"Donald Westlake - SH6 - Here's Looking At You" - читать интересную книгу автора (Westlake Donald E)

out of the pod that had absorbed the brunt тАУ though not all тАУ of the impact, тАЬletтАЩs
take a look at it.тАЭ A social engineer, an expert in comparative societies, Ensign
Benson was responsible for studying each lost colony when it was found and
describing its 500 years of unsung history. Being the only one aboard the Hopeful
likelier to be interested in the planet than in the landing, he was the first to cross the
command deck to the viewscreens, switch them on and look out at a rolling and
nearly treeless savanna that looked much like the Rift Valley in Kenya in August,
before the rains. Each screen showed the landscape from a different direction, all
the views very similar, each with low tan hills far in the background. тАЬHmmmm,тАЭ
said Ensign Benson.
The five other travelers in the Hopeful crowded around: Captain Standforth, tall
and craggy; Pam, beautiful, brainy and blind to passion; Hester, the human fireplug;
Billy, the idealist; and Councilman Morton Luthguster, portly as a plum pudding,
representative of the Galactic Council, who harrumphed and said, тАЬFine farmland, I
should think.тАЭ
тАЬOh, should you?тАЭ Ensign Benson snarled. He despised his shipmates, each
and every. They were here because they were misfits, home base delighted to be rid
of them on this endless journey; but why was he here? Furious by nature, he said
savagely, тАЬWe arenтАЩt here for real estate, Councilman. WhereтАЩs the colony? Pam?
You steered us here.тАЭ
тАЬThis is definitely the nexus,тАЭ Pam told him, the slide rule flashing in her slender
fingers. тАЬWe are on the planet Matrix, fourth from the star Mohonk, gravity and air
compatible with Earth---тАЬ
тАЬItтАЩs a big planet,тАЭ commented Ensign Benson.
тАЬOne point one nine three times the size of Earth,тАЭ Pam agreed. тАЬEarth density
to one point---тАЬ
тАЬItтАЩs a small colony,тАЭ the ensign interrupted.
тАЬOh, itтАЩs here,тАЭ Pam assured him, getting the idea. тАЬThis is the place. The
coefficients are---тАЬ
Billy, peering at one of the viewscreens, said, тАЬI see something out there. Little
boxes or something.тАЭ
Everyone peered at the same screen. Thirty yards away on the tundra were low,
slender structures of some kind. тАЬThen letтАЩs take a look,тАЭ Ensign Benson said.


They watched the new creatures emerge from the giant silver ship. One, two,
three, four, five, six. They watched, and absorbed, and studied. Then, for the
moment, they slid deeper into their holes, drawing the earth closed above them.


The slender structures were gravestones, made of metal. тАЬOh, dear,тАЭ said Pam.
Ensign Benson looked around at the bare land. A slight breeze blew. тАЬThere
were forty colonists,тАЭ he said. тАЬThere are thirty-seven graves.тАЭ
Captain Standforth, who had been scanning the sky тАУ bird taxidermy was his
one passion тАУ said, тАЬWhatтАЩs that? You mean the colony never survived at all?тАЭ
тАЬLook at the dates,тАЭ Ensign Benson told him, gesturing at the letters and
numbers etched into the metal. тАЬNot one person was born here, and none of the
original colonists lasted more than four years after arrival.тАЭ
Hester said, тАЬBut they didnтАЩt all die at once, so it wasnтАЩt poisoned water or an
attack from hostile creatures.тАЭ