"Stephen Kraus - White Walls" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kraus Stephen)

A wall monitor brightened, resolving into a screen-filling view of the director’s
helmet. His features moved elusively behind it.

Thank god, Jacobson thought.

The flute-like voice started in without preamble: “I know that some of you
have been concerned about the air quality in the lab.”

Several staff members spoke at once.

“When are we getting some new business?”

“What’s going on outside? We have less and less contact.”

The director stepped back from the camera. He had his hands locked behind
his back. “I wanted to outline my plans for upgrading the central eight stages from
class 100 to class 10.”

“It’s a tape,” Greg Kirkendahl said, almost whining. “You can’t even talk to
the man in real-time. It’s dehumanizing.”

Jacobson looked from one tense face to the next, waiting for the clamor to
subside. He knew what he had to say. He’d tell them that the director was a genius, a
magician with the power to keep the Chaos from touching his domain. They’d
believe him, accept whatever he said.

They didn’t have a choice.


A THOUSAND LASER beams converged, green pin-points darting like startled
fish. At the periphery, engineers faced away, looking at monitors where the
pinpoints, isolated, defined arms, legs, a torso, a neck. But Jacobson watched the
envelope of light itself, the miniature galaxy of blazing green stars.

“Okay,” said Kirkendahl, “turn toward me and lift your arm again. Keep the
elbow bent.” He sounded distracted. His flat, nasal voice ran the words together.

Julia twisted around smoothly and lifted her arm.

“No. I’m trying to get the interaction between the biceps and the brachialis.
You have to flex your arm more. That’s better. Yes, just so. Once more.” He stood
up; a tall, angular man, unbending in sections, like a paper clip. “Okay. That’s
enough. Let’s shut down for a while.”

The lasers vanished, and the nexus of light became a woman in a black skin
suit trimmed, like a cabaret costume, with rows of tiny reflectors. She blinked,
adjusting. Jacobson stared straight into her eyes. He didn’t offer his hand. No one
touched inside.

“I’m Alex Jacobson.”