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diff --git a/35759-0.txt b/35759-0.txt index 0daddad..7cf253b 100644 --- a/35759-0.txt +++ b/35759-0.txt @@ -17,13 +17,13 @@ the good old days when he had hated the army. As usual, he smashed the thought out of his mind with a distinct sense of remorse. He looked up again at the seamed face of the Chief of Staff, General -Marcus Meriwether. "This could be serious," he said slowly, with a sick +Marcus Meriwether. “This could be serious,” he said slowly, with a sick sense of the statement’s inadequacy. An old tic suddenly returned, tugging at the left corner of his mouth. The deadly, unsmiling expression on Meriwether’s face did not change as -he slid more tightly into his chair. "You know as well as I that it -means the Interplanetary Confederation is ready to go to war with us." +he slid more tightly into his chair. “You know as well as I that it +means the Interplanetary Confederation is ready to go to war with us.” Walker stared at the typed statement on his desk. It was a decoded intelligence message from United Terra’s prime agent in the @@ -35,41 +35,41 @@ colonies of Mars and Venus, united now for twenty years in an economic league, had been itching for independence for a quarter of a century. The itch had developed into a mighty burning. -"You are fully aware," Meriwether continued, his face still set, "of our +“You are fully aware,” Meriwether continued, his face still set, “of our feeling that the Confederation has been eager to take on Terra. They’ve clearly been waiting for some positive advantage to offset our pure -strength-in-numbers." +strength-in-numbers.” [Illustration: __It was a touchable touching an untouchable. Both scientist and general were doing their own version of right....__] -Walker forced his eyes upward and stared at his superior. "Your tone -says that such a war might be—" +Walker forced his eyes upward and stared at his superior. “Your tone +says that such a war might be—” -"Unwelcome at this time. Unwelcome at this time." Meriwether shifted +“Unwelcome at this time. Unwelcome at this time.” Meriwether shifted around in his chair, and scratched at its leather arms with the -manicured tips of his gnarled fingers. "Walker, I don’t have to tell you +manicured tips of his gnarled fingers. “Walker, I don’t have to tell you that this weapon, if it is what our agent infers—and there is no reason to believe otherwise—that this weapon makes it impossible for us to go to war with the Confederation—unless, as Chief of Weapons Development, -you can tell me that we have something in our arsenal to combat it." +you can tell me that we have something in our arsenal to combat it.” -Walker rubbed at the tic. "Nothing," he said quietly. +Walker rubbed at the tic. “Nothing,” he said quietly. Meriwether leaned forward, his hands crooked backward against the chair -arms like catapult springs. "That answer is unacceptable. There are +arms like catapult springs. “That answer is unacceptable. There are other questions you must answer, Walker, questions in some ways even more important than that basic one. Why haven’t we developed this weapon ourselves? Why haven’t we been aware of its potential existence? Where are the defensive devices which would naturally develop from such -cognizance? These things are all your department, Walker." His voice -pitched upward an hysterical fraction. "It just doesn’t make sense, you +cognizance? These things are all your department, Walker.” His voice +pitched upward an hysterical fraction. “It just doesn’t make sense, you know. We’ve a hundred times the personnel, ten times the facilities, -unlimited funds—but they’ve beaten us to it." He stood up and pushed his +unlimited funds—but they’ve beaten us to it.” He stood up and pushed his chair back, eyes squinting out of a reddening face that seemed on the -point of bursting. "Why, Walker?" +point of bursting. “Why, Walker?” Once again Walker thought about how he had hated the army when he was a bright young physics student. That was a long time ago—So much had @@ -78,20 +78,20 @@ on the scientific mind. And so now, instead of a research scientist in white smock with textbook, he was a military administrator in smart greys with glittering stars of military rank. -"I’ll say this, Walker," Meriwether shouted, his voice breaking again. -"We’d better catch up quick. Mighty quick. Let’s put it this way. It +“I’ll