Energy #97 22 января 1998

FANTASY - Roman G. Harrison, "Plague from Space" (continued).

                 FANTASY



     Continuation of the novel Gary Harrison

             "Plague from Space"



     - That I did not really thought about it.
I must have looked respectable pig. Anyway, I feel
so. And now I must get rid of this
bristles before go down to the meeting.

     He went into the bathroom and looked
in the mirror, and then started to get rid of
bristles with ultrasonic razor.

     His eyes were red and sunken deep
in orbit. Took aspirin a headache, and
five milligrams of Benzedrine allowed him to
hope that the meeting he did not fall asleep.

     But first he needed to go to
your room and take out a pair of shoes.
White jacket and white pants suit, but
he could not appear at a meeting in felt slippers.

     - You tell me later that there
was it? - Nita said, when he went
to the exit.

     He nodded again and eagerly pressed
on the handle of the door, which is now slowly
opened.

     - Yes, I will tell you as soon as
I have a chance - an absentminded "he said.

     Mentally, he was already in town. There
undergone tremendous changes.

     When the outer door finally opened, he passed through a 
sterilizing circle immediately saw the Killer Dominguez, who

slept in the hallway on the bench. The killer opened
eyes, hearing the buzz of a door,
then in one leap to his feet.

     - Welcome back to civilization -
he said.

     He smiled radiantly.

     - At first I was afraid that you will never
no longer come out of this its prisons, but
Then before I heard a rumor that your quarantine
over. Thus, I formed a committee of one person came to express 
to you my best wishes. 

     - Thanks, Killer. Until I also heard a rumor that as soon 
as I have to attend the meeting. 

     - This is also discussed. And Charlie
Stein of the Hip-lab said that the entire
your clothes are sent to an incinerator
debris.

     - Shoes, too? - Sam asked.

     Hitman replied that boots and, of course, too. Then he 
bent down under the bench and pulled out a pair of white shoes 
with rubber soles. 

     - I thought that you need them,
and so took them out of your belongings in your room.

     - You are my savior, killer - said
Sam.

     He kicked off his slippers, put on my shoes and tied the 
laces. 

     - Killer, you have been in the service until I
was there busy. How is it outside?

     Killer smile on his face was replaced by an expression of 
concern. 

     - Bad, dock, and will be even worse. All
people become suspicious, closed in their houses and locked the 
door, but Soon they had run out of food, and then they

envied by their ancestors, long lying in
land, unless there is some miracle. Newspapers and television 
try to downplay it all, but who can read

between the lines and understand all the difference between the 
official newspaper reports and reality. I saw something else: 
Today revolt in the East Side. Do you think newspapers

published anything about this? Not a word.

     - I think we will soon possession of the exigencies of the 
situation - "Sam said. 

     They came to the elevator.

     - As soon as we can handle bird-mosquito vector Rand, her 
stall itself.


     - In the world there are plenty of birds -
Killer said.

     He took a toothpick and seemed to remain absolutely calm.

     Door number two in the audience was closed.

     A policeman with an expression of rage
face guarding its entrance. He is barred by Sam
way, his hand on the belt near the revolver. When Sam told him 
that his there waiting, police said a few

words into a microphone, let into his collar, and a couple of 
minutes later the door opened and left Eddie Perkins, chief 
physician of a of offices. The killer was gone, and Eddy had

Sam in a wardrobe.

     - Before you walk into the audience,
I must inform you, - said
he said. - It seems that there broke out a real
Stand.

     - And on which side you stand?

     - You asked a good question.

     Eddie smiled wryly. He pulled
a pack of cigarettes and handed it to Sam. Sam thanked him but 
declined. Eddie shook shoulders, but one of the lit cigarettes.


     - I assigned to the team doctor
McKay. He officially committed medical research and development 
of all necessary counter-measures. We must not forget how he 
acted during the outbreak Tofolma disease. McKay enjoys the 
full support of the WHO Representative and some support for the 
police and army, but not enjoys the slightest support for these

talkative politicians. He tried to convince the governor that 
need to impose martial law, so this could be connected army of 
the United Nations. Sooner or later we will certainly have to 
use its services, so why not now? In addition, all

birds within a radius of hundred miles to be destroyed.

     - In this area there is a hundred parks and reserves in 
which they live millions of birds - Sam intervened. - I can

imagine that they can respond to
it's conservatives.

     - They have already been answered in the person of the 
governor. Do not forget that he wants to fall to present its 
candidature. 

     - What to expect from this position
me? - Sam asked.

     - McKay thinks you are someone who can win votes on his 
side. If you say a few words to you listen. You are the hero of 
the hour, the man who first saw the Rand, which went with him 
to the quarantine, which played the role of the guinea pig to 
prove that the virus Rand-alpha is not passed from person to 
person. If these results are confirmed once again, panic 
settles, Rumors about the evacuation of the city fade away and 
we will no longer be any obstacles to

taken to quarantine all occurred before
cases. It is necessary to impress this
die-hards that the virus Rand-alpha is not transmitted from 
person to person. You loud and clear voice, argued that the only

opportunity to stop the spread of
virus Rand-beta is the destruction of several million birds. 
You agree with me? 

- Yes, of course. Although it sounds terrible, but
the only way that has not been found
effective remedy against this disease.
If we do everything possible to prevent the spread of this 
disease, we will win. 

     - Bravo! It is an ancient fighting spirit.

     Perkins nodded and turned toward the door.

