retch out and drag them back, and
they can become wealthy in open business, in the million chances for
wealth that lie around them in the Belt. They don't know that they
want this yet, but they will see it when it is told to them. I can't
do any of this now--it's suspended for as long as I am part of UT and
have to drag the dead weight of ten Earth-tied conservatives with me
in every decision."

VIII

He stopped to set in the coordinates of the Moon for the robot pilot,
but he found himself still wanting to talk. "Man has reached space--do
you think he'll ever go back to the ground? In space he has gravity
only when he wants it, and any weight of gravity he likes, depending
on how fast he spins his house. And no gravity when he wants that. You
see what that means to engineers in the advantage of building things?
No weight in transportation, no weight in travel, limitless speed and
almost no cost as long as he stays away from planet pulls. His house
is in the sky, and when he steps out of it he can fly like a bird. And
food. To grow food there is sunlight Earth never dreamed of. For heat
and power there is sunlight to focus. Space is flooded with heat,
irradiated with power--

"It's not child's play taming it, and those on the ground don't see it
yet. But the next step of mankind is out into space, and it's never
coming back."

Pierce, sitting in one of the shock tank armchairs, asked, "What part
do you have in this?"

Bryce looked at him with a feeling almost of surprise, as if he had
been called back from a long distance. "Me?" he laughed, a little awed
by the immensity of the goal, and the ease of it.... "First President
of the Belt and political boss for life. That's enough."

Enough to hold the solar system in the palm of his hand, if he chose.
He who rules space, rules the planets. It was the first time he had
ever mentioned his goal to anyone.

Roy Pierce asked, "What do I do about this 'friend' of yours who lays
traps?"

The last attack had settled the question of who was behind the other
attacks, and who had told Beldman, but Orillo would still be a useful
pawn. All that was necessary was to evade his attempts at murder for a
month or so until partnership tied them too close for murder.

Bryce explained some of that to Pierce, setting up a chess board to
pass away the time until they arrived back at Moonbase City.

"What's my next assignment?" Pierce asked, when they were several
moves into the g