his momentary preoccupation, he took to be a meteorite. Light streaking through the sky could, however, be a meteorite only on Earth with its atmosphere and not on the airless Moon.
The light in the sky was man-made and Denison had not yet sorted out his impressions when it became, quite clearly, a small rocket-vessel sinking rapidly to a landing beside him.
A single suited figure emerged, while a pilot remained within, barely seen as a dark splotch against the highlights.
Denison waited. The etiquette of the spacesuit required the newcomer joining any group to announce himself first.
"Commissioner Gottstein here," the new voice said, "as you can probably tell from my wobble."
"Ben Denison here," said Denison.
"Yes. I thought as much."
"Have you come here looking for me?"
"Certainly."
"In a space-skipper? You might - "
"I might," said Gottstein, "have used Outlet P-4, which is less than a thousand yards from here. Yes, indeed. But I wasn't looking only for you."
"Well, I won't ask for the meaning of what you say."
"There's no reason for me to be coy. Surely you have not expected me to be uninterested in the fact that you have been carrying on experiments on the Lunar surface."
"It's been no secret and anyone might be interested."
"Yet no one seems to know the details of the experiments. Except, of course, that in some way you are working on matters concerning the Electron Pump."
"It's a reasonable assumption."
"Is it? It seemed to me that experiments of such a nature, to have any value at all, would require a rather enormous setup. This is not of my own knowledge, you understand. I consulted those who would know. And, it is quite obvious, you are not working on such a setup. It occurred to me, therefore, that you might not be the proper focus of my interest. While my attention was drawn to you, others might be undertaking more important tasks."
"Why should I be used as distraction?"
"I don't know. If I knew, I would be less concerned."
"So I have been under observation."
Gottstein chuckled. "That, yes. Since you have arrived. But while you have been working here on the surface, we have observed this entire region for miles in every direction. Oddly enough, it would seem that you, Dr. Denison, and your companion, are the only ones on the Lunar surface for any but the most routine of purposes."
"Why is that odd?"
"Because it means that you really think you're doing something with your gimcrack contraption, whatever it is. I can't believe that you are incompetent, so I think it would be worth listening to you if you tell me what you are doing."
"I am experimenting in para-physics, Commissioner, precisely as rumor has it. To which I can add that so far my experiments have been only partly successful."
"Your companion is, I imagine, Selene Lindstrom L., a tourist guide."
"Yes."
"An unusual choice as an assistant."
"She is intelligent, eager, interested, and extremely attractive."
"And willing to work with an Earthman?"
"And quite willing to work with an Immigrant who will be a Lunar citizen as soon as he qualifies for that status."
Selene was approaching now. Her voice rang in their ears. "Good day, Commissioner. I would have liked not to overhear, and intrude on a private conversation, but, in a spacesuit, overhearing is inevitable anywhere within the horizon."
Gottstein turned. "Hello, Miss Lindstrom. I did not expect to talk in secrecy. Are you interested in para-physics?"
"Oh, yes."
Chapter 25
"You are not disheartened by the failures of the experiment."
"They are not entirely failures," she said. "They are less a failure than Dr. Denison thinks at present."
"What?" Denison turned sharply on his heel, nearly overbalancing himself and sending out a spurt of dust.
All three were facing the Pionizer now, and above it, just about five feet above it, light shone like a fat star, Selene said, "I raised the intensity of the magnetic field, and the nuclear field remained stable in being - then eased further and further and - "
"Leaked!" Denison said. "Damn it. I didn't see it happen."
Selene said, "I'm sorry, Ben. First you were lost in your own thoughts, then the Commissioner arrived, and I couldn't resist the chance of trying on my own."
Gottstein said, "But just what is it that I see there?"
Denison said, "Energy being spontaneously given off by matter leaking from another Universe into ours."
And even as he said that the light blinked out and many yards away, a farther, dimmer star came into simultaneous being.
Denison lunged toward the Pionizer, but Selene, all Lunar grace, propelled herself across the surface more efficiently and