"Edward Willett - Andy Nebula" - читать интересную книгу автора (Willett Edward)

couch; looked like a slow night.
Fat Sloan deserved his nickname. A mountainous bubble of bloated flesh, he must have
moved off the stool behind the counter sometime, but I‟d never seen it and found it hard to
imagine. He smiled at me, yellowing teeth showing briefly between pendulous lips. “Young
Kit! What a surprise.”
“You know I berth here when it‟s hydrating, gladeye.”
“Busy night. You want a room, you‟ll have to share it.”
I held up my money. “I‟ve got feds for a single.” I didn‟t even have feds for a double, but
he didn‟t have to know that yet. Maybe I could get him to knock down the price.
“Maybe, but I haven‟t got a single to give you.”
“No flashman roomie for me, Sloan!”
“Kit!” Sloan looked shocked, and put one hand in the general vicinity of his heart. “Would
I do that to you? This--fellow--is a perfectly respectable freespacer. He‟s just between ships at
the moment. And I know he‟ll be happy to meet you.”
I didn‟t like the sound of that. “No street-trade, Sloan.”
“Would I even suggest such a thing? This is a legitimate establishment.”
Sure it was. “So what‟s his interest?”
“He likes music, Kit. He said he wants to meet a musician.”
Huh. I still didn‟t like it--but thunder rattled the door, and rain rattled against the
window--and I‟d always wanted to talk to a spacer, anyway. If I were ever going to escape this
interstellar slimepit, I needed a space-friend. But I couldn‟t let Sloan know any of that, or I‟d
never talk his price down. “Still comes down to economics, Sloan. Fewer feds for a double.”
He shrugged. “So sleep in the street.”
“Come on, Sloan, flexibilize for your old gladeye.”
He looked me over, then grunted. “All right. For you, ten percent off.”
“Forty.”
“Kit, synchronize with reality. It‟s raining. I‟m a businessman--supply and demand. High
demand right now, low supply. Fifteen percent.”
“Thirty.”
He shook his head. “No deal.”
“Nominal with me. I‟ll REM in the street--and spread the data you‟re defunct.” I turned
toward the door.
Sloan laughed, a remarkably unpleasant sound. “All right, Kit. Tell you what--twenty-five
percent off. Just for you.”
“Orbital, gladeye.” I turned back to the counter and paid him, then tossed a couple of extra
feds his way. “And add a mealpac to the program.” With the discount, I could actually afford
to eat.
“Sure.” Sloan passed a keychip and the mealpac across the stained countertop. “Room 206.
Knock first. I told your roommate he‟d probably be having company, but you don‟t want to
Edward Willett Andy Nebula: Interstellar Rock Star 3


surprise a freespacer. He might cut you in two and regret it later.” He shrugged. “Or he might
not even regret it.”
“Worthless data, gladeye.” As if I‟d be stupid enough to burst in on any stranger. How did
Sloan think I‟d survived this long?
I turned to go, but Sloan wasn‟t finished. “Oh, one other thing, Kit.”
“Yeah?”
“Someone was asking for you. Man in a weathercoat. Looked like a high-power meatman
to me.” He grinned. “Sleep well.”