say this, Walker,” Meriwether shouted, his voice breaking again. +“We’d better catch up quick. Mighty quick. Let’s put it this way. It might mean your rank and your job, Walker. But you won’t give a damn. Because we’ll have lost the war. We’ll have lost the colonies. And you -know what that would mean, Walker?" He bent forward across the desk, his -face exploding into Walker’s eyes. "Only a fool believes that United +know what that would mean, Walker?” He bent forward across the desk, his +face exploding into Walker’s eyes. “Only a fool believes that United Terra can survive in an economy without tri-planetary hegemony. -"Walker, you’ve all the authority within my power to grant. You’ll have -no trouble getting money. But—get the answer. _Quick._" +“Walker, you’ve all the authority within my power to grant. You’ll have +no trouble getting money. But—get the answer. _Quick._” -Walker blinked after him as he strode to the door. "I’ll try to hold off -a federal investigation as long as I can," Meriwether added, turning -from the half-opened door. "But I can’t guarantee a thing." +Walker blinked after him as he strode to the door. “I’ll try to hold off +a federal investigation as long as I can,” Meriwether added, turning +from the half-opened door. “But I can’t guarantee a thing.” ———— @@ -126,11 +126,11 @@ in magnetic field studies. A man he had instantly disliked. He bent forward and reread what he had scrawled in his last notes, a verbatim extract from the report of the security committee. -"It is clear that Dr. Millet’s conversations and letters with Professor +“It is clear that Dr. Millet’s conversations and letters with Professor Greyman, together with his unrepentant attitude, render him a security risk. His various security clearances are therefore revoked, and he is hereafter prohibited access to all classified files and to any -government research and development laboratory." +government research and development laboratory.” Since virtually all laboratories were government supported, that was to all intents and purposes the end of Millet’s career as an experimental @@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ last quarter-inch of his cigarette and poured himself another cup of cold black coffee. One big thing: Millet had been directing development along lines that would have led to the neural weapon; he had even signed a report, early in his project effort, which had referred to the -possibility of "a neural device." +possibility of “a neural device.” Had he gone over to the Confederation? It would account for their possession of the weapon now. But surely—_surely_, this fact would have @@ -207,26 +207,26 @@ wearing work clothes and holding a pair of heavy soiled gloves in his left hand, standing on the ground by the end of the porch. He was nearly bald, intensely bronzed, and he was smiling. -"Wondered when you’d see me." He nodded toward the gate. "I was standing -right there when you came up. You just breezed right past." His smile -broadened. "You were so interested in being surprised that you couldn’t -see what you came for." +“Wondered when you’d see me.” He nodded toward the gate. “I was standing +right there when you came up. You just breezed right past.” His smile +broadened. “You were so interested in being surprised that you couldn’t +see what you came for.” -"It must have been that damned glare," muttered Walker, shaking his -head. Then, impolitely, "Are you Millet?" +“It must have been that damned glare,” muttered Walker, shaking his +head. Then, impolitely, “Are you Millet?” -"Otto Millet," the other replied, inclining his head slightly. "You’re -from the government. I can tell because of the uniform, you see." Walker -flushed. "The government hasn’t thought about me in a number of years," +“Otto Millet,” the other replied, inclining his head slightly. “You’re +from the government. I can tell because of the uniform, you see.” Walker +flushed. “The government hasn’t thought about me in a number of years,” the scientist added. He came up onto the porch and peered at the symbol -on the left lapel of Walker’s jacket. "Ah! Alma mater. Weapons -Development." He squinted at Walker. "David Walker, I presume?" He -chuckled loudly but Walker failed to see the humor. "I remember you, you -see; what a shame you can’t return the compliment." +on the left lapel of Walker’s jacket. “Ah! Alma mater. Weapons +Development.” He squinted