〃
〃I don't mean to offend you；〃 Ted said； 〃but； personally； I don't see that psychology has much to offer。 Psychology's not a science； it's a form of superstition or religion。 It simply doesn't have any good theories； or any hard data to speak of。 It's all soft。 All this emphasis on emotions…you can say anything about emotions； and nobody can prove you wrong。 Speaking as an astrophysicist； I don't think emotions are very important。 I don't think they matter very much。〃
〃Many intellectuals would agree；〃 Norman said。
〃Yes。 Well；〃 Ted said； 〃we're dealing with a higher intellect here； aren't we？〃
〃In general；〃 Norman said； 〃people who aren't in touch ＇＇192＇＇ with their emotions tend to think their emotions are unimportant。〃
〃You're saying I'm not in touch with my emotions？〃 Ted said。
〃If you think emotions are unimportant； you're not in touch； no。〃
〃Can we have this argument later？〃 Barnes said。
〃Nothing is； but thinking makes it so；〃 Ted said。
〃Why don't you just say what you mean；〃 Norman said angrily； 〃and stop quoting other people？〃
〃Now you're making a personal attack；〃 Ted said。
〃Well； at least I haven't denied the validity of your field of study；〃 Norman said； 〃although without much effort I could。 Astrophysicists tend to focus on the far…off universe as a way of evading the realities of their own lives。 And since nothing in astrophysics can ever be finally proven…〃
〃……That's absolutely untrue；〃 Ted said。
〃…Enough！ That's enough！〃 Barnes said； slamming his fist on the table。 They fell into an awkward silence。
Norman was still angry； but he was also embarrassed。 Ted got to me； he thought。 He finally got to me。 And he did it in the simplest possible way； by attacking my field of study。 Norman wondered why it had worked。 All his life at the university he'd had to listen to 〃hard〃 scientists…physicists and chemists…explain patiently to him that there was nothing to psychology； while these men went through divorce after divorce； while their wives had affairs； their kids mitted suicide or got in trouble with drugs。 He'd long ago stopped responding to these arguments。
Yet Ted had gotten to him。
〃…return to the business at hand；〃 Barnes was saying。 〃The question is： what do we want to ask this guy？〃
WHAT DO WE WANT TO ASK THIS GUY？
They stared at the screen。
〃Uh…oh；〃 Barnes said。
UHOH。
〃Does that mean what I think it means？〃
DOES THAT MEAN WHAT EYE THINK IT MEANS？
＇＇193＇＇ Ted pushed back from the console。 He said loudly； 〃Jerry； can you understand what I am saying？〃
YES TED。
〃Great；〃 Barnes said； shaking his head。 〃Just great。〃
I AM HAPPY ALSO。
ALIEN NEGOTIATIONS
〃Norman；〃 Barnes said； 〃I seem to remember you covered this in your report； didn't you？ The possibility that an alien could read our minds。〃
〃I mentioned it；〃 Norman said。
〃And what were your remendations？〃
〃I didn't have any。 It was just something the State Department asked me to include as a possibility。 So I did。〃
〃You didn't make any remendations in your report？〃
〃No；〃 Norman said。 〃To tell you the truth； at the time I thought the idea was a joke。〃
〃It's not；〃 Barnes said。 He sat down heavily； stared at the screen。 〃What the hell are we going to do now？〃
DO NOT BE AFRAID。
〃That's fine for him to say； listening to everything we say。〃 He looked at the screen。 〃Are you listening to us now； Jerry？〃
YES HAL。
〃What a mess；〃 Barnes said。
Ted said； 〃I think it's an exciting development。〃
Norman said； 〃Jerry； can you read our minds？〃
YES NORMAN。
〃Oh brother；〃 Barnes said。 〃He can read our minds。〃
Maybe not； Norman thought。 He frowned； concentrating； and thought； Jerry； can you hear me？
