"Robert Reed - Sister Alice" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reed Robert)

тАЬHowтАЩs your war?тАЭ asked Lyman, striding out of the bath, his loose-fitting trousers shrinking to a more
fashionable size. тАЬDone with your fort?тАЭ

Ord muttered, тАЬYes.тАЭ

тАЬAny more fights?тАЭ

Was he referring to Xo and Ravleen? Or maybe Lyman was trying to tease him, making fun of this silly
kidтАЩs game. Either way, Ord guessed that his brother knew every answer, that he had already received
updates from the robots and the estateтАЩs sentries. тАЬNo fights,тАЭ Ord reported. тАЬNot until tomorrow
morning, at least.тАЭ

But Lyman was only pretending to listen. He started to speak, aiming to make another little joke, but then
paused, his pale pink mouth hanging open for a long moment.

Ord waited, feet fidgeting.

тАЬDo you know where I was this morning?тАЭ

тАЬWhere?тАЭ

тАЬAntarctica.тАЭ Lyman liked to tease his little brother, reminding him that one of them could travel at will
across the Earth. No farther, but still, it seemed like an enormous freedom.

тАЬWhat were you doing there?тАЭ asked Ord.

тАЬHaving fun, naturally.тАЭ Lyman tried to smile, scratching his bare belly. Taller than Ord, he had
old-fashioned adult proportions, his body hairy and strong with an appropriate unfancy penis dangling
inside his trousers. Red hair grew to his shoulders. Like Ord, he had the telltale Chamberlain face, sharp
features and pale, freckled skin and brilliant blue eyes. Their sisters were feminized, with breasts and
estrogens and such; physical forms were standardized, and they were eternal, every Family built around
its immortal norm, every norm patterned after its founder and ultimate parent.

Lyman stood in front of his brother, sighed, and asked, тАЬDo you know why I came home? Have you
heard?тАЭ

Ord shook his head, his breath quickening. What happened that would demand that Lyman abandon his
fun?
тАЬListen.тАЭ

But then his brother said nothing, his mouth left open and the blue eyes gazing at the blue moon on the
wall.

Finally, Ord asked, тАЬWhat is it?тАЭ

тАЬIn the next few daysтАжsoon, although I donтАЩt know whenтАжweтАЩll have a guest here. Are you listening?
You need to wear your best behavior.тАЭ

тАЬWhoтАЩs visiting?тАЭ