DARK RECESS
By George O. Smith
(author of "The World-Mover")
FEATURE NOVEL OF COSMIC SECRETS
Clifford Maculay was the one man who could explain thecurious shift in the universe, which was far more than theacademic matter it seemed to be. But Maculay had been"cured", and was no longer interested....
There are two basic ways to treat personality difficulties. One: changethe personality. Two: remove the psychic blocks which are at the rootof the trouble. The first method may be simpler, in some cases, andmay be accomplished without apparent harm. But what if an individual'sworth to society is so entangled with his personality troubles thatwhen you change the latter, the former disappears, too?
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Future combined with Science Fiction Stories July 1951.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Clifford Maculay reacted instantly to the doctor's question; he becamehalf-angry, completely indignant.
Doctor Hanson smiled. "You're not angry at the question," he saidquietly; "you're not even surprised that a man of seventy should asksuch a question. What you are indignant about is that your mind deniessuch a need. Cliff, you're trying to run your body with your brain."
"Naturally. So what has my love life—?"
"You've got glands too," remarked Hanson. "And some of them are damnedimportant to mental balance."
Maculay sat forward on the chair, tense and alert. He was notaccustomed to being browbeaten; Maculay gave the orders and otherpeople jumped. Now that he was on the receiving end of the deal, he waspreparing for the battle of wits. But Hanson had seen many such men inforty-odd years of medicine. Hanson did not see Maculay the Mind; hesaw a man of thirty-eight, soft from lack of exercise, underweight fromthe constant burning away of nervous energy. He saw a fine physicalmachine being run into an early grave or a sanatorium, because the mindbehind those sharp blue eyes was too damned ignorant to understandthat it could not trade the worn-out body for a new model with whitesidewall tires, automatic defroster, and long-playing record attachment.
"Relax," said Hanson; "I'm not going to argue with you."
"Good. Now let's get down to business."
"Exactly what do you want?"
Maculay pondered for a moment. "Do you understand variable-matrixradiation mechanics?"
"Probably as little as you know synaptic pressure theory."
"That's the trouble. I can't explain in detail what I want. I can onlyexplain by analogy. Look, Doc, for eight years I've been experimentingwith some mathematics along an entirely new field of theory.Indications are that gross matter can exceed the velocity of lightunder certain conditions; but in attempting to define these conditionsby mathematical formulation I've hit a snag."
"What manner of snag?"
Cliff leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. He wasphysically relaxed, now, but only Doctor Hanson could hazard a guess asto how much of this man's metabolism went into the job of keeping thatbig brain in high gear.
"Physical matter cannot, of course, exceed the speed of light inuniversal space. However, normal space is no longer normal when it iswarpe