Suddenly, there was a break. I perceived a freedom of thought in no way
hampered, total.
     "We can go,"  I said to Zernov, and I felt my  voice shake.  I hoped he
didn't notice.
     "How come Anokhin's giving orders now?" asked Dyachuk.
     Zernov answered, for I was helplessly weak.
     "Out of the  three thousand  million human beings  on the  Earth,  only
Anokhin   is   now   linked   with   this  extraterrestrial,  perhaps   even
extragalactic, civilization. So what will we say to humanity at large, Yuri?
Is there contact, and for how long?"
     "For all time," I replied.

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