Reversion - A Novel Part 15

But the general was speaking. aMadam, you have the advantage of me.a He was studying Clara in obvious appreciation. Why should I be the only one who recognized her beauty?

aIndeed she does,a said Hoover dryly. aMr. Cranston and Gen. Erwill, these are Mrs. Clara Edgeworth and her reverted children, Alice Edgeworth and Timothy Kimball.a They didnat ask about the meaning of that word, an indication we had already been discussed. The general smiled, bowed, and intoned, aI am very pleased to know you, Mrs. Edgeworth.a Claraas chin rose. aI wish I could say the same, sir.a The general blinked. aWhy canat you?a Clara looked at me. I said, aBecause we are here under duress.a Hoover sniffed. aYou are here to do your duty to your country.a He said to Halleck, his sweeping gaze including the two policewomen, aPlease wait outside.a As the three moved to the door, the SS man rose also. Hoover raised his hand. aPlease stay, Mr. Jones. Iave already spoken to Rowley about you. We may need an interpreter.a aYes, sir.a The SS man moved back, however, to stand against the wall. I wanted to grin. How could anyone named Jones be fluent in German and Russian? Though I had to admit a Jonesas fluency was probably no stranger than a Kimballas.

Hoover plopped down on a couch facing us. The general and the bureaucrat sat on either side.

Mr. Cranston, the second a.s.sistant, asked, aWhat did he mean, Ed, about being under duress?a Hoover opened his mouth but Clara beat him to the draw. aWe were in handcuffs until we entered this building.a aNonsense!a Hoover a.s.serted.

aItas true,a interjected Jones, the SS man standing at the wall.

Hoover glared from him to Raimer. aYou handcuffed them?a Again Clara spoke first. aThey shot at Tim and slapped him. You can still see the fingermarks on his cheek.a Hoover clouded up. aIs this true, Supervisor Raimer?a Raimer took a deep breath. aYes, sir. The orders were most emphatic. And they a" particularly the boy: that is, Mr. Kimball a" refused to obey.a aShot at him?a demanded Cranston.

aHe escaped from Agent Smith,a explained Raimer.

aEscaped?a aSmith shot over his head as a warning.a Hooveras eyes narrowed. aThen the boy stopped and let himself be taken prisoner?a aUh, yes, sir.a aA wise boy.a The FBI director looked meaningfully from Cranston to the general. aToo wise.a Cranston shook his head. aBut after such treatment as that aa With a sneer the general asked Hoover, aYou expect them to cooperate?a Hoover frowned. aI expect them to do their duty as Americans.a His eyes glowered at me. aYou do know why youare here.a It was not a question.

aYes,a I answered in my piping voice, abecause I was forced.a aBeyond that,a said Hoover impatiently. aWhy were you forced?a I shrugged. aAsk Raimer.a aWhat have you told them?a Hoover asked, looking at the man.

Raimer answered, aNothing. I didnat need to. Agent Smith reported that when accosted, Kimball said, quote, aThe Russians have blockaded Berlin.aa Hoover looked at me. aHow did you know that?a Now was the time to decide how to play this. I returned his stare. aI donat admit any such statement.a To Raimer: aDid anyone else hear him?a aNo, sir, not that I know of.a Hoover leaned forward. aLook here, Tim. Yes, youare right: the Russians have cut off Berlin. The argument on our response is still going on, but I think itas clear that we wonat simply cut and run as the d.a.m.ned Communists hope. We need to respond in the best possible manner, the way that will serve American interests now and in the future. Your knowledge of how this plays out is crucial. It is your duty as an American citizen to tell us what you know.a They waited. Everyone was looking at me expectantly. I permitted myself to grin. aYou expect me to help perpetuate a system that compels obedience as your goons did to my family today?a I have to admit his bureaucratic skill. He nodded. aYes, I do. I remind you that these goons, as you describe them, saved you from Communist captivity just last winter. But more than that, the way youave been treated today should impress on you the importance of this issue. Your foreknowledge is vital to your country.a I shook my head. aWhatas your objection to the Communists? Isnat it merely that they compel obedience to their demands?a aTheir demands are different,a he a.s.serted. aIam not asking you to do anything against your own interests. If you encountered expense or inconvenience in coming here, weall compensate you. All Iam asking is for you to tell us what you know about this Berlin crisis. In your world how did they handle it?a All three of them plus the two cops were watching me intently. I looked around at Alice and Clara. Alice said quietly, aDo what you think best, Tim. Weall back you up.a This was uncharted territory. What behavior would cause them to lose interest in us and take us home a" or at least let us out of custody? We could get home on our own. The worst-case scenario would have us incarcerated forever in the bas.e.m.e.nt at FBI headquarters on Pennsylvania Avenue, obeying the order, aTell us everything you know.a Aliceas advice to play ignorant probably wouldnat work: Hoover was a believer. But if torture was our destiny anyway, what would?

I ended up staring into Hooveras dark eyes. aWe have nothing to say.a The general laughed. aCome on, kid. Youare bound to have a better imagination than that! Tell us to bomb Moscow, why donat you?a Hoover glared at me. aWhat would it take to make you talk?a I couldnat resist. aYour man, Halleck, slapped me to shut me up. Maybe you should ask him.a Gen. Erwill got to his feet. His humor had vanished. He glared at Hoover and Cranston. aThis is a waste of time. What are you people trying to pull anyway?a Raimer had the b.a.l.l.s to answer him. aGeneral, these kids know what worked. Theyave already let slip that itas an airlift. We wonat need to go to war until 1950.a a1950, eh?a The man laughed scornfully. aHe does have a little imagination, then? Well, you can do whatever you want, but I intend to cable Gen. Clay that the president has just about bought into his whole plan.a aWhat plan is that?a I asked in sudden foreboding.

