The Complete Stories of Philip K. Dick Vol. 2 by Philip K. Dick Page A
Authors: Philip K. Dick
Tags: SF
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hand. The door slid away and he passed outside the room, into the hall.
Grant came up to him. "I was watching through the window. He's quite withdrawn, isn't he?"
"It's difficult to talk to him. He seems to believe these attacks are some kind of vision."
"I know. He's told me."
"Why didn't you let me know?"
"I didn't want to alarm you more. I know you've been worried about him."
"The attacks are getting worse. He says they're more vivid. More convincing."
Grant nodded.
Ryan moved along the corridor, deep in thought, Grant a little behind. "It's difficult to be certain of the best course of action. The attacks absorb him more and more. He's beginning to take them seriously. They're usurping the place of the outside world. And in addition -"
"And in addition you're leaving soon."
"I wish we knew more about time travel. A great number of things may happen to us." Ryan rubbed his jaw. "We might not come back. Time is a potent force. No real exploration has been done. We have no idea what we may run into."
He came to the lift and stopped.
"I'll have to make my decision right away. It has to be made before we leave."
"Your decision?"
Ryan entered the lift. "You'll know about it later. Watch Jon constantly from now on. Don't be away from him for even a moment. Do you understand?"
Grant nodded. "I understand. You want to be sure he doesn't leave his room."
"You'll hear from me either tonight or tomorrow." Ryan ascended to the roof and entered his inter-city ship.
As soon as he was in the sky he clicked on the vidscreen and dialed the League Offices. The face of the League Monitor appeared. "Offices."
"Give me the medical center."
The monitor faded. Presently Walter Timmer, the medical director, appeared on the screen. His eyes flickered as he recognized Ryan. "What can I do for you, Caleb?"
"I want you to get out a medical car and a few good men and come over here to City Four."
"Why?"
"It's a matter I discussed with you several months ago. You recall, I think."
Timmer's expression changed. "Your son?"
"I've decided. I can't wait any longer. He's getting worse, and we'll be leaving soon on the time trip. I want it performed before I leave."
"All right." Timmer made a note. "We'll make immediate arrangements here. And we'll send a ship over to pick him up at once."
Ryan hesitated. "You'll do a good job?"
"Of course. We'll have James Pryor perform the actual operation." Timmer reached up to cut the vidscreen circuit. "Don't worry, Caleb. He'll do a good job. Pryor is the best lobotomist the center has."
Ryan laid out the map, stretching the corners flat against the table. "This is a time map, drawn up in the form of a space projection. So we can see where we're going."
Kastner peered over his shoulder. "Will we be confined to the one Project – getting Schonerman's papers? Or can we move around?"
"Only the one Project is contemplated. But to be certain of success we should make several stops on this side of Schonerman's continuum. Our time map may be inaccurate, or the drive itself may act with some bias."
The work was finished. All the final sections were put in place.
In a corner of the room Jon sat watching, his face expressionless. Ryan glanced toward him. "How does it look to you?"
"Fine."
The time ship was like some stubby insect, overgrown with warts and knobs. A square box with windows and endless turrets. Not really a ship at all.
"I guess you wish you could come," Kastner said to Jon. "Right?"
Jon nodded faintly.
"How are you feeling?" Ryan asked him.
"Fine."
Ryan studied his son. The boy's color had come back. He had regained most of his original vitality. The visions, of course, no longer existed.
"Maybe you can come next time," Kastner said.
Ryan returned to the map. "Schonerman did most of his work between 2030 and 2037. The results were not put to any use until several years later. The decision to use his work in the war was reached only after long consideration. The Government
Grant came up to him. "I was watching through the window. He's quite withdrawn, isn't he?"
"It's difficult to talk to him. He seems to believe these attacks are some kind of vision."
"I know. He's told me."
"Why didn't you let me know?"
"I didn't want to alarm you more. I know you've been worried about him."
"The attacks are getting worse. He says they're more vivid. More convincing."
Grant nodded.
Ryan moved along the corridor, deep in thought, Grant a little behind. "It's difficult to be certain of the best course of action. The attacks absorb him more and more. He's beginning to take them seriously. They're usurping the place of the outside world. And in addition -"
"And in addition you're leaving soon."
"I wish we knew more about time travel. A great number of things may happen to us." Ryan rubbed his jaw. "We might not come back. Time is a potent force. No real exploration has been done. We have no idea what we may run into."
He came to the lift and stopped.
"I'll have to make my decision right away. It has to be made before we leave."
"Your decision?"
Ryan entered the lift. "You'll know about it later. Watch Jon constantly from now on. Don't be away from him for even a moment. Do you understand?"
Grant nodded. "I understand. You want to be sure he doesn't leave his room."
"You'll hear from me either tonight or tomorrow." Ryan ascended to the roof and entered his inter-city ship.
As soon as he was in the sky he clicked on the vidscreen and dialed the League Offices. The face of the League Monitor appeared. "Offices."
"Give me the medical center."
The monitor faded. Presently Walter Timmer, the medical director, appeared on the screen. His eyes flickered as he recognized Ryan. "What can I do for you, Caleb?"
"I want you to get out a medical car and a few good men and come over here to City Four."
"Why?"
"It's a matter I discussed with you several months ago. You recall, I think."
Timmer's expression changed. "Your son?"
"I've decided. I can't wait any longer. He's getting worse, and we'll be leaving soon on the time trip. I want it performed before I leave."
"All right." Timmer made a note. "We'll make immediate arrangements here. And we'll send a ship over to pick him up at once."
Ryan hesitated. "You'll do a good job?"
"Of course. We'll have James Pryor perform the actual operation." Timmer reached up to cut the vidscreen circuit. "Don't worry, Caleb. He'll do a good job. Pryor is the best lobotomist the center has."
Ryan laid out the map, stretching the corners flat against the table. "This is a time map, drawn up in the form of a space projection. So we can see where we're going."
Kastner peered over his shoulder. "Will we be confined to the one Project – getting Schonerman's papers? Or can we move around?"
"Only the one Project is contemplated. But to be certain of success we should make several stops on this side of Schonerman's continuum. Our time map may be inaccurate, or the drive itself may act with some bias."
The work was finished. All the final sections were put in place.
In a corner of the room Jon sat watching, his face expressionless. Ryan glanced toward him. "How does it look to you?"
"Fine."
The time ship was like some stubby insect, overgrown with warts and knobs. A square box with windows and endless turrets. Not really a ship at all.
"I guess you wish you could come," Kastner said to Jon. "Right?"
Jon nodded faintly.
"How are you feeling?" Ryan asked him.
"Fine."
Ryan studied his son. The boy's color had come back. He had regained most of his original vitality. The visions, of course, no longer existed.
"Maybe you can come next time," Kastner said.
Ryan returned to the map. "Schonerman did most of his work between 2030 and 2037. The results were not put to any use until several years later. The decision to use his work in the war was reached only after long consideration. The Government
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