice heat-pop, Carl? A delicious yummy heat-pop that keeps your
tongue nice and warm and tastes like ice cream or anything else you want it to taste like?"
"I wanna go home," said Carl.
Sabina took him firmly by the hand and half led, half dragged him away. George sat down at the
controls.
It was a fair-sized planet with low average density. That meant that the surface gravity would be low.
The kids will like that, he thought. It won't be too big a change from the low artificial gravity of the space
ship. The high atmospheric pressure and oxygen content may make them a little excitable at first, but in
the long run, the effects will do them good. They'll have a chance to run around and get some of the
nervousness out of their systems. And there'll be more space, provided there aren't too many dangerous
animals. Less chance of the kids getting in my hair. When I think of the month we've still got to go before
we get back to Earth, my heart sinks. I could brain the guy who suggested we take that vacation.
The planet was growing now, a vast bluish-gray ball that was slowly filling the entire viewing screen.
The altimeter began to function at 500,000 feet, as he switched on the auxiliary engine and began to
spiral down. No features discernible in the landscape, he thought, not through those clouds.
At 100,000 feet the radar began to give him useful details of the landscape. He passed over a vast
ocean and began to fly over solid ground. After a minute of this, however, something seemed to go
wrong with the altimeter. The needle of light began to waver. Eighty thousand feet тАФ 70,000 тАФ 80,000
тАУ 69,000 тАФ 78,000 тАФ 69,000 тАФ 76,000
Mountains, he thought, peculiar mountains that stick up as isolated individuals above the surface.
They'll make landing difficult. I'll have to be careful how I lose altitude. I'd better take it slow and easy
until we get past the thickest cloud layers and actually see what's going on.
Jerry and Lester were standing alongside him, knowing from experience that they'd better not
interrupt. He could hear Sabina's footsteps as she came back. "Carl's asleep," she said. "That was the
trouble with him, he was hungry and sleepy. He's all right when he's on a planet, and it gets light and dark
outside, but when he's out in space he has no conception of day and night, and he just can't adjust. I think