"Well, why won't they? The people just didn't trust us, that was all. What does the man in the street know about transmatters? Nothing. But give him one, and then try to take it away."
"Sure, sure," said Pete. "It sounds great. Just a little bit too great."
Tommy blinked at him. "Too great? Are you crazy?"
"Not crazy. Just getting nervous." Pete jammed his hands into his pockets. "Do you realize where we're standing in this thing? We're out on a limb—way out. We're fighting for time—time for Charlie and his gang to crack the puzzle, time for the Grdznth girls to gestate. But what are we hearing from Charlie?"
"Pete, Charlie can't just—"
"That's right," said Pete. "Nothing is what we're hearing from Charlie. We've got no transmatter, no null-G, no power, nothing except a whole lot of Grdznth and more coming through just as fast as they can. I'm beginning to wonder what the Grdznth are giving us."
"Well, they can't gestate forever."
"Maybe not, but I still have a burning desire to talk to Charlie. Something tells me they're going to be gestating a little too long."
They put through the call, but Charlie wasn't answering. "Sorry," the operator said. "Nobody's gotten through there for three days."
"Three days?" cried Tommy. "What's wrong? Is he dead?"