JК
Crashlander :: Нивен Ларри
Страница: 41 из 199Why?»
«Earthian is a clumsy term.»
«What is WeMadeItian?» he demanded.
«I'm a crashlander. I wasn't born within fifty miles of Crashlanding City, but I'm a crashlander anyway.»
That got a grin. I think. It was hard to tell with the beard. «Lucky you're not a pilot.»
«I am. Was.»
«You're kidding. They let a crashlander pilot a ship?»
«If he's good at it.»
«I didn't mean to pique your ire, sir. May I introduce myself? My name's Elephant.»
«Beowulf Shaeffer.»
He bought me a drink. I bought him a drink. It turned out we both played gin, so we took fresh drinks to a card table …
* * *
When I was a kid, I used to stand out at the edge of Crashlanding Port watching the ships come in. I'd watch the mob of passengers leave the lock and move in a great clump toward customs, and I'd wonder why they seemed to have trouble navigating. A majority of the starborn would always walk in weaving lines, swaying and blinking teary eyes against the sun. I used to think it was because they came from different worlds with different gravities and different atmospheres beneath differently colored suns.
Later I learned different.
There are no windows in a passenger spacecraft. If there were, half the passengers would go insane; it takes an unusual mentality to watch the blind-spot appearance of hyperspace and still keep one's marbles. For passengers there is nothing to watch and nothing to do, and if you don't like reading sixteen hours a day, then you drink. It's best to drink in company. You get less lushed, knowing you have to keep up your side of a conversation. The ship's doc has cured more hangovers than every other operation combined, right down to manicures and haircuts.
The ship grounded at Los Angeles two days after I met Elephant. He'd made a good drinking partner. We'd been fairly matched at cards, he with his sharp card sense, I with my usual luck. From the talking we'd done, we knew almost as much about each other as anyone knows about anyone. In a way I was sorry to see him leave.
«You've got my number?»
«Yeah. But like I said, I don't know just what I'll be doing.» I was telling the truth. When I explore a civilized world, I like to make my own discoveries.
«Well, call me if you get a chance. I wish you'd change your mind. I'd like to show you Earth.»
«I decline with thanks. Goodbye, Elephant. It's been fun.»
Elephant waved and turned through the natives' door. I went on to face the smuggler baiters.
«Earthian is a clumsy term.»
«What is WeMadeItian?» he demanded.
«I'm a crashlander. I wasn't born within fifty miles of Crashlanding City, but I'm a crashlander anyway.»
That got a grin. I think. It was hard to tell with the beard. «Lucky you're not a pilot.»
«I am. Was.»
«You're kidding. They let a crashlander pilot a ship?»
«If he's good at it.»
«I didn't mean to pique your ire, sir. May I introduce myself? My name's Elephant.»
«Beowulf Shaeffer.»
He bought me a drink. I bought him a drink. It turned out we both played gin, so we took fresh drinks to a card table …
* * *
When I was a kid, I used to stand out at the edge of Crashlanding Port watching the ships come in. I'd watch the mob of passengers leave the lock and move in a great clump toward customs, and I'd wonder why they seemed to have trouble navigating. A majority of the starborn would always walk in weaving lines, swaying and blinking teary eyes against the sun. I used to think it was because they came from different worlds with different gravities and different atmospheres beneath differently colored suns.
Later I learned different.
There are no windows in a passenger spacecraft. If there were, half the passengers would go insane; it takes an unusual mentality to watch the blind-spot appearance of hyperspace and still keep one's marbles. For passengers there is nothing to watch and nothing to do, and if you don't like reading sixteen hours a day, then you drink. It's best to drink in company. You get less lushed, knowing you have to keep up your side of a conversation. The ship's doc has cured more hangovers than every other operation combined, right down to manicures and haircuts.
The ship grounded at Los Angeles two days after I met Elephant. He'd made a good drinking partner. We'd been fairly matched at cards, he with his sharp card sense, I with my usual luck. From the talking we'd done, we knew almost as much about each other as anyone knows about anyone. In a way I was sorry to see him leave.
«You've got my number?»
«Yeah. But like I said, I don't know just what I'll be doing.» I was telling the truth. When I explore a civilized world, I like to make my own discoveries.
«Well, call me if you get a chance. I wish you'd change your mind. I'd like to show you Earth.»
«I decline with thanks. Goodbye, Elephant. It's been fun.»
Elephant waved and turned through the natives' door. I went on to face the smuggler baiters.