"Niven, Larry - Building Harlequin's Moon" - читать интересную книгу автора (Niven Larry)

"I know."
Did Council know everything? She looked away, afraid to meet Gabriel's eyes. "How do you know about me and Harry?"
He laughed. "Well, it's not a secret to anybody who has seen you two together. And in a few years you'll be old enough to contract. It's a logical pairing."
"But—Harry and I don't usually even hold hands around people."
"We have observation satellites and cameras and pods and other ways to collect data and information. We have to monitor what happens down here. Surely you understand how much information we need to monitor all this?" He spread his arms wide, and then pointed at her. "You yourself gather information from your trees."
Rachel blushed. Of course she knew about the cams. What had they seen? Was it really private even under the canopy of trees in the grove? Could they hear conversation as well as see people? Did he know about her helping Ursula so much while they were gone the last time? What must the ship be like if they could see so much? Did they spy on each other this way?
"Gabriel? Will I ever see John Glenn?"
Gabriel was quiet for a long time, not answering. He walked a distance away, gesturing at Rachel to stay put. While he was gone, Selene shivered in a series of sharp little quakes. She put her hand down and felt them, imagining Selene was shaking its shoulders.
When Gabriel returned, he knelt down and looked into her eyes. "How about tomorrow? It seems some people aboard John Glenn would like to meet you."
"What?" She couldn't have heard right.
"Did I stutter?" Gabriel laughed.
"By myself?"
"I'll go with you. We decided to leave Gloria home with her family for a bit, so if you and I go, it will be one full planting crew less here. Ali can run one crew. There's less to do in the winter anyway."
"Really? Me on the John Glenn?" She and Harry talked about the ship endlessly, wondering what it looked like, how the Council lived there, how many of them there were.
"I have to go anyway. We'll stay there at least until spring."
"Can Harry go?"
"No. One of you will be enough of a shock for Council."
"But my dad—"
"Will be okay with it." Gabriel turned and looked directly at her. "It's time for you to meet the High Council, and more important, for High Council to meet you. You're going to show them how smart the Children of Selene are. Can you do that?"
Rachel nodded, overwhelmed.
"Be ready just after dawn."
"I'm supposed to talk to Ursula in the morning."
"Talk to her before you go, or she'll have to wait."
Rachel frowned. She'd promised. "What do I need to bring?"
"A change of clothes." Gabriel said, "I'll tell your dad."
He loped away from her across the field, running easily.
Harry was standing almost exactly where she had gone to sit earlier, by the dais in the center of the field, a huge smile of welcome brightening his face when he saw her. "I was hoping I'd find you up here."
Rachel slipped her hand into Harry's, feeling it tremble. "He's taking me to John Glenn."
"Wow. Just you? Is anybody else going?"
"I asked if he'd take you. He said just me." How could she make him feel better? "He also said you and I are both doing well. It was weird—he's never talked so much before. I'll be there for months, maybe, and I don't have to take anything. I mean, what must it be like? What will the other Council be like? What will they think of me?"
"Shhhhh," Harry whispered. "Slow down. You'll be fine. You just found out?"
"Well, of course, I just found out. I'd have told you. I guess they're taking Ursula out for the planting."
"It won't be nearly as much fun without you." Harry leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Shall we?"
"Finish what we started yesterday?" Rachel's cheeks got hot and her belly fluttered.
"Yes." He leaned over and kissed her, holding her very tight to him, his hand roaming over her back and up her shoulders. He let go and took her hand, turning toward the same place in the First Trees where they'd been interrupted the day before.


EVENING LIGHT THREW shadows on the path as they flew home. They landed just above Aldrin, watching lights come on one by one in the tents. As soon as their wings were folded and packed, Rachel threw herself against his chest, cheek against his shoulder bone, arms tight around his torso. "I'll miss you so much," she said.
"I'll miss you more than I can say. Especially now." He held her tightly to him, wrapping his arms around her waist. "But think of what we'll learn. There's so much they never tell us. No Moon Born has been to John Glenn and come back. You'll have to send me messages."
"I'll try. I think Gabriel and Ali get messages from the ship."
"Whatever happens, record everything you see, everything they say. There have to be more Council up there than we've seen. How many have we met? Ten, maybe, in our whole lives? What does being 'cold' really mean? Why are Colonists different from Council? Aren't they all Earth Born? Are Gabriel and Ali really as old as they say they are? How long will we live?"
Her hand went over his mouth. "I promise to write it all down," she said, laughing. "I know, I'm just as curious." She bit her lip. "I wish we could both go together. Hey, will you try and be nice to Ursula?"
"I can be polite. Will you try and find out what will happen to Andrew?"
"Why do you still care about him? He hates everyone—he hates me particularly."
"Do you remember what I told you last winter? He loves you."
Rachel snorted.
"He doesn't see the consequences of his choices very clearly. That's why he's willing to make Council mad. But he's smart, and believe it or not, he's not all bad. He just wants to be the best, and he gets angry when he thinks he isn't." Harry picked up a stone and tossed it away, and another one. "I try to help him, but sometimes he doesn't make room for anyone. But that's not why it's important, Rachel. What's important is that Council can control us so completely." He looked hard at her.
Of course. "I'll see what I can find out."
"Good. How will your dad take it?"
"I feel bad about leaving him. He'll be alone. I need to go talk to him."