"Michael A. Stackpole - Battletech - Mechwarrior - Dark Age 12 - Hunters Of The Deep" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stackpole Michael A)

Horrified, but unable to look away, even most of the scientists stopped working to watch the coming
end.

It came quickly and with brutal efficiency, as the sine waves on three of the four cables momentarily
matched rhythm and descended to the anchor points at roughly the same moment. Unimaginable kinetic
energy tore into the anchors, which were not designed to withstand even a fraction of such stress,
buckling and snapping meters-thick composite plates with the ease of a child breaking the wooden top.

The JumpShipтАЩs spine snapped in a glittering blizzard of shattered metal and composites, three of the
four cables tearing completely away and slithering into the silence of space like snakes escaping their
confines; the fourth continued to hammer the mortally wounded ship, jerking as though desperate to join
its now-free comrades.

Even after a lifetime in the soundless vacuum of space, witnessing such horror in absolute silence still
created a surreal sense of distance: as though events were not real, but unfolded only within a reality
created by the digital display unit.

But Petr knew it to be all too real: the cost in the destroyed JumpShip and its expensive KF drive; the
failure of hundreds of thousands of man-hours of work. PetrтАЩs mind always fell to the bottom line.

For the length of several labored breaths, the room held motionless. Then the scientists dove back to
their work, attempting to salvage what they could of the information deluge. Everyone except Kif. The
scientists subordinate to Kif would suffer no adverse consequences from the experimentтАЩs failure. Kif,
however, stood fully responsible.

Like a deer caught in headlamps, Kif turned glassy, stunned eyes toward Petr.

тАЬThere will be time for trials later,тАЭ Petr said, forestalling the man before he could speak, pleased with his
lack of anger (it happened so seldom these days). тАЬNow your duty is to determine exactly what occurred
and why. You have fourteen days until a Trial of GrievanceтАЭтАФhe paused a momentтАФтАЬto be fought by
scientist Jonnic. You will prove to JonnicтАЩs satisfaction that your design can succeed, or you will be
reassigned to the technician caste.тАЭ The man flinched as though struck by a micrometeor. He just might
have an answer by then, faced with such an incentive.

тАЬQuiaff,тАЭ the scientist barely managed.

He turned to Jesup and speared him with a raised finger. тАЬAnd I have no wish to hear of failures from
you.тАЭ

тАЬI would never speak to you of your failures.тАЭ

Petr held his gaze, a contest of wills.No, but you would remind me without a word. Remind me of
past failures and my hatred . . . and rage.

Breaking eye contact, Petr unclamped his magnetic slips and arrowed toward the exit hatch. Tried to
forget the look in JesupтАЩs eyes.

You cannot compare scientist Kif to me. When I reach to achieve my vision, it will not end in
failure.