"David Marusek - Getting to Know You" - читать интересную книгу автора (Marusek David)

“Why? What’s up?”

“Nothing’s up. They want to tweak it some more is all.” He flashed her
his best PR smile.

Zoranna shook her head. “Ted, you don’t pull the plug on a major field
test just like that.”

Ted shrugged his shoulders. “That’s what I thought. Anyway, think you
can drop it in a shipping chute today?”

“In case you haven’t noticed,” she said, “I happen to be in a
transcontinental Slipstream car at the moment, which Bug is navigating. I
left Hounder at home. The soonest I can let Bug go is when I return in three
weeks.”

“That won’t do, Zoe,” Ted said and frowned. “Tell you what. General
Genius will send you, at no charge, its Dip-lomat Deluxe model, preloaded
with transportation, tele-communications, the works. Where will you be
tonight?”

Something surely was wrong. The Diplomat was GG’s flagship model
and expensive even for Zoranna. “I’ll be at APRT 24,” she said, and when
Ted raised an eyebrow, explained, “My sister lives there.”
 “APRT 24 it is, then.”

“Listen, Ted, something stinks. Unless you want me snooping around
your shop, you’d better come clean.”

“Off the record?”

“Fuck off the record. I have twenty-two days invested in this test and
no story.”

“I see. You have a point. How’s this sound? In addition to the
complimentary belt, we’ll make you the same con-tract for the next test.
You’re our team journalist. Deal?” Zoranna shrugged, and Ted put his feet
back on the desk. “Heads are rolling, Zoe. Big shake-up in product
devel-opment. Threats of lawsuits. We’re questioning the whole notion of
combining belt valet technology with artificial personality. Or at least with
this particular personality.”

“Why? What’s wrong with it?”

“It’s too pushy. Too intrusive. Too heavy-handed. It’s a monster that
should have never left the lab. You’re lucky Bug hasn’t converted yet, or
you’d be suing us, too.”

Ted was exaggerating, of course. She agreed that Bug was a royal