Earl worked hard the rest of the day. Tank trucks were bringing the nerve fluid to the Dome in a never ending stream. Every load had to be tested before it was unloaded into the storage tanks, to make sure its quality was up to standard. One five thousand gallon load could contaminate it all.
At six o'clock he was relieved of his work. He dressed eagerly, finding no difficulty in meshing one hundred per cent with the desires of his conscious mind. He picked up Nadine at her hotel.
Crestmont boasted only two places worth going. One was just a dance floor, the other The Barn, with a small orchestra and dinners.
"The orchestra isn't as good here at The Barn," Earl said when they went in, "but we can have a table and enjoy ourselves."
They ordered their dinner. The orchestra started playing and soon the floor was fairly crowded. Earl took Nadine's hand and led her to the dance floor. After a few steps she discovered that she could dance quite easily. It delighted her.
They returned to their table finally, and ate. Afterward they danced again. Two of the other scientists were there with their partners. They nodded at Earl and Nadine but didn't join them.
During all this, Earl was careful not to insert any feeling, any impulse of his own into his conscious mind. What he intended to do must come as a surprise to both Nadine and the Cyberene, and afterwards they must think it to be the product of that conscious mind—not Earl himself.
His opportunity arose naturally. While they were dancing he spoke to her. She lifted her face to smile at him. Swiftly he kissed her, letting his lips linger until the throbbing and an angriness beat into him and a power outside himself pulled him back.
He retreated in his mind, afraid even to think, lest the Cyberene sense his thoughts and realize what he had been trying.
"Why did you do that?" he heard Nadine say from a great distance, through waves of torture.