"Eric Frank Russel - Mechanistria" - читать интересную книгу автора (Russell Eric Frank)

MECHANISTRIA
by Eric Frank Russell
 There we were, standing on the mezzanine of Terrastroport Seven Administration Building. Not
a darned one of us knew why we had been summoned so unexpectedly or why we weren’t blasting
as usual for Venus in the morning. So we hung around, asking unanswerable questions of Each
other with our eyes and getting ourselves nowhere. I had once seen thirty Venusian guppies gaping
in adenoidal dumbfoundment at an Aberdeen terrier named Fergus and straining their peanut brains
for the reason why one end waggled. They looked pretty much as we were looking right now.
Portly and bland as ever, Captain McNulty came along just as the nail-gnawing contest was
about to begin. He was followed by half a dozen of the Upsydaisy’s leading technicians and a
skinny little runt we’d never seen before. In the rear came Jay Score walking lithely over
floorboards that squeaked under his three hundred or more pounds. I never failed to be surprised by
the casual ease with which he bore his massive frame. His eyes were aglow as they gave us that all-
embracing look.
Gesturing to us to follow; McNulty led us into a room, strutted onto its small platform and
addressed us in the manner of one about to tutor a newly-formed third grade. “Gentlemen and
vedras, I have with me this afternoon the famous Professor Flettner.”
He made a precise bow toward the runt who grinned and did a bit of foot-twisting like a kid
caught snitching the fudge.
“The professor is seeking a crew for his extra-solarian vessel, the Marathon. Jay Score and six of
our technicians have volunteered to go along with me. We have been accepted and have received
the necessary extra training during the term of your leave.”
“It was a pleasure,” put in Flettner, anxious to placate us for stealing the skipper.
“The Terrestrial Government,” continued McNulty, flattered, “has approved the entire
complement of my former command, the Venusian freighter Upskadaska City. Now it’s up to you
fellows. Those who may wish to stay with the Upskadaska City can leave this meeting and report
for duty. Will those who prefer to accompany me please signify by raising a hand.” Then his roving
eye discovered the Martians and he hastily added, “Or a tentacle.”
Sam Hignett promptly stuck up his brown mitt. “Captain, I’d rather stay with you.”
He beat the rest of us by a fraction of a second. Funny thing, not a single one of us really was
bursting to shoot around in Flettner’s suicide-box. It was merely that we were too weak to refuse.
Or maybe we stuck out our necks for the sake of seeing the look that came into McNulty’s features.
“Thank you, men,” said McNulty in the solemn sort of voice they use at burials. He swallowed
hard, blew his nose. His gaze roamed over us almost lovingly, became suddenly abashed as it
discovered one Martian figure flopped in a corner, all its limp tentacles sprawling negligently
around.
“Why, Sug Farn --- “ he began.
Kli Yang, chief coach of the Red Planet bunch, chipped in quickly with “I put up two tentacles,
Captain. One for myself and one for him. He is asleep. He deputed me to act on his behalf, to say
yes, or say no, or sing, ‘Pop Goes The Weazel’ as required.”
Everyone laughed. Sug Farn’s utter and complete laziness had been a feature of life aboard the
Upsydaisy. The skipper alone was unaware that nothing short of an urgent outside job or a game of
chess could keep Sug Farn awake. Our laughter ended and the sleeper immediately filled in the
silence with one of those eerie, high-pitched whistles that is the Martian version of a snore.
“All right,” said McNulty, striving to keep a smile away from his mouth. “ I want you to report
aboard ship at dawn. We blast at ten ack emma G.M.T. I’ll leave Jay Score to give you further
information and answer any Questions.”
 The Marathon was a real beauty, Flettner designed, government built, with fine lines halfway
between those of a war cruiser and those of a light racing rocket. Indeed, she had space-navy
fittings that were luxurious by comparison with what we’d had on the Upsydaisy. I liked her a lot.