"Charles Stross - Trunk and Disorderly" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stross Charles)

passing bee-bot to vomit the nectar into. тАЬI got a new butler today,тАЭ I
confided. тАЬNearly blew it, though. Sis dumped her pet mammoth on me
again and the butler had to clean up before IтАЩd even had time to fool her
into swearing the oath of allegiance.тАЭ

тАЬHow totally horrible,тАЭ Abdul said in a tone that prompted me to glance
at him sharply. He smirked. тАЬAnd how is dear Fiona doing this week? ItтАЩs
ages since she last came to visit.тАЭ

тАЬShe said something about the Olympic skiing season, I think. And
then sheтАЩs got a few ships to launch. Nothing very important aside from that,
just the apr├иs ski salon circuit.тАЭ I yawned, trying desperately to look
unimpressed. Abdul is perhaps the only member of the club who genuinely
out-ranks Boris. Boris is constrained to use a nom de guerre because of
his position as heir to the throne of all the RussiasтАФat least, all the Russias
that lie between Mars and JupiterтАФbut Abdul doesnтАЩt even bother trying to
disguise himself. HeтАЩs the younger brother of his Excellency the Most
Spectacularly Important Emir of Mars, and when youтАЩve got that much clout
you get to do whatever you want. Especially if it involves trying to modify the
landscape at mach twenty rather than assassinating your elder siblings, the
traditional sport of kings. Abdul is quite possibly certifiably insane, having
graduated to orbital freestyle re-entry surfing by way of technical diving on
Europa and naturist glacier climbing on PlutoтАФand he doesnтАЩt even have
my unfortunate neuroendocrine disorder as an excuseтАФbut heтАЩs a
fundamentally sound chappie at heart.

тАЬHah. Well, weтАЩll just have to invite her along to the party afterward,
wonтАЩt we?тАЭ He chuckled.

тАЬPar-ty?тАЭ Toadsworth beeped up.

тАЬOf course. ItтАЩll be my hundredth drop, and IтАЩm having a party.тАЭ Abdul
smirked some moreтАФhe had a very knowing smirkтАФand sipped his
eighty-year Inverteuchtie. тАЬEveryone who survives is invited! Bottoms up,
chaps?тАЭ

тАЬBottoms up,тАЭ I echoed, raising my glass. тАЬTally ho!тАЭ

****

4. The Sport of Kings
 The day of the drop dawned bright and coldтАФat least it was bright
and cold when I went out on the balcony beside the carport to suit up for my
ride.

Somewhat to my surprise, Miss Feng was already up and waiting for
me with a hot flask of coffee, a prophylactic sober-up, and a good-luck
cigar. тАЬIs this competition entirely safe, Sir?тАЭ she enquired as I chugged my
espresso.