"Mack Reynolds - Planetary Agent X" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reynolds Mack)

“Yes,” Tog said sweetly.
Ronny took the hint. “Where can we find a vehicle, major, to
get us the capital and to United Planets headquarters? Evidently we
arrived before we were expected. There should have been a big
welcoming committee here.”
“Oh,” the obviously recently promoted lad said hesitantly.
“Well, I suppose we can make arrangements. This way, please.” He
grinned at Tog as they walked toward the administration building.
“Do all girls dress like you on Earth?”
“Well, no,” she said demurely.
“That’s too bad,” he said gallantly.
“Why, major!” Tog said, keeping her eyes on the tarmac.
At the administration building there was little of order, but
eventually they managed to arrange for their transportation.
Luckily, they were supplied with a chauffeur driven helio-car.
Luckily, because without the chauffeur to help them run the
gauntlet they would have been held up by parades, demonstrations
and monstrous street meetings a dozen times before they ever
reached their destination. Twice Ronny stopped short of drawing
his gun only by a fraction when half drunken demonstraters
stopped them.
The driver, a wispy, sad looking type, shook his head.
“There’s no going back now,” he told them over his shoulder. “No
going back. Last week I was all with the rest—I never did believe
David the One was really immortal. But you was just used to idea,
see? It’d always been that way, with the priests running everything
and we was used to it. Now I wish we was still that way. At least
you knew how you stood, see? Now, what’s going to happen?”
“That’s an interesting question,” Tog said politely.
Ronny said, “Possibly you’ll have the chance to build a better
world, now.”
The driver shot a contemptuous look over his shoulder.
“Better world? What do I want with a better world? I just don’t
want to be bothered. I’ve been getting my three squares a day, got a
nice little flat for my family. How do I know it’s not going to be a
worse world?”
“That’s always a possibility,” Tog told him. “Do most people
seem to feel the same?”
“Practically everybody I know does,” he said glumly. “But the
fat’s in the fire now. The priests are trying to hold on, but their
government is falling apart all over the place.”
“Well,” Ronny said, “at least you can figure just about
anything in the way of a new government will be better than one
based on superstition and inquisition. It couldn’t get worse.”
“Things can always get worse,” the other contradicted him
sadly.


They left the cab before an impressively tall, many windowed
building in city center. As they mounted the steps, Ronny frowned