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diff --git a/35759-h/35759-h.htm b/35759-h/35759-h.htm index 6bc52ec..e71dc36 100644 --- a/35759-h/35759-h.htm +++ b/35759-h/35759-h.htm @@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ <meta content="width=device-width" name="viewport"/> <meta content="EpubMaker 0.3 by Marcello Perathoner <webmaster@gutenberg.org>" name="generator"/> <style type="text/css"> -/* +/* Project Gutenberg common docutils stylesheet. This stylesheet contains styles common to HTML and EPUB. Put styles @@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ p { margin: 1.5em 0 } .title, .subtitle { page-break-inside: avoid; page-break-after: avoid } -.titlepage, +.titlepage, #pg-header { page-break-inside: avoid } /* SECTIONS */ @@ -130,9 +130,9 @@ hr.docutils { margin: 1.5em 40%; border: none; border-bottom: 1px solid black; .title.with-subtitle { margin-bottom: 0 } .subtitle { margin: 1.5em 0 } -/* ugly hack to give more specifity. +/* ugly hack to give more specifity. because ADE chokes on !important */ -.first.first { margin-top: 0 } +.first.first { margin-top: 0 } .last.last { margin-bottom: 0 } /* header font style */ @@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ h6.title, p.subtitle.level-5 { font-size: 60%; margin-top: 3.5em; margin-botto /* title page */ -h1.document-title, +h1.document-title, p.document-subtitle { text-align: center } div.titlepage, @@ -164,9 +164,9 @@ ul.open li, ol.open li { margin-bottom: 1.5em } p.attribution { margin-top: 0; text-align: right } -.example-rendered { +.example-rendered { margin: 1em 5%; border: 1px dotted red; padding: 1em; background-color: #ffd } -.literal-block.example-source { +.literal-block.example-source { margin: 1em 5%; border: 1px dotted blue; padding: 1em; background-color: #eef } /* DROPCAPS */ @@ -306,11 +306,11 @@ table.table thead { border: 1px solid black; border-width: 2px 0 0 } table.table tbody { border: 1px solid black; border-width: 2px 0 } table.table tr { border: 1px solid black; border-width: 0 0 1px } table.table tr.last { border-width: 0 } -table.table td, +table.table td, table.table th { padding: 1ex 1em; vertical-align: middle } table.table.norules tr { border-width: 0 } -table.table.norules td, +table.table.norules td, table.table.norules th { padding: 0.5ex 1em } table.table.norules tr.first td { padding-top: 1ex } table.table.norules tr.last td { padding-bottom: 1ex } @@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ table.docinfo { table.docutils { } -tr.footnote.footnote td, tr.footnote.footnote th { +tr.footnote.footnote td, tr.footnote.footnote th { padding: 0 0.5em 1.5em; } @@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ ul.auto-toc { list-style-type: none } </style> <style type="text/css"> -/* +/* Project Gutenberg HTML docutils stylesheet. This stylesheet contains styles specific to HTML. @@ -392,9 +392,9 @@ div.shrinkwrap { display: table; } body { margin: 5% 10% 5% 10% } /* compact list items containing just one p */ -li p.pfirst { margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0 } +li p.pfirst { margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0 } -.first { margin-top: 0 !important } +.first { margin-top: 0 !important } .last { margin-bottom: 0 !important } .dropcap { float: left; } @@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ img.dropcap { margin: 0 0.5em 0 0; } /* PAGINATION */ @media screen { - .coverpage, .frontispiece, .titlepage, .verso, + .coverpage, .frontispiece, .titlepage, .verso, .contents, .foreword, .preface, .introduction, .dedication, .prologue, .epilogue, .appendix, .glossary, .bibliography, .index, .colophon, .footnotes, .plainpage @@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ img.dropcap { margin: 0 0.5em 0 0; } .frontispiece, .verso, .plainpage, .section.level-2, .clearpage { page-break-before: always; padding-top: 1px } - .coverpage, .titlepage, + .coverpage, .titlepage, .contents, .foreword, .preface, .introduction, .dedication, .prologue, .epilogue, .appendix, .glossary, .bibliography, .index, .colophon, .footnotes, @@ -438,6 +438,7 @@ pre { font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.9em; white-space: pre-wrap </head> <body> <div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 35759 ***</div> + <div class="document" id="security-risk"> <h1 class="document-title level-1 pfirst title">SECURITY RISK</h1> </div> @@ -448,7 +449,7 @@ pre { font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.9em; white-space: pre-wrap <div class="vspace" style="height: 1em"> </div> </div> -</div> + <div class="center line-block noindent outermost"> <div class="line"><span class="x-large">SECURITY RISK</span></div> <div class="line"> </div> @@ -465,23 +466,23 @@ out of his mind with a distinct sense of remorse.</p> <p class="pnext">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 sense of the statement's +General 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.