Нейромант

           InStraylight,thehull’sinnersurfaceisovergrownwithadesperateproliferationofstructures,formsflowing,interlocking,risingtowardasolidcoreofmicrocircuitry,ourclan’scorporateheart,acylinderofsiliconwormholedwithnarrowmaintenancetunnels,somenowiderthanaman’shand.Thebrightcrabsburrowthere,thedrones,alertformicromechanicaldecayorsabotage.’

           `Thatwasheryousawintherestaurant,’theFinnsaid.

           `Bythestandardsofthearchipelago,’theheadcontinued,`oursisanoldfamily,theconvolutionsofourhomereflectingthatage.Butreflectingsomethingelseaswell.ThesemioticsoftheVillabespeakaturningin,adenialofthebrightvoidbeyondthehull.

           `TessierandAshpoolclimbedthewellofgravitytodiscoverthattheyloathedspace.TheybuiltFreesidetotapthewealthofthenewislands,grewrichandeccentric,andbegantheconstructionofanextendedbodyinStraylight.Wehavesealedourselvesawaybehindourmoney,growinginward,generatingaseamlessuniverseofself.

           `TheVillaStraylightknowsnosky,recordedorotherwise.

           `AttheVilla’ssiliconcoreisasmallroom,theonlyrectilinearchamberinthecomplex.Here,onaplainpedestalofglass,restsanornatebust,platinumandcloisonn,studdedwithlapisandpearl.ThebrightmarblesofitseyeswerecutfromthesyntheticrubyviewportoftheshipthatbroughtthefirstTessierupthewell,andreturnedforthefirstAshpool..