A large number of green lights flashed up in answer to the question.

“All right, we’ll begin,” said the President and pushed his hand under the book-rack in front of his seat. There were three buttons there connected with a calculating machine, the one on the right signalled “yes,” the middle one, “no” and the one on the left “abstain.” Every member of the Council sent a signal which the others could not see. Evda Nahl and Chara also pressed buttons working a separate machine which counted the votes of the audience to control the correctness of the Council’s decision.

A few seconds later large symbols appeared on the demonstration screen — the problem had been accepted for discussion by the whole planet.

Grom Orme took the floor.

“For a reason that I shall not disclose until the case is over, we shall now examine the action of Mven Mass, the former Director of the Outer Stations of the Astronautical Council and will then decide the question of the 38th Cosmic Expedition. Does the Council believe that I have sufficient motives for my request?”

Green lights signalled unanimous consent.

“Does everybody know the details of what happened?”

Again a flash of green lights.

“That will speed up our business! I will ask Mven Mass, the former Director, to outline his motives for an action that had such dire results. The physicist, Renn Bose, has not yet sufficiently recovered from his injuries and has not been sent for as a witness. He is not answerable for the experiment.”

Groin Orme noticed a red light burning at Evda Nahl’s seat.

“Attention everybody! Evda Nahl wants to make an additional statement about Renn Bose.”

“I would like to speak in his place.”

“What are your motives?”

“I love him!”

“You may speak after Mven Mass.”

Evda Nahl extinguished the red light and sat down.

Mven Mass appeared on the rostrum. Calmly, in no way excusing himself, he told of the results that were expected from the experiment, related what had actually happened and the vision in which he did not quite believe. Their foolish hurry in carrying out the experiment on account of the secretiveness and illegality of their action, left them no time to devise special recording machines, they had relied on the usual memory machines and they had been destroyed in the first instant. Another mistake had been the conduct of the experiment through the satellite. They ought to have attached an old planetship to Satellite 57 and set up instruments on it to orientate the vector. He, Mven Mass, was guilty in all respects. Renn Bose made the arrangements for the ground installations but the transmission of the experiment into the Cosmos was exclusively the competency of the Director of the Outer Stations.

Chara clenched her fists, Mven Mass’ self-accusation seemed weighty enough to her.

“Did the observers on the satellite know that a catastrophe was the possible outcome?” asked Grom Orme.

“Yes, they were warned and willingly gave their consent.”

“I am not surprised that they consented, thousands of young people take part in dangerous experiments that are carried out every year on the planet and it sometimes happens that they arc killed. And new volunteers come to the fore undaunted,” said Grom Orme, grimly “to do battle with the unknown. When you, however, warned the young people, you were showing that you suspected that such an outcome was possible. Nevertheless you carried out a risky experiment without even taking the necessary steps to ensure that definite results would be obtained.”

Mven Mass lowered his head in silence and Chara suppressed a profound sigh, feeling Evda Nahl’s hand on her shoulder.

“Outline the motives that led you to undertake the experiment,” said the President after a pause.

Mven Mass spoke again, this time with impassioned excitement. He said that from early youth he had always regarded as a reproach the millions of nameless graves of people defeated by inexorable time, and that he could not allow this opportunity to pass, for the first time in the history of this and neighbouring worlds, of making an attempt at the conquest of space and time, of erecting the first landmarks on that great path, a path which many great minds would follow…. He did not believe that he had the right to postpone, perhaps for a century, this experiment, merely because he was subjecting a few people to danger and himself to great responsibility.

Mven Mass spoke and Chara’s heart beat faster in pride for her fiance elect. Now the African’s guilt did not seem so great.

Mven Mass returned to his place and stood there waiting, in view of all.

Evda Nahl handed over a record of Renn Bose’s speech. His weak, gasping voice filled the hall through the amplifiers. The physicist exonerated Mven Mass. As he did not know all the implications of the experiment the Director of the Outer Stations could do nothing but trust him, Renn Bose, and he had convinced him that success was certain. The physicist, however, did not consider that he was in any way to blame, either. Every year, he said, important experiments are mounted and some of them have a tragic end. Science is a struggle for the happiness of man and it demands its victims in the same way as any other struggle. Cowards who are afraid to risk their own skins never know the fulness and joy of living, nor do such scientists ever make any advances.

Renn Bose concluded with a brief explanation of the experiment and an analysis of the mistakes and expressed his confidence in future successes. The tape recorder stopped.

“Renn Bose did not say anything about his observations during the experiment,” said Grom Orme, raising his head and addressing Evda Nahl. “You wanted to speak in his place.”

“I expected that question and for that reason asked for the floor,” answered Evda. “Renn Bose lost consciousness a few seconds after the F station was switched in and did not see anything else. On the verge of consciousness he noticed and remembered only the readings of the instruments that indicated zero space. Here is his record from memory.”

A few figures appeared On the screen and were immediately copied down by many people.

“Allow me to add on behalf of the Academy of Sorrow and Joy,” said Evda, “that a poll of public opinion taken since the catastrophe gives the following….”

A series of eight-figure numbers flashed on the screen in columns headed condemnation, exoneration, doubt with regard to the scientific approach and accusation of haste. The total was undoubtedly in favour of Mven Mass and Renn Bose: the faces of those present brightened up.

A red light was switched on at the far end of the hall and Groin Orme gave the floor to Pour Hyss, the astronomer of the 37th Cosmic Expedition. He spoke loudly and temperamentally, waving his long arms and stretching his neck so that his Adam’s apple was prominent.

“A group of us, astronomers, condemn Mven Mass. The conduct of an experiment without the sanction of the Council, was an act of cowardice that gives rise to the suspicion that his action was not as selfless as it would appear from what has been said.”

Chara burned with indignation and only remained in her seat in obedience to Evda Nahl’s cold glance. Pour Hyss finished his speech.

“Your accusation is a serious one but not clearly worded,” said Mven Mass when the President gave him the floor, “will you please explain what you mean by cowardice and selfishness?”

“Immortal fame should the experiment succeed — that is the thought of self that underlies your experiment. And I say cowardice because you were afraid that you would not get permission for the experiment and conducted it hastily and in secret!”

Mven Mass’ face expanded in a smile, he spread his arms like a child and sat down without speaking again. Pour Hyss was the very picture of malignant triumph. Evda Nahl again asked for the floor.