“‘There has been speculation that the aerial phenomena might actually be some form of penetration from another planet . . . the existence of intelligent life on Mars is not impossible but is completely unproven . . . the possibility of intelligent life on the Planet Venus is not considered completely unreasonable by astronomers . . . Scientists concede that living organisms might develop in chemical environments which are strange to us . . . in the next fifty years we will almost certainly start exploring space . . . the chance of space travelers existing at planets attached to neighboring stars is very much greater than the chance of space-traveling Martians. The one can be viewed as almost a certainty . . .’”
DuBarry handed me the report. “Here—I practically know it by heart. Take it with you. You can send it back later.”
“I know the space-travel idea sounds silly at first,” said Purdy, “but it’s the only answer that explains all the sightings-especially those in the last century.”
He asked DuBarry to give me their file of historic reports. While John was getting it, Purdy went on:
“Be careful about this man Steele. After what he said about ‘moral responsibility’ I’m sure he’s planted.”
I thought back to Steele’s warning. I told Purdy: “If he had the space thing in mind, maybe he’s right. It could set off a panic that would make that Orson Welles thing look like a picnic.”
“Certainly it could,” Purdy said. “We’d have to handle it carefully-if it turned out to be the truth. But I think the Air Force is making a mistake, if that’s what they’re hiding. It could break the wrong way and be serious.”
John DuBarry came back with the file of old reports.
“It might interest you to know,” he said, “that the Air Force checked all these old sightings too.”
The idea was still a difficult one for me to believe.