"I thought you psychiatrists knew the facts of life, Bill! Dabney's not unusual in my business! He's almost a typical sponsor!" "When you ask me to throw away starships," said Jones coldly, "for a publicity feature, I don't play. I won't take the credit for the field away from Dabney. I sold him that with my eyes open. But starships are more important than a fool's hankering to be famous! He'd never try it! He'd be afraid it wouldn't work! I don't play!" Holden said stridently: "I don't give a damn about any deal you made with Dabney! But if you can get us to the stars--all us humans who need it--you've got to!" Jones said, again calmly: "I'm willing. Make me an offer--not cash, but a chance to do something real--not just a trick for a neurotic's ego!" Cochrane grinned at him very peculiarly. "I like your approach. You've got illusions. They're nice things to have. I wouldn't mind having some myself. Bill," he said to Dr. William Holden, "how much nerve has Dabney?" "Speaking unprofessionally," said Holden, "he's a worm with wants. He hasn't anything but cravings. Why?" Cochrane grinned again, his head cocked on one side. "He wouldn't take part in an enterprise to reach the stars, would he?" When Holden shook his head, Cochrane said zestfully, "I'd guess that the peak of his ambition would be to have the credit for it if it worked, but he wouldn't risk being associated with it until it had worked! Right?" "Right," said Holden. "I said he was a worm. What're you driving at?" "I'm outlining what you're twisting my arm to make me do," said Cochrane, "in case you haven't noticed. Bill, if Jones can really make a ship go faster than light--" "I can," repeated Jones. "I simply didn't think of the thing in connection with travel. I only thought of it for signalling." "Then," said Cochrane, "I'm literally forced, for Dabney's sake, to do something that he'd scream shrilly at if he heard about it. We're going to have a party, Bill! A party after your and my and Jones' hearts!" "What do you mean?" demanded Holden. "We make a production after all," said Cochrane, grinning. "We are going to take Dabney's discovery--the one he bought publicity rights to--very seriously indeed. I'm going to get him acclaim. First we break a story of what Dabney's field means for the future of mankind--and then we prove it! We take a journey to the stars! Want to make your reservations now?" "You mean," said West incredulously, "a genuine trip? Why?" Cochrane snapped at him suddenly. "Because I can't kid myself any more," he rasped. "I've found out how little I count in the world and the estimation of Kursten, Kasten, Hopkins and Fallowe! I've found out I'm only a little man when I thought I was a big one, and I won't take it! Now I've got an excuse to try to be a big man! That's reason enough, isn't it?"