was ascertained and
reported that the armor did not leak--which was reasonable enough,
since each was lined with Masters' plastics.

Then into lead-lined testing cells, where each opened his face-plate
briefly to a sensing element. Whereupon the indicating needles of two
meters in the main laboratory went enthusiastically through the full
range of red and held unwaveringly against their stops.

Both Ardans felt the wave of shocked, astonished, almost unbelieving
consternation that swept through the observing scientists and, in
slightly lesser measure (because they knew less about radiation) through
the Advisory Board itself in a big room halfway across town. And from
the Radiation Laboratory they were taken, via truck and freight
elevator, to the Office of the Commandant, where the Board was sitting.

The story, which had been sent in to the Board the day before on a
scrambled beam, was one upon which the Ardans had labored for days. Many
facts could be withheld. However, every man aboard the _Perseus_ would
agree on some things. Indeed, the Earthship's communications officers
had undoubtedly radioed in already about longevity and perfect health
and Oman service and many other matters. Hence all such things would
have to be admitted and countered.

Thus the report, while it was air-tight, perfectly logical, perfectly
consistent, and apparently complete, did not please the Board at all. It
wasn't intended to.

* * * * *

"We cannot and do not approve of such unwarranted favoritism," the
Chairman of the Board said. "Longevity has always been man's prime goal.
Every human being has the inalienable right to ..."

"Flapdoodle!" Hilton snorted. "This is not being broadcast and this room
is proofed, so please climb down off your soapbox. You don't need to
talk like a politician here. Didn't you read paragraph 12-A-2, one of
the many marked 'Top Secret'?"

"Of course. But we do not understand how purely mental qualities can
possibly have any effect upon purely physical transformations. Thus it
does not seem reasonable that any except rigorously screened personnel
would die in the process. That is, of course, unless you contemplate
deliberate, cold-blooded murder."

That stopped Hilton in his tracks, for it was too close for comfort to
the truth. But it did not hold the captain for an instant. He was used
to death, in many of its grisliest forms.

"There are a lot of things no Terran ev