"Ridiculous! Laboratory standards were necessary to prove the existence of psi."
"Therefore, Earth scientists will go on proving it to each other for the next hundred years."
"What are you proving by this inferior duplication of our psi tests?" Lucifer challenged, hoping to divert attention from another disastrous run of the cards.
"More than you suspect, Dr. Brill. For one thing, by checking this first test with your Earth record, and later with additional tests, we can obtain an indication of your response to orientation. This could be important to you, vitally important, I might add. Now, shall we proceed."
It was an order, not a question.
Lucifer saw Nina nod at him, and try to smile encouragingly. This fed his anger with the fuel of humiliation.
The attendant took a new deck of cards, began to turn them.
Brill felt his eyes drawn again to Nina. He called out his answer, unthinkingly. "Circle ... circle ... star ... rectangle ... circle...."
When the run was completed, the attendant instantly started another.
A third and a fourth run, then the attendant turned to Huth with a rapid burst of language.