[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

necessary measure to discourage big ideas on the part of wisenheimers in my employ. May I ask how
you happen to be aboard the carrier, by the way?"
"I just wanted I mean, after I figured out that is, the police . . . I went for help," Dan finished lamely.
"Help? Out of the picture, unfortunately. One must maintain one's anonymity, you'll appreciate. My
operation here is under wraps at present. Ah, I don't suppose you brought any paintings?"
Dan shook his head. He was staring at the posters. His eyes, accustoming themselves to the gloom of
the office, could now make out the vividly drawn outline of a creature resembling an alligator-headed
giraffe rearing up above foliage. The next poster showed a face similar to the beach ball behind the desk,
with red circles painted around the eyes. The next was a view of a yellow volcano spouting fire into a
black sky.
"Too bad." The words seemed to come from under the desk. Dan squinted, caught a glimpse of coiled
purplish tentacles. He gulped and looked up to catch a brown eye upon him. Only one. The other
seemed to be busily at work studying the ceiling.
"I hope," the voice said, "that you ain't harboring no reactionary racial prejudices."
* * *
"Gosh, no," Dan reassured the eye. "I'm crazy about uh "
"Vorplischers," the voice said. "From Vorplisch, or Vega, as you locals call it." The Bronx cheer
sounded again. "How I long to glimpse once more my native fens! Wherever one wanders, there's no
pad like home."
"That reminds me," Dan said. "I have to be running along now." He sidled toward the door.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Stick around, Dan," the voice rumbled. "How about a drink? I can offer you Chateau Neuf du Pape
'59, Romany Conte '32, goat's milk, Pepsi "
"No, thanks."
"If you don't mind, I believe I'll have a Big Orange." The Vorplischer swiveled to a small refrigerator,
removed an immense bottle fitted with a nipple and turned back to Dan. "Now, I got a proposition which
may be of some interest to you. The loss of Percy and Fiorello is a serious blow, but we may yet recoup
the situation. You made the scene at a most opportune time. What I got in mind is, with those two clowns
out of the picture, a vacancy exists on my staff, which you might fill. How does that grab you?"
"You mean you want me to take over operating the time machine?"
"Time machine?" The brown eyes blinked alternately. "I fear some confusion exists. I don't quite dig the
significance of the term."
"That thing," Dan jabbed a thumb toward the cage. "The machine I came here in. You want me "
"Time machine," the voice repeated. "Some sort of chronometer, perhaps?"
"Huh?"
"I pride myself on my command of the local idiom, yet I confess the implied concept snows me." The
nine-fingered hands folded on the desk. The beach-ball head leaned forward interestedly. "Clue me, Dan.
What's a time machine?"
"Well, it's what you use to travel through time."
The brown eyes blinked in agitated alternation. "Apparently I've loused up my investigation of the local
cultural background. I had no idea you were capable of that sort of thing." The immense head leaned
back, the wide mouth opening and closing rapidly. "And to think I've been spinning my wheels collecting
primitive 2-D art!"
"But don't you have a time machine? I mean, isn't that one?"
"That? That's merely a carrier. Now tell me more about your time machines. A fascinating concept! My
superiors will be delighted at this development and astonished as well. They regard this planet as
Endsville."
* * *
"Your superiors?" Dan eyed the window; much too far to jump. Maybe he could reach the machine and
try a getaway
"I hope you're not thinking of leaving suddenly," the beach ball said, following Dan's glance. One of the
eighteen fingers touched a six-inch yellow cylinder lying on the desk. "Until the carrier is fueled, I'm afraid
it's quite useless. But, to put you in the picture, I'd best introduce myself and explain my mission here. I'm
Blote, Trader Fourth Class, in the employ of the Vegan Confederation. My job is to develop new
sources of novelty items for the impulse-emporia of the entire Secondary Quadrant."
"But the way Percy and Fiorello came sailing in through the wall! Thathas to be a time machine they
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
were riding in. Nothing else could just materialize out of thin air like that."
"You seem to have a time-machine fixation, Dan," Blote chided. "You shouldn't assume, just because
you people have developed time travel, that everyone has. Now" Blote's voice sank to a bass
whisper "I'll make a deal with you, Dan. You'll secure a small time machine in good condition for me.
And in return "
"I'msupposed to supplyyou with a time machine?"
Blote waggled a stubby forefinger at Dan. "I dislike pointing it out, Dan, but you are in a rather awkward
position at the moment. Illegal entry, illegal possession of property, trespass then doubtless some [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]