:27:04
Why, he's as tame as a kitten.
:27:07
Outside of the range of my daughter's
influence, it's still a deadly beast.
:27:22
Just a routine checkup from the ship.
:27:25
- What, Chief?
- Everything okay, Commander?
:27:27
- No problem.
- Would you mind activating the viewer?
:27:33
As you can see, we're under
no restraint whatsoever.
:27:40
Knock that off, Quinn.
:27:42
If I can be of any help to you in your
preparations for the homeward voyage...
:27:46
Thank you, sir, but unfortunately
circumstances may keep us here a while.
:27:50
- Circumstances?
- You see, my orders...
:27:52
don't quite seem to cover
the Belerephon fatalities.
:27:55
I am forced now to contact base
for new instructions.
:28:00
But, Commander,
suppose these new instructions...
:28:03
require my return to Earth
for questioning...
:28:06
two years or more
away from my work here?
:28:09
Tell me, just what is involved
in your making contact with Earth base?
:28:13
Fundamentally,
it's a question of crude power...
:28:16
how to short-circuit the continuum
on a five or six parsec level.
:28:19
Of course, a transmitter like that
isn't standard equipment.
:28:22
- No.
- To build one...
:28:24
we'd cannibalize about two-thirds
of the ship's electronic gear...
:28:27
and then unship
the main drive to juice it.
:28:30
Just to construct a bunker to house
the core would take about ten days.
:28:34
Disabled here
for ten days and nights?
:28:37
Tell me, would two-inch
lead shielding do as well?
:28:41
It'd be better if we happened to be
carrying 100 square yards of the stuff.
:28:44
Then I'll have Robby
run it off for you...
:28:46
and you'll get it
not later than tomorrow noon.
:28:49
That's very obliging of you, sir.
:28:52
Obliging?
:28:54
Look out there, Commander,
the Belerephon party.
:28:57
Nineteen years ago
I dug those graves with my own hands...