wt.theyearofthequietsun-第15章
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Chaney had vague knowledge of his political history。
Seabrooke had been governor of one of the Dakotas…memory refused to reveal which one…and was only narrowly defeated in his bid for a third term。 The man quickly turned up in Washington after the defeat and was appointed to a post in Agriculture： his party took care of its faithful。 Some years later he moved to another post in merce； and after several years he dropped into a policy…making office in the Bureau of Standards。 Today he sat beside the pooi； directing everything on station。
Chaney asked： 〃How's the battle going？〃
Which battle？
〃The one with the Senate submittee。 I suspect they're counting the dollars and the minutes。〃
The tight lips quavered； almost permitting a smile。 〃Eternal vigilance results in a healthy exchequer； Chaney。 But I am having some little difficulty with those people。 Science tends to frighten those who are infrequently exposed to it； while the practitioners of science are often the most misunderstood people in the world。 The project could be different if more imagination were brought into play。 If our researches were directly connected to the hostilities in Asia； if they would result in practical military hardware； we would be drowning in funds。〃 A gesture of discontent。 〃But we must fight for every dollar。 The military people and their war mand priority。〃
Chaney said： 〃But there is a connection。〃
〃I said this would be different if more imagination were brought into play；〃 Seabrooke reminded him dryly。 〃At this point； imagination is sadly lacking； the military mind often does not recognize a practical use until that use is thrust under the nose。 You may see an application and I believe I see one； but neither the Pentagon nor the Congress will recognize it for another dozen years。 We must pinch pennies and depend upon the good will of the President for our continued existence。〃
〃Ben Franklin's rocking chair didn't catch on for the longest time；〃 Chaney said。 But he saw a military application； and hoped the military never discovered it。
Seabrooke watched the woman in the water； following her lithe form as she raced away from Arthur Saltus。
〃I understand that you experienced some difficulty in making up your mind。〃
Chaney knew his meaning。 〃I'm not an unduly brave man； Mr。 Seabrooke。 I have my share of brass and bravado when I'm standing on familiar ground； but I'm not a really brave man。 I doubt that I could do what either of those men do every day； in their tours of duty。〃 A tiny fear of the future turned like a worm in his mind。 〃I'm not the hero type…I believe discretion is the better part of valor； I want to run while I'm still able。〃
〃But you stayed on in Israel uhder fire。〃
〃I did； but I was scared witless all the while。〃
Seabrooke turned。 〃Do you believe Israel will be defeated？ Do you believe this will end at Armageddon？〃
Flatly： 〃No。〃
〃You don't find it suggestive…？〃
〃No。 That land has been a battleground for something like five thousand years…ever since the first Egyptian army marching north met the first Sumerian army marching south。 Doom…criers marched with them； but don't fall into that trap。〃
〃But those old biblical prophets are rather severe； rather disturbing。〃
〃Those old prophets lived in a hard age and a hard land； they almost always lived under the boot of an invader。 Those old prophets owed allegiance to a government and a religion which were at odds with every other nation within marching distance； they invited punishment by demanding independence。〃 He repeated the warning。 〃Don't fall into that trap。 Don't try to take those prophets out of their age and fit them into the twentieth century。 They are obsolete。〃
Seabrooke said： 〃I suppose you're right。〃
〃I can predict the downfall of the United States； of every government on the North American continent。 Will you hang a medal on me for that？〃
Seabrooke was startled。 〃What do you mean？〃
〃I mean that all this will be dust in ten thousand years。 Name a single government； a single nation which has endured since the birth of civilization…say； five or six thousand years ago。〃
Slowly： 〃Yes。 I see the point。〃
〃Nothing endures。 The United States will not。 If we are fortunate we may endure at least as long as Jericho。〃
〃I know the name； of course。〃
Chaney doubted it。 〃Jericho is the oldest town in the world； the city half as old as time。 It was built in the Natufian period； but has been razed or burned and then rebuilt so many times that only an archeologist can tell the number。 But the town is still there and has been continuously inhabited for at least six thousand years。 The United States should be as lucky。 We may endure。〃
〃I fervently hope so！〃 Seabrooke declared。
Chaney braced him。 〃Then drop this Eschatos nonsense and worry about something worthwhile。 Worry about our violent swing to the extreme right； worry about these hippy…hunts； worry about a President who can't control his own party； much less the country。〃
Seabrooke made no ment。
Brian Chaney had pivoted in his chair and was again watching Kathryn van Hise playing in the water。 Her tanned flesh； only partially enclosed in a topless swim suit； was the target of many eyes。 Those transparent plastic cups some women now wore in place of a bra or a halter was only one of the many little jolts he'd known on his return to the States。 Israeli styles were much more conservative and he had half forgotten the American trend after three years' absence。 Chaney looked at the woman's wet body and felt something more than a twinge of jealousy； he wasn't entirely sure the cups were decent。 The swing to the ultra…conservative right was bound to catch up with feminine clothing sooner or later； and then he supposed legs would be covered to the ankle and the transparent cups and blouses would be museum pieces。
There would likely be other reactions in the ing years which would make some of his forecasts obsolete； the failure to anticipate a weak Administration was already throwing parts of the Indic report open to question。 His remendation for a renewable term trial marriage would probably be ignored…the program itself might be repealed before it got started if the howls frightened Congress。 The vociferous minority might easily swell to a majority。
To move off an unfortable spot of dead silence； he asked casually： 〃The TDV is operational？〃
〃Oh； yes。 It has been operational since an early hour this morning。 The years of planning and building and testing are done。 We are ready to forge ahead。〃
〃What took you so long？〃
Seabrooke turned heavily to look at him。 Blue…green eyes were hard。 〃Chaney； nine men have already died by that vehicle。 Would you have cared to be the tenth？〃
Shock。 〃No。〃
〃No。 Nor would anyone else。 The engineers had to test again and again until every last doubt was erased。 If any doubt had remained； the project would have been canceled and the vehicle dismantled。 We would have burned the blueprints； the studies； the cuff…notes； everything。 We would have wiped away every trace of the vehicle。 You know the rule： two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time。〃
〃That's elementary。〃
A curt nod。 〃It is so elementary that our engineers overlooked it； and nine men died when the vehicle returned to its point of origin； its precise second of launch； and attempted to occupy the same space。〃 His voice dropped。 〃Chaney； the most dreadful sight I have ever seen was the crash of an airliner on a Dakota hillside。 I was with a hunting party less than a mile away and watched it fall。 I was among the first to reach the wreckage。 There was no possibility of anyone surviving…none。〃 Hesitation。 〃The explosion in our laboratory was the second worst sight。 I was not there…I was in another building…but when I reached the laboratory I found a terrible repetition of that hillside catastrophe。 No man； no single piece of equipment was left intact。 The room was shattered。 We lost the engineer traveling with the vehicle and eight others on duty in the laboratory。 The vehicle returned to the exact moment； the exact millisecond of its departure and de
