Конец вечности
Technician
SomeSociologist,probablyVoyhimself,hadinterpretedthatintothepsychiatricprofileofasociety.Finally,someComputerhadworkedouttheRealityChangenecessarytodecreaseaddictiontoasafelevelandfoundthat,asasideeffect,electro-graviticspace-travelmustsuffer.Adozen,ahundredmenofeveryratinginEternityhadhadahandinthis.
Butthen,attheend,aTechniciansuchashimselfmuststepin.Followingthedirectionsalltheothershadcombinedtogivehim,hemustbetheonetoinitiatetheactualRealityChange.Andthenalltheotherswouldstareinhaughtyaccusationathim.Theirstareswouldsay:You,notwe,havedestroyedthisbeautifulthing.
Andforthat,theywouldcondemnandavoidhim.Theywouldshifttheirownguilttohisshouldersandscornhim.
Harlansaidharshly,"Shipsaren’twhatcount.We’reconcernedwiththosethings."
The"things"werepeople,dwarfedbythespace-ship,asEarthandEarth’ssocietyisalwaysdwarfedbythephysicaldimensionsofspaceflight.
Theywerelittlepuppetsinclusters,thesepeople.Theirtinyarmsandlegswereinraised,artificial-lookingpositions,caughtinthefrozeninstantofTime.
Voyshrugged.
Harlanwasadjustingthesmallfield-generatorabouthisleftwrist."Let’sgetthisjobdone."
"Oneminute.IwanttogetintouchwiththeLife-Plotterandfindouthowlonghisjobforyouwilltake.Iwanttogetthatjobdone,too."
Hishandsworkedcleverlyatalittlemovablecontactandhisearlistenedastutelytothepatternofclicksthatcameback
