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

monotone calling "MAYDAY! MAYDAY! MAYDAY!"

"Shut up!" he screamed.

An abrupt mental and physical silence descended; then the computer said, "Waking cyborg unit deemed
imperative. Termination of communications contact between ship and cyborg imminent Immediate
evaluation of status and condition of cyborg unit required."
At that particular moment, Slant knew almost as little about his condition as the computer did; taking into
account that everything he saw was relayed to the ship, there was no need to belabor such obvious facts
as that he was lying on his back on a hard, thin mattress staring at the ceiling of a stone cell. Cautiously,
he sat up and put his feet on the floor.

The back of his head hurt considerably, but upon investigating with his fingers he felt no blood, either
fresh or clotted. There was a perceptible lump. He hoped there was no concussion.

Naturally, his weapons were gone. His pressure suit and his gloves remained—or had been replaced, as
the suit seemed to be twisted about on his body and even less comfortable than he remembered.

The cell, he noticed, had a metal door with a small barred aperture in it; he noticed this when a bearded
face peered through the opening and a voice asked, "Who were you shouting at?"

"My personal demon."

The man paused and considered that, then asked, "Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine, thanks, except that my head hurts."

"You were shouting."

"Never mind my shouting."

"All right. I'll tell the Council that you're awake." The face vanished again, affording a view of another
blank stone ceiling, presumably that of a corridor.

Kant looked around the cell, which was perhaps two meters in every dimension, and told the computer,
"Other than being unarmed and in captivity, I seem to be all right. Escape may well be possible, so I
suggest you hold off on terminating me."

"Affirmative. Termination of communications contact."

Slant wasn't sure if he was pleased or not that he was out of touch with the computer; it meant it wouldn't
be able to kill him for nearly half an hour, but on the other hand it might have been useful.

Or it might have been an idiotic nuisance, as it had been when he spoke to the Council.

He had very little time to consider the matter, as a face appeared in the aperture, a different face, though
still bearded. Seeing the prisoner seated quietly on the far side of the cell, this newcomer said, "The
Council will see you now." There was a scrape as a key turned, and the door swung open.

This was not yet the time to make a break, though Slant was quite sure he could easily handle a single