It was not intended for life. Arnsen felt himself an intruder.
O'Brien met his glance. The boy was smiling, rather wryly.
"I know," he said. "It doesn't look very promising, does it? But this is the place."
"Maybe—a million years ago," Arnsen said skeptically. "There's nothing here now."
Silently O'Brien put the crystal in the giant's hand.
From it a pulse of triumph burst out! Exultation! The psychic wave shook Arnsen with its intensity, wiped doubt from his face. Invisibly and intangibly, the jewel shouted its delight!
The glow within it waxed brighter.
Hastings said abruptly, "Time to eat. Metabolism's higher in space. We can't afford to miss a meal."
"I'm going out," O'Brien said.
But Arnsen seconded the pilot. "We're here now. You can afford to wait an hour or so. And I'm hungry."