"Jack Vance - Assault on a City" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vance Jack)

Alice went as she was directed, along a hall and into a large win-dowless
room illuminated by panels in the ceiling and around the walls. From four
angles and from above recording apparatus surveyed the room. A man in
a white beret, a domino and cheek-plates stood waiting. He came to
inspect Alice. "You don't seem concerned."
"I'm not, particularly."
Raulf Dido, the man in the white beret, was momentarily disconcerted.
"Maybe you like the idea?"
"I wouldn't quite go that far."
"Are you wired?"
Alice smiled, as if at the naive question of a child. "No."
"We'll want you to wear this induction device. It's not as accurate as the
direct connection but better than nothing."
"Just what do you propose to do?" asked Alice.
"We plan to produce an erotic percept with emotional accompaniment.
As you see, we have no exotic props, but we feel that your special
personality will make the production interesting. Before you indulge in
any tantrums or hysterics, we'll want to attach this induction device to
your neck."
Alice looked at the adjuncts of the room: a couch, a chair, a case
containing several objects which caused Alice to compress her lips in wry
disgust. "You don't understand my 'special personality,' as you put it. The
percept will be very uninteresting. I wonder if you have a magazine or a
newspaper I might read while you're trying to make your percept?"
"You won't be bored, never fear." This was the comment of another man
who had entered the room: a man tall and strong, bulky about the
shoulders, with a head shaved bald. A mask of gold foil clung to his face;
he wore loose black pantaloons, a blouse checked red, white and black; he
looked almost monumental in his strength. Alice instantly recognized Bo,
and burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?" he growled.
"The whole affair is ridiculous. I really don't care to be a party to such a
farce. After all, I have my pride."
The man in the gold mask stood looking at her sullenly. "You'll find
whether it's ridiculous or not." He spoke to the man in the domino. "Check
my signals." He pushed a clip into the socket under his right arm.
"Signals fine. You're in good shape."
"Put on her induction; we'll get on with the business."
The man in the domino advanced; Alice gestured, took the
induction-cell, waved her hands and the cell was gone. Bo and Raulf Dido
stared in annoyance. "What did you do with it?" asked Bo in a hard voice.
"It's gone," said Alice. "Forever. Or maybe it's somewhere up here." She
jumped up to the recorder platform and pushed over equipment.
Cameras, recorders crashed to the floor, evoking cries of rage from Raulf
and Bo. They ran to catch her, then stopped short at the sound of
contention: calls and curses, the thud of blows. Into the room burst four
men. Waldo stood to the side while his companions advanced upon Raulf
and Bo and commenced to beat them with leather truncheons. Raulf and
Bo bellowed in rage and sought to defend themselves, with only small
success, as the blows fell upon them from all sides.