"The Collapsium" - читать интересную книгу автора (Mccarthy Wil)

positions on either side of the fax gate.
After them came a manЧshort haired, short statured, neatly shaved and groomed
and dressedЧwhom the robots examined only briefly. They seemed to know him, and
he in turn carried himself as one accustomed to their dainty-hard robotic
scrutiny, and to the dainty-hard company of the Queen herself. He seemed
properly respectful without appearing awed or worshipful or afraid, and for this
Bruno approved of him instantly, although he also sensed, almost as quickly,
something cool and detached back behind the eyes somewhere. Mathematical, one
might say.
Bruno's people skills were a bit out of practice, though, and we may suspect he
put little credence in his first impressions, pending further analysis.
"Majesty," the man said, doffing his cap and bowing low, so that his hands
nearly brushed the slick surface of the platform.
"Marlon," the Queen acknowledged, inclining her head slightly. "Thank you for
coming so quickly. I take it you loaded your pattern here ahead of time?"
The man bowed again, less deeply, then offered a courtly smile. "I stow copies
of myself where they're likely to be of use, Majesty. This one is a few days
old, though I'll happily send for a fresh one if you prefer."
She shook her head. "Not necessary." To Bruno she said, "Marlon Sykes is the
father of the Ring Collapsiter project. Without his prolonged and dogged
efforts, thisЧ" She indicated the collapsium towering above them. "Чwould never
have come about."
Did she mean the structure, or the accident? Was there reproach in her tone?
Bruno couldn't tell, couldn't detect her mood through the calm mask she
projected. But surely the implication was clear enough: Marlon Sykes had
convinced her the ring project was safe. And he'd been wrong. Bruno felt
immediate kinship with the manЧit was easy to be wrong. It was always so easy to
make a mistake.
"Dr. Sykes," he said, offering a greeting bow of his own.
The man smiled warmly. "Declarant Sykes, actually. It's nice to see you again,
sir."
"Bruno," Tamra chided, "you know Marlon from your days at court." Now there was
clear warning in her tone; she was embarrassed, and he, Bruno, was the cause of
it.
He thought for several seconds, trying to place the name, the face. There had
been a Marlon Somebodyorother, but he was First Philander, more an afterimage
than an actual presence at court. Ex-lover to the Queen, allegedly a gifted
matter programmer of some sortЕ Marlon Sykes, yes. Gods of memory, had the
details of his life faded so quickly?
"Declarant Sykes," Bruno repeated, now bowing more deeply and assuming what he
hoped was a tone of proper contrition. "Declarant-Philander Sykes, yes, of
course! I've been isolated of late, sir, but the lapse is, erЧ" with a glance
and nod in Tamra's direction "Чinexcusable. I beg your indulgence."
"Forget it," Marlon said with a dismissive wave and smile. "It's been years, and
the acquaintance was never a strong one. This admirer is happy to be remembered
at all."
"Hrnm," Bruno said, unconvinced. "Yes, well."
He was expected to feel embarrassment at a time like this. In fact, he felt only
a twinge; that he'd failed to remember Marlon Sykes was no surprise, and no real
fault of his own. There'd been so many people. His childhood had been spent