“All right,” said Lynne. “So all we can arouse is destructive force but it is a response and a predictable one. Once Ben Franklin proved he could get a response from the lightning, however destructive. He was able to create the lightning rod, And Faraday and the others who put electricity to use were not far behind him.” “All right,” said Revere. “I’m convinced. But how in _purt_ are we going to get our new friend to say uncle when we want it to?” Something clicked in Lynne’s trained coordinator’s brain. She said, mentally scanning the notes and records they had been consulting during the meeting, “Revere--Rolf--Rana--what is the one thing that is common to each of E’s destructive retaliations when irritated?” Rana looked helpless. Revere scowled at the floor, then shrugged and gave up. Rolf studied the opaque ceiling of the Rec Room, then said suddenly, “Maybe this is fresh out of your mind, _vinral_, but as I get it there were two things--a flash of light and an impression of enormous, sudden sound. Certainly I got those impressions when we were up against E or his cousin on Callisto. Am I right?” “How about it?” Lynne asked the other two. Rana, looking scared in retrospect, nodded slowly, and Revere said, “It’s on the record.” “Doesn’t that particular combination of phenomena remind you of something? No, it wouldn’t since you’re all Martians. But as an Earthwoman, it makes me think of just one thing--a thunderstorm.” Revere looked incredulous, said, “But that’s impossible. There isn’t enough atmosphere on Mars yet for any rain, much less for a thunderstorm. And on Callisto, the air is frozen on the ground.” “Just a moment,” said Rolf, his dark eyes gleaming. “I think I’m beginning to understand what Mrs. Marcein is driving at.” Lynne reacted with a shaft of pure delight to his use of her new name and title, then forced herself to listen attentively as he went on with, “If E has the elements of an atmosphere around him--I call it ‘him’ by courtesy only--he is capable of transmuting them in any form he wishes for self defence. But, Lynne, there has been no sign of rain with any of E’s blasts against his irritators.” “Let an Earth-girl speak on that,” said Lynne quietly. “If E can create an atmosphere capable of thunder and lightning, however briefly, that atmosphere must be capable of rain. Our problem is to keep E irritated long enough so rain will fall. Keep him irritated directionally so that he will harm no one and so localized that the area that needs moisture will receive the fruits of E’s irritation.” “_Crehut!_” said Revere. “And how do you propose to do that?” “By using the same techniques used to harness electricity on Earth,” said Lynne. “Relays of batteries using telepathic playbacks for irritants. We can set up such a relay and shield it by placing it underground. We can give it direction by placing it well upwind of Woomera Station. And we can work it by remote video control.”