[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
meant to continue doing so, though more and more by proxy. In general, he recog-nized, his lifespan
would be spent on Phase One. The self he met at its end was an aged man.
Let us be satisfied to be God s agents of redemption, he wrote. However, those who wish may
cherish a private hope. Is it not possible that at last science will find a way to make the old young again,
to make the body immortal? And by then, I have no doubt, time travel will be understood, may even be
commonplace. Will not that wonderful future return and seek us out, who brought it into being, and give
us our reward?
Havig s mouth tightened. He thought:I ve seen what hap-pens when you try to straitjacket man into
an ideology.
But later he thought:There is a lot of flexibility here. We could conceivably end more as teachers
than masters.
And finally:I ll stick around awhile, at least. The alterna-tive to serving him seems to be to let my
gift go for nothing, my life go down in futility.
Krasicki summoned him. It was a steely-cold day. Sunlight shattered into brilliance on icicles hanging
from turrets. Havig shivered as he crossed the courtyard to the office.
Uniformed, Krasicki sat in a room as neat and functional as a cell. Be seated, he ordered. The chair
was hard, and squeaked.
Do you judge yourself ready for your work? he asked.
A thrill went through Havig. His pulses hammered. Y-yes. Anxious to start. I-- He straightened.
Yes.
Krasicki shuffled some papers on his desk. I have been watching your progress, he said, and
considering how we might best employ you. That includes minimum risk to your-self. You have had a
good deal of extratemporal experience on your own, I know, which makes you already valuable. But
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
you ve not hitherto been on a mission for us. He offered a stiff little smile. The idea which came to me
springs from your spe-cial background.
Havig somehow maintained a cool exterior.
We must expand our capabilities, particularly recruiting, Krasicki said. Well, you ve declared yourself
reasonably fluent in the Greekkoine. You ve described a visit you made to Byz-antine Constantinople.
That seems like a strategic place from which to begin a systematic search through the medieval period.
Brilliant! Havig cried, suddenly happy and excited. It rushed from him: Center of civilization,
everything flowed through the Golden Horn, and, and what we could do as traders--
Krasicki lifted a palm. Hold. Perhaps later, when we have more manpower, a wider network, perhaps
then that will be worthwhile. But at present we re too sharply limited in the man-years available to us. We
cannot squander them. Never forget, we must complete Phase One by a definite date. No, Havig, what
is necessary is a quicker and more direct approach.
What--?
Given a large hoard of coin and treasure, we can finance ourselves in an era when this is currency. But
you know your-self how cumbersome is the transportation of goods through time. Therefore we must
acquire our capital on the ... on the spot? ... yes, on the spot. And, as I said, quickly.
Havig s suspicions exploded in dismay. You can t mean by robbery!
No, no, no. Krasicki shook his head. Think. Listen. A raid on a peaceful city, massive enough to reap
a useful harvest, that would be dangerously conspicuous. Could get into the his-tory books, and that
could wreck our cover. Besides, it would be dangerous in itself, too. Our men would have small
numbers, not overly well supplied with firearms. They would not have powered vehicles. The Byzantine
army and police were usually large and well-disciplined. No, I don t propose madness.
What, then?
Taking advantage of chaos, in order to remove what would otherwise be stolen by merciless invaders
for no good pur-pose.
Havig stared.
In 1204, his superior went on, Constantinople was cap-tured by the armies of the Fourth Crusade.
They plundered it from end to end; what remained was a broken shell. He waved an arm. Why should
we not take a share? It s lost to the own-ers anyway. He peered at the other s face before adding:
And, to be sure, we arrange compensation, give them protec-tion from slaughter and rapine, help them
rebuild their lives.
Judas priest! Havig choked. A hijacking!
Having briefed himself in the Eyrie s large microtape library, having had a costume made and similar
details taken care of, he embarked.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
An aircraft deposited him near the twenty-first-century ruins of Istanbul and took off again into the air as
quickly as he into the past. A lot of radioactivity lingered in these ashes. He hadn t yet revealed the fact
of his chronolog and must find his target by the tedious process of counting sun-traverses, adding an
estimate of days missed, making an initial emergence, and zeroing in by trial and error.
Leonce had been furious at being left behind. But she lacked the knowledge to be useful here, except as
companion and con-soler. Indeed, she would have been a liability, her extreme for-eignness drawing
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]