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humans into tomorrow and those humans were expected to do more than merely look through the nose at a clock。 （But it had also killed nine men when it doubled back on itself。） Despite an effort to control it； his skin crawled。 The cold shock would not leave him。
Chaney said shortly： 〃You picked a hell of a crew。〃
〃Why do you think so？〃
〃Not an engineer in the lot…not a hard scientist in the lot。 Moresby and I love each other like a cobra and a mongoose。 I think I'm the mongoose。 Want to try again？〃
〃I know what I'm doing； Chaney。 The engineers and the physical scientists will e later； when the probes demand engineers and physical scientists。 When did the first geologist reach the moon？ The first selenographer？ This survey demands your kind of man； and Moresby； and Saltus。 You and Moresby were chosen because each of you is supreme in your field； and because you are natural opposites。 I like to think the pair of you are delicate balances； with Saltus the neutral weight in center。 And I say again； I know what I am doing。〃
〃Moresby thinks I'm some kind of a nut。〃
〃Yes。 And what do you think of him？〃
Sudden glee： 〃He's some kind of a nut。〃
Seabrooke permitted himself a wintry smile。 〃Forgive me； but there is a measure of truth to both suppositions。 The Major also has a hobby which has embarrassed him。〃
Chaney groaned aloud。 〃Those damned prophets！〃 He looked around at the Major。 〃Why doesn't he collect toy soldiers； or be the best chess player in the world？〃
〃Why don't you write cookbooks？〃
Chaney glanced down at his chest。 〃See how neatly the blade entered between the ribs？ Notice that the haft stands out straight and true？ A marksman's thrust。〃
Seabrooke said： 〃You like to read the past； while the Major prefers to read the future。 I will admit yours is the more valuable vocation。〃
〃Another futurist。 You collect futurists。〃
〃He places an inordinate faith in prognostication。 He begins with so simple an act as reading his horoscope in the daily papers； and conducting himself accordingly。 After his arrival here he admitted to Kathryn the mission was no surprise to him； because a certain horoscope had advised him to prepare himself for a momentous change in his daily affairs。〃
Chaney said： 〃That is as old as time； the earliest Egyptians； the Sumerians； the Akkadians； all were crazy about astrology。 It's the most enduring religion。〃
〃I suppose you are familiar with the small booklets known as farmer's almanacs？〃
A nod。 〃I know of them。〃
〃Moresby buys them regularly； not only to learn how their minute prophecies may affect him but to anticipate the weather a year in advance。 I will admit I have looked into that last； and the Major has a remarkable record of correlating military operations with weather conditions…when he's stationed in the United States； you understand。 One would suppose the weather works for him。 And on some previous military posts； he has been known to plant a garden in strict accordance with the guidelines laid down in those almanacs…phases of the moon and so forth。〃
Skeptically： 〃Did the spinach e up？〃
The firm lips twitched and toyed with a smile； then controlled themselves。 〃Finally； there is his library。 Moresby owns a small collection of books； perhaps forty or fifty in all； which he moves with him from post to post。 Books by such people as Nostradamus； Shipton； Blavatsky； Forman； and that Cromwell woman in Washington。 He has an autographed copy by someone named Guinness； he met the author at some lecture or other。 I inquired into that because of the security angle but Guinness proved harmless。 Just recently he added your volume to the collection。〃
Chaney said： 〃He wasted his money。〃
〃Do you also believe I've wasted mine？〃
〃If you were looking for prophetic visions； yes。 If you were interested in a biblical curiosity； no。 The future should bring some great debates on that Revelations scroll； a dozen or so applecarts have been upset。〃
Seabrooke peered at him。 〃But do you see how I'm using Moresby？〃
〃Yes。 Just as you're using me。〃
〃Quite so。 I like to think I've assembled the best possible team for the most important undertaking of the twentieth century。 There are no real and solid guidelines to the future； there are only speculative studies and pseudo…speculative literature。 We're making use of both； and making use of trustworthy men who are actively involved in both。 One or both of you will have a solid foot on the ground when you surface twenty…two years hence。 What more can we do； Chaney？〃
