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

The old man turned to his compatriots, and they whispered briefly among themselves. He turned back,
and said, "It is our consensus that that is not sufficient time for a proper and careful exorcism; let use
therefore deal with other matters."

Slant was surprised at his own disappointment; had he really thought that these people might free him so
quickly? He said nothing.

"What is the demon's name?"

That seemed a very peculiar but harmless question. "Computer Control Complex, Independent
Reconnaissance Unit Two-oh-five," he replied in his own language.

"So long? And in a strange tongue? Unfortunate. Is that its true name, or its calling name?"

Slant considered that, and suddenly realized that the question might not be peculiar or harmless; it might
have been very important, had he been able to give the answer the councillor wanted. "That's its calling
name. I don't know its release code—what you'd call its true name."

"That's unfortunate."
Slant shrugged. If he knew the release code, he wouldn't need any wizards in the first place.

"You killed a man this morning."

The abrupt change of subject caught him by surprise. "I'm sorry." He remembered the bloody disaster in
the top-floor bedchamber, and asked, "What about the girl? Win she liver

"She will live, but she lost her hand, and we are unsure it can be repaired."

"I'm sorry about that, too. Really."

"Where did you get that weapon you used? We have never heard of such a thing."

"Until I came here I'd never seen real magic."

"You have not answered the question."

"I brought it with me." He wasn't about to get killed for cooperating with the enemy at this point; it would
do him no good to answer such questions, where questions about the computer might have led to his
freedom.

His interviewer changed tack. "Why did you come here?"

"Where?"

"To Teyzha."

An answer to this might possibly be of use in dealing with the computer, so he replied, "The demon sent
me to learn about magic."

"Why?"