"03.Time Streams" - читать интересную книгу автора (McGough Scott)

were bare, in defiance of school policy, though his toenails
bore strange legends in bright, glossy paint. He held one of
his hands out formally toward the probe.
The silver man extended his own massive hand and lightly
shook the boy's whole arm. "I am Master Malzra's Probe." No
sooner had he taken the boy's hand than the probe noticed a
strange, stinging jolt in his silver hide. "Your handshake
is shocking."
The lad pulled his hand away and shrugged, seeming
somehow disappointed. "Just a spell I've been working on.
Knocks people on their butts. Not golems, I guess. Say, what
kind of a name is Master Malzra's Probe, anyway?"
"It is the only name I have," replied the probe
truthfully. Teferi's face rumpled, and he shook his head.
"Not good enough. You've got a personality now. You need a
real name."
Other young students were gathering in the corridor
behind Teferi, and they leaned inward, anticipating
something. "I am unfamiliar with naming procedures." Teferi
gave a confident smile. "Oh, I'm quite familiar. Let's see.
You're big and shiny. What else is big and shiny? The Null
Moon. Why don't we call you the Null Man?" The students
laughed at this suggestion.
The probe felt a sense of irritation. "That sounds
unsatisfactory, null means nothing. Your suggestion would
imply I am a nothing man."
Teferi nodded seriously, though a smirk played about his
mouth. "We can't have that. Anyway, you aren't really a man.
You're an artifact. Arty would be a nice name for you. Arty
the Artifact."
The probe could not determine any reason to reject this
suggestion-aside from the chuckles of the students. "Arty is
a name used among humans?"
"Oh, yes," replied Teferi enthusiastically, "as a first
name, but most humans also have a last name. Let's see, you
are silver. What else is made of silver? Spoons are, and
since you are large, we ought to name you after the largest
spoon-a ladle, or perhaps a shovel. Thus, your full name
should be Arty Ladlepate or Arty Shovelhead."
These young folk seemed to giggle at any and every
suggestion made to them. The silver man became less
concerned about their amusement. "Whichever name sounds more
pleasant to human ears-"
"Oh, either name will bring a smile to anyone who hears
it. Still, Ladlepate sounds a little too uppity, as if you
were putting on airs. Shovelhead is much more accessible. I
vote for Arty Shovelhead. What say the rest of you?"
The gathered students cheered excitedly, and the silver
man could not help being swept up in the mood. At the
moment, any name seemed better than no name.