 By the end of the passage. what can we understand about the opening scene?
I do not think it was what Peter called an emotion; and yet it had nothing to do with logic, either. His dream was perfect; the Citadel was complete, every minutest detail provided for—on paper. Then there would remain only the task of blasting the great, shining ship out into the carefully-calculated orbit that would be its home. He could see, too, the level on level of laboratories and storerooms that filled its interlocking segments; the meteor deflectors, the air renewal system, the mighty engines at the stern—all the children of his brain. The ship would be filled with the sounds of busy men and women, wresting secrets from the reluctant ether. The order was made public early this morning by R. Stein, Secretary of the Council, who said in part: "The reason for this ... order must be apparent to all civilized peoples. "The peoples of the world, then, know what they are, and know that we face the most momentous struggle in our history. "Since the Invaders first appeared in Wood River, Oregon, 24 hours ago, they have not once acknowledged our attempts to communicate, or in any way taken notice of our existence as reasoning beings. They have treated us precisely as we, in less enlightened days, might have treated a newly-discovered race of lower animals. They have examined us, dissected us, driven us mad, killed us with no discernable provocation; and this is more intolerable than any normal invasion. "I have no fear that the people of Earth will fail to meet this challenge, for there is no alternative. Not only our individual lives are threatened, but our existence as a race. Peter sank back in his chair, the full shock of it striking him for the first time. " Peter took it in fifteen seconds, running, and stumbled to a halt in front of the door marked "Radiation." It was a street scene in the Science City of Manhattan, flooded by the warm spring sunshine. Down on the lowest level, visible past the transport and passenger tubes, the parks and moving ways should have been dotted with colorful, holiday crowds. "There will be panics and suicides, and they know it; but they have to do it. This isn't like a war, where the noncombatants' morale has to be kept up. Peter walked down the narrow aisle, past bakelite-sheathed mechanisms and rows of animal cages, and paused just short of it.
 Despite being logical, Robert feels emotional about killing Peter.  He is at odds with himself.
 Without Peter, the ship won't be functional anymore.  Despite being logical, Robert feels emotional about killing Peter.  He is at odds with himself.  Robert kills Peter without any thought behind it.  Robert's cold logic has won him over completely.