Chapter 23 Chapter 3 Premonition that something might happen

"You mean," cried Frank Poole, more startled than displeased, "that I've done all this for nothing?" "Apparently," replied Bowman, "the part was fully qualified. Even at more than double the load, there was still no sign of possible failure." A card-sized sheet of the AE-35 part is now placed on the bench under a high-intensity magnifying glass.It plugs into a standard-sized connection frame, which is connected by a neat set of multi-colored wires to an automatic inspection machine about the same size as a desktop computer. "Test yourself," said Bowman, a little embarrassed.

Poole set the overload key to X-2 and pressed the test button.Immediately, a notice was displayed on the screen saying: The parts are in good condition. "Conceivably we could keep increasing the voltage until we burn this thing up," he said, "but that doesn't prove anything. How do you explain that?" "Hal's internal malfunctioning prognosticators may have gone awry." "It's more likely that our testing machine is faulty. In any case, it's better to be safe, so as not to regret it. Even if there is only a small doubt, we can always replace it with a spare one."

Bowman took the sheet off the circuit and held it up to the light.On the translucent material is a delicate wire network like leaf veins, and there are faintly discernible miniature parts. The whole looks like an abstract art work. "We can't take any chances - after all, it's our connection to the planet. I'm going to write it 'not working' and put it in the scrap heap. Let someone else worry about it when we get home." But the moment of worry came much earlier, with the next telegram from Earth. "X-Ray D-1, this is Mission Command, see our Cable 2155. Looks like we have a little problem.

"Your report that there is nothing wrong with the AE-35 component is consistent with our diagnosis. The problem may be in the antenna circuit concerned, but other tests should have indicated it. "The third possibility is probably more serious. Your computers could be wrong about predicting failures. Both of our 9000s have consistently raised this point. It's not necessarily a big surprise, because we have a backup system for possible occurrences. Worst case scenario is that we may have to temporarily interrupt your 9000s for program analysis and pass command over to one of our two. Time gaps can cause problems, but studies we have conducted show that: at the current time of the mission stage, it is completely feasible to be commanded by the earth.

"X-ray D-1, I am the mission command station, 2156 reports have been sent." Poole, who was on duty when the telegram came, pondered the situation silently and waited for Hal's comment, but the computer did not respond to the implied rebuke.Well, Hal didn't mention it, and he didn't intend to. It was almost time for the morning shift, and he usually waited for Bowman to come to the console to find him.But today he broke the routine and went to the turntable. Bowman was up and pouring himself coffee from a container when Poole said "Good morning" to him in a worried tone.After so many months in space, their minds are still bounded by the twenty-four-hour day-although they have long forgotten the day of the week.

"Good morning," Bowman replied, "how are you doing?" Poole poured some coffee too. "It's okay. Are you really awake?" "That's right. What happened?" "Well..." Poole replied slowly, "Mission Command just dropped a little bomb on us." He lowered his voice, like a doctor talking to a patient, "There may be a few of us on board." A case of neurasthenia." Maybe Bowman wasn't fully awake; it took him a few seconds to figure it out.Then he said, "Oh—get it. What else did they say to you?" They also said they were considering a temporary transfer to ground command while procedural analysis was conducted.

Of course they all knew Hal had heard everything, but they had to use these polite euphemisms anyway.Hal was their colleague and they didn't want to embarrass him.At this stage, however, there seems no need to avoid him on the subject. Bowman ate his breakfast in silence while Poole fiddled with empty coffee containers.Both of them were thinking hard, but there was nothing more to say. They could only wait for the next announcement from Mission Command—and wondered if Hal would bring up the issue himself.Regardless of the reason, the atmosphere on the spacecraft has undergone subtle changes.There was a sense of tension in the air—the first premonition that something might be wrong.

Discovery was no longer a jolly ship.