If I stick around here much longer, Stevens advised himself, there will be hell to pay. Aloud, he said, ‘I take it that is your last word?
‘You may so take it. Good day, sir. I enjoyed your visit. Thank you.
‘Goodbye. Thanks for the dinner.
‘Not at all.
As Stevens turned away and prepared to shove himself towards the exit, Grimes called after him, ‘Jimmie, wait for me in the reception room
As soon as Stevens was out of earshot, Grimes turned to Waldo and looked him up and down. ‘Waldo,' he said slowly, ‘I always did know that you were one of the meanest, orneriest men alive, but-
‘Your compliments don't faze me, Uncle Gus.
‘Shut up and listen to me. As I was saying, I knew you were too rotten selfish to live with, but this is the first time I ever knew you to be a fourflusher to boot.
‘What do you mean by that? Explain yourself.
‘Shucks! You haven't any more idea of how to crack the problem that boy is up against than I have. You traded on your reputation as a miracle man just to make him unhappy. Why, you cheap tinhorn bluffer, if you-
‘Stop it!
‘Go ahead,' Grimes said quietly. ‘Run up your blood pressure. I won't interfere with you. The sooner you blow a gasket the better.
Waldo calmed down. ‘Uncle Gus - what makes you think I was blufiing?
‘Because I know you. If you had felt able to deliver the goods, you would have looked the situation over and worked out a plan to get NAPA by the short hair, through having something they had to have. That way you would have proved your revenge.
Waldo shook his head. ‘You underestimate the intensity of my feeling in the matter.
‘I do like hell! I hadn't finished. About that sweet little talk you gave him concerning your responsibility to the race. You've got a head on you. You know damned well, and so do I, that of all people you can least afford to have anything serious happen to the setup down on Earth. That means you don't see any way to prevent it
‘Why, what do you mean? I have no interest in such troubles; I'm independent of such things. You know me better than that.
‘Independent, eh? Who mined the steel in these walls? Who raised that steer you dined on tonight? You're as independent as a queen bee, and about as helpless.
Waldo looked startled. He recovered himself and answered, ‘Oh no, Uncle Gus. I really am independent. Why, I have supplies here for years.
‘How many years?
‘Why... uh, five, about.
‘And then what? You may live another fifty - if you have regular supply service. How do you prefer to die - starvation or thirst?
‘Water is no problem,' Waldo said thoughtfully; ‘as for supplies, I suppose I could use hydroponics a little more and stock up with some meat animals-
Grimes cut him short with a nasty laugh. ‘Proved my point. You don't know how to avert it, so you are figuring some way to save your own skin. I know you. You wouldn't talk about starting a truck garden if you knew the answers.
Waldo looked at him thoughtfully. ‘That's not entirely true. I don't know the solution, but I do have some ideas about it. I'll bet you a half interest in hell that I can crack it. Now that you have called my attention to it, I must admit I am rather tied in with the economic system down below, and' - he smiled faintly - ‘I was never one to neglect my own interests. Just a moment - I'll call your friend.
‘Not so fast. I came along for another reason, besides introducing Jimmie to you. It can't be just any solution; it's got to be a particular solution.
‘What do you mean?
‘It's got to be a solution that will do away with the need for filling up the air with radiant energy.
‘Oh, that. See here, Uncle Gus, I know how interested you are in your theory, and I've never disputed the possibility that you may be right, but you can't expect me to mix that into another and very difficult problem.
‘Take another look. You're in this for self-interest. Suppose everybody was in the shape you are in.
‘You mean my physical condition?
‘I mean just that. I know you don't like to talk about it, but we blamed well need to. If everybody was as weak as you are - presto! No coffee and cakes for Waldo. And that's just what I see coming. You're the only man I know of who can appreclate what it means.
‘It seems fantastic.
‘It is. But the signs are there for anybody to read who wants to. Epidemic myasthenia, not necessarily acute, but enough to raise hell with our mechanical civilization. Enough to play hob with your supply lines. I've been collating my data since I saw you last and drawing some curves. You should see ‘em
‘Did you bring them?
‘No, but I'll send ‘em up. In the meantime, you can take my word for it.' He waited. ‘Well, how about it?
‘I'll accept it as a tentative working hypothesis,' Waldo said slowly, ‘until I see your figures. I shall probably want you to conduct some further research for me, on the ground - if your data is what you say it is.
‘Fair enough. G'bye.' Grimes kicked the air a couple of times as he absent-mindedly tried to walk
Stevens's frame of mind as he waited for Grimes is better left undescribed. The mildest thought that passed through his mind was a plaintive one about the things a man had to put up with to hold down what seemed like a simple job of engineering. Well, he wouldn't have the job very long. But he decided not to resign - he'd wait until they fired him; he wouldn't run out
But he would damn well get that vacation before he looked for another job
He spent several minutes wishing that Waldo were strong enough for him to be able to take a poke at him. Or kick him in the belly - that would be more fun! He was startled when the dummy suddenly came to life and callcd him by name. ‘Oh, Mr Stevens.
‘Huh? Yes?
‘I have decided to accept the commission. My attorneys will arrange the details with your business office.
He was too surprised to answer for a couple of seconds; when he did so the dummy had already gone dead. He waited impatiently for Grimes to show up
‘Doc!' he said, when the old man swam into view. ‘What got into him? How did you do it?
‘He thought it over and reconsidered,' Grimes said succinctly. ‘Let's get going.
Stevens dropped Dr Augustus Grimes at the doctor's home, then proceeded to his office. He had no more than parked his car and entered the tunnel leading towards the zone plant when he ran into his assistant. McLcod seemed a little out of breath. ‘Gee, chief,' he said, ‘I hoped that was you. I've had ‘em watching for you. I need to see you.
‘What's busted now?' Stevens demanded apprehensively.. ‘One of the cities?
‘No. What made you think so?
‘Go ahead with your story.
‘So far as I know ground power is humming sweet as can be. No trouble with the cities. What I had on my mind is this: I fixed my heap.
‘Huh? You mean you fixed the ship you crashed in?
‘It wasn't exactly a crash. I had plenty of power in the reserve banks; when reception cut off, I switched to emergency and landed her.
‘But you fixed it? Was it the deKalbs? Or something else?
‘It was the deKalbs all right. And they're fixed. But I didn't exactly do it myself. I got it done. You see-
‘What was the matter with them?
‘I don't know exactly. You see I decided that there was no point in hiring another skycar and maybe having another forced landing on the way home. Besides, it was my own crate I was flying, and I didn't want to dismantle her just to get the deKalbs out and have her spread out all over the countryside. So I hired a crawler, with the idea of taking her back all in one piece. I struck a deal with a guy who had a twelve-ton semitractor combination, and we-