"Stephen Goldin - Finish Line" - читать интересную книгу автора (Goldin Stephen)

was preserved in keep-temp dishes. An "Electric Susan" rotated around the table,
carrying the serving plates slowly past each diner once every five minutes. Shino
soon had her plate filled with foods she couldn't have begun to identify.

After they had started eating, Bred turned to her. "All right, you came to hear our
story. We obtained all three of the items we were supposed to in the first half of
our Hunt; which would you like to hear about first?"

"Actually," Shino said around a large mouthful of food, "I understand something
happened during the Grand Lift-off. Something about an android running up to
your ship just before the event was underway."

Bred smiled at the memory. "Yes, that would be Johnathan R, the android who
entered the Hunt. But he didn't come to see us; he came to see Tyla."

"Your sister? Oh, I see, it must have had something to do with the blowup the
night before."

Vini Curdyn suddenly sat up and took notice. Shino turned to give the woman
her attention. The doctor was of medium height and build, with strawberry
blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Her spacer uniform was pale blue, but had
transparent strips that revealed interesting displays of bare skin. The red and
white medical insignia was fastened above her left breast. "Do you know what
happened at the Hunt Ball that night?" Vini asked, staring at the reporter intently.

file:///K|/eMule/Incoming/Laser%20Books%2045%20-%20...Line%20by%20Stephen%20Goldin%20(v1.0)%20(html).html (11 of 209)8-7-2007 20:41:59
Laser Book 45 - Finish Line by Stephen Goldin (v1.0) (html)




"Why, yes. I thought it was common knowledge by this time."

"Well, it ain't common knowledge here, and it's something that's been itching my
curiosity streak for some time. Would you care to enlighten me?"

"Uh, basically. Mistress deVrie was in the middle of a dance with Ambic Jusser
and he must have done something to upset her. She walked away from him and
went over to the android, asking it to dance. It caused a big stir, I'm told."

Bred snorted. "I'm not surprised, knowing those Society types as well as I do.
They like to think they're better than other human beings, let alone androids.
Tyla must have been really angry at Jusser to desert him for an android."

"It gets worse," Shino continued. "Apparently your sister said something to the
android that hurt its feelings, because only a couple of minutes later it walked
out on her."

Bred's jaw dropped. "Oh, poor Tyla. No wonder she acted so hurt. She has an
awful lot of pride, you know. But she never told me. That would explain, though,