Конец вечности
Technician
ItwastheverycopywhichhadbeensenttotheAllwhenCouncilamonthearlier.ThroughhisrelationshipwithSeniorComputerTwissell(theTwissell,himself)Harlanhadhadlittletroubleingettinghishandsonit.
Beforeunrollingthefoil,lettingitpeeloffontothetabletopwhereitwouldbeheldbyasoftparamagneticfield,Harlanpausedasplitmoment.
Themolecularfilmthatcoveredthetablewassubduedbutwasnotzero.Themotionofhisarmfixedhiseyeandforaninstantthereflectionofhisownfaceseemedtostaresomberlyupathimfromthetabletop.Hewasthirty-two,buthelookedolder.Heneedednoonetotellhimthat.ItmightbepartlyhislongfaceanddarkeyebrowsoverdarkereyesthatgavehimtheloweringexpressionandcoldglareassociatedwiththecaricatureoftheTechnicianinthemindsofallEternals.ItmightbejusthisownrealizationthathewasaTechnician.
Butthenheflickedthefoiloutacrossthetableandturnedtothematterathand.
"IamnotaSociologist,sir."
Voysmiled."Thatsoundsformidable.Whenonebeginsbyexpressinglackofcompetenceinagivenfield,itusuallyimpliesthataflatopinioninthatfieldwillfollowalmostimmediately."
"No,"saidHarlan,"notanopinion.Justarequest.Iwonderifyouwon’tlookoverthissummaryandseeifyouhaven’tmadeasmallmistakesomewherehere."
Voylookedinstantlygrave."Ihopenot,"hesaid.
Harlankeptonearmacrossthebackofhischair,theotherinhislap.Hemustletneitherhanddrumrestlessfingers.Hemustnotbitehislips.