</p> <p class="pnext">The deadly, unsmiling expression -on Meriwether's face did not +on Meriwether’s face did not change as he slid more tightly into -his chair. "You know as well as I +his chair. “You know as well as I that it means the Interplanetary Confederation is ready to go to war -with us."</p> +with us.”</p> <p class="pnext">Walker stared at the typed statement on his desk. It was a decoded intelligence message from United -Terra's prime agent in the Interplanetary +Terra’s prime agent in the Interplanetary Confederation, and it was very brief: the Confederation had developed a long-range neural @@ -496,13 +497,13 @@ in an economic league, had been itching for independence for a quarter of a century. The itch had developed into a mighty burning.</p> -<p class="pnext">"You are fully aware," Meriwether +<p class="pnext">“You are fully aware,” Meriwether continued, his face still set, -"of our feeling that the Confederation +“of our feeling that the Confederation has been eager to take on -Terra. They've clearly been waiting +Terra. They’ve clearly been waiting for some positive advantage to offset -our pure strength-in-numbers."</p> +our pure strength-in-numbers.”</p> <div class="align-center auto-scaled figure" style="margin-left: 43%; width: 13%" id="figure-2"> <img style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="images/im1.png" src="images/im1.png" width="100%"/> <div class="caption italics"> @@ -513,15 +514,15 @@ were doing their own version of right....</em></div> </div> <p class="pfirst">Walker forced his eyes upward -and stared at his superior. "Your +and stared at his superior. “Your tone says that such a war might -be—"</p> -<p class="pnext">"Unwelcome at this time. Unwelcome -at this time." Meriwether +be—”</p> +<p class="pnext">“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 +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 @@ -530,34 +531,34 @@ 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."</p> -<p class="pnext">Walker rubbed at the tic. "Nothing," +our arsenal to combat it.”</p> +<p class="pnext">Walker rubbed at the tic. “Nothing,” he said quietly.</p> <p class="pnext">Meriwether leaned forward, his hands crooked backward against the chair arms like catapult springs. -"That answer is unacceptable. +“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 +that basic one. Why haven’t we developed this weapon ourselves? -Why haven't we been aware of its +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 +department, Walker.” His voice pitched upward an hysterical fraction. -"It just doesn't make sense, -you know. We've a hundred times +“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 +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?"</p> +“Why, Walker?”</p> <p class="pnext">Once again Walker thought about how he had hated the army when he was a bright young physics @@ -570,31 +571,31 @@ research scientist in white smock with textbook, he was a military administrator in smart greys with glittering stars of military rank.</p> -<p class="pnext">"I'll say this, Walker," Meriwether +<p class="pnext">“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. +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. +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 +mean, Walker?” He bent forward across the desk, his face exploding -into Walker's eyes. "Only a fool believes +into Walker’s eyes. “Only a fool believes that United Terra can survive in an economy without tri-planetary hegemony.</p> -<p class="pnext">"Walker, you've all the authority -within my power to grant. You'll +<p class="pnext">“Walker, you’ve all the authority +within my power to grant. You’ll have no trouble getting money. But—get -the answer. <em class="italics">Quick.</em>"</p> +the answer. <em class="italics">Quick.</em>”</p> <p class="pnext">Walker blinked after him as he -strode to the door. "I'll try to hold +strode to the door. “I’ll try to hold off a federal investigation as long -as I can," Meriwether added, turning +as I can,” Meriwether added, turning from the half-opened door. -"But I can't guarantee a thing."</p> +“But I can’t guarantee a thing.”</p> <hr class="docutils"/> <p class="pfirst">Walker sat alone in a cubicle of light in the darkened city and @@ -607,7 +608,7 @@ thumbed through the sheaf of scribbled notes he had transcribed from stacks of documents and racks of spools from Security files. Clearly, -he had the answer to Meriwether's +he had the answer to Meriwether’s questions. But, having it, he did not quite know what to do with it.</p> <p class="pnext">There was, however, no doubt at @@ -645,7 +646,7 @@ had instantly disliked.</p> what he had scrawled in his last notes, a verbatim extract from the report of the security committee.</p> -<p class="pnext">"It is clear that Dr. Millet's +<p class="pnext">“It is clear that Dr. Millet’s conversations and letters with Professor Greyman, together with his unrepentant attitude, render him a @@ -654,11 +655,11 @@ clearances are therefore revoked, and he is hereafter prohibited access to all classified files and to any government research and development -laboratory."