"Alan Dean Foster - The Black Hole" - читать интересную книгу автора (Foster Alan Dean)

either of them.тАЭ
тАЬMe, too,тАЭ Durant agreed. тАЬOf course, thatтАЩs impossible. Even though
theyтАЩre supposed to select the best people for each position.тАЭ
тАЬTrue,тАЭ said Booth. тАЬThe problem is whether Vincent qualifies as people.
He certainly doesnтАЩt fit the physical specifications for a command pilot.тАЭ
At the moment the subject of their conversation was up forward in
command with Charles Pizer. VincentтАЩs multiple arms were folded neatly
back against his hovering, barrel-shaped body. Monitor indicators winked
on or off as internal functions directed.
His optical scanners were focused on the first officer. Pizer was slumped
on one of the pilot lounges, staring at the main screen. He took no notice of
Vincent. That the robot was not a man was obvious. But the suggestion that
he might not qualify as a person was one Pizer would have taken immediate
exception to.
Hands manipulated controls. Constellations and other star patterns slid
viscously around on the screen. Suns shifted against a background of pale,
lambent green, that color being easier on the eyesтАФand, according to the
psychologists, less depressingтАФthan a more realistic black would have been.
It was all the same to the robot.
The first officerтАЩs thoughts were drifting like the representations of stars
and nebulae, though not in harmony with them.
тАЬWhat does that remind you of, Vincent?тАЭ
тАЬPresuming you to be referring to the holographic stellar display, Mr.
Pizer,тАЭ the machine responded smoothly, тАЬI would say that it reminds me
strongly of a holographic stellar display.тАЭ
тАЬNot me. To me it looks like multipea soup.тАЭ Pizer raised up in the
lounge, the chair humming as it matched the movement of his body. тАЬIтАЩm
starving . . .тАЭ
Lights flashed in sequence on the robotтАЩs flanks, visual indication that
the machine was preparing to respond. тАЬWhat else is new?тАЭ
тАЬMechanical sarcasm is a feature the cyberneticists could damn well
have left in the hypothetical stage.тАЭ Pizer gave the robot a sharp look.
тАЬNothing sitting loose in the galley, I expect. WhatтАЩs on the menu for
today?тАЭ
тАЬDehydrated turkey. A special treat, Lieutenant, since itтАЩs Christmas Eve.
Also dehydrated cranberry sauce, dehydrated gravy and giblets, deтАФтАЬ
Pizer cut him off. тАЬSave me from a full list of the special treats.тАЭ The
vision of dehydrated giblets had quashed whatever rising surge of hunger he
had been experiencing.
тАЬVincent, I envy you.тАЭ
тАЬThatтАЩs not surprising, but why, Lieutenant?тАЭ
тАЬNo taste buds.тАЭ He leaned back into the lounge. Servos whined,
adjusting to fit material properly against his back. He slipped his hands
behind his head and stared longingly at the ceiling.
тАЬNow, if I were home, IтАЩd sit down to a feast. A real one, with the right
amount of water already in the food, not waiting to be added. Roast turkey
with oyster stuffing, sweet potatoes in orange sauce, vegetables, salad,
mince pie тАжтАЭ Remembering made him appear even younger than he was.
He drifted happily along on the illusion of caloric ephemera until
Vincent had to add, тАЬ... bicarbonate of soda ...тАЭ