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for any season of the year； together with weapons and provisions。 Our program requires that the laboratory and the vehicle be continuously manned for an indefinite period； a hundred or more years； if necessary。 All times of arrival in the future will be known to those future engineers； of course。 It has been arranged。〃
〃Unless they've walked out on strike。〃
〃Sir？〃
〃Your long…range planning is subject to the same uncertainties as my projections…one fluke； one chance event may knock everything askew。 The Indic report failed to allow for a weak Administration replacing a strong one； and if that report was placed before me today I wouldn't sign it； the variable casts doubt on the validity of the whole。 We can only hope the engineers will still be on the job tomorrow； and will still be using standard time。〃
〃Mr。 Chaney； the Bureau's long…range planning is more thorough than that； It is solidly grounded and has been designed for permanency。 I would remind you that the primary target area is only twenty…two years distant。〃
〃I have this feeling that I'll e out…e to the surface…a thousand years older。〃
〃I am sure you will make do； sir。 Our team is notable for individual self…reliance。〃
〃Which properly puts me in my place； Miss van Hise。〃
Moresby interrupted。 〃What about those stores？〃
〃Yes； sir。 The shelter is stocked with necessities： motion picture cameras； tape recorders； radios； weapons and weapons detectors； hand radar； and so forth。 There is money and gems and medical supplies。 Materials such as film； tape； ammunition and clothing will be restocked at intervals to insure fresh or modern supplies。〃
Major Moresby said： 〃I'll be damned！〃 and fell silent for a moment of admiration。 〃It makes good sense； after all。 We'll draw what we need from the stores to cover the target； and replace the remainder before ing back。〃
〃Yes； sir。 No part of the supplies may be carried back with you； except tapes and film exposed in the field。 The engineers will instruct you on how to pensate for that small extra weight。 Do not bring back the recorders and cameras； and you are expressly forbidden to bring back any personal souvenir such as coins or currency。 But you may photograph the money if you wish。〃
〃Those engineers have an answer for everything；〃 Chaney observed。 〃They must work around the clock。〃
〃Our project has been working around the clock for the past three years； sir。〃
〃Who pays the electric bill？〃
〃A nuclear power station is located on the post。〃
He was quickly interested。 〃Their own reactor？ How much power does it generate？〃
〃I don't know； sir。〃
〃I know；〃 Saltus said。 〃monwealth…Edison has a new one up near Chicago putting out eight hundred thousand kilowatts。 Big thing…I've seen it； and I've seen ours。 They look like steel light bulbs turned upside down。〃
Chaney was still curious。 〃Does the TDV need that much power？〃
〃I couldn't say； sir。〃 She changed the subject by calling attention to the sheaf of mimeographed papers taken from the envelopes。 〃We have time this afternoon to begin on these reports。〃
The first sheet bore the stylized imprint of the Indiana Corporation； and Chaney quickly recognized his own work。 He gave the woman an amused glance but she avoided his eyes； another glance down the table revealed his panions staring at the massive report with anticipated boredom。
The next page plunged immediately into the subject matter by offering long columns of statistics underscored by footnotes： the first few columns were solidly rooted in the census figures of 1970； while the following columns on the following pages were his projections going forward to 2050。 Chaney recalled the fun and the sweat that had gone into the work…and the very shaky limb on which he perched as he worked toward the farthest date。
Births： legitimate and otherwise； predicted annually by race and by geographical area （down sharply along the Atlantic seaboard below Boston； and the southern states except Florida； figures did not include unpredictable number of laboratory…hospital births by artificial means； figures did not include unpredictable number of abnormal births in Nevada and Utah due to accumulation of radioactive fallout）。
Deaths： with separate figures for murders and known suicides； projected annually by age groups （suicides increasing at predictable rate below age thirty； females outliving males by twelve point three years by year 2000； anticipated life…expectancy increased one point nine years by year 2050； figures did not include infant mortalities in Nevada…Utah fallout area； figures did not include infant mortalities in laboratory…hospital artificial births）。
Marriages and trial marriages： with subsequent divorces and annulments forecast on an annual basis after 1980； first full year of trial marriage decree （trial marriages not appreciably contributing to the birth rate except in Alabama and Mississippi； but tending to increase the murder and suicide rate； and contributing to the slow decline of long…term marriages）。 Footnote： renewable term trial marriage remended； i。e。； a second year of trial be granted upon application by both parties。
Incidence of crime： detailed projections in twenty categories； separated by states having and not having the death penalty （murder and robbery up sharply； but rape down by a significant percentage due to trial marriages and lowered legal age of all marriages）。
Probable voter registrations and profiles： gradual emergence of enduring three…party system after 1980 （with registrations divided unevenly among three major and one minor party； black voters concentrated in one major and the minor party； pronounced swing to the conservative right in two white major parties during the next decade； with conservative Administrations probable until year 2000； plus or minus four years）。
