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

her head sagged on her chest.

тАЬSatisfied?тАЭ said Ajax the First, turning back to the table.

тАЬHow do we know she is not still operative?тАЭ asked the Gorgon suspiciously.

тАЬDevise any test you wish and apply it,тАЭ said Ajax the Second.

тАЬThat will not be necessary,тАЭ said Tembo Laibon. тАЬThe house rules that she has been deactivated.тАЭ He
turned to Ajax the Second. тАЬShe is new,тАЭ he noted.

тАЬWe commissioned her about a year ago. She was completed last month, and she's been with us ever
since.тАЭ

тАЬWhy would anyone want to marry an android?тАЭ asked Son-of-Man curiously.

тАЬWhy not?тАЭ responded Ajax the Second. тАЬWe like a little pomp and ceremony from time to time.тАЭ

тАЬHow very interesting,тАЭ said the thing that looked like a man. тАЬBy the way, we haven't been introduced. I
am Son-of-Man.тАЭ

тАЬWe are the Aiantes,тАЭ said Ajax the Second.
тАЬI beg your pardon?тАЭ said Son-of-Man.

Ajax the Second smiled. тАЬYou haven't read your Homer, have you?тАЭ

тАЬWho is Homer?тАЭ

тАЬI'veread him,тАЭ interjected the Iron Duchess. тАЬAnd to the best of my memory, there was only one Ajax in
the Trojan War.тАЭ

тАЬThen your memory deceives you,тАЭ replied Ajax the Second. тАЬThere was Ajax, son of Telamonian, a
giant warrior who fought shoulder-to-shoulder with Odysseus. That'shim . But there was also Ajax, son
of Oileus, who was small, slight, and the most accurate of spearthrowers. That'sme . Together, they were
known as the Aiantes.тАЭ

тАЬI'm absolutely fascinated by names,тАЭ said Son-of-Man enthusiastically. тАЬHow did you happen to choose
yours?тАЭ

тАЬAthenia offers us a safe haven, so whenever we're in this sector, we take Athenian names in gratitude,тАЭ
said Ajax the Second.

тАЬBut why the same name twice?тАЭ

тАЬWhy not?тАЭ

тАЬIt is very confusing.тАЭ

тАЬNot to us, it isn't,тАЭ replied Ajax the Second.