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

A phalanx of computer monitors and other machines formed a large bulwark ring around a central
holographic table, while multiple large-screen projection monitors showed exterior shots of the depths of
space. At least forty white-coated individuals worked at various stations, monitoring and inputting
information. Though he found the whole exercise fascinating, Petr knew most of it passed over his head.

To each his own. To each his contribution to the Clan.

They stepped carefully over what seemed like kilometers of twisting, multicolored
wiresтАФinterconnecting all of the various computers and electronic equipmentтАФaround bustling scientists
and between tables before breaking into the relative calm at the eye of the storm around the main
holographic table.

тАЬAs you know, ovKhan,тАЭ Kif began immediately, тАЬthere have been numerous attempts to create a large,
mobile, simulated gravity, and until today, all have failed. They tied themselves too firmly to centuries-old
technology: drastically increasing the size of a gravity deck, spinning the entire ship, latching the
DropShips onto a spinning collar and so on. All failed and will continue to fail because they rely on such
outdated methods, rather than changing the paradigm within which we work.тАЭ

Jesup and Petr shared a brief, hidden smile at the pompous tone and obvious jab at JonnicтАЩs own
research.

тАЬPlease turn your attention to the central display, and I will provide an explanation of what is about to
unfold.тАЭ Scientist Kif waved his hand at the holographic display, showing anInvader -class JumpShip in
exquisite detail.

тАЬMy epiphany occurred almost three years ago during theVoidswimmer тАЩs refit at the Tukayyid orbital
yards. There, I watched an extrusion of a carbon polymer composite cable, part of an attempt to make a
cable with the strength to create a space elevator. Though those attempts continue to fail, I reasoned the
tensile strength, in ratio to the thickness of the cable and required length to create a full standard gravity,
would allow for the creation of a series of tethers for DropShips, provided they could be spun within the
necessary parameters.тАЭ

Though Petr fought his mindтАЩs impulse to drift, the manтАЩs technical jargon made him glassy-eyed; instead,
he gave his attention to the display, concentrating on remembering the information gleaned from progress
reports.

The initial challenge was to understand the need to create standard gravity. Though literally millions of
Fox Clansmen lived most of their lives in microgravity, there was a significant enough number of
downsiders who lived on Fox-controlled Inner Sphere worlds that large-scale, movable simulated
gravities needed to be built for training these personnel. This goal had proved elusive as a result of
technical and structural limitations.

Until todayтАФat least, that was scientist KifтАЩs claim.

TheInvader hovering in the air before him represented the quintessential JumpShip: bulb at the front end,
connected to a five-hundred-meter, relatively narrow length ending in the stationkeeping drive and solar
sail array, giving rise to the ubiquitous description тАЬneedle thin.тАЭ Close to the middle of the vessel, a
narrow, collarlike structure circled the diameter of the JumpShip, housing cargo holds, docking collars for
DropShips and small-craft launching bays. Nearly four months of in-transit reconstruction had radically