The next morning found Hari using the calling device again. He was angry because, for one thing, he was hungry.
His attempt to reach Sunmaster Fourteen was deflected by someone who insisted that Sunmaster could not be disturbed.
"Why not?" Seldon had asked waspishly.
"Obviously, there is no need to answer that question," came back a cold voice.
"We were not brought here to be prisoners," said Seldon with equal coldness. "Nor to starve."
"Im sure you have a kitchen and ample supplies of food."
"Yes, we do," said Seldon. "And I do not know how to use the kitchen devices, nor do I know how to prepare the food. Do you eat it raw, fry it, boil it, roast it ?"
"I cant believe you are ignorant in such matters."
Dors, who had been pacing up and down during this colloquy, reached for the device and Seldon fended her off, whispering, "Hell break the connection if a woman tries to speak to him."
Then, into the device, he said more firmly than ever, "What you believe or dont believe doesnt matter to me in the least. You send someone here--someone who can do something about our situation--or when I reach Sunmaster Fourteen, as I will eventually, you will pay for this."
Nevertheless, it was two hours before someone arrived (by which time Seldon was in a state of savagery and Dors had grown rather desperate in her attempt to soothe him).
The newcomer was a young man whose bald pate was slightly freckled and who probably would have been a redhead otherwise.
He was bearing several pots and he seemed about to explain them when he suddenly looked uneasy and turned his back on Seldon in alarm. "Tribesman," he said, obviously agitated. "Your skincap is not well adjusted."
Seldon, whose impatience had reached the breaking point, said, "That doesnt bother me."
Dors, however, said, "Let me adjust it, Hari. Its just a bit too high here on the left side."
Seldon then growled, "You can turn now, young man. What is your name?"
"I am Graycloud Five," said the Mycogenian uncertainly as he turned and looked cautiously at Seldon. "I am a novitiate. I have brought a meal for you." He hesitated. "From my own kitchen, where my woman prepared it, tribesman." He put the pots down on the table and Seldon raised one lid and sniffed the contents suspiciously. He looked up at Dors in surprise.
"............