Chapter 21

The five had finished eating by now, and the Ruler rose. “I will call my advisors together, and discuss this matter with them,” he said. “But I can tell you now that I am more than ever disposed to accept your invitation. I could do so this moment,” he said with a deprecating smile, “but I like to make sure that the leaders of my people agree with my decisions, as much as possible. I will have a servant show you to my study, where you can discuss your own plans while my ministers, my son and myself talk in the Council Chambers. I will let you know as soon as we reach a definite decision.”

“Thank you, k’nyer. We will gladly await your answer,” Admiral Newton rose, too, and bowed, as did Hanlon and Hooper.

“And thanks for the fine meal,” Hanlon grinned. “I was really hungry.”

Inver came up to him and laid his hand on Hanlon’s shoulder. “I like you,” he said simply but from the heart. “I hope we shall always be friends, and shall meet often through the coming years.”

In the little study the three found easy chairs, and Admiral Newton turned first to Major Hooper. “As far as I know now, we’ll all be going back when the sneakboat comes in a day or so. I suggest you go back to Simonides and get in touch with the High Command to get your next assignment.”

“Right, sir, will do.”

“About you, Spence, I want you to come with me and...”

“Excuse me, dad, but if I can have some free time, there is some very important research I want to do, that I think will benefit humanity much more than another detective assignment.”

“What’s on your mind, son?”

“This new ability I’m beginning to get,” Hanlon said seriously. “I’ve found I can get down to the level of the body cells and glands, with my mind, and I think with more study and research I can learn things no one else has ever known before. But I’ll need a lot of help from research doctors and endocrinologists, to tell me things I don’t know. I may be all wet, but I have an idea I can, in time, make some very important contributions to medical science--with their help in telling me what to look for, and if it can be arranged so I can have the time to devote to that. I don’t mean,” he added, flushing with embarrassment, “that I think I’m...”

“You are, whether you think so or not,” his father interrupted, eyes gleaming with pride and some amusement. “With those special gifts of yours, you can do things no one else ever hoped to do. Such research would certainly be worthwhile, especially if you can help others learn how to heal wounds as fast as you did mine.”

“Speaking of which,” Hooper broke in, “I suggest, admiral that you lie down while we’re talking. It will be less strain on your body and heart, and you’re still weak, even if you won’t admit it,” he added as he saw a protest forming on Newton’s lips.

When Hanlon added his entreaties to Hooper’s, the admiral grinned and lay down on a couch there in the study. “Anybody’d think you guys were the head men, not me,” he growled, but good-naturedly.

Then he sobered quickly and went back to their discussion. “I’ll have to take it up with the Board, of course, but I think they’ll agree. I know of nothing definite needing you right at the moment, so they’ll probably give you a leave of absence for that research.”

“I’d like to go to some other planet than Terra or Simonides,” Hanlon said. “One where I’m not known, so I won’t have to be watching out for anyone who might recognize me. And if I’m to do the study, I’ll want authorization to work at some of their insane asylums, too.”

“Why those, in John’s name?”

“When I tackled Irad’s mind towards the end, I was able to get down inside of it, further than I’ve ever been in any other person’s mind, because he was insane at the last, and his mind was breaking down. There seems to be a block or barrier in every sane person’s mind that I can’t get through.”

“But you got into your father’s...” Hooper looked puzzled.

“In dad’s case, Curt, it was only because he was unconscious, rather than asleep or awake, that I could penetrate. Even then, I had to sort of ... well, by-pass the barrier ... to get down deep enough to touch the cells and glands and such things. Of course, with more study and practice, now that I know more about it, I may be able to reach those depths in spite of the block ... oh, heck, I sound like I considered myself a sort of superman,” he flushed again, and his eyes implored them not to think him conceited.

“We know you neither are a superman nor think you are,” his father assured him quickly. “You have a special gift, and you are trying to use it to benefit others, that’s all. Don’t be modest--it’s really false modesty, in a way. Go ahead with your ideas.”

“Well, I’d also like to try working with engineers and technies, to see if it would be possible to rig up some sort of a mechanical method of doing the same thing.”

Newton shook his head in puzzled wonder. “You’re completely beyond understanding, Spence. I sometimes wonder if you’re human ... if you’re really the son of Martha and myself.”

“Why, no,” Hanlon grinned then. “Didn’t you know? I’m a changeling the little elves left on your doorstep.”

His father and Hooper laughed away the tension. “Could be, at that,” the admiral said. “Well, I’ll certainly recommend to the Board that they grant you all the time and opportunity you need. If you can get to the bottom of this, and especially if you can teach other doctors how to get at those glands and use them...”

“That’ll be the hard part, dad. What I do hope to be able to do is to perhaps find out more exactly how the nerves and cells and glands work, and then doctors would be better able to diagnose and treat various diseases and injuries.”

They were interrupted by Inver, who came in to ask certain questions the Ruler and advisors wished to know.

“Would it be possible, or rather, is it something you would permit,” he asked, “for us to set up some sort of an advanced school or university here, and have you send us instructors? A place where our best young men and women could go to study the many things we know nothing about?”

“It certainly will be possible, and it is a wonderful idea,” Admiral Newton assured him. “And one thing we want to make clear, that you do not yet seem sure of. That is that there is no question of our ‘permitting’ you to do what you want to do. None whatever, in any way, shape or form. Your government is and will always be completely autonomous--always handled as you people see fit to work it. We never, under any circumstances, try to make other races ‘conform’ to any standards or regulations they do not wish to make their own. We will give freely of our knowledge, our science and technologies, our beliefs and concepts--but you Estrellans will be the sole and only judge of what you want to accept.