Нейромант

           Anylonslingaroundhiswaistwasfastenedtothepanelsoneithersidewithshockcordsandgrayrubbersuctionpads.Hehadhisshirtoffandwasworkingonacentralpanelwithaclumsy-lookingzero-gwrench,thething’sfatcounterspringstwangingasheremovedanotherhexhead.MarcusGarveywasgroaningandtickingwithg-stress.

           `TheMutetakin’Ian’Idock,’theZionitesaid,poppingthehexheadintoameshpouchathiswaist.`Maelcumpilotth’landin’,meantimeneedwetoolf’th’job.’

           `Youkeeptoolsbackthere?’Casecranedhisneckandwatchedcordsofmusclebunchinginthebrownback.

           `Thisone,’Maelcumsaid,slidingalongbundlewrappedinblackpolyfromthespacebehindthepanel.Hereplacedthepanel,alongwithasinglehexheadtoholditinplace.Theblackpackagehaddriftedaftbeforehe’dfinished.Hethumbedopenthevacuumvalvesontheworkbelt’sgraypadsandfreedhimself,retrievingthethinghe’dremoved.

           Hekickedback,glidingoverhisinstruments-agreendockingdiagrampulsedonhiscentralscreen-andsnaggedtheframeofCase’sg-web.Hepulledhimselfdownandpickedatthetapeofhispackagewithathick,chippedthumbnail.`SomemaninChinasayth’truthcomesoutthis,’hesaid,unwrappinganancient,oilslickRemingtonautomaticshotgun,itsbarrelchoppedoffafewmillimetersinfrontofthebatteredforestock.