Reversion - A Novel Part 26

aYou and Smitty keep your pants on,a the leader said, aso you can run after the girls if they try to get away.a aThey ainat gonna run away naked,a the third one a.s.serted scornfully.

aDonat we get a b.l.o.w. .j.o.b?a Smitty demanded.

aSure, sure,a was the reply, abut at least keep your shirts on.a Rosalind and Alice straddled the two men who lay on the ground a few yards apart. The other two stood by with erect c.o.c.ks extended.

aI canat do this without kissing a guy first,a Rosalind said, looking up.

aMe too,a Alice agreed, despite having already sat on a c.o.c.k that penetrated her to the hilt. aStoop down for a kiss,a she said to the guy with a ready c.o.c.k next to her face.

Rosalind likewise kissed a kneeling man. Then her perspective on his body changed radically. I could see only wiry pubic hair, approaching and receding, an action likely to continue for a while. I could hear grunting sounds. Someone, Smitty, I think, declared with awe in his voice, aG.o.d, thatas a tight little p.u.s.s.y.a Alice had indeed developed a crushing grip, as I well knew.

I fast-forwarded and stopped just in time to see a straining d.i.c.k spurt into my eye. Yuck, with emphasis! I tried to fast-forward again but the scene jerked too strangely. Now Rosalind was looking down into the driveras face, which seemed to be moving rhythmically, I understood, because she was bouncing on his c.o.c.k. His mouth was open and he was staring upward gla.s.sily. She looked around. Bertie sat beside her, head hanging between drawn-up knees as if he were exhausted. Nearby Alice was also bouncing on a man. The fourth lay quietly on his back beyond her. His d.i.c.k stuck straight up.

aDid you also use PERPET?a Rosalind asked.

aOf course.a Fingers on my thigh brought up a quick display. PERPET was a program whose nan.o.biots, tunable to the individual or group like those of DISINHIBITOR, caused perpetual erections: a future v.i.a.g.r.a without the side-effects. In a woman it produced a copious flow of lubricant. I resolved that one of these days Iad undertake a complete review of these s.e.xual programs. Apparently I had not yet fully grasped just how determined the 24th Century would be to repopulate the Earth!

aExcuse me,a Alice continued. aItas finally feeling good.a Rosalind rose up, leaned over, put her hand to Bertieas bent forehead and shoved him backwards onto the gra.s.s, exposing another swollen d.i.c.k. aYouare the best of them, Bertie,a she said, squatting over him. He looked at her with a slight smile, his face also seeming to bounce. According to the instructions, DISINHIBITOR doesnat cause pain a" unless your slavemaster hurts you, of course. In fact itas supposed to make you feel a bit of euphoria. With my own d.i.c.k in Rosalind I never needed a drug to feel good. Perhaps his smile was for natural reasons.

She bent far forward until his face again filled her vision. Apparently they were kissing. I wondered where Rosalind had learned to like such long kisses. Note for future reference! For now I fast-forwarded once more.

Rosalind was groaning with every breath when I resumed normal play. In the background I could dimly hear Alice expressing herself in the only somewhat more articulate manner typical of her climaxes: aOh, f.u.c.k! f.u.c.k! Oh, f.u.c.k me!a I had stopped because the visual scene had gone dark. Rosalind had closed her eyes.

When I found light again, the women were haphazardly gathering their scattered clothing.

aYou sure we have to leave, Alice?a Rosalind groused. aHow often do we get to own a set of c.o.c.ks?a aItas almost one oaclock,a Alice said regretfully. aIam sure of one thing: Tim is about to have a conniption.a She chuckled. aHeall insist on hearing everything that happened to us. I hope it doesnat upset him.a She frowned. aSomething worse: if we donat show up soon, heall think he has to go hat in hand to Cleaver.a aHe might. G.o.d, youare a mess!a aLook whoas talking!a Rosalind chuckled. aA lovely mess! But incomplete. Weall have to do this again soon, Alice. Where can we round up another set of c.o.c.ks?a aLots of places, once we buy our own a" h.e.l.l, they havenat invented the SUV yet! Throw the rest of this stuff into the van.a aWhat about the guysa britches?a aThey took them off! All right, Smitty. Get your a.s.s up and into the van.a One of the men sat up groggily and crawled toward the open side door. aYou too, whatever your name is,a added Alice, kicking the p.r.o.ne driveras naked hip.

