"Mike Resnick - A Miracle Of Rare Design" - читать интересную книгу автора (Resnick Mike)

Lennox had just finished giving his speech on Sirius V. Even he had to admit it had been impressive. He'd
held the audience in the palm of his hand, describing his adventures on Medina in vivid detail. Now it was time
for the question-and-answer session, and he called upon a young woman toward the front of the audience.
тАЬWhat attracts you to these exotic alien worlds?тАЭ she asked.
Standard answer Number 3,he thought to himself, as he wondered how soon the banquet would begin.
Aloud he said: тАЬAs a young boy I always wanted to see what lay beyond the next hill. Now I want to see what
lies beyond the next star system.тАЭ He paused. тАЬThere are thousands of fascinating worlds out there. Has
anyone here ever been to Doradus?тАЭ There was no response. тАЬWell,I have. The inhabitants never stand still.
They have these incredibly long, stilt-like legs, and they follow the sun over the horizon, never stopping, never
resting, never experiencing the dark. They mate, they give birth, they love and hate and grow old without ever
halting in their endless trek.
тАЬAnd there are the Brozians of Namatos VI. They reproduce by budding, just like vegetables. They've never
developed computersтАФin fact, they have yet to develop a written languageтАФand yet they've created a new
branch of mathematics that less than a dozen Men have been able to grasp. And there are the Djebels,
intelligent reptiles who have created a complex, functioning society despite the fact that they become
comatose when the temperature drops.
тАЬHow can one know about such places and beings and not want to see them at first hand?тАЭ
His answer received polite applause, as it always did, and then a man seated over to the side stood up.
тАЬIf you have such respect for alien races, why do you constantly break their laws?тАЭ
тАЬI have never broken an alien law,тАЭ replied Lennox firmly.
тАЬLet me rephrase that, then,тАЭ persisted the man. тАЬWhy do you behave in a manner that you know is contrary
to their wishes?тАЭ
Who let this idiot in? I thought they were supposed to screen the questions.
тАЬIf we're ever to live in harmony with our fellow beings,тАЭ he said, thinking half a sentence ahead, тАЬit is essential
that we understand them. It is not enough to know that they do not desire our presence. We must learnwhy
they feel that way, so that we can adjust our behavior to such a degree that we will no longer be unwelcome.тАЭ
тАЬBut doesn't invading their privacy reaffirm their desire not to have anything to do with us?тАЭ
тАЬIt's not that simple,тАЭ answered Lennox. тАЬThe Republic is the dominant force in the galaxy, and these races
are going to come into contact with us whether they like it or not. The more we can learn about them, the
more we can behave in such a manner that they eventually learn to accept us.тАЭ
I sound like an idiot! Why do they keep letting him follow up with more questions?
An elderly man stood up to ask about the FirefliesтАЩ social structure, and Lennox gratefully answered him at
considerable length. He then apologized for cutting the session short, explaining that he had not yet fully
recovered his strength, and joined his hosts for cocktails until the start of the banquet.
He had his usual difficult time eating without the use of his fingers, but a lovely blonde cut his food for him
and fed him as if he were a baby. Half of him reveled in the attention while the other half found the situation
totally ridiculous and more than a bit demeaning.
He was as charming and gracious as the situation required, and made a short after-dinner speech that was
really just a plug for his forthcoming book. Then, again using his health as an excuse, he announced that he
wished to retire to the suite his sponsors had provided, where he had every intention of spending the next few
hours reading or watching some mindless entertainment. He had hoped to make his exit using a pair of
crutchesтАФthat was usually good for a newstape holoтАФbut they had provided him with a mobile chair and he
rode it to the airlift, then ascended some thirty levels to his suite. The blonde made sure that he got there, but
didn't offer to come in with him, and he decided it was no great loss.
He entered the sumptuous parlor and ordered the curtains to part, revealing the frigid, airless surface beyond
the protective dome. He then contacted room service and told them to send up a bottle of Alphard brandy and
charge it to his sponsors.
He pulled a prosthetic hand out of his luggage, used it to get out of his formal attire, then took a dryshower
and changed into a more casual outfit. When he emerged from the bedroom he found that the brandy had
already been delivered, and he poured himself a glass.