"None whatever. They've begun to associate it with the pistol, though. Each time I point the pistol at them, they get mad--" "You mean angry? They aren't _afraid_ of it?" "Certainly not afraid! One in my pocket here tries burrowing into corners, making furious grunting sounds. The other one usually just stands and glares at me." "How about when they wake up?" "Well, generally, their first reaction is to keep a sharp eye out for me--and the pistol." "Wary, eh? Damned inconvenient, I suppose, getting knocked asleep all the time. But it certainly doesn't seem to hurt them. What about mental disturbance?" "No obvious aberrations. But I don't know--" "Yes, they're only guinea pigs. Hardly be satisfactory to the American Medical Association, among others. Take years of research to determine its absolute safety--" "But it should be released to the public now!" "Why?" "Because its harmful effects, if any, are very likely to be insignificant--or we'd have no doubts about their existence." "That assumption _could_ be dangerous." "Yes. But there's something else, too. This new weapon will replace firearms--which certainly _do_ inflict injury, even death." "Ah, society's application of it--" And Dr. Whitney took several minutes to digest that aspect. I outlined my plans to him. * * * * * He was incredulous at first, then frankly aghast. "You expect me to _mass-produce_ that thing?" I said I hoped he would. He then commenced raking me over the coals in a most fitting and proper manner. Didn't I realize what I had created? My visions of it freeing peoples from police-state enslavement were all fine and good, and it might conceivably have such result; but what I had here was nothing more than _the most fiendish instrument ever inflicted upon human society_! What did I think it might do in the hands of muggers, sex offenders, pickpockets, burglars or worse? Why, our whole civilized culture would be thrown into chaos! No person would dare ever be alone, for fear of ambush. No one could sleep without someone else standing watch! No man could defend his own possessions, no woman could keep her chastity, unless people were around them, watching them _every moment of their lives_! Goods could no longer be transported without heavy guard. The wealthy--who could afford it--would have to live in massive, well-guarded fortresses. The rest of us would be like the feudal serf, with nothing worth stealing and quite accustomed to having his daughters raped. _We'd be thrown back into the Dark Ages!_ I nodded agreement to everything he said. Then I took the guinea pig from my pocket, held it squirming, and fastened a little collar about its neck. I unwound a wire from the plastic disc on the collar so Dr. Whitney could see it. He instantly recognized the tiny node on the wire as a miniature microphone.