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

I get up. I trust myself to walk to his door and to get out. But thatтАЩs all I
trust.

Still, I stop. тАЬYou will never violate the sanctity of my cabin again.тАЭ

He nods. тАЬIтАЩm sorry,тАЭ he says again. тАЬI had Odette wear her recorders
and keep them on. She knows if she touched anything other than the device
IтАЩll have her hide.тАЭ

It isnтАЩt the touching that bothers me. ItтАЩs the entering.

That is my private space. No one else belongs in there.

My quarters are so private they almost feel like an extension of
myself.

I donтАЩt say any more. I step into the hallway, wait until the door closes,
and lean against the wall.

A part of my brain already acknowledges that his decision is sensible.
I know that when I calm down, IтАЩll agree. Four dives into the Room is
actually the minimum for a dangerous area.

Not one, like IтАЩd been planning.

IтАЩd been thinking like a survivor of a disaster, not like a wreck diver.

And Karl understands that.
 HeтАЩs protecting me from myself, yes, but more than that, heтАЩs doing
his job.

HeтАЩs making sure the mission is a success.

And I hate him for it.

****

I insist on being in the skip the next morning. Karl lets me on board,
but he wonтАЩt let me pilot. I am strictly an observer.

TodayтАЩs pilot is Roderick. KarlтАЩs diving partnerтАФa misnomer, really,
since Karl has to go in aloneтАФis Mikk. IтАЩve brought my suit just in case, but
Karl gave it a filthy look as I entered the skip.

He doesnтАЩt want me entertaining any thoughts of diving the Room. IтАЩm
along for two reasons: as a courtesy to me, and so that we donтАЩt have to
explain our plan to my father or Riya.

TheyтАЩve proven more rigid than I could ever be. As time has
progressed, theyтАЩve complained more and more about the habitat dives.