A group of military technicians in white smocks were busy in the vicinity of the Tokarevs, checking and double-checking electrical hookups, semi-automatic and computerized systems, radiation levels, other instrument readings. Their senior man, directly responsible to the | Projekt Direktor, touched Luchov’s arm and caused him to give a start. Vainly trying to conceal his nervous reaction, the Direktor barked, ‘Yes, what is it?’
The man was young, no more than twenty-six or -seven but already a Major; he wore upon his lapels the crown of his rank inside the stylized atomic nucleus insignia of the Special Artillery Arm. ‘Sir,’ he formally reported, ‘we’re all ready here. From now on or until these weapons are required for use, there will always be two of us on duty here . . . armed, of course, as a safeguard against sabotage. We are aware that the Projekt has a history of, er, intruders?’
Luchov nodded. ‘Yes, very good.’ But he’d scarcely been paying attention. Turning jerkily away from the Tokarevs and pointing towards the glaring sphere of the Gate, he said, ‘And do you know what you’re on guard against – from that, I mean? Are you sure that if ever it’s required, you’ll know just exactly when to press the button?’
The other stiffened. He knew his duty well enough. A pity he now found himself in a position where he must take orders from a damned civilian, that’s all! He was tempted to answer Luchov in just such terms and from the heart, except it had been made adequately clear to him that the senior scientist was a power in his own right
And so: ‘I’ve acquainted myself with the Projekt’s history, certainly, sir,’ he said coldly. ‘Also, we’ve watched all of the films. But in any case, the firing sequence may not be initiated except on your instructions.’
‘Listen.’ Luchov turned more fully towards him, fixed him with a wide-eyed glare and grasped his arm in a trembling claw. That’s your brief, yes, but it doesn’t say everything. Indeed, it says very little. You’ve seen the films? Good! But you can’t smell them, can you? They can’t spring out from the screen and swallow you whole, can they?’
Nodding wildly, and again pointing at the glaring white upper hemisphere of the Gate, he continued hoarsely: ‘In there, a curse, a plague, something to make Chernobyl seem of no consequence whatsoever! If it, they, whatever, got out into the world . . . that’s the end, I mean of everything! Mankind joins the dinosaurs, the trilobites, the dodos – gone! So don’t get snotty with me when I ask if you know what you’re dealing with.’
Pale with barely suppressed anger, the young officer came to attention and his thin mouth cracked open; but Luchov wasn’t finished with him, hadn’t yet told him the worst. ‘Listen,’ he said again. ‘One week ago a man, or something which was once a man, went through that Gate into whatever lies beyond. When he went the world breathed a sigh of relief – since when it’s been holding its breath! We were glad to see the back of him because he was tainted, a carrier. Only now we wonder: how long before he finds his way back here? And if he does, what will he bring with him? Do you follow me so far?’
Something of the colour had returned to the Major’s face. He sensed the importance of what the Projekt Direktor was saying, the enormous stresses playing on his mind. ‘I follow you so far.’ He nodded.
‘Very well,’ said Luchov, ‘and now something which wasn’t in your brief. You mentioned our previous problem with intruders. Quite right; we did have this problem; we could have it again. So now I’m going to add to your brief and issue a new order.’ He pushed his face closer. ‘This one: if I should get taken out – if anything weird or inexplicable should happen to incapacitate me or even, yes, exclude me permanently from the scheme of things – then you’re the next in line. Consider yourself appointed, here and now.’
‘What?’ The officer looked at Luchov’s pale, shining face, his hideously scarred skull, and wondered if he was entirely sane. ‘You are … appointing me, Projekt Direktor?’