wt.theyearofthequietsun-第15部分

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　　〃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。
　　Chaney　watched　the　light　for　a　space　but　nothing　else　happened。
　　Aloud：　〃All　right；　move　it。〃　The　sound　of　his　voice　in　the　closed　can　startled　him。
　　Twisting　around　at　the　expense　of　a　strained　neck　muscle　and　another　glancing　blow　off　the　camera；　he　peered　through　the　bubble　at　the　outside　room　but　saw　no　one。　It　was　supposed　to　be　empty　during　a　launch。　He　guessed　that　his　panions　were　in　the　lab　beyond　the　wall；　watching　him　on　the　monitors　as　he　had　watched　them。　The　sounds　had　been　thunderously　loud　in　there；　causing　acute　pain　to　his　eardrums。
　　Chaney's　gaze　came　back　to　the　green　light　against　the　hull　above　his　head；　and　discovered　that　a　red　light　beside　it　was　now　blazing；　blinking　in　the　same　monotonous　fashion　as　its　brother。　He　stared　at　the　two　lights　and　wondered　what　he　was　supposed　to　do　next。　Instructions　hadn't　gone　beyond　that　point。
　　He　was　aware　that　his　knees　were　raised　and　that　his　legs　ached；　the　interior　of　the　bucket　wasn't　designed　for　a　man　who　stood　six　feet　four　and　had　to　share　the　space　with　a　camera　and　gyroscope。　Chaney　lowered　his　knees　and　stretched　out　full　length　on　the　webbed　sling；　but　he　had　forgotten　the　kickbar　until　his　bare　feet　struck　it。　The　red　light　winked　out。
　　After　a　while　someone　rapped　on　the　plastic　bubble；　and　Chaney　twisted　around　to　see　Arthur　Saltus　motioning　for　him　to　e　out。　He　opened　the　hatch　and　sat　up。　When　he　was　in　a　fortable　position；　he　found　that　he　could　rest　his　chin　on　the　rim　of　the　hatch　and　look　down　into　the　room。
　　Saltus　stood　there　grinning　at　him。　〃Well；　mister；　what　did　you　think　of　that？〃
　　〃There's　more　room　in　a　Syrian　coffin；〃　Chaney　retorted。　〃I've　got　bruises。〃
　　〃Sure；　sure；　civilian；　tight　quarters　and　everything；　but　what　did　you　think　of　it？〃
　　〃Think　of　what？〃
　　〃Well；　the…〃　Saltus　stopped　to　gape　in　disbelief。　〃Civilian；　do　you　mean　to　sit　there　like　an　idiot　and　tell　me　you　weren't　watching　that　clock？〃
　　〃I　watched　the　lights；　it　was　like　Christmas　time。〃
　　〃Mister；　they　ran　you　through　your　test。　You　saw　ours；　didn't　you？　You　checked　the　time？〃
　　〃Yes；　I　watched　you。〃
　　〃Well；　you　jumped　into　the　future！　One　hour　up！〃
　　〃The　hell　I　did。〃
　　〃The　hell　you　didn't；　civilian。　What　did　you　think　you　were　doing　in　there…taking　a　nap？　You　were　supposed　to　watch　the　clock。　You　went　up　an　hour；　and　then　you　kicked　yourself　back。　That　stuffy　old　engineer　was　mad…you　were　supposed　to　wait　for　him　to　do　it。〃
　　〃But　I　didn't　hear　anything；　feel　anything。〃
　　〃You　don't　hear　anything　in　there；　just　out　here；　on　the　outside　looking　in。　Man；　we　heard　it！　Pow；　pow；　the　airhammer。　And　the　guy　was　supposed　to　tell　you　there　was　no　sense　of　motion：　just　climb　in；　and　climb　out。　Shoot　an　hour。〃　Saltus　made　a　face。　〃Civilian；　sometimes　you　disappoint　me。〃
　　〃Sometimes　I　disappoint　myself；〃　Chaney　said。　〃I've　missed　the　most　exciting　hour　of　my　life。　I　guess　it　was　exciting。　I　was　looking　at　the　lights　and　waiting　for　something　to　happen。〃
