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Phil stared at hiasped, "The -?"

The other assented with an apologetic shrug Phil let it sink in This was Morton Opperly who had worked on the Manhattan Project, whose name had appeared beside Einstein&039;s on the Physicists&039; Covenant, who had tried unsuccessfully to get hi World War III, who had becouely assuazed at the renowned physicist in happy awe The question that rose effortlessly to his lips was a testimony to Opperly&039;s ability to create an atmosphere of unlimited free discussion unknown since 1940

"Mr Opperly, what are orthos?"

"Orthos? That could be short for any number of scientific terms, Phil, but I bet you mean the ones that shoot Those are orthos-fissionables Trouble with ordinary fissionables - or fissionables under ordinary circuments and neutrons shoot off in all directions and the critical et the fissionable ato in the same direction, then they all split in the same place and every neutron hits the nucleus of the atom next to it Because of that last fact, the neutrons are all used up and the criticalit a very nasty and convenient weapon, except it has to backfire"

"How do you get the atoerly

"Temperature near absolute zero and an electric field," Opperly said, touching a button beside the doorway "Siun h fissionable pellets to give rapid fire, with the effect of a steady bea to make yourself an ortho in your home workshop, Phil? I&039; I&039;ve been telling you is top security, death penalty and all that But I&039;ulations I&039; Bobbie T he&039;ll have to have me orthocuted some day, but like everyone else he refuses to take me seriously That&039;s the trick they used on ot it"

"Bobbie T?"

Opperly rimaces "Barnes President Robert T Barnes We were charter members of the Midwest Starship Society Of course he was just a shaver then and now he&039;s a besotted, scripture quoting fox, but shared drea people permanently I drop in on hie He&039;s one of h the security services don&039;t tell hireen cat"

Phil was nerving himself to ask Opperly just what he&039;d learned, when he heard footsteps behind hiirl with hoofs was standing in the gateway

Just then the door of thewith excite brief case pockets, while his vest was crah microbooks to make up a dozen encyclopedias, plus two micronotebooks with stylus, and a fountain pen besides His hair was graying and thin, and he wore ancient pince-nez that twitched with his nose

"Dr Opperly!" He greeted in a high-pitched voice that expressed both fluster and delight "You co o," Opperly told hi at Phil, who decided the twitch was per it to express inquiry and mild apprehension

"Oh," Opperly said casually, "this is Phil Gish of the press" His eyes twinkled "Of the U S Newso Frobisher, PhCh - Chancellor of Philosophy, you know, the new higher degree I&039; at Phil as if he were a donor with a 100,000 check "This is , Mr Gish," he breathed Then he whipped out a micronotebook and poised on its white field the stylus whose movements would be reproduced on one ten thousandth of the space on the tape inside "The U S Newsate caust of uneasiness, but the newcoht out all the handsomeness of the faun-like face

"Me press, too," he announced happily "Introducing to each you Dion da Silva Much delight"

Frobisher seeaiety was undoubtedly generally contagious "What paper?" Frobisher asked

Phil noted that Opperly was studying the newco trouble with Frobisher&039;s question

"Mean what?" he countered, drawing his shaggy eyebrows together in a frown

" La Prensa ," Opperly supplied suddenly "Mr da Silva representsLa Prensa "

"Is so Thank you," da Silva confirmed

Phil could have sworn that Opperly had never seen da Silva before and that da Silva had never heard ofLa Prensa

However, Frobisher seeentle backward "I&039;m sure you&039;ll first want to tour our little establishround, you know"

"I&039;et the story itself," Opperly assured hio?"

"To tell the truth, I haven&039;t the faintest idea of Dr Garnett&039;s whereabouts," Frobisher replied with pri everywhere since thisIn every project We&039;d have to tour the Foundation to find him in any case"

Opperly flashed Phil a look of hu his hite teeth at everyone and saying, "Is fine, fine" Phil&039;s spirits rose He felt certain that he was getting nearer to Lucky