The screen remained blank。
Jerry； tell me your name。
＇＇194＇＇ The screen did not change。
Maybe a visual image； Norman thought。 Perhaps he can receive a visual image。 Norman cast around in his mind for something to visualize； chose a sandy tropical beach； then a palm tree。 The image of the palm tree was clear； but； then； he thought； Jerry wouldn't know what a palm tree was。 It wouldn't mean anything to him。 Norman thought he should choose something that might be within Jerry's experience。 He decided to imagine a planet with rings； like Saturn。 He frowned： Jerry； I am going to send you a picture。 Tell me what you see。
He focused his mind on the image of Saturn； a brightyellow sphere with a tilted ring system； hanging in the blackness of space。 He sustained the image about ten seconds； and then looked at the screen。
The screen did not change。
Jerry； are you there？
The screen still did not change。
〃Jerry； are you there？〃 Norman said。
YES NORMAN。 I AM HERE。
〃I don't think we should talk in this room；〃 Barnes said。 〃Maybe if we go into another cylinder； and turn the water on 。。。〃
〃Like in the spy movies？〃
〃It's worth a try。〃
Ted said； 〃I think we're being unfair to Jerry。 If we feel that he is intruding on our privacy； why don't we just tell him？ Ask him not to intrude？〃
I DO NOT WISH TO IN TRUDE。
〃Let's face it；〃 Barnes said。 〃This guy knows a lot more about us than we know about him。〃
YES I KNOW MANY THINGS ABOUT YOUR ENTITIES。
〃Jerry；〃 Ted said。
YES TED。 I AM HERE。
〃Please leave us alone。〃
I DO NOT WISH TO DO SO。 I AM HAPPY TO TALK WITH YOU。 I ENJOY TO TALK WITH YOU。 LET US TALK NOW。 I WISH IT。
〃It's obvious he won't listen to reason；〃 Barnes said。
＇＇195＇＇ 〃Jerry；〃 Ted said； 〃you must leave us alone for a while。〃
NO。 THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE。 I DO NOT AGREE。 NO！
〃Now the bastard's showing his true colors；〃 Barnes said。
The child king； Norman thought。 〃Let me try。〃
〃Be my guest。〃
〃Jerry；〃 Norman said。
YES NORMAN。 I AM HERE。
〃Jerry； it is very exciting for us to talk to you。〃
THANK YOU。 I AM EXCITED ALSO。
〃Jerry； we find you a fascinating and wonderful entity。〃
Barnes was rolling his eyes； shaking his head。
THANK YOU； NORMAN。
〃And we wish to talk to you for many； many hours； Jerry。〃
GOOD。
〃We admire your gifts and talents。〃
THANK YOU。
〃And we know that you have great power and understanding of all things。〃
THIS IS SO； NORMAN。 YES。
〃Jerry； in your great understanding； you certainly know that we are entities who must have conversations among ourselves； without your listening to us。 The experience of meeting you is very challenging to us； and we have much to talk about among ourselves。〃
Barnes was shaking his head。
I HAVE MUCH TO TALK ABOUT ALSO。 I ENJOY MUCH TO TALK WITH YOUR ENTITIES NORMAN。
〃Yes； I know； Jerry。 But you also know in your wisdom that we need to talk alone。〃
DO NOT BE AFRAID。
〃We're not afraid； Jerry。 We are unfortable。〃
DO NOT BE UN FORTABLE。
〃We can't help it； Jerry。 。。。 It is the way we are。〃
I ENJOY MUCH TO TALK WITH YOUR ENTITIES NORMAN。 I AM HAPPY。 ARE YOU HAPPY ALSO？
〃Yes； very happy； Jerry。 But； you see； we need…〃
GOOD。 I AM GLAD。
〃…we need to talk alone。 Please do not listen for a while。〃
AM I OFFENDED YOU？
＇＇196＇＇ 〃No； you are very friendly and charming。 But we need to talk alone； without your listening； for a while。〃
I UNDERSTAND YOU NEED THIS。 I WISH YOU TO HAVE FORT WITH ME； NORMAN。 I SHALL GRANT WHAT YOU DESIRE。
〃Thank you； Jerry。〃
〃Sure；〃 Barnes said。 〃You think he'll really do it？〃
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER A SHORT BREAK FOR THESE MESSAGES FROM OUR SPONSOR。
And the screen w