　　〃It　did　happen。〃　Saltus　stepped　down　from　the　stool。　〃e　on　out　of　there　and　get　dressed。　We　have　to　listen　to　a　lecture　from　old　windbag　in　the　lab…and　after　that　we　inspect　the　ship's　stores。　The　fallout　shelter；　food　and　water　and　stuff；　we　might　have　to　live　off　the　stores　when　we　get　up　there　to　the　brink　of　2000。　What　if　everything　is　rationed；　and　we　don't　have　ration　cards？〃
　　〃We　can　always　call　Katrina　and　ask　for　some。〃
　　〃Hey…Katrina　will　be　an　old　woman；　have　you　thought　of　that？　She'll　be　forty…five　or　fifty；　maybe…I　don't　know　how　old　she　is　now。　An　old　woman…damn！〃
　　Chaney　grinned　at　his　concept　of　ancient　age。　〃You　won't　have　time　for　dating。　We　have　to　hunt　Republicans。〃
　　〃Guess　not…nor　the　opportunity。　We're　not　supposed　to　go　looking　for　anybody　when　we　get　up　there；　we're　not　supposed　to　look　for　her　or　Seabrooke　or　even　us。　They're　afraid　we'll　find　us。〃　He　made　a　weary　gesture。　〃Get　your　pants　on。　Damned　lecture。　I　hate　lectures…I　always　fall　asleep。〃
　　
　　
　　A　team　of　engineers　lectured。　Major　Moresby　listened　attentively。　Chaney　listened　with　half　an　ear；　attention　wandering　to　Kathryn　van　Hise　who　was　seated　at　one　side　of　the　room。　Arthur　Saltus　slept。
　　Chaney　wished　the　information　given　him　had　been　printed　on　the　usual　mimeographed　papers　and　passed　around　a　table　for　study。　That　method　of　dissemination　was　the　more　effective　for　him；　the　information　stayed　with　him　when　he　could　read　it　on　a　printed　page　and　refer　back　to　the　sentence　or　the　paragraph　above　to　underscore　a　point。　It　was　more　difficult　to　call　back　a　spoken　reference　without　asking　questions；　which　interrupted　the　speaker　and　the　chain　of　thought　and　the　drone　which　kept　Saltus　sleeping。　The　ideal　way　would　be　to　set　down　the　lecture　in　Aramaic　or　Hebrew　and　hand　it　to　him　to　translate；　that　would　insure　his　undivided　attention　to　learn　the　message。
　　He　gave　one　eye　and　one　ear　to　the　speaker。
　　Target　dates。　Once　a　target　date　was　selected　and　the　pertinent　data　was　at　hand；　puters　determined　the　exact　amount　of　energy　needed　to　achieve　that　date　and　then　fed　the　amount　into　the　tachyon　generator　in　one　immense　surge。　The　resulting　discharge　against　the　deflector　provided　momentum　by　displacing　temporal　strata　ahead　of　the　vehicle　along　a　designated　time　path；　the　displaced　strata　created　a　vacuum　into　which　the　vehicle　moved　toward　the　target　date；　always　under　the　guidance　of　the　mercury　proton　gyroscope。　（Chaney　thought：　perpetual　motion。）
　　The　engineer　said：　〃You　can　be　no　more　than　eighty…eight　minutes　off　the　designated　hour　of　the　target　date；　2000。　That　is　four　minutes　per　year；　that　is　to　be　anticipated。　But　there　is　another　significant　time　element　to　be　noted　in　the　field；　one　that　you　must　not　forget。　Fifty　hours。　You　may　spend　up　to　fifty　hours　in　the　field　on　any　date；　but　you　may　not　exceed　that　amount。　It　is　an　arbitrary　limit。　To　be　sure；　gentlemen；　the　safety　of　the　displaced　man　is　of　first　importance　up　to　a　point。