“Know?”
“Well, it’s pretty obvious. One of the layers of the plateau, just below the foot of the cliff, has to be ammonia. That’s mineral there. A lot of it was melted by the falling rock, and the Mesklinites smelled it—”
“Smelled something like it.”
“What else could that be?”
“How do I know? I’m not a Mesklinite.” A third voice cut in. “The two of you are just gabbling. We haven’t seen a layer that looked like ammonia — it’d be white, like ice.”
“It would be ice.”
“All right, but we haven’t seen any.”
“It’s underground at river level.”
“But how could—?”
“That’s what I’m saying! We’ve got to check — I mean, Barlennan’s people have to check—”
“How? They don’t have drills, or shovels, or picks, and you can’t expect a Mesklinite to go tunneling, do you?” The captain had never heard this verb, but context suggested its meaning, rather too clearly. “Why not? Barlennan’s had lots of time underground now, and he’s still all right.”
“How do you know he is?” The captain started to tune out, as usual. Just another of the theory-based wrangles among Flyers, which of course might lead to something later. Then he saw what the something probably would be. The Flyers were very persuasive beings— Any being with muscles and a nervous system complex enough to consider alternatives consciously can shudder. Dondragmer was obviously listening, too.
INTRODUCTION TO “LECTURE DEMONSTRATION”
From Astounding: John W. Campbell Memorial Anthology, edited by Harry Harrison, Random House, 1973