Childhood's End

I EARTH AND THE OVERLORDS THE volcano that had reared Taratua up from the Pacific depths had een sleepin! no" for half a million #ears$ %et in a little "hile& thou!ht Reinhold& the island "ould e athed "ith fires fiercer than an# that had attended its irth$ He !lanced to"ards the launchin! site& and his !a'e dim ed the p#ramid of scaffoldin! that still surrounded the (olum us$ T"o hundred feet a ove the !round& the ship)s pro" "as catchin! the last ra#s of the descendin! sun$ This "as one of the last ni!hts it "ould ever *no"+ soon it "ould e floatin! in the eternal sunahine of space$ It "as ,uiet here eneath the palms& hi!h up on the roc*# spine of the island$ The onl# sound from the Pro-ect "as the occasional #ammerin! of an air compressor or the faint shout of a "or*man$ Reinhold had !ro"n fond of these clustered palms. almost ever# evenin! he had come here to surve# his little empire$ It saddened him to thin* that the# "ould e lasted to atoms "hen the (olum us rose in flame and fur# to the stars$ A mile e#ond the reef& the /ames 0orrestal had s"itched on her searchli!hts and "as s"eepin! the dar* "aters$ The sun had no" vanished completel#& and the s"ift tropical ni!ht "as racin! In from the east$ Reinhold "ondered& a little sardonicall#& if the carrier e1pected to find Russian su marines so close to shore$ The thou!ht of Russia turned his mind& as it al"a#s did& to 2onrad& and that mornin! in the catacl#smic sprin! of 3456$ 7ore than thirt# #ears had passed& ut the memor# of those last da#s "hen the Reich "as crum lin! eneath the "aves from the East and from the 8est had never faded$ He could still see 2onrad)s tired lue e#es& and the !olden stu le on his chin& as the# shoo* hands and parted in that ruined Prussian villa!e& "hile the refu!ees streamed endlessl# past$ It "as a partin! that s#m oli'ed ever#thin! that had since happened to the "orld9the cleava!e et"een East and 8est$ 0or 2onrad chose the road to 7osco"$ Reinhold had thou!ht him a fool& ut no" he "as not so sure$ 0or thirt# #ears he had assumed that 2onrad "as dead$ It "as onl# a "ee* a!o that (olonel Sandme#er& of Technical Intelli!ence& had !iven him the ne"s$ He didn)t li*e Sand9me#er& and he "as sure the feelin! "as mutual$ :ut neither let that interfere "ith usiness$ ;7r$ Hoffmann&; the (olonel had e!un& in his est official manner& ;I)ve -ust had some alarmin! information from 8ashin!ton$ It)s top secret& of course& ut "e)ve decided to rea* it to the en!ineerin! staff so that the#)ll reali'e the necessit# f r speed$; He paused for effect& ut the !esture "as "asted on Reinhold$ Someho"& he alread# *ne" "hat "as comin!$ ;The Russians are nearl# level "ith us$ The#)ve !ot some *ind of atomic drive9it ma# even e more efficient than ours& and the#)re uildin! a ship on the shores of La*e :ai*al$ 8e don)t *no" ho" far the#)ve !ot& ut Intelli!ence elieve it ma# e launched this #ear$ %ou *no" "hat that means$; %es& thou!ht Reinhold& I *no"$ The race is on9and "e ma# not "in it$ ;Do #ou *no" "ho)s runnin! their team<; he had as*ed& not reall# e1pectin! an ans"er$ To his surprise& (olonel Sand9me#er had pushed across a t#pe"ritten sheet9and there at its head "as the name+ 2onrad Schneider$ ;%ou *ne" a lot of these men at PeenemOnde& didn)t #ou<; said the (olonel$ ;That ma# !ive us some insi!ht into their methods$ I)d li*e #ou to let me have notes on as man# of them as #ou can9 their specialities& the ri!ht ideas the# had& and so on$ I *no" it)s as*in! a lot after all this time9 ut see "hat #ou can do$; ;2onrad Schneider is the onl# one "ho matters&; Reinhold had ans"ered$ ;He "as rilliant9the others are -ust competent en!ineers$ Heaven onl# *no"s "hat he)s done in thirt# #ears$ Remem er9he)s pro a l# seen all our results and "e haven)t an# of his$ That !ives him a decided advanta!e$; He hadn)t meant this as a criticism of Intelli!ence& ut for a moment is seemed as if Sandme#er "as !oin! to e offended$ Then the (olonel shru!!ed his shoulders$

;It "or*s oth "a#s9#ou)ve told me that #ourself$ Our free e1chan!e of information means s"ifter pro!ress& even if "e do !ive a"a# a fe" secrets$ The Russian research departments pro a l# don)t *no" "hat their o"n people are doin! half the time$ 8e)ll sho" them that Democrac# can !et to the moon first$; Democrac#9Nuts= thou!ht Reinhold& ut *ne" etter than to sa# it$ One 2onrad Schneider "as "orth a million names on an electoral roll$ And "hat had 2onrad done # this time& "ith all the resources of the >$S$S$R$ ehind him< Perhaps& even no"& his ship "as alread# out"ard ound from Earth$$$$ The sun "hich had deserted Taratua "as still hi!h a ove La*e :ai*al "hen 2onrad Schneider and the Assistant (ommissar for Nuclear Science "al*ed slo"l# ac* from the motor test ri!$ Their ears "ere still thro in! painfull#& thou!h the last thunderous echoes had died out across the la*e ten minutes efore$ ;8h# the lon! face<; as*ed ?ri!orievitch suddenl#$ ;%ou should e happ# no"$ In another month "e)ll e on our "a#& and the %an*ees "ill e cho*in! themselves "ith ra!e$; ;%ou)re an optimist& as usual&; said Schneider$ ;Even thou!h the motor "or*s& it)s not as eas# as that$ True& I can)t see an# serious o stacles no"9 ut I)m "orried a out the reports from Taratua$ I)ve told #ou ho" !ood Hoffmann is& and he)s !ot illions of dollars ehind him$ Those photo!raphs of his ship aren)t ver# clear& ut it loo*s as if it)s not far from completion$ And "e *no" he tested his motor five "ee*s a!o$; ;Don)t "orr#&; lau!hed ?ri!orievitch$ ;The#)re the ones "ho are !oin! to have the i! surprise$ Remem er9the# don)t *no" a thin! a out us$; Schneider "ondered if that "as true& ut decided it "as much safer to e1press no dou ts$ That mi!ht start ?ri!orievitch)s mind e1plorin! far too man# tortuous channels& and if there had een a lea*& he "ould find it hard enou!h to clear hiinself The !uard saluted as he reentered the administration uildm!$ There "ere nearl# as man# soldiers here& he thou!ht !riml#& as technicians$ :ut that "as ho" the Russians did thin!s& and as lon! as the# *ept out of his "a# he had no complaints$ On the "hole9"ith e1asperatin! e1ceptions9events ad turned out ver# much as he had hoped$ Onl# the future could tell if he or Reinhold had made the etter choice$ He "as alread# at "or* on his final report "hen the sound of shoutin! voices distur ed hint$ 0or a moment he sat motionless at his des*& "onderin! "hat conceiva le event could have distur ed the ri!id discipline of the camp$ Then he "al*ed to the "indo"9and for the first time in his life he *ne" despair$ The stars "ere all around him as Reinhold descended the little hill$ Out at sea& the 0orrestal "as still s"eepin! the "ater "ith her fin!ers of li!ht& "hile further alon! the each the scaffoldin! round the (olum us had transformed itself into an illuminated (hristmas tree$ Onl# the pro-ectin! pro" of the ship la# li*e a dar* shado" across the stars$ A radio "as larin! dance9music from the livin! ,uarters& and unconsciousl# Reinhold)s feet accelerated to the rh#thm$ He had almost reached the narro" road alon! the ed!e of the sands "hen some premonition& some half9!limpsed movement& made him stop$ Pu''led& he !lanced from land to sea and ac* a!ain+ it "as some little time efore he thou!ht of loo*in! at the s*#$ Then Reinhold Hoffmann *ne"& as did 2onrad Schneider at this same moment& that he had lost his race$ And he *ne" that he had lost it& not # the fe" "ee*s or months that he had feared& ut # millennia$ The hu!e and silent shado"s drivin! across the stars& more miles a ove his head than he dared to !uess& "ere as far e#ond his little (olum us as it surpassed the lo! canoes of paleolithic man$ 0or a moment that seemed to last forever& Reinhold "atched& as all the "orld "as "atchin!& "hile the !reat ships descended in their over"helmin! ma-est#9until at last he could hear the faint scream of their passa!e throu!h the thin air of the @tratosphere$ He felt no re!rets as the "or* of a lifetime "as s"ept a"a#$ He had la oured to ta*e men to the stars& and in the moment of success the stars9the aloof& indifferent stars9had come to him$ This "as the moment "hen histor# held its reath& and the present sheared asunder from the past as

an ice er! splits from its fro'en& parent cliffs& and !oes sailin! out to sea in lonel# pride$ All that the past a!es had achieved "as as noth i! no"+ onl# one thou!ht echoed and re9echoed throu!h Reinhold)s rain+ The human race "as no lon!er alone$ A The Secretar#9?eneral of the >nited Nations stood motionless # the !reat "indo"& starin! do"n at the cra"lin! traffic on 5Brd Street$ He sometimes "ondered if it "as a !ood thin! for an# man to "or* at such an altitude a ove his fello" humans$ Detachment "as all ver# "ell& ut it could chan!e so easil# to indifference$ Or "as he merel# tr#in! to rationali'e his disli*e of s*#scrapers& still una ated after t"ent# #ears in Ne" %or*< He heard the door open ehind him& ut did not turn his head as Pieter van R# er! came into the room$ There "as the inevita le pause as Pieter loo*ed disapprovin!l# at the thermostat& for it "as a standin! -o*e that the Secretar#9?eneral li*ed livin! in an ice o1$ Storm!ren "aited until his assistant -oined hint at the "indo"& then tore his !a'e a"a# from the familiar #et al"a#s fascinatin! panorama elo"$ ;The#)re late&; he said$ )8ain"ri!ht should have een here five minutes a!o$; ;I)ve -ust heard from the police$ He)s !ot ,uite a procession "ith him& and it)s snarled up the traffic$ He should e here an# moment no"$; Van R# er! paused& then added a ruptl#& ;Are #ou still sure it)s a !ood idea to see him<; ;I)m afraid it)s a little late to ac* out of it no"$ After all& I)ve a!reed9thou!h as #ou *no" it "as never m# idea in the first place$; Storm!ren had "al*ed to his des* and "as fid!etin! "ith his famous uranium paper"ei!ht$ He "as not nervous9 merel# undecided$ He "as also !lad that 8ain"ri!ht "as late& for that "ould !ive him a sli!ht moral advanta!e "hen the intervie" opened$ Such trivialities pla#ed a !reater part in human affairs than an#one "ho set much store on lo!ic and reason mi!ht "ish$ ;Here the# are=; said van R# er! suddenl#& pressin! his face a!ainst the "indo"$ ;The#)re comin! alon! the Avenue 9 a !ood three thousand& I)d sa#$; Storm!ren pic*ed up his note oo* and re-oined his assistant$ Half a)mile a"a#& a small ut determined cro"d "as movin! slo"l# to"ards the Secretariat :uildin!$ It carried anners that "ere indeciphera le at this distance& ut Storm!ren *ne" their messa!e "ell enou!h$ CPresentl# he could hear& risin! a ove the sound of the traffic& the ominous rh#thm of chantin! voices$ He felt a sudden "ave of dis!ust s"eep over him$ Surel# the "orld had had enou!h of marchin! mo s and an!r# slo!ans= The cro"d had no" come a reast of the uildin!+ it must *no" that he "as "atchin!& for here and there fists "ere ein! sha*en& rather self9consciousl#& in the air$ The# "ere not def#in! him& thou!h the !esture "as dou tless meant for Storm!ren to see$ As p#!mies ma# threaten a !iant& so those an!r# fists "ere directed a!ainst the s*# fift# *ilometres a ove his head9a!ainst the !leamin! silver cloud that "as the fla!ship of the Overlord fleet$ And ver# pro a l#& thou!ht Storm!ren& 2arellen "as "atchin! the "hole thin! and en-o#in! himself hu!el#& for this meetin! "ould never have ta*en place e1cept at the Supervisor)s insti!ation$ This "as the first time that Storm!ren had ever met the head of the 0reedom Lea!ue$ He had ceased to "onder if the action "as "ise& for 2areilen)s plans "ere often too su tle for merel# human understandin!$ At the "orst& Storm!ren did not see that an# positive harm could e done$ If he had refused to see 8ain"ri!ht& the LCa!ue "ould have used the fact as ammunition a!ainst him$ Ale1ander 8ain"ri!ht "as a tall& handsome man in the late forties$ He "as& Storm!ren *ne"& completel# honest& and therefore dou l# dan!erous$ %et his o vious sincerit# made it hard to disli*e him& "hatever vie"s one mi!ht have a out the cause for "hich he stood9and some of the follo"ers he had attracted$ Storm!ren "asted no time after van R# er!)s rief and some"hat strained introductions$ ;I suppose&; he e!an& ;the chief o -ect of #our visit is to re!ister a formal protest a!ainst the 0ederation Scheme$ Am I correct<; 8ain"ri!ht nodded !ravel#$

;That is m# main protest& 7r$ Secretar#$ As #ou *no"& for the last five #ears "e have tried to a"a*en the human race to the dan!er that confronts it$ The tas* has een a difficult one& for the ma-orit# of people seem content to let the Overlords run the "orld as the# please$ Nevertheless& more than five million patriots& in ever# countr#& have si!ned our petition$; ;That is not a ver# impressive fi!ure out of t"o and a half illion$; ;It is a fi!ure that cannot e i!nored$ And for ever# person "ho has si!ned& there are man# "ho feel !rave dou ts a out the "isdom& not to mention the ri!htness of this 0ederation plan$ Even Supervisor 2arellen& for all his po"ers& cannot "ipe out a thousand #ears of histor# at the stro*e of a pen$; ;8hat does an#one *no" of 2arellen)s po"ers<; retorted Storm!ren$ ;8hen I "as a o#& the 0ederation of Europe "as a dream9 ut "hen I !re" to manhood it had ecome realit#$ And that "as efore the arrival of the Overlords$ 2ardlen is merel# finishin! the "or* "e had e!un$; ;Europe "as a cultural and !eo!raphical entit#$ The "orld is not9that is the difference$; ;To the Overlords&; replied Storm!ren sarcasticall#& ;the Earth is pro a l# a !reat deal smaller than Europe seemed to our fathers9and their outloo*& I su mit& is more mature than ours$; ;I do not necessaril# ,uarrel "ith 0ederation as an ulti mate o -ective9thou!h man# of m# supporters mi!ht not a!ree$ :ut it must come from "ithin9not e superimposed from "ithout$ 8e must "or* out our o"n destin#$ There must e no more interference in human affairs=; Storm!ren si!hed$ All this he had heard a hundred times efore& and he *ne" that he could onl# !ive the old ans"er that the 0reedom Lea!ue had refused to accept$ He had faith in 2arellen& and the# had not$ That "as the fundamental difference& and there "as nothin! he could do a out it$ Luc*il#& there "as nothin! that the 0reedom Lea!ue could do& either$ ;Let me as* #ou a fe" ,uestions&; he said$ ;(an #ou den# that the Overlords have rou!ht securit#& peace and prosperit# to the "orld<; ;That is true$ :ut the# have ta*en our li ert#$ 7an does not live9; ;9 # read alone$ %es& I *no"9 ut this is the first a!e in "hich ever# man "as sure of !ettin! even that$ In an# case& "hat freedom have "e lost compared "ith that "hich the Overlords have !iven us for the first time in human histor#<; ;0reedom to control our o"n lives& under ?od)s !uidance$; At last& thou!ht Storm!ren& "e)ve !ot to the point$ :asicall#& the conflict is a reli!ious one& ho"ever much it ma# e dis!uised$ 8ain"ri!ht never let #ou for!et he "as a der!#man$ Thou!h he no lon!er "ore a derical collar& someho" one al"a#s !ot the impression it "as still there$ ;Last month&; pointed out Storm!ren& ;a hundred ishops& cardinals and ra is si!ned a -oint declaration pled!in! their support for the Supervisor)s polic#$ The "orld)srei!ions are a!ainst #ou$; 8ain"ri!ht shoo* his head in an!r# deniaL ;7an# of the leaders are lind+ the# have een corrupted # the Overlords$ 8hen the# reali'e the dan!er& it ma# e too late$ Hinmrnit# "ill have lost its initiative and ecome a su -ect race$; There "as silence for a moment$ Then Storm!ren replied+ ;In three da#s I "ill e meetin! the Supervisor a!ain$ I "ill e1plain #our o -ections to him& since it is m# dut# to represent the vie"s of the "orld$ :ut it "ill alter nothin!9I can assure #ou of that$; ;There is one other point&; said 8ain"ri!ht slo"l#$ ;8e have man# o -ections to the Overlords9 ut a ove all "e detest their secretiveness$ %ou are the onl# human ein! "ho has ever spo*en "ith 2arellen& and even #ou have never seen him= Is it surprisin! that "e dou t his motives<; ;Despite all that he has done for humanit#<; ;%es9despite that$ I do not *no" "hich "e resent more9 2arellen)s omnipotence& or his secrec#$ If he has nothin! to hide& "h# "ill he never reveal himself< Ne1t time #ou spea* "ith the Supervisor& 7r$ Storm!ren& as* him that=; Storm!ren "as silent$ There "as nothin! he could sa# to this9nothin!& at an# rate& that "ould convince the other$ He sometimes "ondered if he had reall# convinced himself$ It "as& of course& onl# a ver# small operation from their point of vie"& ut to Earth it "as the i!!est thin! that had ever happened$ There had een no "arnin! "hen the !reat ships came pourin! out of the un*no"n depths of space$

(ountless times this da# had een descri ed in fiction& ut no9one had reall# elieved that it "ould ever come$ No" it had da"ned at last+ the !leamin!& silent shapes han!in! over ever# land "ere the s#m ol of a science 7an could not hope to match for centuries$ 0or si1 da#s the# floated motionless a ove his cities& !ivin! no hint the# *ne" of his e1istence$ :ut none "as needed+ not # chance alone could those mi!ht# ships have come to rest so precisel# over Ne" %or*& London& Paris& 7osco"& Rome& (ape To"n& To*#o& (an erra$$$$ Even efore the endin! of those heart9free'in! da#s& some men had !uessed the truth$ This "as not the first tentative contact # a race "hich *ne" nothin! of man$ 8ithin those silent& unmovin! ships& master ps#cholo!ists "ere stud#in! humanit#)s reactions$ 8hen the curve of tension had reached its pea*& the# "ould act$ A$nd on the si1th da# 2arellen& Supervisor for Earth& made himself *no"n to the "orld in a roadcast that lan*eted ever# radio fre,uenc#$ He spo*e in En!lish so perfect that the controvers# it e!an "as to ra!e across the Atlantic for a !eneration$ :ut the conte1t of the speech "as more sta!!erin! even than its deliver#$ :# an# standards& it "as a "or* of superlative !enius& sho"in! a complete and a solute master# of human affairs$ There could e no dou t that its scholarship and virtuosit#& its tantaliDin! !limpses of *no"led!e still untapped "ere deli eratel# desi!ned to convince man*ind that it "as in the presence of over"helmin! intellectual po"er$ 8hen 2arellen had finished& the nations of Earth *ne" that their da#s of precarious soverei!nt# had ended$ Local& internal !overnments "ould still retain their po"ers& ut in the "ider field of international affairs the supreme decisions had passed from human hands$ Ar!uments9protests9all "ere futile$ It "as hardl# to e e1pected that all the nations of the "orld "ould su mit tamel# to such a limitation of their po"ers$ %et active resistance presented afflin! difficulties& for the destruction of the Overlords) ships& even if it could e achieved& "ould annihilate the cities eneath them$ Nevertheless& one ma-or po"er had made the attempt$ Perhaps those responsi le hoped to *ill t"o irds "ith one atomic missile& for their tar!et "as floatin! a ove the capital of an ad-oinin! and unfriendl# nation$ As the !reat ship)s ima!e had e1panded on the television screen in the secret control room& the little !roup of officers and technicians must have een torn # man# emotions$ If the# succeeded9 "hat action "ould the remainin! ships ta*e< (ould the# also e destro#ed& leavin! humanit# to !o its o"n "a# once more< Or "ould 2ardllen "rea* some fri!htful ven!eance upon those "ho had attac*ed him< The screen ecame suddenl# lan* as the missile destro#ed itself on impact& and the picture s"itched immediatel# to an air orne camera man# miles a"a#$ In the fraction of a second that had elapsed& the fire all should alread# have formed and should e fillin! the s*# "ith its solar flame$ %et nothin! "hatsoever had happened$ The !reat ship floated unharmed& athed in the ra" sunli!ht at the ed!e of space$ Not onl# had the om failed to touch it& ut no9one could ever decide "hat had happened to the missile$ 7oreover& 2arellen too* no action a!ainst those responsi le& orC even indicated that he had *no"n of the attac*$ He i!nored them contemptuousl#& leavin! them to "orr# over a ven!eance that never came$ It "as a more effective& and more demorali'in!& treatment than an# punitive action could have een$ The !overnment responsi le collapsed completel# in mutual recrimination a fe" "ee*s later$ There had also een some passive resistance to the polic# of the Overlords$ >suall#& 2arellen had een a le to deal "ith it # lettin! those concerned have their o"n "a#& until the# had discovered that the# "ere onl# hurtin! themselves # their refusal to co9operate$ Onl# once had he ta*en an# direct action a!ainst a recalcitrant !overnment$ 0or more than a hundred #ears& the Repu lic of South Africa had een the centre of social strife$ 7en of !ood "ill on oth sides had tried to uild a rid!e& ut in vain9fears and pre-udices "ere too deepl# in!rained to permit an# cooperation$ Successive !overnments had differed onl# # the de!ree of their intolerance. the land "as poisoned "ith hate and the aftermath of civil "ar$ 8hen it ecame clear that no attempt "ould e made to end discrimination& 2$arellen !ave his "arnin!$ It merel# named a date and time9no more$ There "as apprehension& ut little fear or panic& for no9one elieved that the Overlords "ould ta*e an# violent or destructive action "hich "ould involve innocent and !uilt# ali*e$

