Конец вечности
Beyond the Downwhen Terminus
"WhenthekettlereachesitsdestinationinPrimitivetimes,theampulecontainingtheisotopeisdischargedintothemountainsideandthekettlethenreturnstoEternity.Atthemomentinphysiotimethattheampuleisdischarged,itsimultaneouslyappearsatallfutureTimesgrowingprogressivelyolder.Attheplaceofdischargeinthe575th(inactualTimeandnotinEternity)aTechniciandetectstheampulebyitsradiationandretrievesit.
"Theradiationintensityismeasured,thetimeithasremainedinthemountainsideisthenknown,theCenturytowhichthekettletraveledisalsoknowntotwodecimalplaces.Dozensofampuleswerethussentbackatvariousthrustlevelsandacalibrationcurvesetup.ThecurvewasacheckagainstampulessentnotallthewayintothePrimitivebutintotheearlyCenturiesofEternitywheredirectobservationscouldalsobemade.
"Naturally,therewerefailures.ThefirstfewampuleswerelostuntilwelearnedtoallowforthenottoomajorgeologicalchangesbetweenthelatePrimitiveandthe575th.Then,threeoftheampuleslateronnevershowedupinthe575th.Presumably,somethingwentwrongwiththedischargemechanismandtheywereburiedtoodeeplyinthemountainfordetection.WestoppedourexperimentswhenthelevelofradiationgrewsohighthatwefearedthatsomeofthePrimitiveinhabitantsmightdetectandwonderwhatradioactiveartifactsmightbedoingintheregion.
