"James Tiptree Jr. - Up the Walls of the World" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tiptree James Jr)

UP THE WALLS OF
THE WORLD
James Tiptree, Jr.

Copyright ┬й 1978, by James Tiptree, Jr.



To H. D. S.
For dreams that never die.




Chapter 1

COLD, COLD AND ALONE, THE EVIL PRESENCE ROAMS THE
STAR-STREAMS. IT IS IMMENSE AND DARK AND ALMOST
IMMATERIAL: ITS POWERS ARE BEYOND THOSE OF ANY OTHER
SENTIENT THING. AND IT IS IN PAIN.
THE PAIN, IT BELIEVES, SPRINGS FROM ITS CRIME.
ITS CRIME IS NOT MURDER: INDEED, IT MURDERS WITHOUT
THOUGHT. THE SIN WHICH SHAMES AND ACHES IN EVERY EDDY
OF ITS ENORMOUS BEING IS DEFALCATION FROM THE TASK OF ITS
RACE.
ALONE OF ITS RACE IT HAS CONCEIVED THE CRIMINAL ACT OF
SKIPPING LINK, OF DRIFTING AWAY IN PURSUIT OF NAMELESS
THIRSTS. ITS TRUE NAME TOLLS UPON THE TIME-BANDS, BUT TO
ITSELF IT IS THE EVIL ONE.
FROM THE DEBRIS AROUND THE CENTRAL FIRES OF THIS
STAR-SWARM IT HEARS THE VOICES OF ITS RACE REVERBERATE
AMONG THE LITTLE SUNS SUMMONING EACH TO THE
CONFIGURATIONS OF POWER. DEFENDтАФDESTROY, DESTROY!
ALONE, IT DOES NOT, CAN NOT OBEY SOLITARY AND HUGE, IT
SAILS OUT ALONG THE DUSTY ARMS, A HURTING ENTITY
SLIGHTLY DENSER THAN A VACUUM ON THE CURRENTS OF
SPACE-VAST, BLACK, POTENT, AND LETHAL.



Chapter 2

The evil strikes Tivonel in the bright joy of her life. But she is not at first
aware of its coming.
Zestfully she hovers above High Station, waiting for the floater coming
up from Deep. Her mantle is freshly cleaned and radiant, she has fed in
civilized style for the first time in a year. And it's a beautiful morning.
Below her, three females of the Station staff are planing out to the edge of
the updraft in which High Station rides, looking for the floater. The
bioluminescent chatter of their mantles chimes a cheery orange.