Classics fantasy – 6

– To finish the cities?

– Yes, and we were through with them. Eventually density of the population is caused not only a lack of land area as was in New York of the twentieth century, but also relative low cost of “housing concentration”, and also imperfections of ways of communication.

The radio policy – only the old name which remained behind the area. We have no more cities. If you fly by from Moscow to Leningrad, you will find continuous gardens, fields and white lodges scattered among them, but the cities there, in other place will not find.

– But you unproductively occupied the huge land area which could go under crops!

– You do not represent progress of our agrikultura. On square meter we get food more, than you got on the… to tithe. By the way, from where there was this word? Root, apparently, “ten”?

– I do not know – I confusedly answered.

Ale smiled.

– Besides, we produce food in the chemical way. We and now have more parks and flower beds, than fields. Yes, a lot of things changed for these years. We have no cities, we have no government, we have no offices. The category of “sovrabotnik” necessary in due time died out long ago as horses died out. By the way, you still can see several horses in our zoo, and sovrabotnik remained only in the form of museum dummies. They, however, are very similar to the original.

For me it was really the biggest sensation for all stay in Radiopolis. There are no offices, there are no sovrabotnik! It too. Whether Ale jokes? How it is possible to do without sovrabotnik?

– But themselves writes papers? – with the sneer which is not deprived of bitterness I told.

– My friend, at us papers “are not written” at all. I see, you cannot accustom with all these changes at once.

We smoothly fell by a green lawn. Among this lawn, on a sandy circle, there was a cigar-shaped gray subject reminding the zeppelin, but considerably smaller sizes.

Near the zeppelin there was Ea. She still from a distance waved a hand to Ale and shouted:

– More likely, it is necessary to hurry!

I and Ale, without removing wings, entered the zeppelin. Эа followed us and densely slammed a thick door. Bright light flashed, having lit easy chairs, a table, the screen in a corner.

– It is our “Gun”, the most skorostrelny aircraft.

Эа passed forward, for the varnished partition. From there the buzzing was heard, and I felt how a forward part of our aircraft rose.

– We fly – told Ale.

– Why there are no windows here?

– They are not necessary: speed and flight altitude are so big that all of you equally will see nothing.

Where I still fly? What waits for me ahead?.

Chapter 5

ON THE BANK OF THE RED SEA

We rushed on our air shell which was at the same time both the gun, and a kernel. Behind a partition something quietly buzzed.

– Tell, Ale why you, Ea and Li are engaged in searches? Directed “investigation” about me, now you chase all over the world this American spy. Or you combine…

– The scientist’s position with an honorary title of the detective? – asked El. And, having sighed, continued: – I see that it is difficult for you to get used to our social system. I said to you that we have no militia in sense of the word, usual for you. But if you want, we have each citizen – the militiaman or the investigator if it is demanded by circumstances. Each our citizen, without instructions and codes, knows how to protect interests of society. And if the case gave it to face the fact menacing to our order and tranquility this citizen and finishes business.

– But it has also other duties?

– What from this? At the investigator too not one business happens on hands. Obligatory social activities take us about three hours. There is time to be engaged – at least and searches of the American spy.

– You told that obligatory work takes about three hours you. Why you did not specify exact norm?

– Under the code about work? – with a smile asked Ale. – We have no exact norm, there is no code also. If business of it demands – we work! And it is more than three hours. But it happens only in exceptional cases: some casual accidents, natural disasters. Our usual work “at the machine” does not exceed three hours.

– And the rest of the time?

– Everyone is engaged in what he wishes. The main thing and our almost exclusive occupation – we study, study and study. Continuously we fill up the knowledge, we invent.

– And if Who does not want to work even three hours a day? What coercive measures you take against idlers?

Ale looked at me with extreme amazement.

– Forgive, but this time I refuse to understand you – he told. – Unless it is necessary to force fish to float, and a bird to fly? It is their vital sign. The same vital sign, insuperable requirement is for us work.

– But work can be unpleasant, for example hard physical work.

– Physical work is carried out by our slaves.

I even jumped up on a chair.

– Slaves? You have a slavery?

– Well that so surprises you? Enslaved forces of nature, cars – here our slaves. And all of us, free citizens, work not only from consciousness of public advantage – it is the alphabet about which we already forgot – but also because work became for us the second nature long ago.

– What is it? Light went out?!

– Do not worry, I want to look at the card – told Ale.

Before it the square on which outlines of some sea appeared flashed poor light.

– This card moves?

– Yes, it moves because we fly. Our card – the earth. Here… as it you called outlines?. Sea of Azov, here Black. We fly by it.

– Already! So soon…

– Turkey. We will see the Red Sea soon.

– But how you can do absolutely without card?

– Эа directs our air ship on a radio compass. Li sends a radio wave, and we fly in this direction as butterflies on a spark. The mistake cannot be. However, we can if it is necessary, cope according to the card and a magnetic compass…

And, having bent down over the card, Ale told: