За разломом орла

           ImightevenreachBarranquillaaheadofit,butinallmyyearsofdelaysthathadonlyhappenedonce. Thesystemworkedallright. 

           Overhead,awhitepassengerlinerhadbeenslottedinbetweenthebulkcarriers. Iliftedupmymasktogetabetterlookatit.Igotahitofozone,fuelanddinosaurdung. ThatwasArkangelallright. Youcouldn’tmistakeitforanyotherplaceintheBubble. Therewerefourhundredworldsoutthere,uptoadozensurfaceportsoneveryplanet,andnoneofthemsmelledbadinquitethesameway. 

           "Thom?" 

           Ifollowedthevoice.ItwasRay,standingbythedock. 

           "Youfinishedcheckingthoseplanes?"Iasked. 

           Rayshookhishead."That’swhatIwantedtotalktoyouabout. Theywerealittleoff-alignment,so—seeingaswe’regoingtobesittinghereforeighthours—Idecidedtorunafullrecalibration." 

           Inodded. "Thatwastheidea.Sowhat’stheprob?" 

           "Theprobisaslotjustopenedup. Towersayswecanliftinthirtyminutes." 

           Ishrugged. "Thenwe’lllift." 

           "Ihaven’tfinishedtherecal. Asitis,thingsareworsethanbeforeIstarted. Liftingnowwouldnotbeagoodidea." 

           "Youknowhowthetowerworks,"Isaid. "Misstwoofferedslots,youcouldbeonthegroundfordays." 

           "NoonewantstogetbackhomesoonerthanIdo,"Raysaid. 

           "Socheerup." 

           "She’llberoughinthetunnel.Itwon’tbeasmoothridehome." 

           Ishrugged."Dowecare?We’llbeasleep." 

           "Well,it’sacademic.Wecan’tleavewithoutSuzy." 

           Iheardbootheelsclickingtowardus.