"Richard Hatch - Battlestar Galactica 5 - Paradis" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hatch Richard)

human batteries.

Not surprisingly, there was disagreement about procedure. Apollo and
Starbuck had a silent meeting of minds on that subject. Arguments over
protocol made Starbuck want to return to the bar but the situation gave
Apollo other ideas. He'd like nothing better than to slip into his
dreamwalking state where his subconscious would speak directly to his
conscious mind and form a gestalt.

The only problem with ultimate consciousness was that it had no
application to practical politics. Reluctantly, Apollo stuck with the matters
at hand.

A wealthy council member finally said something of interest. "We have
talked ourselves blue in the face about destroying ships that are past the
point of repair so that we may cannibalize them for repairs on the
salvageable craft—and then utilize the remaining materials for temporary
habitats on the new planet. And I know that some of us plan more
permanent structures as well. My point is that I've yet to see a final plan
with objective criteria about just which ships are to be destroyed and
when. Not to mention in which order."

Starbuck did a low whistle. "Now that's a mouthful," he said.

The statement inspired a round of mumbling and accusations, just one
more example of how the military was forced to make the decisions that
so often paralyzed civilian authority. Apollo was about to intercede when
an architect named Ryis took the floor.

Ryis presented a detailed plan. He'd already mustered support from
several influential Council members. He had no problem with destroying
obsolete ships. Maybe this time the Council would follow a logical course
of action without having its collective arm twisted by the warriors.

Apollo felt oddly detached from the proceedings. Maybe that's why he
wasn't as impatient as was normally the case with him. There was no clear
path in front of him. Maybe he was only at his best when facing
life-and-death crises.

Wouldn't it be nice if Paradis didn't force him to make those kinds of
choices?

But he knew better than to expect a vacation from the responsibilities
of command. His inner light never blinded him to reality.

Finally, it was his turn to speak. Since the warriors had proven
themselves as recently as the Ur cloud, civilians were happy for him to
speak. There were no revolutions and the external enemy had no inkling
where the Colonials had fled.