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told him that he had gone far enough with his sarcasm. In suddenly matter-of-fact language, he said,
"My closest calculations inform me that on the 29th of August, when the ambient temperature reaches
one hundred sixty seven degrees Fahrenheit, the firebelt will have exhausted its available oxygen and
will collapse of its own accord."
"And mine," said the Admiral quietly, "inform me that on the 30th, at about 10:37 A.M.
Greenwich time, there will occur an irreversible reaction which will cause the firebelt to widen and
englobe the earth."
"My figures," said Dr. Zucco with steely patience, "indicate no such thing. By that time the
emergency will be over."
"My figures," said the admiral, "after original computation by myself, Admiral Crawford, and
Commander Emery, were checked by the master computer at the U.S. Naval Observatory."
"My figures," said Dr. Zucco icily, "were computed by myself, and checked by myself, in order
to eliminate errors introduced by what is your saying? too many cooks in the broth."
"Dr. Zucco," said the Admiral, after a long slow breath drawn, apparently, to refill his patience
tanks, "this ah, discussion of ours then resolves itself to a matter of checking figures. This will, I
think, be a lengthy process, and would be in any circumstances; with communications in their present
state, I think it fair to assume that by the time the argument was settled, it would no longer matter to
anyone."
"At last," said Dr. Zucco, "we agree on a point."
"Therefore," said Nelson, "I shall simply announce my intention to leave immediately for the
South Pacific. If you are right, I shall have had my trip for nothing. If on the other hand I am right
and I am, you know," he interjected, suddenly smiling so engagingly that the smile was repeated all
over the hall "I shall be in a position to do something about it."
The answering of that sudden smile seemed to fuse something in Dr. Zucco, and the fuse was
fast and very short; he exploded:
"Mr. President! Delegates! In the name of science, in the name of humanity and its eternal war
against bungling and ignorance; this man must be prevented from doing any such dangerous thing!"
His voice then dropped to a hoarse whisper; he had apparently learned from the Admiral, in the last
few minutes, the little-known fact that a quiet voice in a noisy room is more commanding than a noisy
voice in a quiet one. "Do not be led astray by his assertions. What he says about communications, and
the length of time necessary to check the figures, is true, and I am convinced he brought it up at all
only in his way, shrewd as a rodent, in order to ram his mad plan down your throats." He let his voice
come up, and bugled out, smiting his chest. "But I, I, Emilio Zucco, am here to tell you that he is
wrong, and I will tell you what will happen if this evil and foolhardy plan is followed. The cloud of
charged particles which he proposes to scatter in the outer Van Allen belt will have the reverse effect
to that which he predicts. Rather than dissipating the field, it will momentarily intensify it. The lens
effect will increase, and for a time two, perhaps three hours the concentration of energy from the
sun will increase many-fold. The increased heat will bring hot atmosphere up into the burning zone at
an accelerated rate, the firebelt will indeed widen and englobe the earth prevented at the last
possible instant from doing what I predict it shall do collapse of its own accord. This is madness
criminal, irresponsible madness, and you must under no circumstances permit it." He was panting
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now. He paused for breath and then shouted, "If this argument has reduced itself to a staking of
my reputation against this, then so be it. Let me hear your voices: if you agree with me, call my
name!"
Zucco! roared the assembly. ZUCCO! After which was a scattered chattering of Nelson...
Nelson... The scientist had indeed bound them in his spell.
The Assembly President committed the precedent-shattering act of leaping up, standing on his
table. He waved both hands and shouted against the roar of comment and argument that swelled up,
and at last succeeded in being heard. As he spoke, the audience gradually quieted to hear him.
"I will have order in the chamber or I shall indefinitely adjourn this meeting, and I need not
remind you that adjournment at this moment may be a vital matter, affecting the lives of us all. Order!
Order!" He paused, and when it seemed possible to be heard at last, he lowered himself to the floor
and sat before his microphone.
"Dr. Zucco," he said flatly, "You must be reminded that this is not the time nor the place for
histrionics. The truth, when we find it, is more eloquent than any man, and more moving than any
man's passion. If truth be on your side, it will speak for you. If not, it will speak against you, and with
more power than even you, sir, can command. I must further remind you, sir, that you exceed your
authority when you call for a vote in this chamber, this being the prerogative of the President." He
fixed Zucco with a cold glare, which was returned by a hot one; yet Zucco had presence of mind
enough to mumble what might have been an apology. Having done so, the flashing glance he threw
across the chamber and back, and the wolfish grin with which he turned to Nelson, said as clearly as
words that he felt he had won, and an apology to the chair for a technicality was something he could
easily afford.
"The parliamentary situation," said the President, at last able to speak in normal tones, "is that
Admiral Nelson has the floor, having yielded only for a question. Admiral?"
And abruptly a new face was injected into the scene. "May I have the permission of the chair,
and of the speaker, to make a statement at this time?" And into the rostrum area stepped the usually
waspish, diffident, round-shouldered figure of Congressman Parker. Now, however, his face was
pink, his shoulders square, his eyes, behind the usually cold rimless glasses, flashing.
"You may not!" roared the chair.
Admiral Nelson, standing too far away from the Congressman to be able to speak privately with
him, turned eyes like two radar beams on him. Parker gazed back. What passed between them is hard
to say, unless one believes in telepathy. It may have been that other mysterious power, the ability of a
man to size up a man. It could be that in this species of mental magic, both were adepts.
"Mr. President," said the Admiral, his eyes still on the Congressman's face, "with your
permission, sir, I will yield to Congressman Parker."
"Mr. President, I protest!" shouted Dr. Zucco.
The President ignored him and asked, "Congressman Parker, I must demand to know why you
wish to speak at this time."
"Mr. President," said the Congressman, as respectfully as if he were addressing the President of
the United States instead of the chairman of a meeting, "I venture to say that my speaking will resolve
this question for good and all."
"And you yield, Admiral?"
"Yes, sir, I do."
Zucco yelled "I "
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"Take the rostrum," said the President. Parker did so, and turned to face Nelson. "Is there the
slightest doubt in your mind, Admiral, that your calculations are correct and that to implement your
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