Gallegher said, “Hello, commander. I… I’m pretty sure that’s it. But I want to discuss some details with you first.”!:
Wall frowned. “Money? You can’t hold up the government. Or am I misjudging you? Fifty thousand credits should hold you for a while.” His face cleared. “You have fifteen hundred already; I’m prepared to write you a check as soon as you’ve completed a satisfactory demonstration.”
“Fifty thou—” Gallegher took a deep breath. “No, it isn’t that, of course. I merely want to make certain that I’ve filled the terms of our agreement. I want to be sure I’ve met every specification.” If he could only learn what Wall had requested! If he, too, had wanted a machine that ate dirt—
It was a farfetched hope, an impossible coincidence, but Gallegher had to find out. He waved the commander to a chair.
“But we discussed the problem’ in full detail—”
“A double-check,” Gallegher said smoothly. “Narcissus, get the commander a drink.”
“Thanks, no.”
“Coffee?”
“I’d be obliged. Well, then—as I told you some weeks ago, we needed a spaceship control—a manual that would meet the requirements of elasticity and tensile strength.”
“Oh-oh,” Gallegher thought.