In the Balance & Tilting the Balance
Page 72
Larssen rode east, to the University of Chicago campus. If he couldn’t find Barbara, the Met Lab crew was the next best bet—they might even know what had happened to her.
Though bare of students, the university didn’t seem as badly battered as the city around it, perhaps because its buildings were more widely scattered. Jens rode up Fifty-eighth and then across the lawns in the center of campus. They had been a lot more pleasant before they were pocked with bomb and shell craters.
Off to the right, Swift Hall was a burnt-out ruin; God hadn’t spared the university’s divinity school. But Eckhart Hall still stood, and, but for broken windows, looked pretty much intact. Worn as he was, hope made Jens all but sprint the bike toward the entrance.
He started to leave it outside, then thought better of that and brought it in—no use giving booters temptation they didn’t need. “Where is everybody?” he called down the hallway. Only echoes answered. It’s after quitting time, he told himself, but hope flickered all the same.
He walked to the stairway, took the steps two at a time. No matter when the secretaries and such went home, the Met Lab scientists were busy almost around the clock. But the halls upstairs were empty and silent, the offices and labs not only vacant but methodically stripped. Wherever the Metallurgical Laboratory was, it didn’t live at the University of Chicago any more.
He trudged downstairs much more slowly than he’d gone up. Somebody was standing by his bicycle. He started to snatch his rifle off his shoulder, then recognized the man. “Andy!” he exclaimed
The gray-haired custodian whirled in surprise. “Jesus and Mary, it’s you, Dr. Larssen,” he said, his voice still flavored with the Auld Sod though he’d been born in Chicago. “I tell you true, I never thought I’d see you again.”
“Plenty of tines I never thought I’d get here,” Jens answered. “Where the devil has the Met Lab gone?”
Instead of answering directly, Reilly fumbled in his shirt pocket, pulled out a creased and stained envelope. “Your wife gave me this to give to you if ever you came back. Like I said, I had my doubts you would, but I always hung on to it, just on the off chance—”
“Andy, you’re a wonder.” Jens tore open the envelope. He let out a soft exclamation of delight as he recognized Barbara’s handwriting. The note was stained and blurry—probably from the janitor’s sweat—but the gist was still clear. Larssen shook his head in tired dismay. He’d come so far, been through so much.
“Denver?” he said aloud. “How the devil am I supposed to get to Denver?” Like the war, his journey had a long way to go.
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A Del Rey® Book
Published by Ballantine Books
Copyright © 1994 by Harry Turtledove
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Ballantine Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.
http://www.randomhouse.com
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 93-22133
eISBN: 978-0-345-45613-7
v3.0
Praise for Harry Turtledove’s
WORLDWAR:
IN THE BALANCE
“Readers will have a perfectly delightful time … Turtledove’s storytelling and historiography now march in perfect step. World War II buffs will have a particular romp … But the readership will be much wider than this, and all will be glad that Turtledove plans three more volumes in Worldwar.”
—Chicago Suns-Times
“Totally fascinating … With this engrossing volume, Turtledove launches a four-book alternate-history saga, possibly the most ambitious in the subgenre’s history and definitely the work of one of alternate history’s authentic modern masters.”
—Booklist
“I literally could not put Worldwar: In the Balance down. I carried it with me to the doctor’s office and to a dinner date the day it arrived! The novel is a tour de force in three acts.”
—S. M. STIRLING
“A fast-paced, suspenseful work.”
