Chapter 38 Chapter 37 Alienation

"...old friend, I'm really sorry to bring you such bad news. But Caroline asked me for it, and you know my feelings for both of you. "And I don't think it's surprising. Some of the things you said to me last year foreshadowed this moment... You also knew how much she suffered when you left Earth. "No, I don't believe anyone else made her so emotional. If she had, she'd tell me...but sooner or later—well, she's an attractive young woman. "Chris is fine, but of course he won't understand what's going on. At least it won't hurt him. He's too young to understand, and kids are...elastic?—wait, I gotta find A fitting word... ah, elastic.

"Now talk about less important circumstances to you. Everyone is still trying to explain that the explosion was an accident, but of course no one will believe it. With nothing new happening and the public hysteria cooling down, we Both carry a bit of what your country's news commentators call 'looking back after effects'. "Someone found a hundred-year-old poem that described reality so accurately that everyone was talking about it. The poem described the inhabitants of a certain city at the waning days of the Roman Empire. Waiting at the city gates for the invaders. Kings and dignitaries lined up in rich robes, with welcome speeches. Parliament is closed because any laws passed today will be thrown aside by the new rulers.

"Suddenly, however, a dumbfounding message came from across the border: no enemies were coming. The reception organizing committee disbanded in confusion, and the people walked home muttering in disappointment. 'What are we going to face now? Those people have found some form of relief.' "Just a few tweaks to the poem will apply to the current situation. Its original title was 'Waiting for the Barbarian' - and this time, our character is the Barbarian. We don't know what is waiting, but it Apparently it's not here yet. "Another thing, did you hear that Commander Bowman's mother died just a few days after the object came to Earth? What a strange coincidence. But the person who nursed her said she was never aware of the object. has shown the slightest interest in the news, so there can be no connection between the object and her cause of death."

Floyd turned off the recording.Dimitri was right, he was not surprised.But it made no difference, he was still very uncomfortable. However, what can he do?If he refused the mission—as Carolyn had desperately hoped—he would live his life with guilt and deep regret that would poison his marriage.It may be better to break up cleanly like this, and the physical distance will ease the pain of separation. (Perhaps also? In a way, it makes the mood worse.) What matters now is the responsibility, and the feeling of being part of a team that is moving towards the same goal. Jessie Bowman is dead.Maybe that led to more guilt.It must have devastated her that he helped send off her only living son.He couldn't help but think of his conversation with Walter Curnow about the matter.

"Why did you choose David Bowman? He always strikes me as cold—not exactly unfriendly, but whenever he's in a room it's like a ten-degree drop in temperature." "That's one of the reasons we chose him. He doesn't have strong family ties, just a mother who doesn't visit very often. So he's the kind of guy who would go on a long-duration space mission with unknown consequences." "why?" "I think a psychologist can tell you the answer. I've seen his psych report, but of course it was a long time ago. It said his brother died in an accident - and his father died in the early spaceflight shortly thereafter. Airplane accident. I shouldn't have told you that, but it doesn't matter now."

Inconsequential, but noticeable.Now Floyd is almost jealous of David Bowman—a man with no emotional connection to Earth, free and unrestrained, whose whereabouts are unknown. No - he was kidding himself.Even when pain gripped his heart firmly, he felt nothing but sympathy for David Bowman, not envy.