"Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle - Fallen Angels" - читать интересную книгу автора (Niven Larry)

bearing. The government search parties are still wandering around on the
Ice thirty kilometers to the northwest. They don't have you located, yet.
From what we can overhear of their radio traffic, they got a bum steer from
a local peasant who couldn't estimate distances properly. But it won't be
long before they expand their search pattern. With any kind of luck, weтАЩll
get you out of there before they read your position."
them come faster.
He closed his eyes. Maybe if he slept, he could forget how much he
hurt. And how cold the cabin was growing. The space suit's heater ran on
batteries. A half hour wouldn't exhaust them; but he wasn't sure how long
he would need them. He decided to keep the heater on low. Just warm
enough to remind him how chilly it was.
Lying there, he had the oddest sensation that Piranha was accelerating,
hard; but that her engines were located under the deck rather than aft. It
was gravity, of course. Gravity was acceleration and his body interpreted it
as movement because one kind of acceleration felt like any other.
He reminded himself that Downers would say "up," not "forward."
Crazy planet. Still, he remembered what gravity had been like. He would
get used to it again. It would just take a little time.
His eyes jerked open. Bedsheets?

The second time, he was wakened by the muted sound of motors
outside the hull. Alex listened carefully, holding his breath. Yes, definitely
motors. He tongued the radio. "Big Momma?"
"I'm here, Alex." Her voice came faintly through the spitting and
crackle. There was definitely something wrong with the radio. He prayed
that the comm would not fail.
"I hear noises outside. Friendlies or government?"
"It's the rescue party. I think they just spotted you. Look, Alex, one
thing.
"What?"
"Your rescuers. They may seem, well, a little strange at first. Just bear
with them. They're good folks. Considering how things stand on Earth
these days, they're risking a lot to help you."
And beggars canтАЩt be choosers. He hadn't known the space dwellers
had, any friends on Earth; let alone strange ones. "Roger. Out."
They re half buried in the ice! It turned back and waved again. It was an
effort to return the gesture, and after a moment Alex lay back and waited
for them to open the hatch. There was more banging and stomping over his
head. Strange, Mary had said. So far they didn't seem strange. No stranger
than anyone who could move about freely in this horrible gravity.

Scoopship cabins were built for two people and Alex marvelled that so
many more had managed to crowd inside. It seemed as if they all wanted
to talk at once. They asked questions about the ship, about the habitats and
Luna City, about space travel. About everything. Finally, an older man
with bushy white hair and beard hollered and drove them out.
"Let me apologize for my friends," he said as he crouched by Alex's side.
"They're a little excited at the idea of meeting you."
"Me?" Alex was surprised. "Why should that excite anyone?"