小说园

第3部分（第1页）

arly；　group　dynamics　was　perceived　as　old…fashioned；　a　field　that　had　seen　its　heyday　in　the　Gestalt　encounter　groups　and　corporate　brainstorming　procedures　of　the　early　1970s　but　　now　was　dated　and　passé。

Norman　himself　could　not　prehend　this。　It　seemed　to　him　that　American　society　was　increasingly　one　in　which　people　worked　in　groups；　not　alone；　rugged　individualism　was　now　replaced　by　endless　corporate　meetings　and　group　decisions。　In　this　new　society；　group　behavior　seemed　to　him　more　important；　not　less。　And　he　did　not　think　that　anxiety　＇＇14＇＇　as　a　clinical　problem　was　going　to　be　solved　with　pills。　It　seemed　to　him　that　a　society　in　which　the　most　mon　prescription　drug　was　Valium　was；　by　definition；　a　society　with　unsolved　problems。

Not　until　the　preoccupation　with　Japanese　managerial　techniques　in　the　1980s　did　Normans　field　gain　a　new　hold　on　academic　attention。　Around　the　same　time；　Valium　dependence　became　recognized　as　a　major　concern；　and　the　whole　issue　of　drug　therapy　for　anxiety　was　reconsidered。　But　in　the　meantime；　Johnson　spent　several　years　feeling　as　if　he　were　in　a　backwater。　（He　did　not　have　a　research　grant　approved　for　nearly　three　years。）　Tenure；　and　finding　a　house；　were　very　real　problems。

It　was　during　the　worst　of　this　time；　in　late　1979；　that　he　was　approached　by　a　solemn　young　lawyer　from　the　National　Security　Council　in　Washington　who　sat　with　his　ankle　across　his　knee　and　plucked　nervously　at　his　sock。　The　lawyer　told　Norman　that　he　had　e　to　ask　his　help。

Norman　said　he　would　help　if　he　could。

Still　plucking　at　the　sock；　the　lawyer　said　he　wanted　to　talk　to　Norman　about　a　〃grave　matter　of　national　security　facing　our　country　today。〃

Norman　asked　what　the　problem　was。

〃Simply　that　this　country　has　absolutely　no　preparedness　in　the　event　of　an　alien　invasion。　Absolutely　no　preparedness　whatever。〃

Because　the　lawyer　was　young；　and　because　he　stared　down　at　his　sock　as　he　spoke；　Norman　at　first　thought　he　was　embarrassed　at　having　been　sent　on　a　fools　errand。　But　when　the　young　man　looked　up；　Norman　saw　to　his　astonishment　that　he　was　utterly　serious。

〃We　could　really　be　caught　with　our　pants　down　on　this　one；〃　the　lawyer　said。　〃An　alien　invasion。〃

Norman　had　to　bite　his　lip。　〃Thats　probably　true；〃　he　said。

〃People　in　the　Administration　are　worried。〃

〃Are　they？〃

〃There　is　the　feeling　at　the　highest　levels　that　contingency　plans　should　be　drawn。〃

＇＇15＇＇　〃You　mean　contingency　plans　in　the　event　of　an　alien　invasion。　。。。〃　Norman　somehow　managed　to　keep　a　straight　face。

〃Perhaps；〃　said　the　lawyer；　〃perhaps　invasion　is　too　strong　a　word。　Lets　soften　that　to　say　contact：　alien　contact。〃

〃I　see。〃

〃Youre　already　involved　in　civilian　crash…site　teams；　Dr。　Johnson。　You　know　how　these　emergency　groups　function。　We　want　your　input　concerning　the　optimal　position　of　a　crash…site　team　to　confront　an　alien　invader。〃

〃I　see；〃　Norman　said；　wondering　how　he　could　tactfully　get　out　of　this。　The　idea　was　clearly　ludicrous。　He　could　see　it　only　as　displacement：　the　Administration；　faced　with　immense　problems　it　could　not　solve；　had　decided　to　think　about　something　else。

And　then　the　lawyer　coughed；　proposed　a　study；　and　named　a　substantial　figure　for　a　two…year　research　grant。　Norman　saw　a　chance　to　buy　his　house。　He　said　yes。　〃Im　glad　you　agree　the　problem　is　a　real　one。〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　Norman　said；　wondering　how　old　this　lawyer　was。　He　guessed　about　twenty…five。

〃Well　just　have　to　get　your　security　clearance；〃　the　lawyer　said。

〃I　need　security　clearance？〃

〃Dr。　Johnson；〃　the　lawyer　said；　snapping　his　briefcase　shut；　〃this　project　is　top；　top　secret。〃

〃Thats　fine　with　me；〃　Norman　said；　and　he　meant　it。　He　could　imagine　his　colleagues　reactions　if　they　ever　found　out　about　this。

What　began　as　a　joke　soon　became　simply　bizarre。　Over　the　next　year；　Norman　flew　five　times　to　Washington　for　meetings　with　high…level　officials　of　the　National　Security　Council　over　the　pressing；　imminent　danger　of　alien　invasion。　His　work　was　very　secret。　One　early　question　was　whether　his　project　should　be　turned　over　to　DARPA；　the　Defense　Advanced　Research　Project　Agency　of　the　Pentagon。　They　decided　not　to。　There　were　questions　about　whether　it　should　be　given　to　NASA；　and　again　they　decided　not　to。　One　Administration　official　said；　〃This　isnt　a　scientific　matter；　Dr。　Johnson；　this　＇＇16＇＇　is　a　national　security　matter。　We　dont　want　to　open　it　out。〃　Norman　was　continually　surprised　at　the　level　of　the　officials　he　was　told　to　meet　with。　One　Senior　Undersecretary　of　State　pushed　aside　the　papers　on　his　desk　relating　to　the　latest　Middle　East　crisis　to　say；　〃What　do　you　think　about　the　possibility　that　these　aliens　will　be　able　to　read　our　minds？〃

〃I　dont　know；〃　Norman　said。

〃Well；　it　occurs　to　me。　Howre　we　going　to　be　able　to　formulate　a　negotiating　posture　if　they　can　read　our　minds？〃

〃That　could　be　a　problem；〃　Norman　agreed；　sneaking　a　glance　at　his　watch。

〃Hell；　its　bad　enough　our　encrypted　cables　get　intercepted　by　the　Russians。　We　know　the　Japanese　and　the　Israelis　have　cracked　all　our　codes。　We　just　pray　the　Russians　cant　do　it　yet。　But　you　see　what　I　mean；　the　problem。　About　reading　minds。〃

〃Oh　yes。〃

〃Your　report　will　have　to　take　that　into　consideration。〃

Norman　promised　it　would。

A　White　House　staffer　said　to　him；　〃You　realize　the　President　will　want　to　talk　to　these　aliens　personally。　Hes　that　kind　of　man。〃

〃Uh…huh；〃　Norman　said。

〃And　I　mean；　the　publicity　value　here；　the　exposure；　is　incalculable。　The　President　meets　with　the　aliens　at　Camp　David。　What　a　media　moment。〃

〃A　real　moment；〃　Norman　agreed。