aYou donat think he can drive, do you?a asked Rosalind.

aNo, not without a touch of ANTI-. I think youall have to drive. You do know how to get to Fernworks, donat you?a aOh, yes. Iave been along this way many times. Okay, Bertie, get in the van. You too, Wart.a aWart?a aDidnat you notice his c.o.c.k?a aOh, yeah,a said Alice, sighing. aG.o.d, itas wonderful not having to worry any more about catching something filthy!a * * *

Lacey knocked on my door and I bade her enter, having laid the viewer aside. aFinished the time sheet ledgers,a she explained, sliding the tall books onto their shelves. aDo you need me for anything else?a aNo, thank you, Lacey. You can leave.a aAre you sure, Mr. Maple?a She studied me earnestly.

I leaned back in my chair with a smile. aWhy is it I have the impression you donat want to go home?a Her eyes fell. aBecause itas true.a aWhy not?a aItas a getting exciting around here.a I chuckled. aIs that the only reason?a She swallowed. aNo,a she admitted in a low voice, not meeting my eyes. I wanted to laugh. I very nearly accused her of fearing that Kelliam, due to arrive at four, would fall into the clutches of Alice and Rosalind.

aLacey,a I said in my best imitation of kindly management, ait just might get too exciting. Iad feel better if you were in a safer place. I think you should go on home as planned. Your pay wonat get docked.a She heaved a big sigh and turned away. aWhatever you say, Mr. Maple. Iall switch the phone lines into here.a aThank you.a But she was back almost immediately with wide eyes. aA bunch of old cars are in the parking lot and Juddas here to see you.a aJudd.a I recalled his proposal to invite defenders. aSend him in.a He appeared shortly in his guard uniform, complete with holstered pistol. I asked, aThose cars in the lot a" your neighbors, Judd?a He grinned proudly. aI told you theyad come, Mr. Maple. I went up and down the valley and into the hollows. I called out every man with a squirrel gun or better, and most of them answered.a I gave him a smile. aGood work, Judd. They may buy us the time we need, although I hope we can win without shooting.a He stood aside as I came around the desk, then followed me along the hall toward the front. Apparently he felt a need to explain. aIt waanat just me, Mr. Maple. I couldnatave done it without Harlan Sweet, who donat even work for you. Heas the one the folks come out for, not me. Heas a real leader.

aI knew he was home when I went by in my pick-up, acause his ten-wheeler was sitting right beside the place. Said he just got back from a long haul to Georgia and was a-going to drink hisself silly on some shine of Ma Grissomas that the buyer wouldnat take, but when I told him about the flatlanders wanting to shut down Fernworks, he put his jug aside and picked up the M1 he brung home from the war. Told his woman, Elma Mae, to pa.s.s the word to everybody with a phone and we set out.

aaWeall empty Lizzieas wh.o.r.ehouse first, Judd,a he says, athen weall go to the holy rollers and stop their crazy caterwallering a" leastwise the men.a aFolks look up to Harlan; head be the sheriff if it waanat for them b.a.s.t.a.r.ds in Asheville. aFore long we got a whole line of vehicles a-following us. Even Ma Grissomas old man came out, hardly able to walk but he could drive, and he brung a real fine weapon like I never seen afore, a machine gun he carried in his arms just like John Wayne. Theyare all gathered in the parking lot, Mr. Maple, maybe half a hundred men and a few tough women. Lizzieas wh.o.r.es brung the coffee.a aRemarkable,a I commented. I guess he took it as approval. A machine gun, indeed! aRemember what I said, Judd: youave got to keep them in line. Fernworks could be ruined if innocent people get killed.a aYes, sir.a A flat car still stood on the siding, its near end only a few steps from the door. I jumped onto the coupler and from there to the scuffed platform. Judd looked oddly up at me, as if surprised at my nimbleness, and mounted the platform via the end stirrup, pulling himself up by the brake rod.

