"Kim Stanley Robinson - Forty Signs of Rain" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robinson Kim Stanley)

Strengloft peering curiously over CharlieтАЩs shoulder. Charlie explained JoeтАЩs presence as briefly as he
could, and Strengloft received the explanation with precisely the kind of frosty faux benevolence that
Charlie had been expecting. Strengloft in CharlieтАЩs opinion was a pompous ex-academic of the worst
kind, hauled out of the depths of a second-rate conservative think tank when the administrationтАЩs first
science advisor had been sent packing for saying that global warming might be real and not only that,
amenable to human mitigations. That went too far for this administration. Their line was that no one knew
for sure and it would be much too expensive to do anything about even if they were certain it was
comingтАФeverything would have to change, the power generation system, cars, a shift from hydrocarbons
to helium or something, they didnтАЩt know, and they didnтАЩt own patents or already existing infrastructure
for that kind of new thing, so they were going to punt and let the next generation solve their own
problems in their own time. In other words, the hell with them. Easier to destroy the world than to change
capitalism even one little bit.

All this had become quite blatant since StrengloftтАЩs appointment. He had taken over the candidate lists
for most of the federal governmentтАЩs science-advisory panels, and very quickly candidates were being
routinely asked who they had voted for in the last election, and what they thought of stem-cell research
and abortion and evolution. This had recently culminated in a lead industry defense witness being
appointed to the panel for setting safety standards for lead in childrenтАЩs blood, and immediately declaring
that seventy micrograms per deciliter would be harmless to children, though the EPAтАЩs maximum was
ten. When his views were publicized and criticized, Strengloft had commented, тАЬYou need a diversity of
opinions to get good advice.тАЭ Mentioning his name was enough to make Anna hiss.

Be that as it may, here he was standing before Charlie; he had to be dealt with, and in the flesh he
seemed friendly.

They had just gotten through their introductory pleasantries when the President himself entered the room.
Strengloft nodded complacently, as if he were often joined in his crucial work by the happy man.

тАЬOh, hello Mr. President,тАЭ Charlie said helplessly.

тАЬHello, Charles,тАЭ the President said, and came over and shook his hand.

This was bad. Not unprecedented, or even terribly surprising; the President had become known for
wandering into meetings like this, apparently by accident but perhaps not. It had become part of his
legendarily informal style.

Now he saw Joe sacked out on CharlieтАЩs back, and stepped around Charlie to get a better view.
тАЬWhatтАЩs this, Charles, you got your kid with you?тАЭ

тАЬYes sir, I was called in on short notice when Dr. Strengloft asked for a meeting with Phil and Wade,
theyтАЩre both out of town.тАЭ

The President found this amusing. тАЬHa! Well, good for you. ThatтАЩs sweet. Find me a marker pen and IтАЩll
sign his little head.тАЭ This was another signature move, so to speak. тАЬIs he a boy or a girl?тАЭ

тАЬA boy. Joe Quibler.тАЭ

тАЬWell thatтАЩs great. Saving the world before bedtime, thatтАЩs your story, eh Charles?тАЭ He smiled to himself
and moved restlessly over to the chair at the window end of the table. One of his people was standing in
the door, watching them without expression.