at Walker. “David Walker, I presume?” He +chuckled loudly but Walker failed to see the humor. “I remember you, you +see; what a shame you can’t return the compliment.” -"It’s hot out here," complained Walker, in growing discomfort. +“It’s hot out here,” complained Walker, in growing discomfort. -Millet opened the door. "Won’t you come in? It’s better inside." +Millet opened the door. “Won’t you come in? It’s better inside.” There it was again, thought Walker; the insolence, the imperturbable smile. He grunted and went in; it was, mercifully, considerably cooler. @@ -244,215 +244,215 @@ was clean but—not old; _lived with_. Walker went over to the wall map and peered closely. -"One of Waterson’s first," remarked Millet, closing the door. "Sit down, +“One of Waterson’s first,” remarked Millet, closing the door. “Sit down, Walker, and tell me all about Weapons Development. How is the mass -murder department doing these days?" +murder department doing these days?” Walker felt his ears redden and he was arrested in the very act of -sitting down. "Really," he said, "it’s not something we _like_ to think -about, you know." +sitting down. “Really,” he said, “it’s not something we _like_ to think +about, you know.” -"Suppose not." Millet fiddled with several pipes in a rack beside his +“Suppose not.” Millet fiddled with several pipes in a rack beside his chair, selected one, and began filling it with rough-cut tobacco from a -battered canister. "To business, then. Why the visit?" +battered canister. “To business, then. Why the visit?” Walker cleared his throat and tried to remember the little prefatory weasel words he had painfully assembled during the flight from Omaha. -"First of all, Dr. Millet, I find myself a little embarrassed. After +“First of all, Dr. Millet, I find myself a little embarrassed. After all, your parting from government service was not of the happiest nature -for you—" +for you—” -"Don’t be foolish. Happiest day of my life, Walker." +“Don’t be foolish. Happiest day of my life, Walker.” Walker had a sudden sense of being impaled, and the rest of the little speech was dissipated in the wave of shock which swept over him. He -forced his mouth shut, and gasped, "You’re not serious!" +forced his mouth shut, and gasped, “You’re not serious!” Millet shook out his second match and puffed until the pipe bowl glowed -warmly, edge to edge. "Of course I’m serious." He jabbed his pipe at -Walker. "You like your job?" +warmly, edge to edge. “Of course I’m serious.” He jabbed his pipe at +Walker. “You like your job?” -"It’s a job that has to be done." +“It’s a job that has to be done.” -Millet smiled and shrugged. "You haven’t really answered my question." +Millet smiled and shrugged. “You haven’t really answered my question.” Walker, sensing that he had already lost control of the conversation, -waved his hands in dismissal. "Well, that is not really important. The +waved his hands in dismissal. “Well, that is not really important. The fact remains, you did leave Weapons Development at the ... ah ... -request of the government." +request of the government.” -"Talk on, talk on—you’ll get to the point eventually. When you’re +“Talk on, talk on—you’ll get to the point eventually. When you’re through, I’d like to show you around the place. I’m very proud of my -gardens. You’re sort of responsible for them, you know." +gardens. You’re sort of responsible for them, you know.” -Walker set his jaw and bored ahead. "However, at the time you left -government service, you were pursuing certain lines of research—" +Walker set his jaw and bored ahead. “However, at the time you left +government service, you were pursuing certain lines of research—” -Millet leaned back and began laughing, his eyes squinted shut. "Walker, -don’t tell me they want me _back_!" +Millet leaned back and began laughing, his eyes squinted shut. “Walker, +don’t tell me they want me _back_!” -It seemed his chance to dominate the discussion again. "I don’t think -you’d be allowed back." +It seemed his chance to dominate the discussion again. “I don’t think +you’d be allowed back.” -"Good," said Millet, looking up, his laughter fading into a smile. "I -was a bit concerned for a moment." +“Good,” said Millet, looking up, his laughter fading into a smile. “I +was a bit concerned for a moment.” There was silence in the room. Walker began to wish that he were somewhere else: Millet simply baffled