wt.theyearofthequietsun-第14部分

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　　Seabrooke　peered　at　him。　〃But　do　you　see　how　I'm　using　Moresby？〃
　　〃Yes。　Just　as　you're　using　me。〃
　　〃Quite　so。　I　like　to　think　I've　assembled　the　best　possible　team　for　the　most　important　undertaking　of　the　twentieth　century。　There　are　no　real　and　solid　guidelines　to　the　future；　there　are　only　speculative　studies　and　pseudo…speculative　literature。　We're　making　use　of　both；　and　making　use　of　trustworthy　men　who　are　actively　involved　in　both。　One　or　both　of　you　will　have　a　solid　foot　on　the　ground　when　you　surface　twenty…two　years　hence。　What　more　can　we　do；　Chaney？〃
　　〃You've　taken　hold　of　a　wolf　by　the　ears。　You　might　look　around　for　a　way　to　let　go…an　escape　route。〃
　　A　moment　of　thoughtful　silence。　〃A　wolf　by　the　ears。　Yes；　I　have　done　that。　But　Chaney；　I　have　no　desire　to　let　go；　I　am　fascinated　by　this　thing；　I　will　not　let　go。　This　step　is　parable　to　the　very　first　rocket　into　space；　the　very　first　orbital　flight；　the　very　first　man　on　the　moon。　I　could　not　let　go　if　I　wanted　to！〃
　　Chaney　was　impressed　by　the　vehemence；　the　passionate　eagerness。　〃Why　don't　you　go　up　to　the　future？〃
　　Seabrooke　said　quietly：　〃I　tried。　I　volunteered；　but　I　was　pushed　aside。〃　His　voice　betrayed　the　hurt。　〃I　was　washed　out　in　the　first　physical　examination　by　a　heart　murmur。　Once　again　this　is　parable　to　space　flight；　Chaney。　Old　men；　disabled　men；　feeble　men　will　never　know　the　TDV。　We　have　been　shut　out。〃
　　The　man's　gaze　wandered　back　to　Katrina；　and　Chaney　joined　him　in　the　watchfulness。　Her　skimpy　suit　was　beginning　to　dry　under　the　June　sun　and　some　of　the　more　interesting　rubs　and　contours　were　smoothing　out；　losing　the　revealing　contours　beneath。　Beside　her；　skin　touching　skin；　Arthur　Saltus　monopolized　her　attention。
　　Chaney　felt　that　he　had　been　shut　out。
　　
　　
　　After　a　while　he　asked　a　question　that　had　been　playing　in　the　back　of　his　mind。
　　〃Katrina　said　you　had　a　couple　of　alternatives　in　mind；　if　this　future　probe　didn't　work。　What　alternates？〃　And　he　waited　to　see　if　the　woman　had　reported　a　breakfast　table　conversation　to　the　Director。
　　〃A　confidence；　Chaney？〃
　　〃Certainly。〃
　　〃I　know　the　President　a　bit　better　than　you　do。〃
　　〃I'll　grant　you　that。〃
　　〃I　know　what　he　will　not　buy。〃
　　Chaney　had　a　premonition。　〃He　won't　buy　your　alternatives？　Either　of　them？〃
　　〃Buy　them？　He　will　be　outraged　by　them。　Shock　waves　will　be　felt　all　this　distance　from　Washington。〃　Seabrooke　hit　the　table　and　his　empty　glass　was　upset。　〃I　wanted　to　visit　the　future；　see　the　future；　smell　the　future；　but　I　was　rejected　the　first　day　by　the　medics；　I　was　shipwrecked　before　I　got　aboard　and　that　hurt　me　more　than　I　can　say。　The　only　other　way　left　to　me；　Chaney；　was　to　see　that　future　through　your　eyes…your　camera；　your　tapes；　your　observations　and　reactions。　I　can　live　in　it　through　you　and　Moresby　and　Saltus；　and　I　am　determined　to　do　that！　There　is　nothing　else　left　to　me。
　　〃To　that　end；　I　prepared　two　alternatives　to　submit　to　the　President。　I　made　sure　each　of　the　alternate　probes　would　be　unacceptable　to　him；　and　he　would　direct　me　to　proceed　with　the　original　plan。　I　want　the　future！〃
　　Chaney　asked：　〃Outrageous？〃
　　A　short　nod。　〃The　President　is　a　religious　man；　he　practices　his　faith。　He　will　never　permit　a　probe　to　the　scene　of　the　Crucifixion　with　film　and　tape。〃
