"Gordon R. Dickson - Danger-Human" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dickson Gordon R)

of harness and holding a short, black tube apiece, stood on the ledge of the
outer rim. A temporary bridge had been laid across the moat, protruding
through the open door of the cage.


They all went across the bridge and into the cage. There, standing
around rather like a board of directors viewing an addition to the
company plant, they faced Eldridge; and the commander spoke.
“This will be your home from now on," he said. He indicated the cot, the
human-type chair and the other items furnishing the cage. "It's as
comfortable as we can make it."
"Why?" burst out Eldridge, suddenly. "Why're you locking me up here?
Why--"
"In our attempt to solve the problem that still exists,” interrupted the
doctor, smoothly, "we can do nothing more than keep you under
observation and hope that time will work with us. Also, we hope to
influence you to search for the solution, yourself."
"And if I find it--what?" cried Eldridge. "Then," said the commander,
"we will deal with you in the kindest manner that the solution permits. It
may be even possible to return you to your own world. At the very least,
once you are no longer needed, we can see to it that you are quickly and
painlessly destroyed."
Eldridge felt his insides twist within him.
"Kill me?" he choked. "You think that's going to make me help you? The
hope of getting killed?"
They looked at him almost compassionately. "You may find," said the
doctor, "that death may be something you will want very much, only for
the purpose' of putting a close to a life you've become weary of. Look,"--he
gestured around him--"you are locked up beyond any chance of ever
escaping. This cage will be illuminated night and day; and you will be
locked in it. When we leave, the bridge will be withdrawn, and the only
thing crossing that moat--which is filled with acid--will be a mechanical
arm which will extend across and through a small opening to bring you
food twice a day. Beyond the moat, there will be two armed guards on
duty at all times, but even they cannot open the door to this building. That
is opened by remote control from outside, only after the operator has
checked on his vision screen to make sure all is as it should be inside
here."
He gestured through the bars, across the moat and through a window
in the outer wall.
"Look out there," he said.
Eldridge looked. Out beyond, and surrounding the building, the shallow
trench no longer lay still and empty under the sun. It now spouted a
vertical wall of flickering, weaving distortion, like a barrier of heat waves.
"That is our final defense, the ultimate in destructiveness that our
science provides us--it would literally burn you to nothingness, if you
touched it. It will be turned off only for seconds, and with elaborate
precautions, to let guards in, or out."
Eldridge looked back in, to see them all watching him.
"We do this," said the doctor, "not only because we may discover you to