"Barry B. Longyear - The Hangingstone Rat" - читать интересную книгу автора (Longyear Barry)

THE HANGINGSTONE RAT
by BARRY B. LONGYEAR

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Illustration by John Allemand

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The line between тАЬwhoтАЭ and тАЬwhatтАЭ is likely to get less and less
distinct....

Early on a late summer morning Artificial Beings Crimes took a call
from Okehampton Station reporting a dead bio in North Dartmoor at a place
called Hangingstone Hill. The location was seven kilometers
south-southeast of the army camp, deceased was a dead male rodent
amdroid reported by a hiker: no apparent signs of violence, scene marked,
hikerтАЩs statement received, constable standing by. Rodent bios arenтАЩt
terribly long lived, and it was likely the fellow simply happened to be on the
moor when he pegged it. Likely the death was natural and the owner of the
engrams had another meat suit in stasis. Nonetheless, it had to be
investigated, and it was a welcome opportunity to get out of the city. At
home in Exeter, as I waited for Shad to pick me up with the cruiser, I used
ValтАЩs computer and looked up Hangingstone Hill: a minor legend,
unremarkable history, third highest elevation on the moor.

тАЬGuyтАЩs here,тАЭ Val called from the hallway. She padded into the lounge
and hopped up on the desk. I gave her ears a perfunctory scratch. My wife
was a Golden Tonkinese.

тАЬHave a good day, dear,тАЭ I said as I went to get my coat.

She looked at the computer screen. тАЬYou have a call out on the
moor?тАЭ

I pulled on my coat and sealed it. тАЬYes. ShouldnтАЩt be much of
anything, dear. Dead rat bio reported by a hiker.тАЭ

тАЬWell, take care, Harry. I have a premonition.тАЭ

I smiled. тАЬRemember your last premonition, dear? WasnтАЩt it a
furball?тАЭ
 тАЬEven so, Harry, take care. I donтАЩt like rats.тАЭ

тАЬI understand rats feel the same way about cats. Good-bye, dear.тАЭ

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