"Severna Park - The Three Unknowns" - читать интересную книгу автора (Park Severna)

Hoshi crossed her arms, not in an obstinate way, but like she was half-frozen. "I know why you came."

"Do you?"

"You're here to make sure I never set foot in Oxford again."

Althea didn't say anything. Neither of them did. For a while the room was silent except for the low wail of
the Martian wind at the corners of the boxcar.

"You must be tired," said Hoshi. "I'll show you where you'll be staying."
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Hoshi put her in the camp's VIP quarters, walking her through freezing plastic tunnels to get to it. They
passed three of the other boxcars, each marked, respectively: Crew Quarters; Mess; Supplies. Hoshi
pushed the door open to the one marked VIP and ushered her past a rack of dusty white pressure suits
into the relative warmth of the room.The VIP boxcar was divided lengthwise by a stiff nylon curtain.
Hoshi pulled it to one side to show Althea three men sleeping on cots.
"Who're they?" whispered Althea.

"They're from CNN. They got in just before you did."

Althea bristled, thinking of Captain Rowanoake. "You told them about that thing?"

Hoshi shook her head. "They're on a year-long assignment. Haven't you seen the series they're doing?
Roger Dodd Explores the Red Planet. They come here every three months." She let the curtain fall
back into place and motioned Althea to the other side, which was stacked with empty equipment cases
at one end. At the other was a single cot, a desk and a chair, and a tiny kitchenette with a mirror over the
sink. A thick plastic window looked out over the dig site where red sand rushed to fill in the ditches dug
by the sleepers in the other boxcars. Behind the curtain, someone snored deeply.

Hoshi puttered with the coffee pot in the kitchenette. Althea sat on the cot and watched her measure
what must have been incredibly precious coffee into the filter basket. From the back, it was obvious what
Mars had taken out of her. She'd lost weight. She was stooped in her shoulders, like she didn't quite
have what it took to withstand either the physical or emotional environment. The image of her digging for
such an unlikely find was laughable, but it occurred to Althea that Hoshi had been punished for her pride
and excesses: punished, best of all, by her own hand. And if that was the case, and since she was here
anyway, maybe there was an excuse for Althea to humor her.

"I suppose I could look at your videos," said Althea. "And your notes. But it would have to be worth my
while."

Hoshi turned and looked her right in the eye. "I think it will be, Professor Mendez."

She left and closed the door softly behind her.

Althea's luggage was by the bed, but she was afraid if she changed into pajamas she would sleep until
nightfall. There was too much to do. She crawled under the covers still in her clothes, shut her eyes
against the early Martian morning, and found a glimpse of Neznaiyu still floating behind her eyelids.