The news pushed one hatchet murder, a bank robbery, a football upset, and three political harangues all the way back to page seven. In terms more glowing than scientifically accurate, the matter transmitter screamed in three-inch headlines, trailed down across the page in smaller type, and was embellished with pictures, diagrams, and a description of the apparatus. The latter had been furnished by Walt Franks, and had been rewritten by the reporter because Walt's description was too dry.
The following morning Venus Equilateral had nine rush telegrams. Three were from cranks who wanted to go to Sirius and set up a restorer there to take people; four were from superstitious nuts who called Channing's attention to the fact that he was overstepping the rights given to him by his Creator; one was from a gentleman who had a number of ideas, all of which were based on the idea of getting something for nothing, and none of which were legal; and the last one was a rather curt note from Terran Electric, pointing out that this device came under the realm of the power-transmission tube and its developments and that they wanted a legal discussion.
"Have they got a leg to stand on?" asked Walt.
"I doubt it."
"Then to the devil with them," snapped Walt. "We'll tell 'em to go jump in the lake."
"Nope. We're going in to Terra and slip them the slug. If we clip them now, they'll have nothing to go on. If we wait until they get started, they'll have a fighting chance. Besides, I think that all they want to do is to have the facts brought out. Are we or are we not under the terms of that contract?"
"Are we?"
"We're as safe as Sol. And I know it. That contract pertained to the use of the Solar beam only, plus certain other concessions pertaining to the use of the power-transmission tubes and other basic effects as utilized in communications."
"Why can't we tell 'em that?"
"It's got to be told in a court of law," said Don. "Kingman's mind runs to legal procedure like Blackstone."