There were just two seats behind the compact pilot compartment1 and when Seldon sat down on padding that gave slowly beneath him meshed3 fabric4 came forward to encircle his legs, waist, and chest and a hood5 came down over his forehead and ears. He felt imprisoned6 and when he turned to his left with difficulty--and only slightly--he could see that Dors was similarly enclosed.
The pilot took his own seat and checked the controls. Then he said, "Im Endor Levanian, at your service. Youre enmeshed because there will be a considerable acceleration7 at lift-off. Once were in the open and flying, youll be released. You neednt tell me your names. Its none of my business." He turned in his seat and smiled at them out of a gnomelike face that wrinkled as his lips spread outward. "Any psychological difficulties, youngsters?"
Dors said lightly, "Im an Outworlder and Im used to flying."
"That is also true for myself," said Seldon with a bit of hauteur8.
"Excellent, youngsters. Of course, this isnt your ordinary air-jet and you may not have done any night flying, but Ill count on you to bear up."
He was enmeshed too, but Seldon could see that his arms were entirely9 free.
A dull hum sounded inside the jet, growing in intensity10 and rising in pitch. Without actually becoming unpleasant, it threatened to do so and Seldon made a gesture as though to shake his head and get the sound out of his ears, but the attempt to do so merely seemed to stiffen11 the hold of the head-mesh2. The jet then sprang (it was the only verb Seldon could find to describe the event) into the air and he found himself pushed hard against the back and bottom of his seat.
Through the windshield in front of the pilot, Seldon saw, with a twinge of horror, the flat rise of a wall--and then a round opening appear in that wall. It was similar to the hole into which the air-taxi had plunged12 the day he and Hummin had left the Imperial Sector13, but though this one was large enough for the body of the jet, it certainly did not leave room for the wings. Seldons head turned as far to the right as he could manage and did so just in time to see the wing on his side wither14 and collapse15. The jet plunged into the opening and was seized by the electromagnetic field and hurtled along a lighted runnel. The acceleration was constant and there were occasional clicking noises that Seldon imagined might be the passing of individual magnets.
And then, in less than ten minutes, the jet was spewed out into the atmosphere, headlong into the sudden pervasive16 darkness of night. The jet decelerated as it passed beyond the electromagnetic field and Seldon felt himself flung against the mesh and plastered there for a few breathless moments.
Then the pressure ceased and the mesh disappeared altogether.
"How are you, youngsters?" came the cheerful voice of the pilot.
"Im not sure," said Seldon. He turned to Dors. "Are you all right?"
"Certainly," she answered. "I think Mr. Levanian was putting us through his paces to see if we were really Outworlders. Is that so, Mr. Levanian?"
"Some people like excitement," said Levanian. "Do you?"
"Within limits," said Dors.
Then Seldon added approvingly, "As any reasonable person would admit." Seldon went on. "It might have seemed less humorous to you, sir, if you had ripped the wings off the jet."
"Impossible, sir. I told you this is not your ordinary air-jet. The wings are thoroughly17 computerized. They change their length, width, curvature, and overall shape to match the speed of the jet, the speed and direction of the wind, the temperature, and half a dozen other variables. The wings wouldnt tear off unless the jet itself was subjected to stresses that would splinter it."
There was a spatter against Seldons window. He said, "Its raining.
"It often is," said the pilot.
Seldon peered out the window. On Helicon or on any other world, there would have been lights visible--the illuminated18 works of man. Only on Trantor would it be dark.
Well, not entirely. At one point he saw the flash of a beacon19 light. Perhaps the higher reaches of Upperside had warning lights. As usual, Dors took note of Seldons uneasiness. Patting his hand, she said, "Im sure the pilot knows what hes doing, Hari."
"Ill try to be sure of it, too, Dors, but I wish hed share some of that knowledge with us," Seldon said in a voice loud enough to be overheard.
"I dont mind sharing," said the pilot. "To begin with, were heading up and well be above the cloud deck in a few minutes. Then there wont20 be any rain and well even see the stars."
