"Eric Frank Russel - Next of Kin" - читать интересную книгу автора (Russell Eric Frank)

squirting from all twenty propulsors."



"Sounds good to me, sir," approved Leeming, licking his lips. "It is good. It's got to be good. The
unanswered question is that of whether it is good enough to take the beating of a long, long trip. The
tubes are the weakest part of any spaceship. Sooner or later they burn out. That's what bothers me. The
tubes on this ship have very special linings. In theory they should last for months. In practice they might
not. You know. what that means?"



"No repairs and no replacements in enemy territory, no means of getting back," Leeming offered.



"Correct. And the vessel would have to be destroyed. From that moment the pilot, if still surviving, has
isolated himself somewhere within the mists of Creation, His chance of seeing. humankind again is remote
enough to verge on the impossible."



"There could, be worse situations. I'd rather be alive someplace than stone-dead here. While there's life
there's hope."



"You still wish to go through with this?"



"Sure thing; sir:"



"Then upon your own head be it," said Markham with grim humour. "Go along the corridor, seventh
door on the right, report to Colonel Farmer. Tell him I sent you."



"Yes, sir."
"And before you go try that damned zipper again."



Obediently, Leeming tried it. The thing slid all the way as smoothly as if oiled. He stared at the other with
a mixture of astonishment and injured innocence.