"L. E. Modesitt - Archform Beauty" - читать интересную книгу автора (Modesitt L E)

"Trouble, I see." Kama grinned.

I grinned back, then shrugged helplessly. "How's business?"

"Fine. People still need plumbing and pipes along with their nanite-based house systems. You're lucky
you caught me in." The grin vanished. "You still owe me a game of chess."

Owed him that game of chess for more than twenty years. "I know. You'd beat me. You always did."

"That's not the point. It's a game of beauty."

"If you say so." I wasn't sure that was the point. If we both linked, usually got a draw, based on old
grandmaster games. If not, Kama won in twenty moves, maybe thirty. That was beauty? "Just asking.
Got a feeling something might be happening."

The contractor's eyes narrowed. "I've never Liked your feelings, Eugene. Is it anything I should worry
about?"

I shrugged. "Couldn't say. That's why it's a feeling. Minor offenses up. Pols worried. No one says much."

"You could be wrong."

"Been wrong before. Be happy if I am. Anyone building a fortress?"

"I wish someone would. Business is a little slow, except repairs here in westside." He laughed.
"Something always goes wrong here. You have to make dozens of little service calls to make ends meet."
"Too bad you can't do service southside."

"Most of the filch mansions have self-repair systems. Here, who can afford them? Only business I get
there is either new systems, total disasters, or upgrading whole systems."

"Getting any of that?"

"Maybe one every other week, about the same as always."

"Each one more elaborate?"

"Why else would they upgrade?" Kama smiled more broadly.

"So it would take a cargo lorry loaded with lead at full velocity to break into one of those filch palaces?"

"For most. Some would take more. One place has a fuel cell power room that would run half of
westside."

"That has to be Alembart."

"You can guess all you want, Eugene."

"What about the McCall thing? That your system? Pretty horrible."