"Connie Willis - Uncharted Territory" - читать интересную книгу автора (Willis Connie)

we get these ponies in."

"Maybe," I said, still watching the dust. "But I figure a presentable-looking male like Ev can jump just
about any female he wants without having to do anything for it, and you notice he didn't stay at King's X
with C.J. He came tearing out here to meet us. I think he might be smarter than he looks."

"That's what you said the first time you saw Bult," Carson said, yanking on Bult's pony's reins. The pony
yanked back.

"And I was right, wasn't I?" I said, going over to help. "If he wasn't, he'd be here with these ponies, and
we'd be halfway to King's X." I took over the reins, and he went around behind the pony to push.

"Maybe," he said. "Why wouldn't he want to meet us? After all, we're planetary surveyors. We're
famous!"

I pulled and he pushed. The pony stayed put. "Get moving, you rock-headed nag!" Carson said, shoving
on its back end. "Don't you know who we are?"

The pony lifted its tail and dumped a pile.

"My shit!" Carson said.

"Too bad Evelyn can't see us now," I said, holding the reins over my shoulder and hauling on the pony.
"Findriddy and Carson, the famous explorers!"

Off in the distance, to the right of the ridge, the dust disappeared.

interim: at king's x
It took us four hours to make it into King's X. Bult's pony keeled over twice and wouldn't get up, and
when we got there, Ev was waiting out at the stable to ask us when we were going to start on the
expedition. Carson gave him an inappropriate-in-tone-and-manner answer.

"I know you just got back and have to file your reports and everything," Ev said.

"And eat," Carson muttered, limping around his pony, "and sleep. And kill me a scout."

"It's just that I'm so excited to see Boohte," Ev said. "I still can't believe I'm really here, talking to—"

"I know, I know," I said, unloading the computer. "Findriddy and Carson, the famous surveyors."

"Where's Bult?" Carson asked, unstrapping his camera from his pony's saddlebone. "And why isn't he
out here to unload his pony?"

Evelyn handed Carson Bult's log. "He said to tell you these are the fines from the trip in."

"He wasn't on the trip in," Carson said, glaring at the log. "What on hell are these? 'Destruction of
indigenous flora.' 'Damage to sand formations.' 'Pollution of atmosphere.' "

I grabbed the log away from Carson. "Did Bult give you directions back to King's X?"