Timescape Read Free Page A

impossible."

    Renfrew measured his words. "I think not. The trick is creating tachyons with essentially infinite speed–"
    Peterson made a wry, tired smile. "Ah–'essentially infinite'? Comic technical talk."
    "I mean, with unmeasurably high velocity," Renfrew said precisely.
    "Sorry for the terminology, if that's what bothers you."
    "Well, look, I'm only trying to understand."
    "Yes, yes, sorry, I may have jumped the gun there." Renfrew visibly composed himself for a fresh attack. "Mind, the essential trick here is to get these high-velocity tachyons. Then, if we can hit the right spot in space, we can send a message back quite a way."
    "These tachyon beams will go straight through a star?"
    Renfrew frowned. "We don't know, actually. There's a possibility that other reactions–between these tachyons and other nuclei besides indium–will be fairly strong. There's no data on those cross sections yet. If they are, a planet or a star getting in the way could be trouble."
    "But you've tried simpler tests? I read in the report–"
    "Yes, yes, they've been very successful."
    "Well, still." Peterson gestured at the maze of equipment. "This strikes me as a fine physics sort of experiment. Commendable. But—" he shook his head. "–well, I'm amazed you got the money for this."
    Renfrew's face tightened. "It's not all that bloody much."
    Peterson sighed. "Look here, Dr. Renfrew, I'll be frank with you. I'm down here to evaluate this for the Council, because some pretty big names have said it makes some sort of sense. I don't feel I have the technical background to evaluate this properly. No one on the Council has. We're ecologists and biologists and systems people for the most part."
    "Should be broader based."
    "Granted, yes. Our idea in the past has been to bring in specialists as they're needed."
    Gruffly: "So reach Davies at King's College in London. He's keen on this and–"
    "There isn't time for that. We're looking for emergency measures."
    Renfrew said slowly, "It's that bad?"
    Peterson paused, as though he had given away too much. "Yes. Looks so."
    "I can move fast, if that's your idea," Renfrew said briskly.
    "You may have to."
    "It would be better if we got a whole new generation of equipment in here," Renfrew took in the lab with a hand wave. "The Americans have developed new electronics gear that would improve matters. To be really sure we got through, we need the Americans to come in. Most of the circuitry I need is being developed in their national labs, Brookhaven and so on."
    Peterson nodded. "So your report said. That's why I want this fellow Markham in on this today."
    "Has he got the necessary weight to swing it?"
    "I think so. He's well thought of, I'm told, and he's an American on the spot. That's what his National Science Foundation needs to cover itself in case—"
    "Ah, I see. Well, Markham's due here any time now. Come have some coffee in my office."
    Peterson followed him into the cluttered den. Renfrew cleared books and papers off a chair, bustling about in that nervous manner people have when they have suddenly realized, along with a guest, that their office is messy. Peterson sat down, lifting his trousers at the knees and then crossing his legs. Renfrew made more of a business than necessary out of fetching the acrid-smelling coffee, because he wanted time to think.
    Things were starting badly; Renfrew wondered if the memories from Oxford had soured him automatically on Peterson. Well, there was nothing for it; everyone was fairly edgy these days, anyway. Perhaps Markham could smooth things over when he arrived.

CHAPTER TWO
    Marjorie locked the kitchen door behind her and walked round the side of the house, carrying a bucket of chicken feed. The lawn behind the house was crisply quartered by brick paths, with a sundial at the intersection.
    From force of habit, she followed the path and did not step on the wet grass. Beyond the lawn was a formal rose garden, her own pet project. As she walked