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Ribofunk :: Филиппо Пол Ди
Страница: 144 из 156Instead, they had passedharmlessly through.
Now the autocat began to advance purposefully across the River toward the coracle, seeming to ride on its tail, but in actuality propelled by silicrobe flow, much like a slidewalk. The thing's actions were so intent, it must register somewhere low on the Turing scale, perhaps even as smart as the River itself had been-
The splash of the Hyena pilot jumping overboard distracted Dos Santos. He turned to do the same-
Too late.
Neptune had him in its arms.
Dos Santos 's face was pressed into the greasy bulk of the autocat's chest. He was blind, suffocating-
Then he began to sink into the creature.
His own River was killing him, a hot darkness extinguishing his life.
And on top of everything else, his suit had gone crazy.
The contents of the system of flexipumps and thin, biolastic water reservoirs in his clothing were shifting, pooling in one place, at his left breast. The concentrated lump of water swelled, pressing into his flesh and the bone beneath it. He tried to scream, but couldn't. Would the fist of water punch through to his heart-?
Then he felt the overstressed reservoir burst outward, scores of needle-like microjets exiting through the suddenly dilated millipores concentrated in a patch of his suit.
Suddenly he fell, landing in the coracle, which rocked crazily, but stayed afloat.
Inactive silicrobe streams dribbled off him. He coughed out what seemed like lungfuls of the stuff, blew gobs out his nose. Finally, he could breathe.
With a shaky hand, the River Master cleaned the goop from his eyes.
Neptune had vanished, deliquescing back into the River. All that remained were a few random pseudopods and tentacles that wriggled impotently, then collapsed.
Dos Santos looked at the hole in his suit.
The reservoir that had filled and burst had been directly beneath the vial of Instruction Set, which was now nowhere to be seen. Presumably, the shattered vial and its contents had destabilized the autocat.
The kibe's tone could only be described as self-satisfied. "Rather ironic, Peej Dos Santos, that the creature was stymied by water, don't you think?"
"Hunh."
"I've broadcast our encounter to the Masters of the other damaged Rivers, Peej. They should be able to handle their own autocats more safely than we. Aren't you glad I asked to accompany you now, Peej?"
Dos Santos held his head. All the waste, all the work that yet lay ahead-Well, at least he was alive to tackle it.
"Yes, yes I am, kibe.
Now the autocat began to advance purposefully across the River toward the coracle, seeming to ride on its tail, but in actuality propelled by silicrobe flow, much like a slidewalk. The thing's actions were so intent, it must register somewhere low on the Turing scale, perhaps even as smart as the River itself had been-
The splash of the Hyena pilot jumping overboard distracted Dos Santos. He turned to do the same-
Too late.
Neptune had him in its arms.
Dos Santos 's face was pressed into the greasy bulk of the autocat's chest. He was blind, suffocating-
Then he began to sink into the creature.
His own River was killing him, a hot darkness extinguishing his life.
And on top of everything else, his suit had gone crazy.
The contents of the system of flexipumps and thin, biolastic water reservoirs in his clothing were shifting, pooling in one place, at his left breast. The concentrated lump of water swelled, pressing into his flesh and the bone beneath it. He tried to scream, but couldn't. Would the fist of water punch through to his heart-?
Then he felt the overstressed reservoir burst outward, scores of needle-like microjets exiting through the suddenly dilated millipores concentrated in a patch of his suit.
Suddenly he fell, landing in the coracle, which rocked crazily, but stayed afloat.
Inactive silicrobe streams dribbled off him. He coughed out what seemed like lungfuls of the stuff, blew gobs out his nose. Finally, he could breathe.
With a shaky hand, the River Master cleaned the goop from his eyes.
Neptune had vanished, deliquescing back into the River. All that remained were a few random pseudopods and tentacles that wriggled impotently, then collapsed.
Dos Santos looked at the hole in his suit.
The reservoir that had filled and burst had been directly beneath the vial of Instruction Set, which was now nowhere to be seen. Presumably, the shattered vial and its contents had destabilized the autocat.
The kibe's tone could only be described as self-satisfied. "Rather ironic, Peej Dos Santos, that the creature was stymied by water, don't you think?"
"Hunh."
"I've broadcast our encounter to the Masters of the other damaged Rivers, Peej. They should be able to handle their own autocats more safely than we. Aren't you glad I asked to accompany you now, Peej?"
Dos Santos held his head. All the waste, all the work that yet lay ahead-Well, at least he was alive to tackle it.
"Yes, yes I am, kibe.