"E. C. Tubb - Dumarest 26 - The Coming Event" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tubb E. C)

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The Coming Event by
E.C. Tubb
CHAPTER ONE
Buried deep beneath the scarred surface of a lonely world the
cavern held the awesome grandeur of a legendary tombтАФ a
tremendous mausoleum buttressed by massive columns which
formed an adamantine protection for the soaring tiers of
featureless ovoids within their embrace, though it was even now
being despoiled by men and machines.

To Master Elge, Cyber Prime, the fabrication was the reverse
of a tomb, the ovoids far from being coffins, but the desecration
was real, and he watched as units were freed from their housings
and swung down into the arms of waiting cradles to be wheeled
silently away.

And each ovoid held a living, thinking brain.

This was the reward for which cybers dedicated their lives.
They worked until they grew physically inefficient then were
stripped of hampering flesh, their brains removed from their
skulls and placed in containers, sealed from harm while fed with
nutrients, at last hooked into series with others of their own kind
to form a part of the tremendous complex which was the heart
and power of the Cyclan.

But now Central Intelligence was threatened and with it the
security of the whole.

"Twelve dozen units," said Jarvet from where he stood at
Elge's side. "The entire section. As you instructed, Master."

And how many before them? Elge knew the exact number but
even one would have been too many. "Results?"

"As yet totally negative."

"Numbers tested?"

"Eighteen selected at random." That was more than enough
for a representative sample. The aide added, "I ordered a halt at
twenty for your decision."