Nor did the#$ All that happened "as that as the sun passed the meridian at (ape To"n9it "ent out$ There remained visi le merel# a pale& purple !host& !ivin! no heat or li!ht$ Someho"& out in space& the li!ht of the sun had een polari'ed # t"o crossed fields so that no radiation could pass$ The area affected "as five hundred *ilometres across& and perfectl# circular$ The demonstration lasted thirt# minutes$ It "as sufficient+ the ne1t da# the ?overnment of South Africa announced that full civil ri!hts "ould e restored to the "hite minorit#$ Apart from such isolated incidents& the human race had accepted the Overlords as part of the natural order of thin!s$ In a surprisin!l# short time& the initial shoc* had "orn off& and the "orld "ent a out its usiness a!ain$ The !reatest chan!e a suddenl# a"a*ened Rip Van 8in*le "ould have noticed "as a hushed e1pectanc#& a mental !lancin!9over9the9shoulder& as man*ind "aited for the Overlords to sho" themselves and to step do"n from their !leamin! ships$ 0ive #ears later& it "as still "aitin!$ That& thou!ht Storm!ren& "as the cause of all the trou le$ There "as the usual circle of si!htseers& cameras at the read#& as Storm!ren)s car drove on to the launchin!9field$ The Secretar#9?eneral e1chan!ed a fe" final "ords "ith his assistant& collected his rief9case& and "al*ed throu!h the rin! of spectators$ 2arellen never *ept him "aitin! for lon!$ There "as a sudden ;Oh=; from the cro"d& and a silver u le e1panded "ith reathta*in! speed in the s*# a ove$ A !ust of air tore at Storm!ren)s clothes as the tin# ship came to rest fift# metres a"a#& floatin! delicatel# a fe" centimetres a ove the !round& as if it feared contamination "ith Earth$ As he "al*ed slo"l# for"ard& Storm!ren sa" that familiar puc*erin! of the seamless metallic hull& and in a moment the openin! that had so affled the "orld)s est scientists appeared efore him$ He stepped throu!h it into the ship)s sin!le& softl#9lit room$ The entrance sealed itself as if it had never een& shuttin! out all sound and si!ht$ It opened a!ain five minutes later$ There had een no sensation of movement& ut Storm!ren *ne" that he "as no" fift# *ilometres a ove the Earth& deep in the heart of 2arellen)s ship$ :e "as in the "orld of the Overlords+ all around him& the# "ere !oin! a out their m#sterious usiness$ He had come nearer to them than had an# other man+ #et he *ne" no more of their ph#sical nature than did an# of the millions on the "orld elo"$ The little conference room at the end of the short connectin! corridor "as unfurnished apart from the sin!le chair and the ta le eneath the vision screen$ As "as intended& it told a solutel# nothin! of the creatures "ho had uilt it$ The vision screen "as empt# no"& as it had al"a#s een$ Sometimes in his dreams Storm!ren had ima!ined that it had suddenl# flashed into life& revealin! the secret that tormented all the "orld$ :ut the dream had never come true+ ehind that rectan!le of dar*ness la# utter m#ster#$ %et there also la# po"er and "isdom& an immense and tolerant understandin! of man*ind9and& most une1pected of all& a humorous affection f r the little creatures cra"lin! on the planet eneath$ 0rom the hidden !rille came that calm& never9hurried voice that Storm!ren *ne" so "ell thou!h the "orld had heard it onl# once in histor#$ Its depth and resonance !ave the sin!le clue that e1isted in 2arellen)s ph#sical nature& f r it left an over"helmin! impression of sheer si'e$ 2arellen "as lar!e9 perhaps much lar!er than a man$ It "as true that some scientists& after anal#'in! the record of his onl# speech& had su!!ested that the voice "as that of a machineC This "as somethin! that Storm!ren could never elieve$ ;%es& Ri**i& I "as listenin! to #our little intervie"$ 8hat did #ou ma*e of 7r$ 8ain"ri!ht<; ;He)s an honest man& even if man# of his supporters aren)t$ 8hat are "e !oin! to do a out him< The Lea!ue itself isn)t dan!erous9 ut some of its e1tremists are openl# advocatin! violence$ I)ve een "onderin! if I should put a !uard on m# house$ :ut I hope it isn)t necessar#$; 2ardlien evaded the point in the anno#in! "a# he sometimes had$ ;The details of the 8orld 0ederation have een out for a month no"$ Has there een a su stantial increase in the seven per cent "ho don)t approve of me9or the t"elve per cent "ho Don)t 2no"<; ;Not #et$ :ut that)s of no importance+ "hat does "orr# me is a !eneral feelin!& even amon! #our supporters& that it)s time this secrec# came to an end$; 2arellen)s si!h "as technicall# perfect& #et someho" lac*ed conviction$ ;That)s #our feelin! too& isn)t it<;

The ,uestion "as so rhetorical that Storm!ren did not other to ans"er it$ ;I "onder if #ou reall# appreciate&; he continued earnestl#& ;ho" difficult this state of affairs ma*es m# -o <; ;It doesn)t e1actl# help mine&; replied 2arellen "ith some spirit$ ;I "ish people "ould stop thin*in! of me as a dictator& and remem er I)m onl# a civil servant tr#in! to administer a colonial polic# in "hose shapin! I had no hand$; That& thou!ht Storm!ren& "as ,uite an en!a!in! description$ He "ondered -ust ho" much truth it held$ ;(an)t #ou at least !ive us some reason for #our concealment< :ecause "e don)t understand it& it anno#s us and !ives rise to endless rumours$; 2arellen !ave that rich& deep lau!h of his& -ust too resonant& to e alto!ether human$ ;8hat am I supposed to e no"< Does the ro ot theor# still hold the field< I)d rather e a mass of electron tu es than a thin! li*e a centipede9oh #es& I)ve seen that cartoon in #esterda#)s (hica!o Times= I)m thin*in! of re,uestin! the ori!inal$; Storm!ren pursed his lips priml#$ There "ere times& he thou!ht& "hen 2arellen too* his duties too li!htl#$ ;This is serious&; he said reprovin!l#$ ;7# dear Ri**i&; 2arellen retorted& ;it)s onl# # not ta*in! the human race seriousl# that I retain "hat fra!ments of m# once considera le mental po"ers I still possess=; Despite himself Storm!ren smiled$ ;That doesn)t help me a !reat deal& does it< I have to !o do"n there and convince m# fello" men that althou!h #ou "on)t sho" #ourself& #ou)ve !ot nothin! to hide$ It)s not an eas# -o $ (uriosit# is one of the most dominant of human characteristics$ %ou can)t def# it forever$; ;Of all the pro lems that faced us "hen "e came to Earth& this "as the most difficult&; admitted 2arellen$ ;%ou have trusted our "isdom in other matters9surel# #ou can trust us in this=; ;I trust #ou&; said Storm!ren& ; ut 8ain"ri!ht doesn)t& nor do his supporters$ (an #ou reall# lame them if the# put a ad interpretation on #our un"illin!ness to sho" #ourselves<; There "as silence for a moment$ Then Storm!ren heard that faint sound E"as it a crac*lin!<F that mi!ht have een caused # the Supervisor movin! his od# sli!htl#$ ;%ou *no" "h# 8ain"ri!ht and his t#pe fear me& don)t #ou<; as*ed 2arellen$ His voice "as som re no"& li*e a !reat or!an rollin! its notes from a hi!h cathedral nave$ ;%ou "ill find men li*e him in all the "orld)s reli!ions$ The# *no" that "e represent reason and science& and ho"ever confident the# ma# e in their eliefS& the# fear that "e "ill overthro" their !ods$ Not necessaril# throu!h an# deli erate act& ut in a su tler fashion$ Science can destro# reli!ion # i!norin! it as "ell as # disprovin! its tenets$ No9one ever demonstrated& so far as I am a"are& the non9e1istence of Geus or Thor9 ut the# have fe" follo"ers no"$ The 8ain"ri!hts fear& too& that "e *no" the truth a out the ori!ins of their faiths$ Ho" lon!& the# "onder& have "e een o servin! humanit#< Have "e "atched 7ohammed e!in the He!ira& or 7oses !ivin! the /e"s their la"s< Do "e *no" all that is false in the stories the# elieve<; ;And do #ou<; "hispered Storm!ren& half to himselL ;That& Ri**i& is the fear that torments them& even thou!h the# "ill never admit it openl#$ :elieve me& it !ives us no pleasure to destro# men)s faiths& ut all the "orld)s reli!ions cannot e ri!ht9 and the# *no" it$ Sooner or later man has to learn the truth+ ut that time is not #et$ As for our secrec#& "hich #ou are correct in sa#in! a!!ravates our pro lems9 that is a matter e#ond our control$ I re!ret the need for this concealment as much as #ou do& ut the reasons are sufficient$ Ho"ever& I "ill tr# and !et a statement from m#9superiors9 "hich ma# satisf# #ou and perhaps placate the 0reedom Lea!ue$ No"& please& can "e return to the a!enda and start recordin! a!ain<; ;8ell<; as*ed van R# er! an1iousl#$ ;Did #ou have an# luc*<; ;I don)t *no"&; Storm!ren replied "earil# as he thre" the files do"n on his des* and collapsed into the seat$ ;2arellen)s consultin! his superiors no"& "hoever or "hatever the# ma# e$ He "on)t ma*e an# promises$;

