"Smith, George - Complete Venus Equilateral" - читать интересную книгу автора (Smith Guy N)

Don Channing looked up at the indicator panel hi his office and frowned in puzzlement. He punched a buzzer and spoke into the communicator on his desk.
"Find out who that is, will you, Arden?"
"He isn't expected," came back the voice of Arden Westland.
"I know that. But I've been expecting someone ever since John Peters retired last week. You know why."
"You hope to get his job," said the girl in an amused voice. "I hope you do. So that someone else will sit around all day trying to make you retire so that he can have your job!"
"Now look, Arden, Fve never tried to make Peters retire."
"No, but when the word came that he was thinking of it, you began to think about taking over. Don't worry, I don't blqme you." There was quite a protracted silence, and then her voice returned. "The visitor is a gentleman by the name of Francis Burbank, He came out in a flitter with a chauffeur and alt"
"Big shot, hey?"
"Take it easy. He's coming up the office now.*" 5
"I gather that he desires audience with me?'* asked Don.
"I think that he's here to lay down the law! You'll have to get out of Peters' office, if his appearance is any guide."
Some more silence followed. The communicator was turned oS at the other end, which made Channing fume. He would have preferred to hear the interchange of words between his secretary and the newcomer. Then, instead of having the man announced, the door opened and the stranger entered. He came to the point immediately.
"You're Don Channing? Acting Director of Venus Equilateral?"
"I am."
"Then I have some news for you, Dr. Channing. I have been appointed Director by the Interplanetary Communications Commission. You are to resume your position as Electronics Engineer."
"Oh?" said Channing. "I sort of believed that I would be offered this position."
"There was a discussion of that procedure. However, the commission decided that a man of more commercial training would better fill the position. The Communications Division has been operating at too small a profit. They felt that a man of commercial experience could cut expenses and so on to good effect. You understand then* reasoning, of course," said Burbank.
"Not exactly/'
"Well, it is like this. They know that a scientist is not usually tie man to consider the cost of experimentation. Scientists build thousand-ton cyclotrons to convert a penny's worth of lead into one and one-tenth cents' worth of lead and gold. And they use three hundred dollars' worth of power and a million-dollar machine to do it with.
"They feel that a man with training like that will not know the real meaning of the phrase 'cutting expenses.' A new broom sweeps clean, Dr. Channing. There must be many places where a man of commercial experience can cut expenses. I, as Director, shall do so."
"I wish you luck," said Channing.
"Then, mere is no hard f eeling?" 6
"I can't say that. It is probably not your fault, t cannot feel against you, but I do feel sort of let down at the decision of the commission. I have had experience in this job."
"The commission may appoint you to follow me. If your work shows a grasp of commercial operations, I shall so recommend."
"Thanks," said Channing dryly. "May I buy you a drink?"
"I never drink. And I do not believe in it. If it were mine to say, I'd prohibit liquor from the premises. Venus Equilateral would be better off without it."
Don Channing snapped the communicator. "Miss Westland, will you come in?"
She entered, puzzlement on her face.
"This is Mr. Burbank. His position places him hi control of this office. You will, in the future, report to him directly. The report on the operations, engineering projects, and so on that I was to send in to the commission this morning will, therefore, be placed in Mr. Bur-bank's hands as soon as possible." *
"Yes, Dr. Planning." Her eyes held a twinkle, but there was concern and sympathy in than, too. "Shall I get mem immediately?"
"They are ready?"
"I was about to put them on the tape when you called."
"Then give them to Mr. Burbank." Channing turned to Burbank. "Miss Westland will hand you the reports I mentioned. They are complete and precise. A perusal of them will put you in grasp of the situation here at Venus Equilateral better than will an all-afternoon conference. Til have Miss Westland haul my junk out of here. You may consider this as your office, it having been used by Dr. Peters. And, in the meantime, I've got to check up on some experiments on the ninth level." Channing paused. "You'll excuse me?"
"Yes, if Miss Westland knows where to find you."
"She will I'll inform her of my whereabouts."
"I may want to consult you after I read the reports."
"That will be all right. The autocall can find me anywhere on Venus Equilateral, if I'm not at the place Miss Westland calls."
Don Charming stopped at Arden's desk. *Tm booted," he told her.
"Leaving Venus Equilateral?" she asked with concern.
"No, blond and beautiful, I'm just shunted back to my own office."
"Can't I go with you?" pleaded the girl "Nope. You are to stay here and be a nice, good-looking Mata Hari. This bird seems to think that he can run Venus Equilateral like a bus or a factory. I know the type, and the first thing he'll do is to run the place into a snarl Keep me informed of anything complicated, will you?"
"Sure. And where are you going now?" "I'm going down and get Walt Franks. We're going to inspect the transparency of a new type of glass."
"I didn't know that optical investigations come under your jurisdiction."
"This investigation will consist of a visit to the ninth level."
"Can't you take me along?"
"Not today," he grinned "Your new boss does not believe in the evils of looking through the bottom of a glass. We must behave with decorum. We must forget fun. We are now operating under a man who will commercialize electronics to a fine art"
"Don't get stewed. He may want to know where the electrons are kept"
*Tm not going to drink that much. Walt and I need a discussion," he said. "And in the meantime, haul my spinach out of the office, will you, and take it back to the electronics office? m be needing it back there." "O.K., Don," she said. "I'll see you later." Charming left to go to the ninth level He stopped long enough to collect Walt Franks.
Over a tall glass of beer, Channing told Franks of Burbank's visit. And why.
Only one thing stuck in Franks' mind. "Did you say that he might close Joe's?" asked Franks.