They seemed to be grasping the general idea, so I concentrated on an image of myself, square and bearded, staring sternly into space through the ports, in a pioneer manner, observing hitherto unknown planets.

"Most ingenious," my audience vibrated back. "But unlikely."

Then they started vibrating among themselves.

"Senior e minus says...."

"Mush is mush, that's what I say."

"Now, theoretically...."

"I don't vibrate why not. There are more things in positive and negative, Horatio, than...."

"Excuse me," I vibrated.

There was a brief pause.