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

Paul Porter on the epic voyage of the old Lambda I Tau raft. I also recall that the impact of
some of the things you discovered on that journey caused a radical re-thinking of some major
portions of the Tau concept. I put it to you, Dr Brevis, that this is a remarkable record for one
who claims very little knowledge of Tau techniques.”
“Suppose we come to the point,” said Brevis abruptly.
“I was just going to,” said Diepenstrom. “Does the phrase deep-Tau mean anything to you?”
“No.”
“Then I’ll tell you. Deep-Tau is the Tau-space analogue of conventional deep space. We
are actively researching into the possibility of achieving interstellar spaceflight by travelling
in the Tau-space analogue.”
“I don’t see . . .” said Brevis.
“Let me finish first, please. Now, deep-Tau as an alternative to conventional spaceflight
promises some remarkable advantages in simplified technique. Indeed, it may be the only
technique to make star travel possible. Superficially, deep-Tau travel would appear to be
easier than terrestrial Tau work. Unfortunately there are a number of impossible and irrational
reasons why this is not so.”
“I fail to see,” said Brevis, “what all this has to do with me.”
“A great deal. The present pattern of Tau research consists of sending manned telemetry
probes into deep-Tau. We’ve sent some twenty-four to date. Some have returned and some
haven’t, but each has piled paradox on paradox—and each has cost the life of the probe pilot.
Now we’re approaching our last chance. If we fail, the Government will probably close down
our activities completely. Such an action would be a setback to this research from which it
might never recover.”
“So?”
“Paul Porter wants to take a four-man vessel fitted out as a laboratory into deep-Tau, and
he wants you to go with him. It’s my job to persuade you to go, while at the same time leaving
you in no doubt that to do so is tantamount to committing suicide.”
“So that’s it! I refuse, of course. I still have the scars to show from the last time Paul Porter
took me into Tau.”
“I have a contract here on which you can write your own price for one successful
deep-Tau vector.”
“No, Professor. If Paul wants to seek an anguished grave in the corner of some dark and
twisted hypothetical continuum, that is his own affair. I’ve no such ambition.”
“A fair statement, Dr Brevis. I appreciate your position. Faced with the same situation, I
should probably adopt a similar standpoint. Let me thank you again for coming, and apologize
for wasting your time.”
Brevis watched him narrowly for a moment. “What are you up to, you old fox? You aren’t
a man to accept defeat that easily.”
Diepenstrom raised his ponderous head. His smile was a mere ghost haunting the corners
of his mouth.
“Ah, yes! There was something else. I’m glad you reminded me. While you’re here I
wonder if you’d care to see some of our deep-Tau exhibits.”
“Seeing the whole point of this interview seems to turn on this apparent afterthought, I
have no objection. But I warn you that nothing you can show me will make me change my
mind.”
“Perish the thought, my dear Doctor. I merely wish to show you our little museum of
paradoxes. I think you’ll find them rather fascinating. Would you care to step this way?”

The vaults beneath Tau Research were olive-drab and vast in extent, and the footsteps of the
two men echoed hollowly down the steel and concrete corridors. Brevis had previously had