"E. C. Tubb - Dumarest 27 - Earth is Heaven" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tubb E. C)

Himself? Avro considered it as he left the chamber where he
had supervised the disposal. He was suited for the position; a
judgment based on intellectual assessment and not on pride. He
had all the needed attributes and his record was free of taint.
From a young child, as a new inductee, later as an acolyte then
as a cyber, he had worked hard and well and achieved maximum
rating. Now he calculated his chances, using his trained skill to
evaluate the facts and to extrapolate the most probable sequence
of events.

He would be among those selected for consideration by the
Council to fill the vacant office—the probability was as close to
certainty as anything could be. He would be chosen above all
others aside from one—and Marie would be the other prospect.
The probability of his being chosen over the other was in the
order of…

"Master!" The figure in the scarlet robe broke into his
introspection as the cyber claimed his attention. "The Council
summons you to appear before them. You will follow me into
their presence."

The ritual was loaded with ancient associations. It was born
of the need of the Council to remind any future cyber prime that
it and not he was the true power of the Cyclan. This check would
hold wild ambition in rein or prevent deviation from the master
plan, a proven necessity, as so recently demonstrated. If Elge had
not been eliminated, if the madness which had afflicted his mind
had been allowed to flower unchecked, the result would have
been chaos.

But, while remaining sane and efficient, the cyber prime was
the most powerful man the galaxy had ever known.

And the Cyclan was the most powerful organization.

"Report!" Dekel headed the Council, sitting at the head of the
long table, his thin face shrouded by the cowl of his scarlet robe.
He was an old man, as they all were old, for it took time to gain
high position and the experience needed to temper judgment.
More time to set the need of efficiency above all else. This trait
was now demonstrated by Dekel—there was no reason why Avro
should waste time when he could give his report while waiting
for the final decision of the Council.

He said, "Elge has been disposed of. The erasure is complete
and the ash disseminated."

A life ending in failure was the most heinous crime of all as
far as the Cyclan was concerned. To be punished with total