"Mike Resnick - Ivory" - читать интересную книгу автора (Resnick Mike)

The woman, dressed in a glittering metallic blue gown, had long blonde hair piled high on her head, and
wore a necklace of gleaming bloodstones from the mines of Altair III.

тАЬGentlemen, please introduce your companion,тАЭ said Tembo Laibon, frowning.

тАЬI am Helen,тАЭ volunteered the blonde woman.

тАЬShe's our wife,тАЭ explained Ajax the Second.

тАЬOur wife?тАЭ repeated the Iron Duchess, arching an artificial eyebrow.

тАЬHis and mine.тАЭ

тАЬShe's married to both of you?тАЭ

тАЬThat's right.тАЭ
тАЬShe was not invited to participate,тАЭ said Tembo Laibon. тАЬShe must leave the room.тАЭ

тАЬShe's only an android,тАЭ explained Ajax the First. тАЬShe won't bother anybody.тАЭ

тАЬPlease deactivate her,тАЭ said Tembo Laibon.

тАЬI'd like to watch,тАЭ said Helen.

Tembo Laibon look at her. тАЬBecause of the stakes involved in this game, there must be no hint of
impropriety,тАЭ he explained. тАЬYou must be deactivated.тАЭ

тАЬHow can there be any impropriety if she sits behind me and watches?тАЭ asked Ajax the First.

тАЬI have no idea,тАЭ replied Tembo Laibon. тАЬPerhaps she can see through the backs of the cards. Perhaps
she will compute the odds and find some way to relay them to you. It makes no difference. Tempers can
run high in a game like this, and for your own sake I would not want it said that you took unfair
advantage of your fellow participants.тАЭ

тАЬWhat about the little animal onhis back?тАЭ demanded Ajax the First, pointing to Buko. тАЬHow do I know
thatit isn't helping him?тАЭ

тАЬIt is a symbiotic life form that oxygenates my blood when I am on low-gravity worlds,тАЭ replied Buko.

тАЬThis isn't a low gravity world.тАЭ

тАЬIt is tome .тАЭ

тАЬIf you are through arguing,тАЭ said Tembo Laibon patiently, тАЬyou may deactivate the android.тАЭ

Ajax the First shrugged, then looked directly at the android.

тАЬGo to the corner, Helen,тАЭ he ordered, and she promptly walked to the farthest corner of the room. He
then uttered a brief command in a tongue that was unfamiliar to Tembo Laibon. Helen's eyes closed and