"Philip Jose Farmer - Riverworld 4 - The Magic Labyrinth" - читать интересную книгу автора (Farmer Phillip Jose)

I

2 / Philip Jose Farmer

he'd ever been in, bar one. He knew that the Operator was down-River. The
surface of his grail had shown him the Operator's location. But that had been
the last information he would get from the map. The satellite had kept track
of the Operator and the Ethicals, except for himself, and the agents in The
Rivervalley, beaming its messages to the grail which was more than a grail.
Then the map had faded from the gray surface, and X had known that something
had malfunctioned in the satellite. From now on he could be surprised by the
Operator, by the agents, and by the other Ethical.
Long ago, X had made arrangements to track all those from the tower and the
underground chambers. He had secretly installed the mechanism in the
satellite. The others would have put in a device to track him, of course. But
his aura-distorter had fooled the mechanism. The distorter had also enabled
him to lie to the council of twelve.

Now, he was as ignorant and helpless as the others.

However, if anybody on this world would be taken aboard by Clemens, even if
the complement was full, it would be the Operator. One look at him, and
Clemens would stop the boat and hail him aboard.

And when the Mark Twain came along, and he, X, managed to become a crew
member, he would have to avoid the Operator until he could take him by
surprise.

The disguise, good enough to fool even the other stranded Ethical, would not
deceive that great intelligence. He would recognize X instantly, and then he,
X, would have no choice. Strong and quick as he was, the Operator was stronger
and quicker.

Moreover, the Operator would have a psychological advantage. X, face to face
with the being he loved and hated, would be inhibited and might not be able to
attack the Operator with the fury and vigor demanded.

Cowardly though it was, a detestable act, he would have to take the Operator
from behind. But his detestable deeds had been many since he had set himself
against the others, and he could do this. Though taught from early childhood
to loathe violence, he had also been taught that violence was justified if his
life was in peril. The resurrecting force which for all practical purposes
made everyone on the Riverworld indestructible just did not enter into it.
Resurrection no longer worked but even when it had he'd still forced himself
to be violent.

The Magic Labyrinth I 3

Despite what his mentors said, the end did justify the means. Besides, all
those he'd killed would not be dead forever. At least, he'd thought so. But