</p> +laboratory.”</p> <p class="pnext">Since virtually all laboratories were government supported, that was to all intents and purposes the -end of Millet's career as an experimental +end of Millet’s career as an experimental physicist.</p> <p class="pnext">Where had Millet gone? What had he done since? Walker scraped @@ -669,8 +670,8 @@ what was he doing now?</p> clouds of smoke skewing across the room. Had the man really been a traitor? Walker tried to place himself -in the time of Millet's hearing. -He'd been not too many years out +in the time of Millet’s hearing. +He’d been not too many years out of school then, with the bitterness of his frustrated ambition to be a research physicist still rankling him; @@ -696,7 +697,7 @@ 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."</p> +of “a neural device.”</p> <p class="pnext">Had he gone over to the Confederation? It would account for their possession of the weapon now. @@ -720,7 +721,7 @@ exactly twenty-nine hours to locate Dr. Otto Millet. Thirty minutes later, Walker was climbing out of a government helicopter and -staring at Millet's small house +staring at Millet’s small house through squinted eyes which he shielded with both hands against the blazing desert sun. The house @@ -732,7 +733,7 @@ of the house bothered him a little: it had passed out of popularity thirty years before. Its lack of a conventional roofport had forced -them to land the 'copter on the +them to land the ’copter on the desert itself.</p> <p class="pnext">He straightened and pushed through the creaking gate. Flagstone @@ -757,7 +758,7 @@ desert sun.</p> door with his fist. There was no answer.</p> <p class="pnext"><em class="italics">Damn Millet</em>, he thought, wiping -his forehead again. Why couldn't +his forehead again. Why couldn’t the man have a videophone like any normal person so you could find out if he were home without @@ -771,39 +772,39 @@ in his left hand, standing on the ground by the end of the porch. He was nearly bald, intensely bronzed, and he was smiling.</p> -<p class="pnext">"Wondered when you'd see me." -He nodded toward the gate. "I was +<p class="pnext">“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 +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."</p> -<p class="pnext">"It must have been that damned -glare," muttered Walker, shaking -his head. Then, impolitely, "Are -you Millet?"</p> -<p class="pnext">"Otto Millet," the other replied, -inclining his head slightly. "You're +you couldn’t see what you came +for.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“It must have been that damned +glare,” muttered Walker, shaking +his head. Then, impolitely, “Are +you Millet?”</p> +<p class="pnext">“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. +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 +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."</p> -<p class="pnext">"It's hot out here," complained +humor. “I remember you, you see; +what a shame you can’t return the +compliment.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“It’s hot out here,” complained Walker, in growing discomfort.</p> -<p class="pnext">Millet opened the door. "Won't -you come in? It's better inside."</p> +<p class="pnext">Millet opened the door. “Won’t +you come in? It’s better inside.”</p> <p class="pnext">There it was again, thought Walker; the insolence, the imperturbable smile. He grunted and @@ -831,180 +832,180 @@ The furniture was clean but—not old; <em class="italics">lived with</em>.</p> <p class="pnext">Walker went over to the wall map and peered closely.</p> -<p class="pnext">"One of Waterson's first," remarked +<p class="pnext">“One of Waterson’s first,” remarked Millet, closing the door. -"Sit down, Walker, and tell me all +“Sit down, Walker, and tell me all about Weapons Development. How is the mass murder department doing -these days?"</p> +these days?”</p> <p class="pnext">Walker felt his ears redden and he was arrested in the very act of -sitting down. "Really," he said, "it's +sitting down. “Really,” he said, “it’s not something we <em class="italics">like</em> to think -about, you know."</p> -<p class="pnext">"Suppose not." Millet fiddled +about, you know.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“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?"</p> +from a battered canister. “To +business, then. Why the visit?”</p> <p class="pnext">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 +Omaha. “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—"</p> -<p class="pnext">"Don't be foolish. Happiest day -of my life, Walker."</p> +nature for you—”</p> +<p class="pnext">“Don’t be foolish. Happiest day +of my life, Walker.”</p> <p class="pnext">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!"