"We have traveled endlessly, we have seen much, we have studied much; but what of it? Fundamentally we have accomplished nothing and we know nothing. We know but little more than we knew countless thousands of cycles ago, when our home planet was still substance. We know nothing of time; we know nothing of space; we know nothing even of the fourth dimension save that the three of us who rotated themselves into it have never returned. And until one of us succeeds in building a neutralizing pattern we can never die—we must face a drab and cheerless eternity of existence as we now are."
"An eternity, yes, but an eternity neither drab nor cheerless. We know but little, as you have said, but in that fact lies a stimulus; we can and shall go on forever, learning more and ever more. Think of it! But hold—what is that? I feel a foreign thought. It must emanate from a mind powerful indeed to have come so far."
"I have felt them. There are four foreign minds, but they are unimportant."
"Have you analyzed them?"
"Yes. They are the people of the space ship which we just mentioned; projecting their mentalities to us here."
"Projecting mentalities? Such a low form of life? They must have learned much from you, Eight."
"Perhaps I did give them one or two hints," Eight returned, utterly indifferent, "but they are of no importance to us."
"I am not so sure of that," One mused. "We found no others in that Galaxy capable of so projecting themselves, nor did we find any beings possessing minds sufficiently strong to be capable of existence without the support of a material body. It may be that they are sufficiently advanced to join us. Even if they are not, if their minds should prove too weak for our company, they are undoubtedly strong enough to be of use in one of my researches."
At this point Seaton cut off the projections and began to muster his sixth-order defenses, therefore he did not "hear" Eight's outburst against the proposal of his leader.