"Donald Westlake - SH5 - Hitch Your Spaceship To A Star" - читать интересную книгу автора (Westlake Donald E)

Everyone jumped up to look out the view ports at Figulus, third of ten planets in orbit around the Sollike
star called Ptolemy. Only Ensign Benson remained at the table, draining his vial of ocher juice. “And
astrology,” he finished.




“People of Fugulis-----”

“Hi, Senator,” Jim said.

Councilman Luthguster frowned across the top of his P.A.-system microphone at the two locals at the
foot of the extruded stairs. He was on the platform at the top. Both were middle-aged, mild-mannered,
Jim with a gray cardigan and a pipe, Hank with eyeglasses and a tweed jacket. All four elbows sported
leather patches. “I am a councilman,” he informed them.

“Ha!” said Hank. “That’s a five-buck you owe me, Jim.”

Jim scratched his head. “I would have sworn a plenipotentiary from Earth would be at least a senator.”

Councilman Luthguster stared. “Í haven’t told you that yet,” he told the world through the P.A.-system.

Just inside the ship where the others waited, Ensign Benson frowned and said, “What’s going on out
there?” He edged closer to the open hatch, where he could hear both sides of the conversation. ”Well, in
any event,” Hank was saying, while his pal Jim sadly produced a five-buck from his wallet and handed it
over, “the councilman is not the one we have to talk to here. No, we want the man in charge.”

“You mean the captain?”

Hank said, “No, no, he’s just some sort of hobbyist along for the ride. We want the---what will you call
him? Social scientist. Anthropologist.”

“Sociologist,” Jim suggested. “Ethnologist.”

Ensign Benson stepped out onto the light. “Social engineer,” he said.

“How do you do, sir,” Hank said, smiling behind his glasses, coming up the ladder with hand
outstretched. “I’m Hank Carpenter, mayor of Centerville.”

Back on the ground, Jim made a dang-it gesture with his pipe. “I knew he’d be a Scorpio! Dang it, that’s
what we should have bet on.”

Ensign Benson accepted Hanks firm but friendly handshake. “Centerville?”

“Well, sir,” Hank said, “it happens that this is the center of the universe. May not look like much, but
that’s what it is and why our forebears came here. But lets quit jawing. You and the councilman and the
four inside the ship, come on to town and meet the folks.”

Ensign Benson held tight to the stair rail. “Four inside?”