Erwill stared at me speculatively. I heard whispering beside me. It was Alice who answered my question.

aGen. Clay, who commands all U. S. forces in Germany, wants to drive an armed convey through to Berlin despite any Russian resistance.a aBut that aa I let my voice die away.

Erwill studied my face. He had parted his lips to comment when once again the double-doors opened with a crack but no knock. Hoover and his party craned around to see who was daring to interrupt.

President Harry S. Truman entered along with a civilian, another general, this time only a two-star, and an obvious Secret Service man who nodded at Jones. Truman in a white suit was short with an energetic, bustling manner. He stood over the FBI director and said, aOne last roundup, Hoover, as we agreed. Weave got to quit stalling. This is your last chance before I give Clay the go-ahead.a Alice and Clara had been whispering further. Alice suddenly piped up. aYou already ran one airlift for eleven days in April. You know how to do it.a The presidential head snapped around. aWhat was that? Who are you, little girl?a aAlice Edgeworth.a aSo she reads the papers,a commented Erwill sarcastically. aMr. President, weare wasting time.a But Truman raised his hand. aDid you read it in the papers, honey?a Alice grinned. aI also know why Mozartas Piano Sonata in A-Major is one of your favorites.a aDo you! Then tell me.a aItas the only thing in three sharps that I can play well too.a The president laughed.

Alice lost her grin. aBut the Russians are facing you with 40 divisions and theyare nervous. You have eight sitting idle in garrison, one of which is French and no help. If you try to charge into Berlin across the Elbe, youall find that the Russians have already mined those bridges. You wonat be able to stop their counterattack short of the Atlantic Ocean. You canat use nuclear weapons on them without blowing up Western Europe a" that is, if you had any A-bombs within range. Your only hope is retaliation against Moscow itself. Do you really want to add another million dead to Hiros.h.i.+ma and Nagasaki?a When her voice died the entire room fell silent. The president and his henchmen were staring with bulging eyes at this calm little girl. h.e.l.l, mine were bulging too! Then I realized that Clara must have whispered all that detail. I approved the idea of letting Alice deliver it, glad they didnat know Clara was a reverter too.

Truman looked at Erwill. aEight divisions, general? Seven effective?a Erwill took a breath. aYes, sir.a aAnd Clay really wants to attack at nearly six-to-one odds?a Erwill explained, aThe Russian troops arenat in good shape.a aOh, no?a countered Alice. aAll 40 divisions have been on maneuvers since April.a aBut whatas the alternative?a Truman asked her. aIall be d.a.m.ned before I let that Russian p.i.s.s-ant run me out of whatas mine.a I a.s.sumed he referred to Joseph Stalin.

Alice looked at me. aI think you better tell him, Tim.a I agreed. If he went to war over this, all our prescience was lost. So I sat up on the couch and fixed his eyes with mine. aMr. President, an airlift is the solution. It will feed the city and most importantly avoid war.a I heard the females whispering and paused as if gathering my thoughts. Finally I said, aAlice, you studied this era more than I. Do you have the details?a aI think so. Mr. President, you have three corridors into Berlin and a solid air-travel agreement with the Soviets that you can wave at the UN. The two airports in the western zone can be expanded to a third in 60 days. You can round up the aircraft, C-47s and C-54s, that are languis.h.i.+ng as surplus in fields all over the world, also the pilots, enough to deliver everything Berlin needs to get by. You donat need to challenge the Russians militarily, though Iad recommend publicly sending a few wings of nuclear-armed B-29s to England in range of Moscow to show them you mean business.a Erwill demanded sarcastically, aOh, yeah? Just how much does Berlin need to get by? Thatas over three million people.a Alice answered. aOnly about two million in West Berlin. 4500 tons per day will do it. And you can deliver that much.a aAll the Russians have to do is start shooting down our planes.a I said confidently, aBut they wonat.a Erwill snorted. aJust why wonat they?a Alice said, aOh, theyall try to intimidate you. Theyall accidentally let barrage balloons drift into the flight corridors. Their fighters will buzz the transports. One of them will even collide with a transport and knock down both planes.a aOne of them?a aYes. A young fighter pilot was a" will be a" too aggressive.a I jumped into the silence. aBut in fact itas an accident. The Russianas wonat fight. Theyall hope you canat maintain the airlift through the fog and snow of winter but you can, and next May theyall lift the blockade.a aNext May,a repeated the president. I saw his face set in decision. He turned to Erwill. aRoger, tell Clay thanks but weall try an airlift.a To the two-star he said, aHarry, get the air force going on rounding up all the transports we have. And tell SAC to send some B-29s to England.a aBut, Mr. President a"a began Erwill.

