Peril Of The Starmen
By Kris Neville
Their space ships landed near Washington, and
they met Earthmen with friendly smiles. It
was a great day—and quite possibly, our last!
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy
January 1954
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
"I called you three in," the Oligarch said, "because I have some veryimportant news."
Herb—he would later be assigned that name—was one of the three. Hehated the Oligarch, and he had no doubt that the Oligarch knew it.
"There are," the Oligarch said, "people on the planet. Unfortunately."
Dull rage and frustration and despair and helplessness bubbled up inHerb. His face remained calm.
"We'll have to keep them from interfering with us," the Oligarch said.
Herb wanted to cry: Find another! Not this one! Not the only one we'veever found with people on it!
But he said nothing. His anguished thoughts whirled like a duststorm, handling and rejecting ideas like bits of paper. The remoteand inaccessible Scientists were beyond accounting. Perhaps only thisplanet would serve. Perhaps there was insufficient time to locateanother of suitable mass. Perhaps.... But one could not know. One couldonly submit to authority. The storm died away, and Herb acknowledgedbitter reality with helplessness. There even seemed a nightmareinevitability about the selection.
"It would be dangerous to try to work secretly," the Oligarch said. "Ifthey were to discover us in the midst of planting the explosive, itwould be fatal. We'll go down and ask their permission."
No one protested.
"To that end," the Oligarch said, "I have selected you three competent,trustworthy men. You will learn their language and when we land, lulltheir natural suspicions. It will be your responsibility to see that weblow up the planet on schedule."
The crush of the responsibility was terrifying. "I don't need to tellyou," the Oligarch said, "that you can't fail."
And it was true. Herb believed.
Unless the planet Earth were exploded, the ever-unstable Universe,itself, would collapse. Already the binding force was dangerouslydiminished. If new energy were not released within a month,disintegration would begin. The Universe would alter and flow andcontract and after the collapse, slowly build itself into a newform—that form itself containing the inherent stresses of change andmutability. Only the arrival of starmen to space flight at the criticaltime—only their continued vigilance—prevented disaster beyondaccounting for.
Herb believed.
CHAPTER II
Well inside the solar system the huge space ship plunged on, releasedfrom the warp drive and slowly braking to establish an orbit around thethird planet.
Herb came up from the deep stupor of the drugs. He had been under theirinfluence for the last twenty hours while the sleep tapes hammeredinformation into his unconscious brain.
"All right," said Wezen, their private custodian, "time for exercise.Two hours of work-outs, and then you eat."
Herb sat up and felt his head. It ached dully. "Give me a minute. Timeto think, Wezen. I'm—"
The other two starmen were also recovering.
"None of that! No time to think! Get up! Get up!"
Herb got reluctantly to his feet. Cold air washed over his nude body,and he trembled. He wanted to return to sleep, not the d