"John Varley - Red Thunder" - читать интересную книгу автора (Varley John)

Ares Seven had discarded the standard NASA-blue coveralls for bright red ones?
Mars. TheyтАЩre going to Mars. The passengers in the VStar were the Ares Seven, the
crew, on their way up to the Ares Seven, the ship.
Fifteen seconds.
3, then 1, then ENTER: The last gantry arm detached and quickly swung to the left, out
of the way.
Eleven seconds.
5, then 4, ENTER: A view from a camera on a helicopter three miles away, vibrating
slightly because of the long lens.
Nine seconds.
75, ENTER: I was looking up at the engines. The floodgates opened and a million
gallons of water streamed down, to cool the launch pad and soak up some of the thunder
that would kill an unprotected man before the flames vaporized him.
Five seconds.
The candle was lit, with a huge cough of orange flame that quickly moderated to an icy
blue.
Two seconds. Camera 75 melted.
45 ENTER: A camera looking at the hold-down latches.
One second.
The latches fell away and the VentureStar immediately leaped into the night sky.
62 ENTER: This one was perched on the top of the tower. The deep blue body of the
VStar roared upward, followed by a fountain of fire. Camera 62 melted.
The sound hit me, miles away. As always, I thought I could feel it blowing my hair,
like an explosion. I looked up to see the line of fire arcing in the night. I could see the
VStar accelerate.
55 ENTER: The flight crew were pressed back into their chairs, their faces distorted by
an acceleration of two gees and growing. I looked up again. The ship was completing a
roll maneuver, and turning down-range.
[10] 44 ENTER: The Ares Seven were all grinning like fools. Cliff Raddison held one
hand out in the aisle, palm up. That took strength at 2.4 gees. Across the aisle, Lee Welles
took up the challenge, reached out and slapped RaddisonтАЩs palm. Then they got their
arms back as the gee forces continued to mount.
39 ENTER: I saw four globular objects in a line. Two were very dark, the other two a
much lighter brown.
What the hell? Camera 39 was supposed to be aft-looking, mounted on the shipтАЩs tail.
It was one of my favorite angles, looking back to see light-spattered Florida shrink and
vanish over the horizon. ...
тАЬDak!тАЭ I shouted. тАЬYou bastard!тАЭ
I jumped down from the high tailgate, raced around the pickup, and was just in time to
see Dak and Alicia straightening and pulling up their pants. I gave Dak a shove and he
was laughing so hard he simply fell over onto the sand. DakтАЩs laugh was a high-pitched
giggle; Alicia had more of what I would call a belly laugh, and she was not in much
better shape than Dak, leaning against the truck, holding her pants up with one hand. I
turned away; I didnтАЩt want Dak to see me smile.
Kelly came around to the front of the truck in time to see Alicia collapse in the sand
beside Dak.
тАЬCan somebody tell me whatтАЩs going on?тАЭ
I went to the front of the truck and pointed to the o in Dodge.
тАЬThereтАЩs a camera in there,тАЭ I told her. тАЬItтАЩs about the size of a postage stamp.тАЭ Kelly
bent to study it, but couldnтАЩt see anything.