He tried to reach the Director of NASA. The Director's secretary told Jim the Director was out of town and could not be reached except for emergency or other top-priority communications. Jim said that was exactly the nature of his message. The Secretary told him to get his Project Director to approve the message and an effort could be made to get it through.
That meant Hennesey.
Hennesey laughed in his face, and told him that one more fantasy like that would get him fired.
Jim had known that's the way it would be, but he had to try.
By this time, the Prospector had traveled more than ninety miles from the last probe. It was far enough, Jim decided. They'd put down one more probe, then—he didn't know where he'd go from there.
Sam saw the bleakness and bitterness on his face when he came into the tracking station. "No luck?" said Sam.
"What do you think? Have you ever realized that there is no way whatever for the ordinary citizen to get through with a message that requires action at the top? Channels, supervisors' approvals, okays by supervisors' supervisors—the only communication the top level has is with itself; generals talk to other generals, Bureau Directors talk to generals and other Bureau Directors, the President talks to his advisors who talk only to each other. The communication barrier is complete and absolute."
"I could have told you that," said Sam. "I've been here longer than you have. But some of them may still read a newspaper now and then."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Call a news conference of the science editors and reporters of the major press services and big-city newspapers. Your reputation is big enough that they'll listen to you."