Конец вечности
Technician
Ihavethedatanecessaryherewithme.IhavealsothedataforasuggestedRealityChangeinthe482nd.IwanttoknowtheeffectoftheChangeontheprobability-patternofacertainindividual."
"Iamnotquitesure,"saidtheSociologistslowly,"thatIunderstandyou.SurelyyouhavethefacilitiesfordoingthisinyourownSection?"
"Ihave.Nevertheless,whatIamengagedinisapersonalresearchwhichIdon’twishtoappearintherecordsjustyet.ItwouldbedifficulttohavethiscarriedoutinmyownSectionwithout—"Hegesturedanuncertainconclusiontotheunfinishedsentence.
Voysaid,"Thenyouwantthisdonenotthroughofficialchannels."
"Iwantitdoneconfidentially.Iwantaconfidentialanswer."
"Well,now,that’sveryirregular.Ican’tagreetoit."
Harlanfrowned."NomoreirregularthanmyfailuretoreportyourerrortotheAllwhenCouncil.Youraisednoobjectiontothat.Ifwe’regoingtobestrictlyregularinonecase,wemustbeasstrictandasregularintheother.Youfollowme,Ithink?"
ThelookonVoy’sfacewasproofpositiveofthat.Heheldouthishand."MayIseethedocuments?"
Harlanrelaxedabit.Themainhurdlehadbeenpassed.HewatchedeagerlyastheSociologist’sheadbentoverthefoilshehadbrought.
OnlyoncedidtheSociologistspeak."ByTime,thisisasmallRealityChange."
Harlanseizedhisopportunityandimprovised."Itis.Toosmall,Ithink.It’swhattheargumentisabout.It’sbelowcriticaldifference,andI’vepickedanindividualasatestcase.
