If I hadn't recognized
you, you wouldn't have been allowed to land on my asteroid. You're not
wearing Starman's red, you know."
"We're grateful to you, Mr. Vly," nodded Zip.
"May I ask-" began Mark, then hesitated.
"Yes, you may ask. Go on."
Mark turned his head toward the sphere. "The sphere..."
"Oh yes. It's pure crystal, all right."
The Starmen gasped. "Pure...crystal...?" stammered Mark. "Why, there
can't be a larger one in the Solar System! It's priceless!"
"Next largest was in the Smithsonian Institution, a little more than
twelve inches in diameter. This one's sixteen and three-quarters
inches. Found it myself on Adamant-that's the parent asteroid from
which this sliver I live on was busted off a few millennia ago." Mark
knew he was referring to what he had called a "worthless chunk" before
they landed.
Vly went on. "Shaped it myself in those old machines you saw coming in
here. Had to redesign some of 'em to fit a crystal this size, but we
did it."
"It looks flawless!" breathed Joe.
"Looks it, but isn't. Its flaws are its greatest treasure. Watch this;
you haven't seen anything yet." Vly picked up a small cutting tool with
a laser guide at the end. He turned off the lights and then pointed the
laser at the crystal sphere. The beam struck the surface and then
scattered throughout the interior of the globe, igniting sparks of
spectacular glory.
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