wt.theyearofthequietsun-第23部分

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nger　also　traced　the　rail　line　through　the　Chicago　suburbs　to　the　Loop。　Arthur　Saltus　was　studying　the　photographs　he'd　brought　back　from　Joliet。　He　seemed　particularly　pleased　with　a　print　of　an　attractive　girl　standing　on　a　windy　street　corner；　half　watching　the　cameraman　and　half　watching　for　a　car　or　a　bus　ing　along　the　street　behind。　The　print　revealed　an　expert's　hand　in　position　and　cropping；　with　the　girl　limned　in　sunny　backlighting。
　　Kathryn　van　Hise　said：　〃Mr。　Chaney？〃
　　He　swung　around　to　face　her。　〃Yes；　Miss　van　Hise？〃
　　〃The　engineers　have　given　me　firm　assurance　that　mistake　will　not　happen　again。　They　have　used　the　time　since　your　return　to　rebuild　the　gyroscope。　The　cause　has　been　traced　to　a　vacuum　leakage　but　that　has　been　repaired。　The　error　is　to　be　regretted；　but　it　will　not　happen　again。〃
　　〃But　I　like　getting　there　first；〃　he　protested。　〃That's　the　only　way　I　can　assert　seniority。〃
　　〃It　will　not　happen　again；　sir。〃
　　〃Maybe。　How　do　they　know　it　won't？〃
　　Katrina　studied　him。
　　〃The　next　targets　will　each　be　a　year　apart；　sir；　to　obtain　a　wider　coverage。　Would　you　care　to　suggest　a　tentative　date？〃
　　He　betrayed　surprise。　〃We　may　choose？〃
　　〃Within　reason；　sir。　Mr。　Seabrooke　has　invited　each　of　you　to　suggest　an　appropriate　date。　The　original　plan　of　the　survey　must　be　followed；　of　course；　but　he　would　wele　your　ideas。　If　you　would　rather　not　suggest　a　date；　Mr。　Seabrooke　and　the　engineers　will　select　one。〃
　　Chaney　looked　down　the　table　at　Major　Moresby。
　　〃What　did　you　take？〃
　　Promptly：　〃The　Fourth　of　July；　1999。〃
　　〃Why　that　one？〃
　　〃It　has　significance；　after　all！〃
　　〃I　suppose　so。〃　He　turned　to　Saltus。　〃And　you？〃
　　〃My　birthday；　civilian：　November　23rd；　2000。　A　nice　round　number；　don't　you　think？　I　thought　so　anyway。　That　will　be　my　fiftieth　birthday；　and　I　can't　think　of　a　better　way　to　celebrate。〃　His　voice　dropped　to　a　conspiratorial　whisper。　〃I　might　take　a　jug　with　me。　Live　it　up！〃
　　Chaney　considered　the　possibilities。
　　Saltus　broke　in。　〃Now；　look　here；　mister…don't　tell　Seabrooke　you　want　to　visit　Jericho　on　the　longest　day　of　summer；　ten　thousand　years　ago！　That　will　get　you　the　boot　right　through　the　front　gate。　Play　by　the　rules。　How　would　you　like　to　spend　Christmas　in　2001？　New　Year's　Eve？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃Party…pooper。　Wet　blanket。　What　do　you　want？〃
　　〃I　really　don't　care。　Anything　will　do。〃
　　〃Pick　something；〃　Saltus　urged。
　　〃Oh；　just　say　2000…plus。　It　doesn't　much　matter。〃
　　Katrina　said　anxiously：　〃Mr。　Chaney；　is　something　wrong？〃
　　〃Only　that；〃　he　said；　and　indicated　the　photographs　heaped　on　the　table　before　Arthur　Saltus；　the　new　packets　of　mimeographed　papers　neatly　stacked　before　each　chair。　〃The　future　isn't　very　attractive　right　now。〃
　　〃Do　you　wish　to　withdraw？〃
　　〃No。　I'm　not　a　quitter。　When　do　we　go　up？〃
　　〃The　launch　is　scheduled　for　the　day　after　tomorrow。　You　will　depart　at　one…hour　intervals。〃
　　Chaney　shuffled　the　papers　on　the　table。　〃I　suppose　these　will　have　to　be　studied　now。　We'll　have　to　follow　up。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir。　The　information　you　have　developed　on　the　trials　has　now　bee　a　part　of　the　survey；　and　it　is　desirable　that　each　segment　be　followed　to　its　conclusion。　We　wish　to　know　the　final　solutions；　of　course；　and　so　you　must　trace　these　new　developments。〃　She　hesitated。　〃Your　role　in　the　survey　has　been　somewhat　modified；　sir。〃