The two-star, looking airily at the ceiling, said, aAnd a little child shall lead them.a Cranston and Hoover both started to laugh but choked it off. Truman grinned. aYou think so, Harry? In fact, my friend, and you too, Roger, I donat give a d.a.m.n where an idea comes from if itas a good idea. These kidsa argument, even if itas all wishful thinking, is persuasive enough for a beginning.

aI suspect Berlin can last a month or even two without resupply. Weall start this airlift exactly as the kids say, as if we mean business. At the same time, Roger, you tell Clay to quietly get his troops up to snuff while I send him everything I can prize loose from the ZI.a He grinned at the three-star but his eyes held something beyond humor. aThis airlift will be our touchy trigger. If the Russians leave it alone as the kids say, well and good. But if they donat, weall be in position to A-bomb their ma.s.sed armies and the Kremlin too, if it comes to that, and settle their hash once and for all.a We all blinked at each other. I had a sense of historical inevitability, as if this was what Truman would have done in any case, with or without our advice. The little man was a better leader than I had known.

aNow,a said the man, aI have a question. What are those marks on the boyas face?a Hoover swallowed. Raimer looked away. So I chimed in. aOne of my FBI protectors slapped me silly.a Hoover found his voice. aThat man will be disciplined.a aI want him fired,a said the president of the United States, eyes glittering. aWhatas his name?a Again when Hoover hesitated, I answered, aHalleck.a aMake a note, Harry.a The two-star pulled a notepad from his pocket. To me Truman said, aYour name is Thomas Kimball?a aTimothy, sir.a aHow can the United States be of service to you and your ladies, Mr. Kimball?a aWell aa I gathered my wits.

aTake us home!a Alice declared.

aYes, sir,a I agreed and added for no good reason, aWeare graduate students at the University of Chicago.a Truman sniffed. aThink you can get him home, Hoover, without any additional marks?a aYes, sir.a aVery well. I see no reason for delay. Jones, go with them and verify that this family is delivered safely.a

Chapter 11: Commencement.

ad.a.m.n, I miss them!a Clara looked up from her book. aSurely not your old friends in Hightower! Do you mean your parents?a aNo. Well, yes, them too.a I had taken the bus home two weeks ago before school started. Not surprisingly most of those aold friendsa proved too childish to be of interest. Furthermore they asked too many questions about my FBI shadows. I talked with Dad, bringing him fully up to date, and hugged Mom a lot, though I think she regards me now more as a distant relative than a son.

I sighed. aWhat I really miss are computers.a aComputers?a aYeah.a I waved my clipboard full of tensors. aI need to find out the range of convergence for this series, and every term is a fifth power increment.a Alice, fondling Alazar in her lap, suggested, aUse logarithms.a aFifth power!a I emphasized. aLogarithms donat have enough accuracy to be useful.a I chuckled grimly. aAnd itas for sure Iall never multiply such numbers as these without error!a Melita, the lovely furry little one curled against my side under the robe, turned her head up to me. aHunsh?a she asked. By now I recognized all her expressions. This wide-eyed one, full of innocent sympathy, was among the cutest. Melita may not have known the reason for it, but Iam confident she understood my frustration. All we primates share the language of emotion, expressed in posture and tone. I tickled her behind the ears and her look went dreamy.

Clara frowned thoughtfully. aIam surprised that a scholastic a.s.signment includes such difficult problems.a aYou shouldnat be.a I laughed, which brought relief and a monkey smile a" bared teeth a" to Melitaas little round face. aMath professors delight in leaving unsolved world-cla.s.s problems as, quote, aexercises for the student,a unquote. And I admit, once in a while they get a new solution, like the guy who integrated the differential for position versus time in Celestial Mechanics. But this isnat an a.s.signment.a aNo? Then what are you up to?a aWell, Iave been scanning the quantum theories from your time that you left on the viewer for me and a"a aWhat!a Alice straightened up with a glare. Alazar in her lap glared also. It was almost comical.

I chuckled. aDid you think I was only interested in your affairs with everyone around us whoall hold still?a Her expression blanked as her chin rose. I laughed harder. aBy G.o.d, you did think that, didnat you!a She sniffed. aI suppose you find it all just too repet.i.tive, eh?a I quit laughing. aAlice, Iave been meaning to ask you. Were you like this as a married woman?a She began with a snarl, aThatas none of your aa Her expression softened as she contemplated me. She took a breath. aOnly in my imagination. But now a Now I donat have to worry about disease or pregnancy or even too-rough men, what with the FBI on call.a She smiled brightly. aSometimes I feel as the queen of Sheba must have felt a" only freer.a She c.o.c.ked her head at me. aWhatas the matter, Timmy, my sweet? Donat tell me youare jealous!a I grunted. an.o.body ever had a better reason.a aClara doesnat mind my adventures. She admits to a vicarious pleasure in studying the recordings.a aThat reminds me,a I noted, snapping my fingers. aI meant to ask you, Clara, how much of what we feel can you record?a The woman studied me thoughtfully. aYou mean, can DNA memory record s.e.xual feeling?a aWell a yes.a She nodded slowly. aIt can, but the results are useless to anyone else. It turns out that the way our brains work, the different order and details of experiences encountered by each brain map upon it uniquely. A given memory sequence in your head can only mean what it does to you, in the environment of all the surrounding sequences to which it is integrated. In my head it would mean something else a" or more likely be noise. Experimenters have tried direct communications. It is successful only when cast into shared symbols such as those of speech or writing.a aNo direct memory recordings, then?a aOh no! Your own memory can be recorded and played back into you, just not someone elseas.a Iam sure I frowned. aBut when Iam viewing Aliceas adventures, I distinctly feel her partneras arms around me.a I grimaced with annoyance. aI even feel his d.i.c.k parting strange flesh between my legs!a Claraas grin flickered. aAnd how does that make you feel?a aIam not sure how to answer that. It certainly doesnat stimulate me!a She pointed her finger at me in a youave got it gesture. aExactly. Tactile sensations can be conveyed but not the conclusions of the mind that receives them. Which is just as well. I can show you the results of real experiments. Men and women do not react the same at that level.a She grinned. aNot so surprising, is it?a aI guess not.a aIall show you how to turn off the tactile input from the viewer.a aGood.a Alice sniffed. aThen you didnat see my run-in with the cop.a aThe cop?a aYes, Sean OaHiggins from the Christmas party.a She smiled lazily. aI met him in the park while you were away visiting your schoolgirls. He was so grateful!a aFor past favors, no doubt.a aThat too. He said he could hardly stop thinking of me.a She feigned a sigh. aThe poor man. Iam afraid heas obsessed with immature flesh. He threatened to ask for a transfer to Eastbend Orphanage.a aYou sound pleased.a She giggled. aIam the canary who ate the cat. In fact it was most amusing, almost as much as your evening with Bobby and Phyllis. Iave still got the viewer if youad care to see.a I looked sternly at Clara. aDid you record everything on my outing?a She said softly, aI warned you.a And it was true: she had done so, most explicitly just before I boarded the bus. aRemember, Timmy, weall be watching through your eyes.a Then she had added, aBut weare part of you now, sharing your joy and pain. Donat let us stop you from anything you want.a I took a deep breath. aYes, you did warn me. And it didnat stop me.a aIam glad,a she said simply. aI think it was good for you. You have returned with a new purposefulness.a aI had some ideas on the bus.a She nodded. aOriginal thought occurs easiest when we are protected from interruption. Does this have anything to do with your fifth-increment series?a aEverything.a aTell me.a aI think a Well, itas a little premature, but if this series converges in the range around Pi, I think I may have found a way to make inertia vary independently of ma.s.s.a She only stared.

