JК
World Of Ptavvs :: Нивен Ларри
Страница: 65 из 127With two setsof memories to choose from, he'd naturally chosen the identity most used to sorting itself out from other identities. But why cling to it? He must know by now that he was not the Sea Statue. And he'd had a happy life as Larry Greenberg.
His wife was something to envy and she loved him. According to Dr. Snyder, he was stable, well adjusted. He liked his work. He thought of himself as something special.
But the Sea Statue was all alone in the universe, the last of its race, marooned among hostiles. The Greenberg Sea Statue had also lost his ability of- well, telepathic hypnosis was close enough.
Any sane person would rather be Greenberg.
Garner thought, I'll have to assume that Greenberg as Greenberg literally cannot think with the Sea Statue memories in his mind. He must remain the Sea Statue to function at all. Otherwise he'd have at least tried to change back.
But that peculiar arrogance he'd displayed under interrogation. Not- a slave. Not human.
A robot bonged softly next to his ear. Garner turned and read in flowing light on the waiter's chest: "You are requested to call Mr. Charles Watson at once."
Chick Watson was fat, with thick lips and a shapeless putty nose. He wore crew-cut, bristly black hair and, at the moment, a gray seventeen-hundred shadow over cheeks and jaw. He had a harmless look. Centered on his desk was a large screen viewer running film at abnormal speed. Not one in a thousand could read that fast.
A buzzer sounded. Chick snapped off the reader and turned on the phone. For a fat man he moved quickly and accurately.
"Here."
"Lucas Garner calling, sir. Do you want to see him?"
"Desperately." Chick Watson's voice belied his appearance. It was a voice of command, a deep, ringing bass.
Luke looked tired. "You wanted me, Chick?"
"Yeah, Garner. I thought you could help me with some questions."
"Fine, but I'm pressed for time."
"I'll make it quick. First, this message from Ceres to Titan Enterprises. The Golden Circle made a takeoff under radio silence yesterday, from Topeka Base, and the Belt intends to submit a bill for tracking. Titan sent the notice here. They say their ship must have been stolen."
"That's right. Kansas City has the details. It's a very complicated story."
"An hour later the Navy ship Iwo Jima -"
"Also stolen."
"Any connection with the Sea Statue incident at UCLA?"
"Every connection. Look, Chick-»
"I know, get it from Kansas City.
His wife was something to envy and she loved him. According to Dr. Snyder, he was stable, well adjusted. He liked his work. He thought of himself as something special.
But the Sea Statue was all alone in the universe, the last of its race, marooned among hostiles. The Greenberg Sea Statue had also lost his ability of- well, telepathic hypnosis was close enough.
Any sane person would rather be Greenberg.
Garner thought, I'll have to assume that Greenberg as Greenberg literally cannot think with the Sea Statue memories in his mind. He must remain the Sea Statue to function at all. Otherwise he'd have at least tried to change back.
But that peculiar arrogance he'd displayed under interrogation. Not- a slave. Not human.
A robot bonged softly next to his ear. Garner turned and read in flowing light on the waiter's chest: "You are requested to call Mr. Charles Watson at once."
Chick Watson was fat, with thick lips and a shapeless putty nose. He wore crew-cut, bristly black hair and, at the moment, a gray seventeen-hundred shadow over cheeks and jaw. He had a harmless look. Centered on his desk was a large screen viewer running film at abnormal speed. Not one in a thousand could read that fast.
A buzzer sounded. Chick snapped off the reader and turned on the phone. For a fat man he moved quickly and accurately.
"Here."
"Lucas Garner calling, sir. Do you want to see him?"
"Desperately." Chick Watson's voice belied his appearance. It was a voice of command, a deep, ringing bass.
Luke looked tired. "You wanted me, Chick?"
"Yeah, Garner. I thought you could help me with some questions."
"Fine, but I'm pressed for time."
"I'll make it quick. First, this message from Ceres to Titan Enterprises. The Golden Circle made a takeoff under radio silence yesterday, from Topeka Base, and the Belt intends to submit a bill for tracking. Titan sent the notice here. They say their ship must have been stolen."
"That's right. Kansas City has the details. It's a very complicated story."
"An hour later the Navy ship Iwo Jima -"
"Also stolen."
"Any connection with the Sea Statue incident at UCLA?"
"Every connection. Look, Chick-»
"I know, get it from Kansas City.