"Joan D. Vinge - Fireship" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vinge Joan D)

meine gedanken sind frei.
тАЬ тАШMy thoughts are free?тАЩ тАЭ I glanced up. тАЬFrom what IтАЩve heard,
your thoughts are damned expensive.тАЭ I recognized the motto of
Free Thought, Incorporated , which as I well knew was a mercenary
think tank, renting the problem-solving brilliance of its employees
to any business, organization, or government willing to meet its
exorbitant fee. тАЬSo youтАЩre a fink, then?тАЭ
тАЬWe prefer the term тАШinformation consultant.тАЩ тАЭ She tapped the
stem of her wine glass. Somewhere back in the real world I heard a
crash, as some barfly tossed off a drink and then the glass: an old
custom, recently revived, like most things in dubious taste. тАЬAnd
the motto represents our philosophy, not our fee policy. We refuse
to be limited, by either intimidation or questionable loyalties, to
serving any one government or creed. ThatтАЩs why our organization
is based here on Mars, even though we do most of our work for
customers on Earth.тАЭ
тАЬYes, I know; very noble.тАЭ My brain began to function-
analytically again. тАЬBut you mean youтАЩre simply trying to recruit
me? Blackmail really isnтАЩt necessaryтАФтАЭ
She shook her head. тАЬConsidering your problems with the
American government, you wouldnтАЩt be of much use to us. I just
want to borrow your special skills for one small, computer-oriented
project. No more, no less. Cooperate with me, and IтАЩll forget I ever
saw you. Refuse, andтАФтАЭ
тАЬтАФand if IтАЩm lucky, I wonтАЩt live to regret it.тАЭ Instant replay: some
choice examples of some not-so-swift retributions that might occur,
when Uncle SamтАЩs prodigal nephew returned home in disgrace. The
Reduction to Component Parts of Ethan Ring would start with
unplugging the cord from the socket in my spine, but it probably
wouldnтАЩt end thereтАж Hanalore Takhashi leaned back against the
peacock-blue leather of the booth, watching my paranoia show. Five
minutes ago IтАЩd been wondering where sheтАЩd been all my life; now I
just wanted to know when she was going back. тАЬLady Luck, you
really know how to screw a guy. And thatтАЩs not a compliment. Just
one little job, you said, and youтАЩll go out of my life forever?тАЭ You
lose some; and you lose some. A smile is a kind of grimace. I smiled.
тАЬItтАЩs a deal.тАЭ
тАЬGood.тАЭ Her face relaxed, and I suddenly realized how tense sheтАЩd
looked. тАЬShall we go, then?тАЭ
тАЬGo?тАЭ I remained sitting. тАЬGo where?тАЭ
тАЬOutside. To meet someone.тАЭ She waved a hand at the window,
and nodded at the other guests, who were gradually wandering out
of the bar. тАЬThe rain should be starting about fourteen-twenty. You
donтАЩt want to miss it, do you?тАЭ
Rain on Mars is like snow in southern California: it doesnтАЩt
happen very often. When it does, itтАЩs like New YearтАЩs EveтАФa grand
excuse for lunacy and laughter and hugging total strangers.
Computerized forecasting techniques and the comparative
simplemindedness of Martian weather make it possible to plan your
celebration in advance; so when storms pass over the Tourist