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THE OUTLAND 130
Monday November gave way to August - also Monday. I don't know how people used to live when they had to go to jobs they didn't like just to avoid starving to death, but damn it I would stay in one place for more than a few days if it didn't meet some of my needs, did not reveal me in one way or another. Labor should ennoble a person, crush the monkey in him, and not reduce him to the state of a voiceless and brainless creature with trembling paws and a tunnel muzzled perception. That's why I'm here, having slept at six in the morning, only fifteen seconds ahead of Bauer's punctual as clock - he bowed his head politely in response to my greeting, went to his department. And I, of course, went to self-actualize in my own. There were the only people whose opinion meant anything to me, thoseAnd it's not even that I'm counting on the same from them - it never occurred to me to think so, honestly. It's just… In addition to our trinity, there were a dozen more absolutely passing personaliti
THE OUTLAND 131
Gritting my teeth with anger, I ordered my implant to break down the alcohol right now - something painfully pricked in the kidney area and slight intoxication was replaced by absolute sobriety, even something unpleasant. This will come back to haunt me a little later, but for some reason I did not want to spend this evening drunk, even if there was no one to look at reproachfully. It's just... I didn't want to.From somewhere there was a clear confidence that our gatherings with the boss would never happen again. One to one - do not smoke, do not ask uncomfortable questions ... Do not drink. Be an ideal person with reinforced concrete motivation to live and be.And there were plenty of such people around, despite the fact that I limited my social circle with all my might. Only the scandalous Stem got out of the circle of endlessly identical Bauers, but I can’t communicate with him for another year under any sauce - my own network in the neocortex will betray me with giblets, somewher
THE OUTLAND 132
Putting the accumulator cube aside, I take out my second treasure. The same scroll with a seal, as in old films about musketeers and guardsmen - the plastic is specially aged and resembles paper in texture, the seal is almost real, except for the broken point - it is held on by strong neodymium magnets.Grinning, I unroll the scroll and read the letters: "Citizen! Congratulations!"The second wave was not officially recognized, despite the depressing statistics. This is too inconvenient, unprofitable decision for the authorities - they may start asking unpleasant questions: how they say so, where were you, what were you watching, since you missed such an event? And yet, the news continues to be full of headlines, more and more people connected to the network directly decide to stay there permanently - fortunately, a small DLL for the implant is easily found on the network, and among the developers of virtualities, not everyone was as reverent about their players as , such as IW Corpor
THE OUTLAND 133
Hello red-eyed! - Edik greeted from the threshold. “I see you are already blooming and smelling like May… ahem…- Hi. I waved my hand. - Today there are three projects, which one should I take?- But none. I skimmed through them, there is a frank exploitation of ideas from "Alien War", let the robotics deal with them.- Okay. And then what should I do?- Rest today. He winked. "You'll need it after yesterday."And hid behind the door.“Yesterday?” I repeated in confusion.He's not talking about those unfortunate three mugs? I remember that he used to drink more himself, and he forced me. No, something is wrong with Eduard Semyonitch, definitely, something is wrong. He changed after the hospital - either the attitude towards alcohol changed, or something else.But do not argue with the authorities. I perched on a chair and ordered:- Alien war, direct connection.Another moment of falling from incredible heights, and I opened my eyes in Mekon's body. This time, apparently for a change,
THE OUTLAND 134
A chat was connected to the topic, an old one, text, and I, having called the virtual keyboard, climbed up there ...... the clock showed noon, when I was again able to regain control over myself and, by an effort of will, closed the chat tab. That's trashy, rubbish fun! And how time eats up.- Alien war, direct connection.And then he rolled to the side, missing a wide, fan-shaped swing of the sword! The sword is crappy, with rust and crevices, and the tetanus shot is probably not known in this world yet. Who is it?Jumping to my feet, I put the fettered end of the staff under a new blow, and only now could I see my opponent. It turned out to be a middle-aged man in familiar leather clothes - a kind of uniform of low-ranking soldiers. An abyss yawned on the left, a slushy path was on the right, and in the background a brutal granite building reigned behind the enemy. Presumably a Toltec temple.Mekon was in order, he did not allow himself to be wounded, and the attacker, whoever he w
THE OUTLAND 135
Like a conveyor - a false swing, a block shield, an armpit poke, a swing, a block ...Poke... The blade rebounded with a clang.Surprised, slave? - An outwardly unremarkable officer with strange stripes on his shoulder grinned maliciously. “You cost me too many people, so I won’t kill you. I'll just mess up a little.He threw a typical sword, which I have already seen dozens of today, to the side and slowly pulled a thin needle of a sword-sword from his belt, threw off his jacket, slightly sprung his legs ... And I realized what was about to happen. This is exactly what Karem did as he prepared to teach me a lesson."Now it will hurt." - I thought with doom, and just in case I took a stronger shield.The officer became a blurry whirlwind, moving so fast that the eye could barely keep up with his movements. During the time that I was thinking, he made a heel of injections, fortunately, fell on the shield and only one slightly scratched his shoulder.Watch your feet, Karem said. For mus
THE OUTLAND 136
It dawned on me suddenly why this whole fight seemed so strange to me. Firstly, the eyes of both servants of the so far unknown church did not burn with the characteristic color inherent in the paladin in the service - this would be noticeable even through the visor - and secondly, magic has not yet been used against me, which, as it were, does not exist - no binding chains, no glaciation, nothing.But the fall cannot be on its own, this is not a samurai for you, who will not go to the ronins the end of the world. Pal has to serve someone. So both of my opponents… serve Haang! Of course!Another point - but Mekon already noticed this. So, now is not the time.- What, mediocre guards, - I rumbled for some reason in Ware's bass, - but did you prepare the last pedestals for yourself? So you are nobody, without your god you are not capable of anything! And all the same, mark the legends!So, this is how I got them through. Even in their current slowdown state, their movements seemed to be
THE OUTLAND 137
- This is some nonsense. I complained out loud. — I understand everything, virtual worlds, dreams and all that. But this is no longer in any gate climbs.The sofa creaked behind me, and the sleepy Rose got up and came up to me.- What happened? she asked softly.- Yes, this Spider ... - I waved my hand. - It would take a long time to explain this.- That is OK. You will understand everything, I believe in you.The girl hugged me. She was warm, soft and smelled like her famous flower namesake - a little tart, a little sweet - and the figure that was felt through the pastel-blue nightgown beckoned so that it became obvious: in the course of the service, we would definitely not go to the Palace for children. We'll handle it ourselves.- Go tales. she called. - You are always ... On this chair of yours.“Let’s go…” I grumbled, calming down.Everything is fine, fine... And then I was pierced by an icy lightning!"What the hell?! Is Rose at my house? In her pajamas? Okay, that can be explai