—Chicago Tribune
Worldwar: Tilting the Balance
BOOKS BY HARRY TURTLEDOVE
The Guns of the South
THE WORLDWAR SAGA
Worldwar: In the Balance
Worldwar: Tilting the Balance
Worldwar: Upsetting the Balance
Worldwar: Striking the Balance
COLONIZATION
Colonization: Second Contact
Colonization: Down to Earth
Colonization: Aftershocks
Homeward Bound
THE VIDESSOS CYCLE
The Misplaced Legion
An Emperor for the Legion
The Legion of Videssos
Swords of the Legion
THE TALE OF KRISPOS
Krispos Rising
Krispos of Videssos
Krispos the Emperor
Noninterference
Kaleidoscope
A World of Difference
Earthgrip
Departures
How Few Remain
THE GREAT WAR
The Great War: American Front
The Great War: Walk in Hell
The Great War: Breakthroughs
AMERICAN EMPIRE
American Empire: Blood and Iron
American Empire: The Center Cannot Hold
American Empire: The Victorious Opposition
SETTLING ACCOUNTS
Settling Accounts: Return Engagement
The Best Alternate History Stories of the 20th Century
The Best Military Science Fiction of the 20th Century
(with Martin H. Greenburg)
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
(Characters with names in CAPS are historical, others fictional)
HUMANS
ANIELEWICZ, MORDECHAI Leader of Jewish fighters in Poland
Auerbach, Rance Captain, U.S. Army Cavalry
Bagnall, George Flight engineer, RAF
Barisha Tavern keeper in Split, Independent State of Croatia
Berkowicz, Stefan Landlord in Lodz
BLAIR, ERIC BBC talks producer, Indian Section, London
Borcke, Martin Wehrmachtcaptain and interpreter in Pskov
CHILL, KURT Wehrmacht lieutenant general, 122nd Infantry, in Pskov
CHURCHILL, WINSTON Prime Minister, Great Britain
COMPTON, ARTHUR Nuclear physicist with the Metallurgical Laboratory
Cooley, Mary Waitress in Idaho Springs, Colorado
Daniels, Pete (“Mutt”) Sergeant, U.S. Army, in Illinois; former minorleague manager
DIEBNER, KURT Nuclear physicist, Hechingen, Germany
Donlan, Kevin U.S. Army private in Illinois
Embry, Ken Pilot, RAF
FERMI, ENRICO Nuclear physicist with the Metallurgical Laboratory
FERMI, LAURA Enrico Fermi’s wife
Fiore, Bobby Lizard experimental subject; former baseball player
FLEROV, GEORGI Soviet nuclear physicist
Fritzie Cowboy in Chugwater, Wyoming
Fukuoka, Yoshi Japanese soldier in China
GERMAN, ALEKSANDR Commander of Second Partisan Brigade in Pskov
Goldfarb, David Radarman, RAF
Gorbunova, Ludmila Pilot, Red Air Force
GROVES, LESLIE Engineer; U.S. Army colonel
Harvey Civilian guard in Idaho Springs, Colorado
HEISENBERG, WERNER Nuclear physicist in Hechingen, Germany
Henry Wounded U.S. soldier in Chicago
Hexham U.S. Army colonel in Denver
Hicks, Chester U.S. Army lieutenant in Chicago
Higuchi Japanese scientist
Hipple, Fred RAF group captain in Bruntingthorpe
Ho-T’ING, NIEH Chinese Communist guerrilla officer
Horton, Leo RAF radarman in Bruntin
gthorpe
HULL, CORDELL U.S. Secretary of State
Isaac Jew in Leczna, Poland
Jacobi, Nathan BBC broadcaster in London
Jäger, Heinrich Wehrmacht panzer colonel
Jones, Jerome RAF radarman
Karpov, Feofan Red Air Force colonel
Kennan, Maurice RAF flight lieutenant in Bruntingthorpe
Klein, Sid U.S. Army captain in Chicago
Klopotowski, Roman Townsman in Leczna, Poland
Klopotowski, Zofia Daughter of Roman Klopotowski
KONIEV, IVAN Red Army general
KURCHATOV, IGOR Soviet nuclear physicist
Laplace, Freddie U.S. Army private in Illinois
Larssen, Barbara see Yeager, Barbara
Larssen, Jens Nuclear physicist with the Metallurgical Laboratory
Leon Jewish fighter in Lodz
Lidov, Boris NKVD lieutenant-colonel in Moscow
Liu Han Chinese peasant woman; Lizard experimental subject
Lo Communist Chinese partisan
Maczek U.S. Army captain in Illinois
Meinecke, Klaus Sergeant; gunner on Heinrich Jäger’s panzer
MOLOTOV, VYACHESLAV Foreign Commissar, USSR
