"The second, though being more dangerous, appears to be the best thing for us and you too, because you will be able to live a reasonably natural life, while we search for a cure." I felt myself edging toward the rim of my chair in anticipation. Was there a little hope, I asked my- self.

"What we are asking you to consider is a body exchange!” There it was. I was the first to gain the power of speech. "What! A body ex- change? What are you talking about?'

He went on, unruffled by my outburst. "Precisely that, son," he said. "In the year that you were away from earth, Russia tried and succeeded in transplanting the brain of a man into another body. It used to be the opinion of eminent people that the heart was the life center of man, and it is true that life here stops when the heart ceases to function, but we have come to the knowledge that the brain is the living being. It can be transplanted into a healthy body and live on indefinitely.

"What we offer to do for you is as follows, and the choice is yours. We can suspend life for you and work on the cure for the disease. When we have that cure, we can restore life as you know it now. Then you resume living, as if nothing happened. If that doesn't sound good, we have the alternative. We will attempt to exchange bodies for you. You would be in an alien body, but you would be yourself. Well, that's it. Would you like to have another day to consider?

Jess spoke then. "If that is all that we have to choose between, I can make my decision right now. I would rather that you change me into another body than to be put to sleep and wake up in some future day and lose years of happenings." I saw good logic in what he said, but a thought came to me and I asked about it. "Where will these bodies come from?”

Mr. Bishop (who was our Commander) answered: "We have posted every hospital in the country on our need for two bodies with skulls the size of your own. Fortunately for Jess, here, we have located and obtained, a body that is what we needed. It will be no problem for his brain to adapt itself in this new home. It is your own transfer that we are concerned about. You have an unusual sized brain. It is much smaller than the average man, and no pun is intended. We recognize your brilliance. You were selected for your mission by computer from thousands of other young men.

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