mc.risingsun-第35章

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　For　decades；　the　Jet　Propulsion　Laboratory　had　served　as　the　mand　center　for　American　spacecraft　that　photographed　Jupiter　and　the　rings　of　Saturn；　and　sent　pictures　back　to　earth　as　video　images。　JPL　was　the　place　where　modern　video…image　processing　had　been　invented。　If　anybody　could　copy　these　tapes；　they　could。
　Mary　Jane　Kelleher；　the　press　secretary；　took　me　up　to　the　third　floor。　We　walked　down　a　lime　green　corridor；　past　several　doors　that　opened　into　empty　offices。　I　mentioned　it。
　〃It's　true；〃　she　said；　nodding。　〃We've　been　losing　some　good　people；　Peter。〃
　〃Where　are　they　going？〃　I　said。
　〃Mostly　to　industry。　We　always　lost　a　few　to　IBM　in　Armonk；　or　Bell　Labs　in　New　Jersey。　But　those　labs　don't　have　the　best　equipment　or　funding　any　more。　Now　it's　the　Japanese　research　labs　like　Hitachi　in　Long　Beach；　Sanyo　in　Torrance；　Canon　in　Inglewood。　They're　hiring　a　lot　of　American　researchers　now。〃
　〃Is　JPL　concerned　about　it？〃
　〃Sure；〃　she　said。　〃Everybody　knows　the　best　way　to　transfer　technology　is　inside　somebody's　head。　But　what　can　you　do？〃　She　shrugged。　〃Researchers　want　to　do　research。　And　America　doesn't　do　so　much　R　and　D　any　more。　Budgets　are　tighter。　So　it's　better　to　work　for　the　Japanese。　They　pay　well；　and　they　genuinely　respect　research。　If　you　need　a　piece　of　equipment；　you　get　it。　Anyway；　that's　what　my　friends　tell　me。　Here　we　are。〃
　She　took　me　into　a　laboratory　crammed　with　video　equipment。　Black　boxes　stacked　on　metal　shelves　and　on　metal　tables；　cables　snaking　across　the　floor；　a　variety　of　monitors　and　display　screens。　In　the　center　of　all　this　was　a　bearded　man　in　his　midthirties　named　Kevin　Howzer。　He　had　an　image　on　his　monitor　of　a　gear　mechanism；　in　shifting　rainbow　colors；　The　desk　was　littered　with　Coke　cans　and　candy　wrappers；　he　had　been　up　all　night；　working。
　〃Kevin；　this　is　Lieutenant　Smith　from　the　L。A。P。D。　He's　got　some　unusual　videotapes　he　needs　copied。〃
　〃Just　copied？〃　Howzer　sounded　disappointed。　〃You　don't　want　anything　done　to　them？〃
　〃No；　Kevin；〃　she　said。　〃He　doesn't。〃
　〃No　problem。〃
　I　showed　Howzer　one　of　the　cassettes。　He　turned　it　over　in　his　hand；　and　shrugged。　〃Looks　like　a　standard　eight…millimeter　cart。　What's　on　it？〃
　〃High…definition　Japanese　TV。〃
　〃You　mean　it's　an　HD　signal？〃
　〃I　guess　so。〃
　〃Shouldn't　be　a　problem。　You　got　a　playback　I　can　use？〃
　〃Yes。〃　I　took　the　playback　machine　out　of　the　box　and　handed　it　to　him。
　〃Jeez；　they　make　things　nice；　don't　they？　Beautiful　unit。〃　Kevin　examined　the　controls　in　front。　〃Yeah；　that's　high…definition　all　right。　I　can　handle　it。〃　He　turned　the　box　around　and　peered　at　the　plugs　on　the　back。　Then　he　frowned。　He　swung　his　desk　light　over　and　opened　the　plastic　flap　on　the　cassette；　exposing　the　tape。　It　had　a　faint　silver　tinge。　〃Huh。　Do　these　tapes　involve　anything　legal？〃
　〃Actually；　they　do。〃
　He　handed　it　back　to　me。　〃Sorry。　I　can't　copy　it。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃See　the　silver　color？　That's　evaporated　metal　tape。　Very　high　density。　I'll　bet　the　format　has　real…time　pression　and　depression　ing　out　of　the　box。　I　can't　make　you　a　copy；　because　I　can't　match　the　formats；　which　means　I　can't　lay　down　the　signal　in　an　equivalent　way　that　is　guaranteed　readable。　I　can　make　you　a　copy；　but　I　can't　be　sure　the　copy　is　exact　because　I　can't　match　formats。　So　if　you　have　any　legal　issues　…　and　I　assume　you　do　…　you're　going　to　have　to　take　it　somewhere　else　to　get　it　copied。〃
　〃Like　where？〃
　〃This　could　be　the　new　proprietary　D…four　format。　If　it　is；　the　only　place　that　can　copy　it　is　Hamaguchi。〃
　〃Hamaguchi？〃
　〃The　research　lab　in　Glendale；　owned　by　Kawakami　Industries。　They　have　every　piece　of　video　equipment　known　to　man　over　there。〃
　I　said；　〃Do　you　think　they'd　help　me？〃
　〃To　make　copies？　Sure。　I　know　one　of　the　lab　directors；　Jim　Donaldson。　I　can　call　over　there　for　you；　if　you　like。〃
　〃That　would　be　great。〃
　〃No　problem。〃
　
　？
