"Arcady And Boris Strugatsky. Prisoners of Power" - читать интересную книгу автора

"Lost my job," she announced. "Mama Tei closed down her place. She
inherited some money and is going off to the country. But she recommended me
for a good job. Mac, why are your things all over the place? Put them in the
closet. I've asked you both a dozen times not to come in with your boots on!
Guy, set the table, we'll eat right away. Mac, you've lost weight. My
goodness, what are they doing to you there?"
"Come on, come on!" said Guy. "Let's have some dinner."
Rada went to the kitchen. As she left the room, Mac watched her with a
tender expression on his face.
"Pretty, isn't she?" asked Guy. He was startled to see Mac's face
harden abruptly. "What's the matter with you?"
"Listen," said Mac. "They can do anything. Even torture a person. You
know more about that than I do. But to shoot women, to torture women." He
grabbed his boots and left the room.
Guy grunted, scratched his head vigorously, and began to put out
plates. Their discussion had left him with an unpleasant aftertaste and
conflicting feelings. Of course Mac was still green, and not from their
world. But it was amazing how these arguments with Mac always turned out. He
certainly was remarkably logical. Although he had been talking nonsense this
time, too, everything had shaped up so logically! Guy had to admit that, if
not for this conversation, he would hardly have reached a basically simple
conclusion, namely: that the main objection to the degens was that they were
degens. Discount this, and all the other accusations against them turned out
to be nonsense. "Yes, the whole point is that they are degens and hate
everything normal. This is sufficient reason for them to oppose us without
Khonti's gold. Does that mean the Khontis are degens, too? We've never been
told they are. If they aren't, then our degens should hate them as they hate
us. Oh, massaraksh! Darn this logic!"
When Mac returned. Guy pounced on him.
"How did you know Rada was home?"
"What do you mean - how? It was quite obvious.
"If it was so obvious to you, why didn't you warn me? And why,
massaraksh, do you blab so much in the presence of outsiders? I've told you
dozens of times, massaraksh!"
"Massaraksh, who's an outsider here? Rada? Rada is less an outsider to
me than all your captains!"
"Massaraksh! What do the regulations say about military secrets?"
"Massaraksh and massaraksh! Why are you badgering me? I thought you
knew she was home! I thought you were kidding about the night shift.
Besides, what the hell kind of military secrets were we discussing anyway?"
"Anything concerning the service is - "
"Damn you and your service! You can't even talk in front of your own
sister! You've got your lousy secrets everywhere. It's impossible - we
can't even open our mouths!"
"Who do you think you are, shouting at me? Remember, I'm the one who's
teaching you, you fool! And you have the nerve to shout at me?"
Before Guy could finish, Mac had calmed down. Mac walked over to him,
and then Guy felt powerful arms seize him, the room began to spin, and the
ceiling rushed toward him. He let out a muffled cry, and Mac, carrying him
carefully above his head, walked over to the window.