Illustration by VIRGIL FINLAY
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Thrilling Wonder Stories Winter 1954.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Author's Note
There have been so many letters[1] asking how Manning Draco gotstarted and how he developed a secondary mind shield (the only oneamong the Terrans) that I have decided to take you back in time—backto the year 3470, when Manning Draco was unaware that he had anyabilities other than the talents of an ordinary insurance investigatorand a first-class ogler of shapely girls.—K.F.C.
[1] Well, there was one letter.
I
Manning Draco had been out of the hospital for the better part of twoweeks, but the Medical Monopoly had kept him hanging around on RigilKentaurus while the pharmaceutical pundits scratched their headsand muttered the mystical phrases of their profession. If it hadn'tbeen for a generous supply of nurses, who were interested in a quitedifferent branch of research, Manning might well have fused his jets infrustration.
Six months had passed since the accident. That night he had justfinished the case of the Dented Denebian and was relaxing in theTwilight Zone of Sin City on Hamal. He had made the mistake of gettinginto an argument with a six-armed Kochabian and had been thoroughly andscientifically trounced. He had come to a week later in the hospital.Diagnosis: various severe bruises, six broken ribs, one broken leg, andconcussion.
He had, however, healed nicely and a month before his release hadprogressed to the point where he could chase, and catch, the fleetestnurses. His release was only a formality until he came to thecybernetic mind-reading required of all head-injury patients beforethey were permitted to return to work. He had gone through many acybernetic M-R, but this time something went wrong. The machine blewa fuse. When it was repaired, they tried again. The reading revealedthat there was only one thought in Manning Draco's head, a performanceconsiderably below par for the average moron. And that one thoughtcaused the doctors—all elderly gentlemen who had long ago given upfleshly pursuits—to blush.
The findings of the machine, which had not been wrong in fivecenturies, might have given pause to a more serious-minded young man,but Manning took it in his stride. He was quite willing to admit thathe had only one thought at the moment and wanted no more. He was evenannoyed at the doctors who kept pulling him away from that one thoughtin order to try to find out why he was so single-minded.
They had about decided that in some freak way a large slice of skullbone had been driven into his brain, shielding a large portion of it,when the whole matter was taken out of their hands. Otherwise theymight have gone on carving up Manning until there was nothing left towithstand their skill.
The interference came, as it always does in such cases, from above.Prior to his accident, Manning Draco had been chief investigator forthe Greater Solarian Insurance Company, Monopolated, presided overby J. Barnaby Cruikshank. In absence of any proof that the accidenthad occurred on his own time, he had remained on salary while inthe hospital. All of this had been well enough while the regularinvestigators had been able to handle the case