Since the departure of Bertieas van the vehicle population had increased by a dozen cars and pickup trucks. A small, colorful crowd had gathered near the Fernworks storefront, consisting of men dressed largely in faded shirts and jeans, many with beards, shouting and gesticulating with rifles or shotguns under their arms. In the back a few women sat on a pickupas tailgate and fenders, protecting what might have been a large coffee urn, presumably aLizzieas wh.o.r.es.a I started to ask who was Harlan Sweet but found that I needed only confirmation. An enormous man, taller and thicker than I, stood before the front b.u.mper of a battered pre-war Dodge pickup, an ax handle cradled in both hands. He was bare-chested under tattered bib overalls. A long brown beard fell upon the impressive belly. A battered, broad-brimmed fedora adorned his head and a corncob pipe thrust jauntily from one side of his mouth, in perhaps unconscious mimicry of Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

He noticed Judd in his uniform and me in my business suit. He straightened himself, throwing out his chest. The crowd reacted by turning to follow his gaze and falling silent.

aWho might you be?a he called to me in a booming, penetrating ba.s.s voice. Now I could believe he might be the natural leader that Judd reported. Military academies hold cla.s.ses for would-be officers to deepen their voices into that tone of command. I never knew a leader to be much respected without one.

So I gave the nan.o.biots a moment to work on mine and responded in the same tone if not the same accent. aIam John Maple,a I declared loudly, athe owner of this parking lot. Who are you?a Iam sure if Alice had been present she would have made some disparaging comment behind her hand about masculine bellowing and suggested an accompaniment of chest thumping. Strike the hand.

The big man nodded and spoke less brusquely in the now total silence. aHarlan Sweet, and Iam glad to see you, Mr. Maple.a I reduced volume also. aIam glad to see you, Mr. Sweet, and your neighbors a" especially this afternoon.a That brought a few chuckles and some apprehensive glances back toward the road. Sweet came toward the flat car, his ax handle dangling. I jumped down to meet him. When I straightened up, he proved half a head taller than I. For the first time I regretted not going for the full two meters.

aJudd says somebody is out to smash Fernworks,a he remarked, sizing me up in return.

aIam not sure of their motives, but we had trespa.s.sers yesterday and the threat of more.a aFlatlanders.a aFrom out of state, in fact.a He grinned around at the crowd. aWe know how to handle flatlanders.a His words drew a chorus of cheers and catcalls.

aThat worries me just a little bit,a I admitted when the noise tapered off. aIam sure youave heard that Fernworks is a low-profile a" that is, an operation that needs to keep its head down and not attract a lot of attention, especially from the newspapers. I appreciate very much your interest in protecting us, but I ask you in the strongest terms not to kill anybody if you can possibly help it.a His eyes narrowed and he shook his head. aSomebodyas gonna get killed, sure as shooting a" if the shooting starts.a aAnd that will ruin Fernworks more certainly than any sabotage.a To my relief he actually looked concerned. aIf flatlanders show up and open fire, I donat see how I can hold my crowd back.a aWell, no, I agree. If they do that, then you have to give it back to them. I ask only that you not be the ones who fire the first shot.a He raised his voice. aYou heard that?a He p.r.o.nounced it heerd. The closer men nodded. aWe gonna give them b.a.s.t.a.r.ds the first shot, then we gonna wipe them out. If one of my men shoots first, Iam gonna cave in his head.a He brandished the ax handle.

aOkay, Harl,a someone muttered.

He looked at me. aWe know what these hills owe to you, Mr. Maple. Weall just stand guard here tonight.a aMr. Sweet and all of youa a" I raised my voice to match his earlier a" aFernworks wonat forget this.a Now I received a chorus of cheers. I extended my hand to Sweet. He took it and we shook. I was ready to crush in return but was pleased to learn that Harlan Sweet was not the secretly insecure s.a.d.i.s.t typical of most hand crushers. Close up he looked to be in his thirties. I made a mental note to cultivate this man in the future.

On the way into the plant I asked Judd, aAnyplace around here we can get supper for 50 or 60 delivered on short notice?a aTheyas a big barbecue place in Asheville,a he answered as we reached the guard desk. He studied his wrist.w.a.tch. aItas just after three. They ought to have time to get it here by six oaclock. Want me to give them a call? Course, itall cost you.a I dropped six twenties on the desk. aCall them. Get some beer, too, if the law lets it be sold up here, and some pop a" ah, that is, soft drinks.a aYes, sir.a He smiled. aHarlan purely loves that Carolina barbecue! You ever try it, Mr. Maple?a Pork, vinegar and pepper? I hope I turned away before he saw my expression.

aTrouble outside!a Karl exclaimed, rushing up to me in the main a.s.sembly area.

