"Charles Stross - Missile Gap" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stross Charles)

Gregor anticipates being one of the overmindтАЩs memories: it is a fate none of these humans will know save at
second-hand, filtered through his eusocial sensibilities. To the extent that he bothers to consider the subject,
he thinks it is a disappointment. He may be here to help exterminate them, but itтАЩs not a personal grudge: itтАЩs
more like pouring gasoline on a troublesome ant heap thatтАЩs settled in the wrong back yard. The necessity
irritates him, and he grumbles aloud in BrundleтАЩs direction: тАЬIf they realized how thoroughly theyтАЩd been
infiltrated, or how badly their own individuality lets them downтАУтАЭ
Flashes far out over the ocean, ruby glare reflected from the thin tatters of stratospheric cloud.
тАЬтАУThey might learn to cooperate some day. Like us.тАЭ
More flashes, moving closer now as the nuclear battlefront evolves.
Brundle nods. тАЬBut then, they wouldnтАЩt be human any more. And in any case, theyтАЩre much too late. A million
years too late.тАЭ
A flicker too bright to see, propagating faster than the signaling speed of nerves, punctuates their
conversation. Seconds later, the mach wave flushes their cinders from the bleached concrete of the bench.
Far out across the disk, the game of ape and ant continues; but in this place and for the present time, the
question has been answered. And there are no human winners.
***