"Tubb,.E.C.-.Dumarest.-.Child.Of.Earth" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tubb E. C)

“Even so you made a mistake, boy. A bad one.” The captain leaned forward in his chair, eyes and face serious. “A bigger mistake than I think you realize. It is my duty to punish you for having broken the regulations. Stowaways can't be tolerated. They aren't invited and they aren't welcome. They can be dangerous. When found they are dumped as unwanted cargo.” The captain paused. “Do you understand what I am saying?”
“No, sir.”
“It is my duty to evict you into space. Now do you understand?”
“I'm not sure, sir. What is space?”
“You don't know?” The captain shrugged. “No, why should you? You've never seen a ship before. Never left your planet. Space is a vacuum, boy. A vast emptiness devoid of air. It cannot support life as we know it. Are you afraid?”
“Of dying? Yes, sir.”
“Of course you are. To taste the void is not a pleasant way to die. Especially for the young and you are how old? Ten? Eleven?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Yes what? Ten or eleven?”
“Ten, sir, I think. Or I could be eleven.”
“Aren't you sure?”
“No, sir.” Dumarest looked at the captain. “Does it matter?”
“It should. Earth!” The captain spat the word. “You poor little bastard!”
“Sir?”
“Forget it. I meant no insult. You've no family, of course. No kin. No one to care for you. Nothing to eat and nowhere to sleep. What the hell could you lose by stowing away? How were you to know you were committing suicide?”
Dumarest remained silent, watching the hands as they toyed with the stone, sensing the man's doubt, his indecision.
“What am I to do with you?” muttered Bazan. “Kill you, a boy? Toss you into the void because you acted from ignorance? Dump you like excreta into space because you were desperate for shelter? Were you born for such an end? Was anyone? Damn it! What to do?”
The stone slipped as he passed it from one hand to another, bounced on a knee and dropped to the deck. Dumarest caught it just before it landed. It was carved in the shape of a woman depicted with her knees drawn to her chin, head, back, buttocks and limbs blending in a smooth, continuous curve. The figure was worn with much handling.
“Sir!” He handed it to the captain then saw the expression on the lined face. “Sir?”
“Do you always move as fast as that?”
“It was falling and I didn't want it to get broken.”
“So you saw it begin to fall, lunged forward, stooped and snatched it before it could hit the deck.” The captain tossed the carving into the air, caught it, caressed it with the ball of his thumb and tucked it into a pocket. “Quick thinking, boy. Can you read?”
“Yes, sir. A little. An old man taught me in exchange for food.” He added, “He had some books but those who killed him burned them for fuel.”
“They murdered him?”
“They thought he had things of value.”
“I see.” The captain drew in his breath. “You've had a hell of a life. But it could change. Are you willing to work hard? To learn?” As Dumarest nodded he added, “Damn it! I'll take a chance! You can work your passage. Ride with us as crew. It will be a restricted life and it won't be easy. But, at least, you won't starve. Report to Dorph, the steward. You'll find him in the salon.”
A stranger as they were all strangers, as the ship was strange, the customs, the life. One of work and teasing, of being the victim of mindless sadism, bearing the brunt of men tormented by boredom and the fear which accompanied all who traversed the void. The empty dark in which dangers lurked and death could come in unexpected ways.
Things the navigator taught him, as did the engineer, the steward and the handler. Each in their own fashion and at their own pleasure. But he learned. Like a sponge he soaked up all the information that came his way. He read all there was to read. He grew. He already had an animal-strength but a regular diet enhanced his physique. He exercised. He washed and polished and cleaned the cabins and bulkheads, the cargo restraints and the caskets meant for the conveyance of beasts in which those traveling Low rode doped, frozen and ninety per cent dead.
Most interesting was the salon in which those able to travel High idled away the tedium of the journey with the help of quicktime which turned hours into minutes. And, for the rest, there was drink, gossip and gambling.
Jesso the handler took care of that and took a pleasure in teaching the newcomer the tricks of his trade. From him Dumarest learned how to shuffle, deal and handle a deck of cards. To manipulate them as he did those of lesser skills. To sense a sharp, a cheat and a liar. To act as the handler's accomplice when he was involved in a game. A shill who raised the betting when given the signal. To quit when told. To act when it became necessary to lower the tension and restore equanimity.
To discover a vast new dominion of which he had been totally unaware. One filled with enticing novelty, of unexpected beauty yet one that housed more savage predators than he had previously encountered. But he learned and had acted when the need arose and had gained a measure of respect and acceptance. Life was good and he relished the first contentment he had ever known.
But, on the world of Figona, it would all come to an end.
Copyright © 2002 by E. C. Tubb