he humanity of man."

Oglethorpe leaned closer, his fists resting on the top of the desk. "The
humanity of man be damned! I told you before we want men who've
forgotten they were ever human, men of metal and electrons. If I didn't
think you were the man who could do it--probably the _only_ man in the
whole country--you wouldn't last here another minute. But you _can_ do
it, and you're going to.

"Your little lecture was enough to ruin your career in any place you try
to run to, if you undermine Superman. Who do you suppose would trust you
with any kind of research after that expression of intent to sabotage
the Project your Government entrusted you with, and which you agreed to
carry out?

"You're finished, Medick, washed up completely in your own profession,
unless you give me what I've asked for! I won't take promises any more.
The only assurance you can give me from here on out is results! I want
those men, and I want them damn fast!"

* * * * *

Professor Barker listened attentively as Paul sat across from him in the
administration office and reported Oglethorpe's visit and demands.

"We're caught in a squeeze, and we've got to push both ways," Paul said.
"If the Base goes down, Superman goes with it, and we've lost an
opportunity that will never come again in our lifetimes. So we've got to
do two things: We've got to give active support to the rebuilding of the
Wheel, and we've got to develop some kind of show that will convince
Oglethorpe that Superman is giving him what he wants. It will mean
detouring our basic objectives, but it's necessary in order to have a
project at all. I'd like you to take charge of it."

"It'll be a waste of time," Barker said slowly. "I wonder if we'll ever
get back on the track."

"We'll have to gamble on it," said Paul. "I don't want you to feel I'm
deliberately pushing you up a blind alley, but I think you're the best
man for bringing up something we can sell Oglethorpe--while we try to do
some real research on some honest goals."

"We can follow the usual lines of so-called training--brute conditioning
through shock and fear and pain and discomfort. Most of the men here are
already well anaesthetized in that respect. Their breakdown level is
high."

"Cummins' was the highest," said Paul, "and he cracked. But work along
those lines anyway. Maybe we can find a way to thicken the conditioning
armor. At the same time let's push a genuine invest