"Нейл Стефенсон. Snow Crash (Снежная лавина, англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

is so small, you can't be chasing people around. The perp-almost always an
innocent thrasher-is always a three-second skateboard ride away from asylum
in the neighboring franchulate. Also, the incredible bulk of the Personal
Modular Equipment Harness-the chandelier o' gear-and all that is clipped
onto it slows them down so bad that whenever they try to run, people just
start laughing at them. So instead of losing some pounds, they just clip
more stuff onto their harnesses, like the loogie gun.
The snotty, fibrous drop of stuff has wrapped all the way around her
hand and forearm and lashed them onto the bar of the gate. Excess goo has
sagged and run down the bar a short ways, but is setting now, turning into
rubber. A few loose strands
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44
have also whipped forward and gained footholds on her shoulder, chest,
and lower face. She backs away and the adhesive separates from the fibers,
stretching out into long, infinitely thin strands, like hot mozzarella.
These set instantly, become solid, and then break, curling away like smoke.
it is not quite so grotendous, now that the loogie is off her face, but her
hand is still perfectly immobilized.
"You are hereby warned that any movement on your part not explicitly
endorsed by verbal authorization on my part may pose a direct physical risk
to you, as well as consequential psychological and possibly, depending on
your personal belief system, spiritual risks ensuing from your personal
reaction to said physical risk. Any movement on your part constitutes an
implicit and irrevocable acceptance of such risk," the first MetaCop says.
There is a little speaker on his belt, simultaneously translating all of
this into Spanish and Japanese.
"Or as we used to say," the other MetaCop says, "freeze, suckerl"
The untranslatable word resonates from the little speaker, pronounced
"esucker" and "saka" respectively.
"We are authorized Deputies of MetaCops Unlimited. Under Section 24.5.2
of the White Columns Code, we are authorized to carry out the actions of a
police force on this territory."
"Such as hassling innocent thrashers," Y.T. says.
The MetaCop turns off the translator. "By speaking English you
implicitly and irrevocably agree for all our future conversation to take
place in the English language," he says.
"You can't even rez what Y.T. says," Y.T. says.
"You have been identified as an Investigatory Focus of a Registered
Criminal Event that is alleged to have taken place on another territory,
namely, The Mews at Windsor Heights."
"That's another country, man. This is White Columnsl"
"Under provisions of the The Mews at Windsor Heights Code, we are
authorized to enforce law, national security concerns, and societal harmony
on said territory also. A treaty between The Mews at Windsor Heights and
White Columns authorizes us to place you in temporary custody until your
status as an Investigatory Focus has been resolved."
"Your ass is busted," the second MetaCop says.
NEAL STEPHENSON
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