"C. Sanford Lowe & G. David Nordley - The Small Pond" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lowe C Sanford)

one that would echo through the rest of history.
Yes, I’m sure. Ned, if it doesn’t work out ... It’s not your fault. But get that
damn shuttle here!
As soon as we can. Good luck. Ned out.
Liz looked up at the oncoming planetoid and its halo of gas, rising high over
the eastern horizon. It would not, if she remembered the simulations correctly, quite
reach the zenith from her location. In the last minutes, it would begin plunging back
down to the horizon. Then a hypersonic detonation wave would jet out above her,
and the blast wave would roll over the horizon at the local speed of sound, some
twenty minutes later.
Human beings had voluntarily gone to their deaths before, for a big enough
cause, but she had not ever quite thought of herself that way. She’d survived
everything so far, on sheer strength of will. We were out here because of will, she
thought. The shuttle would make it.
Liz, Cyan. What’s going on down there?
Liz sighed. It hadn’t taken her long to find out.
A small delay. He’s tranked now. I’m going after him.
Wait.
You are stranded!
Maybe. Cyan, am I still in charge? Is it my call? You know what is at stake.
This situation is my responsibility, and I have chosen to keep the project on profile.
On our friendship, please honor that choice.
Wait—this time much longer than required for just the lightspeed delay.
I understand what is at stake. If it were my responsibility, I would, I hope,
have the courage to choose as you have. But we will do everything we can short of
affecting the project to get you out of there. The net has been launched; it should
arrive three hours before impact. The planetoid will still be half as far away as the
moon is from Earth. If everything holds, it should get enough delta-v to just graze
Martin’s atmosphere. Roche forces will pull it apart, but the net may hold it
together for a while. We can’t tell whether it will be captured or not—too many
uncertainties.
You’re giving me some hope, anyway. Between that and the relief shuttle,
I’m going to assume I’ll make it.
 Liz had kept walking as she talked. David’s helmet light glowed softly, nearer
and nearer.
When she got there, that was all there was—the helmet light.
Where’s David? she asked the robots.
The one designated “Alpha” answered. We have a command authority
conflict.
“Chaos!” Liz struggled to regain her temper.
Cyan, could you reset the command authority override on my robots? David
has pulled another fast one on me.
Wait, agonizingly long.
Done. Use the prefix “Sunbeam” if you have any more problems.
Thanks.
To the robots: Sunbeam. Where’s David?
Mr. Levi is proceeding on foot to the lake. He apparently has a trank
antidote.
No kidding! Keep him in sight. I’m following.
Liz, Cyan. We can still boost the net a little more.