Morozkin, Sergei Red Army interpreter in Pskov
MURROW, EDWARD R. Radio news broadcaster
Nakayama Japanese scientist
NISHINA, YOSHIO Japanese nuclear physicist
Okamoto Japanese Army major; interpreter and translator
Olson, Louise Inhabitant of New Salem, North Dakota
Olson, Thorkil Inhabitant of New Salem, North Dakota
Oscar U.S. Army bodyguard in Denver
Peary, Julian RAF wing commander in Bruntingthorpe
Petrovic, Marko Captain, Independent State of Croatia
Potter, Lucille Nurse in Illinois
RIBBENTROP, JOACHIM VON German foreign minister
ROOSEVELT, FRANKLIN D. President of the United States
Roundbush, Basil RAF flight officer in Bruntingthorpe
RUMKOWSKI, MORDECHAI CHAIM Eldest of the Jews in the Lodz ghetto
Russie, Moishe Former medical student; leader among Polish Jews; fugitive
Russie, Reuven Son of Moishe and Rivka Russie
Russie, Rivka Moishe Russie’s wife
Sawatski, Emilia Wife of Wladyslaw Sawatski
Sawatski, Ewa Daughter of Wladyslaw and Emilia Sawatski
Sawatski, Jozef Son of Wladyslaw and Emilia Sawatski
Sawatski, Maria Daughter of Wladyslaw and Emilia Sawatski
Sawatski, Wladyslaw Polish farmer
Schultz, Georg Former Wehrmacht panzer gunner; Red Air Force mechanic
Sharp, Hiram Physician in Ogden, Utah
Shmuel Jewish fighter in Lodz
Sholudenko, Nikifor NKVD man in the Ukraine
Shura Whore in Shanghai
SKORZENY, OTTO SS colonel
Sobieski, Tadeusz Grocer in Leczna, Poland
STALIN, IOSEF General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Sumner, Joshua (“Hoot”) Justice of the peace in Chugwater, Wyoming
Szabo, Bela (“Dracula”) U.S. Army private in Illinois
SZILARD, LEO Nuclear physicist with the Metallurgical Laboratory
Tatiana Sniper and companion of Jerome Jones in Pskov
TOGO, SHIGENORI Japanese foreign minister
Tolya Groundcrew man, Red Air Force
Tsuye Japanese scientist
Ussishkin, Judah Doctor in Leczna, Poland
Ussishkin, Sarah Wife of Judah Ussishkin; midwife in Leczna, Poland
van Alen, Jacob U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant in Oswego, New York
VASILIEV, NIKOLAI Commander, First Partisan Brigade in Pskov
Vernon, Hank Ship’s engineer in the Duluth Queen
Victor Wounded U.S. soldier in Chicago
Whyte, Alf RAF navigator
Wittman, Rolf Driver in Heinrich Jäger’s panzer
Yeager, Barbara Former graduate student in medieval literature; Sam Yeager’s wife
Yeager, Sam U.S. Army corporal; liaison with Lizard POWs; former baseball player
ZHUKOV, GEORGI Marshal of the Soviet Union
THE RACE
Atvar Fleetlord, conquest fleet of the Race
Bunim Official in Lodz
Drefsab Intelligence agent and ginger addict
Forssis Landcruiser gunner in Besançon, France
Hessef Landcruiser driver in Besançon, France
Ianxx Officer in Shanghai
Kassnass Landcruiser unit commander in Besançon, France
Kirel Shiplord of the 127th Emperor Hetto
Nejas Landcruiser commander in Besançon, France
Nossat Psychologist
Ristin Lizard POW with the Metallurgical Laboratory
Sherran The first male to circumnavigate Home
Skoob Landcruiser gunner in Besançon, France
Ssamraff Investigator in China
Starraf Researcher in China
Straha Shiplord of the 206th Emperor Yower
Teerts POW in Japan
Tessrek Psychologist
Ttomalss Researcher in China
Tvenkel Landcruiser gunner in Besançon, France
Ullhass Lizard POW with the Metallurgical Laboratory
Ussmak Landcruiser driver in Besançon, France
I
For nostalgia’s sake, Fleetlord Atvar called up the hologram of the Tosevite warrior he had often studied before the invasion fleet actually reached the world of Tosev 3. Nostalgia was an emotion that came easily to the Race: with a unified history of a hundred thousand years, with an empire that stretched over three solar systems and now reached out to a fourth, the past seemed a safe, comfortable place, not least because it was so much like the present.
