They would not be back until Maculay came back in one year—at which point Ava would subtly change, too, to conform with Maculay's desire.
This left Hanson helpless for one year, during which time Redmond would be working towards destruction with no barriers to his course. Hanson could express no more than an unfounded opinion of the fear of danger; he had neither prestige nor formal education in the field of high-geared physics. The first objection he voiced would be taken with a nod by whomever official heard it, accepted for what it was: an opinion by a medical savant of seventy years regarding a problem in spacial physics. Then this opinion would be referred to Redmond for official regard. Hanson knew the answer without asking the question. Redmond would laugh in scorn. Redmond would—
Hanson shook his head unhappily. Redmond would be a tough nut to crack. Belligerent, automatically biassed against the doctor, any attempt at hypnosis would be fought against most vigorously. Yet—
Jay Hanson had been in his business for a long time, but he had had no challenge such as this for years. And though old in body, he was young enough in mind to contemplate the mental challenge with a certain amount of interest.
He bought tickets and flew to the laboratory site where Maculay and his gang worked on spatial physics; he used his medical prestige as key to admittance, and found Redmond sitting at Maculay's desk checking a huge blueprint of a spacecraft.
Redmond looked up. It was obvious that this little scene was one prepared by Redmond. Men who have visitors announced by secretaries, after having signed passes to let the visitor into the inner sanctum, after learning as he must have learned that the famous doctor had come to the huge laboratory site, should not look up from their desks in surprise.
Hanson understood; Redmond was morally right and ethically wrong. He had every moral right to take over Maculay's position during Maculay's absence; that was his appointed job. But ethically, he had no right to paw through Maculay's desk, and take from Maculay's secret files the information that Maculay had forbidden him to see. Now he was play-acting the part of a busy man who had all of the power he needed.
Redmond said: "Yes, Doctor Hanson?"
Hanson paid no attention to the blueprint. "I thought you'd like to know," he said softly, "that I've been unable to locate Maculay."