"Aleksandr Abramov, Sergei Abramov. Horsemen from Nowhere ("ВСАДНИКИ НИОТКУДА", англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора "I would like to know whether you are sure that the destroyed creatures
are definitely copies and not the people themselves? If the copies are identical with the human beings, then who will prove to me that my pilot Martin is indeed my pilot Martin and not his atomic model?" The exchange was in English but many in the hall understood or translated for their neighbours. Nobody smiled, the question was indeed terrifying. Even Zernov seemed at a loss as he searched for an answer. I pulled down Martin who had jumped up and said: "I can assure you, Admiral, that I am indeed I, the photography man of the expedition, Yuri Anokhin, and not a cloud-created model. When I shot the film, my double retreated to the Sno-Cat as if hypnotized. You could see that on the screen. He told me that somebody or something was forcing him to return to the cabin. Apparently he was already prepared for elimination." I watched the glistening spectacles of the Admiral and almost burst with anger. "That is possible," he said, "though it is not very convincing. I have a question for Martin. Please stand up, Martin." The pilot rose to his full two-metre height of a veteran basketball player. "Yes, sir. I wiped out the copy with my own two hands." The Admiral smiled. "Now suppose the copy finished you off?" He moved his lips a bit before adding: "You attempted to shoot when you thought about the aggressive intentions of the 'cloud', right?" "Yes, I did, sir. Two bursts with tracer bullets." "No, sir, no results. Like a shot gun against an avalanche of snow." "Now suppose you had a different weapon? Say a flame thrower or napalm?" "I do not know, sir." "Would it have refused to clash?" "I do not think so, sir." "Sit down, Martin. Don't be offended, I am only trying to clarify some of the details of Mr. Zernov's report that worry me. Thank you for your explanations, gentlemen." The persistence of the Admiral untied all tongues. Questions followed one another as fast as they could be answered, like at a press conference. "You said that ice masses are being transported into space. Do you mean the atmosphere or outer space?" "If it is into atmospheric space, I don't see the purpose. What is there to do with ice in the atmosphere?" "Will humanity allow for this mass-scale plundering of ice?" "Does anyone need glaciers here on the earth?" "What will happen to a continent freed from ice? Will the level of the ocean rise?" "Will the climate change?" "Not all at once, comrades," Zernov implored rising his arms. "One at a time. Into what space? I assume it is cosmic space. Glaciers are only needed in the terrestrial atmosphere for glaciologists. Generally speaking, I thought scientists were people with higher education. But judging from the |
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