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Lloyd caught sight of them and came forward immediately； both hands extended。 〃Eli！〃 he boomed good…naturedly。 〃You're late。 One would think you were planning to move Mount Everest instead of a lump of iron。〃 He took Glinn's elbow and steered him toward a set of stone benches on the far side of the pyramid。
McFarlane settled on a bench opposite Lloyd and Glinn。 Here； in the shadow of the pyramid； it was cool。
Lloyd pointed at the slim folder under Glinn's arm。 〃Is that all my million dollars bought me？〃
Glinn did not reply directly； he was gazing at the pyramid。 〃How high will it be when pleted？〃 he asked。 〃Seventy…seven feet；〃 Lloyd replied proudly。 〃It's the tomb of an Old Kingdom pharaoh； Khefret II。 A minor ruler in every way … poor kid died at thirteen。 I wanted a bigger one； of course。 But it is the only pyramid outside of the Nile Valley。〃
〃And the base； what does it measure？〃
〃One hundred and forty feet on a side。〃
Glinn was silent for a moment； his eyes veiled。 〃Interesting coincidence；〃 he said。
〃Coincidence？〃
Glinn's eyes slid back to Lloyd。 〃We reanalyzed the data on your meteorite。 We think it weighs closer to ten thousand tons。 Same as your pyramid over there。 Using standard nickel…iron meteorites as a basis； that would make your rock about forty feet in diameter。〃
〃That's wonderful！ The bigger the better。〃
〃Moving the meteorite will be like moving this pyramid of yours。 Not block by block； but all together。〃
〃So？〃
〃Take the Eiffel Tower； for instance；〃 Glinn said。
〃I wouldn't want to。 Ugly as hell。〃
〃The Eiffel Tower weighs about five thousand tons。〃
Lloyd looked at him。
〃The Saturn V rocket … the heaviest land…based object ever moved by human beings … weighs three thousand tons。 Moving your meteorite； Mr。 Lloyd； will be like moving two Eiffel towers。 Or three Saturn V rockets。〃
〃What's the point？〃 Lloyd asked。
〃The point is that ten thousand tons； when you actually consider it； is a staggering weight。 Twenty million pounds。 And we're talking about lugging it halfway around the world。〃
Lloyd grinned。 〃The heaviest object ever moved by mankind … I like that。 You couldn't ask for a better publicity hook。 But I don't see the problem。 Once it's on board the ship； you can bring it right up the Hudson practically to our doorstep。〃
〃Getting it on board the ship is the problem … especially those last fifty feet from shore into the hold。 The biggest crane in the world picks up less than a thousand tons。〃
〃So build a pier and slide it out to the boat。〃
〃Off the coast of Isla Desolacion； the depth drops to two hundred feet a mere twenty feet from shore。 So you can't build a fixed pier。 And the meteorite would sink an ordinary floating pier。〃
〃Find a shallower place。〃
〃We've checked。 There is no other place。 In fact； the only possible loading point is on the eastern coast of the island。 A snowfield lies between that point and the meteorite。 The snow is two hundred feet deep in the center。 Which means we have to move your rock around the snowfield to get it to the ship。〃
Lloyd grunted。 〃I'm beginning to see the problem。 Why don't we just bring a big ship in there； back it up to shore； and roll the damn thing into the hold？ The biggest supertankers hold half a million tons of crude。 That's more than enough to spare。〃
〃If you roll this meteorite into the hold of a ship； it would simply drop right through the bottom。 This is not crude oil； which conveniently displaces its weight as it fills a hold。〃
〃What's all this dancing around； then？〃 Lloyd asked sharply。 〃Is this leading up to a refusal？〃
Glinn shook his head。 〃On the contrary。 We're willing to take on the job。〃
Lloyd beamed。 〃That's terrific！ Why all the gloomy talk？〃
〃I simply wanted to prepare you for the enormity of the task you want to acplish。 And for the mensurate enormity of our bill。〃
Lloyd's broad features narrowed。 〃And that is。。。 ？〃
〃One hundred and fifty million dollars。 Including chartering the transport vessel。 FOB the Lloyd Museum。〃
Lloyd's face went pale。 〃My God。 One hundred and fifty million。。。〃 His chin sank onto his hands。 〃For a ten…thousand…ton rock。 That's。。。〃
〃Seven dollars and fifty cents a pound；〃 said Glinn。
〃Not bad；〃 McFarlane said； 〃when you consider that the going rate for a decent meteorite is about a hundred bucks a pound。〃
Lloyd looked at him。 〃Is that so？〃
McFarlane nodded。
〃In any case；〃 Glinn continued； 〃because of the unusual nature of the job； our acceptance es with two conditions。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃The first condition is double overage。 As you'll see in the report； our cost estimates haven't been especially conservative。 But we feel that； to be absolutely safe； twice that amount must be budgeted for。〃
〃Meaning it's really going to cost three hundred million dollars。〃
〃No。 We believe it's going to cost one hundred and fifty； or we wouldn't have presented you with that figure。 But
given all the unknown variables； the inplete data； and the immense weight of the meteorite； we need some maneuvering room。〃
〃Maneuvering room。〃 Lloyd shook his head。 〃And the second condition？〃
Glinn took the folder from under his arm and placed it on one knee。 〃A dead man's switch。〃
〃What's that？〃
〃A special trapdoor； built into the bottom of the transport vessel； so that in the direst emergency the meteorite can be jettisoned。〃
Lloyd seemed not to understand。 〃Jettison the meteorite？〃
〃If it ever shook loose from its berth； it could sink the ship。 If that happened； we'd need a way to get rid of it； fast。〃
As Lloyd listened to this； the pallor that had e across his face gave way to a flush of anger。 〃You mean to say the first time we hit a rough sea； you dump the meteorite overboard？ Forget it。〃
〃According to Dr。 Amira； our mathematician； there's only a one…in…five…thousand chance of it being necessary。〃
McFarlane spoke。 〃I thought he was paying the big bucks because you guaranteed success。 Dumping the meteorite in a storm sounds like a failure to me。〃
Glinn glanced at him。 〃Our guarantee is that EES will never fail in our work。 And that guarantee is unequivocal。 But we can't guarantee against an act of God。 Natural systems are inherently unpredictable。 If a freak storm came out of nowhere and foundered the vessel； we wouldn't necessarily consider that a failure。〃
Lloyd bounded to his feet。 〃Well； there's no way in hell I'm going to drop the meteorite to the bottom of the ocean。 So there's no point in letting you build a dead man's switch。〃 He took several steps away from them； then stopped； facing the pyramid； arms folded。
〃It's the price of the dance；〃 Glinn said。 He spoke quietly； but his voice carried total conviction。
For a time； Lloyd made no reply。 The big man shook his head； clearly in the grip of an inner struggle。 At last he turned。
〃All right；〃 he said。 〃When do we start？〃
〃Today； if you like。〃 Glinn stood up； carefully placing his folder on the stone bench。 〃This contains an overview of the preparations we'll need to make； along with a breakdown of the associated costs。 All we need is your go…ahead and a fifty…million retainer。 As you will see； EES will handle all the details。〃
Lloy