"Jack Williamson - The Ultimate Earth" - читать интересную книгу автора (Williamson Jack)

5
 The Ultimate Earth
by Jack Williamson


how the big impacts killed Earth and killed it again. We have
always brought it back to life.тАЭ My throat felt dry. I had to
gulp, but I went on. тАЬIf EarthтАЩs alive now, thatтАЩs because of
us.тАЭ
тАЬTrue. Very true.тАЭ He nodded, with an odd little smile. тАЬBut
perhaps you donтАЩt know that your little Moon has suffered a
heavy impact of his own. If you are alive today, you owe your
lives to me.тАЭ
тАЬTo you?тАЭ We all stared at him, but Casey was nodding.
тАЬTo you and the digging machines? IтАЩve watched them and
wondered what they were digging for. When did that object
hit the Moon?тАЭ
"┬┐Qui├йn sabe?" He shrugged at Pepe, imitating the gesture
and the voice Pepe had learned from his holo father. тАЬIt was
long ago. Perhaps a hundred thousand years, perhaps a
million. I havenтАЩt found a clue.тАЭ
тАЬThe object?тАЭ Pepe frowned. тАЬSomething hit the station?тАЭ
тАЬA narrow miss.тАЭ Uncle Pen nodded at the great dark pit in
the crater rim just west of us. тАЬThe ejecta smashed the dome
and buried everything. The station was lost and almost
forgotten. Only a myth till I happened on it.тАЭ
тАЬThe diggers?тАЭ Casey turned to stare down at the landing
field where Uncle Pen had left his flyer in the shadows of
those great machines and the mountains they had built. тАЬHow
did you know where to dig?тАЭ
тАЬThe power plant was still running,тАЭ Uncle Pen said.
тАЬKeeping the computer alive. I was able to detect its metal
shielding and then its radiation.тАЭ


6
 The Ultimate Earth
by Jack Williamson


тАЬWe thank you.тАЭ Pepe came gravely to shake his hand.
тАЬIтАЩm glad to be alive.тАЭ
тАЬSo am I,тАЭ Casey said. тАЬIf I can get to Earth.тАЭ He saw
Uncle Pen beginning to shake his head, and went on quickly,
тАЬTell us what you know about the Earth impacts and how we
came down to terraform the Earth and terraform it again
when it was killed again.тАЭ
тАЬI donтАЩt know what you did.тАЭ
тАЬYou have showed us the difference we made,тАЭ Casey said.
тАЬThe land is all green now, with no deserts or ice.тАЭ