"David Marusek - Getting to Know You" - читать интересную книгу автора (Marusek David)

тАЬWhat is your date of birth?тАЭ

Zoranna sighed. тАЬAugust 12, 1961. Honestly, Bug, I wish youтАЩd tap
public records for this stuff.тАЭ

тАЬDo you like the timbre of BugтАЩs voice?тАЭ it said. тАЬWould you prefer it
lower or higher?тАЭ It repeated this question through several octaves.

тАЬFrankly, Bug, I detest your voice at any pitch.тАЭ

тАЬWhat is your favorite color?тАЭ

тАЬI donтАЩt have one.тАЭ

тАЬYesterday your favorite color was salmon.тАЭ

тАЬWell, today itтАЩs cranberry.тАЭ The little pest was silent for a moment
while it retrieved and compared color li-braries. Zoranna tried to catch up
with the holovid, but sheтАЩd lost the thread of the story.

тАЬYou have a phone call,тАЭ Bug said, тАЬTed Chalmers at General
Genius.тАЭ

Zoranna sat up straight and patted her hair. тАЬPut him on and squelch
the vid.тАЭ A miniature hologram of Ted with his feet on his desk was
projected in the air before her. Ted was an attractive man Zoranna had
wanted to ask out a couple times, but never seemed able to catch between
spousals. By the time sheтАЩd hear he was single again, heтАЩd be well into his
next liaison. It made her won-der how someone with her world-class
investigative skills could be so dateless. SheтАЩd even considered assigning
Hounder to monitor TedтАЩs availability status in order to get her foot in his
door.
 When Ted saw her, he smiled and said, тАЬHey, Zoe, howтАЩs our little
prototype?тАЭ

тАЬDriving me crazy,тАЭ she said. тАЬRefresh my memory, Ted. WhenтАЩs the
Inquisition supposed to end?тАЭ

Ted lowered his feet to the floor. тАЬItтАЩs still imprinting? How long have
you had it now?тАЭ He consulted a display and answered his own question.
тАЬTwenty-two days. ThatтАЩs a record.тАЭ He got up and paced his office, walking
in and out of the projected holoframe.

тАЬNo kidding,тАЭ said Zoranna. тАЬIтАЩve had marriages that didnтАЩt last that
long.тАЭ SheтАЩd meant for this to be funny, but it fell flat.

Ted sat down. тАЬI wish we could continue the test, but unfortunately
weтАЩre aborting. WeтАЩd like you to return the unitтАФтАЭ He glanced at his display
again, тАЬтАФreturn Bug as soon as possible.тАЭ