;Listen&; said Pieter a ruptl#& ;I)ve -ust thou!ht of somethin!$ 8hat reason have "e for elievin! that there is an#one e#ond 2arellen< Suppose all the Overlords& as "e)ve christened them& are ri!ht here on Earth in these ships of theirs< The# ma# have no"here else to !o& ut the#)re hidin! the fact from us$; ;It)s an in!enious theor#&; !rinned Storm!ren$ ;:ut It clashes "ith "hat little I *no"9or thin* I *no"9a out 2arellen)s ac*!round$; ;And ho" much Is that<; ;8ell& he often refers to his position here as somethin! temporar#& hinderin! him from !ettin! on "ith his real "or*& "hich I thin* is some form of mathematics$ Once I mentioned Acton)s ,uotation a out po"er corruptin!& and a solute po"er corruptin! a solutel#$ I "anted to see ho" he)d react to that$ He !ave that cavernous lau!h of his& and said+ )There)s no dan!er of that happenin! to me$ In the first case& the sooner I finish m# "or* here& the sooner I can !et ac* to "here I elon!& a !ood man# li!ht9#ears from here$ And secondl#& I don)t have a solute po"er& # an# means$ I)m -ust9Supervisor$) Of course& he ma# have een misleadin! me$ I can never e sure of that$; ;He)s immortal isn)t he<; ;%es& # our standards& thou!h there)s somethin! in the future he seems to fear+ I can)t ima!ine "hat it is$ And that)s reall# all I *no" a out him$; ;It isn)t ver# conclusive$ 7# theor# is that his little fleet)s lost in space and is loo*in! for a ne" home$ He doesn)t "ant us to *no" ho" fe" he and his comrades are$ Perhaps all those other ships are automatic& and there)s no9one in an# of them$ The#)re -ust an imposin! fa ade$; ;%ou&; said Storm!ren& ;have een readin! too much science9fiction$; Van R# er! !rinned& a little sheepishl#$ ;The )Invasion 0rom Space) didn)t turn out ,uite as e1pected& did it< 7# theor# "ould certainl# e1plain "h# 2arellen never sho"s himself$ He doesn)t "ant us to learn that there aren)t an# more Overlords$; Storm!ren shoo* his head in amused disa!reement$ ;%our e1planation& as usual& is much too in!enious to e true$ Thou!h "e can onl# infer its e1istence& there must e a !reat civili'ation ehind the Supervisor9and one that)s *no"n a out man for a ver# lon! time$ 2arellen himself must have een stud#in! us for centuries$ Loo* at his command of En!lish& for e1ample$ He tau!ht me ho" to spea* it idiomaticall#=; ;Have #ou ever discovered an#thin! he doesn)t *no"<; ;Oh #es& ,uite often9 ut onl# on trivial points$ I thin* he has an a solutel# perfect memor#& ut there are some thin!s he hasn)t othered to learn$ 0or instance& En!lish is the onl# lan!ua!e he understands completel#& thou!h in the last t"o #ears he)s pic*ed up a !ood deal of 0innish -ust to tease me$ And one doesn)t learn 0innish in a hurr#= He can ,uote !reat sla s of the )2alevala)& "hereas I)m ashamed to sa# I *no" onl# a fe" lines$ He also *no"s the io!raphies of all livin! statesmen& and sometimes I can identif# the references he)s used$ His *no"led!e of histor# and science seems complete9$ #ou *no" ho" much "e)ve alread# learned from him$ %et& ta*en one at a time& I don)t thin* his mental !ifts are ,uite outside the ran!e ot human achievement$ :ut no man could possi l# do all the thin!s he does$; ;That)s more or less "hat I)ve decided alread#&; a!reed van R# er!$ ;8e can ar!ue round 2arellen forever& ut in the end "e al"a#s come ac* to the same ,uestion9"h# the devil "on)t he sho" himself< >ntil he does& I)ll !o on theori'in! and the 0reedom Lea!ue "ill !o on fulminatin!$; He coc*ed a re ellious e#e at the ceilin!$ ;One dar* ni!ht& 7r$ Supervisor& I hope some reporter ta*es a roc*et up to #our ship and clim s in throu!h the ac*9door "ith a camera$ 8hat a scoop that "ould e=; 9 If 2arellen "as listenin!& e !ave no si!n$ :ut& of course& he never did$ In the first #ear of their comin!& the advent of the Overlords had made less difference to the pattern of human life than mi!ht have een e1pected$ Their shado" "as ever#"here& ut it "as an uno trusive shado"$ Thou!h there "ere fe" !reat cities on Earth "here men could not see one of the silver ships !litterin! a!ainst the 'enith& after a little "hile the# "ere ta*en as much for !ranted as the sun& moon or clouds$ 7ost men "ere pro a l# onl# diml# a"are that their steadil#

risin! standards of livin! "ere due to the Overlords$ 8hen the# stopped to thin* of it9"hich "as seldom9the# reali'ed that those silent ships had rou!ht peace to all the "orld for the first time in histor#& and "ere dul# !rateful$ :ut these "ere ne!ative and unspectacular enefits& accepted and soon for!otten$ The Overlords remained aloof& hidin! their faces from man*ind$ 2arellen could command respect and admiration+ he could "in nothin! deeper so lon! as he pursued his present polic#$ It "as hard not to feel resentment a!ainst these Ol#mpians "ho spo*e to man onl# over the radio9teleprinter circuits at >nited Nations Head,uarters$ 8hat too* place et"een 2arellen and Storm!ren "as never pu licl# revealed& and sometimes Storm!ren himself "ondered "h# the Supervisor found these intervie"s necessar#$ Perhaps he felt the need of direct contact "ith one human ein! at least+ perhaps he reali'ed that Storm!ren needed this form of personal support If this "as the e1planation& the Secretar#9?eneral appreciated it+ he did not mind if the 0reedom Lea!ue referred to him contemptuousl# as ;2arellen)s office9 o#;$ The Overlords had never had an# dealin!s "ith individual states and !overnments+ the# ad ta*en the >nited Nations Or!ani'ation as the# found it& !iven instructions for installin! the necessar# radio e,uipment& and issued their orders throu!h the mouth of the Secretar#9?eneral$ The Soviet dele!ate had ,uite correctl# pointed out& at considera le len!th and upon innumera le occasions& that this "as not in accordance "ith the (harter$ 2arellen did not seem to "orr#$ It "as ama'in! that so man# a uses& follies and evils could e dispelled # those messa!es from the s*#$ 8ith the arrival of the Overlords& nations *ne" that the# need no lon!er fear each other& and the# !uessed9even ef re the e1periment "as made9that their e1istin! "eapons "ere certainl# impotent a!ainst a civili'ation that could rid!e the stars$ So at once the !reatest sin!le o stacle to the happiness of man*ind had een removed$ The Overlords seemed lar!el# indifferent to forms of !overnment& provided that the# "ere not oppressive or corrupt$ Earth still possessed democracies& monarchies& enevolent dictatorships& communism and capitalism$ This "as a source of !reat surprise to man# simple souls "ho "ere ,uite convinced that theirs "as the onl# possi le "a# of life$ Others elieved that 2arellen "as merel# "aitin! to introduce a s#stem that "ould s"eep a"a# all e1istin! forms of societ#& and so had not othered "ith minor political reforms$ :ut this& li*e all other speculations concernin! the Overlords& "as pure !uess"or*$ No9one *ne" their motives+ and no9one *ne" to"ards "hat future the# "ere shepherdin! man*ind$ B STOR7?REN "as sleepin! adl# these ni!hts& "hich "as stran!e& since soon he "ould e puttin! aside the cares of ofilce forever$ He had served man*ind for fort# #ears& and its masters for five& and fe" men could loo* ac* upon a life that had seen so man# of its am itions achieved$ Perhaps that "as the trou le+ in the #ears of retirement& ho"ever man# the# mi!ht e& he "ould have no further !oals to !ive an# 'est to life$ Since 7artha had died and the children had esta lished their o"n families& his ties "ith the "orld seemed to have "ea*ened$ It mi!ht e& too& that he "as e!innin! to identif# himself "ith the Overlords& and thus ecome detached from humanit#$ This "as another of those restless ni!hts "hen his rain "ent on turnin! li*e a machine "hose !overnor had failed$ He *ne" etter than to "oo sleep an# further& and reluctantl# clim ed out of ed$ Thro"in! on his dressin!9!o"n& he strolled out on to the roof !arden of his modest flat$ There "as not one of his direct su ordinates "ho did not possess much more lu1urious ,uarters& ut this place "as ample for Storm!ren)s needs$ He had reached the position "here neither personal possessions nor official ceremon# could add an#thin! to his stature$ 9 The ni!ht "as "arm& almost oppressive& ut the s*# "as clear and a rilliant moon hun! lo" in the south9"est$ Ten *ilometres a"a#& the li!hts of Ne" %or* !lo"ed on the s*#line li*e a da"n fro'en in the act of rea*in!$ Storm!ren raised his e#es a ove the sleepin! cit#& clim in! a!ain the hei!hts that he alone of livin! men had scaled$ 0ar a"a# thou!h it "as& he could see the hull of 2arellen)s ship !lintin! in the moonli!ht$ He "ondered "hat the Supervisor "as doin!& for he did not elieve that the Overlords ever slept$