</p> +gasped, “You’re not serious!”</p> <p class="pnext">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?"</p> -<p class="pnext">"It's a job that has to be done."</p> +“Of course I’m serious.” He jabbed +his pipe at Walker. “You like your +job?”</p> +<p class="pnext">“It’s a job that has to be done.”</p> <p class="pnext">Millet smiled and shrugged. -"You haven't really answered my -question."</p> +“You haven’t really answered my +question.”</p> <p class="pnext">Walker, sensing that he had already lost control of the conversation, waved his hands in dismissal. -"Well, that is not really important. +“Well, that is not really important. The fact remains, you did leave Weapons Development at the ... -ah ... request of the government."</p> -<p class="pnext">"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."</p> +ah ... request of the government.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“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.”</p> <p class="pnext">Walker set his jaw and bored -ahead. "However, at the time you +ahead. “However, at the time you left government service, you were -pursuing certain lines of research—"</p> +pursuing certain lines of research—”</p> <p class="pnext">Millet leaned back and began laughing, his eyes squinted shut. -"Walker, don't tell me they want -me <em class="italics">back</em>!"</p> +“Walker, don’t tell me they want +me <em class="italics">back</em>!”</p> <p class="pnext">It seemed his chance to dominate -the discussion again. "I don't think -you'd be allowed back."</p> -<p class="pnext">"Good," said Millet, looking up, +the discussion again. “I don’t think +you’d be allowed back.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“Good,” said Millet, looking up, his laughter fading into a smile. -"I was a bit concerned for a moment."</p> +“I was a bit concerned for a moment.”</p> <p class="pnext">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.</p> -<p class="pnext">Millet's face suddenly became -very kindly. "Perhaps, as a fellow -scientist"—Walker almost winced, +<p class="pnext">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 +response had shown—“you would +be interested in knowing what I’ve been doing since my unhappy marriage -with bureaucracy ended."</p> +with bureaucracy ended.”</p> <p class="pnext">It was a welcome gambit, and -Walker accepted it eagerly. "I certainly +Walker accepted it eagerly. “I certainly would. One of the reasons I -came here, as a matter of fact."</p> -<p class="pnext">Millet waved his pipe. "Good. +came here, as a matter of fact.”</p> +<p class="pnext">Millet waved his pipe. “Good. Afterwards, you can stop beating -around the bush, eh?"</p> -<p class="pnext">"Yes, of course," mumbled +around the bush, eh?”</p> +<p class="pnext">“Yes, of course,” mumbled Walker.</p> -<p class="pnext">"You know," said Millet as he -got up and went to a bookcase, "a -man's got to earn a living. Do much -reading?"</p> -<p class="pnext">"Not these days. Used to." He +<p class="pnext">“You know,” said Millet as he +got up and went to a bookcase, “a +man’s got to earn a living. Do much +reading?”</p> +<p class="pnext">“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."</p> +his shoe and inhaled hugely. “Not +enough time these days for reading.”</p> <p class="pnext">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 +“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."</p> +science fiction, though.”</p> <p class="pnext">Walker flipped through the -magazines; he looked up. "Obviously, -you're doing rather well at -it."</p> -<p class="pnext">"Have been for the last seven or -eight years. Lot of fun."</p> -<p class="pnext">"And this has been your life -since you left us?" Walker set the -stack of magazines aside. "Seems a -waste of genius, somehow."</p> -<p class="pnext">"As a matter of fact, this is not -my life's work. As I said, a man's +magazines; he looked up. “Obviously, +you’re doing rather well at +it.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“Have been for the last seven or +eight years. Lot of fun.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“And this has been your life +since you left us?” Walker set the +stack of magazines aside. “Seems a +waste of genius, somehow.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“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."</p> -<p class="pnext">"Ah." Walker sat forward and -smashed out his cigarette. "This -may be important."</p> -<p class="pnext">"Oh, it is, it is. But not, I am -afraid, in the way you mean."</p> -<p class="pnext">"You can never tell. What have -you been doing?"</p> -<p class="pnext">"Completing a unified theory of -life. Why a crystal grows but isn't +You see, I’ve been involved in an +expensive research program.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“Ah.” Walker sat forward and +smashed out his cigarette. “This +may be important.