I darted him a glance before handing Kelliam the clipboard wead been studying.

aAre you sure?a I asked perhaps too peevishly.

aThey must be Cleaveras men a" several carloads of them just pulled into the parking lot.a He sounded out of breath. aI saw a lot of men get out and Sweetas people surge to meet them. There may be a, a, ein Aufruhr.a aYou mean a riot?a aYes, precisely! And some of the locals are drunk.a We rushed down the aisle to the front, Kelliam pounding behind us. The sun was very low; the hill to the west already shaded the parking lot. Indeed a riot was in progress! All around the front door mountain men in jeans were exchanging insults and blows with men in white shirts and loosened neckties. The scene resembled a 21st Century battle between druggies and the FBI, including the beards on the locals. At least I had not yet heard any shooting.

I shouted to Karl, aWe better make sure itas not the law!a He and I pushed through the tumult, fending off blows, presumably because of our neckties, from our own supporters. Others recognized our authority and nodded politely before bashing anyone else within reach. Good thing we wore our green coats!

Harlan Sweet stood in the midst of it all, swigging from a jug that rested on his shoulder. No one dared confront him. With his free hand he had obviously lashed out with the ax handle to good effect; two men lay groaning in the dirt near him, one bleeding on the large manas shoe.

aIt has the appearance of a primitive ritual,a Karl remarked, stiff arming an a.s.sailant in a necktie.

I caught the man by shirt and seat and tossed him into the crowd, where his flying body knocked down three others, at least two of whom wore jeans, unfortunately.

aExcuse me,a I said to Sweet and kneeling, spat into the mouth of the man on the tarmac who wasnat bleeding. He had already begun to stir. Now he blinked up at me with wide eyes.

aWho do you work for?a I demanded.

aD-d-d-d aa he stuttered.

Impatiently I turned him over and tore his wallet out of his pants. A driving license appeared first, behind it another. This was what I hoped to see. Illinois Detective License number 27-11094, effective through December, 1954. Good enough. I tucked the wallet under his belt and stood up.

aCould that be reinforcements?a asked Karl. He was on tip-toe, looking over the crowd. It was a familiar blue Plymouth, edging slowly into the tangled throng. aFor us,a I answered him.

aMein Gott, the girls!a he screamed and tore into the crowd toward the car.

Curiously the blue caras arrival seemed gradually to calm the rioters. Maybe they thought it was a cop. Whatever the reason the two groups separated after throwing a few final punches, opening a path to the front door that Rosalind turned into. Karl, grabbing the hood ornament, plopped down on the wide front fender and stared belligerently around at the mob. They drove past me directly to the door.

Two of the necktie group crossed behind it toward Sweet and me. aYou win,a said the taller. aWeare cutting out. What do you plan for those two?a He gestured to the men at our feet.

Sweet tilted his head to me. aUp to Mr. Maple.a aTake them away,a I said curtly.

They helped their comrades to their feet, but a group of jean-clad warriors blocked them until Sweet raised his voice. aLet aem go. They give up!a Cheers resounded all around us and the four flatlanders succeeded in rejoining their group. Shortly car engines started up. The cars at the back of the lot departed down the road, sped along by pejorative hoots.

aHow are our casualties?a I asked Sweet.

aNot much, far as I can see. A couple of the boys might have black eyes tomorrow.a aTell them how much I appreciate them not shooting. Howad they manage that, by the way?a He shrugged. aThem flatlanders never drew a gun. The two I knocked down didnat even carry one.a aYet they attacked armed men anyway?a aDonat make much sense, do it.a An interesting puzzle, I thought. They must have been under orders, but what was their objective?

aHow many were they, do you think?a aNot as many as us.a I started to chuckle appreciatively, but he c.o.c.ked his head, looking beyond me. aNow whoas this?a It was another van, but this one was hardly anonymous. aMountain Doo BarBQa was painted on its side, emblazoned across the stupidly smiling countenance of a pink pig. aSupper for you fine people,a I answered. aTell the guys to let them through. Itas on Fernworks.a He blinked. aWhat do you mean?a Apparently that wasnat a mountain idiom. aI mean Fernworks is paying for it. Eat all you can hold, and Harlan, I thank you very much.a His eyes lit as the van neared. aWell, I thank you!a Apparently Judd was right about his dietary preference.

