"Charles Stross - Singularity Sky" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stross Charles)

Prague is due to arrive by ramscoop in, ah, eighteen months. If I may make so bold, sirтАФтАЭ

тАЬSpeak.тАЭ

тАЬCould we retain a minute of bandwidth in stock, for text-only messages? I realize that this is an
emergency, but if we drain the current channel we will be out of touch with the capital until the next
shipment is available. And, with all due respect to Commander Janaczeck, IтАЩm not sure the Navy will be
able to reliably run dispatch boats past the enemy.тАЭ

тАЬDo it.тАЭ Politovsky sat up, stretching his shoulders. тАЬOne minute, mind. The rest available for a televisor
conference with His Majesty, at his earliest convenience. You will set up the conference and notify me
when it is ready. Oh, and while youтАЩre about it, here.тАЭ He leaned forward and scribbled a hasty signature
on a letter from his portfolio. тАЬI enact this state of emergency and by the authority vested in me by God
and His Imperial Majesty I decree that this constitutes a state of war withтАФwho the devil are we at war
with?тАЭ

Von Beck cleared his throat. тАЬThey seem to call themselves the Festival, sir. Unfortunately, we donтАЩt
appear to have any more information about them on file, and requests to the CuratorтАЩs Archives drew a
blank.тАЭ

тАЬVery well.тАЭ Borman passed Politovsky a note, and the Governor stood. тАЬGentlemen, please stand for
His Imperial Majesty!тАЭ

They stood and, as one man, turned expectantly to face the screen on the far wall of the conference room.




The Gathering Storm

тАЬMay I ask what IтАЩm charged with?тАЬ asked Martin.

The sunshine filtering through the skylight high overhead skewered the stuffy office air with bars of
silver: Martin watched dust motes dance like stars behind the CitizenтАЩs bullet-shaped head. The only
noises in the room were the scratching of his pen on heavy official vellum and the repetitive grinding of
gears as his assistant rewound the clockwork drive mechanism on his desktop analytical engine. The
room smelled of machine oil and stale fear.

тАЬAm I being charged with anything?тАЭ Martin persisted.


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 Singularity Sky


The Citizen ignored him and bent his head back to his forms. His young assistant, his regular chore
complete, began unloading a paper tape from the engine.

Martin stood up. тАЬIf I am not being charged with anything, is there any reason why I should stay?тАЭ