“That was the idea. Yes, I suppose we could weld walls as big as you want. But look, major, how big a building do you want?”
“As big as you can manage.”
“But how big do you want?”
Ardmore told him. Wilkie whistled. “I suppose it’s possible to give you walls that big, but I don’t see any way to roof it over.”
“Seems to me I’ve seen buildings with that much clear span.”
“Yes, of course. You give me the services of construction engineers and architects and heavy industry to build the trusses needed to take that span and I’ll build you as big a temple as you want. But Scheer and I can’t do it alone, even with pressors and tractors to do all the heavy work. I’m sorry, sir, but I don’t see an answer.”
Ardmore stood up and put a hand on Wilkie’s arm. “You mean you don’t see an answer yet. Don’t get upset, Bob. I’ll take whatever you build. But just remember — This is going to be our first public display. A lot depends on it. We can’t expect to make much impression on our overlords with a hotdog stand. Make it as big as you can. I’d like something about as impressive as the Great Pyramid — but don’t take that long to build it.”
Wilkie looked worried. “I’ll try, sir. I’ll go back and think about it.”
“Fine!”
When Wilkie had gone Ardmore turned to Thomas. “What do you think about it, Jeff? Am I asking too much?”
“I was just wondering,” Thomas said slowly, “why. you set so much store by this temple?”
“Well, in the first place it gives a perfect cover up for the Citadel.
If we are going to do anything more than sit here and die of old age, the time will come when a lot of people will have to be going in and out of here. We can’t keep the location secret under those circumstances so we will have to have a reason, a cover up. People are always going in and out of a church building — worship and so forth. I want to cover up the ‘and so forth.’ ”
“I understand that. But a building with thirty-foot maximum dimensions can cover up a secret stairway quite as well as the sort of convention-hall job you are asking young Wilkie to throw up.”
Ardmore squirmed. Damn it — couldn’t anyone but himself see the value of advertising? “Look, Jeff, this whole deal depends on making the right impression at the start. If Columbus had come in asking for a dime, he would have been thrown out of the palace on his ear. As it was, he got the crown jewels. We’ve got to have an impressive front.”
“I suppose so,” Thomas answered without conviction.
Several days later Wilkie asked permission for Scheer and himself to go outside. Finding that they did not intend to go far, Ardmore gave permission, after impressing on them the need for extreme caution.
He encountered them some time later proceeding down the main passage toward the laboratories. They had an enormous granite boulder. Scheer was supporting it clear of walls and floor by means of tractors and pressors generated by a portable Ledbetter projector strapped as a pack on his shoulders. Wilkie had tied a line around the great chunk of rock and was leading it as if it were a cow. “Great Scott!” said Ardmore.
“What y’ got there?”
“Uh, a piece of mountain, sir.”
“So I see. But why?”
Wilkie looked mysterious. “Major, could you spare some time later in the day? We might have something to show you.”
“If you won’t talk, you won’t talk. Very well.”
Wilkie phoned him later, much later, asked him to come and suggested that Thomas come, too. When they arrived in the designated shop room everyone was present except Calhoun. Wilkie greeted them and said, “With your permission, we’ll start, Major.”
“Don’t be so formal. Aren’t you going to wait for Colonel Calhoun?”
“I invited him, but he declined.”
“Go ahead then.”
“Yes, sir.” Wilkie turned to the rest. “This piece of granite represents the mountain top above us. Go ahead, Scheer. “