Our guests ate enthusiastically as the area lights came on under the darkening sky. I spent a minute with Judd, arranging that a dozen mountain men would camp in the parking lot in case of a second a.s.sault. After checking with a photograph to show around, he reported Cleaver had not been seen among the attackers. Presumably my enemy had issued his orders from the road a" perhaps even from Ma Wellingtonas place.

Orders. That bothered me. What kind of orders? What was his purpose a" to break in and trash the plant? If so his menas behavior made a certain amount of sense. They would obediently try to get through, but not in a shoot-out with better armed mountain men. Still Iad like to have known. As I strolled back into the hill I regretted freeing the two who had been knocked down.

But I was going to the moon before dawn! I could worry about Cleaver when we returned, now scheduled for tomorrow evening.

I found my women in the break room. On the table they had spread sandwiches from the snack bar.

aWhereas Karl?a I asked.

Rosalind responded, aHe said he was going to check on the ships.a aWhatas all this?a Alice sniffed. aFemale duty.a aDuty?a aAnthropologists claim that in all human societies the main job of the female is to keep the male clean, but in my opinion feeding him must be up there somewhere. That is, making sure he gets plenty before he goes hying off somewhere.a aPlenty of what?a asked Rosalind with a grin.

aThat, too.a I expect my face lit up. aDo you know, Iam hungry and thirsty and never even realized it!a aWe thought so,a retorted Alice. aYou have sandwiches on the ships, but eating thesea a" she gestured at the table a" awonat reduce their larders.a aGalleys,a I corrected.

aWhatever.a aI hope you paid the blind woman.a Rosalind said, aWe left her five bucks and a note. Oops!a I took up a roast beef and responded around my first bite, aIall take care of her when we get back.a aThank you.a She looked at me and bit her lip.

aWhatas troubling you, Rosie?a When she failed to flinch at the fond nickname, I knew that indeed she was worrying about something. I smiled encouragingly. aSurely itas not what you plan to do tonight!a Alice grinned. aCouldnat be! Karl says heall take her to the moon instead of sending her.a Rosalind drew herself up. aAll right. Youave explained about Virtual Inertia Detachment so many times, to me and others in my hearing, that I can practically repeat it verbatim. I understand those thousands of d.i.c.ks are supposed to generate a field that includes the entire ship and counters its inertia, which is said to be the property of matter that resists pushing. But Tim aa She sighed. aI donat know math as you do and I certainly donat have your confidence in it. I guess I am a little nervous about what we plan to do tonight.a I took her in my arms. aDo you trust me, Rosalind?a aY-yes, Tim.a aIam risking my life on it too a" and you know me. Iam not the suicidal type.a She took a deep breath. aI know that. I also know that Karl, who has both experience and math, believes in you. Will he be in soon?a aGo look in my office. He may be waiting for me.a She departed hopefully.

Alice and I ate in peaceable silence until she asked, aWhatas Karl checking on?a aHis experience with V2s is pushing him. You remember Murphyas Law, donat you? They donat call it that now, but Karl respects it just the same.a aArenat the ships ready?a I looked at my wrist.w.a.tch, still quicker than tapping TIME on my thigh. aThe d.i.c.k charging is complete and everything else has been loaded. Karl wants to run through a complete simulation, up to clearing the floor and setting them back down. Heas right; if anythingas shaky itall be a lot better to find it out here than on the moon. But theyare ready to be boarded any time. Any second thoughts about going?a aSecond thoughts?a She grinned smugly. aThatas for people with no confidence in math.a I shook my head and grinned wryly. aDespite all the 24th Century experience, this is potentially a very dangerous mission, my dear. Rosalind didnat mention our main exposure: the VID drive is untested on such large ma.s.ses.a She sniffed. aItas too simple not to work. What about our s.p.a.ce suits?a aThey pa.s.sed the pressure test and were loaded into the suit lockers before lunch. Weave been rather busy since then and I havenat actually put one on. But we donat have to leave the ship on this first mission.a aGo to the moon and not step on the surface? Youave got to be kidding!a aWho makes such a poor joke?a demanded Karl, entering the room with Rosalind on his heels. He went directly to a sausage and roll, Weisswurst und Semmel, which the blind woman had learned to make to his specification. Presumably the odor was distinctive.

aIf necessary,a I explained, awe can collect some verifying dust with the remote grapple.a aDust? Ha!a Karl sniffed and added in a voice garbled by a mouthful of food, aI shall jump ten feet high in one-sixth G and stomp the ground when I get back down, while Rosalind makes a recording of a" Hmm. Do you call the lunar surface ground?a aWhat else?a I said with a shrug.

