"Kristine Kathryn Rusch - The Room of Lost Souls" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rusch Kristine Kathryn)

The mess isnтАЩt a dining hall, like the mess for regular soldiers. The
officersтАЩ mess is divided into six different restaurants, each with its own
entrance off the central bar. People in uniform fill that bar. They all have an
air of authority.

A tiny woman stands near a real potted plant. The plant is taller than I
am, probably taller than Trekov was. ItтАЩs bright green, has broad leaves, and
smells strongly of mint.

The woman is so small she could hide among the leaves.

As I approach, she holds out a small hand, which I take gently in
greeting. The bones are as fragile as I feared. IтАЩm careful not to squeeze at
all, afraid IтАЩll break her.

тАЬWe have a reservation in Number Four,тАЭ she says.

Apparently the six restaurants here have no names. They go by
number.

Number Four is dark and smells of garlic. There are no free-standing
tables, just built-in booths with backs so high you canтАЩt see the other diners.

A serving unitтАФa simple holographic menu with audio
capabilitiesтАФwhisks us to the nearest booth. At first, I figure that the unit
does so with each customer. Then I realize itтАЩs addressing Nola Batinet by
name and has reassured her that they never let her favorite booth go when
thereтАЩs the possibility that she will come into the mess.

She thanks it as if it were human, nods when it asks if she wants the
usual, and then she turns to me. I havenтАЩt even looked over the menu yet,
but IтАЩm not really here for the food. I take whatever it is sheтАЩs having, order
some coffee and some water, and wait until the server unit floats away.

тАЬSo,тАЭ she says, тАЬEwing Trekov. I knew him well.тАЭ

A faint smile crosses her face as she thinks of him. Her
memoriesтАФat least the one sheтАЩs lost inтАФare clearly pleasant.

A tray floats over with our beverages and with a large plate of
cheeses and meats. IтАЩve never seen so many different kinds. The meats
are clearly manufactured and are composed of so many different colors
that IтАЩm hesitant at first.

But Nola has been eating here for decades and seems no worse for
it. After she eats a few pieces, I try one. The meat is peppery and filled with
the garlic IтАЩve been smelling. ItтАЩs remarkably good.

тАЬYouтАЩre working for his daughter, right?тАЭ Nola asks. тАЬThe created