It was Alice who sneered. aDonat be silly, Timmy, boy. Inertia and ma.s.s are indistinguishable one from the other. The two words but identify different aspects of the same thing.a I shook my head. aThey may not be so interlocked as you suppose.a I waved the clipboard again. aThese equations show that inertia is not just some attribute of ma.s.s. If they tell the truth, it is a force generated against acceleration in a continuum somewhat a.n.a.logous to voltage in a wire moving in a magnetic field. Further, they suggest that you can mediate that force without varying the ma.s.s. They imply, for example, that under the right conditions a manas pinkie could shove a standing train down a flat track.a aaIn a continuum,aa she repeated thoughtfully, staring at me.

aOh, yes.a I grinned back. aAnd how the shover feels about it may have a large influence.a She sniffed. aThe way he holds his mouth, eh?a aCanat you think of anything but s.e.x?a Her chin rose. When you find a way to irritate Alice, she always invites you to plaster her on the chin. aWho was it taught me about s.e.x?a I hadnat forgotten the name she gave me. aOne Joel p.r.i.c.kler, so Iave been told,a I said, plastering her.

aUgh!a she exclaimed in horror, falling back into her chair. Alazar glared at me, chattering reproachfully.

aTim,a said Clara earnestly, aIall make you a computer.a * * *

aWhich way do you cross your fingers?a I looked up at Clara in surprise, but her expression was serious. So I asked, aWhat do you mean?a She sighed patiently. aWill you just cross your fingers for me, please?a We were sitting at the kitchen table, Clara over coffee and I over a c.o.ke, with Melita over me a" that is, perched on my shoulder, licking the back of my head. Anyone who thinks he would object to that has never tried it.

With a shrug I held up my hand, middle finger crossing forefinger.

She nodded. aIs that how you normally do it?a aNo. I donat normally cross my fingers. How do you want me to do it?a aHow about putting your forefinger over the middle?a I tried. aOkay. I have to work a little harder. It takes longer.a aGood. Then youare not likely to do it accidentally.a aRight. Hmm. I can do it a little better with the left hand.a aThen thatas the way weall set it upa Itas activated.a aSet what up, Clara?a Suddenly something was in my eyes. I blinked. It was still there. I looked at the blank wall and saw English words floating in dark, pinched characters, apparently stuck to the wall until I looked away. I stared at the woman over the shadowy words. aWhatas going on?a aWhat do you see?a aaEnter Command.aa aCross your fingers again, forefinger over middle.a I did. The words vanished.

aIs it gone?a I admitted it was. She chuckled slightly at my stupefied expression. aThatas your on-off switch and your video display. Didnat you call it that on your computer in 2002?a aCall what that?a I recrossed my fingers, middle on top: nothing. But put the forefinger on top and bingo, Enter Command. I held up my hand again. aYou mean this is the on-off switch?a aYes.a aHow do you interfere with my vision? Are you driving the optic nerve directly?a aNo, not yet, not until you a graduate.a I noticed her hesitation and wondered at it. She continued, aThe fovea a" the part of the retina that has the resolution to distinguish words a" is not very large, so the nan.o.biots compensate. They stimulate the foveal cells directly while monitoring the muscles that move the eyes. When you sweep your eyes as if reading, they synchronously change the pattern of stimulation so it seems you are reading a page of material much larger than your fovea can register.a aIf you say so. How do I display more than aEnter Command?aa aBy issuing a command, of course. First you must learn how to do that.a aIam all ears.a aEars wonat get it. Stretch your fingers apart and lay them gently on the tabletop. Yes, both handsa Now press down firmly witha a" she held up her own hand and wiggled the fingers oddly a" awith your left forefinger and ring finger, plus your right forefinger at the same time.a I obeyed and my visual field changed. Looking at the blank wall, I saw that a numeral 1 a" no, a lower-case L a" had appeared after the d of Command.

aSee the L?a When I admitted it, she continued, aLift them and press the left ring finger twice.a Two lower-case Os popped into existence after the L. She gave me further directions and soon the line, Enter Command lookup keys, was displayed. I could scan across it readily, as if it were written on the wall.

aYour right pinkie is the equivalent of the Enter key on your old computer keyboard, Tim. Press it now.a I did so and a" Wow! Almost my entire field of view was suddenly full of words, stable words that held their positions on the wall while my eyes scanned them. A t.i.tle line proclaimed them to be Key Codes, as indeed they were. First the fingers of each hand were numbered, 1-4 on the left and 5-8 on the right. Then each letter and number plus several control functions were coded. The letter E was indicated by the left forefinger, number 4, alone. You had to press several fingers together for some keys. Q was the worst with Code 12345 a" all the left fingers plus the right forefinger.

aThis is a chording scheme!a I concluded in fascination.

aVery good,a she agreed. aYouall never match the speed you attained with your single-key-at-the-time computer keyboard, but this keyboard will always be with you. The sensors are in your fingers. Once you learn the code, you wonat need the table. Pressing your fingers against any fairly firm surface, such as the muscles of your leg, will work.a aHoly cow! Is this a full computer?a aWell, the start of one. Itas the beginneras tool of the 24th Century, installed in children shortly after they learn the rudiments of reading. It will do your job. If you enter aMenu,a youall get a list of all the commands at the top of the hierarchy.a aWhich will be useful once I learn all these key codes, eh?a aItas not hard. See the command entry area down at the bottom? If you key apracticea it will lead you through some exercises.a aMy G.o.d, Clara! Oh. But you didnat design this.a aHardly, though thanks for thinking I might. The whole world has been using that software a" for over a hundred years.a aWhatas the capacity of the computer? h.e.l.l, where is it?a aIn your head. It consists of your own brain cells, Tim, a few of them. I co-opted about a tenth of one per-cent, plus a few nerve lines from your fingers and eyes. In fact itas a rather simple machine.a aHow fast is it?a aHard to say; it has a parallel organization, you know. But once you tell it how, I suspect it will answer your convergence question in a few eyeblinks.a aTakes months to learn how to program, does it?a aA few hours, Tim, once you can enter commands efficiently. Youall find out how in those menus I mentioned.a aMy G.o.d! Then let me go practice!a When I jumped to my feet, Melita screeched and wrapped her tail around my neck, but I hardly noticed as I dashed for the stairs.

What a difference a computer in your own head makes! It had a aScene Recordinga command that worked better for cla.s.swork than a microfilm camera. Huh! Iam obsolete in my own time. I mean, better than a SCSI scanner.

My cla.s.s attendance slacked in favor of long walks around campus while the equations of variable continua danced in my eyes. Literally. Virtual Inertia Detachment proved definitely possible. VID! (Venereal Identification? You show me yours and Iall show you mine?) With the acronym on my tongue, could reality be far behind?

Apparently it could. I needed to generate a field, a.n.a.logous for inertia to the magnetic field that induces voltage in a wire.

Cla.s.s attendance did not suffer alone. I looked up from my path one day to find Margery, my occasional lover who happened to be the deanas secretary, marching along beside me.

She chuckled at my wide-eyed greeting, not too suavely presented: aWheread you come from?a aFrom where youall be called in a day or two if you keep cutting cla.s.ses.a aSomebody complained?a aStimson. You shouldave seen Bucky grin. Heall use any excuse, Timmy, to set you back. Where have you been?a I shrugged. aWalking.a aTo see one of those round-heeled little hussies in the accounting office?a aHuh?a Her eyes searched my face. aI mean, why havenat you been to see me in three weeks?a aMy G.o.d, Margery, Iam sorry! I donat know a It happened that aa I took a breath and started over. aYouare off work this afternoon, are you? Letas go to your place.a aNot so fast, buster! Just where have you been?a I took a deep breath. aIn another world, as a matter of fact.a She chuckled bitterly. aYou mean in another set of panties, donat you?a aNo, Margery. I havenat been chasing anyone a" in accounting or anywhere else. Iave had some ideas, thatas all. Iam on the trail of something big, maybe even another a" I mean, something that could lead to a n.o.bel prize. Iam very close to a breakthrough that would knock your socks off.a She blinked. aKnock my a" I donat wear socks.a Another anachronism? I pressed on, aIt would revolutionize physics if I could build a working model. But I need a field, an inertial field. You canat just run out and buy one at Sears and Roebuck.a We had stopped to face each other. To my surprise her expression changed from accusation to something remarkably like approval. aTimmy, most girls would slap your face about now, but I think you mean it.a She smiled reminiscently. aIam not unfamiliar with that problem. David was the same kind as you. He thought of something big too, the week before he had to leave for his basic training. He only got to see me a few hours the last night.a aWhere is he now?a aIn the Ardennes forest, so they told me.a She sighed. aAt least I made sure he went off with good memories.a aIam sorry.a But I agreed: every warrior should have good memories.

aMe too.a Her hand tousled my hair. aYou really want to come home with me?a I caught the hand and kissed it. aMore than anything.a aWell, weare going the right way.a * * *

aWhatas come over you, Margery?a Her eyes were already staring up into mine. They developed a distinct twinkle, unaffected by the small c.o.c.k plunging in and out of her lips. Shead wiped her mouth with the bedsheet but missed the streak of boy-juice on her cheek. She made an interrogative sound through her nose.

aWe always finish up this way,a I explained, abut this time you started with it. Iam not looking a gift horse a" ah, that is, Iam not really complaining, but you know Iam good for a long go the second time. Couldnat I do something for you?a She opened her mouth. I tried to back away but her hands behind my a.s.s prevented it. With half my d.i.c.k still in her mouth she said, aIa aet aou aick me afaer awhia.a Her tongue tickled.

aIall lick you, but Iad like to do you the right way. Youare not having a period, are you?a aHunh-uh.a aThen I repeat: whatas come over you? I hope youare not trying to leave me with good memories!a With that she spat me out and admitted, aI was thinking of David.a She smiled, eyes sparkling. aAnd something else. With such an early start I believe youall become a great man, Timmy. When that happens, itall thrill me to say, aI used to suck his c.o.c.k.aa Her words were agreeable enough to make me chuckle with pleasure, though I protested, aJust who would you tell that?a But I understood: my successors no doubt, as she now spoke of David.

I scooted backwards over her t.i.ts. aHold still. Iave got an idea.a aTo astonish the world?a she asked, her smile broader. I detected no mockery. Indeed this woman would be good for a manas self-confidence!

I had gotten down from the bed. I went directly to the bottom pulls on her chest of drawers, groped in the drawer for my objective and straightened up with it in my hand. aNot the world a" you!a She raised up on her elbows and stared. aYou, you a" youave been rummaging, you little sneak!a I grinned slyly. aThe kid part took over the other day when you went to the phone. But this will allay your concern about my too-virile squirts.a She sniffed. aI canat believe youad rather put that in me than your own c.o.c.k.a aHow about both together?a Her brow wrinkled. aJust what is this great idea?a I had figured out how the strap-on worked the day I found it. I had to take up a couple of slip-buckles. Itas no surprise that a womanas a.s.s is broader than a 13-year-old boyas. She watched contemplatively. Shortly I was ready a" with a thick nine-inch d.i.c.k (estimated) projecting above my five-incher.

When I took the cold cream jar from her nightstand and clambered onto the bed between her legs, she shook her head. aI wonat be able to feel yours, Timmy.a aOh, yes, you will.a As I spoke I slathered lubricant on both huge falsie and dwarfed reality.

aTimmy, you mean aa Her eyes widened and her lips opened in obviously rising antic.i.p.ation.

aOoo!a she murmured as the d.i.l.d.o parted her flesh. The real d.i.c.k missed on its first try. Her hand flew down and corrected its aim. Curious. Margeryas a.n.u.s is tighter even than Aliceas a" or it was at first. Then I understood that she was compressing it, probably for my benefit.

aOh, G.o.d, Timmy!a she exclaimed in a deepened voice. Some ideas are winners.

She began to groan almost right away. It grew in volume as her body s.h.i.+vered beneath me, hips rolling strongly. I had previously observed the likes of this only with my tongue in her crack. I pumped away gamely, in no danger of popping, though this experience was qualitatively different as well. Her skin flushed. I felt the radiant heat as the womanly odor enveloped me. This was the pa.s.sionate Margery I remembered from 13 years in her future a" except that she soon surpa.s.sed even that. Moans becoming screams, she nearly bucked me off her.

Then I froze. By G.o.d, this was the answer! Avenues of opportunity cascaded open in my mindas eye.

aWhatas the matter?a she demanded hoa.r.s.ely, eyes glaring, chest fluttering for breath.

aThatas how to get my field as large as I need it a" d.i.l.d.oes!a Her expression changed to stupefaction. aWh-what?a Words poured from me. aThe math allows only small generators. My d.i.c.k is about the size of the largest generator you can build without having it disintegrate into component atoms soon as you turn it on. But a whole lot of small d.i.c.ks in the same enclosure would reinforce and spread the field to cover as large a volume as needed. Like photons in a laser, everything inside would also become detached and you could a"a It had zoomed over her head. aTimmy!a she cried, gritting her teeth. aIf you stop now Iall never speak to you again.a aHuh?a I stared at her and had to grin. aOh, yeah.a I started up again, encouraged by my breakthrough, pumping hard and as fast as I could.

aOh, G.o.d, yes!a she agreed before her eyes rolled up. I held on tight to her b.u.t.t cheeks and rode my tigress, who subsided only when she felt my deposit in her entrails.

We lay entangled for some time even after I rolled off her. Her hand crept over me to caress the real d.i.c.k. aOh, Timmy!a she murmured.

aYou like more than one d.i.c.k at the time, donat you?a aIt seems that you do too.a aOh, yes.a I sighed happily. aThink Iall call it the Margery Effect.a * * *

aThe Margery Effect!a cried Alice, looking away from her viewer with an undisguised sneer. aMen! To even think of naming a principle of physics after a dissolute woman a"a aDissolute!a I stared in astonishment.

Her glare softened to a chuckle. aDid you want to say, aLook whoas talking?aa aI thought of it,a I admitted.

Her eyes became distant. aWonder where she found that strap-on d.i.l.d.o.a I laughed. aYou want one too, do you? Alice, is that all you got from this incident?a She focused on me. aYou mean your idea of multiple little c.o.c.ks?a aGenerators!a aWhatever.a She leered at me. aIad rather have a few big ones. Did you notice Rosalindas English professor whom she and I entertained last week? Now thereas a c.o.c.k!a aNo,a I responded impatiently. aYour recordings have become too predictable.a aJealous, are you?a I shook my head. aYour affairs take nothing from me.a aPredictable, you say? For the last two weeks yours were nothing but strolls around the neighborhood.a She held up the viewer. aActually I was glad to see Margery kick your feet out from under you.a I nodded with a grin. aNo one could pa.s.s up an opportunity like that. And Iam especially glad she came along this time.a aDid she really give you the idea? It seems a bit obvious, if your generators are too small, to apply many of them.a aaObvious,aa I repeated dryly, alike a paperclip once someone else has thought of it. Hey, Iave been meaning to ask you: what did the paperclips look like in your old universe?a aHmm.a She blinked at me. aNow that you mention it, they were a different shape.a aHelices?a aDo what, helices? No, ours were shaped like opposing Ws, joined at the top. Wonder who came up with loops anyway.a aHow about your universe, Clara?a The woman had been listening to us absent-mindedly while bottle-feeding Elabaas new baby. The mother had developed an instant hatred of the tiny ball of fur a" apparently according to her mentor because she wanted a human-looking infant like the ones she had seen in magazines. Clara admitted that modified Capuchins were less stable than natural ones. Now she asked, aWhat about my universe?a aWhat did your paperclips look like?a aPaperclips!a She sniffed. aWe didnat use paper for recordings. Trees were yet so few and forests so far-between.a But Aliceas curiosity was lagging behind. aI still say multiple generators are an obvious solution a" but to what problem? What would you use them for, Timmy?a aAh,a I breathed, pleased that someone had finally asked, though surprised at my reluctance to answer. Instead I explained, aThey would disconnect inertia from ma.s.s in a usable volume.a She nodded. aYou crowed about your seriesa convergence on Pi just the other day. So what if you can disconnect the inertia?a aDonat you see? F = ma is no longer rigorous. With disconnected inertia a very small force could induce a large acceleration in a large ma.s.s.a I smiled sadly. aToo bad itas so counter-intuitive. Where will I find believers, even after theyave seen the math?a aOh, that shouldnat be so hard.a I blinked. aShouldnat it?a aNo. In fact, Tim, I think you can cite evidence that already shows your disconnection.a aHuh? What evidence?a aThe UFOs. I was reading a summary the other day. In many sightings they stopped instantly or turned on a dime in mid-air. That would be duck soup if you didnat have to worry about inertia.a I breathed, aBy G.o.d, sweetie, I think youare right!a She smiled. aaSweetie,a am I? But youare too elated just to be explaining UFOs. Whatas really got you so excited about disconnected inertia? What will you make of it?a I stared at them and for the first time said it aloud: aA s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+p.a That riveted their attention!

aYouare just insufferable, Tim. How can a girl preserve her magic and manipulate a guy like you who is never desperate for s.e.x? Was there ever a time you had to beg a girl or make a fool of yourself?a Rosalindas complaint was almost serious, I thought. She pouted at me as I stood in her one room apartment with the casual air of a fourteen-year-old sovereign prince whose harem was nearby. I could tell she wanted to eat me up.

aHave you ever contemplated social work?a I replied with an impudent smirk. aPlenty of the h.o.r.n.y graduate students around here would do housework for a brief sniff of your unwashed panties.a She laughed. aTheyad drool on my carpet.a aIf you had one.a I fondled a small breast but recoiled playfully at her attempt to kiss. aYou could deflect entire careers with your slim body. Havenat you noticed the ugly fat girls some of these desperate men cling to as their only protection against queerness?a She turned away to pick up a gla.s.s of pop from the table. aNot the vets, Timmy. I have a hard time attracting them.a aYou could do it, Ros, but youad have to act more grown up. Most of them are looking for a relations.h.i.+p. Theyave already dipped their c.o.c.ks into easy girls.a She sniffed. aSometimes I think Iad rather have pathetic virgins, to tell the truth. At least theyare thankful for the experience. A lot of the older guys Iave come to know take s.e.x with me for granted, but they still act like young boys. Last month a suave Egyptologist from the Oriental Inst.i.tute invited me to a dig in Nubia, but he insisted he needed his motheras approval first.a aHe was a vet?

aNorth African campaign. I think he just wanted someone to sweep his tent.a I took the gla.s.s from her hand and finished the drink in a swallow. aVirgins might be fun,a I said. aYou could do a dissertation on the subject.a aI donat intend to change my field, Timmy.a aThink about it. Your t.i.tle might be o.r.g.a.s.mic Response of the Human Male During Initial Bis.e.xual Coitus. The work could become a best seller.a aI prefer your o.r.g.a.s.mic response, little boy,a she responded, capturing me with her arms. aYou squeak when you come.a We kissed with tongues fully engaged. I fondled her pert b.u.t.t cheeks with easy familiarity.

aI think Iall taste you this afternoon,a she whispered when pausing for breath. aIam having my period, unfortunately.a aWe could try the tighter opening,a I suggested, wriggling a finger at her crack.

aIf you want, Timmy, but you know I never enjoy that, even with your small c.o.c.k. No offense.a aIam still a growing boy,a I protested. aItas not as if I were forever stuck with my modest endowment.a aYes, thatas true,a she said, undoing my belt as she spoke. aIt must be an inch longer than it was when you made a woman of me. Itas certainly thicker.a She took a step back to pull off her dress. We disrobed slowly like an old couple, shedding our clothes without frenetic excitement. The pale flesh of her long, athletic body still aroused me, however, especially the curiously small b.r.e.a.s.t.s that looked like those of a young teen.

aI donat mind the blood,a I remarked, taking her lightly into my arms. She was still half a head taller than I. aIall even lick on you.a aUgh!a she exclaimed. aThe prospect of that does not thrill me at all. Iam very self conscious of my curse, you know.a She pulled me to the bed upon which we casually climbed. We lay beside each other for a few gentle caresses, my body half atop hers, before we began to kiss.

aYou can go in the back way,a she said after a moment. Our noses touched.

aBut you donat enjoy it,a I objected.