He began to list possible variants: land, soil, dirt, surface, with supporting concepts in German. I recalled the real lunar explorers of the Seventies often using the word regolith. Both Rosalind and I had taken up the argument when Jerome Kelliam stuck his head into the room and waited for Karl to run down.

aTrouble, boss,a he said at last.

Karl swallowed his final bite. aWhat is it?a Jerome spoke over his own shoulder. aTell them what you saw.a Maryanne in her customary bandanna hove into view beside him.

aMore intruders.a She was looking at me. aI spied them a while back, two strangers in green jackets. When they saw me a-looking, they high tailed it under the forming brake covers. So I went to report them, but I couldnat find n.o.body! Guess you were all busy in the parking lot.a I stiffened. aGood G.o.d! You mean strangers are loose in the plant?a aReckon so. By now theyave had time to do all kinds of meanness.a aVerdammte Scheisse!a Karl cursed and burst past her into the hall.

aLift off in three minutes!a I screamed after him.

Alice set down her coffee cup. aYou mean that? What about your simulations?a ad.a.m.n the simulations! Letas get to the ships now. Jerome, is it full dark outside?a He blinked. aI donat know, boss. Just about, maybe.a aOkay. Whoas left in the factory room?a aOnly Big Joe and Morgan. They shouldave disconnected both a.s.ses from power by now.a aIall send them to the suit room. Remember, all the lights will go out for about a minute. You stand by the radio in my office.a Had I enabled its loudspeaker? No: an oversight that I rectified quickly with fingertips on my thigh.

aWhat about the intruders?a Kelliam asked.

aWilbur came inside, didnat he? Tell him to search the place when the lights come back on.a I snickered. aIf he catches anyone, he might ask if they were well steamed. Come on, ladies. Maryanne, Jerome is in charge.a aTheyare really ships?a she called after me, eyes wide as we crowded out the door and down the hall.

If intruders were present we met none on our headlong charge to the center of the huge room, past the looming machine tools shrouded now against the forthcoming deluge. The two s.p.a.ceships were hard to distinguish despite the bright lights, seeming to consist of ceiling girders in vaguely triangular array. In both cases the swung-up entry hatches were on the far sides of the ships, permitting me a last full appreciation of the success of our visual stealthing.

Karl and Rosalind entered the nearer, Ship Two. I paused to instruct the two technicians, saw them scurrying for cover, then clanked up the metal rollaway stairs after Alice into Ship One. Yes, I know just how shameful it was that in two years we had invented no better names for them. I had originally proposed Alice and Rosalind, withdrawing them only when Alice herself pointed out how confusing it could be to have crew of the same name, but I refused to accept other names, even Timothy and Karl-Heinz, expecting to renew my proposal when the two namesakes retired as crew.

We took our seats in the padded acceleration chairs before the control panel, fitted with mechanical aviation instruments useful solely in proximity to the Earthas surface, plus a pair of main power switches for ultimate control. I flipped on the one that supplied current to the boilers.

The consumables, pressurized air but mostly water for steam propulsion, were adequate. The general d.i.c.k charge indicated 54 hours. This was how long the ship might accelerate in near-zero inertia at one Gravity while expending part of that energy in raising water to steam. With turnover at midpoint, so much time could put us at rest well beyond the orbit of Mars. The limiting factor was not the charge; it was reaction ma.s.s a" how much water our tanks might hold. They were deliberately only half filled for this maiden voyage.

aBuckle up,a I told Alice.

aBuckle up yourself,a she retorted, her latches clicking.

I obeyed, then slipped the earphone-mike into my left ear ca.n.a.l and keyed on the radio. aCommunications check,a I announced. aKarl, are you receiving?a aReceiving clearly,a he retorted in my ear. From the corner of my eye I saw Alice insert her own plug.

aIs Ship Two ready?a aEverything is nominal. Steam pressure at 20 percent and building.a Of course he had turned on his boiler first. aGood. What about you, Jerome?a Silence.

aJerome, are you receiving?a Silence again. Karl answered, aYou know his antenna is above the roof. Wait till weare aloft.a aI expected some leakage through the building walls,a I groused. Was this something to worry about? Probably not. aOkay,a I continued. aMy steam is at 25 percent. Whatas yours now?a a45.a 25 percent of full pressure was the minimum required for operation. aGood enough. Otherwise ready to lift?a aReady.a Aliceas voice chimed in both my ears, aLetas go, lovers. Up, up and away!a Rosalind added, aEven if weare not supermen.a aBut we are!a declared Alice.

