"E. E. Doc Smith - D' Alembert 9 - The Omicron Invasion" - читать интересную книгу автора (Smith E. E. Doc)

Tatiana, with her delicate metabolism, was affected worse than the rest of them. Her body was
wracked by a continual series of shivers, and even though she tried her best to keep quiet Jules could hear
her teeth chattering a couple of meters away. His chivalrous instincts came to the fore, even though
Tatiana was associated with Lady A's conspiracy; he wished he had some sort of cape or other garment to
cover her and protect her from the worst of the rain. But he was dressed no better than she was, and could
do nothing to help her.

The only one not affected by the weather was Lady A. Her normally elegant hair was as stringy as
everyone else's and her clothes were just as soggy, but that hardly mattered. Jules presumed she had some
sensors in her skin to inform her of its condition, but in a robot body she could ignore external discomfort.
She walked through the muddy fields with her normal proud posture, head erect and back straight. She
slowed her pace to match her companions, but it was clear she could have outdistanced all of them had she
chosen to.

After about an hour's walking the rain finally stopped and the late afternoon sun broke through the
clouds for a few moments. They found a wooden fence to rest on, and Jules called a temporary halt to
their march. They regained their breath and rested their legs while Lady A stood by, aloof and barely
tolerant of her comrades' physical infirmities.

"I'd like to reach the town before nightfall," she said after a few minutes' silence. "I can see
perfectly well in the dark, but the rest of you would be handicapped if we ran into any trouble. Besides, we
might find a place to dry off. I prefer not to look like a soggy sponge."

"How are you feeling, Tatiana?" Jules asked. The young woman was their weakest link and it was
she, not Lady A, who would have to set the pace. As Lady A herself had said, Tatiana was the most
important member of their group and Jules was going to make sure she wasn't pushed beyond her limits.

"I can go on," Tatiana said, making a show of bravery.

"Don't let her bully you," Jules added. "We can take as long as you need."

"I'll be smooth, really," the woman insisted.

Jules was still not sure, but he was reluctant to press the matter any further. As they started
forward again, he caught the wisps of a smile on Lady A's face, but he refused to let it bother him.

Another fifteen minutes' walk brought them to a road, which enabled them to increase their speed
dramatically and was a great relief to all of them. Shortly after that they spotted some buildings up ahead
to indicate the outskirts of the town.

No vehicles passed them as they walked along the road, and as they neared the first group of
buildings they sensed a quiet that bespoke abandonment. There was no movement, no activity to indicate
this was a place where people still lived. At a cautionary word from Jules they slowed their pace and
approached the town warily.

The first couple of buildings were stores dealing with farm supplies—a grain and feed store and a
shop that specialized in tools and farm machinery. Both had been locked up tight and abandoned. Across
the street, a combination repair shop and garage was also shut, but it had been broken into and looted of
tools. A few meters further down the road, a small grocery store had been completely ransacked; people
fleeing the town had wanted to take plenty of provisions with them.