Нейромант

           Itwascalleddub,asensuousmosaiccookedfromvastlibrariesofdigitalizedpop;itwasworship,Mollysaid,andasenseofcommunity.Caseheavedatoneoftheyellowsheets;thethingwaslightbutstillawkward.Zionsmelledofcookedvegetables,humanity,andganja.

           `Good,’Armitagesaid,glidingloose-kneedthroughthehatchandnoddingatthemazeofsheets.Rivierafollowed,lesscertaininthepartialgravity.

           `Wherewereyouwhenitneededdoing?’CaseaskedRiviera.

           Themanopenedhismouthtospeak.Asmalltroutswamout,trailingimpossiblebubbles.ItglidedpastCase’scheek.`Inthehead,’Rivierasaid,andsmiled.

           Caselaughed.

           `Good,’Rivierasaid,`youcanlaugh.Iwouldhavetriedtohelpyou,butI’mnogoodwithmyhands.’Hehelduphispalms,whichsuddenlydoubled.Fourarms,fourhands.

           `Justtheharmlessclown,right,Riviera?’Mollysteppedbetweenthem.

           `Yo,’Aerolsaid,fromthehatch,`youwan’comewi’me,cowboymon.’

           `It’syourdeck,’Armitagesaid,`andtheothergear.Helphimgetitinfromthecargobay.’

           `Youver’pale,mon,’Aerolsaid,astheywereguidingthefoam-bundledHosakaterminalalongthecentralcorridor.`Maybeyouwan’eatsomethin’.’

           Case’smouthfloodedwithsaliva;heshookhishead.

           Armitageannouncedaneighty-hourstayinZion.