[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
particular they wanted to know as I did at first; and they'd never realize you
weren't telling them because you couldn't. They'd think you were trying to
cheat them. I suppose if
I told anyone, that sort would find out sooner or later, and well, I guess it
would be better to let them think I'm the genius.
Or Don; they'd be more likely to believe it of him."
Rosten's answer was brief and to the point
"You've made a deal."
file:///F|/rah/Hal%20Clement/Mission_of_Gravity_v1.1.html (107 of 109)
[8/31/03 4:54:33 PM]
MISSION OF GRAVITY
XX: FLIGHT OF THE "BREE"
A gleaming skeleton of metal rose eight feet above a flat-topped mound of rock
and earth. Mesklinites were busily attacking another row of plates whose upper
fastenings had just been laid bare. Others were pushing the freshly removed
dirt and pebbles to the edge of the mound. Still others moved back and forth
along a well-marked road that led off into the desert, those who approached
dragging flat, wheeled carts loaded with supplies, those departing usually
Page 113
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
hauling similar carts empty. The scene was one of activity; practically
everyone seemed to have a definite purpose. There were two radio sets in
evidence now, one on the mound where an Earthman was directing the dismantling
from his distant vantage point and the other some distance away.
Dondragmer was in front of the second set, engaged in animated conversation
with the distant being he could not see. The sun still circled--endlessly, but
was very gradually descending now and swelling very, very slowly.
"I am afraid," the mate said, "that we will have serious trouble checking on
what you tell us about the bending of light.
Reflection I can understand; the mirrors I made from metal plates of your
rocket made that very clear. It is too bad that the device from which you let
us take the lens was dropped in the process; we have nothing like your glass,
I am afraid."
"Even a reasonably large piece of the lens will do, Don," the voice came from
the speaker. It was not Lackland's voice; he was an expert teacher, he had
found, but sometimes yielded the microphone to a specialist. "Any piece will
bend the light, and even make an image but wait; that comes later. Try to find
what's left of that hunk of glass, Don, if your gravity didn't powder it when
the set landed." Dondragmer turned from the set with a word of agreement; then
turned back as he thought of another point.
"Perhaps you could tell what this 'glass' is made of, and whether it takes
very much heat? We have good hot fires, you know. Also there is the material
set over the Bowl ice, I think Charles called it. Would that do?"
"Yes, I know about your fires, though I'm darned if I see how you do burn
plants in a hydrogen atmosphere, even with a little meat thrown in. For the
rest, ice should certainly do, if you can find any. I don't know what the sand
of your river is made of, but you can try melting it in one of your hottest
fires and see what comes out. I certainly don't guarantee anything, though; I
simply say that on Earth and the rest of the worlds I know ordinary sand will
make a sort of glass, which is greatly improved with other ingredients. I'm
darned if I can see either how to describe those ingredients to you or suggest
where they might be found, though."
"Thank you; I will have someone try the fire. In the meantime, I will search
for a piece of lens, though I fear the blow when it struck left little usable.
We should not have tried to take the device apart near the edge of the mound;
the thing you called a 'barrel' rolled much too easily."
Once more the mate left the radio, and immediately encountered Barlennan.
"It's about time for your watch to get on the plates," the captain said. "I'm
going down to the river. Is there anything your work needs?"
Dondragmer mentioned the suggestion about sand.
"You can carry up the little bit I'll need, I should think, without getting
the fire too hot; or did you plan on a full load of other things?" «
file:///F|/rah/Hal%20Clement/Mission_of_Gravity_v1.1.html (108 of 109)
[8/31/03 4:54:33 PM]
MISSION OF GRAVITY
"No plans; I'm taking the trip mainly for fun. Now that the spring wind has
died out and we get breezes in every old direction, a little navigation
practice might be useful. What good is a captain who can't steer his ship?"
"Fair enough. Did the Flyers tell you what this deck of machines was for?"
"They did pretty well, but if I were-really convinced about this space-bending
business I'd have swallowed it more easily.
They finished up with the old line about words not really being enough to
describe it. What else beside words can you use, in the name of the Suns?"
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]