"Let's see our equations," suggested Maculay.
"Rather," said Redmond, "let's visit the spacecraft."
"All right."
Hanson said: "Are you certain that you're not assuming too much?"
"Meaning?" asked Redmond coldly.
"You are basing everything on the fact that an alien spacecraft passed through here. How do you know?"
Redmond laughed in a superior manner. "Since matter cannot exceed the velocity of light without being encased in a volume of unreal space—and since a volume of unreal space would kick up the same sort of wake as we measured—we can assume that some intelligence has developed negative space and is using it. Negative space, Doctor Hanson, is not to be found free in nature."
"But you've really added nothing to Maculay's Equations."
"We've proven by observation that the sustained destruction of the universe will not obtain; we'll prove it, too."
Hanson snorted. "This isn't a game of bridge," he said; "you're not bidding a grand slam just to see if you can make it without the ace of trump."