"Christopher Stasheff - Warlock 02 - The Warlock In Spite Of H" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stasheff Christopher)

to aristocratic families has always been in short supply.
So, when Rodney d'Armand had left home for a life of adventure and
glory - being the second son of a second son, there hadn't been
much else he could do - his father had insisted on his taking Fess
along.
Rod had often been very glad of Fess's company; but there were
times when the robot was just a little short on tact. For
instance, after a very rough planetfall, a human stomach tends to
be a mite queasy; but Fess had the bad sense to ask, 'Would you
care to dine, m'lord? Say, scallops with asparagus?'
Rod turned chartreuse and clamped his jaws, fighting back nausea.
No,' he grated, 'and can the "m'lord" bit. We're on a mission,
remember?'
'I never forget, Rod. Except on command.'
'I know,' growled his master's voice. 'It was a figure of speech.'
Rod swung his legs to the floor and painfully stood up. 'I could
use a breath of fresh air to settle my stomach, Fess. Is there any
available?'
The robot clicked for a moment, then reported, 'Atmosphere
breathable. Better wear a sweater, though.'
Rod shrugged into his pilot's jacket with a growl 'Why do old
family retainers always develop a mother-hen complex?'
'Rod, if you had lived as long as I have-'
'-I'd want to be deactivated. I know, "Robot is always right."
Open the lock, Fess.'
The double doors of the small air lock swung open, showing a
circle of black set with stars. A chill breeze poured into the
cabin.
Rod tilted his face back, breathing in. His eyes closed in luxury.
'Ah, the blessed breath of land! What lives here, Fess?'
Machinery whirred as the robot played back the electron-telescope
tapes they had taken in orbit, integrating the pictorial data into


file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%2...%20Warlock%20In%20Spite%20Of%20Himself.htm (3 of 281) [12/28/2004 11:58:39 PM]
Christopher Stasheff

a comprehensive description of the planet.
'Land masses consist of five continents, one island of noteworthy
dimensions, and a host of lesser islands. The continent and the
minor islands exhibit similar flora - equatorial rain forest.'
'Even at the poles?'
'Within a hundred miles of each pole; the ice caps are remarkably
small. Visible animal life confined to amphibians and a host of
insects; we may assume that the seas abound with fish.'
Rod rubbed his chin. 'Sounds like we came in pretty early in the
geologic spectrum.'
'Carboniferous Era,' replied the robot.
'How about that one large island? That's where we've landed, I
suppose?'