"Sean McMullen - Souls in the Great Machine" - читать интересную книгу автора (McMullen Sean)

the arm. "Afternoon's compliments, Fras Gamesmaster, may your headache
pass quickly."
Fergen rubbed his arm as the Highliber's lackey showed him out. The
woman had all but lifted him from the ground! Amazing strength, but to
Fergen no more amazing than her victory at the champions board.

Zarvora slammed a small wooden panel in the wall aside and pulled at
one of the wires dangling from the roof. After a moment a metallic
twittering and clatter arose from the brass plate set in the recess.

"System Control here, Highliber," declared a faint, hollow voice.
"What is the Calculor's status?" she snapped. "Status HALT MODE
replied the distant speaker. "What is in the request register at
present?"

"MODE'CHAMPIONS;COMMAND'ELAPSED TIME?"

"And the response register?" "46:30.4, Highliber."

"Forty-six hours for a twenty-minute game of champions, Fras
Controller?" shouted Zarvora, her self-control slipping for a rare
moment. "Explain."

There was a pause, punctuated by the rattle of gears. Zarvora drummed
her fingers against the wall and stared at a slate where she had
written 46:30.4.

"System Controller, Highliber. Both Dexter and Sinister Registers
confirm the figure."

"How could both processors come up with the same ludicrous time?"

"Why... yes, it is odd, but it's the sort of error that even skilled
clerks make sometimes."

"The Calculor is not a skilled clerk, Fras Lewrick. It is a hundred
times more powerful at arithmetic, and with its built-in verifications
it should be absolutely free of errors. I want it frozen exactly as it
was during that last calculation."

"That's not possible, Highliber. Many of the components from the
correlator were exhausted by the end of the game. They were relieved
by components from the spares pool."

Too late, thought Zarvora. "We shall run a set of diagnostic
calculations for the next hour," she said. "Do not change any tired
components. If some fall over at their desks, mark them before they
are replaced."

"Highliber, the Calculor is tired. It's not wise."