him. He obviously did not care about his disgrace. Walker felt a resurgence of the old resentment. -Millet’s face suddenly became very kindly. "Perhaps, as a fellow -scientist"—Walker almost winced, and knew, furiously, that his response -had shown—"you would be interested in knowing what I’ve been doing since -my unhappy marriage with bureaucracy ended." +Millet’s face suddenly became very kindly. “Perhaps, as a fellow +scientist”—Walker almost winced, and knew, furiously, that his response +had shown—“you would be interested in knowing what I’ve been doing since +my unhappy marriage with bureaucracy ended.” -It was a welcome gambit, and Walker accepted it eagerly. "I certainly -would. One of the reasons I came here, as a matter of fact." +It was a welcome gambit, and Walker accepted it eagerly. “I certainly +would. One of the reasons I came here, as a matter of fact.” -Millet waved his pipe. "Good. Afterwards, you can stop beating around -the bush, eh?" +Millet waved his pipe. “Good. Afterwards, you can stop beating around +the bush, eh?” -"Yes, of course," mumbled Walker. +“Yes, of course,” mumbled Walker. -"You know," said Millet as he got up and went to a bookcase, "a man’s -got to earn a living. Do much reading?" +“You know,” said Millet as he got up and went to a bookcase, “a man’s +got to earn a living. Do much reading?” -"Not these days. Used to." He scratched a cigarette on the sole of his -shoe and inhaled hugely. "Not enough time these days for reading." +“Not these days. Used to.” He scratched a cigarette on the sole of his +shoe and inhaled hugely. “Not enough time these days for reading.” Millet reached into the bookcase and came out with a stack of magazines. -"Well, that’s how I make my living." He handed the stack to Walker. -"Writing. Use a pen name of course." He chuckled. "Write -everything—always happiest doing science fiction, though." +“Well, that’s how I make my living.” He handed the stack to Walker. +“Writing. Use a pen name of course.” He chuckled. “Write +everything—always happiest doing science fiction, though.” -Walker flipped through the magazines; he looked up. "Obviously, you’re -doing rather well at it." +Walker flipped through the magazines; he looked up. “Obviously, you’re +doing rather well at it.” -"Have been for the last seven or eight years. Lot of fun." +“Have been for the last seven or eight years. Lot of fun.” -"And this has been your life since you left us?" Walker set the stack of -magazines aside. "Seems a waste of genius, somehow." +“And this has been your life since you left us?” Walker set the stack of +magazines aside. “Seems a waste of genius, somehow.” -"As a matter of fact, this is not my life’s work. As I said, a man’s got +“As a matter of fact, this is not my life’s work. As I said, a man’s got to earn a living. This is just a lucrative hobby that pays the way. You -see, I’ve been involved in an expensive research program." +see, I’ve been involved in an expensive research program.” -"Ah." Walker sat forward and smashed out his cigarette. "This may be -important." +“Ah.” Walker sat forward and smashed out his cigarette. “This may be +important.” -"Oh, it is, it is. But not, I am afraid, in the way you mean." +“Oh, it is, it is. But not, I am afraid, in the way you mean.” -"You can never tell. What have you been doing?" +“You can never tell. What have you been doing?” -"Completing a unified theory of life. Why a crystal grows but isn’t +“Completing a unified theory of life. Why a crystal grows but isn’t alive, why an organism that dies isn’t like a crystal. What is the process we call life? What is its relationship to the space-time -continuum—" +continuum—” He said it so casually that Walker was caught off his guard completely. -"Are you serious, Millet?" he said. +“Are you serious, Millet?” he said. -"Certainly. I expect to publish in about two years." +“Certainly. I expect to publish in about two years.” -"Is this an independent effort?" +“Is this an independent effort?” -"Not entirely. Others have contributed. Some pioneers long dead, some -among the living." His eyes twinkled. "You see, important things beside +“Not entirely. Others have contributed. Some pioneers long dead, some +among the living.” His eyes twinkled. “You see, important things beside the development of weapons of destruction do continue in the scientific world. Did you think that was the end of everything for me, ten years -ago?" He shook his head in mock gravity. "It was just the beginning. I -_wanted_ out, you see." +ago?” He shook his head in mock gravity. “It was just the beginning. I +_wanted_ out, you see.” -"You wanted out?" Walker leaned forward, unwilling to believe what he -had heard. "Are you trying to tell me that you _arranged_ your -discharge?" +“You wanted out?” Walker leaned forward, unwilling to believe what he +had heard. “Are you trying to tell me that you _arranged_ your +discharge?” -Millet shrugged. "Why, of course. Nobody ever has bothered to ask me +Millet shrugged. “Why, of course. Nobody ever has bothered to ask me about that up to now, but I certainly did arrange it. It wasn’t hard, you know. All I had to do was set up some sort of relationship with a -so-called security risk, and I was on my way out." +so-called security risk, and I was on my way out.” -"Why ... that’s damned near treason." +“Why ... that’s damned near treason.” -"Don’t be silly. I had other important things to do. In order to do +“Don’t be silly. I had other important things to do. In order to do them—to continue work on the unified life theory—it was necessary for me to contact scientists with whom professional relationships were made illegal by security regulations. The choice was simple; besides, I didn’t enjoy the idea of spending my life developing ways of destroying -the very thing I wanted most to understand." +the very thing I wanted most to understand.” -"This is fantastic, Millet, utterly fantastic." +“This is fantastic, Millet, utterly fantastic.” -"But true nonetheless. Walker, you look like you could use a drink." +“But true nonetheless. Walker, you look like you could use a drink.” -"By all means." He stared emptily into the air, thinking about the good +“By all means.” He stared emptily into the air, thinking about the good old days. -"Walker, a toast," said Millet, holding a tall glass out to him. "To -scientific freedom." +“Walker, a toast,” said Millet, holding a tall glass out to him. “To +scientific freedom.” -Walker blinked. "By all means," he repeated hoarsely, and there was a -blurriness to his vision. "To scientific freedom." +Walker blinked. “By all means,” he repeated hoarsely, and there was a +blurriness to his vision. “To scientific freedom.” -They drank, and Walker said: "I feel a bit freer to say what I have come -for." +They drank, and Walker said: “I feel a bit freer to say what I have come +for.” -"Shoot," nodded Millet, sipping his drink. +“Shoot,” nodded Millet, sipping his drink. -"For security reasons, I’ll talk in generalities. But the basic fact is, +“For security reasons, I’ll talk in generalities. But the basic fact is, United Terra is faced with a serious situation. It is most desirable -that the research you were conducting when you left us, be continued." +that the research you were conducting when you left us, be continued.” -"There are a lot of other capable physicists, both eager to be a part of -such activity and blessed with security clearances." +“There are a lot of other capable physicists, both eager to be a part of +such activity and blessed with security clearances.” -"You know very well, Millet, that this was an unique, almost independent -line of development that comes to a stop in your brain. Besides," and -suddenly he felt silly, "the lines of communication for research which +“You know very well, Millet, that this was an unique, almost independent +line of development that comes to a stop in your brain. Besides,” and +suddenly he felt silly, “the lines of communication for research which might enable us to pick up where you left off, in time—too much time—are -somewhat entangled in security." He glared. "Don’t laugh, Millet; it’s a -fact of life which must be faced." +somewhat entangled in security.” He glared. “Don’t laugh, Millet; it’s a +fact of life which must be faced.” -Millet finished his drink and set the glass on an end table. "What -you’re doing is asking me to come back if you can arrange it." +Millet finished his drink and set the glass on an end table. “What +you’re doing is asking me to come back if you can arrange it.” -Walker spread his hands. "Dr. Millet, you have put it in a nutshell." +Walker spread his hands. “Dr. Millet, you have put it in a nutshell.” Millet shook his head, and for the first time since their conversation -had started he frowned. "Walker, you know how I feel about developing -weapons. I’m just plain opposed to it." +had started he frowned. “Walker, you know how I feel about developing +weapons. I’m just plain opposed to it.” -"The soldier is opposed to losing his life, but many have to do just -that in the interests of civilization." +“The soldier is opposed to losing his life, but many have to do just +that in the interests of civilization.” -"That serious, eh?" +“That serious, eh?” -Walker crumpled under the weight of his fear. "That serious," he said +Walker crumpled under the weight of his fear. “That serious,” he said wearily. -Millet thoughtfully relit his pipe. "Of course, I’m not at all sure that -United Terra is very right in this thing." +Millet thoughtfully relit his pipe. “Of course, I’m not at all sure that +United Terra is very right in this thing.” -"In times like these, that kind of thought is out of bounds," snapped -Walker. "Whether you like it or not, you are a part of this culture. You +“In times like these, that kind of thought is out of bounds,” snapped +Walker. “Whether you like it or not, you are a part of this culture. You might disapprove of many things in it, but you don’t want to see it -fall." +fall.” -Millet puffed gently. "No, I suppose not." Again the frown flickered -across his face. "I’ve been very happy. I don’t want my work -interrupted. It’s too important, Walker." +Millet puffed gently. “No, I suppose not.” Again the frown flickered +across his face. “I’ve been very happy. I don’t want my work +interrupted. It’s too important, Walker.” -"Undoubtedly this would more than interrupt your work. It would replace -it." +“Undoubtedly this would more than interrupt your work. It would replace +it.” -Millet’s eyes drifted affectionately about the room. "Most unpleasant." -A smile curled his lips. "Frankly, though, I don’t think you can clear -me again." +Millet’s eyes drifted affectionately about the room. “Most unpleasant.” +A smile curled his lips. “Frankly, though, I don’t think you can clear +me again.” -"My problem." +“My problem.” -"Indeed." A weary resignation seemed to settle over Millet, and Walker -suddenly felt very miserable. "I suppose I’ll have to accept," Millet +“Indeed.” A weary resignation seemed to settle over Millet, and Walker +suddenly felt very miserable. “I suppose I’ll have to accept,” Millet said, pulling his pipe out of his mouth and staring unhappily at its trail of smoke. @@ -475,9 +475,9 @@ scowled, depressed the cancel button, and dialed again; this time, the black was finally replaced by a recorded image, which said, sweetly out of pouting red lips, -"This line is not cleared for the Security Information you seek. The +“This line is not cleared for the Security Information you seek. The problem you are handling should be routed through an individual -permitted access to this information." The image faded into blackness, +permitted access to this information.” The image faded into blackness, the sound track into static. Walker stared, stupefied. No line, no contact, no source of information @@ -490,19 +490,19 @@ He felt sickness strike him like a fist in the stomach: Meriwether, flanked by two security guards, pushed through the door. His voice slashed across the office like a broadsword. -"Walker, I’m shocked. Shocked. And at a time like this...." +“Walker, I’m shocked. Shocked. And at a time like this....” -Walker pounded his desk. "What the hell is going on? I can’t get +Walker pounded his desk. “What the hell is going on? I can’t get Security Data, you come marching in here with security men ... what -gives?" +gives?” Meriwether gestured to the guards, and they came forward and each took -one of Walker’s arms. "You’re out of a job, Walker," snarled General +one of Walker’s arms. “You’re out of a job, Walker,” snarled General Marcus Meriwether. -"In the name of God, _why_?" +“In the name of God, _why_?” -"You know very well. Take him to security detention, Sergeant." +“You know very well. Take him to security detention, Sergeant.” And suddenly he knew. Meriwether stared indignantly when he started laughing. It was a hell of a thing to laugh at, but it was also the most @@ -525,4 +525,4 @@ Transcribers note: This etext was produced from If Worlds of Science Fiction February 1958. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 35759 *** +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 35759 ***
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