Tilting the Balance
Автор: Harry Turtledove
Издатель: Del Rey 1995
ISBN: 0345389980
Навигация: Tilting the Balance → XIII
Часть 9
Atvar read intently for a little while, then stopped and stared at Kirel. “Major release of radioactivity in Deutschland” he said. softwarebuy.ru “This is supposed to please me? It means the Big Uglies there are a short step away from a nuclear bomb. ”
“But they do not know how to take that next step, ” Kirel replied. “If you please, Exalted Fleetlord, examine the analysis. ”
Atvar did as his subordinate asked. As he read, his mouth fell open in a great chortle of glee. “Idiots, fools, maniacs! They achieved a self sustaining pile without proper damping? ”
“From the radiation that has been-is being-released, they seem to have done just that, ” Kirel answered, also gleefully. “And it’s melted down on them, and contaminated the whole area, and, with any luck at all, killed off a whole great slew of their best scientists. ”
“If these are their best-” Atvar’s hiss was full of amazement. “They’ve done almost as much damage to themselves as we did to them when we dropped the nuclear bomb on Berlin. ”
“No doubt you are right, Exalted Fleetlord, ” Kirel said. “One of the main characteristics of the Tosevites is their tendency to leap headlong into any new technology which comes within their capabilities. Where we would study consequences first, they simply charge ahead. Because of that, no doubt, they went in the flick of an eye turret from spear-flinging savages to-”
“Industrialized savages, ” Atvar put in.
“Exactly so, ” Kirel agreed. “This time, though, in leaping they fell and smashed their snouts. Not all ventures into new technology come without risks. ”
“Something went right, ” Atvar said happily. “Ever since we came to Tosev 3, we’ve been nibbled to pieces here: two killercraft lost in one place, five landcruisers in another, deceitful diplomacy from the Big Uglies, the allies we’ve made among them who betrayed us-”
“That male in Poland who embarrassed us by recanting his friendship is back in our claws, ” Kirel said.
“So he is. I’d forgotten that, ” Atvar said. “We’ll have to determine the most expedient means of punishing him, too: find some way to remind the Tosevites who have joined us that they would do well to remember who gives them their meat. No hurry there. He is not going anyplace save by our leave. ”
“No indeed, Exalted Fleetlord, ” Kirel said. “We also need to consider the effect of stepping up our pressure on Deutschland in light of their failure with the atomic pile. We may find them discouraged and demoralized. Computer models suggest as much, at any rate. ”
“Let me see. ” Atvar punched up detail maps of the northwestern section of Tosev 3’s main continental mass. He hissed as he checked them. “The guerrillas in Italia give us as much trouble as armies elsewhere… and though the local king and his males loudly swear they are loyal to us, they do cooperate with the rebels. Our drives in eastern France have bogged down again-not surprising, when half the local la
Расскажи о сайте: