Reversion - A Novel Part 24

I rechecked the development schedules. s.h.i.+p 1, as yet unnamed, was scheduled for launch December 15, 1954, just about five months from the present. It would ascend 200 miles to check its handling and particularly its air-tightness before descending almost immediately through the raised roof of Ferndep, in Neldon, Virginia, where any discrepancy might be corrected before the lunar voyage. Two days later s.h.i.+p 2 would follow. In fact that schedule was comfortably slack, thanks to the unsurpa.s.sed industry and accuracy of my Appalachian workers and Aliceas capuchins. Both s.h.i.+ps were already complete except for the last few d.i.c.ks, some minor interior fittings and the stealth painting.

I wandered outside, thinking furiously, heading for the back of the property away from any possible interruption. It was late afternoon on a clear day, but I hardly noticed. Mentally I reviewed the remaining work. If we were rushed, which appeared likely now, whether by Cleaver or perhaps a government agency informed by that same disgruntled employee, we certainly didnat have to wait until December. We could move things up a lot. Both s.h.i.+ps might depart Baylor quite a bit sooner, perhaps early as September. And as for the air-tightness test a" Suddenly I laughed with the joy of invention. Air pressure at sea level is 14.7 pounds per square inch. Instead of reducing the outside pressure to zero, suppose I increased the pressure inside the s.h.i.+p to 29.4, a simple operation that could be done in the factory. Why wouldnat it be as good a test? Furthermore I had wanted to avoid depending on the stealth paint for any part of the gas integrity. This way the testing could occur before the paint was applied! I straightened up from my crouch overlooking the lake, grinning with purpose.

aYou donat tell your secrets, do you?a I spun around. Allie leaned against the bole of a large pine, staring at me intently.

aGood afternoon, Allie. Donat tell me that pine is on your property.a She looked at the tree and shrugged. aI saw you out here and wanted to ask you something.a aWhatas this about my secrets?a aI mean if you promised to keep my secret, I could trust you.a aI donat blab.a The lines of her body bespoke determination. Impulsively I added, aYou want to talk, eh? Letas climb down to the beach.a At this point the Lake Erie coastline jogged southerly to create a small bay and a westward view. She squinted at me and the setting sun and took my hand. We cautiously descended the embankment to a secluded cove that would be awash whenever the waves were high. At this tranquil moment we could enjoy a narrow strip of sand about ten yards long.

She pulled off her shoes to wade at the edge of the water. I sat on the sand at the foot of the embankment, arms on drawn-up knees, and admired both views. The low orange sunlight pa.s.sed through her light clothing, silhouetting sleek female curves.

aI want to know stuff,a she said, turning to me. aItas about s.e.x, and thereas no one I can ask without getting into trouble.a aIsnat that what girls talk about on sleepovers?a aI donat have close friends for that. Most people already think Iam a bit strange, and if I started talking about s.e.x a" well, I know and you know what theyad do next.a aYour mother seems to be a reasonable person,a I noted. aPart of her job is teaching you about s.e.x.a aSheas told me the obvious stuff, of course.a aThe obvious stuff?a I chuckled. aLike what?a She studied me. aLike where the parts go and the reason for it. How important it is to boys. She claimed theyall say and promise anything to get a girl.a aYou didnat know that already?a aNot really. The only boy Iave ever played with is Rickie, my kid brother. And he didnat know anything about s.e.x until this summer.a aBut now he does?a aDo you promise not to tell?a Again she stared at me intently.

aOf course I do.a She stood above me, studying my reaction. aWe were playing together, touching each other like weave been doing for a while. Then he got on top and hurt me awfully.a She turned her back to gaze at the lake. Again I admired her shape. It resembled Claraas before the t.i.t job.

aSo youare not a virgin anymore. What is it specifically you want to know?a She spun around to face me.

aIt was supposed to feel good, I thought!a she exclaimed in evident frustration. aBut it hurt. Is there something wrong with me?a I shook my head. aIt always hurts the first time.a Her eyes narrowed. aAlways?a Actually thatas not true. I understand that in some girls the hymen is too thin or vestigial for proper sensing, but of course the huge majority a" aYou really didnat know that?a aNo one ever told me. I thought it would feel even better than touching.a aYouall enjoy it the next time,a I a.s.sured her.

aIam not sore down there anymore.a She grinned meaningfully.

aYouall find out for certain when you get a boyfriend.a I half rose to my feet. aIs that it? Have I answered all your questions?a With a jab at my shoulder she meant to push me back down. I was in a hurry to expedite those schedules, but I let her. What difference could a few minutes make?

aI donat want a boyfriend!a she retorted. aAt least not yet. And I do have more questions.a I leaned back against the embankment. aShoot.a aWhatas it for?a aThe cherry, you mean?a aYeah! Why does a girl have such a thing anyway?a I chuckled. aI think itas a rather neat solution to a tough problem. Active as young girls are, theyad get all kinds of dirt in that hole if it wasnat blocked off, at least until they start getting serious about life.a She thought it over, nodding slowly. aI guess that makes a little sense.a aWell, youare free to dream up your own reason. About that boyfriend: whatas your objection?a She made a face. aBoys are so a silly and crude. But youare not. I thought the first time we met you were just a grown up kid, but youare aa Her eyes raked my seated figure. aI was thinking that, maybe, you could show me.a aShow you what?a Her fists clenched but she answered frankly enough, aHow good it is.a aMe? Why me? Iam much too old for you, and I could get into a lot of trouble, you know.a She tossed her head. aIt's true Iad rather do it with someone my age, but I donat know anyone I can trust. At least youad know what youare doing, and besides, you arenat around much.a aIs that important? The fact that Iam usually away on business?a aYes. It would be easier to avoid you, if I donat like it.a aAnd if you do like it?a aEven more so. I said I donat want a boyfriend.a aDo I understand you correctly, Allie? You just want a physical experience without romance?a aRomance? With you?a She giggled through a sneer, then sobered. aWe could kiss, if you like. I wouldnat mind that.a aI havenat agreed to anything, young lady! What if Iave promised another woman Iad be faithful?a aIt wouldnat be cheating.a She sat beside me and clasped my hand in both of hers. aYouad just be doing me a favor, like scratching my back.a Allie, it seemed, would develop into a very tough girl. I didnat envy any boy who became infatuated with her.

I stood, pulling her up beside me, intending to call her bluff, if thatas what it was. aLetas go.a She smiled eagerly. aLetas do it on the gra.s.s up there. Itas lots better than this gritty place.a She went ahead of me. Her foot slipped in the sandy loam. I caught her calf with my hands, one of them sliding up an inner thigh, until my fingers brus.h.i.+ng her v.a.g.i.n.a. She wore nothing under the jeans skirt.

aOoh!a she cried and pa.s.sed giggling over the lip of the embankment. She whirled around in front of her pine tree, face flushed, eyes alight. aDo that again!a I chuckled and shook my head. aYou say your mother taught you what the parts were for. Did she tell you about the end result?a aYou mean a baby?a aDo you have any idea how much trouble having a baby would cause you? No, I see you donat. Allie, you have a lot to learn.a aI know it. Iam ready for a lesson.a She pulled the bib straps down her arms and s.h.i.+mmied out of the overalls-like skirt. Her blouse went over her head in a swoop and she stood naked before me. She looked around us and focused on a secluded stand of lilac. aThereas a soft spot,a she suggested.

She had a gorgeous body, well proportioned and past budding, but not yet fully mature. I admired her briefly, especially the residual old man, but the residual boy, now sated with such experience, was impatient. Internally I shook my head in regret. If her knowledge of our monkeys was a risk, how much more risky might be her account of statutory rape!

aAllie,a I said in a low but uncompromising tone, ayouare lovely and you tempt me, and indeed I could show you how good it gets, but this time I have to decline the opportunity. Come see me when youare 16.a Her mouth fell open and her face blanked. aYou a you a But why? I wouldnat tell!a aOf course not, and neither will I.a I caught her blouse where it dangled from a nearby bush and presented it to her. She s.n.a.t.c.hed it from my hand.

Her eyes narrowed. aWhat if I say you did anyway?a aTry that on your mother first. It might save you a lot of embarra.s.sment.a The blouse settled quickly around her. She stepped into her overalls-skirt and jerked up the straps. She gave me a long glare, red spots on the cheeks, and grated, aIall tell her you f.u.c.k your sisters.a aDonat forget to mention the ghosts, Santa Claus and magic carpets.a aHuh?a aYou told me I was obsessed with them the first time we met.a Despite herself she smiled. aI wanted you to tickle me.a aI mightave done it too, except we were interrupted.a aAt least you were willing a then.a Suddenly she pushed forward, leaned up and kissed me on the point of the chin.

I said, aI hope that means youare not mad.a aNo, Tim, Iam not mad.a I watched her stroll away towards her own property. Just before she plunged into the thicker trees she turned back to call, aIf you keep on, when Iam 16 youall be 80.a aItall be worth it,a I a.s.sured her as she disappeared from sight.

The Cleveland house was large, 16 rooms above the bas.e.m.e.nt including a conference room on the second floor large enough for a dozen board members. Yet its inhabitants insisted on reaching the important decisions around the table in the relatively small kitchen.

Because of shorter layovers, itas actually faster and just as easy to fly from Roanoke to Charlotte by way of Cleveland a" not that I was in a hurry on this particular trip, but habits do form quickly! So I stopped the night on my way back to Baylor from Ferndep, and for breakfast the next morning, attended by Clara, Alice, myself and our familiars, Clara served us bacon and eggs along with her decision.

aIam not going with you.a aWhat?a cried Alice, eyes bulging. aOf course youare going!a aNo, dear, Iam not," Clara responded, but she looked at me.

Alice pushed back from the table. aClara, donat be silly!a The woman sniffed. aWhen did you ever know me to be silly?a I leaned forward. aYouave been to s.p.a.ce before, havenat you?a aYes. Several times. Once I lived in the Trailing Jovian Trojans for five years.a Aliceas eyes grew even larger. aYou never told us that!a The woman shrugged, smiling.

The girlas lip curled. aSo youare bored with s.p.a.ce, is that it?a aNot hardly, though life in an oneill can certainly be boring, not to speak of traveling in Hohmann orbits.a aVID solves that problem,a I pointed out.

aNo doubt, but no one in my universe made your discovery, Tim. Mars by Hohmann orbit was just about nine months.a She chuckled. aIn the early days it was jokingly recommended for pregnant women.a She looked into the distance. aEven in my time high speed trips were very expensive. Most freight a" and travelers too a" had to endure Hohmanns.a aNot for us,a I a.s.serted. aFor comfort Iall maintain about one G all the way, reversing thrust at the half-way point. Weall reach the moon in four hours and later, when itas closest, Mars in just 42 hours.a aLess than two days to Mars!a she breathed in awe.

aAnd it wouldnat cost very much to halve that.a Alice repeated herself with conviction. aOf course youare coming with us.a So did Clara. aNo, dear.a Her expression was solemn. She wasnat kidding. I said, aSo if itas not boredom with s.p.a.ce, it must be us. Though after last night a"a She laughed and put her hand on my arm. aTimmy, you know very well that nothing else in life compares to the pleasure you give me. And I donat refer only to s.e.x.a aMy G.o.d, Clara! Then what?a I tried a childish trick. aIt canat be that youare afraid!a aAfraid?a She smiled. aAfraid of going to the moon in an untried s.h.i.+p with an unproven theoretical drive controlled by an inexperienced crew? Now, why would that scare me, Tim?a aWell aa I began sheepishly.

Her smile became a laugh. aLet me tell you a story. When I knew I was scheduled for the Jovians, I let my friends talk me into a flying holiday. But my right wing strut broke and I fell into the village so that a"a aWait a minute!a I said holding up a hand. Aliceas eyes had already rounded. aWhat do you mean, aa flying vacation?aa aWe were waiting at Armstrong Dome for our acceptance to the Jovians. In the moonas one-sixth gravity humans can fly like birds, using only muscle power. Robert Heinlein will invent the idea in a few years. It became quite a sport in the caverns and domes on the moon, also in the oneills of course, and I was keen on it. Until that day. When my strut broke, I went down in a dive so fast that I smashed through the safety net and hit the gra.s.s hard. It broke my neck and made me miss the boat to the Jovians.

aWhat?a She grinned around at our gasps. aI forgot that a broken neck is often fatal here and now. In the 24th Century no accident is. The most you might lose is memories since your last backup. But you know that. You just havenat appreciated what it means yet, have you?a She sighed. aThat broken neck was most fortunate for me in terms of lost memories. The s.h.i.+p I missed exploded when it was beyond the orbit of Mars. From the lopsided spread of the particles they decided the cause was a piece of interstellar trash, probably about the size of your fist, traveling at a small percentage of light speed.a She took a deep breath then smiled. aThe reason Iam telling you this sad story is to add that I jumped at the chance of a berth on the next Jovian packet. Thatas how afraid I was of s.p.a.ce.a aMy G.o.d!a I murmured. aThe odds against something like that must be truly astronomical.a She waved a hand. aYour spiral contains a report on it. Look up the JSS Marston.a aAnd you donat have backups here. I understand a"a aWho says I donat have backups?a We stared at her. aIf you do, I hope they work automatically.a I shook my head. aWhat do you mean, youare not going with us? Where will you stay?a aRight here in Cleveland. Neither the government nor Cleaver has discovered our base here. Iall be safe, Tim, and in position to keep Ferndep going for your resupply.a aHollowell looks good at Ferndep,a Alice said. aDonat you trust him?a Claraas eyes swung to the girl. She smiled slightly. aI know the angle of your view. You havenat spilled any beans, have you?a aOf course not.a aThen how do you expect him to admit our s.h.i.+ps through the roof?a aAh aa I answered for her. aWe donat. Heas only temporarily in charge. Karl liberated two more of Von Braunas people from Huntsville last year. Theyave been told part of the story. They support us because they believe in s.p.a.ce travel and because they fear falling back into the governmentas clutches. Karl has already transferred them to Ferndep. One of them, Hans Freulich, will be named director next week.a Alice sighed. aWhich brings us to Baylor. What are you going to do about the factory, Tim a" not to speak of all those trained workers?a aWell, the first trip will land somewhere on Farside, probably in Daedalus, but it wonat linger. Weall make a few pictures, scoop up some rock and be under the roof at Ferndep in 24 hours, so I donat foresee any real problem, unless of course Cleaver is banging on the door at Baylor.a aHe may well be. But what about the long run?a I shook my head. aI was a little too smart. If I hadnat declared it a federal enterprise, I could let our guards handle Cleaveras detectives. Now Iam afraid weall have to abandon Baylor.a Alice's jaw dropped. aWhat did Rosalind say last month? Thatas over 200 million dollars!a aStill a bargain,a I maintained. aDo you recall what Apollo cost a" will cost?a aOkay. I guess if we have to let it go, we have to. But thatas beside the point. How can you stand to leave Clara here?a I stared from one to the other. aWhen men go in harmas way, they always prefer to leave their women at home.a aThey do what?a Alice huffed. aYou want me to stay here too? You can forget it, pal!a I laughed hollowly. aNo kidding! But Iam speaking of preferences. I wouldave preferred you to stay in 2005, though Iall admit now Iam glad you didnat. Yes, Iad prefer all three of my women to stay safe in Cleveland. We couldave found and trained other enthusiasts. But Iam reconciled to your company.a I looked at Clara. aYours, too. You havenat told us your real reason, have you?a She said, aIam still debating the wisdom of that.a I took a breath of determination. aYou have to tell us, Clara, and it had better be good.a She sighed. aIave given you the right to insist, I suppose.a She sighed. aItas radiation.a aHuh?a aI read your spec. The d.i.c.ks redirect a lot of the cosmic and solar radiation, though not all. I know the sunspot cycle wonat reach maximum until 1957, and you plan to allow only half the ionizing radiation tolerated by the world of 2398. But itas still too much.a Alice stared at her. aClara, you know better! I calculated this myself, using your peopleas empirical equations. Our s.h.i.+elds will admit only about an order of magnitude greater than the background youare sitting in right now. How can that be too much?a The womanas eyes on mine were ineffable. Her mouth worked. At last she said, aThe genome is too delicate. Repairs to it are uncertain at best.a aThe genome!a I felt a sudden tension. aYou mean a"a aYes, Tim. Iam pregnant with your son.a

Chapter 19: Pressure.

Traceability was an early concern a" meaning investigatorsa ability to trace us back to our ultimate base in Cleveland, but now with Clara staying behind it became paramount. For a year the relays had been in place over the mountains for communication between Cleveland and Ferndep using spread-spectrum radio and from there on down to Baylor, but s.h.i.+pping the 21,000 d.i.c.ks from Cleveland to Baylor presented a problem. The plan to pa.s.s them through Ferndep would leave the Ferndep-Baylor connection exposed, if we used a public carrier. So Fernworks bought a logo-less ten-wheeler and on an August weekend the four youngest princ.i.p.als loaded boxes in Cleveland and unloaded a s.h.i.+pas worth of spare d.i.c.ks in Ferndep, followed by two s.h.i.+psa worth at Baylor, 31,500 in all, both installations having been shutdown for the occasion. On the following Monday, the Baylor employees returned on two s.h.i.+fts to install them.

Air tightness was the problem that would have killed us. Flat plates covering s.h.i.+ps, however well reinforced with stringers, are susceptible to bulging under the significant pressure of a full atmosphere. In our first test, s.h.i.+p One was so leaky even the Baylor pumps couldnat raise it beyond half an atmosphere of pressure. I was very glad indeed we hadnat tried its tightness at 100 miles alt.i.tude! Closer set fasteners, more stringers and thicker calking were applied. By the first of September, s.h.i.+p One had held 15-PSI gauge for twelve hours. Karl released the pressure and proceeded with the stealth painting.

The final coat of paint combined ingredients used by Claraas people plus molecular alignment in the d.i.c.ksa magnetic field. It produced a mirror-like finish of high efficiency. I noticed several of our aRosiesa preening before it. In both my opinion and that of the 24th Century, flat surfaces that were quality mirrors would be less susceptible to eyeball detection than the Gulf Waras black paint, even at night.

We applied the tightening improvements to s.h.i.+p Two before the first pressure test and found that it needed only a bit more calk. Its stealthing began immediately.

The spread-spectrum transceiver at Baylor was a small metal box on my desk connected to a Yagi pretending to be a TV antenna on the roof. It had a red light to blink for an incoming call. Second s.h.i.+ft had just begun and I was sitting at my desk working on the longer-range schedule a" what should we do after we visited the moon? a" and contemplating supper when the light began flas.h.i.+ng.

I inserted the earpiece that was also the microphone and said, aMaple here,a expecting to hear Hans or maybe Rosalind in Ferndep.

But it was Clara in Cleveland, voice somewhat strained. aTim, Iave just learned something that canat wait.a aA problem with the baby?a aNo, no.a She sighed audibly. aItas about Cleaver. Yesterday he received a letter in the mail and got excited. He called someone on the telephone, apparently the writer, and discussed it. Listening to his end of the conversation, I pieced together what it was all about. Tim, he has learned the essential truth.a aWhat do you mean, Clara?a aHe has a man in Was.h.i.+ngton, somebody on Eisenhoweras inner staff. This man swore that no federal project named Fernworks exists and further that no one in the federal government is building a s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p.a aGood G.o.d! Are you sure thatas what was said?a aOh, yes. Cleaver repeated it over and over. as.p.a.ces.h.i.+ps with government funding, that lying little b.a.s.t.a.r.d!a And I have a viewer for you. Alice is on her way to the airport with it now. Sheall land in Charlotte at ten in the morning.a Clara and Rosalind possessed the only equipment capable of loading viewers, so with Rosalind currently in Ferndep the fastest way for us to transmit ladybug images was by courier. I was silent, thinking fast but apparently not fast enough.

aTim, did you hear me?a aYes, dear. I hope Alice is coming prepared.a aPrepared?a aTo go to the moon.a aSo a soon?a aLate tomorrow night, if we can possibly make it.a It was her turn to be silent. I waited. At last she sighed. aWe thought youad do that.a aIf you contact Rosalind before I can, tell her to take the Charlotte flight that arrives soonest without regard to layover time.

aIall tell her.a I thought a moment longer. aWhat did Cleaver do next?a aPut in a call to his detectives. He told Jenkins to meet him at OaHare a" in the private section.a as.h.i.+t! Does Cleaver own an airplane?a aMaybe. He could certainly rent one.a aIn that case heall probably arrive here before midnight.a I took a deep breath. aClara, I may have to do some things that could affect our relations.h.i.+p.a She hesitated. At last she said softly, aNothing will affect that. Youall always be my magnificent hero.a I chuckled with genuine pleasure. aClara, having you in my corner is certainly my greatest advantage.a aThank you. Iall always be there, Tim.a aThank you, you darling!a I sighed and added, aLet me go. I have a lot to do now.a aCall me when you can a" when youare airborne, at least.a aI shall. I love you.a aOh, Tim!a The beep sounded, indicated loss of signal. I removed the earplug. A lot to do, but where to begin?

Lacey had gone home and Karl was out of his office. I dashed out onto the factory floor. I found him at s.h.i.+p Two, listening to the remarks of Kelliam and a man whose name escaped me. I stopped at his side. They were discussing maintenance of the fabrication machines.

aExcuse me, Carl: urgent business.a He took a few steps away with me. I asked quietly, aHow close are the s.h.i.+ps to operational state?a aWe put the outer coat of paint on s.h.i.+p Two yesterday. Itas dry.a aWhat about provender?a He shrugged. aWe havenat put anything aboard yet. But the factory water tanks are full, ready to load. The frozen food will be delivered Friday.a aThatas too late.a He blinked. aEh?a I stared into his eyes. aI want you immediately to begin charging the d.i.c.ks. Shut down all heavy equipment and divert all power from the dam, except for factory lighting. Also draw the full capacity of our lines from Duke Power. I want both s.h.i.+ps charging at the maximum rate for the next 24 hours.a He looked away while his fingers danced on his thigh. aMein Gott! Thatas enough energy to reach Jupiter!a His eyes widened on mine. aWhatas going on?a aWeare going on a" to the moon as soon as that charge is on board.a aWhatas the rush? What happened?a aWeare going to have visitors,a I answered grimly, aprobably beginning tonight but definitely tomorrow. Also pipe in a half load of water for each s.h.i.+p. Itas good you had the foresight to use gravity feed for that. As to food supplies, grab a few sandwiches, cakes and pop bottles from the snack bar.a aThe blind womanas not here!a aDo it tomorrow morning when she is.a aBut a but aa aAnd the s.p.a.cesuits. Whatas their condition?a aWeave tested mine and Rosalindas but not yet yours and Aliceas.a aTomorrow verify pressure tightness, at least. For now make the connections and start charging the d.i.c.ks. Then come to my office. We have a lot of detail to cover. Be prepared to answer this question: which workers do we actually need to help us launch the s.h.i.+ps?a He stared at me with a blank face. I said, aAnd show a little enthusiasm. In 36 hours youall be sitting on the moon.a * * *

aMr. Maple, could I speak with you a moment?a I looked up. The woman in jeans and red bandanna on my office doorsill had a worried face.

aOf course, Maryanne. Come in.a She crossed the room and leaned over my desk, hands clasping the edges. aI couldnat find Mr. Haines.a She took a breath. aDonat know if itas my business to tell you, but a I aa aGo ahead, Maryanne. What is it?a Her mouth worked indecisively. Finally she burst out, aHe ainat Jimpson!a aAh, Jimpson?a aArthur Jimpson. I used to walk him some on Sundays afore I met my James. But the man watching the meters ainat him.a aThen who is he?a aI donat know. Ainat never seen him anywhere in the hills afore now.a aReally?a I smiled. aIs he what you folks call a aflatlander,a Maryanne?a aMust be. But heas a-wearing the Fernworks s.h.i.+rt with Arthuras name on it.a Karl had issued forest-green protective jackets to all workers, each with his name and our symbol, a curling fern leaf.

aYouave been here long enough to know all the workers, havenat you, Maryanne?a She smiled slightly. aI think I was the third one hired.a aAnd you say this stranger wearing Jimpsonas s.h.i.+rt is watching the charge flow meters?a aYes, sir.a I stood up. aFollow me.a I led her down the hall to the guardas desk facing the front door. The husky man currently on duty looked up, saw me and spun around in his chair to regard me inquiringly. He wore the gray uniform of the Fernworks guard staff, incidentally having the same markings as the federal security agency.

aStrap on your weapon, Judd,a I told him, aand come with us. Maryanne thinks we have an intruder.a He s.n.a.t.c.hed a holstered pistol from the desk drawer and hung it on his Sam Browne belt. Shortly we were marching into the mountain, heels clicking down the main aisle between the rows of machines, following Maryanne. The huge room was unusually quiet. Karl had released most of Second s.h.i.+ft early.

We proceeded along the central a.s.sembly area, skirting the two s.h.i.+ps, now free of scaffolding, that waited on their landing struts. Despite the electrical cables and water hoses looping into them they were hard to see: that is, their edges were hard to locate. Once again the perfection of their stealthing impressed me. Reflected sections of the girder-laced ceiling seemed to rotate before us at eye-level as we pa.s.sed. The illusion was uncannily perfect. Apparently the stealth paint reduced scattering in the visual range also, an unexpected bonus.

aG.o.d, I canat get over how they look!a breathed Maryanne, smiling at me in awe.

aThank you,a I murmured, taking it as a compliment. aWhich one is he?a Electrical power was distributed to each s.h.i.+p from its own control panel. Karl had a.s.signed a worker for each to monitor the fluctuations that might signal a failing d.i.c.k.

aThe one on the left,a she said.

aYou wait here, Maryanne. Come on, Judd.a The man sat at a desk before the bank of meters, an alarm b.u.t.ton under his hand. He was turned away from us, in a position to watch both the meters and the s.h.i.+ps. He craned his neck when he heard us approaching and leapt to his feet, looking wildly around. He chose a direction and sprang away towards the looming machines of the suba.s.sembly area.

aThat seals it!a I said. aCatch him, Judd.a The guard drew his pistol and worked the slide noisily. aHalt, you,a he shouted, bringing the weapon up into alignment, aor Iall open fire!a This was the Fifties. In those simpler days no one would question a policemanas right to kill a fleeing suspect. Running away was everywhere considered evidence of guilt. The general sentiment held that if you ran you deserved what you got.

In any case our intruder obeyed. He came to a halt after the next step and turned around to wait with hands in the air. As Judd and I closed on him, heads were popping up all around us. I heard Maryanneas footsteps behind me.

He was an average sort of fellow, thirtyish with close-cropped dark hair. The sleeves of Jimpsonas jacket seemed a bit long on him. His eyes were brown with whites showing.

aWho are you?a I demanded.

aArthur Jimpson,a he answered immediately.

Joining us, Maryanne declared with conviction, aNo, you ainat. I used to step out with Arthur.a This guy didnat lack for words. aMustave been a different Arthur.a aThatas not an Appalachian accent,a I noted.

aIt sh.o.r.e ainat,a agreed the guard.

aWho hired you in Fernworks?a I asked.

He licked his lips, only a momentas hesitation. He had been told the bossesa names but he was unlucky. aJohn Maple.a The guard grunted and Maryanne sniffed.

I said, aCuff him, Judd, and take him to my office.a The guard caught the manas shoulder and spun him around. While the handcuffs clicked I asked the woman, aWhatas your a.s.signment tonight?a aI just came off supper break and was reporting to Jerome.a aThatas right,a said someone behind me. I looked over my shoulder at Kelliam, my foreman of the single pinkie. aShe told me about the false name,a he added. aI wouldave sent her to Mr. Haines but heas down at the dam looking at a generator problem.a First things first. aA generator problem?a aNumber three was out of sync again, but I noticed it just came back online.a aThatas good news,a I said, breathing a sigh of relief. I grinned at him. aOur fake Jimpson claims I hired him, but I never saw him before.a aWell, d.a.m.n!a exclaimed the miscreant, grinning sheepishly.

I turned to face him. aI have a question for you.a He stood straight among us, arms cuffed behind his back. aWhat happened to the real Arthur Jimpson?a aIf you think Iall tell you anything, youare crazy.a I put harshness into my voice. aIf youave hurt my employee youall think Iam crazy!a aWant us to rough him up?a asked Kelliam.

aHa!a sneered the intruder. aItall take more than a few hillbillies to make me talk.a aYou think so?a asked Kelliam mildly. aTwo would do it: one to chain you to the rivet press and the other to crush your fingers, one joint at the time.a I could just imagine that; the hair rose on the back of my neck. Our intruder only sneered the more. Perhaps he had never seen a hydraulically operated rivet press.

aI have another way, Jerome,a I told him grimly, aone that leaves no marks. Judd, take this man to my office and chain him into a straight chair.a aThis way, you,a the guard ordered, clutching the intruderas arm. Away they went up the aisle.

I said quietly to Kelliam, aI want you to take five minutes and look the whole place over for other strangers. Itas possible we have more than one intruder.a aYes, sir,a said Kelliam.

aAnd when Karl gets back, tell him to check in with me, please.a I jerked my head at the hovering woman. aMaryanne, come along.a Walking up the aisle, I considered quickly how to approach this. aMaryanne, how is it you didnat go home with the other Second s.h.i.+ft fabricators?a aIam the best with the precision mill.a She grinned unabashedly. aMr. Haines wanted me to stay in case we had to mill a replacement socket.a I nodded. aA wise precaution. Meanwhile you have impressed me by your loyalty to the firm.a aThank you, sir.a She regarded me with interest.

After the compliments she had offered to Karl and me last year, I had looked up her record. She was a widow, now 32, supporting two children and an elderly mother on her Fernworks pay. Full-figured, she was not a bad looking woman, despite the care lines in her face.

aBut I have a problem.a I chuckled ruefully. aI have a new drug that will make this intruder spill his guts but no way to get it in him.a aA hypo?a I shook my head. aNo syringes. Too bad we never hired a company nurse, eh?a aCoffee?a aHeas heard of other drugs like mine. I doubt heall drink anything we give him. But this drug has some interesting properties, Maryanne. It can be tuned to the person. That is, it can be set to affect one person but not another.a aCan it?a Her eyes sparkled and she grinned widely. aHow about I should kiss him?a I had to stop and stare in awe. aMy G.o.d, youare fast on the uptake!a aIs that bad?a aI mean, youare incredibly intelligent, Maryanne. What are you doing working here at two dollars an hour?a aTwo-ten. You gave me a raise last month.a aIall do a lot better than that! But yes, I expect head tolerate a wet kiss from you, if you were left alone with him.a aWell,a she said thoughtfully, aheas not nearly as pretty as you and Mr. Haines, but if you want me to kiss him, I will, Mr. Maple.a Her expression was determined. aWhat do I do?a aPush as much saliva into his mouth as you can.a aDoes it have to be a lot?a aActually not. A taste is probably enough. This stuff knows how to reinforce itself.a aAll right. What do I do: chew up a pill first?a aNo, Maryanne.a I sighed. aIam afraid you have to kiss me first. Thatas how Iall give you the drug.a Her face blanked. aHuh? Then you could kiss him yourself!a I curled my lip. aIad probably have to knock him out first.a aOh.a She giggled, eyebrows rising. aListen to me: trying to talk myself out of the chance to kiss you!a We were outside the door of my office. I had already executed the DISINHIBITOR program, tuned only for masculine non-Kimball DNA. A wad of spit filled my cheek like a plug of tobacco. I took her in my arms. She smelled womanly, perhaps my favorite odor. Her mouth met mine openly. In went the drug. Her eyes closed but her tongue flirted with mine and I returned the gesture. G.o.d, I do love willing women, and apparently that was the right word for my Maryanne!

But we broke apart. Her eyes were large. aThaas a loa!a she murmured through pursed lips.

aCan you hold most of it in your cheek?a I asked. aYou may need to talk to him a little. The drug wonat affect you if you swallow it.a Her mouth worked. aI think I can do it.a aGood girl!a I opened the door. Judd had cuffed the intruderas ankle to a chair leg and his arms behind the chair back. I motioned to the guard. aCome on, letas get more manacles. Maryanne, will you keep an eye on our guest? Weall return shortly.a aYes, sir,a she said distinctly.

I jerked my head at the guard, who followed me out into the hall, leaving the door ajar. With finger to lips, I caught his arm and stopped both of us to the right of the door, while continuing to make walking sounds with my feet. He, too, was fast on the uptake. His feet joined in with mine, even gradually reducing the force to simulate drawing away. In a moment we were both listening to the voices floating around the doorjamb.

The woman said, aHey, theyave left us alone together.a aSo what?a She chuckled deep in her throat. aSo I can find out if you kiss betteran the real Arthur.a The prisoner barked a laugh. aArenat you the girl that fingered me?a aFingered? If youare a good kisser, Iall do a lot more than finger.a The ensuing lengthy silence yielded to spitting sounds. aGuk!a the man exclaimed. aYou call that kissing?a Still clasping the guardas arm, I turned us toward the door. aCome on.a The intruder was licking his lips, glaring at the woman with a stupefied expression.

She was hovering near, smiling at him smugly. She said, aYouare a lousy kisser, bo.a aDo all you hill girls keep a wad of spit in aa His voice trailed off as his eyes turned toward me.

aJust for Yankees,a she quipped.

I pulled her away from him, slid another chair into her spot and sank into it face-to-face with him.

aWhatas your name?a I demanded.

He heaved a sigh. His mouth worked.

aYou have to speak aloud. Say your name.a aI a I a Dillon Walker.a aFor whom do you work?a Again his lips curled and relaxed. At last he said, aDonat work a aM self-employed.a aWhat kind of work do you do?a aP-private detective.a I exchanged glances with Judd, who had left a struggling private agency to join Fernworks.

aWho hired you, Walker?a He took several seconds to form the words, aGerrymander Inc.a Which of course was one of Cleaveras holding companies. aVery good,a I said encouragingly. aNow tell me what happened to the real Arthur Jimpson.a aNothing.a Walkeras mouth twisted. aHeas a sellout.a aFor how much?a aA C-note,a he said contemptuously.

Behind me Maryanne sniffed and murmured, aAlways was cheap!a Aware of what my next question might elicit, I glanced around at Judd and Maryanne. aWill you two please wait outside?a aMaybe we ought to manacle his other leg,a Judd suggested.

