“ Phillips cut in, and they all laughed again."Really though," said MacMartree, "you should be proud, not bored. Think of it, if the sun that just rolled down the horizon should suddenly begin to expand into a super-nova, it's within our ability to restore it to its normal status. Should a comet sweep this planet tonight and drag a tail of poisonous gases over us as we sleep, our force screen would protect us, and our mechanisms and devices would make the air sweet and clean for us in minutes. If—oh, but you know. Appreciate your power, your ability. Be glad you are what you are!" ”
William L. Hamling
Summary
“Patrol”, is a work by William L. Hamling. It explores elements such as MacMartree, Abner and Phillips.
Quotes from Patrol (William L. Hamling)
“ Man is completely sufficient unto himself, and beyond that. There is an old word I have found in my reading...." He paused, trying to remember."Omnipotent," he said at last. "Man is omnipotent.""All-potent?" Abner asked. "All-powerful?""That's right ... it's an archaic word, but it fits," MacMartree told them. "But you don't appreciate your power, because you don't realize what your life would be without it."In my books, I've read of the things our species suffered, before our knowledge reached fulfillment. When we were bound to Earth, there were wars; men—killed one another." ”
“ We are here to see and observe. The discoverers do not accept their readings as infallible, though I suspect that they are. We're here on the one chance in a hundred million that somewhere on this little world, there's a being or an element that might bear enmity toward mankind."Abner sighed. "And so we patrol ... for a year.""Yes," MacMartree agreed. "For a year. And after the year, another patrol, and another year, and so on through a hundred patrols and years, until the place is classified safe for colonization.""I think my species is cowardly," Cole said, a trifle hotly. ”