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“Oh, it is, it is. But not, I am +afraid, in the way you mean.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“You can never tell. What have +you been doing?”</p> +<p class="pnext">“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 +isn’t like a crystal. What is the process we call life? What is its relationship -to the space-time continuum—"</p> +to the space-time continuum—”</p> <p class="pnext">He said it so casually that Walker was caught off his guard completely. -"Are you serious, Millet?" he +“Are you serious, Millet?” he said.</p> -<p class="pnext">"Certainly. I expect to publish in -about two years."</p> -<p class="pnext">"Is this an independent effort?"</p> -<p class="pnext">"Not entirely. Others have contributed. +<p class="pnext">“Certainly. I expect to publish in +about two years.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“Is this an independent effort?”</p> +<p class="pnext">“Not entirely. Others have contributed. Some pioneers long dead, -some among the living." His eyes -twinkled. "You see, important +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 +for me, ten years ago?” He +shook his head in mock gravity. “It was just the beginning. I <em class="italics">wanted</em> -out, you see."</p> -<p class="pnext">"You wanted out?" Walker +out, you see.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“You wanted out?” Walker leaned forward, unwilling to believe -what he had heard. "Are you +what he had heard. “Are you trying to tell me that you <em class="italics">arranged</em> -your discharge?"</p> -<p class="pnext">Millet shrugged. "Why, of course. +your discharge?”</p> +<p class="pnext">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 +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."</p> -<p class="pnext">"Why ... that's damned near -treason."</p> -<p class="pnext">"Don't be silly. I had other important +was on my way out.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“Why ... that’s damned near +treason.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“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 @@ -1012,101 +1013,101 @@ 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 +I didn’t enjoy the idea of spending my life developing ways of destroying the very thing I -wanted most to understand."</p> -<p class="pnext">"This is fantastic, Millet, utterly -fantastic."</p> -<p class="pnext">"But true nonetheless. Walker, +wanted most to understand.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“This is fantastic, Millet, utterly +fantastic.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“But true nonetheless. Walker, you look like you could use a -drink."</p> -<p class="pnext">"By all means." He stared emptily +drink.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“By all means.” He stared emptily into the air, thinking about the good old days.</p> -<p class="pnext">"Walker, a toast," said Millet, -holding a tall glass out to him. "To -scientific freedom."</p> -<p class="pnext">Walker blinked. "By all means," +<p class="pnext">“Walker, a toast,” said Millet, +holding a tall glass out to him. “To +scientific freedom.”</p> +<p class="pnext">Walker blinked. “By all means,” he repeated hoarsely, and there was -a blurriness to his vision. "To scientific -freedom."</p> +a blurriness to his vision. “To scientific +freedom.”</p> <p class="pnext">They drank, and Walker said: -"I feel a bit freer to say what I -have come for."</p> -<p class="pnext">"Shoot," nodded Millet, sipping +“I feel a bit freer to say what I +have come for.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“Shoot,” nodded Millet, sipping his drink.</p> -<p class="pnext">"For security reasons, I'll talk in +<p class="pnext">“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."</p> -<p class="pnext">"There are a lot of other capable +when you left us, be continued.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“There are a lot of other capable physicists, both eager to be a part of such activity and blessed with -security clearances."</p> -<p class="pnext">"You know very well, Millet, +security clearances.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“You know very well, Millet, that this was an unique, almost independent line of development that -comes to a stop in your brain. Besides," +comes to a stop in your brain. Besides,” and suddenly he felt silly, -"the lines of communication for research +“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."</p> +entangled in security.” He glared. +“Don’t laugh, Millet; it’s a fact of +life which must be faced.”</p> <p class="pnext">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."</p> -<p class="pnext">Walker spread his hands. "Dr. -Millet, you have put it in a nutshell."</p> +the glass on an end table. “What +you’re doing is asking me to come +back if you can arrange it.”</p> +<p class="pnext">Walker spread his hands. “Dr. +Millet, you have put it in a nutshell.”