"Justina Robson - Silver Screen" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robson Justina)

them didnтАЩt even come from Europe, I learnt later, but by then IтАЩd forgotten that
there were any differences between people except the level and style of their
intelligence and the scope of their memories.
The thing about Roy and Jane was their strangeness in a sea of strange
people. At ordinary school I had learnt to pretend a combination of lower
intelligence and complete invisibility. Coming to Berwick it was at once obvious that
most of the kids had the same self-preserving routine off pat. As the first weeks
passed, these habits wore off. It was only Roy and Jane who remained constant, but
they had stood out from the first.
We met in the playground тАУ the scrub field inside the athletic track. I was slow
to leave the classroom that day and emerged into the scratchy spring heat at a docile
pace, ready to flee from anybody who seemed suspicious or aggressive, but curious
to watch the goings-on. My spectacle was already waiting. A large group of children
from my year were gathered in a loose circle. I was short and couldnтАЩt see past
them, so I tagged on into the edges of the formation and slowly worked my way
forwards, pushing taller ones aside. They didnтАЩt mind or even notice, so riveted were
they by the action at the centre. A few rows from the front, I got a good position.
Roy and Jane Croft were standing with three kids from the older years. I knew
them instantly. RoyтАЩs white-blond crewcut and brilliant turquoise fleece marked him
out like a parakeet, and JaneтАЩs corresponding blackness тАУ topped with dirty blonde
aggression тАУ was almost as visible. They were outstripped in just about every way
by the older children, who were looking down on them with incredulous loathing as
RoyтАЩs voice became high and reedy in his anger. They were arguing about Artificial
Intelligence, and I soon gathered that it was the smaller pair who had infringed on a
private discussion the other three had been conducting as part of some homework.
тАШOf course 898 canтАЩt be more intelligent than a human being, you little cretin,тАЩ
one of the big girls said, her fists on her hips in readiness тАУ even though none of us
were used to physical fighting. тАШItтАЩs not possible to create a thing more intelligent
than you are. You wouldnтАЩt know how to do it.тАЩ
тАШThe creating bit of 898 stopped hundreds of generations ago,тАЩ Jane pointed
out.
I wondered how they knew so much about OptiNetтАЩs giant AI.
тАШBut the source materials are the same as they were,тАЩ the older boy retorted.
тАШTheyтАЩre what itтАЩs made of.тАЩ
тАШWhat?тАЩ Roy exploded. He literally was one moment standing and staring, the
next his hair was puffed out, what there was of it, his arms and legs shot wide in all
directions and his entire body quivered with glee and contempt. It was a frightening
sight and as one mass the front row leant back. тАШCan you listen to yourself?тАЩ he
peeped, his unbroken voice squeaking and crack-ing. тАШDidnтАЩt you ever hear of
evolution? How do you think you got here тАУ by magic? Once this planet was nothing
but a lot of hot rocks and gas. DonтАЩt you think weтАЩve come on a bit since then?
There wasnтАЩt even any us.тАЩ His head looked this way and that, as if searching for
strength to cap his astonishment. тАШWho organized that lot?тАЩ
тАШGod did,тАЩ said the other girl, who hadnтАЩt yet spoken.
Roy turned to her slowly, incredulously, his shoulders hunched up to protect
his ears from her words. тАШGod did,тАЩ he repeated quietly, looking at her and nodding.
тАШWell, thanks for telling me. God did it, Jane.тАЩ He looked over his shoulder towards
his sister, who was standing like a statue, watching the proceedings with her sharp,
pale eyes. тАШAnd of courseтАУтАЩ he walked up to the boy and patted his chest in a
familiar way тАШтАУ we are as smart compared to God as old Fergus here is to a hot