wt.theyearofthequietsun-第26节

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　　〃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's　all　washed　out　now…you'll　never　go　back。〃
　　〃I　don't　believe　the　White　House　would　authorize　a　probe　back　that　far；〃　Chaney　answered。　〃They　would　see　no　political　advantage　to　it；　no　profit　to　themselves。〃
　　Major　Moresby　said　sharply：　〃Chaney；　you。　sound　like　a　fool！〃
　　〃Perhaps。　But　if　we　could　probe　backward　I'd　be　willing　to　lay　you　money　on　certain　political　targets；　but　nothing　at　all　on　others。　What　would　the　map　of　Europe　be　like　if　Attila　had　been　strangled　in　his　crib？〃
　　〃Chaney；　after　all！〃
　　He　persisted。　〃What　would　the　map　of　Europe　be　like　if　Lenin　had　been　executed　for　the　anti…Czarist　plot；　instead　of　his　older　brother？　What　would　the　map　of　the　United　States　be　like　if　George　the　Third　had　been　cured　of　his　dementia？　If　Robert　E。　Lee　had　died　in　infancy？〃
　　〃Civilian；　they　sure　as　hell　won't　let　you　go　back　anywhere　with　notions　like　that。〃
　　Dryly：　〃I　wouldn't　expect　a　bonus　for　them。〃
　　〃Well；　I　guess　not！〃
　　Kathryn　van　Hise　stepped　into　the　breach。
　　〃Please；　gentlemen。　Appointments　have　been　made　for　your　final　physical　examinations。　I　will　call　the　doctor　and　inform　him　you　are　ing　now。
　　Chaney　grinned　and　snapped　his　fingers。　〃Now。〃
　　She　turned。　〃Mr。　Chaney；　if　you　will　stay　behind　for　a　moment　I　would　like　more　information　on　your　field　data。〃
　　Saltus　was　quickly　curious。　〃Hey…what's　this？〃　She　paged　through　the　pile　of　mimeographed　papers　until　she　found　the　transcript　of　Chaney's　tape　recording。　〃Some　parts　of　this　report　need　further　evaluation。　If　you　care　to　dictate；　Mr。　Chaney；　I　will　take　it　in　shorthand。〃
　　He　said：　〃Anything　you　need。〃
　　〃Thank　you。〃　A　half　turn　to　the　others　at　the　table。　〃The　doctor　will　be　waiting；　gentlemen。〃
　　Moresby　and　Saltus　pushed　back　their　chairs。　Saltus　shot　Chaney　a　warning　glance；　reminding　him　of　a　promise。　The　reminder　was　answered　with　a　confirming　nod。
　　The　men　left　the　briefing　room。
　　
　　
　　Brian　Chaney　looked　across　the　table　at　Katrina　in　the　silence　they　left　behind。　She　waited　quietly；　her　fingers　laced　together　on　the　table　top。
　　He　remembered　her　bare　feet　in　the　sand；　the　snug　delta　pants；　the　see…through　blquse；　the　book　she　carried　in　her　hand　and　the　disapproving　expression　she　wore　on　her　face。　He　remembered　the　startlingly　brief　swim　suit　worn　in　the　pool；　and　the　way　Arthur　Saltus　had　monopolized　her。
　　〃That　was　rather　transparent；　Katrina。〃
　　She　studied　him　longer；　not　yet　ready　to　speak。　He　waited　for　her　to　offer　the　next　word；　holding　in　his　mind　the　image　of　that　first　glimpse　of　her　on　the　beach。
　　At　length：　〃What　happened　up　there；　Brian？〃
　　He　blinked　at　the　use　of　his　given　name。　It　was　the　first　time　she　had　used　it。
　　〃Many；　many　things…I　think　we　covered　it　all　in　our　reports。〃
　　Again：　〃What　happened　up　there；　Brian？〃
　　He　shook　his　head。　〃Seabrooke　will　have　to　be　satisfied　with　the　reports。〃
　　〃This　is　not　Mr。　Seabrooke's　matter。〃
　　Warily：　〃I　don't　know　what　else　I　can　tell　you。〃
　　〃Something　happened　up　there。　I　am　aware　of　a　departure　from　the　norm　that　prevailed　before　the　trials；　and　I　think　you　are　too。　Something　has　created　a　disparity；　a　subtle　disharmony　which　is　rather　difficult　to　define。〃
　　〃The　Chicago　wall；　I　suppose。　And　the　JCS　revolt。〃
　　〃They　were　shocks　to　us　all；　but　what　else？〃
　　Chaney　gestured；　searching　for　an　escape　route。　〃I　found　the　barracks　closed；　locked。　I　think　the　Major　and　myself　have　left　the　station。〃
　　〃But　not　mander　Saltusr
　　〃He　may　be　gone…I　don't　know。〃
　　〃You　don't　seem　very　sure　of　that。〃
　　〃I'm　not　sure　of　anything。　We　were　forbidden　to　open　doors；　look　at　people；　ask　questions。　I　didn't　open　doors。　I　know　only　that　our　barracks　have　been　closed…　and　I　don't　think　Seabrooke　let　us　move　in　with　him。〃
　　〃What　would　you　have　done　if　it　was　permissible　to　open　doors？〃
　　Chaney　grinned。　〃I'd　go　looking　for　you。〃
　　〃You　believe　I　was　on　the　station？〃
　　〃Certainly！　You　wrote　no