Page Content (OCR)
SON OF THE SUN space, though it was shaded safely by the ship’s now partially opaque hull. Gracefully, the craft veered and assumed a course straighter, straighter, and then directly toward the sun. Adam jumped a little at the sudden realization that the craft was really headed for the sun. Though it was still more than ninety million miles distant it seemed only hours away, and he instinctively turned to Eve for a word of reassurance. Sensing his feelings, she softly and disarmingly assured him with, “Remember you decided to go, and you would not want it different. The worst that could happen is sudden oblivion, and whatever follows that. Anything else would be much harder on you, so do not think of the negative side, but ponder the positive. You can change your mind at any time before we cross the orbit of Mercury, and after that you will challenge the sun, its glory and its inferno, with every essence of your being, which is equal to the essence of our most enlightened peer.” Adam’s concern for his safety melted. Something she said had seized his interest. “Why the orbit of Mercury, Eve? What 1 a arnt) happens after that?” “Beyond the orbit of Mercury all radio contact begins to fade away; even the best of apparatus cannot pierce the turbulence of the sun’s environment. Likewise, human spirits become entities unto themselves, the lowly reach out to their vital zenith to meet on equal basis the very high ones. The sun melts all matter within itself to a nondescript form, for in its core there is no hydrogen atom and no uranium atom, nor any other atom. All are fused into ultimate heat and light. That is where we are approaching together. If anything happens, we become one in subatomic vapor. But then, do we not become total light?” Adam listened intently. He became resolved at once, not to be courageous, but to maintain a state in which he would be devoid ° rote . 1 of any concern for his own survival. “What is our velocity now?” he asked. cm oe > 4 “Ten million miles per hour,” she responded. “Give her the gas. Step her up, Eve. I went this fast before. 190 seized his interest.