"Colin Kapp - The Imagination Trap" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kapp Colin)

The Imagination Trap
ONE

Professor Carl Diepenstrom, Director of Tau Research Corporation, switched off the
intercom.
тАЬWell, at least heтАЩs come to see us, Paul.тАЭ
Paul Porter nodded. тАЬI thought he would. Eric Brevis canтАЩt resist the lure of curiosity any
more than we can. In fact, if we can score with him, it will be on that very point.тАЭ
тАЬI see.тАЭ Diepenstrom raised his large and greying head and studied Porter seriously for a
moment or two. тАЬAnd you still think it vitally necessary that we go through with this project,
Paul?тАЭ
тАЬYou know it is. ItтАЩs the only chance we have. We canтАЩt continue with the present research
line. It isnтАЩt humanitarian, and it isnтАЩt giving us a glimpse of a coherent pattern. Besides which,
you know how the GovernmentтАЩs attitude is hardening.тАЭ
тАЬYes, I know it,тАЭ said Diepenstrom gravely. тАЬAnd thatтАЩs the reason IтАЩve backed you as far as I
have. I canтАЩt see any practical alternative. But IтАЩd be happier if it didnтАЩt have to be you who
went out there. Tau Research canтАЩt afford to lose you, Paul.тАЭ
тАЬThere wonтАЩt be any Tau Research if this project folds. Anyway, I donтАЩt think the risk will
be too greatтАФnot if we can persuade Eric Brevis to join the team.тАЭ
тАЬYou think a great deal of Dr Brevis, donтАЩt you?тАЭ
тАЬI do. He has an intuitive understanding of the irrational, and that can be a prime factor for
survival under extreme Tau conditions. With him on the team we have a very real chance of
making a breakthrough.тАЭ
тАЬVery well,тАЭ said Diepenstrom. тАЬIf you want Dr Brevis, you shall have him. But youтАЩd better
leave the interview to me. It may just be that he isnтАЩt very willing to offer his life for
somebody elseтАЩs cause. In which case he will have to be . . . ah! . . . persuaded.тАЭ

As the psychologist entered the room, Diepenstrom rose in greeting.
тАЬDr Brevis, thank you for coming.тАЭ
Brevis seated himself carefully and took a cigar from the offered box. тАЬBeing in receipt of
such an intriguing communication, I could scarcely have refused.тАЭ
Diepenstrom repressed a mischievous smile. тАЬThat was, shall we say, contrived. Curiosity
is a force far more potent than most people allow.тАЭ
Brevis studied the DirectorтАЩs face carefully for a moment. тАЬTrue,тАЭ he said. тАЬThough I donтАЩt
think you asked me here just to discuss the psychology of curiosity.тАЭ
тАЬIndeed not. I wanted to discuss the possibility of death.тАЭ
тАЬWhose deathтАФyours or mine?тАЭ
тАЬYours.тАЭ
Brevis exhaled sharply. тАЬI suppose thereтАЩs some sense in this cryptic nonsense?тАЭ
тАЬThere is indeed, my dear Doctor, and shortly IтАЩll tell you what it is. But first let me
enquire how much you know about Tau?тАЭ
тАЬNot very much. I know itтАЩs a system in which solid bodies are resonated in such a way
that their atoms can pass through the spaces in the atomic structure of other solid bodies. I
know you use the method for transport, bringing the big Tau ships to resonance and then
driving them through the earth by the shortest mean path to their destination.тАЭ
тАЬGo on,тАЭ said Diepenstrom.
тАЬI know also that in its resonant state such a ship passes into an inter-atom domain called
Tau-space which is incongruent both physically and psychologically with conditions existing
in normal space.тАЭ
 тАЬThat will do for the moment,тАЭ said Diepenstrom. тАЬI recall that you were concerned with