We sat in the aquamarine twilight, and Fern was shivering, and I put my
arm around her.
"Looks like altruism is a relative thing," I said. "What _do_ they
want?"
"Uncontaminated Terms," she said bitterly. "No science, no stars, no
wars and no progress. A big beautiful planet-mind, the Term mind,
forever static, forever dead."
"It's a bluff," I said. "Our little fanatic's stalling for time, hoping
to stampede us while he finds another way."
"For example?"
"Why do you think we insist on basic English for all Terms? Supposing a
foreman should start jabbering Terminese during an operation. The Terms
would revert, we'd have a line shutdown. They can't adjust--say!" A
random thought was nibbling at my brain. "Where was Carmody this
morning? Just before I reeled in?"
Her fine brows knitted. "Why, he went--oh, Jake, surely you don't
think--?"
"Went where?"
"Down the hall. Towards Personnel."
"Towards the conference hall, you mean. He never even examined Harvey!"
"It wasn't necessary," she said uncomfortably. "Don just wanted to
verify his stability index."
"Sure! So he stood outside the conference hall and put a whammy on me--"