[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
First, I want you to tell me why, then I want to know what you are going to do
about it."
"Yessir. The positive so "
"So help me, Captain, if you start talking sociological parameters, biofeed
responses, or negative poop loops again, I will eat your head off!"
"Well, General, it's a combination of things that caused the disciplinary
problems, that is. The analysis just completed..."
"Skip that and get to what it is."
"Ah, yessir. Well, sir, to be overly simplistic about it..."
"Impossible." ^
"Yessir. Weir, sir, it's what we call acute environmental awareness."
"That's what you call it; what would I call it?"
"Cabin fever?"
"Go on."
"Well, sir, it's just that the isolation from the planet's surface is beginning
to have neg ah, well, sir, it's beginning to get to the troops."
"Now, Captain, we are at a point we could have reached an hour ago. Cabin fever,
huh?"
"Yessir."
"I can think of maybe twenty military missions offhand that are similarly
isolated for political reasons, environmental conditions, any number of
reasons." The general waved the stacks of papers. "None of them has this
problem."
"Yessir, I mean, nosir. Everyone brought up on charges so far has undergone
analysis to determine the soc uh, to
a
a
T
T
n
n
s
s
F
F
f
f
o
o
D
D
r
r
P
P
m
m
Y
Y
e
e
Y
Y
r
r
B
B
2
2
.
.
B
B
A
A
Click here to buy
Click here to buy
w
w
m
m
w
w
o
o
w
w
c
c
.
.
.
.
A
A
Y
Y
B
B
Y
Y
B
B
r r
see if there is a common cause. Using that information, my department conducted
additional surveys and found that the pattern extends to dependent families and
civilian employees."
"And?"
"Well, sir, it's probably a lot more complicated than it sounds. Doctor Graver,
the chief of psych, says that it's probably symbolic for..."
"What is it, Captain?"
"Sir, uh... the personnel, they... want to go and see the circus."
"Circus." " >,
"Yes... sir."
Kahn studied an empty spot in the air until Captain Bos-tany had to break the
silence or run screaming from the compartment. "Sir, we traced the information
about the circus to the crews operating the relay station, the open-pit mine
operations..."
"Momus doesn't even have a circus."
Bostany reached into a folder and placed some papers in front of the general.
"We obtained these from the crews rotating from planetside."
Kahn studied the flyers and shook his head. "Captain, would you tell me why men,
women, and children who have at their disposal a variety of the most
sophisticated recreational facilities known to modern science want to go see a
circus?"
"Yessir," Bostany smiled and pulled a bound set of papers from her folder. "I'm
writing a paper on it..."
"Just why, Captain."
"Yessir. Outside of actual sports activities, virtually all of our recreations
are remote sensory. There is an unreality about them that leaves unfulfilled
certain needs."
"Unreality? Captain, have you ever used a fantasizer? You can climb the
Matterhorn if you want, and even be frostbitten."
"Yessir. But, before and after the experience, you know that the experience
never was and that no challenge existed. Doctor Graver agrees with me that this
phenomenon is actually a reach for reality."
Kahn held up a flyer depicting a huge lizard in pink tights and tassels, holding
a small, turban-wrapped boy high
over its head with one hand. "You call this reality?"
"That's what it seems to represent to the personnel."
Kahn looked at the flyer and nodded. "I guess it is, for Momus." He looked up.
"Your recommendation?"
a
a
T
T
n
n
s
s
F
F
f
f
o
o
D
D
r
r
P
P
m
m
Y
Y
e
e
Y
Y
r
r
B
B
2
2
.
.
B
B
A
A
Click here to buy
Click here to buy
w
w
m
m
w
w
o
o
w
w
c
c
.
.
.
.
A
A
Y
Y
B
B
Y
Y
B
B
r r
"General, we have to let mission personnel get in some time planetside on a
regular basis to see the circus, go backpacking, or just walk around and breathe
fresh air."
"You have another plan? Allenby would kill that one in a second, and you know
why."
"No other plan that is practical. Either get them planetside or replace the
entire complement. We ran the sociological progressions, and visiting planetside
on a rotating basis would have no adverse impact. The impact Lord Allenby fears
happens only if the mission uses planetside bases."
"Your department checked out the fortune teller's story, then?"
"Yessir, and her accuracy is uncanny, except for this. Her recommendation was
complete separation. It's strange that she could be so accurate with the one and
miss so badly on the other. But, she's hardly a computer."
Kahn snorted out a short laugh. "Tayla the fortune teller has Allenby's ear;
your computer doesn't." Kahn reached for the communicator built into his desk.
"Get me Ambassador Humphries." He turned back to Bostany. "Put together the best
case you can, Captain. You are about to meet the cashiered former Ambassador and
present Statesman of Momus, Great Allenby, magician and newsteller." Kahn
shrugged. "Part of that reality we're reaching for, I imagine."
While Captain Bostany explained her sociological progression tables, charts and
diagrams, Allenby looked at the people seated on cushions around his table.
Ambassador Humphries, as usual, scowled impatiently. Seated next to the
ambassador, General Kahn remained properly impassive. Across from Allenby, Hamid
of the Miira riders looked at the center of the table, seeing nothing. Next to
Hamid, Tayla the fortune teller watched Bostany's performance through hooded
eyes. Bostany collected her papers and concluded: "Therefore, Lord Allenby,
while the complete separation protects Momus from undesirable socio-impact, it
is having an undesirable impact on the military mission. As
I have repeated, my department has determined that there will be no adverse
impacts as a result of limited interaction between..."
"No!" Tayla held up her hands, palms toward Allenby. "I have seen what will be
and what can be, Great Allenby. I say that the soldiers must stay in the sky."
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]