     - Persuade hesitant, and we can
progress in our work forward. Give
me a couple of minutes, so I can inform McKay. You will also 
prepare for statement. We will give you my word.


     The two minutes seemed like an eternity to Sam.

     He smoothed the front of the mirror his white jacket and 
tried to do the same wrinkles on the face, but to no avail.


     His throat was parched, as if
when he first skydive. "Politicians," - he thought. The corners 
of his mouth drooped down. He needed to convince them. Each 
minute of delay meant the further spread of the epidemic. When

he had been summoned, he opened the door and without hesitation 
walked to the podium. Prior to the podium for a long table with 
serious faces were people. Motley uniforms mingled with dark 
suits. All heads turned to the Sam and Dr. McKay interrupted 
his speech, to greet him.


     - Well, gentlemen, now, finally,
we know the facts - said McKay - immutable facts and evidence
should lead us to logically sound decision. This is Dr. Sam 
Berthollet. By At least his name, I believe, all

you well know.

     According to a rather few number of
people gathered in the room, ran
whisper quiet. Rising to the podium, Sam
tried to avoid his views closely
watching him. McKay gave him a
sign.

     - Currently, Dr. Berthollet -
recognized authority on diseases Rand -
loud voice, said McKay. - He was
there, when Randy came out of the ship, he treated it as much 
as the second case of illness, police Miles, here, in a 
quarantine ward. He is also the man which is proved by 
experiment, that the disease is transmitted only when the Rand

through birds, and not from person to person. Dr. Berthollet, 
you can say something about the consequences of the experiment? 

     Sam realized that McKay is not only a good doctor to 
another and downy as a politician. Due to the fact that he kept 
the audience in the dark about the experience, done by Sam, he 
has created an atmosphere in which to place a very dramatic 
events. Under normal circumstances, nothing good doctor from 
politicking Sam not expected, but now it has become clear that 
he itself should be the same.


     This was necessary in order to persuade listeners. When he 
turned to him in the hall of expectant silence reigned.


     - Laboratory experiments have shown that
Rand's disease exists in two forms -
Sam began. - To distinguish between these forms, we
called them alpha and beta. Rand virus-alpha
resulted in the death of Commander Rand, but he did not
able to destroy other living beings,
except for the birds. Birds infected with Rand-beta. The virus 
is very virulent form that can infect other birds,

as well as people. In infected people the virus
Rand goes into beta-virus Rand-alpha.
Thus contracted police Miles.
This disease can not spread from person to person.

     - How do you know, doctor? -
interrupted McKay.

     - I took Miles live virus and infected them yourself.

     Sam was silent when the rows of students passed the 
motion. Sitting nearby, seemed to have receded back 
involuntarily. McKay smiled coldly and put his hand on Sam.


     - Just heard that you should not bother you - he said the 
sublime voice. - If the doctor Berthollet ill

the disease, he would long ago have appeared to us the known 
symptoms. According to our observations, all we know cases the 
first symptoms appear an average of one hour after infection.


     McKay looked at Sam, who
indifferently looked at the audience.

     - Do you have any suggestions
regarding the treatment of this disease, Dr.
Berthollet?

     - No, - said Sam. - Today
time the disease is incurable. Anyone who caught it, die. Only
way to contain the spread of the disease
is to destroy all
Bird-peddlers infection - within a radius of ten, twenty or a 
hundred miles. And make sure that no bird had escaped from that 
event. I know it sounds terrible, but we have no other choice. 
If everything is reduced to a single proposal, it would sound 
like this: a bird or us.


     Heard angry voices. Dr.
McKay ignored them, turning to
table with their backs to avoid seeing crimson
face the governor, who in the excitation
jumped from his seat.

     - We have here a person who
can competently explain what
should be done. This professor Bourget
curator of the New York Zoo. Professor
Burge ...

     Bourget was a frail little man with almost
bald head. He said, hanging his head
and it can be heard only when the audience dead silence.


     - ... different behavior of various
species of birds. Having in hand these data, we can
with a high probability to calculate the area
exposure to various submissions from
our birds, so I say ...

     He paused and fumbled in his lying to the
These pieces of paper. The rows of people ran whisper.

     - I beg your pardon, gentlemen - said Bourget.

     He raised his head. His eyes were full of tears, they 
flowed down his cheeks. 

     - I just came back from the zoo,
where we slack away all of our birds with poison
gentlemen. Yeah, that's calculations. Within a radius of
hundred miles, counting from Manhattan, in all
directions, and in the direction of Long Island
and Montaun Point a little further in this
should be sufficient. Received from
later posts we will be clear, can
We assume that these measures are sufficient.

     - It's impossible - there was someone
voice. The same is almost ten thousand square miles. To meet 
this need an army.


     - It's true - said Bourget. - We need a
Army. We must call for help, the army
UN. To carry out our activities
need gas, poisonous baits, weapons,
Ammunition ...

     Professor Cheybl tried in vain to hear anything in the 
rising noise. 

     Where the noise is a little verse, he said:

     - Gentlemen, the challenges with which we
face, falls under the jurisdiction of the WHO
that's why I take part in this meeting. I think we have heard 
enough facts to make a decision, so I

propose immediate vote.

     The hall once stood the noise, then
people gradually calmed down, and a vote was taken. A little 
later votes were counted. 

     Although the vote and has not produced a convincing 
victory groups advocating immediate action, but a simple 
majority was enough to begin implementing the activities of 
recognized effective. In the next morning, the army will start 
a company to destroy all types of birds.