"Nancy Kress - Beggars 1 - Beggars in Spain" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kress Nancy)

a sense of daring."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Camden, personality factors are not yet understood well enough to allow
genet -- "
"Just testing," Camden said, with a smile that Ong thought was probably supposed to be
lighthearted.
Elizabeth Camden said, "Musical ability."
"Again, Mrs. Camden, a disposition to be musical is all we can guarantee."
"Good enough," Camden said. "The full array of corrections for any potential gene-linked
health problem, of course."
"Of course," Dr. Ong said. Neither client spoke. So far theirs was a fairly modest list,
given Camden's money; most clients had to be argued out of contradictory genetic tendencies,
alteration overload, or unrealistic expectations. Ong waited. Tension prickled in the room like
heat.
"And," Camden said, "no need to sleep."


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Elizabeth Camden jerked her head sideways to look out the window.
Ong picked up a paper magnet from his desk. He made his voice pleasant. "May I ask how you
learned whether that genetic-modification program exists?"
Camden grinned. "You're not denying it exists. I give you full credit for that, Doctor."
Ong held his temper. "May I ask how you learned whether the program exists?"
Camden reached into an inner pocket of his suit. The silk crinkled and pulled; body and
suit came from different classes. Camden was, Ong remembered, a Yagaiist, a personal friend of
Kenzo Yagai himself. Camden handed Ong hard copy: program specifications.
"Don't bother hunting down the security leak in your data banks, Doctor. You won't find it.
But if it's any consolation, neither will anybody else. Now." He leaned forward suddenly. His tone
changed. "I know that you've created twenty children who don't need to sleep at all, that so far
nineteen are healthy, intelligent, and psychologically normal. In fact, they're better than
normal; they're all unusually precocious. The oldest is already four years old and can read in two
languages. I know you're thinking of offering this genetic modification on the open market in a
few years. All I want is a chance to buy it for my daughter now. At whatever price you name."
Ong stood. "I can't possibly discuss this with you unilaterally, Mr. Camden. Neither the
theft of our data -- "
"Which wasn't a theft -- your system developed a spontaneous bubble regurgitation into a
public gate. You'd have a hell of a time proving otherwise -- "
" -- _nor_ the offer to purchase this particular genetic modification lie in my sole area
of authority. Both have to be discussed with the Institute's board of directors."
"By all means, by all means. When can I talk to them, too?"
"You?"
Camden, still seated, looked up at him. It occurred to Ong that there were few men who
could look so confident eighteen inches below eye level. "Certainly. I'd like the chance to
present my offer to whoever has the actual authority to accept it. That's only good business."
"This isn't solely a business transaction, Mr. Camden."
"It isn't solely pure scientific research, either," Camden retorted. "You're a for-profit
corporation here. _With_ certain tax breaks available only to firms meeting certain fair-practice
laws."
For a minute Ong couldn't think what Camden meant. "Fair-practice laws ..."