</p> <p class="pnext">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."</p> -<p class="pnext">"The soldier is opposed to losing +“Walker, you know how I feel +about developing weapons. I’m just +plain opposed to it.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“The soldier is opposed to losing his life, but many have to do just -that in the interests of civilization."</p> -<p class="pnext">"That serious, eh?"</p> +that in the interests of civilization.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“That serious, eh?”</p> <p class="pnext">Walker crumpled under the -weight of his fear. "That serious," +weight of his fear. “That serious,” he said wearily.</p> <p class="pnext">Millet thoughtfully relit his pipe. -"Of course, I'm not at all sure that +“Of course, I’m not at all sure that United Terra is very right in this -thing."</p> -<p class="pnext">"In times like these, that kind of -thought is out of bounds," snapped -Walker. "Whether you like it or +thing.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“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."</p> -<p class="pnext">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."</p> -<p class="pnext">"Undoubtedly this would more +things in it, but you don’t want to +see it fall.”</p> +<p class="pnext">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.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“Undoubtedly this would more than interrupt your work. It would -replace it."</p> -<p class="pnext">Millet's eyes drifted affectionately -about the room. "Most unpleasant." +replace it.”</p> +<p class="pnext">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."</p> -<p class="pnext">"My problem."</p> -<p class="pnext">"Indeed." A weary resignation +“Frankly, though, I don’t think you +can clear me again.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“My problem.”</p> +<p class="pnext">“Indeed.” A weary resignation seemed to settle over Millet, and Walker suddenly felt very miserable. -"I suppose I'll have to accept," +“I suppose I’ll have to accept,” Millet said, pulling his pipe out of his mouth and staring unhappily at its trail of smoke.</p> @@ -1115,9 +1116,9 @@ at its trail of smoke.</p> desk and sighed deeply. Some of the pressure, at least, was off; he had managed to cancel part of the -Confederation's advantage. Terran +Confederation’s advantage. Terran industrial strength and technological -supremacy, coupled with Millet's +supremacy, coupled with Millet’s genius, might yet equate, or at least circumvent, the frightful weapon the Confederation held.</p> @@ -1125,9 +1126,9 @@ weapon the Confederation held.</p> back into the government. Though, on the basis of the information he had gained regarding -the scientist's motivations, and considering +the scientist’s motivations, and considering the critical nature of the -situation, it shouldn't be too difficult.</p> +situation, it shouldn’t be too difficult.</p> <p class="pnext">He clicked on his video and dialed a secret line into Security Data. Gyrating colors danced @@ -1138,11 +1139,11 @@ this time, the black was finally replaced by a recorded image, which said, sweetly out of pouting red lips,</p> -<p class="pnext">"This line is not cleared for the +<p class="pnext">“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." +permitted access to this information.” The image faded into blackness, the sound track into static.</p> <p class="pnext">Walker stared, stupefied. No line, @@ -1158,21 +1159,21 @@ flanked by two security guards, pushed through the door. His voice slashed across the office like a broadsword.</p> -<p class="pnext">"Walker, I'm shocked. Shocked. -And at a time like this...."</p> -<p class="pnext">Walker pounded his desk. "What -the hell is going on? I can't get +<p class="pnext">“Walker, I’m shocked. Shocked. +And at a time like this....”</p> +<p class="pnext">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?"</p> +gives?”</p> <p class="pnext">Meriwether gestured to the guards, and they came forward and -each took one of Walker's arms. -"You're out of a job, Walker," +each took one of Walker’s arms. +“You’re out of a job, Walker,” snarled General Marcus Meriwether.</p> -<p class="pnext">"In the name of God, <em class="italics">why</em>?"</p> -<p class="pnext">"You know very well. Take him -to security detention, Sergeant."</p> +<p class="pnext">“In the name of God, <em class="italics">why</em>?”</p> +<p class="pnext">“You know very well. Take him +to security detention, Sergeant.”</p> <p class="pnext">And suddenly he knew. Meriwether stared indignantly when he started laughing. It was a hell of a @@ -1184,7 +1185,7 @@ hoped to encounter.</p> theory, and go down in history as neither Walker nor Meriwether nor the genius who invented the -Confederation's neural weapon +Confederation’s neural weapon would. Millet was as safe as he could possibly want to be.</p> <p class="pnext">And so was the Interplanetary |