Hi!h a ove& a meteor thrust its shinin! spear throu!h the dome of the s*#$ The luminous trail !lo"ed faintl# for a "hile+ then it died a"a#& leavin! onl# the stars$ The reminder "as rutal+ in a hundred #ears& 2arellen "ould still e leadin! man*ind to"ards the !oal that he alone could see& ut four months from no" another man "ould e Secretar#9?eneral$ That in itself Storm!ren "as far from mindin!9 ut it meant that little time "as left if he ever hoped to learn "hat la# ehind that thic*ened screen$ Onl# in the last fe" da#s had he dared to admit that the Overlords) secretiveness "as e!innin! to o sess him$ >ntil recentl#& his faith in 2arellen had *ept him free from dou ts. ut no"& he thou!ht a little "r#l#& the protests of the 0reedom Lea!ue "ere e!innin! to have their effect upon him$ It "as true that the propa!anda a out 7an)s enslavement "as no more than propa!anda$ 0e" people seriousl# elieved it& or reall# "ished for a return to the old da#s$ 7en had !ro"n accustomed to 2arellen)s impercepti le rule9 ut the# "ere ecomin! impatient to *no" "ho ruled them$ And ho" could the# e lamed< Thou!h it "as much the lar!est& the 0reedom Lea!ue "as onl# one of the or!ani'ations that opposed 2arellen9and& conse,uentl#& the humans "ho co9operated "ith the Overlords$ The o -ctions and policies of these !roups varied enormousl#+ some too* the reli!ious vie"point& "hile others "ere merel# e1pressin! a sense of inferiorit#$ The# felt& "ith !ood reason& much as a cultured Indian of the nineteenth centur# must have done as he contemplated the :ritish Ra-$ The invaders had rou!ht peace and prosperit# to Earth9 ut "ho *ne" "hat the cost mi!ht e< Histor# "as not reassurin!+ even the most peacea le of contacts et"een races at ver# different cultural levels had often resulted in the o literation of the more ac*"ard societ#$ Nations& as "ell as individuals& could lose their spirit "hen confronted # a challen!e "hich the# could not meet$ And the civili'ation of the Overlords& veiled in m#ster# thou!h it mi!ht e& "as the !reatest challen!e 7an had ever faced$ There "as a faint clic* from the facsimile machine in the ad-oinin! room as it e-ected the hourl#& summar# sent out # (entral Ne"s$ Storm!ren "andered indoors and ruffled halfheartedl# throu!h the sheets$ On the other side of the "orld& the 0reedom Lea!ue had inspired a not9ver#9 ori!inal headline$ ;IS 7AN R>LED :% 7ONSTERS<; as*ed the paper& and "ent on to ,uote+ ;Addressin! a meetin! in 7adras toda#& Dr$ ($ V$ 2rishnan& President of the Eastern Division of the 0reedom Lea!ue& said+ )The e1planation of the Overlords) ehaviour Is ,uiet simple+ Their ph#sical form is so alien and repulsive that the# dare not sho" themselves to humanit#$ I challen!e the Supervisor to den# this$; Storm!ren thre" do"n the sheet in dis!ust$ Even if the char!e "ere true& did it reall# matter< The idea "as an old one& ut it had never "orried him$ He did not elieve that there "as m# iolo!ical form& ho"ever stran!e& "hich he could not accept Lii time and& perhaps& even find eautiful$ The mind& not the od#& "as all that mattered$ If onl# he could convince 2arellen of this& the Overlords mi!ht chan!e their polic#$ It "as certain that the# could not e half as hideous as the ima!inative dra"in!s that had filled the papers soon after their comin! to Earth= %et it "as not& Storm!ren *ne"& entirel# consideration for his successor that made him an1ious to see the end of this state of affairs$ He "as honest enou!h to admit that& in the final anal#sis& his& main motive "as simple human curiosit#$ He ad !ro"n to *no" 2arellen as a person& and he "ould never e satisfied until he had also discovered "hat *ind of creature he mi!ht e$ 8hen Storm!ren failed to arrive at his usual time ne1t mornin!& Pieter van R# er! "as surprised and a little anno#ed$ Thou!h the Secretar# ?eneral often made a num er of calls efore reachin! his o"n office& he invaria l# left "ord that he "as doin! so$ This mornin!& to ma*e matters "orse& there had een several ur!ent messa!es for Storm!ren$ Van R# er! ran! haIfa do'en departments to tr# and locate him& then !ave it up in dis!ust$ :# noon he had ecome alarmed and sent a car to Storm!ren)s house$ Ten minutes later he "as startled # the scream of a siren& and a police patrol came racin! up Roosevelt Drive$ The ne"s a!encies must have had friends in that vehicle& for even as van R# er! "atched it approach& the radio "as tellin! the "orld that he "as no lon!er merel# Assistant9 ut Actin!9Secretar#9?eneral of the >nited Nations$

Had van R# er! fe"er trou les on his hands& he "ould have found it entertainin! to stud# the Press reactions to Storm!ren)s disappearance$ 0or the past month& the "orld)s papers had divided themselves into t"o sharpl# defined !roups$ The 8estern press& on the "hole& approved of 2arCllen)s plan to )ma*e all men citi'ens of the "orld$ The Eastern countries& on the other hand& "ere under!oin! violent ut lar!el# s#nthetic spasms of national pride$ Some of them had een independent for little more than a !eneration& and felt that the# ad een cheated out of their !ains$ (riticism of the Overlords "as "idespread and ener!etic+ after an initial period of e1treme caution& the Press had ,uic*l# found that it could e as rude to 2arellen as it li*ed and nothin! "ould happen$ No" it "as e1cellin! itself$ 7ost of these attac*s& thou!h ver# vocal& "ere not representative of the !reat mass of the people$ Alon! the frontiers that "ould soon e !one forever the !uards had een dou led 9 ut the soldiers e#ed each other "ith a still inarticulate friendliness$ The politicians and the !enerals mi!ht storm and rave& ut the silentl# "aitin! millions felt that& none too soon& a lon! and lood# chapter of histor# "as comin! to an end$ And no" Storm!ren had !one& no9one *ne" "here$ The tumult suddenl# su sided as the "orld reali'ed that it had lost the onl# man throu!h "hom the Overlords& for their o"n stran!e reasons& "ould spea* to Earth$ A paral#sis seemed to descend upon the press and radio commentators+ ut in the silence could e heard the voice of the 0reedom Lea!ue& an1iousl# protestin! its innocence$ It "as utterl# dar* "hen Storm!ren a"o*e$ 0or a moment he "as too sleep# to reali'e ho" stran!e that "as$ Then& as full consciousness da"ned& he sat up "ith a start and felt for the s"itch eside his ed$ In the dar*ness his hand encountered a are stone "all& cold to the touch$ He fro'e instantl#& mind and od# paral#sed # the impact of the une1pected$ Then& scarcel# elievin! his senses& he *neeled on the ed and e!an to e1plore "ith his fin!er9tips that shoc*in!l# unfamiliar "all$ He had een doin! this onl# for a moment "hen there "as a sudden clic* and a section of the dar*ness slid aside$ He cau!ht a !limpse of a man silhouetted a!ainst a diml# lit ac*!round+ then the door closed a!ain and the dar*ness returned$ It happened so s"iftl# that he had no chance to see an#thin! of the room in "hich he "as l#in!$ An instant later& he "as da''led # the li!ht of a po"erful electric torch$ The eam ffic*ered across his face& held him steadil# for a moment& then dipped to illuminate the "hole ed 9"hich "as& he no" sa"& nothin! more than a mattress supported on rou!h plan*s$ Out of the dar*ness a soft voice spo*e to him in e1cellent En!lish& ut "ith an accent "hich Storm!ren could not at first identifCC$ ;Au& 7r$ Secretar#9I)m !lad to see #ou)re a"a*e$ I hope #ou feel ,uite all ri!ht$; There "as somethin! a out the last sentence that cau!ht Storm!ren)s attention& so that the an!r# ,uestions he had een a out to as* died upon his lips$ He stared ac* into the dar*ness& then replied calml#+ ;Ho" lon! have I een >fl(Ofl scious<; The other chuc*led$ ;Several da#s$ 8e "ere promised there)d e no after9effects$ I)m !lad to see it)s true$; Partl# to !ain time& partl# to test his o"n reactions& Storm!ren s"un! his le!s over the side of the ed$ He "as s,il "earin! his ni!ht9clothes& ut the# "ere adl# crumpled and seemed to have !athered considera le dirt$ As he moved he felt a sli!ht di''iness9not enou!h to e unpleasant ut sufficient to convince him that he had indeed een dru!!ed$ He turned to"ards the li!ht$ ;8here am I<; he said sharpl#$ ;Does 8ain"ri!ht *no" a out this<; ;No"& don)t !et e1cited&; replied the shado"# fi!ure$ ;8e "on)t tal* a out that sort of thin! #et$ I !uess #ou)re prett# hun!r#$ ?et dressed and come alon! to dinner$; The oval of li!ht slipped across the room and for the first time Storm!ren had an idea of its dimensions$ It "as scarcel# a room at all& for the "alls seemed are roc*& rou!hl# smoothed into shape$ He reali'ed that he "as under!round& possi l# at a !reat depth$ And if he had een unconscious for several da#s& he mi!ht e an#"here on Earth$

The torch9li!ht illuminated a pile of clothes draped over a pac*in!9case$ ;This should e enou!h for #ou&; said the voice from the dar*ness$ ;Laundr#)s rather a pro lem here& so "e !ra ed a couple of #our suits and half a do'en shirts$; ;That&; said Storm!ren "ithout humour& ;"as ver# considerate of #ou$; ;8e)re sorr# a out the a sence of furniture and electric Li!ht$ This place is convenient in some "a#s& ut it rather lac*s amenities$; ;(onvenient for "hat<; as*ed Storm!ren as he clim ed into a shirt$ The feel of the familiar cloth eneath his fin!ers "as stran!el# reassurin!$ ;/ust9convenient&; said the voice$ ;And # the "a#& since "e)re li*el# to spend a !ood deal of time to!ether& #ou)d etter call me /oe$ ;Despite #our nationalit#&; retorted Storm!ren& ;#ou)re E)olish& aren)t #ou<9I thin* I could pronounce #our real name$ Et "on)t e "orse than man# 0innish ones$; There "as a sli!ht pause and the li!ht flic*ered for an distant$ )8ell& I should have e1pected it&; said /oe resi!nedl#$ ;%ou must have plent# of practice at this sort of thin!$; ;It)s a useful ho # for a man in m# position$ At a !uess I ihould sa# #ou "ere rou!ht up in the >nited States ut didn)t Ceave Poland >ntil9; ;That&; said /oe firml#& ;is ,uite enou!h$ As #ou seem to save finished dressin!9than* #ou$; The door opened as Storm!ren "al*ed to"ards it& feelin! nildl# elated # his small victor#$ As /oe stood aside to let aim pass& he "ondered if his captor "as armed$ Almost cerCainl# he "ould e& and in an# case he "ould have friends around$ The corridor "as diml# lit # oil lamps at intervals& and for the first time Storm!ren could see /oe clearl#$ He "as a man Df a out fift#& and must have "ei!hed "ell over t"o hundred pounds$ Ever#thin! a out him "as outsi'e& from the stained attledress that mi!ht have come from an# of half a do'en armed forces& to the startlin!l# lar!e si!net rin! on his left and$ A man uilt on this scale pro a l# "ould not other to carr# a !un$ It should not e difficult to trace him& thou!ht Storm!ren& if he ever !ot out of this place$ He "as a little de9$ pressed to reali'e that /oe must also e perfectl# "ell a"are of this fact$ The "alls around them& thou!h occasionall# faced "ith concrete& "ere mostl# are roc*$ It "as dear to Storm!ren that he "as in some disused mine& and he could thin* of fe" more effective prisons$ >ntil no" the fact of his *idnappin! had failed to "orr# him !reatl#$ He had felt that& "hatever happened& the immense resources of the Overlords "ould soon locate and rescue him$ No" he "as not so sure$ He had alread# een !one several da#s9and nothin! had happened$ There must e a limit even to 2arellen)s po"er& and if he "ere indeed uried in some remote continent& all the science of the Overlords mi!ht e una le to trace him$ There "ere t"o other men sittin! at the ta le in the are& diml# lit room$ The# loo*ed up "ith inter(st& and more than a little respect& as Storm!ren entered$ One of them pushed across a undle of sand"iches "hich Storm!ren accepted ea!erl#$ Thou!h he felt e1tremel# hun!r#& he could have done "ith a more interestin! meal& ut it "as pro a le that his captors had dined no etter$ As he ate& he !lanced ,uic*l# at the three men around him$ /oe "as # far the most outstandin! character& and not merel# In the matter of ph#sical ul*$ The others "ere clearl# his assistants9nondescript individuals& "hose ori!ins Storm!ren "ould e a le to place "hen he heard them tal*$ Some "ine had een produced in a not9too9aseptic !lass& and Storm!ren "ashed do"n the last of the sand"iches$ 0eelin! no" more full# in command of the situation& he turned to the hu!e Pole$ )8ell&; he said evenl#& ;perhaps #ou)ll tell me "hat all this Is a out& and -ust "hat #ou hope to !et out of it$; /oe cleared his throat$ ;I)d li*e to ma*e one thin! strai!ht&; he said$ ;This is nothin! to do "ith 8ain"ri!ht$ He)ll e as surprised as an#one$)& Storm!ren had half e1pected this& thou!h he "ondered "h# /oe "as confirmin! his suspicions$ He had lon! suspected the e1istence of an e1tremist movement inside9or on the frontiers of9the 0reedom Lea!ue$ ;As a matter of interest&; he said& ;ho" did #ou *idnap me<;