〃You've taken hold of a wolf by the ears。 You might look around for a way to let go…an escape route。〃
A moment of thoughtful silence。 〃A wolf by the ears。 Yes； I have done that。 But Chaney； I have no desire to let go； I am fascinated by this thing； I will not let go。 This step is parable to the very first rocket into space； the very first orbital flight； the very first man on the moon。 I could not let go if I wanted to！〃
Chaney was impressed by the vehemence； the passionate eagerness。 〃Why don't you go up to the future？〃
Seabrooke said quietly： 〃I tried。 I volunteered； but I was pushed aside。〃 His voice betrayed the hurt。 〃I was washed out in the first physical examination by a heart murmur。 Once again this is parable to space flight； Chaney。 Old men； disabled men； feeble men will never know the TDV。 We have been shut out。〃
The man's gaze wandered back to Katrina； and Chaney joined him in the watchfulness。 Her skimpy suit was beginning to dry under the June sun and some of the more interesting rubs and contours were smoothing out； losing the revealing contours beneath。 Beside her； skin touching skin； Arthur Saltus monopolized her attention。
Chaney felt that he had been shut out。
After a while he asked a question that had been playing in the back of his mind。
〃Katrina said you had a couple of alternatives in mind； if this future probe didn't work。 What alternates？〃 And he waited to see if the woman had reported a breakfast table conversation to the Director。
〃A confidence； Chaney？〃
〃Certainly。〃
〃I know the President a bit better than you do。〃
〃I'll grant you that。〃
〃I know what he will not buy。〃
Chaney had a premonition。 〃He won't buy your alternatives？ Either of them？〃
〃Buy them？ He will be outraged by them。 Shock waves will be felt all this distance from Washington。〃 Seabrooke hit the table and his empty glass was upset。 〃I wanted to visit the future； see the future； smell the future； but I was rejected the first day by the medics； I was shipwrecked before I got aboard and that hurt me more than I can say。 The only other way left to me； Chaney； was to see that future through your eyes…your camera； your tapes； your observations and reactions。 I can live in it through you and Moresby and Saltus； and I am determined to do that！ There is nothing else left to me。
〃To that end； I prepared two alternatives to submit to the President。 I made sure each of the alternate probes would be unacceptable to him； and he would direct me to proceed with the original plan。 I want the future！〃
Chaney asked： 〃Outrageous？〃
A short nod。 〃The President is a religious man； he practices his faith。 He will never permit a probe to the scene of the Crucifixion with film and tape。〃
〃No…he won't do that。〃 Chaney considered it。 〃But because of political consequences； not… religious ones。 He's afraid of the people and afraid of the politicians。〃
〃If that be true； the second alternative would be more frightening。〃
Warily： 〃Where…or what？〃
〃The second alternative is Dallas in November； 1963。 I propose to record the Kennedy assassination in a way not done before。 I propose to station a cameraman on the sixth floor of that book depository； overlooking the route； I propose to station a second cameraman in that grove atop the knoll； to settle a controversy； I propose to station a third cameraman…you…on the curb alongside the Kennedy car； at the precise point necessary to record the shots from the window or the trees。 We will have an accurate filmed record of the crime； Chaney。〃
SEVEN
The TDV was a keen disappointment。
Brian Chaney knew dismay； disillusionment。 Perhaps he had expected too much； perhaps he had expected a sleek machine gleaming with chrome and enamel and glass； still new from an assembly line； or perhaps he had expected a mechanical movie monster； a bulging leviathan sprouting cables like writhing tentacles and threatening to sink through the floor of its own massive weight。 Perhaps he had let his imagination run away with him。
The vehicle was none of those things。 It was a squat； half…ugly can with the numeral 2 chalked on the side。 It was unromantic。 It was strictly functional。
The TDV resembled nothing more than an oversized oil drum hand…fashioned from scrap aluminum and pieces of old plastic…materials salvaged from a scrap pile for this one job。 Chaney thought of a Model…T Ford he'd seen in a museum； and a rickety biplane seen in another； the two relics didn't seem capable of moving an inch。 The TDV was a plastic and aluminum bucket resting in a concrete tank filled wi