"Jacqueline Lichtenberg - Sime Gen 03 - First Channel" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lichtenberg Jacqueline)

"You can't be in need; not for another week!"

But she stopped bouncing.

The room steadied. A burning ache began to spread from the base of
Rimon's skull down his back and into his arms. Don't panic, Rimon told
himself. Breathe evenly.

Serri eased herself off the bed, her concern at his lack of response
barely perceptible to Rimon. She was only a child. Her nager had no more
power than Kadi's. "Rimon тАФyou're all right, aren't you?"

To reassure her, Rimon hauled himself to a sitting position. "I will be if
you'll go away and let me get up." He met her deep blue eyes for a
moment, then buried his head in his hands, wishing he hadn't moved.

She backed toward the door, watching him dubiously. "Everybody else's
finished breakfast. You better not fall asleep again, or Mama will scold
me." She turned and skipped out, copper curls bouncing.

Stumbling to the shower, Rimon let the water wash over him, then
turned it to cold and held his forearms under the stream to dull the
feverish ache in his swollen ronaplin glands. It was impossible. He couldn't
hold out for another five days. His father would understand, even if Marna
didn't.

"Hmpf!" Marna snorted as he entered the dining room, "you've been
augmenting again, Rimon, haven't you?"

"No, I haven't, Marna," he said. "I really haven't!"

"Then how did you get into this state so quickly? Rimon, you can have a
new Gen every two or three weeksтАФ but what if your father couldn't supply
them? What if you had to wait your turn at the government Pens? You
kids! Playing games, I'll bet. But it's four years since your changeover,
Rimon. It's time you accepted your responsibilities as a man and stopped
wasting selyn."

"Yes, Marna," he murmured, only half-listening to the familiar lecture.
Her accusations were unfair, but there was no use protesting. The truth
was that he had not augmented once this month, and in spite of all the
self-discipline he could muster, he was in need after only three weeks and
two days. What was going to happen to him? He hadn't been able to
concentrate for the past weekтАФand it was getting worse, month by month.

Recognizing that a large part of his depression was due to need, he
tried to shake it off as he drank the trin tea Marna had placed in front of
him. He couldn't bring himself to touch the bowl of cereal, though. The
smell of food turned his stomach. His guts were cramping, and there was a
heavy, tight feeling in the middle of his chest. He wondered if he'd make it