"Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. Probationers (engl) " - читать интересную книгу автора

- Hmm? - said Bykov and looked at Yurkovski. Yurkovski shrugged his
shoulders and, lifting his glass, began staring at it through the light.
Then Bykov got up from the table - Yura even stepped back, for he seemed so
huge and bulky - and, dragging his feet in slippers, headed for the corner,
where on the back of a chair hung a worn leather jacket. From its pocket he
produced a flat shiny radiophone case. Yura, holding his breath, was
watching his back.
- Charles? - Bykov inquired in muffed voice. He was pressing a flexible
cord with a metallic ball to his ear. - This is Bykov. Do you still have the
"Takhmaseeb" log? Insert into the crew list for special voyage 17... Yes, I
am taking a probationer... Yes, the head of the mission does not object.
(Yurkovski grimaced strongly, but said nothing.) What? Hang on, - Bykov
turned to Yura, held out his hand and clicked his fingers impatiently. Yura
rushed to the table, grabbed the reference and placed it between the
fingers. - Now... Right... Signed by the collective of steelworks plant in
V'yazma... God, Charles, this is absolutely none of your business! After
all, this is a special voyage!.. Yes. Here: Borodin Yuri Mikhailovich...
Eighteen years of age. Yes, precisely eighteen. Vacuum-welder...
Probationer... Included under my order from yesterday's date. Please
Charles, prepare his documents immediately. No, he won't, I will get them
myself... Tomorrow morning. Good bye Charles, thanks.
Bykov slowly wound up the cord and shoved the radiophone back into the
jacket's pocket.
- This is illegal, Alexey, - Yurkovski said quietly. Bykov returned to
the table and sat down.
- If you only knew, Vladimir, - said he, - how many regulations I can
do without in space. And how many regulations we shall do without on this
flight. Probationer, you may sit, - he told Yura. Yura sat down hastily and
very uncomfortably. Bykov lifted the receiver. - Zhilin, come see me now. -
He hung up the phone. - Take your papers, probationer. You will answer
immediately to myself. The ship's engineer Zhilin, who will come shortly,
will outline your duties to you.
- Alexey, - Yurkovski said majestically. - Our... err... cadet still
does not know, who he is dealing with.
- Nope, I know, - said Yura. - I recognised you straight away.
- Oh! - Yurkovski was surprised. - We are still recognisable?
Yura had no time to answer. The door opened and on the threshold
appeared Ivan in that same chequered shirt.
- Here I am, Alexey Petrovich, - he announced cheerfully.
- Collect your god-son, - grouched Bykov. - This is our probationer. He
is now your responsibility. Make a note in the log. And now take him with
you and don't leave him out of sight until we take off tomorrow.
- Understood, - said Zhilin, took Yura off the chair and lead him into
the corridor. Yura was slowly realising what has happened.
- This is you - Zhilin? - he asked. - Ship's engineer?
- Zhilin did not answer. He placed Yura before him, stepped a foot back
and said in a menacing voice:
- Do you drink vodka?
- No, - Yura answered fearfully.
- Do you believe in God?