Changes

== The scab ==

== The scab ==

On or about the first day of June in the last year of the strike (probably 1929), Midas looked up and saw a horrifying sight: an [[airplane]] descending ever closer to the 700-foot above-ground level. That in itself was not unusual; [[John Galt]] was in fact even now landing his own aircraft on the valley airstrip, after bringing in yet another strike prospect, one [[Quentin Daniels]], who had tried to reverse-engineer John Galt's electrostatic motor. But any pilot in the valley was supposed to call in by radio so that Midas could have the ray screen turned off. This pilot did not do this. More to the point, the pilot was an uninvited visitor. If he descended much lower, he would intercept the refractor rays, and then anything might happen, and probably not good.

On or about the first day of June in the last year of the strike (probably 1929), John Galt brought in yet another strike prospect, one [[Quentin Daniels]], who had tried to reverse-engineer John Galt's electrostatic motor. Midas took Daniels to his own house. (Normally a striker would spend his first night in John Galt's house, in case he might waver, but Daniels needed no such consideration.) Midas had barely reached his house before he looked up and saw a horrifying sight: ''another'' aircraft attempting to descend. Any pilot in the valley was supposed to call in by radio so that Midas could have the ray screen turned off. This pilot did not do this. More to the point, the pilot was an uninvited visitor. If he descended much lower, he would intercept the refractor rays, and then anything might happen, and probably not good.

As Midas watched, the plane descended to an altitude of 8700 feet, and then was engulfed in a bright flash. When the flash cleared, the plane was descending even more rapidly—in a flat tailspin. Midas would say later that he thought that whoever the pilot was, deserved to get himself killed for such recklessness. And so he was quite unprepared to learn that the pilot of that aircraft was none other than [[Dagny Taggart]].

As Midas watched, the plane descended to an altitude of 8700 feet, and then was engulfed in a bright flash. When the flash cleared, the plane was descending even more rapidly—in a flat tailspin. Midas would say later that he thought that whoever the pilot was, deserved to get himself killed for such recklessness. And so he was quite unprepared to learn that the pilot of that aircraft was none other than [[Dagny Taggart]].

Dagny did crash-land in the meadow next to the airstrip. John Galt hand-carried her into the center of the village that the strikers had built. Her ankle was injured, and she would require some [[medicine|medical]] attention, but at least she survived. But her presence created another problem, one that neither Midas nor Galt had anticipated: the first [[scab]].

Dagny did crash-land in a pastor on the far side of the valley from the airstrip. John Galt was first on the scene, and hand-carried her into the center of the village that the strikers had built. Midas met her there and rebuked her for taking her life in her hands as she had. Her ankle was injured, and she would require some [[medicine|medical]] attention, but at least she survived. But her presence created another problem, one that neither Midas nor Galt had anticipated: the first [[scab]].

Dagny Taggart stayed in the valley for a month. The novel records that John Galt rented Midas Mulligan's automobile for a nominal daily rate during that month. Dagny received a complete tour of the valley, and had the opportunity to talk to Midas and to all the strikers who lived in the valley.

Dagny Taggart stayed in the valley for a month. The novel records that John Galt rented Midas Mulligan's automobile for a nominal daily rate during that month. Dagny received a complete tour of the valley, and had the opportunity to talk to Midas and to all the strikers who lived in the valley.