"Robert Reed - A Place With Shade" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reed Robert)

Provo merely shrugged his broad shoulders, admitting "I do love my daughter.
And
you're correct about some things. But the situation here, like anywhere, is
much
more complicated than the casual observer can perceive."

I looked at the drab hyperfiber sky -- the illusion of heavy clouds over a
waxy
low sun -- and I gave a quick appreciative nod.

"The area around us is littered with even less successful projects," Provo
warned me.

I said, "Sad."

The old man agreed. "Yet I adore her. I want no ill to befall her, and I mean
that as an unveiled warning. Ula has never existed with ordinary people. My
hope
is that I live long enough to see her mature, to become happy and normal, and
perhaps gain some skills as a terraformer too. You are my best hope of the
moment. Like it or not, that's why I hired you."

I stared out at his little sea. A lone gull was circling bleating out
complaints
about the changeless food.
"My daughter will become infatuated with you," I heard. "Which might be a good
thing. Provided you can resist temptation, infatuation will keep her from
being
disillusioned. Never, never let her become disillusioned."

"No?"

"Ula's not her father. Too much honesty is a bad thing."

I felt a momentary, inadequate sense of fear.

"Help her build one workable living place. Nothing fancy, and please, nothing
too inspired." He knelt and picked up a rounded stone. "She has an extensive
lab
and stocks of totipotent cells. You'll need nothing. And I'll pay you in full,
for your time and your imaginary expertise."

I found myself cold for many reasons, staring skyward. "I've been to Beringa,"
I
told Provo. "It's ridiculously cheery. Giant flowers and giant butterflies,
mammoths and tame bears. And a clear blue sky."

"Exactly," he replied, flinging the stone into the water. "And I would have
kept