Hogan, James P Voyage from Yesteryear

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Jean seemed to dismiss the subject from her mind. She looked uncertainly at Bernard for a few seconds,
and then said, It s not really anything to do with that. It s oh, I can t put this any other way it s you.
Bernard didn t seem as surprised as he might have been. Want to spit it out?
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
Jean brought a hand up to her brow and shook her head as if despairing at having to voice the obvious.
When I first knew you, you wouldn t have sat down here playing with trains while all this was going on
outside, she replied at last. Don t you understand? What s happening out there, right now, is important.
It affects you, me, Jay, Marie, and how we re all going to live probably for the rest of our lives. Twenty
years ago you both of us we d have done something. Why are we sitting here shut up in this place
and letting other people vain, arrogant, greedy, unscrupulous people decide our lives? Why aren t we
doing something? It s that. I can t stand it.
Bernard made no reply but let his eyebrows ask the question for him.
Jean raised her hands in an imploring gesture. Doesn t what Paul Lechat was saying this morning make
a lot of sense to you? Isn t it the only way? Well, he s going to need help to do it. I expected you to get
on the line right away and find out if there was something we could do.
But you hardly even talked about it. Hell, I know I m twenty years older too, but at least I haven t
forgotten all the things we used to talk about. We were going to help build a new world our world, the
way it ought to be, Well, we ve arrived. The ride s over. Isn t it time we started thinking about earning
the ticket?
Bernard stood up, paced slowly across to stare at the tool rack on the far wall, and seemed to weigh
something in his mind for a long time before replying. Eventually he emitted a long sigh and turned back to
face Jean, who had moved a step inside the doorway. We can still build it, he said. But it doesn t quite
work the way we thought then. Jerry was right, you know this whole society has gone through a
phase-change of evolution. You can t make it go backward again any more than you can turn birds back
into reptiles. Bernard came a pace nearer. His voice took on a persuasive, encouraging note. Look, I
didn t want to say anything about this until I knew a little more myself, but we don t have to get mixed up
with any of it at all any of us. Kalens and the rest of them belong to everything we ve heft behind now.
We don t need them anymore. Don t you see, it can t last?
What are you talking about, Bernard?
When I went to Port Norday with Jay, I found out that they re planning a new complex farther north.
They re going to need engineers fusion engineers. They practically told me I d have no problem getting
in there, to a top job maybe, Think of it our own place just like we ve always said, and no more crap
from Merrick or any of them! Bernard threw his hands high. I could be me for the first time in my
life...and so could you, all of us. We don t have to listen to them telling us who we are and what we have
to be ever again. Doesn t that... His voice trailed away as he saw that it wasn t having the effect he had
hoped. Jean was backing away through the door, shaking her head in mute protest.
It s getting to you too, she whispered tightly. Just as it s already gotten to Eve and Jerry. Oh, how I
hate this place! Can t you see what it s doing to us all?
But, hon, all I
Jean spun round and ran back to the elevator. Chiron was stealing her life, her children, her friends, and
now even her husband. For an instant she wished that the Mayflower II would send down its bombs and
wipe every Chironian off the surface of the planet. Then they would be able to begin again, cleanly and
decently. Ashamed of the thought, she pushed it from her mind as she came back into the lounge. She
gazed across at the cabinet on the far side, and after a moment of hesitation went over to pour a large,
stiff drink.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
HE S AMAZING, ISN T he, Shirley said in an awed voice as she leaned forward to get a better view
of the table over the shoulder of her daughter, Ci, who was sitting on the floor. It must be a genetic
mutation that makes sticky fingers or something.
Sticky fingers would be the last thing you d want, Driscoll murmured without looking up while his
hands straightened the pack deftly, executed a series of cuts and ripple-shuffles in midair, and then [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Linki