The hologram sprang into being before the fleetlord: a stalwart savage, his pinkish face sprouting yellowish hairs, clad in soft iron mail and woven animal and plant fibers, armed with spear and rust-flecked sword, and mounted on a Tosevite quadruped that looked distinctly too scrawny for the job of carrying him.
Sighing, Atvar turned to the shiplord Kirel, who commanded the 127th Emperor Hetto, bannership of the invasion fleet. He stabbed a fingerclaw at the image. “If only it had been so easy,” he said with a sigh.
“Yes, Exalted Fleetlord.” Kirel sighed, too. He turned both eye turrets toward the hologram. “It was what the probe led us to expect.”
“Yes,” Atvar said sourly. Preparing in its methodical way for another conquest, the Race had sent a probe across the interstellar void sixteen hundred years before (years of the Race, of course; Tosev 3 orbited its primary only about half as fast). The probe dutifully sampled the planet, sent its images and data back Home. The Race prepared the invasion fleet and sent it out, certain of easy victory: how much could a world change in a mere sixteen hundred years?
Atvar touched a control in the base of the holographic projector. The Tosevite warrior disappeared. New images took the Big Ugly’s place: a Russki landcruiser, red star painted on its turret, lightly armed and protected by the Race’s standards but well-designed, with sloped armor and wide treads for getting over the worst ground; an American heavy machine gun, with a belt full of big slugs that tore through body armor as if it were fiberboard; a Deutsch killercraft, turbojets slung under swept wings, nose bristling with cannon.
Kirel pointed toward the killercraft. “That one concerns me more than either of the others, Exalted Fleetlord. By the Emperor”—both he and Atvar briefly cast down their eyes at the mention of the sovereign—“the Deutsche did not have that aircraft less than two years ago, when our campaign began.”
“I know,” Atvar said. “All their aircraft—all Tosevite aircraft then—were those slow, awkward things propelled by rapidly rotating airfoils. But now the British are flying jets, too.”
He summoned an image of the new British killercraft. It didn’t look as menacing as the machine the Deutsche made: its wings lacked
sweep and its lines were more graceful, less predatory. From the reports Atvar had read, it didn’t perform quite as well as the Deutsch killercraft, either. But it was a quantum leap better than anything the British had put into the air before.
Fleetlord and shiplord stared glumly at the hologram. The trouble with the natives of Tosev 3 was that they were, by the Race’s standards, insanely inventive. The social scientists attached to the fleet were still trying to figure out how the Big Uglies had gone from barbarism to a full-grown industrial civilization in the blink of an historical eye. Their solutions—or rather, conjectures—had yet to satisfy Atvar.
Part of the answer, he suspected, lay in the squabbling multiplicity of empires that divided up Tosev 3’s meager land surface. Some of them weren’t even empires in the strict sense of the word; the regime of the SSSR, for instance, openly boasted of liquidating its former ruling dynasty. The idea of impericide was enough to make Atvar queasy.
Empires and not-empires had competed fiercely among themselves. They’d been fighting a planetwide war when the Race arrived. Doctrine from earlier conquests said the Race ought to have been able to take advantage of their factionalism, play off one side against another. The tactic had worked now and again, but not as well and not as often as doctrine suggested it would.
Atvar sighed and told Kirel, “Before I came to Tosev 3, I was like any sensible male: I was sure doctrine held all the answers. Follow it and you’d obtain the results it predicted. The males who designed our doctrines should have seen this world first; it would have broadened their horizons.”
“This is truth, Exalted Fleetlord,” the shiplord said. “One thing Tosev 3 has taught us is the difference between precept and experience.”
“Yes. Well put,” Atvar said. The last world conquest the Race had undertaken lay thousands of years in the past. The fleetlord had pored over the manuals of what had worked then, and in the Race’s previous victory, even more thousands of years before that. But no one living had any practice using what was in the manuals.
The Tosevites, by contrast, conquered one another and dickered with one another all the time. They made deception and deceit into an art, and were perfectly willing to educate the Race as to their use. Atvar had learned the hard way how much—or rather, how little—Big Ugly promises were worth.