Chapter 12

The tech-man's  home was a small  two-story affair on the  Outskirts¹ of thehuge, cubiform,  windowless affair  that dominated the center  of the city.
Mallow passed  from one  to the other  through an underground  passage, andfound  himself in  the silent,  ozone-tinged atmosphere of  the powerhouse.
For  fifteen minutes,  he  followed his  guide and  said nothing.  His eyesmissed nothing. His fingers touched nothing. And then, the tech-man said instrangled tones,  "Have you had enough?  I couldn't trust my  underlings inthis case.""Could   you  ever?"   asked   Mallow,  ironically.   "I've  had   enough."They were back in  the office and Mallow said, thoughtfully, "And all thosegenerators are in your hands?""Every  one," said  the tech-man,  with more  than a touch  of complacency.
"And you keep them running and in order?""Right!""And if they break down?"The tech-man shook his head indignantly, "They don't break down. They neverbreak down. They were built for eternity².""Eternity is a long time. Just suppose?
"It is unscientific to suppose meaningless cases.""All  right. Suppose  I  were to  blast a  vital  part into  nothingness? Isuppose  the machines  aren't immune  to nuclear  forces? Suppose I  fuse avital connection, or smash a quartz³ D-tube?""Well,  then,"  shouted the  tech-man,  furiously, "you  would be  killed.""Yes, I know that," Mallow was shouting, too, "but what about thegenerator? Could you repair it?""Sir," the tech-man howled his words, "you have had a fair return. You'vehad what you asked for. Now get out! I owe you nothing more!"Mallow bowed with a satiric⁴ respect and left.
Two days later he was back where the Far Star waited to return with him tothe planet, Terminus.
And two days later, the tech-man's shield went dead, and for all hispuzzling and cursing never glowed again.

1 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

2 eternity   

n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷

参考例句：

• The dull play seemed to last an eternity.这场乏味的剧似乎演个没完没了。
• Finally,Ying Tai and Shan Bo could be together for all of eternity.英台和山伯终能双宿双飞，永世相随。

3 quartz   

n.石英

参考例句：

• There is a great deal quartz in those mountains.那些山里蕴藏着大量石英。
• The quartz watch keeps good time.石英表走时准。

4 satiric   

adj.讽刺的，挖苦的

参考例句：

• Looking at her satiric parent she only gave a little laugh.她望着她那挖苦人的父亲，只讪讪地笑了一下。
• His satiric poem spared neither the politicians nor the merchants.政客们和商人们都未能免于遭受他的诗篇的讽刺。