"Ken Rand - Bad News from Orbit" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rand Ken)

“But you just said you lost to the reb."

He shrugged again.

“But if you lost the poker game, I mean, how—"

“Story's not over."

****

Horiuchi took the gatsticker offered by a reb. He pulled his ear away from his scalp with his left hand
and held the blade down above it with the right hand, ready to slice.

“Hold on.” The reb leader held Horiuchi's discarded hand. Three kings. “What are you trying to pull?"

“It don't matter. I folded. You won."

“But you could have—"

In a single, swift motion, Horiuchi sliced off his ear. He didn't cry out, but the reb leader and several
on-lookers gasped. Horiuchi forced a smile against the pain and handed the bloody trophy to the reb
leader. The leader, wide-eyed, took the flesh lump and nodded to someone behind Horiuchi, who moved
to his side, muttering. The woman smelled of antiseptic and pain salve. She applied cold balm and
stanched the blood cascading down Horiuchi's neck.

“I figured you for crazy,” the reb leader said, voice rising, shaking his head. “Or something else. I still
don't know which.”

“You agreed to listen if I won. Would you have really listened, though?"

“I don't—"

“You wouldn't listen to the others. You wouldn't have listened to me either. But you heardthat .”
Horiuchi pointed with his chin to the trophy on the ground before the reb.

“You won,” he said. “But you can still listen, now. If you want to."

The reb leader considered for a moment. At last he nodded and stood. “Wait."

Horiuchi heard whispering in an adjacent alcove. He could not make out the words, so he listened for
tone. Angry voices, but respect, awe. Even amazement.

Minutes passed before the reb returned and squatted before Horiuchi. He and the others seemed more
relaxed.

“Okay,” he said. “Impressive demonstration. Weird, but impressive. We'll listen. But we won't change
our terms."
“Maybe. Maybe not."

“Like I said, why should—"