"James P. Hogan - Giants 5 - Mission to Minerva" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hogan James P)

screen. He seemed amused, even impudently so, waiting several seconds as if
savoring the effect to the utmost. Finally, he said, "I suppose this must come
as a bit of a shock."

Which perhaps qualified as one of the greatest understatements in all Hunt's
years of experience. For the face was his own. He was talking to some bizarre
versionтАФexisting in some other where, and for all he knew, some other
"when"тАФof himself. He could do nothing but sit there, stupefied, unable to
muster a coherent response. The three girls exchanged mystified looks. Then
Jerry said, "Are you all right, Vic?"

The words jolted Hunt sufficiently to make him look up, though for the moment
still only marginally aware of his surroundings. Finally, with an effort, he
forced his faculties back to something resembling working order. "Er, I'm
sorry," he said, standing up. "If you'll excuse me, I need to take this
privately." He crossed to the exit and left.

"What was it, a ghost?" Jerry muttered to the others.

Outside in the parking lot, Hunt climbed into his car and closed the door. The
face of his other self was still there, waiting on the screen of the seefone.
"Okay, I give up," he told it. "So . . . just what in hell is going on?"

"I'll try to be brief, because there may not be a lot of time," the image
answered. "First, the Thuriens are trying the wrong approach. It isn't an
extension of the h-space physics the way they've assumed. That only applies
within particular wave solutions evolving vertically and manifesting internal
space and time separation. Horizontal movement involves a different concept.
Think of the dynamics of the data structures that we found in JEVEX's
computing matrix. . . . As I said, there may not be a lot of time. This is an
early test run. We haven't learned how to sustain coherence for extended
periods yet. I've got a compressed file here that will give you what we've
managed to figure out so far. The main thing you need to know about is the
convergences. But codes can be different, even between nearby regions. Can you
send me something to scan for any transmission corrections we might need to
make?"

"What . . . ?" Hunt was still numbed by the shock.

"A file out of your system there. Anything. We need to know the codes you're
using so the one here can be set to match."

"Oh. . . . Right. . . ." Hunt shook himself into action sufficiently to bring
up a directory of his personal library and flagged one of the items for
transmission.

"Using the phone," his alter ego observed. "Where have I caught you?"

"Er . . . I'm in the parking lot outside Happy's. I was with Jerry Santello. .
. . Here, it's coming through now."