За разломом орла

           "Look.Thisisreallypresumptuousofme. It’sonethingaskingtomeetupforbreakfast. Itwouldhavebeenrudenotto. Buthowwouldyouliketomeetagainlater? It’sreallynicetoeathereintheevening. Theyturndownthelights.Theviewthroughthedomeisreallysomething." 

           Ilookedupintothatendlessholographicsky. 

           "Ithoughtitwasfaked." 

           "Oh,itis,"shesaid."Butdon’tletthatspoilitforyou." 

           *** 

           Isettledinfrontofthecameraandstartedspeaking. 

           "Katerina,"Isaid."Hello.Ihopeyou’reallright. BynowIhopesomeonefromthecompanywillhavebeenintouch. Iftheyhaven’t,I’mprettysureyou’llhavemadeyourownenquiries. I’mnotsurewhattheytoldyou,butIpromiseyouthatwe’resafeandsoundandthatwe’recominghome. I’mcallingfromsomewherecalledSaumlakiStation,arepairfacilityontheedgeofSchedarsector. It’snotmuchtolookat:justawarrenoftunnelsandcentrifugesdugintoapitch-black,D-typeasteroid,abouthalfalight-yearfromtheneareststar. Theonlyreasonit’shereatallisbecausetherehappenstobeanaperturenextdoor. That’showwegothereinthefirstplace. SomehoworotherBlueGoosetookawrongturninthenetwork,whattheycallaroutingerror. TheGoosecameinlastnight,localtime,andI’vebeeninahotelsincethen. Ididn’tcalllastnightbecauseIwastootiredanddisorientatedaftercomingoutofthetank,andIdidn’tknowhowlongweweregoingtobehere.