JК
Crashlander :: Нивен Ларри
Страница: 185 из 199It's about five ounces of red meat per crewman — I suppose that's —»
«Free-range life-forms from the hunting parks.»
«And fresh vegetables to match. I bet the kzinti don't grow those. Okay, take one —»
Sharrol: «Captain Muh'mad, I was a long time recovering my memory. I expect the 'docs did more repair work every time I went under. My husband's found me, we both have jobs, and this is to entertain you and your crew in my absence.»
Me: «For my wife's life, blessings and thanks.» I turned it off. «Now Carlos.»
Her hand stopped me. «I can't leave, you know,» Sharrol said. «I'm not a coward —»
«Feather learned that!»
«It's just … overkill. I've been through too much.»
«It's all right. Carlos has Louis and Tanya for awhile, and that's fine, they love him. We're free of the UN. Everything went just as we planned it, more or less, except from Feather's viewpoint.»
«Do you mind? Do you like it here?»
«There are transfer boodis if I want to go anywhere. Sharrol, I was raised underground. It feels just like home if I don't look out a window. I wouldn't mind spending the rest of our lives here. Now, this is for Ms. Machti at Outbound, not to mention any watching ARMs. Ready? Take one.
Me: «Hi, John! Hello, kids! We've got a more or less happy ending here, brought to you with some effort.»
Sharrol: «I'm pregnant. It happened yesterday morning. That's why we waited to call.»
I was calling as Martin Wallace Graynor. Carlos/John could reach us the same way. We wanted no connection between Mart Graynor and Jan Hebert …
Visuals were important to the message. The undersea forest was behind us. I stood next to Sharrol, our eyes exactly level. That'd give him a jolt.
Me: «John, I know you were worried about Mil, and so was I, but she's recovered. Mil's a lot tougher than even Addie gave her credit for.»
Sharrol: «Still, the situation was sticky at first. Messy.» She rubbed her hands. «But that's all over. Mart's got a job working outside in the water orchards —»
Me: «It's just like working in free-fall. I've got a real knack for it.»
Sharrol: «We've got some money too, and after the baby's born I'll take Mart's job. It'll be just like I'm back in my teens.»
Me: «You did the right thing, protecting the children first. It's worked out very well.»
Sharrol: «We're happy here, John. This is a good place to raise a child, or several. Some day we'll come to you, I think, but not now. The changes in my life are too new. I couldn't take it. Mart is willing to indulge me.
«Free-range life-forms from the hunting parks.»
«And fresh vegetables to match. I bet the kzinti don't grow those. Okay, take one —»
Sharrol: «Captain Muh'mad, I was a long time recovering my memory. I expect the 'docs did more repair work every time I went under. My husband's found me, we both have jobs, and this is to entertain you and your crew in my absence.»
Me: «For my wife's life, blessings and thanks.» I turned it off. «Now Carlos.»
Her hand stopped me. «I can't leave, you know,» Sharrol said. «I'm not a coward —»
«Feather learned that!»
«It's just … overkill. I've been through too much.»
«It's all right. Carlos has Louis and Tanya for awhile, and that's fine, they love him. We're free of the UN. Everything went just as we planned it, more or less, except from Feather's viewpoint.»
«Do you mind? Do you like it here?»
«There are transfer boodis if I want to go anywhere. Sharrol, I was raised underground. It feels just like home if I don't look out a window. I wouldn't mind spending the rest of our lives here. Now, this is for Ms. Machti at Outbound, not to mention any watching ARMs. Ready? Take one.
Me: «Hi, John! Hello, kids! We've got a more or less happy ending here, brought to you with some effort.»
Sharrol: «I'm pregnant. It happened yesterday morning. That's why we waited to call.»
I was calling as Martin Wallace Graynor. Carlos/John could reach us the same way. We wanted no connection between Mart Graynor and Jan Hebert …
Visuals were important to the message. The undersea forest was behind us. I stood next to Sharrol, our eyes exactly level. That'd give him a jolt.
Me: «John, I know you were worried about Mil, and so was I, but she's recovered. Mil's a lot tougher than even Addie gave her credit for.»
Sharrol: «Still, the situation was sticky at first. Messy.» She rubbed her hands. «But that's all over. Mart's got a job working outside in the water orchards —»
Me: «It's just like working in free-fall. I've got a real knack for it.»
Sharrol: «We've got some money too, and after the baby's born I'll take Mart's job. It'll be just like I'm back in my teens.»
Me: «You did the right thing, protecting the children first. It's worked out very well.»
Sharrol: «We're happy here, John. This is a good place to raise a child, or several. Some day we'll come to you, I think, but not now. The changes in my life are too new. I couldn't take it. Mart is willing to indulge me.