"George R. R. Martin -- Second Helpings" - читать интересную книгу автора (Martin George R R)

тАЬYou can rent it in Spiderhome if you like that sort of thing,тАЭ the second told him. тАЬItтАЩs got a cat in it.тАЭ
тАЬIndeed,тАЭ said Haviland Tuf, blinking. Dax began to purr.


His berth was five kilometers out along the web, so Haviland Tuf caught a pneumatic tubetrain into port
center.
He was jostled on every side. On the train there were no seats. He was forced to stand with a strangerтАЩs
rude elbow thrust into his ribs, the cold plasteel mask of a cybertech mere millimeters from face, and the
slick carapace of some alien rubbing up against his back whenever the train slowed. When he
disembarked, it was as if the car had decided to vomit out the overabundance of humanity it had
ingested. The platform was swarming chaos, noise, and confusion, with passers-by milling all about him.
A short young woman with features as sharp as the blade of a stiletto laid an unwelcome hand on his furs
and invited him to join her at a sex parlor. No sooner had Tuf disengaged himself than he faced a
newsfeed reporter, equipped with third-eye camera and ingratiating smile, who said he was doing a
feature on strange flies and wanted an interview.
Tuf pushed past him to a vending booth, purchased a privacy shield, and clipped it on his belt. That
provided a certain minimal help. When they saw it, the SтАЩuthlamese politely averted their eyes, in keeping
with his wishes, and he was free to proceed through the throngs more or less unmolested.
His first stop was a vidplex. He engaged a private room with couch, ordered up a bulb of watery
SтАЩuthlamese beer, and rented a copy of Tuf and Mune.
His second stop was the PortmasterтАЩs office. тАЩтАЬSir,тАЭ he said to the man behind the reception console, тАЬa
query, if you will. Does Tolly Mune yet serve as Portmaster of SтАЩuthlam?тАЭ
The secretary looked him up and down and sighed. тАЬFlies,тАЭ he said, sighing. тАЬOf course. Who else?тАЭ
тАЬWho else indeed,тАЭ said Haviland Tuf. тАЬIt is imperative that I meet with her at once.тАЭ
тАЬIs it now? You and a thousand others. Name?тАЭ
тАЬI am named Weemowet, a traveller out of Karaleo, master of the Ferocious Veldt Roarer.тАЭ
The secretary grimaced and entered that into the console, then slouched back on his floater chair,
waiting. Finally he shook his head. тАЬSorry, Weemowet,тАЭ he said. тАЬMaтАЩs busy and her computerтАЩs never
heard of you, your ship, or your planet. I can get you an appointment in about a week, if youтАЩll state your
business.тАЭ
тАЬThis is unsatisfactory. My business is of a personal nature, and I would prefer to see the Portmaster
immediately.тАЭ
The secretary shrugged. тАЬDefecate or evacuate the chamber, fly. Best we can do.тАЭ
Haviland Tuf reflected a moment. Then he reached up, grasped the fringe of his mane, and pulled. It
made a ripping sound as it came off his face. тАЬObserve!тАЭ he said. тАЬI am not truly Weemowet. I am
Haviland Tuf in disguise.тАЭ He draped his mane and beard over the top of the console.
тАЬHaviland Tuf?тАЭ the secretary said.
тАЬCorrect.тАЭ
The man laughed. тАЬI saw that vidshow, fly. If youтАЩre Tuf, IтАЩm Stephan Cobalt Northstar.тАЭ
тАЬStephan Cobalt Northstar has been dead for more than a millennium. Nonetheless, I am Haviland Tuf.тАЭ
тАЬYou donтАЩt look a thing like him,тАЭ the secretary said.
тАЬI am incognito, disguised as a Leonese noble.тАЭ
тАЬOh, right. I forgot.тАЭ
тАЬYour memory is short. Will you tell Portmaster Mune that Haviland Tuf has returned to SтАЩuthlam and
wishes to speak with her at once?тАЭ
тАЬNo,тАЭ the man said bluntly, тАЬbut IтАЩll be sure to tell all my friends tonight at the orgy.тАЭ
тАЬI have the sum of sixteen million five hundred thousand standards which I wish to pay over to her,тАЭ Tuf
said.
тАЬSixteen million five hundred thousand standards?тАЭ the secretary said, impressed. тАЬThatтАЩs a lot of
money.тАЭ