Нейромант

           Seenfromthebubbleofthetaxi,Zion’smakeshifthullremindedCaseofthepatchworktenementsofIstanbul,theirregular,discoloredplateslaser-scrawledwithRastafariansymbolsandtheinitialsofwelders.

           MollyandaskinnyZionitecalledAerolhelpedCasenegotiateafreefallcorridorintothecoreofasmallertorus.He’dlosttrackofArmitageandRivierainthewakeofasecondwaveofSASvertigo.`Here,’Mollysaid,shovinghislegsintoanarrowhatchwayoverhead.`Grabtherungs.Makelikeyou’reclimbingbackward,right?You’regoingtowardthehull,that’slikeyou’reclimbingdownintogravity.Gotit?’

           Case’sstomachchurned.

           `Youbefine,mon,’Aerolsaid,hisgrinbracketedwithgoldincisors.

           Somehow,theendofthetunnelhadbecomeitsbottom.Caseembracedtheweakgravitylikeadrowningmanfindingapocketofair.

           `Up,’Mollysaid,`yougonnakissitnext?’Caselayflatonthedeck,onhisstomach,armsspread.Somethingstruckhimontheshoulder.Herolledoverandsawafatbundleofelasticcable.`Gottaplayhouse,’shesaid.`Youhelpmestringthisup.’Helookedaroundthewide,featurelessspaceandnoticedsteelringsweldedoneverysurface,seeminglyatrandom.

           Whenthey’dstrungthecables,accordingtosomecomplexschemeofMolly’s,theyhungthemwithbatteredsheetsofyellowplastic.Astheyworked,Casegraduallybecameawareofthemusicthatpulsedconstantlythroughthecluster.