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He drew a deep breath, gazed straight into the eyes of Browne s image on the screen and said with the
complete courage of a man for whom there is no turning back:  It seems to me, sir, that we have two
alternatives. We can re-solve all these personal problems either through a demo-cratic election or by a
joint captaincy, you being one of the captains and I being the other.
To any other person who might have been listening the remark must have seemed a completenon
sequitur. Browne, however, understood its relevance. He said with a sneer,  So you re out in the open.
Well, let me tell you, Mr. Lesbee, there was never any talk of elections when the Lesbees were in power.
And for a very good reason. A spaceship requires a technical aristocracy to command it. As for a joint
captaincy, it wouldn t work.
Lesbee urged his lie:  If we re going to stay here, we ll need at least two people of equal authority one
on the ground, one on the ship.
 I couldn t trust you on the ship! said Browne flatly.
 Then you be on the ship, Lesbee proposed.  All such practical details can be arranged.
The older man must have been almost beside himself with the intensity of his own feelings on this subject.
He flashed,  Your family has been out of power for over fifty years! How can you still feel that you have
any rights?
Lesbee countered,  How come you still know what I m talking about?
Browne said, a grinding rage in his tone,  The concept of inherited power was introduced by the first
Lesbee. It was never planned.
 But here you are, said Lesbee,  yourself a beneficiary of inherited power.
Browne said from between clenched teeth:  It s absolutely ridiculous that the Earth government which
was in power when the ship left and every member of which has been long dead should appoint
somebody to a command position ... and that now his descendant think that com-mand post should be
his, and his family s, for all time!
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Lesbee was silent, startled by the dark emotions he had uncovered in the man. He felt even more
justified, if that were possible, and advanced his next suggestion without a qualm.
 Captain, this is a crisis. We should postpone our private struggle. Why don t we bring one of these
prisoners aboard so that we can question him by use of films, or play acting? Later, we can discuss your
situation and mine.
He saw from the look on Browne s face that the reason-ableness of the suggestion,and its
potentialities, were penetrating.
Browne said quickly,  Only you come aboard and with one prisoner only. No one else!
Lesbee felt a dizzying thrill as the man responded to his bait. He thought:  It s like an exercise in logic.
He ll try to murder me as soon as he gets me alone and is satisfied that he can attack without danger to
himself. But that very scheme is what will get me aboard. And I ve got to get on the ship to carry outmy
plan.
Browne was frowning. He said in a concerned tone:  Mr. Lesbee, can you think of any reason why we
should not bring one of these beings aboard?
Lesbee shook his head.  No reason, sir, he lied.
Browne seemed to come to a decision.  Very well. I ll see you shortly, and we can then discuss
additional details.
Lesbee dared not say another word. He nodded, and broke the connection, shuddering, disturbed,
uneasy.  But, he thought,  what else can we do?
He turned his attention to the part of the floor that had been left open for him. Quickly, he bent down
and studied the codes on each of the programming units, as if he were seeking exactly the right ones that
had originally been in those slots.
He found the series he wanted: an intricate system of cross-connected units that had originally been
designed to program a remote-control landing system, an advanced Waldo mechanism capable of
landing the craft on a planet and taking off again, all directed on the pulse level of human thought.
He slid each unit of the series into its sequential position and locked it in.
Then, that important task completed, he picked up the remote control attachment for the series and
casually put it in his pocket.
He returned to the control board and spent several minutes examining the wiring and comparing it with a [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]