I grunted. aDonat worry. Heas not going anywhere.a aYouare the boss.a Judd and the woman departed.

aWhat was your a.s.signment here, Walker?a I asked when the door clicked shut.

aTo study the layout, see whatas going on.a aDid you figure it out?a He shrugged. aYouare building some a some kind of big cars. Or maybe boats. Weird.a aYes, weird.a aWhat I canat figure is how you plan to get aem out of here.a aGood. When are you supposed to report?a aWhen the s.h.i.+ft ends.a aTo whom?a aCleaver.a The words were coming easier to him now, enough for him to volunteer information.

aHeas waiting for you outside?a aHeas coming in before midnight. Some other private d.i.c.ks are waiting.a aWhere?a aCars in the parking lot.a aHow do you recognize them?a aTwo blue Ford sedans, brand new.a I thought a moment. aWalker, who else came into the plant with you?a aA a a woman.a aUnder whose nametag?a aAdele Morris. Sheas one who quit last month, according to Jimpson. We found a green coat for her at s.h.i.+cks.a Not surprising: s.h.i.+cks was the local clothing store where Rosalind had contracted for the original jackets.

aWhatas her real name?a aI only know her last name: Berman. Sheas from Chicago and a real looker. Came down last week.a aLast week? How long has Cleaver been watching us?a aMonths. Iave been down here since July.a That figured.

aSheas got one of those little German cameras.a Uh-oh!

aHow many times have you people entered the plant?a aJust tonight. We got the orders only in time for Second s.h.i.+ft.a aBut you must have been expecting them.a aOh, yeah. Jimpson sold out on you last week.a aAnybody else in here tonight?a aNot as far as I know.a aHow many jackets did you people buy?a aA couple a" three if you count Jimpsonas.a I thought a moment longer. aHave you heard anything that Cleaver plans to do to this place?a aNot me. Iam a low man on that totem pole.a Undoubtedly true. First things first: better round up the woman. aWalters, I think youad be more comfortable if you sort of slouched down in that chair. Take a nap, why donat you?a He blinked. aOkay. Think I will.a And he was out like a light.

Impressive, the effect of this DISINHIBITOR. Its name ought to be something like aINSTANT SLAVERY.a The counter and antidote to it is called a" you guessed it a" ANTIDISINHIBITOR, programmers being no more imaginative in the 24th Century than the 20th. I made sure to flood my own body with the ANTIDISINHIBITOR nan.o.biots.

To my surprise, guard and woman were not waiting in the hall. I heard voices from the break room and started to put my head in there, only to be brought up short by a husky male voice declaring, aMaryanne, I just realized Iam in love with you.a Cautiously I looked around the doorjamb. My guard and erstwhile fabricator were locked in a tight clench beside the coffee pot. I cleared my throat. Reluctantly they pulled apart.

aGood gosh aamighty!a exclaimed Maryanne. aYou can really kiss, Judd.a Apparently I had not witnessed their first kiss tonight. I said testily, aWeave got more trouble.a Maryanne whirled to face me with a saucy expression and glistening lips. aIfan you mean me and Judd a"a aI mean Walters admitted thereas another intruder, a woman. Where might a woman be working tonight, Maryanne?a She blinked at me. aIn the suit chamber, I bet.a aOf course!a I agreed. Female seamstresses were sealing the last two s.p.a.cesuits, the ones that fit Alice and me. Important work! aCome on, letas check them out. Sheas supposed to be wearing Adele Morrisas jacket.a aAdele quit last month to have a baby,a noted Maryanne, hurrying after Judd and myself. With a gulp and a hand swipe at his mouth the guard had straightened up purposefully.

The suit chamber was in the rear at the end of the huge interior. The warning sign of a pressure test hung over the door, but I knew suits were being pressurized, not the room. I opened it and pushed in. And saw our intruder immediately.

Her eyes locked with mine for an instant. She looked away in feigned indifference, but a betraying flush graced her pretty cheeks. I had to laugh.

aMona, what in the h.e.l.l are you doing here a" as if I didnat know?a She looked from me to the armed guard. With a shrug she took up her purse and walked out of the lab beside me. Judd and Maryanne followed us. Cleaveras beautiful a.s.sistant was dressed tonight as Rosie the Riveter in bandanna, jeans and Fernworks s.h.i.+rt without the logo. They were tight jeans, reminiscent of thirty years in the future, that accentuated the graceful curves of her thighs and b.u.t.tocks. I almost asked her where she had got them.

aGive me your handbag,a I told her as we marched down the aisle toward the s.h.i.+mmering s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+ps.

aThatas an improper request,a she announced, raising her chin.

I had to chuckle. aYes, it is, but not of a trespa.s.ser. Give it here.a Sighing, she pa.s.sed it to me. It contained a compact, lipstick and a tissue pack, about all that the camera, an Exacta single lens reflex, left room for. Indeed it was a alittle German cameraa by the standards of the Fifties. I removed it and returned the purse. The exposure counter indicated zero.

aIs Cleaveras confidence in you justified?a I asked.

aWhy not?a Cameras did not yet have built-in light meters. aWho taught you to use so complicated a camera?a aI own it,a she explained with a sniff of amus.e.m.e.nt at my presumption of ignorance, aalong with a Ha.s.selblad. Photography is my hobby,a she added with a cool grin, athough I havenat yet decided what exposure to use for those mirrors of yours.a She chuckled slightly. aDid you know that Cleaver calls them s.p.a.ces.h.i.+ps? Thatas an F1.6 lens and Iam using ASA200 film that I can push to 800. What do you recommend, Tim?a Behind me I heard Maryanne laugh incredulously. as.p.a.ces.h.i.+ps?a Mona said over her shoulder, aThey certainly donat look it, do they!a I had to admire her coolness.