　　He　was　instantly　wary；　suspicious。　〃In　what　way？〃
　　〃You　will　not　go　into　Chicago。〃
　　〃Not…　But　what　the　hell　am　I　supposed　to　do？〃
　　〃You　may　visit　any　other　city　within　range　of　your　fifty…hour　limit：　Elgin；　Aurora；　Joliet；　Bloomington；　the　city　of　your　choice；　but　Chicago　is　now　closed　to　you。〃
　　He　stared　at　the　woman；　knowing　humiliation。　〃But　this　is　ridiculous！　The　problem　may　be　cleared　away；　all　but　forgotten　twenty…two　years　from　now。〃
　　〃It　will　not　be　forgotten　so　easily；　sir。　It　will　be　wise　to　observe　every　precaution。　Mr。　Seabrooke　has　decided　you　may　not　enter　Chicago。〃
　　〃I'll　resign…I'll　quit！〃
　　〃Yes；　sir；　you　may　do　that。　The　Indic　contract　will　be　returned　to　you。〃
　　〃I　won't　quit！〃　he　said　angrily。
　　〃As　you　wish。〃
　　Saltus　broke　in。　〃Civilian…sit　down。〃
　　Chaney　was　surprised　to　discover　himself　standing。　He　sat　down；　knowing　a　mixture　of　frustration　and　humbled　pride。　He　knotted　his　fingers　together　in　his　lap　and　pressed　until　they　hurt。
　　After　a　space　he　said：　〃I'm　sorry。　I　apologize。〃
　　〃Apology　accepted；〃　Saltus　agreed　easily。　〃And　don't　let　it　trouble　you。　Seabrooke　knows　what　he's　doing…he　doesn't　want　you　naked　and　shivering　in　some　Chicago　jail；　and　he　doesn't　want　some　damned　fool　chasing　you　with　a　gun。〃
　　Major　Moresby　was　eyeing　him。
　　〃I　don't　quite　read　you；　Chaney。　You've　got　more　guts　than　I　suspected；　or　you're　a　damned　fool。〃
　　〃When　I　lose　my　temper　I'm　a　damned　fool。　I　can't　help　myself。〃　He　felt　Katrina　watching　him　and　turned　back　to　her。　〃What　am　I　supposed　to　do　up　there？〃
　　〃Mr。　Seabrooke　wishes　you　to　spend　the　greater　part　of　your　time　in　a　library　copying　pertinent　information。　You　will　be　equipped　with　a　camera　having　a　copying　lens　when　you　emerge　on　target；　your　specific　assignment　is　to　photograph　those　books　and　periodicals　which　are　germane　to　the　information　discovered　in　Joliet。〃
　　〃You　want　me　to　follow　the　plots　and　the　wars　and　the　earthquakes　through　history。　Make　a　copy　of　everything…steal　a　history　book　if　I　have　to。〃
　　You　may　purchase　one；　sir；　and　copy　the　pages　in　the　room　downstairs。〃
　　〃That　sounds　exciting。　A　really　wild　visit　to　the　future。　Why　not　bring　back　the　book　with　me？〃
　　She　hesitated。　〃I　will　have　to　ask　Mr。　Seabrooke。　It　seems　reasonable；　if　you　pensate　for　the　weight。〃
　　〃Katrina；　I　want　to　go　outside　and　see　something…I　don't　want　to　spend　the　time　in　a　hole。〃
　　She　said　again：　〃You　may　visit　any　other　city　within　range　of　your　fifty…hour　limit；　sir。　If　it　is　safe。〃
　　Morosely：　〃I　wonder　what　Bloomington　is　like。〃
　　〃Girls！〃　Saltus　answered。　〃One　sweet　liberty　port！〃
　　〃Have　you　been　there？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　〃Then　what　are　you　talking　about？〃
　　〃Just　trying　to　cheer　you　up；　civilian。　I'm　helpful　that　way。〃　He　picked　up　the　photograph　of　the　girl　on　the　Joliet　street　corner　and　waggled　it　between　thumb　and　forefinger。　〃Go　up　in　the　summertime。　It's　nicer　then。〃
　　Chaney　looked　at　him　with　a　particular　memory　in　the　front　of　his　mind。　Saltus　caught　it　and　actually　blushed。　He　dropped　the　photograph　and　betrayed　his　fleeting　guilt　by　sneaking　a　sidelong　glance　at　Katrina。
　　She　said：　〃We　hope　for　a　thorough　coverage；　sir。〃
　　〃I　wish　I　had　more　than　fifty　hours　in　a　library。　A　decent　research　job　requires　several　weeks；　even　months。〃
