"Michael Swanwick - Tin Marsh" - читать интересную книгу автора (Swanwick Michael)

would go, luxuriating in the roomтАЩs openness. All that space! It was twenty feet
across and windowless. There was the one table, and six iron chairs to go with it.
Half a dozen cots folded up against the walls. A line of shelves offered Company
goods that neither of them could afford. There were also a pay toilet and a pay
shower. There was a free medical unit, but if you tried to con it out of something
recreational, the Company found out and fined you accordingly.

PatangтАЩs skin prickled and itched from a monthтАЩs accumulation of dried
sweat. тАЬIтАЩm going to scratch,тАЭ she said. тАЬDonтАЩt look.тАЭ

But of course MacArthur did, the pig.

Ignoring him, Patang slowly and sensuously scratched under her blouse and
across her back. She took her time, digging in with her nails hard enough almost to
make the skin bleed. It felt glorious.

MacArthur stared at her all the while, a starving wolf faced with a plump
rabbit.

тАЬYou could have done that in your suit,тАЭ he said when she was done.

тАЬItтАЩs not the same.тАЭ

тАЬYou didnтАЩt have to do that in front ofтАФтАЭ

тАЬHey! HowтАЩs about a little conversation?тАЭ Patang said loudly. So it cost a few
bucks. So what?

With a click, the innkeeper came on. тАЬWasnтАЩt expecting any more visitors so
close to the noon season,тАЭ it said in a folksy synthetic voice. тАЬWhat are you two
prospecting for?тАЭ

тАЬGold, tin, lead, just about anything thatтАЩll gush up a test-hole.тАЭ Patang closed
her eyes, pretending she was back on Lakshmi Planum in a bar in Port Ishtar, talking
with a real, live human being. тАЬWe figured most people will be working tracts in the
morning and late afternoon. This way our databases are up-to-dateтАФwe wonтАЩt be
stepping on somebodyтАЩs month-old claim.тАЭ

тАЬVery wise. The Company pays well for a strike.тАЭ

тАЬI hate those fucking things.тАЭ MacArthur turned his back on the speaker and
Patang both, noisily scraping his chair against the floor. She knew how badly heтАЩd
like to hurt her.

She knew that it wasnтАЩt going to happen.

****

The Company had three rules. The first was No Violence. The second was
Protect Company Equipment. The third was Protect Yourself. All three were