Конец вечности
Timer
NowwhyhadaRealityChangewhichhadhadvirtuallynophysicaleffectontheCenturybroughtanewdrinkintoexistence?Well,hewasn’taComputer,sotherewasnouseaskinghimselfthatquestion.Besides,eventhemostdetailedpossibleComputationscouldnevereliminatealluncertainty,allrandomeffects.Ifthatweren’tso,therewouldbenoneedforObservers.
Theywerealonetogetherinthehouse,Noysandhimself.MekkanoswereattheheightoftheirpopularitythesetwodecadespastandwouldremainsofornearlyadecademoreinthisReality,sotherewerenohumanservantsabout.
Ofcourse,withthefemaleofthespeciesaseconomicallyindependentasthemale,andabletoattainmotherhood,ifshesowished,withoutthenecessitiesofphysicalchildbearing,therecouldbenothing"improper"intheirbeingtogetheraloneintheeyesofthe482nd,atleast.
YetHarlanfeltcompromised.
Thegirlwasstretchedoutonherelbowonasofaopposite.Itspatternedcoveringsankbeneathherasthoughavidtoembraceher.Shehadkickedoffthetransparentshoesshehadbeenwearingandhertoescurledanduncurledwithintheflexiblefoamite,likethesoftpawsofaluxuriantcat.
Sheshookherheadandwhateveritwasthathadkeptherhairarrangedupwardawayfromherearsinintricateintertwiningswassuddenlyloosened.Thehairtumbledaboutherneckandherbareshouldersbecamemorecreamilylovelyatthecontrastwiththeblackofthehair.
Shemurmured,"Howoldareyou?"
Thathecertainlyshouldnothaveanswered.
