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

тАЬSir, IтАЩve been observing you for months now. What IтАЩve noticed is that you
are adept at steering conversations just where you want them to go. You flatter, sir,
and cajole and you will craft a lie whenever itтАЩs convenient. I have a ship to run and
have no time for such diversions, goddamn it, so let me get to the point.тАЭ He aimed a
long foretoe at Been. тАЬWhat is the expected rate of gene flow from transgenic corn
plants to their wild-type cultivars?тАЭ
 Been felt as if there were a rope tightening at his throat. тАЬI beg your pardon?тАЭ
He choked on the words.

тАЬHow do you use fluorescence quenching to monitor changes in carotenoid
levels in living plants?тАЭ

He was suddenly dizzy and knew it had nothing to do with sprites.

тАЬOf course, agronomy is a vast field,тАЭ said the captain. тАЬMaybe these
questions are too esoteric. In that case, what is the iron component of the synthetic
hydroxyapatites we use in the Nine BallтАЩs AgCore?тАЭ

Been sagged onto a chair. тАЬWhat do you want?тАЭ

Harlen QuellanтАЩs image began drifting from the vertical to the horizontal.
тАЬTwo days ago, you told Zelmet Emsley that youтАЩre no longer sure that youтАЩre a
Consensualist. I say that you never were one. Neither are you a goddamned genetic
agronomist. Yet when you passed through Immigra-tion on NonnyтАЩs Home, you
gave a sworn statement to that effect. It is one thing to lie to these colonists, sir. It is
quite another to commit perjury to planetary authorities.тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩve been on several dozen slipships in my life, Captain, and not one of them
had a passenger manifest that could stand close scrutiny.тАЭ

тАЬSeveral dozen, Mr. Watanabe? Not many agronomists are so well trav-eled.тАЭ
Harlen Quellan smiled grimly. тАЬMy friend Zelmet ran a scan on your brain while you
were in our BioCore. I believe he forgot to ask your per-mission. My apologies. I
assume it would not surprise you to know that you have a mindsync with a capacity
of twenty-two exabytes embedded in your cerebrum. Clearly, sir, you are a courier.
What information are you carrying to Little Chin?тАЭ

тАЬPersonality transplant.тАЭ

тАЬFor?тАЭ

Been spread his hands and shrugged.

тАЬYes. Discretion would be part of your contract.тАЭ Harlen QuellanтАЩs tail lashed
impatiently. тАЬWell, this is my fifth run to Chin. I can think of sev-eral people there
who have both the need and the resources for such a recasting.тАЭ He laughed.
тАЬConsensualism is for the young and foolish, Mr. Watanabe. Not for the likes of you
and me.тАЭ His datacord coiled around something offscreen and he drifted off the
lightboard until only his gloved feet showed. тАЬIтАЩll respect your privacy for now, sir,
and that of your client,тАЭ he called. тАЬBut goddamn it, you had better respect mine as