2001_ A Space Odyssey - Arthur C. Clarke [24]
Floyd sank into a comfortable leather chair and was given a glass of “sherry,” courtesy of the lunar biochemical labs. “How’s it going, Ralph?” Floyd asked, sipping the drink with caution, then with approval.
“Not too bad,” Halvorsen replied. “However, there is something you’d better know about, before you go in there.”
“What is it?’
“Well, I suppose you could describe it as a morale problem,” Halvorsen sighed.
“Oh?”
“It isn’t serious yet, but it’s getting there fast.”
“The news blackout,” Floyd said flatly.
“Right,” Halvorsen replied. “My people are getting very steamed up about it. After all, most of them have families back on Earth; they probably believe they’re all dead of moonplague.”
“I’m sorry about that,” said Floyd, “but no one could think of a better cover story, and so far it’s worked. By the way — I met Moisevitch at the Space Station, and even he bought it.”
“Well, that should make Security happy.”
“Not too happy — he’d heard of TMA-1; rumors are beginning to leak out. But we just can’t issue any statement, until we know what the damn thing is and whether our Chinese friends are behind it.”
“Dr. Michaels thinks he has the answer to that. He’s dying to tell you.”
Floyd drained his glass. “And I’m dying to hear him. Let’s go.”
Chapter 11
Anomaly
The briefing took place in a large rectangular chamber that could hold a hundred people with ease. It was equipped with the latest optical and electronic displays and would have looked like a model conference room but for the numerous posters, pinups, notices, and amateur paintings, which indicated that it was also the center of the local cultural life. Floyd was particularly struck by a collection of signs, obviously assembled with loving care, which carried such messages as PLEASE KEEP OFF THE GRASS NO PARKING ON EVEN DAYS … DEFENSE DE FUMER … TO THE BEACH … CATTLE CROSSING … SOFT SHOULDERS and DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS. If these were genuine — as they certainly appeared to be — their transportation from Earth had cost a small fortune. There was a touching defiance about them; on this hostile world, men could still joke about the things they had been forced to leave behind — and which their children would never miss.
A crowd of forty or fifty people was waiting for Floyd, and everyone rose politely as he entered behind the Administrator. As he nodded at several familiar faces, Floyd whispered to Halvorsen: “I’d like to say a few words before the briefing.”
Floyd sat down in the front row, while the Administrator ascended the rostrum and looked round his audience.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Halvorsen began, “I needn’t tell you that this is a very important occasion. We are delighted to have Dr. Heywood Floyd with us. We all know him by reputation, and many of us are acquainted with him personally. He has just completed a special flight from Earth to be here, and before the briefing he has a few words for us. Dr. Floyd.”
Floyd walked to the rostrum amid a sprinkling of polite applause, surveyed the audience with a smile, and said: “Thank you — I only want to say this. The President has asked me to convey his appreciation of your outstanding work, which we hope the world will soon be able to recognize. I’m quite aware,” he continued carefully, “that some of you — perhaps most of you — are anxious that the present veil of secrecy be withdrawn; you would not be scientists if you thought otherwise.”
He caught a glimpse of Dr. Michaels, whose face was creased in a slight frown which brought out a long scar down his right cheek — presumably the aftermath of some accident in space. The geologist, he was well aware, had been protesting vigorously against what he called this “cops and robbers nonsense.”
“But I would remind you,” Floyd continued, “that this is a quite extraordinary situation. We must be absolutely sure of our own facts; if we make errors now, there may be no second chance — so please