第3部分(第3/7 頁)

t　have　to　get　your　security　clearance；〃　the　lawyer　said。

〃I　need　security　clearance？〃

〃Dr。　Johnson；〃　the　lawyer　said；　snapping　his　briefcase　shut；　〃this　project　is　top；　top　secret。〃

〃That's　fine　with　me；〃　Norman　said；　and　he　meant　it。　He　could　imagine　his　colleagues'　reactions　if　they　ever　found　out　about　this。

What　began　as　a　joke　soon　became　simply　bizarre。　Over　the　next　year；　Norman　flew　five　times　to　Washington　for　meetings　with　high…level　officials　of　the　National　Security　Council　over　the　pressing；　imminent　danger　of　alien　invasion。　His　work　was　very　secret。　One　early　question　was　whether　his　project　should　be　turned　over　to　DARPA；　the　Defense　Advanced　Research　Project　Agency　of　the　Pentagon。　They　decided　not　to。　There　were　questions　about　whether　it　should　be　given　to　NASA；　and　again　they　decided　not　to。　One　Administration　official　said；　〃This　isn't　a　scientific　matter；　Dr。　Johnson；　this　＇＇16＇＇　is　a　national　security　matter。　We　don't　want　to　open　it　out。〃　Norman　was　continually　surprised　at　the　level　of　the　officials　he　was　told　to　meet　with。　One　Senior　Undersecretary　of　State　pushed　aside　the　papers　on　his　desk　relating　to　the　latest　Middle　East　crisis　to　say；　〃What　do　you　think　about　the　possibility　that　these　aliens　will　be　able　to　read　our　minds？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　Norman　said。

〃Well；　it　occurs　to　me。　How're　we　going　to　be　able　to　formulate　a　negotiating　posture　if　they　can　read　our　minds？〃

〃That　could　be　a　problem；〃　Norman　agreed；　sneaking　a　glance　at　his　watch。

〃Hell；　it's　bad　enough　our　encrypted　cables　get　intercepted　by　the　Russians。　We　know　the　Japanese　and　the　Israelis　have　cracked　all　our　codes。　We　just　pray　the　Russians　can't　do　it　yet。　But　you　see　what　I　mean；　the　problem。　About　reading　minds。〃