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- 348. DUO Milburne Melanie Tajemnica szpitala na prowincji
- Cartland Barbara Rapsodia miśÂośÂci
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- Dr. med. G.A. Wojtowicz Ulecz sam siebie! [O Leczniczym Glodowaniu]
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prototype of an improved lunar surface vehicle, for example, but when the time came to test it, Ahmed
would mumble something about how the model was meant to fail or meant to succeed. It was a common
enough attitude among the Arab scientists and technicians. It did not keep them from doing a fine job and
it was comforting when they failed at a given task. Even those who were not Arabs fell into a fatalistic
mood often enough, and it was a strangely contagious attitude among the members of the closely knit and
cooperative lunar community. Even Al had succumbed to it at times.
Ahmed was on the preliminary list too. His fatalism did not prevent him from hoping. Now Simone, used
to creating her own destiny, had succumbed to it. Al sighed. It was probably much simpler than that.
Simone had never asked a favor in her life and found it easier than most to live with the consequences of
her actions. She would not be obligated to anyone.
"There is nothing you can do," Simone said in a flat voice.
What she meant, of course, was that there was nothing heshould do.
Ed stopped at the end of the corridor and looked down at his son Isaac. The boy stared straight ahead at
the heavy metal doors in front of them. The child wore his usual expression, one of somber curiosity. At
times, Ed still felt almost intimidated by his seemingly rational son, at least until Isaac would, with a
gesture or a few words, remind Ed that he was only a small child after all.
Al, on his way to a laboratory nearby, had accompanied them and so had Lilo, Mike's wife. Al was
being very quiet. He seemed lost in thought and murmured only perfunctory responses to Lilo's attempts
at conversation.He's worried , Ed thought,something to do with Simone . Ed had sensed that without
even asking what the problem was, knowing that Al would discuss his situation when he was ready to do
so and not before.
Lilo, standing next to Al, seemed to shine. Her red hair glittered under the harsh lighting of the corridor
and her silvery gray tunic contrasted with Al's dull gray shirt and shorts.
Lilo had got along beautifully with Isaac from the time they first met. It was easy to understand why. She
had listened apparently fascinated, to the boy's recitation of what he had discovered on the moon,
interrupting him only to ask questions. Isaac had quickly assumed the role of teacher and Lilo the role of
a student. The young woman was obviously more at ease questioning the child rather than another adult,
who might have found her lack of education appalling.
The words on the metal doors were in Russian. Ed put a hand on Isaac's shoulder. "This is the morgue,"
he explained. "When people die here, it's easiest just to freeze them up here as soon after death as
possible. Burial on the surface is more difficult, so people are brought here, or to other places like it,
instead. Sometimes they're sent back to Earth if their relatives want that and can afford it, but a lot of
them prefer to stay here and say so in their wills. That's because they've come to think the moon is their
real home."
"Why do they die?" Isaac asked.
"For the same reasons people on Earth do," Ed replied. "They become sick, or an accident happens, or
they're very old. You can live longer up here, because lunar gravity is easier on your system and your
environment is under more control, but sooner or later you die."
"Do you have to be so morbid?" Lilo said.
"It's a fact. It's part of the life cycle, after all."
"And something we could well do without," Lilo muttered.
"Kira says people don't have to die," Isaac said.
"Maybe they won't in the future, at least not as soon," Ed responded. "Your aunt is working on ways to
make people live longer. Look at your uncle Hidey. Fifty years ago, people would have thought of him as
extremely old and he might not have been alive today. But he has years ahead of him, if he takes care of
himself. By the time you're his age, you might look no older than me."
"He shouldn't smoke," Isaac said.
"Well," Lilo said, moving closer to the boy, "he has a bad habit. Lots of people do. I notice you like to
eat a lot of candy."
"Sometimes," the boy said. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]