"Christopher Stasheff - Warlock 09 - The Warlocks Companion" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stasheff Christopher)

sound, light show on the ceilingтАж"
"So who's gonna be watching the ceiling?" And the elder Vapochek guffawed,
waving the boy away with his cigar. "Go on, go have your fun! Just gimme a ride in it,
you hear?"



The comely young lady stared as the aircar drifted out of its stall. At the wheel,
Reggie noticed her attention and grinned, but pretended not to see herтАФso he was a
bit crestfallen when she only sighed, shook her head, and walked on by below him.
"Snooty broad," he growled.
"I do not recognize that command, master," the dashboard answered.
"I wasn't talking to you, bolt-brain!тАж Probably just jealous."
"Yes, master," the dashboard answered.
"How would you know?" Reggie snarled. "Just get over to Shirley's placeтАФand don't
spare the horses!"
"This vehicle is not powered by animals' muscles."
"Okay, the horsepower, then! Just get!" And Reggie leaned back in the plush
embrace of the seat, muttering, "Snooty machine."
The aircar rose fifty feet, then hovered, hesitating.
"What's the hold-up?" Reggie snarled. "Get going!"
"There is an omnibus approaching on an intersect course at one thousand feet,
master."
"So dodge it, then! Oh, hell! Give me that wheel!" Reggie leaned forward, slapping
the toggle to "manual," and tromped on the accelerator. The aircar shot upward, so fast
as to give him the distinct feeling that he'd left his stomach on the pavement. Reggie
grinned, reveling in the sensation.
"Intersect impending!" the computer blared, but Reggie just grinned wider, staring
up at the looming bus. He'd wait just a second or two longer, then swerve aside at the
last minute and give those yerkels on the bus something to cuss aboutтАж
The aircar jarred to a halt so suddenly that his dental implants almost uprooted. The
bus snored by a good hundred feet overhead, its passengers totally oblivious to his
existence.
Reggie let loose a stream of profanity intermixed with an occasional word that bore
some meaning. By sorting syllables, the computer pieced together an approximation of
"What did you do that for?"
"We were on an intersect course with the omnibus," the computer explained. "In
three seconds more, we would have impacted in a midair collision, which would not
have been beneficial to your health."
"The hell with my health! I would've slid by with meters to spare! You just ruined the
move of the century!"
The computer was silent, then explained, "I had no knowledge of your intentions."
 "You don't need to know my intentions! If I damn well choose to commit suicide,
that's my damn business, not yours!"
"I am programmed for accordance with all civil and criminal laws," the computer
answered. "I cannot behave in breach of them."
"You're not behavingтАФI am! What about your programming to obey me?"
"Such programming must nonetheless avoid conflict with law."
"Let me worry about the law! If I slap the override, it's my problem, not yours!"
"The law will not allowтАж"