"Gordon R. Dickson - The Last Master" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dickson Gordon R)

to repay, or justify a free grant of the amount of EC funds youтАЩre after.тАЭ
тАЬWhat about WallyтАЩs value, once heтАЩs revived?тАЭ

тАЬBut we donтАЩt know that heтАЩll be of any value, Mr. Ho.тАЭ He picked up a paper from the far side of his
desk and glanced over it. тАЬThe medical opinion IтАЩve got here is very doubtful of returning him to any kind
of useful state in mind and body. Of course, heтАЩd still be deserving, except that heтАЩs presently in an
effectively noncitizenship state.тАЭ

тАЬThen suppose I apply in his name?тАЭ said Ett.

The man looked up in something resembling a state of shock.

тАЬOh, you canтАЩt do that!тАЭ he said. тАЬNot as long as your relationshipтАЩs close enough to make you
responsible. A sibling or a parent automatically becomes guardian for anyone in a cryogenic state where
revival is possible. As guardian, you have to apply for aid on your own values as a citizen, not on those of
your ward.тАЭ

тАЬAll right,тАЭ said Ett. тАЬThen I so apply.тАЭ

The other sighed.

тАЬIf you insist,тАЭ he said. тАЬIтАЩll put these applications of yours through. But I must warn you not to expect
very fruitful results. Why donтАЩt you talk to your ombudsman, or ombudswoman?тАЭ

тАЬI will,тАЭ said Ett.

And he did.

For the forecast he had been given turned out to be quite correct. His application was turned down. So
he found himself an ombudsman, one of those individuals who were supposed to help the ordinary citizen
in his tangles with official red tape. But the ombudsman was, it seemed, as pessimistic as everyone else
had been.

тАЬWe can appeal, of course,тАЭ he said. тАЬBut I wouldnтАЩt be doing my duty to you if I didnтАЩt tell you youтАЩve
got damn-all chanceтАжтАЭ

So they appealed.

They appealed to the Regional Authority, and were turned down. They appealed again to a review
board, and were again turned down. Finally they flew toKansas City to appeal before theNorthwest
Quadrant Court . Their appeal was denied. As they left the building, Ett asked the ombudsman about the
next step.

тАЬWe can go on,тАЭ said the ombudsman. тАЬWe can keep this up for years, if you likeтАФthere are plenty of
boards and courts and authorities and so on. There are just no end of appeals and requests for review
you can make.тАЭ

He paused as they climbed into an autocab for the ride back to the airport.

тАЬBut I have to tell you,тАЭ he said, leaning back as the cab moved off and loosening a tight cuff of his court