‘The fat boy must be sick,’ McLeod decided
‘Seems likely. This chore is more yours than mine, Mac. Come along with me; we’ll take a run over into Pennsylvania.
‘How about the plant?
‘Tell Carruthers he’s “It”. If anything blows, we couldn’t help it anyway.
Stevens mugged back later in the day. ‘Mr Jones-
‘Yes, Doctor?
‘What you suggest can’t be arranged.
‘You mean that Schneider can’t come to Freehold?
‘I mean that and I mean that you can’t talk with him on the viewphone.
‘I presume that you mean he is dead.
‘No, I do not. I mean that he will not talk over the view-phone under any circumstances whatsoever, to you or to anyone. He says that he is sorry not to accommodate you, but that he is opposed to everything of that nature – cameras, einécams, television, and so forth. He considers them dangerous. I am afraid he is set in his superstition.
‘As an ambassador, Dr Stevens, you leave much to be desired.
Stevens counted up to ten, then said, ‘I assure you that I have done everything in my power to comply with your wishes. If you are dissatisfied with the quality of my cooperation, I suggest that you speak to Mr Gleason.’ He cleared the circuit
‘How would you like to kick him in the teeth?’ McLeod said dreamily
‘Mac, you’re a mind reader.
Waldo tried again through his own agents, received the same answer. The situation was, to him, almost intolerable; it had been years since he had encountered a man whom he could not buy, bully, nor – in extremity – persuade. Buying had failed; he had realized instinctively that Schneider would be unlikely to be motivated by greed. And how can one bully, or wheedle, a man who cannot be seen to be talked with? It was a dead end – no way out. Forget it
Except, of course, for a means best classed as a Fate-Worse-Than-Death
No. No, not that. Don’t think about it. Better to drop the whole matter, admit that it had him licked, and tell Gleason so. It had been seventeen years since he had been at Earth surface; nothing could induce him to subject his body to the intolerable demands of that terrible field. Nothing! It might even kill him. He might choke to death, suffocate. No
He sailed gracefully across his shop, an overpadded Cupid. Give up this freedom, even for a time, for that tortuous bondage? Ridiculous! It was not worth it
Better to ask an acrophobe to climb Half Dome, or demand that a claustrophobe interview a man in the world’s deepest mine
‘Uncle Gus?
‘Oh, hello. Waldo. Glad you called.
‘Would it be safe for me to come down to Earth?’ ‘Eh? How’s that? Speak up, man. I didn’t understand you.’ ‘I said would it hurt me to make a trip down to Earth.’ ‘This hookup,’ said Grimes, ‘is terrible. It sounded just like you were saying you wanted to come down to Earth.
‘That’s what I did say.
‘What’s the matter, Waldo? Do you feel all right?
‘I feel fine, but I have to see a man at Earth surface. There isn’t any other way for me to talk to him, and I’ve got to talk to him. Would the trip do me any harm?
‘Ought not to, if you’re careful. After all, you were born there. Be careful of yourself, though. You’ve laid a lot of fat around your heart.
‘Oh dear. Do you think it’s dangerous?
‘No. You’re sound enough.. Just don’t overstrain yourself. And be careful to keep your temper.
‘I will. I most certainly will. Uncle Gus?
‘Yes?
‘Will you come along with me and help me see it through?
‘Oh, I don’t think that’s necessary.
‘Please, Uncle Gus. I don’t trust anybody else.
‘Time you grew up, Waldo. However, I will, this once.
‘Now remember,’ Waldo told the pilot, ‘the absolute acceleration must never exceed one and one tenth gs, even in landing. I’ll be watching the accelograph the whole time.
‘I’ve been driving ambulances,’ said the pilot, ‘for twelve years, and I’ve never given a patient a rough ride yet.
‘That’s no answer. Understand me? One and one tenth; and it should not even approach that figure until we are under the stratosphere. Quiet, Baldur! Quit snuffling.