Wine of the Dreamers Read Online Free PDF

completion.When that man tried to blow up the Gettysburg Three he had almost the same story this man has. The head doctors thought up a name for it, and we stowed him away in the nut house until the Gettysburg Three took off. Of course she turned unstable at five hundred miles up and crashed off Hawaii—–”
    “I didn’t ask for a history of the Mars flights, Colonel. What happened to McBride?”
    “Well, sir, when Gettysburg Three was done for, the head doctors said McBride had recovered and so we brought him to trial. Because he was an enlisted man, we were able to give him five years at hard labor, but as I see it, this Kornal doesn’t come under us.”
    Sachson gave Powys a frigid glare. “Thank you, Colonel. Brief and to the point, as usual.”
    Bard spoke to Kornal. “Bill, I think you’d better come back on the project. Want to try it?”
    “Want to?” He held out his clever hands. “God, how I’d work! Adamson says four months lost. I could cut that down to less than three.”
    Sachson said harshly, “Are you completely mad, Lane?”
    Bard ignored him. “What do you think, Sharan?”
    “If he can pass the original psycho-screening tests, I don’t see why not. We are using the best tests known. If he can pass them, he should be as acceptable as anyone who can pass them. Major Leeber can take them at the same time.”
    “I go on record as objecting to this,” Sachson said.
    “Me too,” Powys rumbled.
    “Sorry, General,” Bard said. “Kornal is a highly trained man. We need him. If this was a temporary aberration, and not part of a repetitive pattern, he can help us undo the harm he did. I haven’t time for thinking about fitting punishment to crime. Bill will punish himself more than anyone else ever could.”
    Sachson stood up. “It seems to be your baby. But it’s all in the minutes. When he loses another four months for you, Project Tempo will either be disbanded, or have anew director. Sergeant, Dr. Lane will give you the exact wording on his request for Major Leeber. Meeting adjourned. Take Leeber with you when you drive back.”
    They stood in silence as the little general strode out of the room, favoring them all with a final bleak nod.
    As soon as the door closed behind the general, Major Leeber said unctuously, “I know that you folks are thinking of me as a thorn in your side. It wasn’t my fault the Old Man pushed me down your throat. But, believe me, I’ll stay out of your way. Tommy Leeber can be a real happy guy. All the boy needs is that five o’clock jolt of firewater and a few shell-pink ears to whisper into. Couple of times a week I’ll mail the old man a double-talk report and we can all live happily together in the mountains.”
    Leeber had a lazy grin on overly-full lips under the dark military moustache, but under sleepy lids his eyes were steady, cold, unwinking black.
    “Happy to have you with us,” Bard said without warmth.
    Sharan stood up. Leeber moved closer to her. “And how about you, Miss Inly? Are you glad to have me aboard?”
    “Of course,” she said absently. “Bard, how soon are we starting back?”
    “Better make it noon. That will give some time for a little sleep.”
    The others left. The sergeant looked expectantly at Bard. Bard smiled at him. “You know your boss. Write it up in any way that will make him happy, just so long as the conditions I imposed are included. Do you have them down?”
    “Yes sir. Want me to read them back?”
    “No need of that.” He walked toward the door.
    The sergeant said, “Uh … Doctor Lane.”
    He turned. “Yes?”
    “About Major Leeber. He’s very smart, Doctor. And he gets along fine in the Army. I think maybe someday he’ll be a general.”
    “A worthy ambition, I suppose.”
    “He likes to make a … good impression, where it counts most.”
    “Thanks, Sergeant. Thanks very much.”
    The sergeant grinned. “Mention it not, Doctor.”
    Back in the room assigned him in the B.O.Q., Bard Lane