Kendall had a difficult decision to make;
if he defied the aliens Clare faced a horrible
death; if he complied a whole planet must die!
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy
August 1956
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
The phonovision bell rang. Reed Kendall reached for the switch, nottaking his eyes off the blueprint that lay on his desk. He spokeabsently. "Yes?"
The reply came sharp and cold. "I'd suggest you stop what you're doingand pay attention to me."
Kendall raised his head and looked at the screen. The image that facedhim was that of a man; a tall man in ordinary street clothes, butwearing an odd silver mask over his face.
Kendall made no effort to hide his annoyance. This was no time forjokes. Some lab comedian with time on his hands. "Now listen here! I'mbusy and I'm in no mood to—"
"Shut up!"
The tone was sharp, brutal, contemptuous. It stiffened Kendall, theneased him slowly back into his chair. "What do you want?"
"That's better."
"Take that absurd mask off."
"I'll leave it on."
"Then get this over with. Tell me what you want!"
"It will take a few minutes. Go over and lock your door."
"I'll do no such thing!"
"I said—go over and lock your door."
Their eyes clashed; Kendall's frank, indignant, accusing; thestranger's dark and menacing in the holes of the mask.
"Very well." Kendall crossed the room and stood for a moment with hisback to the phonovision screen. This man meant business. But what couldbe the nature of that business? Kendall's thoughts went of course tothe top secret material he had access to. The defense of the world laywithin the boundaries of the Canadian Flats Ordnance Research Project.But safely so.
The Centaurians were as eager to set these secrets as—well, as hadbeen the Russians during the first phase of the atomic era when theworld was divided into two frightened and belligerent camps. Strange,Kendall thought, that he should think of that period. The world hadlong since become one frightened and belligerent camp but the problemof survival had greatened as advanced science had opened the starways.
"I said—lock the door!"
Kendall complied. As he returned to his desk, he sensed the man wassmiling behind his mask. What was he? A Centaurian? Either that or aTerran. Certainly not a Venusian unless he was standing on a box.
"Sit down."
"All right. Let's get on with it."
"In my own good time. First, let me sympathize with you on your lovefor your wife."
"What sort of idiocy are you talking about?"
The man ignored the question. "You are unique in that love, Mr.Kendall. We conducted a telepathic survey of every married scientist inthis project. And only one psych-pattern was suited to our purpose."
Kendall scowled. "I think you are enjoying this—but I'm not. Andbelieve me, you'll live to regret it."
"We were fortunate in finding you, Mr. Kendall—the one man here whowould be incapable of allowing his wife to die horribly if he couldprevent it—no matter what the cost."
A vague fear coupled with a chill was seeping through Kendall's brain."Say what you've come to say and get it over with!"
"I'm doing just that. We have your wife, Kendall. We got her at teno'clock this morning."
"Impossible! Our security is foolproof. No person has ever beenkidnapped from any world defense project!"
"Never before, but let me tell you why. Because such a hostage wouldhave been of little value. Terran sci