This was to be prevented all costs, even if it meant 30 years of war.

"But that could mean 15 years of production for us here."

If he is correct, that would mean four consecutive years of annual growth below 3 percent.

"That means 11 years and 9 months," said the first man.

And if he can't be coaxed out, it means 4 more years of winter.

In practice, for an author who creates while young and lives a long life, this could easily mean 125 years of protection or longer.

That could mean a $250,000 fine and 10 years in jail.

"Now that it means a million years of cosmic development lost, yes."

Whether "near future" means two years or four, no one, maybe Brown least of all, is in position to say.

Never forget that a second of our time means 20 years on the other plane.