No one responded to that simple truth. After a moment I said, aHere goes.a My computer displayed the real control panel in glowing symbols on my retinas, copied to Aliceas through the earpiece radio link. Karl had one like it for Ship Two, but mine also controlled certain systems inside Fernworks. With finger taps on the chair arm I ordered a timed lights-out in the factory.

The ship was equipped with in-folding viewports at the apex where Alice and I sat. The brightly illuminated scene outside, consisting mostly of ceiling girders and the top of Ship Two a" that is, queerly tilted ceiling girders a" faded quickly through red to pitch black. Immediately I commanded, OPEN ROOF.

To preserve its secret, this ability had not been tested in almost two years. I watched the sensor update on my retina with some trepidation. But I worried needlessly. Directly above us a long slit appeared and widened steadily.

ad.a.m.n!a I uttered involuntarily.

Alice expressed the reason for my curse. aThe skyas not dark.a aItas almost dark,a contributed Rosalind by radio.

I sighed. aThe initial stealth test will be tougher than planned. Karl, follow as soon as I clear the roof.a aJawohl!a I almost chuckled at that. He had no reason for irony. It occurred to me that my experienced V2 engineer must again find himself impressed. Or just nervous. Well, so was I!

Steam now at 55 percent. I took hold of the att.i.tude stick and commanded, DISPLACE INERTIA, followed by THRUST 1.1G. Too bad, I thought, that I couldnat cross my fingers a" and that I couldnat whisper that sentiment to Alice without the others hearing me. I wouldave loved the comfort of her smile then.

Behind and below us a huge snake began to hiss. The ship lurched once. The padded chair pressed harder under my a.s.s and settled to an unmistakable lifting thrust. The edges of the withdrawn roof, 180 feet above us, sank away on either side. The eleven seconds needed to emerge above them pa.s.sed quickly. Dark hills appeared all around us, profiled in the west against a deep red sky.

aIt works!a I declared inadvertently, overcome with unantic.i.p.ated awe.

aYeah,a Alice agreed with less enthusiasm, abut whatas that noise?a I became aware of a chugging sound in the ship below us, interspersed with tings and clanks, and recognized it immediately from experience while testing the steam propulsion prototype. Quick fingers on thigh and control stick adjusted the flow among the feeder valves. The noise subsided to the original hiss.

aKarl,a I said to the always-on radio, abe sure to balance your valving.a aNo problem here, but Iall keep an ear on it. Iave just cleared the roof.a aVery good.a I commanded, CLOSE ROOF.

aJerome, do you receive me?a Silence.

I had an idea. aDonat forget to talk directly into the loudspeaker.a That got results. Kelliamas voice said, aCan you hear me now, sir?a aThatas better.a I looked at my wrist.w.a.tch. aThe lights will come on in ten seconds. Send Maryanne to stick her head into the factory and tell you what she sees.a aYes, sir. You heard the man.a aRadar scan detected,a Karl said quietly.

500 feet already? The mechanical altimeter indicated 5930, having started at 2600. I said to Karl, aMonitor the standard aircraft frequencies.a aAlready doing that.a aYes, of course you are.a And the princ.i.p.al military radio links, as well, all according to plan. A little higher and I could contact Clara. Which reminded me.

aI should be about 100 feet above you. What do you see almost straight up from south?

After a momentas hesitation he answered, aA black kite-shape.a aUh-oh!a aAgainst the very slight remaining sky light. In ten minutes youall be invisible, John, except for your steam plume. It reminds me of a vapor trail and is only too visible.a aEven against the fully dark sky?a aEspecially against the fully dark sky!a aB-but a"a aHave you looked up, John?a Raising my eyes from the instruments, I saw it: the half moon, directly above us, though actually 30-some degrees south of true vertical. Of course it would light up our steam trails! Not much we could do about that: it was our eminently visible destination. aHang in there, Baby, weare on the way!a aI think sheall wait,a said Alice dryly.

The aneroid altimeter was winding up fast. Rate of climb was already off the scale. Time to contact Cleveland.