За разломом орла

           "AndwhileIknowthataperturetraveltimesvaryfrompointtopoint,withfactorsdependingonnetworktopologyandsyntaxoptimization,isn’titthecasethattheaveragespeedisaboutonethousandtimesfasterthanlight?" 

           "Giveortake." 

           "SoajourneyfromonesideoftheBubblemighttake—what,halfayear? Sayfiveorsixmonths? AyeartotheAquilaRift?" 

           "Youknowthatalready,Greta.Webothknowit." 

           "Allright.Thenconsiderthis." Andtheviewcontractedagain,theBubbledwindling,asuccessionofoverlayingstructuresconcealingit,darknesscomingintoviewoneitherside, andthenthefamiliarspiralswirloftheMilkyWayGalaxyloominglarge. 

           Hundredsofbillionsofstars,packedtogetherintofoamingwhitelanesofseaspume. 

           "Thisistheview,"Gretasaid. "Enhancedofcourse,brightenedandfilteredforhumanconsumption —butifyouhadeyeswithnear-perfectquantumefficiency,andiftheyhappenedtobeaboutametrewide,thisismoreorlesswhatyou’dseeifyousteppedoutsidethestation." 

           "Idon’tbelieveyou." 

           WhatImeantwasIdidn’twanttobelieveher. 

           "Getusedtoit,Thom. You’realongwayout. Thestation’sorbitingabrowndwarfstarintheLargeMagellanicCloud. You’reonehundredandfiftythousandlight-yearsfromhome." 

           "No,"Isaid,myvoicelittlemorethanamoanofabject,childlikedenial. 

           "Youfeltasthoughyou’dspentalongtimeinthetank.Youweredeadright.Subjectivetime? Idon’tknow.Years,easily.Maybeadecade.