ewarned and knew what Paul Medick's hopes and
intentions were.

"You can build your staff as big as you need it," the General was
saying. "This Project has crash priority over everything else. We've got
the machines to go to space. The machines need the men.

"You can have anybody you want and do anything you like to them. We hope
you can put them back together again in reasonable shape, but that
doesn't matter too much."

Paul turned about the bare room that would serve adequately as office
space. "All right," he said. "Consider Project Superman begun. Remember,
I have no hope of finding a solution in an errorless human being. I'll
find whatever answer there is to be found. If you have any objections to
my working of those terms, say so now. I don't intend to get fired again
with a Project in the middle of its course."

"You won't be. You'll find the way to give us what we need. I want you
to come down to the other end of the building and meet a man who will be
working closely with you."

There had been sounds of activity in the distance, and General
Oglethorpe led Paul towards them. They entered a large area in which
instrumental equipment was being set up. A tall, thin, dark-haired man
came up as they entered.

"Dr. Nat Holt," said the General, "instrument and electronics expert.
This is Dr. Medick, the country's foremost man in psychology and
psychometric analysis.

"Dr. Holt will be your instrument man. He will design and build whatever
special equipment your researches call for. Let me know soon what you'll
need in the way of furniture and assistants."

He left them standing in the nearly bare room. Through the window they
watched his stiff form march back to his own office.

Nat Holt shifted position and grinned at Paul. "I may as well tell you
that the General has briefed me thoroughly on what he considered your
probable reaction to the Project. I'm just curious enough to want to
know if he was right."

"The General and I understand each other--I think," said Paul. "He knows
I'm contemptuous of his approach to a problem of human behavior by
ordering it solved. But he knows I'll take his money and spend it on the
biggest, deepest investigation of human behavior via psychometrical
analysis that has ever been conducted."

"It ought to be enough to buy gold fringed couches for all the analysts
in the country."

Paul raised his brows. "If it's that way with you, then why are you
joining me?" he asked.