He had timed the remark beautifully, for a few stars began to glitter through the feathery cloud remnants and then all the rest sprang into brightness as the pilot flicked21 off the lights inside the cabin. Only the dim illumination of his own instrument panel remained to compete, and outside the window the sky sparkled brightly.
Dors said, "Thats the first time in over two years that Ive seen the stars. Arent they marvelous? Theyre so bright--and there are so many of them."
The pilot said, "Trantor is nearer the center of the Galaxy22 than most of the Outworlds."
Since Helicon was in a sparse23 corner of the Galaxy and its star field was dim and unimpressive, Seldon found himself speechless.
Dors said, "How quiet this flight has become."
"So it is," said Seldon. "What powers the jet, Mr. Levanian?"
"A microfusion motor and a thin stream of hot gas."
"I didnt know we had working microfusion air-jets. They talk about it, but--"
"There are a few small ones like this. So far they exist only on Trantor and are used entirely by high government officials."
Seldon said, "The fees for such travel must come high."
"Very high, sir."
"How much is Mr. Hummin being charged, then?"
"Theres no charge for this flight. Mr. Hummin is a good friend of the company who owns these jets."
Seldon grunted24. Then he asked, "Why arent there more of these microfusion air-jets?"
"Too expensive for one thing, sir. Those that exist fulfill25 all the demand."
"You could create more demand with larger jets."
"Maybe so, but the company has never managed to make microfusion engines strong enough for large air-jets."
Seldon thought of Hummins complaint that technological26 innovation had declined to a low level. "Decadent," he murmured.
"What?" said Dors.
"Nothing," said Seldon. "I was just thinking of something Hummin once said to me."
He looked out at the stars and said, "Are we moving westward27, Mr. Levanian?"
"Yes, we are. How did you know?"
"Because I thought that we would see the dawn by now if we were heading east to meet it."
But dawn, pursuing the planet, finally caught up with them and sunlight--real sunlight brightened the cabin walls. It didnt last long, however, for the jet curved downward and into the clouds. Blue and gold vanished and were replaced by dingy28 gray and both Seldon and Dors emitted disappointed cries at being deprived of even a few more moments of true sunlight.
When they sank beneath the clouds, Upperside was immediately below them and its surface--at least at this spot--was a rolling mixture of wooded grottos29 and intervening grassland30. It was the sort of thing Clowzia had told Seldon existed on Upperside.
Again there was little time for observation, however. An opening appeared below them, rimmed31 by lettering that spelled MYCOGEN.
They plunged in.
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1
compartment
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| n.卧车包房，隔间；分隔的空间 | |
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mesh
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| n.网孔，网丝，陷阱；vt.以网捕捉，啮合，匹配；vi.适合； [计算机]网络 | |
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meshed
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| 有孔的，有孔眼的，啮合的 | |
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fabric
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| n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织 | |
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hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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imprisoned
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| 下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
acceleration
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| n.加速，加速度 | |
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hauteur
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| n.傲慢 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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stiffen
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| v.(使)硬，(使)变挺，(使)变僵硬 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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sector
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| n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形 | |
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14
wither
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| vt.使凋谢，使衰退，(用眼神气势等)使畏缩；vi.枯萎，衰退，消亡 | |
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15
collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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pervasive
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| adj.普遍的；遍布的，(到处)弥漫的；渗透性的 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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beacon
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| n.烽火，（警告用的）闪火灯，灯塔 | |
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wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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flicked
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| （尤指用手指或手快速地）轻击( flick的过去式和过去分词 )； （用…）轻挥； （快速地）按开关； 向…笑了一下（或瞥了一眼等） | |
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galaxy
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| n.星系；银河系；一群(杰出或著名的人物) | |
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sparse
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| adj.稀疏的，稀稀落落的，薄的 | |
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grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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fulfill
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| vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意 | |
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technological
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| adj.技术的；工艺的 | |
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westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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grottos
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| n.（吸引人的）岩洞，洞穴，（人挖的）洞室( grotto的名词复数 ) | |
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grassland
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| n.牧场，草地，草原 | |
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rimmed
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| adj.有边缘的，有框的v.沿…边缘滚动；给…镶边 | |
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