The Wrong End of Time by John Brunner

Author:John Brunner [Brunner, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, General, Fiction
Publisher: DAW Books
Published: 1973-07-16T23:00:00+00:00

Page 43

"Well . . ." The trank Turpin had swallowed was taking effect; he was able to consider the notion calmly.

"Come to that," Sheklov pressed, "the Navy isn't too happy about the situation, I'm told."

"My God," Turpin said slowly.

"You see my point? Suppose one of EG's staff has been bribed to demonstrate that your systems are vulnerable to sabotagel"

Turpin sat stock-still for long seconds. Abruptly he jumped to his feet.

"It's thin! Christ, it's thinl But you're right-it could be a way to mis-direct the investigation. I'll shoot for it. But it's going to be hell anyhow.

Because. . . . Well, you know the only way to break EG's contract on this?"

Sheklov shook his head.

"To impeach the Board for treason. In which case I can confidently expect to be shot to death by an Army firing-squad. And I couldn't help but take you with me. They have very efficient interrogation drugs nowadays."

He glanced at his watch, and concluded, "I must go. They said they'd have a veetol on the beach for me in ten minutes."

The moment the door closed, Sheklov's self-control failed and he began to shake. His mouth dried, his guts churned, and for a terrible few seconds he thought his bladder was going to let go. Just in time, he forced a deep breath into his lungs, and held it, and was able to deploy the resources due to his yoga training: the pranayana first, to cancel out the panic-reactions of his body, and then a series of mental exercises to drive unrealised possibilities back to their proper status in his awareness.

But the shock had reached deep :gown through his per sonality, to layers that had already been badly bruised by his encounter with Danty, and it was a lohg, process. It was still not complete when he realized with a s"tart that someone else was in the room: Lora.

-

"I'm sorry," she muttered from the doorway. "But I heard Dad go out, and I thought maybe I could sneak in here and get away from everybody. But if you don't want to be disturbed-"

With an effort Sheklov put back his Holtzer mask, and smiled at her.

"Come in by all means. I can't-well, I guess this isn't the thing for a guest to say, but I can't blame you for wanting to hide out for a bit."

Gratefully she shut the door and came to sit in the chair her father had been using. She dropped into it like a limp doll, legs sprawled, and he realized with a shock that she was wearing nothing under her short black indoor robe. During lunch he hadn't noticed; so much of her had been hidden under the table.

Obviously, though, it hadn't occurred to her that exposing her crotch was either immodest or discourteous. He considered, very briefly, reverting to the full Holtzer pattern and commenting in shocked terms, then decided he should risk not doing so to secure an opening for some inquiries about Danty.

While he was casting around for the correct turn of phrase to lead into the subject, however, she saved him the trouble.

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