wt.theyearofthequietsun-第19章

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nd　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。　Up　to　a　point。〃　He　stared　at　the　sleeping　Saltus。　〃After　that　point　the　repossession　of　the　vehicle　will　be　of　first　importance。〃
　　〃I　read　you；〃　Chaney　told　him。　〃We're　expendable；　the　bucket　isn't。〃
　　〃I　cannot　agree　to　that；　Mr。　Chaney。　I　prefer　to　say　that　at　the　expiration　of　fifty　hours　the　vehicle　will　be　recalled　to　enable　a　second　man　to　go　forward；　if　that　is　deemed　advisable；　to　effect　the　recovery　of　the　first。〃
　　〃If　he　can　be　found；〃　Chaney　added。
　　Flatly：　〃You　are　not　to　remain　on　target　beyond　the　arbitrary　fifty…hour　limit。　We　have　only　one　vehicle；　we　don't　wish　to　lose　it。〃
　　〃That　is　quite　sufficient；〃　Morcsby　assured　him。　〃We　can　do　the　job　in　half　that　time；　after　all。〃
　　Upon　pletion　of　their　assignment；　each　of　them　would　return　to　the　laboratory　sixty…one　seconds　after　the　original　launch；　whether　they　remained　on　target　one　hour　or　fifty。　The　elapsed　time　in　the　field　did　not　affect　their　return。　They　would　be　affected　only　by　the　elapsed　time　while　in　the　field；　those　few　hours　of　natural　aging　could　not　be　recaptured　or　neutralized　of　course。
　　The　necessities　and　some　few　of　the　luxuries　of　life　were　stored　in　the　shelter：　food；　medicines；　warm　clothing；　weapons；　money；　cameras　and　recorders；　shortwave　radios；　tools。　If　storage　batteries　capable　of　giving　service　for　ten　or　twenty　years　were　developed　in　the　near　future；　they　would　also　be　stocked　for　use。　The　radios　were　equipped　to　send　and　receive　on　both　military　and　civilian　channels；　they　could　be　powered　by　electricity　available　in　the　shelter　or　by　batteries　when　used　with　a　conversion　unit。　The　shelter　was　fitted　with　lead…in　wires；　permitting　the　radios　to　be　connected　to　an　outside　antenna；　but　once　outside　on　the　target　minitennas　built　into　the　instruments　would　serve　for　a　range　of　approximately　fifty　miles。　The　shelter　was　stocked　with　gasoline　lanterns　and　stoves；　a　fuel　tank　was　built　into　an　outside　wall。
　　After　emerging　from　the　vehicle；　each　man　was　to　close　the　hatch　and　carefully　note　the　time　and　date。　He　was　to　check　his　watch　against　the　wall　clock　for　accuracy　an