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| He had gone Shapeless! | Он опустился до Бесформия! |
| Comfort had nothing to do with duty, he reminded himself, and firmly took a Pilot's Shape. | "Комфорт не имеет ничего общего с долгом", -напомнил он себе и снова принял Форму Пилота. |
| But Pilot's Shape wasn't constructed for sleeping on damp, bumpy ground. | Однако Форма Пилота не была создана для сна на сырой неровной почве. |
| Pid spent a restless night, thinking of ships, and wishing he were flying one. | Пид провел ночь беспокойно, ему снились корабли. |
| Pid awoke in the morning tired and ill-tempered. | Пид проснулся усталый, в дурном расположении духа. |
| He nudged Ger. | Он легонько толкнул Джера. |
| "Let's get this over with," he said. | - Надо браться за дело, - сказал он. |
| Ger flowed gaily to his feet. | Джер весело излился в вертикальное положение. |
| "Come on, Ilg," Pid said angrily, looking around. | - Ильг! - сердито позвал Пид. |
| "Wake up." | - Просыпайся. |
| There was no reply. | Ответа не последовало. |
| "Ilg!" he called. | - Ильг! - окликнул он. |
| Still there was no reply. | И снова не получил ответа. |
| "Help me look for him," Pid said to Ger. "He must be around here somewhere." | - Он должен быть где-то поблизости, - сказал Пид >Джеру. |
| Together they tested every bush, tree, log and shrub in the vicinity. | Они осмотрели каждый куст, каждое дерево в окрестности. |
| But none of them was Ilg. | Ильга нигде не было. |
| Pid began to feel a cold panic run through him. | Холодная волна паники захлестнула Пида: |
| What could have happened to the Radioman? | "Что могло случиться с Радистом?" |
| "Perhaps he decided to go through the gate on his own," Ger suggested. | - Быть может, он решил пройти за ворота самостоятельно? - предположил Джер. |
| Pid considered the possibility. It seemed unlikely. | Пид обдумал эту возможность и счел ее невероятной. |
| Ilg had never shown much initiative. | Ильг никогда не проявлял инициативы. |
| He had always been content to follow orders. | Он всегда выполнял чужие приказы. |
| They waited. But midday came, and there was still no sign of Ilg. | Наступил полдень, а Ильга все еще не было. |
| "We can't wait any longer," Pid said, and they started through the woods. | - Больше ждать нельзя, - объявил Пид. |
| Pid wondered if Ilg had tried to get through the gates on his own. Those quiet types often concealed a foolhardy streak. But there was nothing to show that Ilg had been successful. He would have to assume that the Radioman was dead, or captured by the Men. | Приходилось думать, что Радист погиб или захвачен в плен Людьми. |
| That left two of them to activate a Displacer. And still he didn't know what had happened to the other expeditions. | Их оставалось двое. |
| At the edge of the woods, Ger turned himself into a facsimile of a Dog. | На опушке леса Джер превратился в копию Собаки. |
| Pid inspected him carefully. | Пид придирчиво оглядел его. |
| "A little less tail," he said. | - Поменьше хвоста, - посоветовал он. |
| Ger shortened his tail. | Джер укоротил хвост. |
| "More ears." | - Побольше ушей. |
| Ger lengthened his ears. | Джер удлинил уши. |
| "Now even them up." | - Теперь подравняй их. |
| He inspected the finished product. As far as he could tell, Ger was perfect, from the tip of his tail to his wet, black nose. | Насколько Пид мог судить, Джер стал совершенством от кончика хвоста до мокрого черного носа. |
| "Good luck," Pid said. | - Желаю удачи, - сказал Пид. |
| "Thanks." | - Благодарю. |
| Cautiously Ger moved out of the woods, walking in the lurching style of Dogs and Men. | - Джер осторожно вышел из леса, передвигаясь дергающейся поступью Собак и Людей. |
| At the gate the guard called to him. | У ворот его окликнул часовой. |
| Pid held his breath. | Пид затаил дыхание. |
| Ger walked past the Man, ignoring him. | Джер прошел мимо Человека. |
| The Man started to walk over, and Ger broke into a run. | Он двинулся было к Джеру, но тот пустился бежать. |
| Pid shaped a pair of strong legs for himself, ready to dash if Ger was caught. | Пид приготовил две крепкие ноги, собираясь броситься на помощь, если Джера схватят. |