　　〃No…he　won't　do　that。〃　Chaney　considered　it。　〃But　because　of　political　consequences；　not…　religious　ones。　He's　afraid　of　the　people　and　afraid　of　the　politicians。〃
　　〃If　that　be　true；　the　second　alternative　would　be　more　frightening。〃
　　Warily：　〃Where…or　what？〃
　　〃The　second　alternative　is　Dallas　in　November；　1963。　I　propose　to　record　the　Kennedy　assassination　in　a　way　not　done　before。　I　propose　to　station　a　cameraman　on　the　sixth　floor　of　that　book　depository；　overlooking　the　route；　I　propose　to　station　a　second　cameraman　in　that　grove　atop　the　knoll；　to　settle　a　controversy；　I　propose　to　station　a　third　cameraman…you…on　the　curb　alongside　the　Kennedy　car；　at　the　precise　point　necessary　to　record　the　shots　from　the　window　or　the　trees。　We　will　have　an　accurate　filmed　record　of　the　crime；　Chaney。〃
　　
　　
　　SEVEN
　　
　　The　TDV　was　a　keen　disappointment。
　　Brian　Chaney　knew　dismay；　disillusionment。　Perhaps　he　had　expected　too　much；　perhaps　he　had　expected　a　sleek　machine　gleaming　with　chrome　and　enamel　and　glass；　still　new　from　an　assembly　line；　or　perhaps　he　had　expected　a　mechanical　movie　monster；　a　bulging　leviathan　sprouting　cables　like　writhing　tentacles　and　threatening　to　sink　through　the　floor　of　its　own　massive　weight。　Perhaps　he　had　let　his　imagination　run　away　with　him。
　　The　vehicle　was　none　of　those　things。　It　was　a　squat；　half…ugly　can　with　the　numeral　2　chalked　on　the　side。　It　was　unromantic。　It　was　strictly　functional。
　　The　TDV　resembled　nothing　more　than　an　oversized　oil　drum　hand…fashioned　from　scrap　aluminum　and　pieces　of　old　plastic…materials　salvaged　from　a　scrap　pile　for　this　one　job。　Chaney　thought　of　a　Model…T　Ford　he'd　seen　in　a　museum；　and　a　rickety　biplane　seen　in　another；　the　two　relics　didn't　seem　capable　of　moving　an　inch。　The　TDV　was　a　plastic　and　aluminum　bucket　resting　in　a　concrete　tank　filled　with　polywater；　the　whole　apparatus　occupying　a　small　space　in　a　nearly　bare　basement　room。　The　machine　didn't　seem　capable　of　moving　a　minute。
　　The　drum　was　about　seven　feet　in　length；　and　of　a　circumference　barely　large　enough　to　acmodate　a　fat　man　lying　down；　the　man　inside　would　journey　through　time　flat　on　his　back；　he　would　recline　fulllength　on　a　webwork　sling　while　grasping　two　handrails　near　his　shoulders；　with　his　feet　resting　on　a　kickbar　at　the　bottom　of　the　drum。　A　small　hatch　topside　permitted　entry　and　egress。　The　upper　end　of　the　drum　had　been　cut　away…it　appeared　to　be　an　afterthought…　and　the　opening　fitted　with　a　transparent　bubble　for　observing　the　clock　and　the　calendar。　A　camera　and　a　sealed　metal　cube　rested　in　the　bubble。　Several　electric　cables；　each　larger　than　a　swollen　thumb；　emerged　from　the　bottom　end　of　the　vehicle　and　snaked　across　the　basement　floor　to　vanish　into　the　wall　separating　the　operations　room　from　the　laboratory。　A　stepstool　rested　beside　the　polywater　tank。
　　The　contrivance　looked　as　if　it　had　been　pieced　together　in　a　one…man　machine　shop　on　the　backlot。
　　Chaney　asked：　〃That　thing　works？〃
　　〃Most　assuredly；〃　Seabrooke　replied。
　　Chaney　stepped　over　the　cables　and　walked　around　the　vehicle；　following　the　invitation　of　an　engineer。　The　clock　and　the　calendar　were　securely　fastened　to　a　nearby　wall；　each　protected　by　a　clear　plastic　bubble。　Above　them…like　perched　and　hovering　vultures…were　two　small　television　cameras　looking　down　on　the　basement　room。　A　metal　locker；　placed　near　the　door　and　securely　fastened　to　the　wall；　was　meant　to　contain　their　clothing。　Light　fixtures　recessed　in　a　high　ceiling　bathed　the　room　in　a　cold；　brilliant　light。　The　room　itself　seemed　chilly　and　strangely　dry　for　a　basement；　it　held　a　sharp　smell　that　might　be　ozone；　together　with　an　unpleasant　taste　of　disturbed　dust。