He hardl# e1pected a repl# to this& and "as some"hat ta*en a ac* # the other)s readiness9even ea!erness9to ans"er$ ;It "as all rather li*e a Holl#"ood thriller&; said /oe cheerfull#$ ;8e "eren)t sure if 2arellen *ept a "atch on #ou& so "e too* some"hat ela orate precautions$ %ou "ere *noc*ed out # !as in the air9conditioner99that "as eas#$ Then "e carried #ou out into the car9no trou le at all$ All this& I mi!ht sa#& "asn)t done # an# of our people$ 8e hired9er9professionals fur the -o $ 2arellen ma# !et them9in fact& he)s supposed to9 ut he)ll e no "iser$ 8hen it left #our house& the car drove into a lon! road tunnel not a thousand *ilometres from Ne" %or*$ It came out a!ain on schedule at the opposite end& still carr#in! a dru!!ed man e1traordinaril# li*e the Secretar#9?eneral$ Huite a "hile later a lar!e truc* loaded "ith metal cases emer!ed in the opposite direction and drove to a certain airfield "here the cases "ere loaded a oard a frei!hter on perfectl# le!itimate usiness$ I)m sure the o"ners of those cases "ould e horrified to *no" ho" "e emplo#ed them$ ;7ean"hile the car that had actuall# done the -o continued ela orate evasive action to"ards the (anadian order$ Perhaps 2arellen)s cau!ht it # no"+ I don)t *no" or care$ As #ou)ll iee9I do hope #ou appreciate m# fran*ness9our "hole plan depended on one thin!$ 8e)re prett# sure that 2arellen can ee and hear ever#thin! that happens on the surface of the Earth9 ut unless he uses ma!ic& not science& he can)t see mderneath it$ So he "on)t *no" a out the transfer in the tunnel9 at least until it)s too late$ Naturall# "e)ve ta*en a ris*& ut there "ere also oneor t"o other safe!uards I "on)t !o into ao"$ 8e ma# "ant to use them a!ain& and it "ould e a pit# to !ive them a"a#$; /oe had related the "hole stor# "ith such o vious !usto that Storm!ren could hardl# help smilin!$ %et he also felt ver# iistur ed$ The plan "as an in!enious one& and it "as ,uite possi le that 2arellen had een deceived$ Storm!ren "as not even certain that the Overlord *ept an# form of protective rnrveillance over him$ Nor& clearl#& "as /oe$ Perhaps that "as "h# he had een so fran*9he "anted to test Storm!ren)s reactions$ 8ell& he "ould tr# and appear confident& "hatever his real feelin!s mi!ht e$ ;%ou must e a lot of fools&; said Storm!ren scornfull#& ;if #ou thin* #ou can tric* the Overlords as easil# as this$ In an# case& "hat conceiva le !ood "ill it do<; /oe offered him a ci!arette& "hich Storm!ren refused& then Iit one himself and sat on the ed!e of the ta le$ There "as an ominous crea*in! and he -umped off hastil#$ ;Our motives&; he e!an& ;should e prett# o vious$ 8e)ve found ar!uments useless& so "e have to ta*e other measures$ There have een under!round movements efore& and even 2arellen& "hatever po"ers he)s !ot& "on)t find it eas# to deal "ith us$ 8e)re out to fi!ht for our independence$ Don)t misunderstand me$ There)ll e nothin! violent9at Ihat& an#"a#9 ut the Overlords have to use human a!ents& and "e can ma*e it mi!ht# uncomforta le for them$; Startin! "ith me& I suppose& thou!ht Storm!ren$ He "ondered if the other had !iven him more than a fraction of the "hole stor#$ Did the# reall# thin* that these !an!ster methods "ould Influence 2arellen in the sli!htest< On the ther hand& it "as ,uite true that a "ell9or!ani'ed resistance movement could ma*e life ver# difficult$ 0or /oe had put his Ilu!er on the one "ea* spot in the Overlords) rule$ >ltimatel#& all their orders "ere carried out # human a!ents$ If these "ere terrori'ed into diso edience& the "hole s#stem mi!ht collapse$ It "as onl# a faint possi ilit#& for Storm!ren felt confident that 2arellen "ould soon find some solution$ ;8hat do #ou intend to do "ith me<; as*ed Storm!ren at len!th$ ;Am I a hosta!e& or "hat<; ;Don)t "orr#9"e)ll loo* after #ou$ 8e e1pect some visitors in a fe" da#s& and until then "e)ll entertain #ou as "ell as "e can$; He added some "ords in his o"n lan!ua!e& and one of the others produced a rand9ne" pac* of cards$ ;8e !ot these especiall# fur #ou&; e1plained /oe$ ;I read in Time the other da# that #ou "ere a !ood po*er pla#er$; His voice suddenl# ecame !rave$ ;I hope there)s plent# of cash in #our "allet&; he said an1iousl#$ )8e never thou!ht of loo*in!$ After all& "e can hardl# accept che,ues$; Huite overcome& Storm!ren stared lan*l# at his captors$ Then& as the true humour of the situation san* into his mind& it suddenl# seemed to him that all the cares and "orries of office had lifted from his shoulders$ 0rom no" on& it "as van R# er!)s sho"$ 8hatever happened& there "as a solutel# nothin! he could do a out it9and no" these fantastic criminals "ere an1iousl# "aitin! to pla# po*er "ith him$

A ruptl#& he thre" ac* his head and lau!hed as he had not done for #ears$ There "as no dou t& thou!ht van R# er! morosel#& that 8ain"ri!ht "as tellin! the truth$ He mi!ht have his suspicions& ut he did not *no" "ho hadC*idnapped Storm!ren$ Nor did he approve of the *idnappin! itself+ Van R# er! had a shre"d idea that for some tune e1tremists in the 0reedom Lea!ue had een puttin! pressure on 8ain"ri!ht to ma*e him adopt a more active polic#$ No" the# "ere ta*in! matters into their o"n hands$ The *idnappin! had een eautifull# or!ani'ed& there "as no dou t of that$ Storm!ren mi!ht e an#"here on Earth& and there seemed little hope of tracin! him$ %et somethin! must e done& decided van R# er!& and done ,uic*l#$ Despite the -est$ he had so often made& his real feelin! to"ards 2arellen "as one of over"helmin! a"e$ The thou!ht of approachin! the Supervisor directl# filled him "ith disma#& ut there seemed no alternative$ The (ommunications Section occupied the entire top floor of the !reat uildin!$ Lines of facsimile machines& some silent& some clic*in! usil#& stretched a"a# into the distance$ Throu!h them poured endless streams of statistics9production fi!ures& census returns& and all the oo*9*eepin! of a "orld economic s#stem$ Some"here up in 2arellen)s ship must lie the e,uivalent of this !reat room9and van R# er! "ondered& "ith a tin!lin! of the spine& "hat shapes moved to and fro collectin! the messa!es that Earth "as sendin! to the Overlords$ :ut toda# he "as not interested in these machines and the routine usiness the# handled$ He "al*ed to the little private room that onl# Storm!ren "as supposed to enter$ At his instructions& the loc* had een forced and the (hief (ommunications Officer "as "aitin! there for him$ ;It)s an ordinar# teleprinter9standard t#pe"riter *e# oard&; he "as told$ ;There)s a facsimile machine as "ell if #ou "ant to send an# pictures or ta ular information9 ut #ou said #ou "ouldn)t e needin! that$; Van R# er! nodded a sentl#$ ;l)hat)s all$ Than*s&; he said$ ;I don)t e1pect to e here ver# lon!$ Then !et the place loc*ed up a!ain and !ive me all the *e#s$; He "aited until the (ommunications Officer had left& and then sat do"n at the machine$ It "as& he *ne"& ver# seldom used& since nearl# all usiness et"een 2arellen and Storm!ren "as dealt "ith at their "ee*l# meetin!s$ Since this "as somethin! of an emer!enc# circuit& he e1pected a repl# fairl# ,uic*l#$ After a moment)s hesitation& he e!an to tap out his messa!e "ith unpractised fin!ers$ The machine purred a"a# ,uietl# and the "ords !leamed for a fe" seconds on the dar*ened screen$ Then he leaned ac* and "aited for the ans"er$ Scarcel# a minute later the machine started to "hirr a!ain$ Not for the first time& van R# er! "ondered if the Supervisor ever slept$ The messa!e "as as rief as it "as unhelpful$ NO IN0OR7ATION$ LEAVE 7ATTERS ENTIREL% TO %O>R DIS(RETION$ 2$ Rather itterl#& and "ithout an# satisfaction at all& van R# er! reali'ed ho" much !reatness had een thrust upon him Durin! the past three da#s Storm!ren had anal#sed his captors "ith some thorou!hness$ /oe "as the onl# one of an# Importance+ the others "ere nonentities9the riff9raff one "ould e1pect an# ille!al movement to !ather round itself The ideals of the 0reedom Lea!ue meant nothin! to them+ their onl# concern "as earnin! a livin! "ith the minimum of "or*$ /oe "as an alto!ether more comple1 individual& thou!h sometimes he reminded Storm!ren of an over!ro"n a #$ Their intermina le po*er !ames "ere punctuated "ith violent political ar!uments& and it soon ecame o vious to Storm!ren that the i! Pole had never thou!ht seriousl# a out the causes for "hich he "as fi!htin!$ Emotion and e1treme conservatism clouded all his -ud!ments$ His countr#)s lon! stru!!le for Independence had conditioned him so completel# that Cie still lived in the past$ He "as a pictures,ue survival& one of those "ho had no use for an ordered "a# of life$ 8hen his t#pe vanished& if it ever did& the "orld "ould e a safer ut lessInterestin! place$ There "as no" little dou t& as far as Storin!ren "as concerned& that 2arellen had failed to locate him$ He had tried to lufl& ut his captors "ere unconvinced$ He "as fairl# certain that the# had een holdin! him here to see if 2arellen "ould act& and no" That nothin! had happened the# could proceed "ith their plans$

