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

bizarre. Now that the battlestar Galactica orbited Paradis, it felt as if
someone had pulled back a curtain to reveal more of the world that had
been left behind. While all the other Colonials prepared to explore a new
planet, Baltar was forced to look back. He didn't want to see what was
there, leering at him as if to say that he could never escape.

The voice from his past—the voice of Imperious Leader—haunted his
present: "Our purpose is no longer clear! We are nothing without one
purpose. There is a breed of Cylons that would choose another purpose!
This cannot be. There can be only unity in the Cylon Empire. Choice is
anathema! There cannot be a revolt of Cylons. It's as if we're dying from a
disgusting human cancer. Biological Cylons must not oppose technological
Cylons!"

There was despair in a voice that had never before expressed such an
emotion. "Not even a cogitator can solve the insoluble," it wailed. "The
problem is beyond the scope of ten Lucifers. What is this new force that
would rise up in a biological Cylon to resist the absolute supremacy of a
three-lobed leader? Can it be something you infected us with, Baltar?
Were you a carrier of love?"

"How could I be," he defended himself, "when only a moment ago you
were saying I have a Cylon virtue? If I'm a carrier, then hatred is my
virus!"

"Explain!" demanded Imperious Leader. "There are contradictions,
paradoxes, ironies. We do not appreciate such mental torment. Explain!"

Baltar didn't want to answer. It was his dream and he didn't have to
answer if he didn't want to! Especially not when another face was forming
to harass him with wicked questions. It was Count Iblis as the man had
been thousands of yahren in the past. He was stroking a loathsome
reptilian creature, his pet.

"You are not the greatest traitor to your kind," announced Iblis.

"That honor belongs to me. I found the planet Cylon and with genetic
engineering and advanced cybernetics gave birth to the ultimate enemy of
Man. How do you possibly compare to me?"

"I've never been in competition with you!" Baltar screamed. "Get out of
my mind, damn you. Find someone else to haunt!"

Each time the dreams became more detailed and he woke up feeling
worse, in cold sweats or with severe headaches.

This time he thought he was still dreaming because Athena was
standing by his sick-bed—Athena, whom he'd rather dream about than a
Cylon civil war!