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.I’m sure the viewers would all like to hear it too.” Before Zambendorf could answer, the assistant ushered Massey forward, and Connel brought him on-camera with a gesture.“Folks, I’d like to introduce Gerry Massey.Now, Gerry is one of the psychologists with us here on the Orion, but in addition to that he’s also a pretty good stage conjuror, I’m told.Is that right, Gerry?”“It is an area of interest of mine,” Massey replied as he moved forward to join them.“And you’re not a believer in the existence of forces or powers beyond those that are familiar to orthodox science,” Connel said.“In particular, you claim you can reproduce any effect by ordinary stage magic, which Karl attributes to paranormal abilities.Is that so, Gerry?”Massey took a long breath.To say all the things he’d have liked to say would have taken hours.“That is correct.For a long time now I have been attempting to persuade Herr Zambendorf to agree to demonstrate his alleged powers under conditions which I am able to specify and control.That, after all, is no more than would be expected in any other branch of science.But he has persistently evaded giving a direct answer.My suggestion is quite simply that the voyage ahead of us, and the period we will be spending on Mars, offer an ideal opportunity and ample time for this to be settled once and for all.I have a schedule of some initial tests with me right now, but I’m open to further suggestions.”Connel turned and looked at Zambendorf questioningly.Although he maintained his outward calm, inside Zambendorf was thinking frantically.He should have guessed Massey would do something like this, should have watched him more closely.The team had been too busy, with too little time.“Oh, we’ve heard this kind of thing before,” he replied without hesitation.“Just because a stage magician can duplicate an effect, it doesn’t prove at all that what’s being imitated was achieved in the same way.After all, I’m sure Mr.Massey can produce a rabbit from a hat very convincingly, but he could hardly argue on that basis that all rabbits must therefore come from hats, could he?”“I never claimed it proved anything,” Massey answered.“But if a simple explanation can account for the facts, then there’s no need for a more complicated one, or indeed any logical justification for accepting one.”“The simplest explanation for the planets and the stars would be that they revolve above the Earth,” Zambendorf pointed out.“But nevertheless we all accept a more complicated one.” With luck Massey would allow himself to be diverted into the realms of philosophical logic, totally confusing ninety percent of the viewers, who would then dismiss him as a hair-splitting academic waffler.“Yes—because it explains more facts,” Massey replied.“But all that’s irrelevant for now.You said that the presence of competent scientists is of no concern to you.Very well, then what I’m proposing will demonstrate the fact admirably.You said facts aren’t altered by beliefs.I agree with you.So let’s find out what the facts are.”Clearly Massey was not about to be shaken off.Half the world was watching and waiting for Zambendorf’s answer.If he committed himself, Massey would never let him off the hook.“Well, Karl,” Connel said after a few seconds of dragging silence.“What do you say? Will you accept Gerry Massey’s challenge?”Zambendorf looked around him desperately.Across the Orion’s Control Deck, many of the officers and crew members were watching curiously.If those damn GSEC people had done their jobs, Massey wouldn’t have been able to get near him.It was infuriating.Massey had folded his arms and was waiting impassively.Zambendorf hesitated.Then, as their eyes met, he saw the triumph already lighting up Massey’s face.That did it.Zambendorf turned away for a moment, braced his shoulders and breathed heavily a few times, and then looked up to the ceiling as if summoning strength from above.When he turned back again, his face seemed to have darkened with anger, and his eyes burned with patriarchal indignation.Connel looked suddenly apprehensive.Even Massey seemed taken by surprise.“At a time like this?.At such a moment of historic events about to unfold?.You would have me play games? What childishness is this?” Zambendorf thundered.Dramatic, sure, but it was an all-or-nothing situation.“We, the human race, are about to go forth and meet the destiny for which fate has been shaping us for millions of years, and instead of rising to fulfillment, your minds are distracted by trivia.” Connel and Massey looked at each other nonplussed.Zambendorf whirled round upon Massey and pointed a finger accusingly.“I challenge you! Do you see any hint of where this journey will lead us, or what it will reveal? Indeed, do you see anything at all? Or are you like the rest of the blind who believe only in the part of the universe that lies within groping distance of their fingers?”A bluff to throw him on the defensive, Massey decided.He had to hold the initiative.“Theatricals,” he retorted.“Just theatricals.You’re not saying anything.Are you supposed to be predicting something? If so, what? Let’s have something specific for once, now—not after the event and with hindsight, after we arrive at Mars.”“Mars?” Zambendorf sounded pitying.“You believe we’re going to Mars? You live your life in blindness.It is no wonder you cannot believe.”“Of course we’re going to Mars,” Massey said impatiently.“Pah, fool!” Zambendorf exploded.Suddenly Massey was less certain of himself.He could feel the situation starting to slip.It was all wrong.Zambendorf couldn’t be turning it around.Massey had had all the aces, surely.Connel was gaping incredulously.“What are you saying, Karl,” he demanded.“Are you saying we’re not going to Mars? So where do you think we are going?.Why?.What are you telling us?” Most of the viewers had already forgotten Massey had ever issued a challenge.They wanted to know if Zambendorf had seen something.Zambendorf was back in his natural element—the showman in control of the show.He extended his arms wide and appealed upward toward the roof.Beside him, Massey and Connel seemed to fade away on a hundred million screens.He brought his fists down to the sides of his head, held the pose for several seconds, and then looked at Connel with a strange, distant light in his eyes.“I have not the names that astronomers use, but I see us traveling over a great distance to a place that is not Mars.much farther from Earth than Mars.”“Where?” Connel gasped.“What’s it like?”“A child of the haloed giant who shepherds a flock of seventeen,” Zambendorf pronounced in ringing tones.“I know not where I am.but it is cold and dark below the unbroken clouds of red and brown that float upon air that is not air.There are mountains made of ice, and vast wildernesses.And.” His voice trailed away.His jaw dropped, and his eyes opened wider.“What?” Connel whispered, awed.“Living beings!.They are not human, but neither are they from any part of Earth.They have minds! I am feeling out to them even now, and.”“Get him off,” General Vantz snapped on the far side of the Control Deck.“Kill it! Get him off.” the Communications Director ordered.An engineer nipped a switch on his console.Voices were jabbering excitedly on every side.“I don’t care! Tell them anything,” Herman Thoring yelled over an auxiliary channel to the Production Director in the GCN studio back in New York.“Say we’ve got a technical hitch.No, I don’t know what it’s about either, but we’ve got all hell loose up here.”Back in Globe II, Vernon Price was staring dumbstruck at the cabin wallscreen, which had just switched back to a view of Earth.“Well?” Malcom Wade challenged smugly as he puffed his pipe on the bunk opposite [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]