"William Tuning - Terro-Human - Fuzzy 04 - Fuzzy Bones" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tuning William)

knees. "What's unusual about it?"

"Nothing," Grego said, "except that I've noticed the spiral design seems to be
a favorite of Fuzzies, but I can't imagine where they've seen it before.
You're the expert xeno-naturalist. What's the answer?"

"The first answer," Rainsford said as he shuddered under the increasing rain,
"is to get in out of the wet. Let's have that drink."

Both men moved briskly across the terrace, into the living room, and Grego
closed the doors just as another clap of thunder boomed.

The Fuzzies had already drifted into the Fuzzy-room, just off the kitchen, and
were watching a screenplay. They knew quite well that this was the time of day
when the Big Ones drank tosh-td-waji-bad-tasting water-and made Big One talk.

"Thank you, Victor," Colonial Governor Rainsford said, accepting a glass, then
settled back on the couch.

Grego dropped into his favorite chair. "Well, Bennett," he began, "where do
they get that spiral design?"

"Why, from nature, I suppose," Rainsford said. "All manner of spiral-shaped
things in nature-flower stamens, snail shells, rams' horns, seed pods-that
sort of thing."

"Not on Zarathustra," Grego said.

Rainsford looked at him with a quick movement of his head. "What?"

"The Mother Nature who drew the plans for Zarathustra," Grego replied,
"favored the concentric circle design over the spiral design. Featherleaf
tree, pool-ball fruit, tandavine beans-all manner of plants grow in layered
round shapes."

Rainsford stared at him, as if to say, who's the scientist here, you or me?

Grego smiled disarmingly. "I got curious and looked it up. I just thought you
might have an idea about it."

Rainsford sipped his drink, then shook his head. "I don't know, Victor.
Science for me has been something of a luxury-a luxury I can't afford-ever
since Alex Napier stuck this Governor job onto me. You'll have to ask the
Fuzzyologists about that one."

Grego waved a hand. "I noticed that the first day I took Diamond to the office
with me. He got into the computer room and rearranged all the lights on the
input board; the pattern he made was a spiral one, kind of like a nebula."
Grego chuckled as he recalled the panic which had followed until Joe Verganno
had restored the Executive One and Two computers to their normal functioning.