Marta's eyes opened wide. "And, of course, it would stop almost instantaneously." "Most of the energy of its forward motion would be converted to heat, which would develop a temperature far more than enough to trigger the thing," Chandler said. "But it's made of non-conductive alloys," Marta said. "Which would only make it happen quicker by reflecting the heat back in on itself." * * * * * The press photographers' strobe lights began to flicker as the drill was lowered into the center of the control ring. Someone was making a speech, thin sounds wavering across the meadow, as Chandler and Marta started walking toward the VIP geodesic dome, where most of the top scientists were quartered. Marta stared at Chandler for a moment. "Why didn't you say something about this to me, Paul? Now I know why Kotenko favored hydrogen fusion without the X-factor." "It wouldn't have done the job," Chandler said. "Just not enough controllable power." "Kotenko thought so." "He was wrong." "Then why did you insist upon the drill? Surely some of the other methods were workable. What about India's suggestion to set off a number of H-bombs underground to produce pockets of magma? That would have produced plenty of tappable heat." "I don't know," was Chandler's honest answer. "Call it a hunch or a premonition, but I think it's the drill or nothing. Once the core is tapped, the danger is over; we won't have to drill any more holes. We'll have an unending source of heat, and non-conductive conduits to pump it anywhere on Earth." "Paul," Marta said, "I've always gone along with you on just about everything. Maybe the fact that I'm a woman has been outweighing the fact that I'm also a scientist. But let's talk now about the moral obligation of a scientist." "I'm interested in one thing--the best method to save civilization from certain destruction." "But have you the right to gamble like this? Which is worse, the destruction of civilization or the destruction of the Earth?" "Marta," he said, "man at last stands at the brink of fulfilling his destiny. He is already establishing colonies on two planets and within a hundred years will have a firm foothold in the Solar System. In the millennia that follow, the Galaxy will be his." Marta stopped in horror. "That sounds like Colonial talk!" Chandler smiled reassuringly. "In this case, what's best for the Colonies is also best for the Mother Planet." "But surely there's time to halt operations long enough to try some of the other methods first." "If we were to falter now," said Chandler as they began walking again, "politicians would have most of us replaced inside of twenty-four hours. Would you like to see that drill start its plunge to the core without someone on hand who knows how to handle it?"