"Larry Niven - Rainbow Mars" - читать интересную книгу автора (Niven Larry)

Immobile, he looked into the ophidian face.
The hatch opened. Techs played sonic handguns along the snake's length. It went limp. Hillary Weng-
Fa and Wilt Miller pulled Svetz out of the X-cage and looked him over. Other techs coiled be
torpid snake on a lifter platform for transport to the Secretary-General's Vivarium.
Wrona pushed past Chairman Ra Chen to lick Svetz's face, Svetz hugged her. The touch of fur was a
comfort.
"Feathers," Ra Chen said. "Futz. Are you all right?"
"Fine. Sir, I think it decided not to kill me. Treat it right."
"The picture book didn't show feathers."
"There must be more than one kind of snake," Svetz said. "The locals worshipped this one. I'll bet
the SecGen loves it."
"They'll find something else to worship. Svetz-" Ra Chen's words stuck in his throat.
"Sir?"
"Waldemar the Tenth is dead."
"Long live the Secretary-General." Then his fatigue-blurred mind caught up. "Wait, now. The
natives were ready to cut my heart out for that snake, and now we don't need it?"
Ra Chen sighed. Svetz babbled, "Or do we? Who's the next Secretary-General? Does he like animals?"
"That's being settled, I don't doubt. Take Wrona home. Get some sleep. Everything goes to hell
when power changes hands."




PART
ONE
"If only we had a time machine!'



Chapter 2


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Willy Gorky's coming was announced. The Institute for Temporal Research had two hours to prepare.
The atmosphere as Svetz arrived was low-intensity frantic. Hum of techspeak, hum of power, three
techs swearing quietly over yellow lights on a display. Some looked up from the Guide Pit as he
and Wrona passed. Nobody particularly wanted to talk to Hanville Svetz, but Wrona was still a
curiosity.
The Director saw Svetz in a corner quietly eating a bowl of dole yeast. He said, "Get the dog
out."
Svetz nodded and stood. He rubbed Wrona between her ears. "Home," he told her, and turned back
toward the door. She laughed with her tongue lolling.
"Home, my ass," Ra Chen bellowed. "I need you here!"
"Make a decision, Boss."
Ra Chen took two seconds to think. Wilt and Hillary both got along with Wrona, but Svetz could see
both techs on duty in the Pit. They couldn't take her. The Zoo dogs fought with her.
"The dog stays. Good idea anyway. We'll have something to show Gorky."
"Yes sir. Why are we showing off for Willy Gorky?"