She kissed me pa.s.sionately then held me tightly. aYouare a special guy, Timmy. I want you to do it this time when Iam not drunk. I want to feel you push it in.a aIall be gentle,a I promised.

aYouad better be,a she grunted as she rolled onto her stomach. aThe Vaseline is in the medicine chest.a I rose from the bed to retrieve the lubricant. She lolled facedown on the bed with arms above her head while I slickened my c.o.c.k. The backs of her thighs and small b.u.t.t seemed appealingly boyish, an observation that troubled me.

aHurry up!a she called out, her voice m.u.f.fled by the pillow. aThe antic.i.p.ation is scary.a I climbed onto the bed and positioned myself between her out-spread legs, wanting the s.e.x very much yet hesitant. Why was she suddenly so ready? My thighs touched hers, slender and deliciously smooth. Leaning down further I poked my slick c.o.c.k into the crack of her b.u.t.t.

aDo it!a she cried when I still hesitated.

So I thrust roughly into her. She squirmed and yelped but she soon quieted, allowing me to take my pleasure, which came quickly. It was not a good f.u.c.k, not what I had expected, and I did not linger to relish her flesh pressed against mine, because she seemed to be in distress.

aWhy?a I asked, rolling off to lie beside the woman who still grimaced from her recent discomfort. aWhy?a Sobbing in frustration she grabbed me in a tight embrace. aI want you to be my guy, Timmy,a she wailed and kissed my face furiously. aIf you were older, Iad trick you into getting me pregnant.a I held her in my arms, my hand running up and down her back, fingers b.u.mping along the k.n.o.bs of her spine. I felt both flattered and disturbed by her sudden outburst. Rosalind had always struck me as being a levelheaded person. Indeed, wry cynicism was an important element of her charm.

aYou sound like a virgin school girl,a I chided her with my lips grazing her wet cheek. aI canat imagine you insisting we go steady.a She rose up on an elbow to grin wanly at me. She rubbed her upper face with the back of her hand.

aHardly a virgin, Timmy,a she responded in a clear voice. aYou should know that. Maybe itas the period. It sometimes makes me moody.a aYou sounded rather desperate just now, like I was about to walk out on you.a I pulled her to me again.

aBut I shall be losing you. We both graduate in a few months and we may never see each other again. The thought of that upsets me. Youare really somebody special to me, Timmy.a aIam not yet fully grown,a I protested, attempting to lighten the mood that was uncomfortably somber.

aYouare grown enough, Tim. Youare spooky. Harrison says youare hiding something incredible.a aWhoas Harrison?a I inquired, sitting up abruptly.

aAn older guy I met last week. Harrison Cleaver. Heas been asking all kinds of questions about you and Alice.a aYou shouldnat be talking to strangers about us, Ros,a I scolded.

aHeas hardly a stranger, not now.a She winked at me.

af.u.c.king a guy does not make him a confidant.a I laid beside to her again. aWhat did you tell him?a aI didnat volunteer anything, Timmy. I just answered some of his questions. He especially wanted to know how mature you and Alice are, whether you acted like kids.a aAnd what did you say?a aUnderstand we had just had s.e.x in a rather acrobatic fas.h.i.+on and I had also been drinking.a aWhat did you say!a Rosalind shrugged and wriggled her nose. aI said the only childish thing about you two are your bodies.a aThatas all? Didnat he ask about our work?a aWell, yes, he did. But I couldnat tell him anything about that, because Iam an illiterate when it comes to science. He said he wants to meet you. I think heas a pervert who savors young flesh. He went wild over my little-girl t.i.tties.a aThey are rather cute,a I said, placing my mouth on the tip of one.

I put her older friend, Harrison, out of my mind. I felt a youthful urge to f.u.c.k again, and this time I wanted to do it in the old fas.h.i.+oned manner.

aHow do you get this rag off?a I asked, pulling at her sanitary pad.

aYouall make the sheets all b.l.o.o.d.y,a she complained, but she removed the item for me. aI canat deny you anything, Timmy,a she sighed as I mounted her.

She responded with a pa.s.sionate groan the instant I entered her slippery opening, and for the next thirty minutes her vocal response did not let up. I counted at least three major o.r.g.a.s.ms a" wild flailing, scratching climaxes each louder than the last. I worried about the noise, about the neighbors. She had never been like this before. She stared at me with large, excited eyes when it was my turn. She pulled on me, urged me on and seemed to share my pleasure.

Odd, I thought later. Her declaration approached obsession, yet she omitted the old-fas.h.i.+oned word for it.

Clara loads up the viewers for us every day or two. I watched for the most recent and took it to Alice. aWhat do you think of this?a She c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at me. aSomething unusual?a aI think so. Iad like your opinion.a She viewed it while stroking Alazar in her lap. The king monkey has become Aliceas personal property and she seems to relish it. His first lieutenant has taken over almost all his management tasks. Clara smiles tolerantly. Our modified capuchin population has grown in this stable environment.

Alice giggled.

aWhat?a I demanded.

aSheas so immature, thinking sheall get away from us that easily after graduation.a Immature? Well, yes, compared to the 70-year-old personality sharing Aliceas head.