[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

went on to summarize what Sariena had said about the Kronian findings and the
arrangements being made in Corpus Christi to compute the implications.
Naturally, Salio was intrigued. Keene promised to keep him posted on the
outcome.
Back in Salio's office, Keen finally got around to asking the question that
had been his prime reason for coming to see Salio. "If Amspace were to arrange
media coverage and so forth, would you be willing to go public with the kinds
of things you've been telling me this morning?"
"I'd be happy to," was Salio's reply. "Wasn't that why I got in touch with you
in the first place?"
"It wouldn't create problems with the people you work for here?" Keene
checked.
"No. As I said before, as far as they're concerned it's just a hobby. As long
as it doesn't affect their budgets, contracts, or completion dates, no one
here is going to worry too much."
Salio offered lunch, but Keene's flight departure time didn't allow for it. He
called for a cab to take Keene to the airport, and, to stretch his legs and
get some air, said he'd accompany Keene down to the front entrance.
"So what's your version of why so many astronomers don't want to think about
it?" Keene asked as they stood waiting. He was curious to see how Salio's view
compared with Cavan's. "I mean, you and
I don't have a problem. If you tell the ordinary guy in the street that we
nearly got wiped out by
Venus once, he says `Say, that's interesting. Tell me more.' Why the
difference?"
Salio stared into the distance. Having to ponder the psychology of such things
seemed to be something he was not used to. "Maybe if your whole world is built
on certainty and prestige, the thought of losing it is something you can't
face," he offered finally. "Ordinary people accept uncertainty and insecurity
every day."
"Maybe," Keene said. It was a thought, anyway.
Salio went on, "And in any case, it's not true of all astronomers. There's a
lot of politics that
I try not to get mixed up in. The astronomers I know out on the West Coast
would like to see all this debated more openly. But the International
Astronomical Union, headquartered at the Harvard-
Smithsonian center in Cambridge, sets the official line. That's where the
lines and Web links from around the world come in to report observations,
coordinate announcements, and so on. Its ties are to Washington investment
capital and the defense establishment, both of whose horizons are conservative
and Earth-centered."
Keene nodded slowly. Cavan had mentioned Voler's recently being nominated for
presidency of the
file:///F|/rah/James%20P.%20Hogan/Hogan,%20James%20P%20-%20Cradle%20of%20Satur
n.txt (45 of 209) [2/4/03 10:52:37 PM]
file:///F|/rah/James%20P.%20Hogan/Hogan,%20James%20P%20-%20Cradle%20of%20Satur
n.txt
IAU. "So what happens on the West Coast?" he asked.
"There's a kind of parallel information clearinghouse at JPL in Pasadena,"
Salio said. "The IAU is primarily NSF-supported. JPL is operated for NASA by
Cal Tech, which, being a private institution, gives it more autonomy.
Certainly, a lot of scientists there would love to start launching stuff all
over the Solar System again the way the Kronians want us to, but the catch is
Page 52
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
being tied to government money."
"Who'd be the person to talk to out there?" Keene inquired curiously.
"The best I can think of would be a guy called Charlie Hu at JPL. He runs
their communications center and big number-crunching operations. I wouldn't be
surprised if he talks to the Kronians on a direct line the same as you do, but
doesn't publicize it much. Anyhow, sure, I can put you in touch with him."
There was only one more thing. As the cab appeared in the gateway to the
parking lot, Keene remembered Robin's theory of dinosaurs arriving with
impacting bodies and asked Salio what he thought. At the time Robin mentioned
it, Keene had thought it outlandish; now it seemed rather tame.
"Well, it's different," Salio said with an effort to be tactful, Keene
thought. "Is it your idea?"
"No. The son of a friend of mine. He's fourteen."
Salio looked surprised and at the same time impressed. "Well, as I say, it's
different but I can see a few problems. Let me think about it. Can you give me
his e-mail code? It would probably make him feel good if he got a response
from the Institute directly, don't you think?"
* * * [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]