"Kim Stanley Robinson - A Martian Romance" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robinson Kim Stanley)

тАЬAnd youтАЩre still the canyon hermit,тАЭ she says, laughing and pulling
him toward the crowd; it is good to see him again, it has been three months.
For many years now they have been a steady couple, Roger returning to
their rooms in the co-op in Burroughs after every trip away; but his work is
still in the back country, so they still spend quite a lot of time apart.

Just as they join Hans and Arnold, who are wrapping up their history
of the world, Stephan and Frances come in the door, and they hold a
cheery reunion over a late dinner. ThereтАЩs a lot of catching up to do; this
many members of their Olympus Mons climb havenтАЩt been together in a
long time. Hours after the other diners have gone upstairs to bed, or off to
their homes, the little group of old ones sits at the end of one table talking.
A bunch of antique insomniacs, Eileen thinks, none anxious to go to bed
and toss and turn through the night. She finds herself the first to stand up
and stretch and declare herself off. The others rise on cue, except for
Roger and Arnold; theyтАЩve done a lot of climbing together through the
years, and Roger was a notorious insomniac even when young; now he
sleeps very poorly indeed. And Arnold will talk for as long as anyone else is
willing, or longer. тАЬSee you tomorrow,тАЭ Arnold says to her. тАЬBright and early
for the crossing of the Amazonian Sea!тАЭ

****

The next morning the iceboat runs over ice that is mostly white, but in some
patches clear and transparent right down to the shallow seafloor. Other
patches are the color of brick, with the texture of brick, and the boatтАЩs
runners clatter over little dunes of gravel and dust. If they hit melt ponds the
boat slows abruptly and shoots great wings of water to the sides. At the
other side of these ponds the runners scritch again like ice skates as they
accelerate back up to speed. RogerтАЩs iceboat is a scooter, he explains to
them; not like the spidery skeletal thing that Eileen was expecting, having
seen some of that kind down in Chryse тАФthose Roger calls DNs. This is
more like an ordinary boat, long, broad, and low, with several parallel
runners nailed fore-and-aft to its hull. тАЬBetter over rough ice,тАЭ Roger
explains, тАЬand it floats if you happen to hit water.тАЭ The sail is like a big birdтАЩs
wing extended over them, sail and mast all melded together into one
object, shifting shape with every gust to catch as much wind as it can.

тАЬWhat keeps us from tipping over?тАЭ Arnold asks, looking over the lee
rail at the flashing ice just feet below him.

тАЬNothing.тАЭ The deck is at a good cant, and Roger is grinning.

тАЬNothing?тАЭ

тАЬThe laws of physics.тАЭ

тАЬCome on.тАЭ

тАЬWhen the boat tips the sail catches less wind, both because itтАЩs tilted