"Yes, but—"
"Virginia, you hope to play a winner. Do you greatly care who really wins so long as all is serene, happy, and peaceful?"
"Only one more requisite," she said wistfully, "I'd like to have it remain that way."
Bronson laughed. "It has been adequately pointed out often enough that the gents who formulated the Declaration of Independence guaranteed only the right to 'pursue' happiness. It is a hopeless quest to seek complete peace and quiet."
"Don't talk like that," she said. "I only meant that I'm not too convinced that your idea about Earth Three having something definitely wrong with it—"
Ed Bronson reached forward and put one hand on each of her shoulders. "Look, youngster," he said with a smile, "I'm no hero. I'm not imbued with the spirit of altruism and self-righteous self-sacrifice."
Virginia looked into his eyes solemnly. "You would have little hesitation before you isolated yourself here on Earth One if—"
"Only because I am dead certain that there is something basically wrong with Earth Three."
Virginia smiled. "As a not-too-innocent bystander," she said seriously, "I'm little sold either way. Earth Two is doomed. That I know because I saw Earth One. But having been trained to the idea of scientific research, I'm inclined to think that Earth Three with its freedom is the right answer.