Total population by the turn of the century： based upon the foregoing； three hundred and forty million people in the forty…eight contiguous states and an additional ten million in the three remaining states （the northern tier of plains states projected as consistent annual losers but with Alaska up significantly； Manhattan Island reaching point of saturation within two years； California by 1990； Florida by 2010）。 Footnote： remended that immigration to Manhattan Island； California； and Florida be forbidden by law； and that monetary inducements be offered to relocate in middle states having low densities of population。
Brian Chaney felt a certain unease about some of his conclusions。
Trial marriages could be expected to increase at a phenomenal rate once their popularity caught on； but with the trial term limited to one year he fully expected both the murder and suicide rates to climb； the murders were apt to be crimes of passion mitted by the female because of the probability of losing her short…term husband to another short…term wife； while the suicides were predicted for the same reason。 The remended two…year renewable term would tend to dampen the possibility of either violent act。
A certain amount of joy…riding was to be expected in trial marriages； but he was gambling they would contribute almost nothing to the birth rate。 Nor did he believe that another pill…the new pill…would affect his projections。 Chaney held a low opinion of the recently introduced KH3…B pill； and refused to believe it had any restorative powers； he clung to the belief that man was allotted a normal three score and fifteen； and the projected increase of one point nine years by 2050 would be attributed to the eradication of diseases…not to pills and nostrums purportedly having the power to restore mental and physical vigor to the aged。 The patients might live six months longer than their normal spans because they were buoyed by euphoria； but six months would not affect a mass of statistics。
Great population shifts had been earlier predicted and borne out； with the emphasis of change along the natural waterways。 The greater densities of population…by 2050…would lie along five clearly defined areas： the Atlantic seaboard； the Pacific seaboard； the Gulf Coast from Tampa to Brownsville； the southern shores of all the Great Lakes； and the full lengths of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers。 But he knew serious misgivings about those Lakes belts。 The water levels in the Lakes had been rising steadily since the beginning of the twentieth century； and the ing flooding and erosion…bined with heavier populations…would create problems of catastrophic proportions in those areas。
Major Moresby broke the silence。 〃We will be expected to confirm all this； after all。〃
〃Yes； sir。 Careful observations are desired for each of the three target dates； but the greater amount of work will fall upon Mr。 Chaney。 His projections will need to be verthed or modified。〃
Chaney； with surprise： 〃Three？ Aren't we going up together？ Going to the same target？〃
〃No； sir； that would be wasteful。 The schedule calls for three individual surveys on carefully separated dates； each at least a year apart to obtain a better overall view。 You will each travel separately to your predetermined date。〃
〃The people up there will sneer at our clothes。〃
〃The people up there should be too preoccupied to notice you； unless you call attention to yourself。〃
〃Oh？ What will preoccupy them？〃
〃They will be preoccupied with themselves and their problems。 You haven't spent much time in American cities of late； have you； Mr。 Chaney？ Didn't you notice that the trains you rode into and out of Chicago were armored trains？〃
〃Yes； I noticed that。 The Israeli newspapers did publish some American news。 I read about the curfews。 The people of the future won't notice our cameras and recorders？〃
〃We sincerely hope not。 All would be undone if the present demand for privacy is projected into the turn of the century； if that present demand is intensified。〃
Chaney said： 〃I'm on their side； I enjoy privacy。〃
The woman continued。 〃And of course； we don't know what status your instruments may have at that future date； we don't know if cameras and recorders will be permissible in public； nor can we guess at the efficiency of the police。 You may be handicapped。〃 She glanced at Saltus。 〃The mander will teach you to work surreptitiously。〃
Saltus： 〃I will？〃
〃Yes； sir。 You must devise a technique for pleting that part of the assignment without discovery。 The cameras are very small； but you must find a way to conceal them and still operate them properly。〃
〃Katrina； do you really think it'll be illegal to take a picture of a pretty girl on a street corner？〃
〃We do not know the future； mander； the survey will inform us what is and is not legal。 But whatever the technique； you must photograph a number of objects and persons for a period of time without others being aware of what you are doing。〃
〃For how long a period of time？〃
〃For as long as possible； for as long as you are in the field and your supply of film lasts； The emphasis is on depth； mander。 A survey in depth； to determine the accuracy of the Indic projections。 Ideally； you would be in the field several days and expose every roll of film and every reel of tape you are carrying； you would record every object of major interest you might see； and as many lesser objects as time allowed。 You would penetrate the field safely； acplish all objectives； and withdraw without haste at a time of your choosing。〃 A shadow of a smile。 〃But more realistically； the ideal is seldom attained。 Therefore you will go in； record all you are able； and retreat when it bees necessary。 We will hope for the maximum and have to be content with the minimum。〃
Chaney turned in the chair。 〃You make this sound like a dangerous thing。〃
〃It could be dangerous； Mr。 Chaney。 What you will be doing has never before been done。 We can offer you no firm guidelines for procedure； field technique； or your own safety。 We will equip you as best we can； brief you to the fullest extent of our present knowledge； and send you in on your own。〃
〃We're to report everything we find up there？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃I only hope Seabrooke has anticipated public reaction。 He's headed for a rift within the lute。〃