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

modified that section.

The previously flat plane of the collar was now broken in two, a fifteen-meter gap between each
overhanging outer section providing a view of the interior section in the middle. Petr knew from the
reports that that central, mostly hidden section now spun. Those extensive modifications, however, did
not captivate him so much as the four monstrous cables anchored to the central trough that swung out to
where four DropShips lay tethered.

TwoMule s, aMammoth and aBehemoth kept station at different distances, the twinMule s and their
11,200 tons of empty weight tethered at equal distances of just more than a kilometer. The 52,000-ton
Mammoth was tethered at less than half that distance, and the gargantuan 100,000-tonBehemoth at half
again. As the DropShipтАЩs cargo weights shifted, their tethers would adjust in length, automatically
compensating (that much came through from KifтАЩs endless talking).

The whole thing suddenly reminded him of a childтАЩs toy heтАЩd seen on some forgotten downside years
ago: a top, with four strings attached, metal beads at the end of each. If spun correctly, the beads created
a counterbalance, increasing how long the top would spin, while eliciting oohs and ahhs from the gathered
children as the sun glinted off the solid-appearing line of metal spinning in a flat arc around the topтАЩs
center. Yet if spun poorly, those strings would tangle hopelessly, stopping the top before it could even
begin spinning. As he stood arrested for that moment, Petr watched a half dozen children try to spin the
top, and only one of them succeed.

JesupтАЩs words filtered through the memory, giving Petr a moment of disquiet.Is Kif that child to set it
spinning correctly, or will it be hopelessly tangled?

тАЬBy your leave, ovKhan?тАЭ

For an instant, KifтАЩs voice held the timbre of a small child; then Petr shook himself from his reverie.
Concealing his unease, he nodded. тАЬProceed.тАЭ

With a smile almost childish in its glee at the coming victory, Kif nodded to his scientists, who fell to their
tasks, entering alphanumerical sequences only they could understand into several remote command
consoles.

Though he knew what to expect, Petr still felt disappointed as long minutes passed and apparently
nothing happened. The grins and nods of the scientists, however, told him they were excited about
something he could not see.

Petr decided to focus on the monitor showing the interior of cargo hold 1 of the distant JumpShip. A
giant skein of wires spun into view, connecting the control monitors to the bulkhead of theInvader and
the housing for the mammoth axle. He had a sudden image of a living, breathing machine, the scientists
tapping into the mechanical beast with their devices in an attempt to control it. He shook his head at this
flight of fancy.

тАЬSo exciting,тАЭ Jesup commented. Kif looked at Jesup as if he had just become aware of his presence,
then nodded firmly before returning to his work.
 Petr smiled at the scientistтАЩs obliviousness to the sarcasm. Another handful of minutes bled away, and
finally he could see a change. The holographic display showing the entire vessel and the visual feeds from
numerous shuttles arrayed around the ship revealed movement.