　　Chaney　put　the　flat　of　his　hand　against　the　aluminum　hull　and　found　it　cold。　There　was　a　minute　discharge　of　static　electricity　against　his　palm。
　　He　asked：　〃How　did　the　monkeys　run　it？〃
　　〃They　didn't；　of　course；〃　the　engineer　retorted　with　annoyance。　（Perhaps　he　lacked　a　sense　of　humor。）　〃This　vehicle　is　designed　for　dual　operation；　Mr。　Chaney。　All　the　tests　were　launched　from　the　lab；　as　you　will　be　on　the　out…stage　of　the　journey。　We　will　kick　you　forward。〃
　　Chaney　searched　that　last　for　a　double　meaning。
　　The　engineer　said：　〃When　the　vehicle　is　programmed　for　remote；　it　can　be　literally　kicked　to　or　away　from　its　target　date　by　depressing　the　kickbar　beneath　your　feet。　We　will　launch　you　forward；　but　you　will　effect　your　own　return　when　the　mission　is　pleted。　We　recall　only　in　an　emergency。〃
　　〃I　suppose　it　will　wait　up　there　for　us？〃
　　〃It　will　wait　there　for　you。　After　arrival　on　target　the　vehicle　will　lock　on　point　and　remain　there　until　it　is　released；　by　you　or　by　us。　The　vehicle　cannot　move　until　propelled　by　an　electrical　thrust　and　that　thrust　must　be　continuous。　The　tachyon　generators　provide　the　thrust　against　a　deflecting　screen　which　provides　the　momentum。　The　TDV　operates　in　an　artificially　created　vacuum　which　precedes　the　vehicle　by　one　millisecond；　in　effect　creating　its　own　time　path。　Am　I　making　myself　clear？
　　Chaney　said：　〃No。〃
　　The　engineer　seemed　pained。　〃Perhaps　you　should　read　a　good　book　on　tachyon　deflector　systems。〃
　　〃Perhaps。　Where　will　I　find　one？〃
　　〃You　won't。　They　haven't　been　written。〃
　　〃But　it　all　sounds　like　perpetual　motion。〃
　　〃It　isn't；　believe　me。　This　baby　eats　power。〃
　　〃I　suppose　you　need　that　nuclear　reactor？〃
　　〃All　of　it…it　serves　this　lab　alone。〃
　　Chaney　revealed　his　surprise。　〃It　doesn't　serve　the　station　outside？　How　much　does　it　take　to　kick　this　thing　into　the　future？〃
　　〃The　vehicle　requires　five　hundred　thousand　kilos　per　launch。〃
　　
　　
　　Chaney　and　Arthur　Saltus　whistled　in　unison。　Chaney　said：　〃Is　that　power　house　protected？　What　about　wiring？　Transformers？　Electrical　systems　are　vulnerable　to　about　everything：　sleet　storms；　drunken　drivers　ramming　poles；　outages；　one　thing　after　another。〃
　　〃Our　reactor　is　set　in　concrete；　Mr。　Chaney。　Our　conduits　are　underground。　Our　equipment　is　rated　for　at　least　twenty　years　continuous　service。〃　A　wave　of　the　hand　to　indicate　superior　judgment；　superior　knowledge。　〃You　needn't　concern　yourself；　our　future　planning　is　plete。　There　will　be　power　to　spare　for　the　next　five　hundred　years；　if　need　be。　The　power　will　be　available　for　any　launch　and　return。〃
　　Brian　Chaney　was　skeptical。　〃Will　cables　and　transformers　last　five　hundred　years？〃
　　Again　the　quick　annoyance。　〃We　don't　expect　them　to。　All　equipment　will　be　replaced　each　twenty　or　twenty…five　years　according　to　a　prearranged　schedule。　This　is　a　pletely　planned　operating　system。〃
　　Chaney　kicked　at　the　concrete　tank　and　hurt　his　toe。　〃Maybe　the　tank　will　leak。〃
　　〃Polywater　doesn't　leak。　It　has　the　consistency　of　thin　grease；　and　is　suspended　in　capillary　tubes。　This　is　ninety…