could be built in this valley. Not a tall city, with gray
streets and gardens on the roofs. This could be a nice little city like
people used to have. There would be little houses, all separate, and
there'd be grass all around and people could pluck flowers if they
wanted to, to take inside.... There could be families here, and
homes--not living-quarters!"

Cochrane said nothing. He was envious of the others. They saw, and they
dreamed according to their natures. Cochrane somehow felt forlorn.
Presently he said depressedly:

"We'll go back to the ship. You can work out your woman's viewpoint
stuff with Bell, Babs. He'll write it, or you can give it to Alicia to
put over when we go on the air."

Babs made no reply. The absence of comment was almost pointed. Cochrane
realized that she wouldn't do it, though he couldn't see why.

They did go back to the ship. Cochrane sent Babs and Holden up the
sling, first, while he waited down below. It was a singular sensation to
stand there. He was the only human being afoot on a planet the size of
Earth or larger, at the foot of a cliff of metal which was the
space-ship's hull. He had a weapon in his hand, and it should defend him
from anything. But he felt very lonely.

The sling came down for him. He felt sick at heart as it lifted him. He
had an overwhelming conviction of incompetence, though he could not
detail the reasons. The rope hauled him up, swaying, to the dizzy height
of the air-lock door. He could not feel elated. He was partly
responsible for humankind's greatest achievement to date. But he had not
quite the viewpoint that would let him enjoy its contemplation.

The ground quivered very faintly as he rose. It was not an earthquake.
It was merely a temblor, such as anyone would expect to feel
occasionally with six smoking volcanic cones in view. The green stuff
all around was proof that it could be disregarded.

CHAPTER SEVEN

In the United States, some two-hundred-odd light-years away, it happened
to be Tuesday. On this Tuesday, the broadcast from the stars was
sponsored by Harvey's, the national men's clothing chain. Harvey's
advertising department preferred discussion-type shows, because
differences of opinion in the shows proper led so neatly into their
tag-line. "You can disagree about anything but the quality of a Harvey
suit! That's Superb!"

Therefore the broadcast after the landing of the ship on the volcanic
planet was partly commercial, and