During the following two days, Jim considered what his next move should be. He had to present his data and evidence to a conference of men who mattered, who could make the necessary decisions. It had to be brought to the attention of the top levels of NASA. The Department of Defense and the Presidential advisors should be in on it, too. His thoughts came to a stop and he felt more than a little hysterical. Who was he? A third-string chemical researcher on one of dozens of current NASA projects. Who was going to let him call a conference of the nation's brass and instruct them to close down the moon program? Nobody. In the Civil Service hierarchy to which he belonged there was absolutely no way on earth by which he could bring his story to the attention of the people who could act on it. No way at all. But he had to try. He tried to reach the Director of NASA. The Director's secretary told Jim the Director was out of town and could not be reached except for emergency or other top-priority communications. Jim said that was exactly the nature of his message. The Secretary told him to get his Project Director to approve the message and an effort could be made to get it through. That meant Hennesey. Hennesey laughed in his face, and told him that one more fantasy like that would get him fired. Jim had known that's the way it would be, but he had to try. By this time, the Prospector had traveled more than ninety miles from the last probe. It was far enough, Jim decided. They'd put down one more probe, then--he didn't know where he'd go from there. Sam saw the bleakness and bitterness on his face when he came into the tracking station. "No luck?" said Sam. "What do you think? Have you ever realized that there is no way whatever for the ordinary citizen to get through with a message that requires action at the top? Channels, supervisors' approvals, okays by supervisors' supervisors--the only communication the top level has is with itself; generals talk to other generals, Bureau Directors talk to generals and other Bureau Directors, the President talks to his advisors who talk only to each other. The communication barrier is complete and absolute." "I could have told you that," said Sam. "I've been here longer than you have. But some of them may still read a newspaper now and then." "What do you mean by that?" "Call a news conference of the science editors and reporters of the major press services and big-city newspapers. Your reputation is big enough that they'll listen to you." "You saw what they did to me last time!" Sam shrugged. "Maybe you know a better way." * * * * * Jim took his seat at the console and watched the slow progress of the Prospector across the moon's surface. It was winding its way through an area of small, low crags. Ahead was a smooth, level plain. Jim determined to halt there and make the next probe.