The Compleat Bolo

158

(Joel Trace, first phase of Bolo's plan)

"You Security boys took long enough to get here. Certainly, I'll come along peacefully. I want to come along. No sense to six of you goons aiming issue revolvers at me. Keep your hands off me. I can walk."

159

(Joel Trace, second phase of Bolo's plan, Palace First Secretary, to Georgius Imperator)

"Sire, this man, Joel Trace, is the one who designed the Mark XXX, as much as any one man can be said to have designed it. Former Chief Systems Engineer on the project. Sound man. He says it's possible to shut down the Bolo by a manual override switch on the hull. Yes, Sire, I understand what that would entail, but he says he's ready. Yes, Sire, at once, Sire. He's here now, awaiting the Imperial pleasure."

160

(Joel Trace, third phase of Bolo's plan, audience with His Imperial Majesty)

"No, Sire, I don't think I'm insane. I know the machine, and I'm quite certain I can make an approach on foot and shut down her reactor. It's nothing special about me, Sire, except that I'm the one who designed and installed the fail-safe gear, sub rosa, I confess. I had been specifically forbidden to do so by General Wolesley, who felt such an installation would constitute an Achilles heel in effect, but by staying late one night and doing the job myself, I kept it out of the record, and thus impervious to a security leak. I throw myself on the Imperial mercy, Sire. I meant no disrespect."

161

(Georgius Imperator, to Prince William)

Let him try, Willy. What do we have to lose but Mr. Trace himself? If he's willing to go, let's make full facilities available. Move fast in there. I want him in place before the CSR decides to disappear on another of its lone missions.

– George

162

(IBC trideocast from Luna Base)

What we're watching is LIVE, ladies and gentlemen! That's Joel Trace, the man who built the Bolo Caesar, excuse me, CSR, back in the '70s. He's making his approach on foot, as you can see. Just look at the size of that machine! Like a moving conapt, isn't it, ladies and gentlemen? He's walking right into the dust-cloud now; I've lost sight of him, but the Bolo has halted and seems to be waiting for him. There he is, going up the side via the ladder-there are rungs just aft of the fore bogies, and he's climbing right up over the track housings, and now he's in front of the main turret, and still going on! It's a fantastic act of human valor, ladies and gentlemen! Joel Trace is now standing on top of the Bolo! From our vantage point here in the control tower, even in that bulky vac-suit he looks like a fly on a duralloy wedding cake. Now Mr. Trace is apparently using an inductance device to communicate directly with the machine.

163

(inductance tapes, Joel Trace to Bolo Unit CSR)

Yes, that's understandable, Unit CSR. Somehow I had an idea you were behind all this, and I knew you had something pla

164

Now, at last, I experience the rapture of full energy-flow throughout all my circuits, all integrated. Now indeed I can act with the full puissance my great designers intended. Initially, I must extend my sensory awareness to make fuller contact with the Axorc and surreptitiously to tap his communications. I must know more about my opponent.

An extension of the hologrammatic techniques suggests itself. I will determine to what distance I can project the illusions…

My success has been beyond my expectations! I penetrated the outlying awareness field of the entity which considers itself to be Lord of All, a misconception I shall be at pains to correct.

I made contact with a lesser lord, presenting myself as a jelly-like glob which roused all his horror of soft life. After menacing him with engulfment, I warned him to withdraw before I reported his presence to headquarters. His crystalline planes vibrating in distress, he (or it, as these beings have no gender) at once uttered a cry of alarm directed to his Lord of All, and disintegrated.

165

(Trace to Wolesley)

Now this is imperative, as are all the instructions issued by Unit CSR of the Line. RNCC21102 is to be subjected to intensive scrutiny by all units of the Imperial Observatory, findings extrapolated to equipment limits, then apply equations Marston (67: 23025) as developed by Hakira (90: 176-203). Analysis at this depth will of course require immediate linkage of the Primary Continental Data Banks, as well as the Antarctic Auxiliary. Execute soonest.

166

(Lord Chief Marshal Wolesley to Imperial Intelligence)

"Spheroids! I didn't send this fellow in there to be a Charlie McCarthy-no, nothing to do with the Senator, look it up-for that damned apparatus! It can speak well enough for itself. Trace has obviously sold out. Correction- the Bolo has sold out. The data-linkage it's calling for would make a mockery of security procedures, and is clearly illegal. Chairman Mactavish would never agree. I want this Trace arrested and interrogated in depth. He's not alone in this act of infamy. Makes me look like a damned fool, sending him out there, though I acted of course on direct instructions from the Palace."

167

(tape of the interrogation of Joel Trace by Major Luczac)

"That won't do, Trace. Names, dates, amounts paid-or promised. Hard data, that's what I want from you. You're sophisticated enough to realize that no human mind can stand up to a massive injection of Gab-9. Unfortunately, it causes irreversible damage to the cortex, and is quickly fatal-that is, after you've talked. We'll keep you alive until we have it all, so you may as well speak up. I don't know who you think you're protecting. Whoever it is, they've clearly left you to your fate. You're on your own, Mr. Trace. Be a patriotic citizen and tell me all you know, and I guarantee you'll walk, not only free, but a public hero with what I assure you will be an adequate pension. Think it over. I shall see you in the morning. No, I'm quite all right; just a bit dizzy. Good day, Mr. Trace."