"Of course. Produce one shred of evidence by experimentation."
"The cost!" exploded Barden. "You admit that every piece of equipment will require special construction. There is nothing in the solar system at the present time that will be useful."
"All of which makes us skeptical."
Murdoch spoke up: "We're not accusing you of trying to perpetrate a hoax. You must admit, however, that it is quite possible for any man to be completely carried away by his own theories. To believe in them thoroughly, even to the point of despising any man who does not subscribe to the same belief."
"That I do admit. However, gentlemen, I implore you to try. What can you lose?"
Hansen smiled wistfully. "About three million dollars."
"But think of the results."
Hansen's wistful expression increased. "We're all thinking of the result of dropping about three million dollars at the theory of a young, unknown man. It's a wild gamble, Mr. Barden. We're betting our reputations on ten pages of mathematics and very excellent logic. Can you think of what our reputations would be if your predictions were false?"
"But they are not."
Murdoch interrupted. "How do you know?" he said flatly.