wt.theyearofthequietsun-第16节

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le　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…nine　percent　of　the　world's　supply　right　here。〃　He　followed　Chaney's　lead　and　kicked　the　tank。　〃No　leak。〃
　　〃What　does　the　TDV　push　against？　That　polywater？〃
　　The　engineer　looked　at　him　as　if　he　were　an　idiot。　〃It　floats　on　the　polywater；　Mr。　Chaney。　I　said　the　thrust　against　a　screen；　a　molybdenum　screen　provides　the　momentum　to　displace　temporal　strata。〃
　　Chaney　said：　〃Ah！　I　see　it　now。〃
　　〃I　don't；〃　Arthur　Saltus　said　mournfully。　He　stood　at　the　nose　of　the　vehicle　with　his　nose　pressed　against　the　transparent　bubble。　〃What　guides　this　thing？　I　don't　see　a　tiller　or　a　wheel。〃
　　The　engineer　gave　the　impression　of　wanting　to　leave　the　room；　of　wanting　to　hand　over　the　instruction　tour　to　some　underling。　〃The　vehicle　is　guided　by　a　mercury　proton　gyroscope；　Mr。　Saltus。〃　He　pointed　past　the　mander's　nose　to　a　metal　cube　within　the　bubble；　nestled　alongside　the　camera。　〃That　instrument。　We　borrowed　the　technique　from　the　Navy；　from　their　program　to　guide　interplanetary　ships　in　long…flight。〃
　　Arthur　Saltus　seemed　impressed。　〃Good；　eh？〃
　　〃Superior。　Gyroscopes　employing　mercury　protons　are　not　affected　by　motion；　shock；　vibrations；　or　upset；　they　will　operate　through　any　violence　short　of　destruction。　That　unit　will　take　you　there　and　bring　you　back　to　within　sixty…one　seconds　of　your　launch。　Rely　on　it。〃
　　Saltus　said：　〃How？〃　and　Major　Moresby　seconded　him。　〃Explain　it；　please。　I　am　interested。〃
　　The　engineer　looked　on　Moresby　as　the　only　partly　intelligent　non…engineer　in　the　room。　〃Sensing　cells　in　the　unit　will　relay　back　to　us　a　continuous　signal　indicating　your　time　path；　Mr。　Moresby。　It　will　signal　any　deviation　from　a　true　line；　if　the　vehicle　wavers　we　will　know　it　immediately。　Our　puter　will　interpret　and　correct　immediately。　The　puter　will　send　forward　the　proper　corrective　signals　to　the　tachyon　deflector　system　and　restore　the　vehicle　to　its　right　time　path；　all　in　less　than　a　second。　You　will　not　be　aware　of　the　deviation　or　the　correction；　of　course。〃
　　Saltus：　〃Do　you　guarantee　we'll　hit　the　target？〃
　　〃Within　four　minutes　of　the　annual　hour；　Mr。　Saltus。　This　system　does　not　permit　a　tracking　error　greater　than　plus　or　minus　four　minutes　per　year。　That　is　on　target。　The　Soviet　couldn't　do　any　better。〃
　　Chaney　was　startled。　〃Do　they　have　one？〃
　　〃No；〃　Gilbert　Scabrooke　interposed。　〃That　was　a　figure　of　speech。　We　all　have　pride　in　our　work。〃
　　
　　
　　Seniority　was　all。　Major　Moresby　made　the　first　trial　test；　and　then　mander　Saltus。
　　When　his　turn　came；　Chaney　undressed　and　stored　his　clothing　in　the　locker。　The　hovering　presence　of　the　engineer　didn't　bother　him　but　the　prying　eyes　of　the　two　television　cameras　did。　He　couldn't　know　who　was　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall；　watching　him。　Wearing　only　his　shorts…the　one　belated　concession　to　modesty…and　standing　in　his　bare　feet　on　the　concrete　floor；　Chaney　fought　away　the　impulse　to　bolster　his　waning　ego　by　thumbing　his　nose　at　the　inquisitive　cameras。　Gilbert　Scabrooke　probably　wouldn't　approve。
　　Following　instructions；　he　climbed　into　the　TDV。
　　Chaney　wriggled　through　the　hatch；　lowered　himself　onto　the　sling…like　bed；　and　promptly　banged　his　head　against　the　camera　mounted　inside　the　bubble。　It　hurt。
　　〃Damn　it！〃
　　The　engineer　said　reprovingly：　〃Please　be　more　careful　of　the　camera；　Mr。　Chaney。〃
　　〃You　could　hang　that　thing　outside　the　bucket。〃
　　Inching　lower　onto　the　flimsy　bed；　he　discovered　that　when　his　feet　reached　the　kickbar　there　was　insufficient　room　to　turn　his　head　without　striking　either　the　camera　or　the　gyroscope；　nor　could　he　push　out　his　elbows。　He　squinted　up　at　the　engineer　in　protest　but　the　man's　face　disappeared　from　the　opening　as　the　hatch　was　slammed　shut。　Chaney　had　a　moment　of　panic　but　fought　it　away；　the　drum　was　no　worse　than　a　cramped　tomb…and　better　in　one　small　respect：　the　transparent　bubble　admitted　light　from　the　ceiling　fixtures。　Still　following　the　detailed　instructions；　he　reached　up　to　snug　the　hatch　and　was　immediately　rewarded　by　a　blinking　green　bull's　eye　above　his　head。　He　thought　that　was　nice。