"Bc05" - читать интересную книгу автора (Niven Larry & Pournelle)

"Skeeter-based? Scouting out a location? A little preliminary work." He closed his eyes, musing. "Built it around the Robor vehicle. A fairly quick in-and-out. I would say no more than twelve hours, preparing for a much more thorough expedition in maybe a . . . month?"
Jessica nodded happily. "You're reading my mind, Dad."
"Plans will be on Cass by tomorrow morning. Okay?"
"Finestkind."
The meeting was breaking up. Jessica and her brother headed toward each other, hugged fiercely, and collected in a cluster with some of the other Second. They headed out the door together.
A hand smacked Cadmann's shoulder, and he turned around to face Aaron Tragon.
As usual, the sheer size of the young man hit Cadmann, hard. Reminded him of a friend . . . long ago.
Ernst. First casualty of the Grendels.
As such he should have felt a touch of nostalgia, of loss. Ernst had died because Cadmann thought he could handle it. Could handle everything.
And for a moment it felt as if Cadmann were moving in slow motion, Tragon's glittering, wide smile so intense and intimate that it seemed that the other shapes in the room faded to nothing.
The full force of Tragon's personality was so strong that Cadmann had to consciously remind himself where he was. Not in the past, but here, in the present, as if he had awakened from a micronap.
"-you for backing us, Cadmann. Jessica said that we could count on you."
His smile was dazzling.
"I imagine that you'll be going over?"
"Wouldn't miss Grendel Scout initiation."
"Good," Cadmann said, and meant it.
"Not that Justin can't take care of the kids," Aaron said carefully. "Well, good night, sir. Thanks again."
Aaron turned, but before he could walk away Ruth Moscowitz blocked his path. She stared up at him in admiration. Aaron paused and took her hand. "You look lovely tonight, Ruth."
She beamed. "I thought you were just brilliant."
He touched her right hand to his lips, winked at her, and strode off to rejoin his coterie. Ruth took her right hand in her left as if she wanted to wrap it in tissue paper.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Mary Ann said.
Sylvia chuckled. "He's a nice young man. I can understand what Jessica sees in him."
Mary Ann's smile was ghastly. "Let's get home, Cad. I'd like to build a big fire in the bedroom. Get really toasty. Okay?"
"Sure."
Sylvia unwound herself from his arm, and headed off. "I want to check with Linda on her simulations. I'll be up to the Bluff later, all right?"
"No problem." The crowd was thinning now. Cadmann took Mary Ann's small hand in his, squeezed it gently. "Things are changing fast now. It had to happen."
"I . . . don't want to talk about it just now. Cad. Take me home."