　Hamaguchi　Research　Institute　was　a　featureless；　mirrored　glass　building　in　an　industrial　park　in　north　Glendale。　I　carried　my　box　into　the　lobby。　Behind　the　sleek　reception　desk　I　could　see　an　atrium　in　the　center　of　the　building；　and　smoked…glass…walled　laboratories　on　all　sides。
　I　asked　for　Dr。　Jim　Donaldson　and　took　a　seat　in　the　lobby。　While　I　was　waiting；　two　men　in　suits　came　in；　nodded　familiarly　to　the　receptionist；　and　sat　on　the　couch　near　me。　Ignoring　me；　they　spread　out　glossy　brochures　on　the　coffee　table。
　〃See　here；〃　one　of　them　said；　〃this　is　what　I　was　talking　about。　This　is　the　shot　we　end　with。　This　one　closes。〃
　I　glanced　over；　saw　a　view　of　wildflowers　and　snow…capped　mountains。　The　first　man　tapped　the　photos。
　〃I　mean；　that's　the　Rockies；　my　friend。　It's　real　Americana。　Trust　me；　that's　what　sells　them。　And　it's　a　hell　of　a　parcel。〃
　〃How　big　did　you　say　it　is？〃
　〃It's　a　hundred　and　thirty　thousand　acres。　The　biggest　remaining　piece　of　Montana　that's　still　available。　Twenty　by　ten　kilometers　of　prime　ranch　acreage　fronting　on　the　Rockies。　It's　the　size　of　a　national　park。　It's　got　grandeur。　It's　got　dimension；　scope。　It's　very　high　quality。　Perfect　for　a　Japanese　consortium。〃
　〃And　they　talked　price？〃
　〃Not　yet。　But　the　ranchers；　you　know；　they're　in　a　tough　situation。　It's　legal　now　for　foreigners　to　export　beef　to　Tokyo；　and　beef　in　Japan　is　something　like　twenty；　twenty…two　dollars　a　kilo。　But　nobody　in　Japan　will　buy　American　beef。　If　Americans　send　beef；　it　will　rot　on　the　docks。　But　if　they　sell　their　ranch　to　the　Japanese；　then　the　beef　can　be　exported。　Because　the　Japanese　will　buy　from　a　Japanese…owned　ranch。　The　Japanese　will　do　business　with　other　Japanese。　And　ranches　all　around　Montana　and　Wyoming　have　been　sold。　The　remaining　ranchers　see　Japanese　cowboys　riding　on　the　range。　They　see　the　other　ranches　putting　in　improvements；　rebuilding　barns；　adding　modern　equipment；　all　that。　Because　the　other　ranches　can　get　high　prices　in　Japan。　So　the　American　owners；　they're　not　stupid。　They　see　the　writing　on　the　wall。　They　know　they　can't　pete。　So　they　sell。〃
　〃But　then　what　do　the　Americans　do？〃
　〃Stay　and　work　for　the　Japanese。　It's　not　a　problem。　The　Japanese　need　someone　to　teach　them　how　to　ranch。　And　everybody　on　the　ranch　gets　a　raise。　The　Japanese　are　sensitive　to　American　feelings。　They're　sensitive　people。〃
　The　second　man　said；　〃I　know；　but　I　don't　like　it。　I　don't　like　the　whole　thing。〃
　〃That's　fine；　Ted。　What　do　you　want　to　do；　write　your　congressman？　They're　all　working　for　the　Japanese；　anyway。　Hell；　the　Japanese　are　running　these　ranches　with　American　government　subsidies。〃　The　first　man　twisted　a　gold　chain　at　his　wrist。　He　leaned　close　to　his　panion。　〃Look；　Ted。　Let's　not　get　all　moral　here。　Because　I　can't　afford　it。　And　neither　can　you。　We　are　talking　a　four…percent　overall　and　a　five…year　payout　on　a　seven　hundred　mil　purchase。　Let's　make　sure　we　keep　that　in　sight；　okay？　You　personally　are　looking　at　two　point　four　million　in　the　first　year　alone。　And　it's　a　five…year　payout。　Right？〃
　〃I　know。　It　just　bothers　me。〃
　〃Well；　Ted。　I　don't　think　you'll　be　bothered　when　this　deal　closes。　But　there's　a　couple　of　details　we　need　to　handle　。　。　。〃　At　that　point；　they　seemed　to　realize　I　was　listening。　They　stood　up　and　moved　out　of　earshot。　I　heard　the　first　man　say　something　about　〃assurances　that　the　State　of　Montana　favors　and　approves　。　。　。〃　and　the　second　man　was　nodding；　slowly。　The　first　man　punched　him　in　the　shoulder；　cheering　him　up。
　〃Lieutenant　Smith？〃
　A　woman　was　standing　beside　my　chair。　〃Yes？〃
　〃I'm　Kristen；　Dr。　Donaldson's　assistant。　Kevin　over　at　JPL　called　about　you。　Something　about　tapes　you　need　help　with？〃
　〃Yes。　I　need　them　copied。〃
　〃I'm　sorry　I　wasn't　here　to　take　Kevin's　call。　One　of　the　secretaries　took　it；　and　she　didn't　really　understand　the　situation。〃
　〃How's　that？〃
　〃Unfortunately；　Dr。　Donaldson　isn't　here　right　now。　He's　making　a　speech　this　morning。〃
　〃I　see。〃
　〃And　that　makes　it　difficult　for　us。　With　him　not　in　the　lab。〃
　〃I　just　want　to　copy　some　tapes。　Perhaps　someone　else　in　the　lab　can　help　me；〃　I　said。
　〃Ordinarily　yes；　but　I'm　afraid　it's　impossible　today。〃
　It　was　the　Japanese　wall。　Very　polite；　but　a　wall。　I　sighe