Storm!ren "as not surprised "hen& four da#s after his capture& /oe told him to e1pect visitors$ 0or some time the little !roup had sho"n increasin! nervousness& and the prisoner !uessed that the leaders of the movement& havin! seen that the coast "as dear& "ere at last comin! to collect him$ The# "ere alread# "aitin!& !athered round the ric*et# ta le& "hen /oe "aved him politel# into the livin! room$ Storm!ren "as amused to note that his -ailer "as no" "earin!& ver# ostentatiousl#& a hu!e pistol that had never een in evidence efore$ The t"o thu!s had vanished& and even /oe seemed some"hat restrained$ Storm!ren could see at once that he "as no" confronted # men of a much hi!her cali re& and the !roup opposite him reminded him stron!l# of a picture he had once seen of Lenin and his associates in the first daC#s of the Russian Revolution$ There "as the same intellectual force& iron determination& and ruthlessness in these si1 men$ /oe and his *ind "ere harmless+ here "ere the real rains ehind the or!ani'ation$ 8ith a curt nod& Storm!ren moved over to the onl# vacant seat and tried to loo* self9possessed$ As he approached& the elderl#& thic*9set man on the far side of the ta le leaned for"ard and stared at him "ith piercin! !re# e#es$ The# made Storm!ren so uncomforta le that he spo*e first9somethin! he had not intended to do$ ;I suppose #ou)ve come to discuss terms$ 8hat)s m# ransom<; He noticed that in the ac*!round someone "as ta*in! do"n his "ords in a shorthand note oo*$ It "as all ver# usinessli*e$ The leader replied in a musical 8elsh accent$ ;%ou could put it that "a#& 7r$ Secretar#9?eneraJ$ :ut "e)re interested in information& not cash$; So that "as it& thou!ht Storm!ren$ He "as a prisoner of "ar& and this "as his interro!ation$ ;%ou *no" "hat our motives are&; continued the other in his softl# liltin! voice$ ;(all us a resistance movement& if #ou li*e$ 8e elieve that sooner or later Earth "ill have to fi!ht for its independence9 ut "e reali'e that the stru!!le can onl# e # indirect methods such as sa ota!e and diso edience$ 8e *idnapped #ou partl# to sho" 2arellen that "e mean usiness and are "ell or!ani'ed& ut lar!el# ecause #ou are the onl# man "ho can tell us an#thin! of the Overlords$ %ou)re a reasona le man& 7r$ Storm!ren$ ?ive us #our co9operation& and #ou can have #our freedom$; ;E1actl# "hat do #ou "ish to *no"<; as*ed Storm!ren cautiousl#$ Those e1traordinar# e#es seemed to search his mind to its depths+ the# "ere unli*e an# that Storm!ren had ever seen in his life$ Then the sin!9son! voice replied+ ;Do #ou *no" "ho& or "hat& the Overlords reall# are<; Storm!ren almost smiled$ ;:elieve me&; he said& ;I)m ,uite as an1ious as #ou to discover that$; ;Then #ou)ll ans"er our ,uestions<; ;I ma*e no promises$ :ut I ma#$; There "as a sli!ht si!h of relief from /oe& and a rustle of anticipation ran round the room$ ;8e have a !eneral idea&; continued the other& ;of the circumstances in "hich #ou meet 2arellen$ :ut perhaps #ou "ould descri e them carefull#& leavin! out nothin! of importance$; That "as harmless enou!h& thou!ht Storin!ren$ He had done it man# times efore& and it "ould !ive the appearance of co9operation$ There "ere acute minds here& and perhaps the# could uncover somethin! ne"$ The# "ere "elcome to an# fresh information the# could e1tract from him9so lon! as the# shared it$ That it could harm 2arellen in an# "a# he did not fur a moment elieve$ Storm!ren felt in his poc*ets and produced a pencil and an old envelope$ S*etchin! rapidl# "hile he spo*e& he e!an+ ;%ou *no"& of course& that a small fl#in! machine& "ith no o vious means of propulsion& calls for me at re!ular intervals and ta*es me up to 2arellen)s ship$ It enters the hull9and #ou)ve dou tless seen the telescopic films that have een ta*en of that operation$ The door opens a!ain9if #ou can call it a door9and I !o into a small room "ith a ta le& a chair& and a vision screen$ The la#out is somethin! li*e this$; He pushed the plan across to the old 8elshrnan& ut the stran!e e#es never turned to"ards it$ The# "ere still fi1ed on Storm!ren)s face& and as he "atched them somethin! seemed to chan!e in their depths$ The room had ecome completel# silent& ut ehind him he heard /oe ta*e a sudden indra"n reath$

Pu''led and anno#ed& Storm!ren stared ac* at the other& and as he did so& understandin! slo"l# da"ned$ In his confusion he crumpled the envelope into a all of paper and !round it underfoot$ He *ne" no" "h# those !re# e#es had affected him so stran!el#$ The man opposite him "as lind$ Van R# er! had made no further attempts to contact$ 2arellen$ 7uch of his department)s "or*9 the for"ardin! of statistical information& the a stractin! of the "orld)s press& and the li*e9had continued automaticall#$ In Paris the la"#ers "ere still "ran!lin! over the proposed 8orld (onstitution& ut that "as none of his usiness for the moment$ It "as a fortni!ht efore the Supervisor "anted the final draft+ if it "as not read# # then& no dou t 2arellen "ould ta*e "hat action he thou!ht fit$ And there "as still no ne"s of Storm!ren$ 5 Van R# er! "as dictatin! "hen the ;Emer!enc# Onl#; telephone started to rin!$ He !ra ed the receiver and listened "ith mountin! astonishment& then thre" it do"n and rushed to the open "indo"$ In the distance& cries of anla'ement "ere risin! from the streets& and traffic "as slo"in! to a halt$ It "as true+ 2arellen)s ship& that never9chan!in! s#m ol of the Overlords& "as no lon!er in the s*#$ He searched the heavens as far as he could see& and found no trace of it$ Then& suddenl#& it seemed as if ni!ht had s"iftl# fallen$ (omin! do"n from the north& its shado"ed under ell# lac* as a thundercloud& the !reat ship "as racin! lo" over the to"ers of Ne" %or*$ Involuntaril#& van R# er! shran* a"a# from the onrushin! monster$ He had al"a#s *no"n ho" hu!e the ship$ of the Overlords reall# "ere9 ut it "as one thin! to see them far a"a# in space& and ,uite another to "atch them passin! overhead li*e demon9driven clouds$ In the dar*ness of that partial eclipse& he "atched until the ship and its monstrous shado" had vanished into the south$ There "as no sound& not even the "hisper of air& and van R# er! reali'ed that despite its apparent nearness the ship had passed at least a *ilometre a ove his head$ Then the uildin! shuddered once as the shoc* "ave struc* it& and from some"here came the tin*lin! of ro*en !lass as a "indo" le" in"ards$ In the office ehind him all the telephones had started to rin!& ut van R# er! did not move$ He remained leanin! a!ainst the "indo" led!e& still starin! into the south& paral#sed # the presence of illimita le po"er$ As Storm!ren tal*ed& it seemed to him that his mind "as operatin! on t"o levels simultaneousl#$ On the one hand he "as tr#in! to def# the men "ho had captured him& #et on the other he "as hopin! that the# mi!ht help him unravel 2arellen)s secret$ It "as a dan!erous !ame& #et to his surprise he "as en-o#in! it$ The lind 8eishman had conducted most of the interro!ation$ It "as fascinatin! to "atch that a!ile mind tr#in! one openin! after another& testin! and re-ectin! all the theories that Storm!ren himself had a andoned lon! a!o$ Presentl# he leaned ac* "ith a si!h$ ;8e)re !ettin! no"here&; he said resi!nedl#$ ;8e "ant B6 more facts& and that means action& not ar!ument$; The si!htless e#es seemed to stare thou!htfull# at Storm!ren$ 0or a moment he tapped nervousl# on the ta le9it "as the first si!n of uncertaint# that Storm!ren had noticed$ Then he continued+ ;I)m a little surprised& 7r$ Secretar#& that #ou)ve never made an# effort to learn more a out the Overlords$; ;8hat do #ou su!!est<; as*ed Storm!ren coldl#& tr#in! to dis!uise his interest$ ;I)ve told #ou that there)s onl# one "a# out of the room in "hich I have m# tal*s "ith 2arellen9and that leads strai!ht ac* to Earth$;

