Конец вечности
Beyond the Downwhen Terminus
YouwillfindyourselfinaprotectedandisolatedspotinthesparselypopulatedsouthwesternareaoftheUnitedStatesofAmellika…"
"America,"correctedCooper.
"America,then.TheCenturywillbethe24th;or,toputittonearesthundredth,the23.17th.Isupposewecanevencallittheyear2317,ifwewish.Thekettle,asyousaw,islarge,muchlargerthannecessaryforyou.Itisbeingfillednowwithfood,water,andthemeansofshelteranddefense.Youwillhavedetailedinstructionsthatwill,ofcourse,bemeaninglesstoanyonebutyou.Imustimpressuponyounowthatyourfirsttaskwillbetomakecertainthatnoneoftheindigenousinhabitantsdiscoversyoubeforeyouarereadyforthem.Youwillhaveforce-diggerswithwhichyouwillbeabletoburrowwellintoamountaintoformacache.Youwillhavetoremovethecontentsofthekettlerapidly.Theywillbestackedsoastofacilitatethat."
(Harlanthought:Repeat!Repeat!Hemusthavebeentoldallthisbefore,butrepeatwhatmustgointothememoir.Roundandround…)
Twissellsaid,"Youwillhavetounloadinfifteenminutes.Afterthat,thekettlewillreturnautomaticallytostartingpoint,carryingwithitalltoolsthataretooadvancedfortheCentury.Youwillhavealistofthose.Afterthekettlereturns,youwillbeonyourown."
Coopersaid,"Mustthekettlereturnsoquickly?"
Twissellsaid,"Aquickreturnincreasestheprobabilitiesofsuccess.
