"Follett, James - Earthsearch 00 - Mindwarp" - читать интересную книгу автора (Follett James)

of rest and worship.
`It's a counter,' said Ewen, following his mother's gaze
up at the display. `It means three groups of ten and five
added together. The badges turn blue every ten. I reckon my
badge will turn blue when the boxes read four and nothing.'
He grinned at his mother's bewildered expression and wondered
why it wasn't as oblivious to her as it was to him.
`You mean that a four and a nothing is more numbers than a
three and a five?'
`Yes.' He suddenly felt guilty about his mother's worried
expression. She was so tall and lovely. He loved everything
about her; her long, dark hair that fell about her shoulders;
the smart clothes she always wore -- today it was a figure-
hugging one-piece suit in black that she had designed and
made in her shop specially for this visit. Crimson and yellow
hologram flames danced from her midriff, seeming to curl and
twist around her breasts whenever she moved. She was so
clever with materials that it seemed wrong that he should
understand these things and not her. The 35 he could picture
in his mind was less than 40. It was so obvious.
`Stupid! Stupid! He's mad! They'll lock him away!' Tarlan
yelled, beating the arm of his chair. He resented the
attention Ewen was getting. He wanted to be back at home
running war games on his play screen, zapping the hologram
hordes of 3-D Diablon troops with his plasma discharge gun as
they poured into his room.
Kally's dark eyes clouded with worry. She drew Ewen close
to her so that he could feel the gentle pressure of her
breasts against his cheek through the sparkling flame
holograms. The contact and the scent of her closeness stirred
something in him, and his love for his kind, gentle mother
overwhelmed him. `You mustn't tell them about the numbers you
can see, Ewen,' she said.
`But--'
`You mustn't tell them! Promise me you won't say anything!
Please, darling.'
`All right.'
`You promise?'
`Promise.'
She gave a little shudder of relief and tightened her
grip. When she released Ewen, his badge was turning blue.
High above, the display was showing four dots in the first
box, and none in the second.

2
Most youngsters taking their seat before Technician-Father
Gilith were immediately transfixed by the dancing ball that
was suspended as if by magic above his desk. It gave him time
to read the information that appeared on the data screen set
into his desk top. But this boy had given the coloured sphere