"James Patrick Kelly - Dividing the Sustain" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kelly James Patrick)

тАЬSo, Been, you had an active sex life as a heterosexual,тАЭ murmured Ilona, her
eyes still shut, тАЬand youтАЩre too new at homosexuality for it to have taken. Have I got
that right? Is that why youтАЩre staring at my chest?тАЭ

тАЬIlona!тАЩ The clock on the lightboard disappeared and was replaced by an
image of Harlen Quellan. тАЬDonтАЩt start.тАЭ

She sat up abruptly, the babyface banging against her belly. тАЬWhy? Just
because IтАЩm pregnant, IтАЩm not allowed to want sex? ItтАЩs almost three years, you
bastard.тАЭ

Been thought it cruelly unfair that he had to choose between hearing more
about IlonaтАЩs desires and meeting Harlen Quellen. The captain now presented
himself, not quite life-sized, on all five of IlonaтАЩs hatches. He ap-peared to be
floating weightlessly in some private corner of his slipship, beyond the sway of
artificial gravity. Harlen Quellen could have been fifty, one hundred and fifty, or three
hundred and fifty. His skin was smooth and glossy, his hair green as a dream. He
wore his dress uniform as if he had been born in it, the silver captainтАЩs bars on his
jacket catching the light, his pants with razor creases, dazzling white foot and hand
gloves. HeтАЩd had his datacord grafted to his coccyx like a tail and it switched back
and forth as he spoke. He was too perfect by half in BeenтАЩs estimation; nobody real
looked that good.

тАЬIтАЩm sorry that I didnтАЩt make it to your birthday party, Mr. Watanabe, but the
press of shipтАЩs business keeps me busy.тАЭ

тАЬContinuously, Captain?тАЭ said Been. тАЬFor the entire run?тАЭ

He bowed stiffly. тАЬIтАЩm here now, sir.тАЭ

тАЬI was hoping I might talk to you alone, Captain.тАЭ

тАЬBut there is no alone on my ship.тАЭ He gestured at the cabin expansively.
тАЬEvery cubic millimeter is under surveillance. The crew must see every-where
always. ThatтАЩs our job.тАЭ

тАЬI think he means me, Harlen. Go ahead, you two can conspire together.тАЭ
Ilona heaved herself off the couch. тАЬI need to use the bathroom anyway.тАЭ

Been waited until the hatch to the head slid shut. тАЬIтАЩve been wanting to talk to
you, Captain.тАЭ

тАЬYes, Mr. Watanabe,тАЭ he said dryly. тАЬForty-seven messages sent by you, all
of them ignored by me. YouтАЩve asked every member of my crew about me. You are
now pestering my ex-wife. And youтАЩve had the goddamned nerve to try to speak to
my unborn son.тАЭ

тАЬSo itтАЩs a boy then?тАЭ