"Lawrence Watt-Evans - War Surplus 01 - The Cyborg And The Sorcerers" - читать интересную книгу автора (Watt-Evans Lawrence)

the air would do without ever saying how these manipulations could be done.

"Query: Are more general texts available?"

"I haven't found any."

"Further investigation is advisable."

"Yeah, right, just a second." He closed the book and returned it to its place on the shelves, then
considered where to look next. The other wall might have more general works; the area he had checked
seemed to be highly specialized stuff. He crossed the room.

As he did so, the cat rose and leaped off the desk. When he lit a convenient candle and began studying
titles, the animal brushed against his legs, purring.

"Quiet, cat," he whispered, as he skipped over Basic Anatomy, The Structure of the Human Body,
and other such titles. The cat, in typical feline fashion, ignored his request and continued rubbing and
purring.

"Query: Nature of small animal."

"It's a cat, a household pet; it's harmless. Don't worry about it."

"Query: Is small animal designated 'cat' a familiar?"

Slant stopped scanning titles. "A what?"

"A familiar."

"I don't know. Why do you ask? What's a familiar?"

"Term is from reference material category 'Folklore,' describing a small animal kept by witch or wizard.
Natives of this planet have used term 'wizard' apparently in application to themselves. Familiars were said
to carry messages. If this small animal is a familiar it may pose a detection risk."

"I wouldn't worry about it; that's just a myth. It's just an ordinary cat. Why are you concerned about
folklore, anyway? I thought you knew that stuff was inoperative." He looked down at the cat, which
looked up to meet his gaze, and for an instant wondered whether the computer might be right. That was
nonsense; these so-called wizards were just scientists, he was sure, using some new gimmick they had
discovered.

"Standard procedure calls for checking available data on all new terminology. Term 'wizard' is listed in
reference material category 'Folklore.'"
"Oh. That makes sense, I guess. Look, I'm not sure, but I think that these people use the term 'wizard' to
refer to persons participating in development and use of whatever it is we're after, and possibly to
scientists in general. I don't think they're really wizards."

"Opinion noted."

That seemed to end the discussion; the cat went on trying to coax him into petting it, and he went on