68 Pieter Lawrence says we can’t?” “Who They reached an impasse and for a moment fell silent. Eventually, continued. asking about sensitive, “You’re secret information but Hurst is not a criminal and neither is he a lunatic. He is a totally sane, law abiding person and that’s the problem.” He went on to reveal that a group within the government knew about the approaching comet and had mounted a large scale operation to plot its movement; that Hurst had made the discovery on his own; that best efforts were made to persuade him not to make his discovery public and when he refused, he was arrested. it was too late “Unfortunately, to stop these newspaper reports,” he said. He tried to explain that it was all done for the best of motives which were to prevent mass hysteria and panic, and that by implying that Hurst was mentally unbalanced the newspaper reports would be ignored. It was designed to buy some time to allow plans for the protection of the population to be prepared. arrest of Hurst was the last thing we “The wanted,” he continued, wanted his cooperation. We “We explained the difficulties and offered him all sorts of inducements but he refused everything. I think it’s fair to say that he had an equal part in creating an impossible situation.” Rachel softened her tone. don’t have to apologise to “You me. I’m only a sideline critic.” iAll we wanted was some time.” Seeing his depleted state she smiled in sympathy to “Try understand,” she said, not blaming you. I wouldn’t know “I’m who to blame; perhaps we are all to blame.” She refilled his glass. all this stuff in the paper could be true and we “So, really are facing great dangers from space?”
68 Pieter Lawrence “Who says we can’t?” They reached an impasse and for a moment fell silent. Eventually, continued. “You’re asking about sensitive, secret information but Hurst is not a criminal and neither is he a lunatic. He is a totally sane, law abiding person and that’s the problem.” He went on to reveal that a group within the government knew about the approaching comet and had mounted a large scale operation to plot its movement; that Hurst had made the discovery on his own; that best efforts were made to persuade him not to make his discovery public and when he refused, he was arrested. “Unfortunately, it was too late to stop these newspaper reports,” he said. He tried to explain that it was all done for the best of motives which were to prevent mass hysteria and panic, and that by implying that Hurst was mentally unbalanced the newspaper reports would be ignored. It was designed to buy some time to allow plans for the protection of the population to be prepared. “The arrest of Hurst was the last thing we wanted,” he continued, “We wanted his cooperation. We explained the difficulties and offered him all sorts of inducements but he refused everything. I think it’s fair to say that he had an equal part in creating an impossible situation.” Rachel softened her tone. “You don’t have to apologise to me. I’m only a sideline critic.” iAll we wanted was some time.” Seeing his depleted state she smiled in sympathy “Try to understand,” she said, “I’m not blaming you. I wouldn’t know who to blame; perhaps we are all to blame.” She refilled his glass. “So, all this stuff in the paper could be true and we really are facing great dangers from space?”