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=== Arrival in Atlantis ===

=== Arrival in Atlantis ===

Galt had Henry's aircraft fueled and ready to fly. The two men took off, with Galt at the control yoke, and headed west-southwest. Rearden was no doubt surprised, but only for a moment, to find Galt flying toward the very mountains where Dagny had disappeared last summer. Galt then headed for that same weird valley, the one that receded as the plane got close. And then Rearden saw something that staggered his imagination: after Galt made a brief radio call, the craggy valley ''disappeared,'' revealing the lights of a thriving village and what were obvious landing lights of a single runway. So instead of a crash landing, Galt piloted them to a very safe landing.

Galt had Henry's aircraft fueled and ready to fly. The two men took off, with Galt at the control yoke, and headed west-southwest. On the way, Galt advised Rearden that he, Galt, ran his own research program in abstract physics, and regularly delivered lectures during his infrequent visits to the secret community where they were headed. Galt then said that he would offer his lectures to the community upon their landing, and offered to let Rearden enroll. At ten dollars (in gold, meaning half an ounce) per student, Rearden found the tuition dirt cheap. Naturally he accepted.

 

Rearden was no doubt surprised, but only for a moment, to find Galt flying toward the very mountains where Dagny had disappeared last summer. Galt then headed for that same weird valley, the one that receded as the plane got close. And then Rearden saw something that staggered his imagination: after Galt made a brief radio call, the craggy valley ''disappeared,'' revealing the lights of a thriving village and what were obvious landing lights of a single runway. So instead of a crash landing, Galt piloted them to a very safe landing. No doubt Rearden observed that if ''this'' was an example of what John Galt's physics could do, he would gladly have paid a hundred dollars to take his lecture course.

Rearden no doubt asked the obvious question, "What is this place?" To which Galt probably replied, "That depends on whom you ask. I call it Mulligan's Valley. Most of the residents here call it [[Galt's Gulch]]. A mutual acquaintance of ours, who is still in the outer world, calls it Atlantis—I think Francisco suggested that name without knowing it. But the important thing is that you may now call it home."

Rearden no doubt asked the obvious question, "What is this place?" To which Galt probably replied, "That depends on whom you ask. I call it Mulligan's Valley. Most of the residents here call it [[Galt's Gulch]]. A mutual acquaintance of ours, who is still in the outer world, calls it Atlantis—I think Francisco suggested that name without knowing it. But the important thing is that you may now call it home."

Rearden spent his first night in a room in Galt's small cabin in the valley. The walls of that room were covered with cryptic messages and signatures. Rearden recognized nearly all of them: [[Ellis Wyatt]], [[Ken Danagger]], [[Lawrence Hammond]], and many others. When Rearden woke up next morning, he likely planned to leave no message of his own—but would have wanted to leave one anyway. Its likely content: "Free at last."

Rearden spent his first night in a room in Galt's small cabin in the valley, a room that Galt, with no trace of irony, called "the torture chamber," or "the anteroom." Cryptic messages and signatures covered its walls. Rearden recognized nearly all of them: [[Ellis Wyatt]], [[Ken Danagger]], [[Lawrence Hammond]], and many others. When Rearden woke up next morning, he likely planned to leave no message of his own—but would have wanted to leave one anyway. Its likely content: "Free at last."

The first person to visit him was Dr. Thomas Hendrix, a famous neurosurgeon who had quit the outer world many years ago, when the country had embraced socialized medicine. Hendrix likely gave him some fast-acting drugs of his own invention that would help him recover much faster from his injuries. When the time came to settle his bill, Henry gave the doctor an IOU. Henry knew, of course, that he already had a very large bank account to draw on; all he would need to do was see [[Midas Mulligan]] to discuss opening it.

The first person to visit him was Dr. Thomas Hendrix, a famous neurosurgeon who had quit the outer world many years ago, when the country had embraced socialized medicine. Hendrix likely gave him some fast-acting drugs of his own invention that would help him recover much faster from his injuries. When the time came to settle his bill, Henry gave the doctor a "marker" on the gold bar that he carried. (Later he used it to buy a hefty supply of gold and silver coin from the Mulligan Mint.) Henry knew, of course, that he already had a very large bank account to draw on; all he would need to do was see [[Midas Mulligan]] to discuss opening it.

Henry wouldn't get his car back until a day or so later. (The record for driving cross-country is just under forty-five hours of continuous driving.) But Francisco landed in mid-day, carrying at least five passengers: the mills superintendent, the chief metallurgist, the chief engineer, Henry's long-serving secretary, and the chief physician of the former Rearden Steel. Many other former Rearden Steel employees would arrive later, driving in through the one-and-only camouflaged road into the valley.

Henry wouldn't get his car back until a day or so later. (The record for driving cross-country is just under forty-five hours of continuous driving.) But Francisco landed in mid-day, carrying at least five passengers: the mills superintendent, the chief metallurgist, the chief engineer, Henry's long-serving secretary, and the chief physician of the former Rearden Steel. Many other former Rearden Steel employees would arrive later, driving in through the one-and-only camouflaged road into the valley.

{{cquote|Gentlemen, I give you Rearden Steel!}}

{{cquote|Gentlemen, I give you Rearden Steel!}}

The men of Atlantis received him enthusiastically. This was true even of one [[Andrew Stockton]], a foundry owner who realized that Henry Rearden must inevitably put him out of business. Henry made immediate plans to settle his employees (those who had followed him) in the valley, a process that involved building individual houses for them all. (Galt's Gulch did not have a dedicated homebuilder, but the Rearden workforce could probably build houses for themselves readily enough.) Then he plunged into an effort to rebuild Rearden Steel, knowing that his old plant was now shut down and would soon be in no condition to operate, with government men to try to run it.

The men of Atlantis received him enthusiastically. This was true even of one [[Andrew Stockton]], a foundry owner who realized that Henry Rearden must inevitably put him out of business.

 

Henry spent half that evening taking orders for Rearden Metal from [[Ellis Wyatt]], Stockton, [[Lawrence Hammond]], and many others. He planned to settle his employees (those who had followed him) in the valley, a process that involved building individual houses for them all. (Galt's Gulch did not have a dedicated homebuilder, but the Rearden workforce could probably build houses for themselves readily enough.) Then he plunged into an effort to rebuild Rearden Steel, knowing that his old plant was now shut down and would soon be in no condition to operate, with government men to try to run it. His estimate of Galt's physics proved correct; the John Galt lecture course proved to be the best practical education he had ever had.

== The decline and shutdown of Rearden Steel ==

== The decline and shutdown of Rearden Steel ==