"Our knowledge of their planet's name and location," replied the doctor,
"makes it easier for us. All we have to do is to go into the telepathic
state, via the Venusian formula; then, at the same time, each must
concentrate upon some definite mental quality, some particular
characteristic of his own mind, which he or she wishes to find on Sanus.
It makes no difference what it may be; all you have to do is, exert your
imaginations a little."
There was a pause, broken by Smith: "We ought to tell each other what we
have in mind, so that we don't conflict."
"Yes. For my part," said the doctor, "I'd like to get in touch with a
being who is mildly rebellious; not a violent radical, but a
philosophical revolutionist. I don't care what sort of a creature he,
she, or it may be, so long as the mind is in revolt against whatever
injustice may exist."
"Then I," stated Smith, "will stick to the idea of service. Nobody was
surprised that the engineer should make such a choice; he was, first,
last, and all the time, essentially a useful man."
Van Emmon was not ready with his choice. Instead: "You say, doc, that
you know nothing further about Sanus than what you've already told us?"
"I was about to mention that. The Venusians say that conditions are
reversed from what we found on Capellette. Instead of Sanus being ruled
by a small body of autocrats, it is--ruled by the working class!"
"Under the circumstances," said Van, "I'll take something different from
what I got last time. No imperiousness this trip." He smiled grimly.
"There was a time when I used to take orders. Suppose you call my choice
'subordinacy.'"
"How very noble of you!" gibed Billie. "My idea is supremacy, and plenty
of it! I want to get in touch with the man higher up--the worker who is
boss of the whole works!" She flashed a single glance at her husband,
then threw herself back in her chair. "Go ahead!"
And before two minutes were up, the power of concerted thought, aided by
a common objective and the special electrical circuit which joined them,
had projected the minds of the four across the infinite depths of space.
The vast distance which separated their bodies from Sanus was
annihilated, literally as quick as thought.
Neither of the four stirred. To all appearances they were fast asleep.
The room was quite still; only the clock ticked dully on the wall. Down-
stairs, the doctor's wife kept watch over the house.
The greatest marvel in creation, the human mind, was exploring the
unknown.
II
ALMOST HUMAN
Of course, the four still had the ability to communicate with each other
while in the trance state; they had developed this power to a fair
degree while investigating Capellette. However, each was so deeply
interested in what he or she was seeing during the first hour of their
Sanusian experiences that neither thought to discuss the matter until
afterward.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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