Нова Проспект / Nova Prospect: Transgenic (Цири)

"He's some kind of a freak," Ciri shrugged. "Adam, you're going to break my ribs, what's with all this passion in the middle of a crowd?"

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 14:55

//"And where was your passion in the morning? - Ciri continued to herself. Adam loosened his grip but didn't remove his hands.

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 14:56

"I told you to stay close," Adam said, looking around carefully. "You're ahead of me."

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 14:56

"I'll walk where I want," Ciri muttered but didn't pull out of the embrace.

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 14:57

As it turned out, it was a short walk.

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 09:02

Up to the two towers whose peaks cut through the clouds, and for anyone in doubt as to who they belonged to, in shiny letters, as if made of gold leaf, was carved: SARIF INDUSTRIES. And a wing drawn in three strokes of a pen.

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 15:01

The building was crushing in size. Ciri walked across the plaza with her head up and didn't notice she was at the entrance.

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 09:44

Adam's coworkers watched her with the predatory curiosity of courtiers as Ciri passed through the revolving doors. The internal architecture of Sarif Industries resembled the buildings in Hensha: a hall several stories high, followed by a corridor, followed by a hall, followed by a corridor. Except the decoration was more ornate and fanciful: statues in the form of a ribbon twisted in itself, balls of gold suspended from the ceiling.

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 09:44

Adam led her into the two-by-two transparent room she already knew, sighed tiredly, and pressed the topmost button. The transparent room flew upward, and Ciri, forgetting everything, pressed herself against the glass.

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 15:01

She thought she was used to the other scales by now, but the panorama of Detroit blew her breath away. The sun's rays were trying desperately to break through the light brown fog that shrouded the morning city. In the entire Continent, with its kingdoms and republics, suliphates and principalities, there were not as many people as walked to work in Detroit alone.

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 09:45

If one imagined, even for a second, that their worlds would go to war... Her own would turn to dust before the Lodge could convene a War Council.

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 15:02

The elevator stopped at the very spire. A pleasant-looking woman in her late 40s wished them a good morning.

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 15:04

In a room as large as the throne room, a man stood by the full-wall windows. He could not help but hear them enter; yet he did not move from his place, still contemplating the city as if he were seeing it for the first time. Only when they crossed the half of the room lit by the balloons hanging from the ceiling did he turn around with a slight smile on his lips.

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 15:06

There was something glossy-southern about him, something of an Ophir merchant: swarthy skin, a noble gray on his temples, and a shirt shimmering with gold thread.

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 09:46

"I apologize, Chief," Adam apologized dutifully.

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 15:06

"It's okay, Adam. I'm sure there was a reason." Sarif turned his full body toward Ciri and tilted his head slightly: "David Sarif, CEO of Sarif Industries. At your service."

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 15:07

She held out her hand, to which Sharif smiled even wider, and answered her with an enveloping, firm handshake of a black and gold-encrusted hand.

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 15:08

"It's a pleasure, Mr. Sarif."

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 15:08

Sharif looked them both over from head to toe, as if he was seeing Adam for the first time, which made Ciri feel like she wasn't the only show poodle here.

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 15:23

In the center of the room, wide armchairs upholstered in dark brown leather were arranged on the outside of the desk; on the desk itself stood a gilded tray with cups and a coffee pot. Sarif's favorite color left no doubt.
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Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 15:24

He invited them to the table, and Ciri sank into the chair like a swampy mire. Did Sarif hang his own portrait on the wall? What the hell kind of modesty is that?

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 15:24

"Miss Rhiannon," Sarif said after a short pause, "first of all, I want to apologize for the very chilly reception on our planet. I deeply regret such short-sightedness, and I hope Sarif Industries will be able to smooth out your first unpleasant impression at least a little."

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 15:55

Sarif looked exactly like a man who felt entitled to apologize for the entire planet. Ciri leaned back in her chair, her shoulders squared and her chin upturned.

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 15:56

"Thank you, Mr. Sarif," she said calmly. "As much as I would like to know more about your world my goal is to return to my own. Am I to understand that you're going to help me?"

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 15:56

The expression on Adam's face seemed slightly surprised, but he quickly looked away. Sarif looked at her curiously. It was as if he was quickly reassessing.

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 09:39

"Your world, of course..." Sarif stretched, pouring the clear glass in front of her. "Tell me about it, Miss Rhiannon."

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 09:39

By local standards, her world was considered "dark medieval," an epithet Adam had once had the misfortune to drop. At least in her Dark Middle Ages, opium smokers weren't rotting alive in the streets.

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 09:28

"My world? It's no different from many others," Ciri replied evasively. "Everything is in the best traditions of mankind: politics, trade, religion, and wars."

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 09:27

Ciri tried to decide whether to trust the man sitting across from her. After all, he'd given a lot of money to get her off the other side of the planet and provided her shelter and protection. She tried to find a catch in the man in the elegant suit, a flaw, a trace of deceit in the soft speech, but she couldn't get a hold of anything.

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 15:57

David Sarif made a favorable impression - or knew how to make one.

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 09:27

"What are you selling?" Sharif asked in a secularly indifferent manner.

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 15:58

Strange questions... What good is it to inquire about a world that no one here is meant to see? At least not while the Ard Gaeth, the Gate of Worlds, is closed.

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 15:58

How would Sarif know about such things, though?

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 09:26

"Anything they buy," Ciri said, encouraging the conversation. "Weapons, grain, gold, iron, dimeritium."

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 15:59

She had the feeling that she was saying one thing, but Sarif was hearing something completely different.

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 16:00

"Yes," he agreed unknowingly. "With the ability to teleport, trade should flourish. How many people in your world have magical abilities? Let's say... a percentage?"

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 16:04

He paused at the last word as if he wasn't sure if she understood the word 'percentage'. Ciri snorted.

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 16:04

"Percentage," she emphasized the word, "two or three. Maybe five, with proper training. What does this have to do with my return, Mr. Sarif?"

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 16:05

Sarif shrugged.

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 09:24

"I just want to get to know you better, that's all. Our worlds have much to offer each other, Ms. Rhiannon. Medicine, technology," he made a broad, uncertain gesture in the air, "social progress."

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 09:25

"Democracy," Adam hummed and shook his head.

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 09:25

That's a very one-sided proposition. The Nilfgaard has been trying to bring social progress to the northern barbarians for a couple of centuries now, but the only things they have brought about are hunger and syphilis.

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 16:05

And democracy, as they say, is generally an illigal thing.

Camrad_RIP 08.04.24 в 16:06

"I don't know about medicine," Ciri shrugged. "Your poor people are dying of gangrene in the streets."

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 09:24

"Between health care," Sarif said nonchalantly. "and universal health care, there's a hundred billion credits difference. I'm sure, Ms. Rhiannon, that the lower class in any world has a hard time."

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 09:24

"In some worlds, people are equal," Ciri objected.

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 09:23

Well, more or less.

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 09:22

"But some are more equal than others," Sarif smiled, putting his foot on his leg and placing his palms together.

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 09:02

"So what about Ciri's return, Chief?" Adam intervened.

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 08:45

The pressure of the question would have left no room for maneuvering for the most skillful politician. Ciri wanted to cover Adam's palm with her own, but she refrained.

Camrad_RIP 04.04.24 в 08:46