"And what about your father?" Andra persisted. "For a man the Brain calls indestructible, he looked awfully sick a few minutes ago." Lloyd nodded thoughtfully. "The Brain didn't tell me anything about that. But a Snapper Beam should jog even the most stalwart system, normal or not, shouldn't it?" Andra shrugged, giving it up. "Obviously, both answers lie with both men. If we want them, we'll have to ask your father and President Stanton. But you have not explained away the most vital part of my confusion: When you began to tell me the background of the Hive--What made you so certain I'd _like_ what you said?! I can't agree with your prognosis there, Lloyd. The whole thing's chilling!" "But don't you see what we've learned, Andra?" Lloyd said excitedly. "The Hive is not one city, it's ten. And, while it takes a large portion of the people to run the equipment in any tier, the city--or cities--_can_ be run by _people_! The Brain isn't necessary, Andra. And the radiation outside the Hive is gone...." "You mean--" Andra said, catching the fire of his enthusiasm, "A reconstruction of the rockets in place of the Temple-sites. Ten indestructible self-sustaining cities, to fly to various parts of the world, and start civilization over again! But this time with the same ethnic backgrounds, a common language, intercity communications--!" "It makes me wonder if that mightn't have been Lester Murdock's plan all along," Lloyd said. "He may have foreseen the coming disaster, and wanted mankind to have a better start than working itself up from the caves again." "But Lloyd--!" Andra said, abruptly worried. "_Can_ it be done? To run the cities, reconstruct the rockets--Who in the Hive has the necessary knowledge?" Lloyd frowned. "The Brain, of course, but--That would make it necessary, wouldn't it...?" "If the Brain _is_ necessary, Lloyd," Andra said, staring at him in bewilderment, "then the ten cities _can't_ leave it, can they? It doesn't make sense...." * * * * * Lloyd turned and stared at the control panel. "The only thing to do is ask it, Andra." He sat once more in the chair and adjusted the metal band about his skull, then typed carefully: _Is the Brain necessary?_ This time, however, there came no hum of power from the circuits about the control chamber. Instead, the roll of paper on which Lloyd's query had been written jogged up two spaces, and the keys typed the answer neatly, just under the question.... _For a time_, the blurring type-faces spelled out, and stopped. Lloyd looked at Andra, then removed the uncomfortable headband, leaned forward and typed again. _Why is the Brain necessary?_ The keyboard hummed, and replied, _To bridge the gap_. _How long is the gap?_ Lloyd typed. _Till the Earth is safe_, it replied. _When will the Earth be safe?_ _The Earth is already safe._ _If the Earth is safe, why does the Brain persist?_ _To serve Man until he has knowledge._