　　〃It　may　be　possible　to　return　again　and　again；　at　proper　intervals　of　course。　I　will　ask　Mr。　Seabrooke。〃
　　Saltus：　〃Hey…what　about　that；　Katrina？　So　what　happens　after　the　survey？　What　do　we　do　next？〃
　　〃I　can't　give　you　a　meaningful　answer；　mander。　At　this　point　in　the　operation　nothing　beyond　the　Chicago　probe　is　programmed。　Nothing　more　could　be　programmed　until　we　knew　the　oute　of　these　first　two　steps。　A　final　answer　cannot　be　made　until　you　return　from　Chicago。〃
　　〃Do　you　think　we'll　do　something　else？〃
　　〃I　would　imagine　that　other　probes　will　be　prepared　when　this　one　is　satisfactorily　pleted　and　the　resultant　data　analyzed。〃　But　then　she　added　a　hasty　postscript。　〃That　is　only　my　opinion；　mander。　Mr。　Seabrooke　has　said　nothing　of　possible　future　operations。〃
　　〃I　like　your　opinion；　Katrina。　It's　better　than　a　bucket　in　the　South　China　Sea。〃
　　Chaney　asked：　〃What　happened　to　the　alternatives？　To　Jerusalem；　and　Dallas？〃
　　Moresby　broke　in。　〃What's　this？〃
　　The　young　woman　explained　them　to　Moresby　and　Saltus。　Chaney　realized　that　only　he　had　been　told　of　both　alternate　programs；　and　he　wondered　now　if　he　had　let　a　cat　out　of　the　bag　by　mentioning　them。
　　Katrina　said：　〃The　alternatives　are　being　held　in　abeyance；　they　may　never　be　implemented。〃　She　looked　at　Brian　Chaney　and　paused。　〃The　engineers　are　studying　a　new　matter　related　to　vehicle　operations；　there　appears　to　be　a　question　whether　the　vehicle　may　operate　in　reverse　prior　to　the　establishment　of　a　power　source。
　　〃Hey…what's　that　in　English？〃
　　〃It　means　I　can't　go　back　to　old　Jericho；〃　Chaney　told　him。　〃No　electricity　back　there。　I　think　she　said　the　TDV　needs　power　all　along　the　line　to　move　anywhere。〃
　　Moresby：　〃But　I　understood　you　to　say　those　test　animals　had　been　sent　back　a　year　or　more？〃
　　〃Yes；　sir；　that　is　correct；　but　the　nuclear　reactor　has　been　operating　for　more　than　two　years。　The　previous　lower　limit　of　the　TDV　was　December　30；　1941；　but　now　that　may　have　to　be　drastically　revised。　If　it　is　found　that　the　vehicle　may　not　operate　prior　to　the　establishment　of　its　power　source；　the　lower　limit　will　be　brought　forward　to　an　arbitrary　date　of　two　years　ago。　We　do　not　wish　to　lose　the　vehicle。〃
　　Chaney　said：　〃One　of　those　bright　engineers　should　sit　down　to　his　homework…lay　out　a　paradox　graph；　or　map；　or　whatever。　Katrina；　if　you　keep　this　thing　going；　you're　going　to　find　yourself　up　against　a　wall　sooner　or　later。〃
　　She　colored　and　betrayed　a　minute　hesitation　before　answering　him。　〃The　Indiana　Corporation　has　been　approached　on　the　matter；　sir。　Mr。　Seabrooke　has　proposed　that　all　our　data　be　turned　over　to　them　for　a　crash　study。　The　engineers　are　being　aware　of　the　problems。〃
　　Saltus　looked　around　at　Chaney　and　said：　〃Sheeg！〃
　　Chaney　grinned　and　thought　to　offer　an　apology　to　Moresby　and　the　woman。　〃That's　an　old　Aramaic　word。　But　it　expresses　my　feelings　quite　adequately。〃　He　considered　the　matter。　〃I　can't　decide　what　I　would　rather　do：　stay　here　and　make　paradoxes；　or　go　back　there　and　solve　them。〃
　　Saltus　said：　〃Tough　luck；　civilian。　I　was　almost　ready　to　volunteer。　Almost；　I　said。　I　think　I'd　like　to　stand　on　the　city　wall　at　Larsa　with　you　and　watch　the　Euphrates　flood；　I　think　I'd　like…　What？〃
　　〃The　city　wall　at　Ur；　not　Larsa。〃
　　〃Well；　wherever　it　was。　A　flood；　anyway；　and　you　said　it　got　into　the　Bible。　You　have　a　smooth　line；　you　could　persuade　me　to　go　along。〃　An　empty　gesture。　〃But　I　guess　that