"Daniel Marcus - Heart of Molten Stone" - читать интересную книгу автора (Marcus Daniel)

scuffle over the landing beacon, but whatever was going on here was between the two of them. I didn't
want to get involved unless I had to.

тАЬFine,тАЭ I said. тАЬWell, you know why I'm here. Is there someplace we can talk?тАЭ

We walked across the black glass landing field towards a low cluster of prefab buildings. As we drew
near, I saw that their carbon-fiberglass sides were streaked and pitted with oxidation scars. We entered
a covered vestibule in front of the nearest one and walked through a doorway. My ears popped again as
the e-fields adjusted.
 We were in a large room, almost the size of an aircraft hangar, that clearly served as a live-work area.
One end of the room was scattered with computer equipment, machine tools, and biomech gear.
Spotlights mounted on ceiling tracks illuminated the area, leaving black shadows in the corners. The other
end of the room was partitioned off by flimsy barriers into sleeping quarters and an eating area. A pair of
andys stood motionless near a corner, gleaming, black synflesh dully reflecting the room's lights. There
was something odd about them, but from this distance, I couldn't tell what.

Flint and Drake seated themselves around a large round table next to a porta-stove. Empty provisions
crates served as chairs. Flint produced a bottle of clear, oily-looking fluid and three metal cups. He
poured a round and handed out the cups. He looked at me expectantly.

I lifted my cup and took a sip. It was vile, some sort of compost Everclear. I hoped it wouldn't blind me.

тАЬAll right,тАЭ I said, when I could talk again. тАЬThe Company sent me here to find out why production on
this rock has dropped fifty percent in the last six terra-months. I'm supposed to review your procedures
here, head down to Deep Station and talk to Schwartz, and take whatever action is necessary. I've been
given full authority.тАЭ

I looked back and forth between the two of them. The tension between them was almost a living thing.
Drake was staring down into his cup, looking mean and sullen. His swollen lip gave the impression of a
childish pout. Flint looked back at me with an blank expression that didn't quite mask a hint of
supercilious amusement.

тАЬFull authority,тАЭ I repeated.

I kept staring at Flint. Finally, he shrugged his shoulders and looked away.

тАЬI don't know what I can tell you,тАЭ he said. тАЬWe can only ship out what we get from Deep
StationтАФthat's where most of the mining action is. Last few terra-months, though, we haven't been
getting much out of Schwartz. A few days of big shipments of rock or metglass for processing, then
nothing for weeks at a timeтАФтАЭ

Drake broke in. тАЬHe's into some intense shit down there.тАЭ

Flint shot him an annoyed glance and went on. тАЬOnly reason the Company's gotten anything at all the last
month is we've been cleaning out our backstock.тАЭ

He paused and took a sip, holding the cup up to his lips for a long moment, looking lost in thought.
Finally, he nodded, as if coming to a decision, and looked up at me. тАЬI sent Orbison down there in the
flitter a few days ago and I haven't heard anything. We have a comsat in geosynchronous orbit but it went
belly up just after Orbison left, totally dead. Can't bounce signals off the ionosphere with this planet's