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

be scalped or manufactured. After five guest chips are given out,
management changes housing. There is no predictable time, nor is there
predictable housing.

тАЬI didnтАЩt invite you,тАЭ I say, picking up my drink and balancing its edge
on my flat stomach. I canтАЩt quite get the balance right and I catch the drink
before it spills.

тАЬI know,тАЭ the woman says, тАЬbut I came to see you.тАЭ

тАЬIf you want to hire my ship to do some wreck diving, go through
channels. Send a message, my systemтАЩll scan your background, and if you
pass, you can see any one of a dozen wrecks thatтАЩre open to amateurs.тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩm not interested in diving,тАЭ the woman says.

тАЬThen you have no reason to talk to me.тАЭ I take a sip. The liquid, which
is a fake but tasty honey and butter ale, has warmed during the long
afternoon. The warmth brings out the aleтАЩs flavor, which is why I nurse itтАФor
at least why I say I nurse it. I donтАЩt like to get drunkтАФI hate the loss of
controlтАФbut I like drinking and I like to sit in this dark, private, enclosed bar
and watch people whom I know wonтАЩt give me any guff.
 тАЬBut I do have a reason to talk to you.тАЭ She leans toward me. She has
pale green eyes surrounded by dark lashes. The eyes make her seem
even more exotic than her land-born walk does. тАЬYou see, I hear youтАЩre the
bestтАФтАЭ

My snort interrupts her. тАЬThere is no best. ThereтАЩs a half a dozen
companies thatтАЩll take you touring wrecksтАФand thatтАЩs without diving. All of
us are certified. All of us are bonded and licensed and all of us guarantee
the best touring experience in this sector. It just varies in degreeтАФdo you
want the illusion of danger or do you want a little bit of history with your deep
space adventure? I donтАЩt know who sent you in hereтАФтАЭ

She starts to answer, but I raise a finger, stopping her.

тАЬтАФand I donтАЩt care. I do want you to contact someone else for a tour.
This is my private time, and I hate having it interrupted.тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩm sorry,тАЭ she says and the apology sounds sincere.

I expect her to get up, leave the bar or maybe move to another table,
but she does neither.

Instead she leans closer and lowers her voice.

тАЬIтАЩm not a tourist,тАЭ she says. тАЬI have a mission and IтАЩm told youтАЩre the
only one who can help me.тАЭ

In the two years since the Dignity Vessel, no one has tried this old