За разломом орла

           ForamomentIfeltalurchingsenseofdizziness,and—thoughItriedtostopitbeforeImadeafoolofmyself —Ifoundmyselfgraspingthesideofthetable,asiftopreventmyselffromfallingintotheinfinitedepthsoftheview. 

           "Yes,ithasthateffectonpeople,"Gretasaid. 

           "It’sbeautiful,"Isaid. 

           "Doyoumeanbeautiful,orterrifying?" 

           IrealizedIwasn’tsure. "It’sbig,"wasallIcouldoffer. 

           "Ofcourse,it’sfaked,"Gretasaid,hervoicesoftnowthatshewasleaningcloser. "Theglassinthedomeissmart.Itexaggeratesthebrightnessofthestars,sothatthehumaneyeregistersthedifferencesbetweenthem. Otherwisethecoloursaren’tunrealistic. Everythingelseyouseeisalsoprettyaccurate,ifyouacceptthatcertainfrequencieshavebeenshiftedintothevisibleband,andthescaleofcertainstructureshasbeenadjusted." Shepointedoutfeaturesformyedification. "That’stheedgeoftheTaurusDarkCloud,withthePleiadesjustpokingout. That’safilamentoftheLocalBubble. Youseethatopencluster?" 

           Shewaitedformetoanswer. "Yes,"Isaid. 

           "That’stheHyades. Overthereyou’vegotBetelgeuseandBellatrix." 

           "I’mimpressed." 

           "Youshouldbe.Itcostalotofmoney." Sheleanedbackabit,sothattheshadowsdroppedacrossherfaceagain. "Areyouallright,Thom? Youseemabitdistracted." 

           Isighed. 

           "IjustgotanotherprognosisfromyourfriendKolding. That’senoughtoputadentinanyone’sday." 

           "I’msorryaboutthat."