"We didn't need your suggestion about an investigation. Plenty of other people thought of it first. The Senators will be here in four or five days. You're going to talk to them. You're going to tell them what you proposed to tell them."
"Of course. And what are you going to do about Morgan's cavalcade?"
Oglethorpe spat out an exclamation. "We'll set up barricades that they'd better not cross within ten miles of Base!"
"That won't help," Paul warned. "I think you'd better let me prepare something for them, too."
"Forget them! Take care of the Senators and the Project and you'll be doing enough."
Harper arrived shortly, nervous in spite of his attempt to appear composed. But he was put at ease when they took him to the laboratory of complex testing equipment assembled by Nat Holt.
Paul indicated a seat in the middle of the mass of equipment. "As near as we've been able to make it," he said, "this simulates the landing procedure of a rocket craft. There are a hundred and thirty-five distinct actions, observations and judgements involved. A taped voice will lead you through the sequence, asking you to press buttons and make adjustments to indicate your observations and responses. When you can do all this to your satisfaction, you will turn off the tape and continue for as many cycles as you can."
"How long? A man could do that for a month, provided he didn't have to sleep."
"I think you'll be a little surprised. You will continue until your accumulation of errors becomes so great that the entire procedure collapses."
"It still looks like a kid's game to me," Harper said confidently. "Let's get started."