"Mack Reynolds - Planetary Agent X" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reynolds Mack)

United Planets Charter?тАЭ
That was easy. Ronny recited, тАЬArticle One: The United Planets
organization shall take no steps to interfere with the internal political,
socio-economic, or religious institutions of its member planets. Article Two:
No member planet of United Planets shall interfere with the internal political,
socio-economic or religious institutions of any other member planet.тАЭ He
looked at the department head. тАЬBut whatтАЩs that got to do with the
fact that I was unfamiliar with even the existence of Monet?тАЭ
тАЬSuppose one of the advanced planets, or even Earth itself,тАЭ
Metaxa growled, тАЬopenly discussed in magazines, on newscasts, or
wherever, the religious system of Monet. A howl would go up
among the liberals, the progressives, the do-gooders. And the howl
would be heard on the other advanced planets. Eventually, the
citizen in the street on Monet would hear about it and be affected.
And before you knew it, a howl would go up from MonetтАЩs
government. Why? Because the other planets would be interfering
with her internal affairs, simply by discussing them.тАЭ
тАЬSo what you mean is,тАЭ Ronny said, тАЬpart of our job is to
keep information about MonetтАЩs government and religion from
being discussed at all on other member planets.тАЭ
тАЬThatтАЩs right,тАЭ Metaxa nodded. тАЬAnd thatтАЩs just one of our
dirty little jobs. One of many. Section G, believe me, gets them all.
Which brings us to your first assignment.тАЭ
Ronny inched forward in his chair. тАЬIt takes me into space?тАЭ
тАЬIt takes you into space, all right,тАЭ Metaxa snorted. тАЬAt least it
will after a few months of indoctrination. IтАЩm sending you out after
a legend, Ronny. YouтАЩre fresh, so possibly youтАЩll get some ideas
older men in the game havenтАЩt thought of.тАЭ
тАЬA legend?тАЭ
тАЬIтАЩm sending you to look for Tommy Paine. Some members
of the department donтАЩt think he exists. I do.тАЭ
тАЬTommy Paine?тАЭ
тАЬA pseudonym that somebody hung on him way back before
even my memory in this Section. Did you ever hear of Thomas
Paine in American history?тАЭ
тАЬHe wrote a pamphlet during the Revolutionary War, didnтАЩt
he?тАЭ
Metaxa nodded. тАЬCommon Sense. But he was more than that.
He was born in England but went to America as a young man, and
his writings probably did as much as anything to put over the revolt
against the British. But that wasnтАЩt enough. When that revolution
was successful he went back to England and tried to start one
there. The government almost caught him, but he escaped and got
to France, where he participated in the French Revolution.тАЭ
тАЬHe seemed to get around,тАЭ Ronny Bronston said.
тАЬAnd so does this namesake of his. WeтАЩve been trying to catch
up with him for some twenty years. How long before that he was
active, we have no way of knowing. It was some time before we
became aware of the fact that half the revolts, rebellions,
revolutions and such that occur in the United Planets have his dirty