“This is impossible!” he fumed at Chilko. “We could never build the nullifier in that short a time.”
“But the aliens claim that their, testing group will arrive next week,” the Russian said. “What can we do? All we have is an untested theory. We need time to build the machine.”
Hartnell slapped the desk hard and shouted, “We will get the time. We shall go to see the aliens this very minute. Surely if we show them that we already have the theory, which I’m sure is correct, and that we need only the time to apply its principles mechanically, they will grant us the stay. At any rate, it is certainly worth a try!”
He snatched up his phone and quickly dialed the U.N. laboratory where the aliens were being kept.
“Hello, this is Hartnell speaking. I want to arrange an immediate interview with the aliens… That is right, slates and all… We will be there in half an hour.”
When Hartnell and Chilko arrived at the interrogation hall with their portfolios, everything was ready for the interview. By this time the problem of communication with the aliens had been much simplified. A very efficient pictograph system had been worked out that allowed the interview to progress almost as quickly as if both groups could actually speak to each other. The alien captain and his crew sat on one side of a conference table on low stools. The two Earth scientists sat opposite them. Hartnell and the captain both used large slates upon which they wrote their pictographs. Hartnell wrote first.
“We wish to delay the test.”
“I do not know if we can do that,” the captain wrote. “We work on a close schedule, there are several other planets waiting for our examiners.”
“We have good reason for our request,” Hartnell’s chalk flew over his slate. “We already have the theory of nuclear fission nullification. We need only the time to build and test the machinery necessary to do the work.”
“Can you prove what you say?” the captain asked.