"We'll need _two_ uranium lattices," Doug Norris corrected thickly. "One to trigger the first action, the other to pr'vide neutrons for the continuous shuttle that'll run the bismuth's atomic number up from eighty-three to ninety-four, right up through neptunium to plutonium." "You're right," Kincaid agreed, hiccuping slightly. "I forgot 'bout that second lattice for a minute. Mus' be because of all the noise in here." * * * * * Petersen was still producing that noise, indeed. He had become louder and more frantic as he saw them shifting out the uranium lattices and replacing them clumsily with empty lattice-frames. "Ten thousand scientists have been working ever since Nineteen-forty-five to find a way to use common elements instead of uranium in a pile!" he choked. "They can't do it. But two drunken Proxy men are going to try it!" Norris hardly heard that stream of agonized accusation and entreaty, as he helped Kincaid shift in the empty lattices. He was mildly sorry that Petersen felt so disturbed. There was no reason for it. He and Kincaid knew just what they were doing. Or did they? For a moment, a dim doubt crossed Norris' foggy mind. After all, he and Kincaid weren't physicists. Then he dismissed that doubt. He was _sure_ of what they were doing, wasn't he? Kincaid sat down unsteadily when they had the lattices changed. "I feel a li'l shaky. 'S emotional reaction from great scientific achievement." "Emotional reaction nothing--you're so plastered you're nearly out!" raged Petersen. Kincaid dignifiedly ignored that. "Switch on the loader and shoot the ol' bismuth in there, Doug." "Norris, _don't_ do it!" begged Petersen hoarsely. "It means wrecking the pile, and maybe blowing up the whole Station!" Again, Doug Norris' dim doubt bothered him. But then again he dismissed it. Everything was so beautifully clear in his mind. It had to work. He switched on the loader. The lead cylinder of bismuth slid away into the tube that would carry it to the pile, where it would be automatically loaded into the new empty lattices. "You fools!" choked Petersen. "I hope they hang you both for this! When that pile starts up, and blows--" The operation of the great atomic pile was automatic from this point on. Minutes later, a bell rang and indicators clicked on. "First uranium lattice has triggered off," said Kincaid, and nodded, pleased. "Now we'll get power--lotsa power." "You'll get nothing but maybe an atomic explosion, in ten seconds!" cried Petersen, his face deathly white. Doug Norris suddenly felt his doubt rise again and this time it overwhelmed him! All his former foggy confidence seemed to have left him as they completed their operations. He was suddenly aware of the mad and ghastly thing that he and Kincaid had done. Why in heaven's name had they done it? What crazy quirk in their minds had made them do it? Kincaid too was suddenly looking pale and queer.