"Maybe present; maybe nothing but projected illusions. It is not possible to distinguish. So, say a couple are missing when the screen goes up. Suppose I down screen again. Protest. The natives are all apology. The men return."
"All right then."
"Not exactly. When the screen is up again—maybe instead of two missing, by then I would have four gone. The temptation gets too strong. Fighting it is like doubling bets to get even on a crooked wheel."
"Hmph!" Slack handling. Incredibly slack. It certainly was time a man who knew his own mind took over.
The satellite was orbiting. He had taken an anti-hypnosis pill. So too, although he hadn't bothered to tell them about it, had Viola and Garten, in their coffee. "Well, Captain. Your problems with Nirva are over. I—" he drew himself up in full executive-command stance—"am going to straighten the place out. In five weeks, when you return to pick us up, you will find Nirva, under my administration, a sound, sensible, stable colony. And we three will all return with you."
"Oh?" The captain was a skeptic.
"Of course," said Viola, "When my husband says a thing will be done, you can count it done."
"And this other gentleman, Secast Garten?"
"Naturally, sir. Secad Screed is a man of his word. Not even Nirva could alter his determination."