"Anthony,.Piers.-.Mute (2)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Anthony Susan)

"CC Knot scores again," York murmured over the intercom hi the moment Knot was alone. It was a standing joke between them. CC was the abbreviation of the Coordination Computer, which fitted mutants to specialized positions on a galactic scale. Knot did it only for this enclave. But there was a similarity between their jobs. York teased him because she knew he did not like the Coordination Computer.

The third client was indeed special. She was young and pretty and so completely normal in appearance that he was startled. But there were many nonapparent forms of mutation. She could have an exotic chemical imbalance that prevented her from functioning normally. She might have eyeballs in her belly, concealed by her clothing. She might have brain tissue in her chest and a spleen in her head. York had no note on any such thing, but York was not infallible. He would simply have to fathom her mutancy for himself, by observation and careful questioning, and proceed from there.

Knot started his routine introduction, but the girl leaned forward and turned off his intercom. In the process her blouse separated from her torso in the fashion blouses had been designed to do for thousands of years, showing that there were certainly no eyeballs or brain tissue in that portion of her anatomy. Her breasts were fully as firm and shapely as York's, and there were only two, so that there was no undue crowding.

Knot forced his attention back to business. He started to protest her action, though he really would not have minded if she had leaned forward similarly ten more times.

But before he spoke, she brought out a printed card. It said AUDITOR.

Oh no! A surprise audit of the enclave!-And he had just placed a client in a quasilegal position, making moonshine wine. Also, more insidious: This meant this woman was in fact a normal, so that all of her visible and suggested attributes were genuine. That provided a retroactive luster to his recent glimpse, exciting him and embarrassing him simultaneously.

The woman watched him with calm amusement. She had certainly turned the tables on him! Knot nodded with rueful resignation. He activated his intercom. "York, this client poses special problems. Ill have to take her on a tour of the premises before I can make a placement."

"Understood," the secretary answered. Her tone was disapproving; she was evidently suspicious that he wanted to get an especially attractive min-mute into a truly private nook for a seduction. His office made such things feasible, for those mutants who did not get suitably placed were not permitted to remain in the enclave beyond a reasonable grace period. Knot wished York's suspicion were true; he did have an eye for the woman. He knew that York felt that if he wanted to seduce anyone today, she should be first in line. But now, not only did he have no chance with this luscious client, he would incur York's wrath anyway. It would be hard to convince her of the truth.

"We can't be overheard outside," Knot murmured as they emerged from ttie office. The sky was now completely clear; day was well established. "Do you want the full tour, or shall I fill you in on the enclave indiscretions at the outset and save us both tune?"

She smiled. Knot, accustomed to the efforts of mutants who often had strange faces, was surprised again; she was beautiful. Even after allowing for the fact of her normalcy, the humanoid ideal. Normals differed from each other less than mutants did, but this one had to be close to the positive extreme. "Show me the leadmuter."

Knot grimaced, surprised a third tune. "You have a better source of information than we thought."

"Much better," she agreed with a smugness that would
have been objectionable in anyone else. She held out her petite, five-digited hand. "My name is Finesse."

He shrugged and took the hand in his huge right. She drew him in toward her, leaning forward to plant a light kiss on his cheek. She smelled refreshingly of pine needles.

"Finesse," he said. "Is that literal or allegorical?"

"Yes." She shifted to his small left hand, neatly interlocking her four fingers with his three and capturing his thumb with her own, and walked beside him. The mutants that they passed glanced enviously, not recognizing either of them but wishing they did.

"I presume this is a friendly audit," Knot said. "Or are you merely making sure I cannot slip away?" He gave his hand a token shake, as though hefting shackles. He did not care to admit how exciting it was to have a lovely normal turn on to him as if he were attractive to her. She had an ulterior motive, of courseЧbut what was it? She could have required the leadmuter information of him without ever touching his hand.

"Never trust an auditor," she said, squeezing his hand. She had to have noticed his disparity of fingers, but gave no sign of aversion. "Every one of them will deceive you."

Fair warning! But she really hadn't provided any information yet, straight or deceiving. It seemed he would have to wait on her convenience.

"The leadmuter is separate from the main enclave," he said. "In an isolated region, with a difficult approach. Not suitable for clothing like yours."

"You wish me to remove it?"

Yes! he thought. And said aloud: "I was hinting that you might prefer to come back at another time, dressed for the occasion. Boots, leather breeches, outdoor glovesЧ"

"During which period of delay the exhibit would disappear?" she asked, smiling to disarm the charge.

Knot essayed a gesture of denialЧand found he could not, for she stili held his hand captive. The enclave had been audited before, many times, for the powers that existed on the planetary level were suspicious of success.
But never an audit like this! Knot became reluctantly more suspicious. "May I see your credentials?"

"You perused them pretty well in your office." But she finally let go his hand and fished in her bosom, bringing out an ID disk on a neck chain. She faced him so as to bring the disk close to him, and held it up beside her face. The illumination came on, showing the holograph of her head, with her name, code and position. She was a legitimate Coordination Computer auditor.