The Robot Brains [with w_cat] | страница 26

He was running through the thick tall grass and heard laughing and shouting behind him.

He was breathing hard. He began to understand how an animal feels during the hunt. He was running and changing directions, but he heard that the Brains were surrounding him on all sides. He stumbled and fell. When he raised his head, he saw Waldo standing over him.

"You were running well, Captain," said the Brain, "but this is the end!"

He raised his weapon -

Something lifted Christian. He looked up and saw a giant figure. Alma! She threw him over her shoulder and jumped into the green jungle. She did it so quickly, that Waldo had no time to shoot.

Alma was running very fast, and soon the cries of the hunters died away.

She stopped near a huge old tree, about twenty feet across, and put Christian down on the grass.

"We can hide inside this tree," she said. "Get in."

Christian got after her into the hollow trunk. Alma sat down on the grass that was on the bottom.

"You are safe here," she said.

"Thanks," said Christian. "Thanks for saving my life."

He was looking at her and thinking what questions to ask her.

Suddenly Alma said: "Why do you use the archaic language?" Can't you speak properly?"

"Archaic?"

"Yes, archaic. Don't think I am a fool. I am intelligent."

She looked at him.

"You are not one of us - your body is too big and your head is too small. Where are you from?"

"From Earth," Christian said. "Earth is the third planet revolving round -"

"Do you take me for an idiot?" said Alma angrily. "I know that."

Christian looked at Alma in silence. He did not know what to say. Finally he asked: "What planet is this?"

"Why, Earth, of course!"

"If this is Earth," said Christian, "it is certainly not the Earth which I know. We are underground, I suppose?"

"Of course. No one lives on the surface now... it is forbidden."

"Now?"

Alma answered nothing. She was just sitting and looking at him. It seemed to Christian that she was losing interest.

He said:

"The Brains brought me here using a black crystal. I arrived in the hall where there was a giant machine with a lot of such crystals. Do you know anything about this machine?"

Alma nodded. Christian saw that she was falling asleep.

"Do you know how this machine works? Or what it is?"

"Oh, some kind of transmitter..."

"What kind of transmitter?"

Alma lay down and prepared to sleep.

"What kind of transmitter?" he repeated.

Alma was almost sleeping now.

"A time machine..."