;It mi!ht e possi le&; mused the other& ;to devise instruments "hich could teach us somethin!$ I)m no scientist& ut "e can loo* into the matter$ If "e !ive #ou #our freedom& "ould #ou e "illin! to assist "ith such a plan<; ;Once and fur all&; said Storm!ren an!ril#& ;let me ma*e m# position perfectl# clear$ 2arellen is "or*in! for a united "orld& and I)ll do nothin! to help his enemies$ 8hat his ultimate plans ma# e& I don)t *no"& ut I elieve that the# are !ood$; )8hat real proof have "e of that<; ;All his actions& ever since his ships appeared in our s*ies$ I def# #ou to mention one act that& in the ultimate anal#sis& hasn)t een eneficial$; Storm!ren paused for a moment& lettin! his mind run ac* thrpu!h the past #ears$ Then he smiled$ ;If #ou "ant a sin!le proof of the essential9ho" shall I put it<9 enevolence of the Overlords& thin* of that cruelt#9to9animals order "hich the# made "ithin a month of their arrival$ If I had an# dou ts a out 2arellen efore& that anished them 9even thou!h that order aa caused me more trou le than an#thin! else he)s ever done=; That "as scarcel# an e1a!!eration& Storm!ren thou!ht$ The "hole incident had een an e1traordinar# one& the first revelation of the Overlords) hatred of cruelt#$ That& and their passion for -ustice and order& seemed to e the dominant emotions in their lives9as far as one could -ud!e them # their actions$ And it "as the onl# time 2arellen ad sho"n an!er& or at least the appearance of an!er$ ;%ou ma# *ill one another if #ou "ish&; the messa!e had !one& ;and that is a matter et"een #ou and #our o"n la"s$ :ut if #ou sla#& e1cept for food or in self9defence& the easts that share #our "orld "ith #ou9then #ou ma# e ans"era le to me$; BK No one *ne" e1actl# ho" comprehensive this an "as supposed to e& or "hat 2arellen "ould do to enforce it$ The# had not lon! to "ait$ The Pla'a de Toros "as full "hen the matadors and their attendants e!an their professional entr#$ Ever#thin! seemed normal+ the rilliant sunli!ht la'ed harshl# on the traditional costumes& the !reat cro"d !reeted its favourites as it had a hundred times efore$ %et here and there faces "ere turned an1iousl# to"ards the s*#& to the aloof silver shape fift# *ilo9metres a ove 7adrid$ Then the picadors ad ta*en up their places and the ull had come snortin! out into the arena$ The s*inn# horses& nostrils "ide "ith terror& had "heeled in the sunli!ht as their riders forced them to meet their enem#$ The first lance flashed9made contact9and at that moment came a sound that had never een heard on Earth ef re$ It "as the sound often thousand people screamin! "ith the pain of the same "ound9ten thousand people "ho& "hen the# ad recovered from the shoc*& found themselves completel# unharmed$ :ut that "as the end of that ull9fi!ht& and indeed of all ull9fi!htin!& for the ne"s spread rapidl#$ It is "orth recordin! that the aficionados "ere so sha*en that onl# one in ten as*ed for their mone# ac*& and also that the London Dail# 7irror made matters much "orse # su!!estin! that the Spaniards adopt cric*et as a ne" national sport$ ;%ou ma# e correct&; the old 8eishman replied$ )Possi l# the motives of the Overlords are !ood9 accordin! to their standards& "hich ma# sometimes e the same as ours$ :ut the# are interlopers9"e never as*ed them to come here and turn our "orld upside9do"n& destro#in! ideals9#es& and nations9that !enerations of men have fou!ht to protect$; ;I come from a small nation that had to fi!ht for its li er$ties&; retorted Storm!ren$ ;%et I am for 2areilen$ %ou ma# anno# him& #ou ma# even dela# the achievement of his aims& ut it "ill ma*e no difference m the end$ Dou tless #ou are sincere in elievin! as #ou do+ I can understand #our fear that the traditions and cultures of little countries "ill e over"helmed "hen the 8orld State arrives$ :ut #ou are "ron!+ it is useless to clin! to the past$ Even efore the Overlords came to Earth& the soverei!n state "as d#in!$ The# have merel# hastened its end+ no one can save it no"9and no one should tr#$; BD There "as no ans"er+ the man opppsite neither moved nor spo*e$ He sat "ith his lips half open& his e#es no" lifeless as "ell as lind$ Around hint the others "ere e,uall# motionless& fro'en in strained& unnatural attitudes$ 8ith a !asp of pure horror& Storm!ren rose to his feet and ac*ed a"a# to"ards the door$ As he did so the silence "as suddenl# ro*en$ ;That "as a nice speech& Ri**i+ than* #ou$ No" I thin* "e can !o$;

Storm!ren spun on his heels and stared into the shado"ed corridor$ 0loatin! there at e#e9level "as a small& featureless sphere9the source& no dou t& of "hatever m#sterious force the Overlords had rou!ht into action$ It "as hard to e sure& ut Storm!ren ima!ined that e could hear a faint hummin!& as of a hive of ees on a dro"s# summer da#$ ;2arellen= Than* ?od= :ut "hat have #ou done<; ;Don)t "orr#- the#)re ,uite all ri!ht$ %ou can call it a paral#sis& ut it)s much su tler than that$ The#)re simpl# livin! a fe" thousand #ears more slo"l# than normal$ 8hen "e)ve !one the#)ll never *no" "hat happened$; ;%ou)ll leave them here until the police come<; ;No$ I)ve a much etter plan$ I)m lettin! them !o$; Storm!ren felt a surprisin! sense of relief$ He !ave a last valedictor# !lance at the little room and its fro'en occupants$ /oe "as standin! on one foot& starin! ver# stupidl# at nothin!$ Suddenl# Storm!ren lau!hed and fum led in his poc*ets$ ;Than*s for the hospitalit#& /oe&; he said$ ;I thin* I)ll leave a souvenir$; He ruffled throu!h the scraps of paper until he had found the fi!ures he "anted$ Then& on a reasona l# clean sheet& he "rote carefull#+ :CuC O0 7ANHATTAN Pa# /oe the sum of One hundred Thirt#90ive Dollars and 0ift# (ents EL3B6$6MF R$ Storm!ren$ As he laid the strip of paper eside the Pole& 2arellen)s voice en,uired+ ;E1actl# "hat are #ou doin! <; ;8e Storm!rens al"a#s pa# our de ts$ The other t"o cheated& ut /oe pla#ed fair$ At least I never cau!ht him out$; He felt ver# !a# and li!htheaded& and ,uite fort# #ears #oun!er& as he "al*ed to the door$ The metal sphere moved B6 5 aside to let him pass$ He assumed that it "as some *ind of ro ot& and it e1plained ho" 2arellen had een a le to reach him throu!h the un*no"n la#ers of roc* overhead$ ;(arr# strai!ht on for a hundred metres&; said the sphere& spea*in! in 2arellen)s voice$ ;Then turn to the left until I !ive #ou further instructions$; He strode for"ard ea!erl#& thou!h he reali'ed that there "as no need for hurr#$ The sphere remained han!in! in the corridor& presuma l# coverin! his retreat$ A minute later he came across a second sphere& "aitin! for him at a ranch in the corridor$ ;%ou)ve half a *ilometre to !o&; it said$ ;2eep to the left until "e meet a!ain$; Si1 times he encountered the spheres on his "a# to the open$ At first he "ondered if& someho"& the ro ot "as mana!in! to *eep ahead of him. then he !uessed that there must e a chain of the machines maintainin! a complete circuit do"n into the depths of the mine$ At the entrance a !roup of !uards formed a piece of impro a le statuar#& "atched over # #et another of the u i,uitous spheres$ On the hillside a fe" metres a"a# la# the little fl#in! machine in "hich Storm!ren had made all his -ourne#s to2arellen$ He stood for a moment lin*in! in the sunli!ht$ Then he sa" the ruined minin! machiner# around hint& and e#ond that a derelict rail"a# stretchin! do"n the mountainside$ Several *ilometres a"a# a dense forest lapped at the ase of the mountain& and ver# far off Storm!ren could see the !leam of "ater from a !reat la*e$ He !uessed that he "as some"here in South America& thou!h it "as not eas# to sa# e1actl# "hat !ave him that impression$ As he clim ed into the little fl#in! machine& Storm!ren had a last !limpse of the mine entrance and the men fro'en around it$ Then the door sealed ehind him and "ith a si!h of relief he san* ac* upon the familiar couch$ 0or a "hile he "aited until he had recovered his reath. then he uttered a sin!le& heart9felt s#lla le+ ;8ell<;

;I)m sorr# I couldn)t rescue #ou efore$ :ut #ou see ho" ver# important it "as to "ait until all the leaders ad !athered here$; ;Do #ou mean to sa#&; spluttered Storm!ren& ;that #ou *ne" "here I "as all the time< If I thou!ht9; B4 ;Don)t e too hast#&; ans"ered 2arellen& ;at least& let me Knish e1p3Ciinin!$; ;Ver# "ell&; said Storm!ren dar*l#& ;I)m listenin!$; He "as e!innin! to suspect that he had een no more than ait In an ela orate trap$ ;I)ve had a9perhaps )tracer) is the est "ord for it9on #ou 0or some time&; e!an 2arellen$ ;Thou!h #our late friends "ere correct in thin*in! that I couldn)t follo" #ou under!round& I "as a le to *eep trac* until the# rou!ht #ou to the nine$ That transfer in the tunnel "as in!enious& ut "hen the first car ceased to react it !ave the plan a"a# and I soon located #ou a!ain$ Then it "as merel# a matter of "aitin!$ I *ne" that once the# "ere certain I)d lost #ou& the leaders "ould come here and I)d e a le toCp them all$; ;:ut #ou)re lettin! them !o=; ;>ntil no"&; said 2arellen& ;I had no "a# of tellin! "ho of the t"o and a half illion men on this planet "ere the real heads of the or!ani'ation$ No" that the#)re located& I can trace their movements an#"here on Earth& and can "atch their actions in detail if I "ant to$ That)s far etter than loc*in! them up$ If the# ma*e an# moves& the#)ll etra# their remainin! comrades$ The#)re effectivel# neutrali'ed& and the# *no" it$ %our rescue "ill e completel# ine1plica le to them& for #ou must have vanished efore their e#es$; That rich lau!h echoed round the tin# room$ ;In some "a#s the "hole affair "as a comed#& ut it had a serious purpose$ I)m not merel# concerned "ith the fe" score men in this or!ani'ation9I have to thin* of the moral effect on other !roups that e1ist else"here$; Storm!ren "as silent for a "hile$ He "as not alto!ether satisfied& ut he could see 2arellen)s point of vie"& and some of his an!er had evaporated$ ;It)s a pit# to do it in m# last fe" "ee*s of office&; he said finall#& ; ut from no" on I)m !oin! to have a !uard on m# house$ Pieter can e *idnapped ne1t time$ Ho" has he mana!ed& # the "a#<; ;I)ve "atched him caref8l# this last "ee*& and have deli eratel# avoided helpin! him$ On the "hole he)s done ver# "ell9 ut he)s not the man to ta*e #our place$; ;That)s luc*# for him&; said Storm!ren& still some"hat a!!rieved$ ;And # the "a#& have #ou had an# "ord #et from #our superiors9a out sho"in! #ourself to us< I)m sure no" 5M that it)s the stron!est ar!ument #our enemies have$ A!ain and a!ain the# told me+ )8e)ll never trust the Overlords until "e can see them$); 2ardilen si!hed$ ;No$ I)ve heard nothin!$ :ut I *no" "hat the ans"er must e$; Storm!ren did not press the matter$ Once he mi!ht have done so& ut no" for the first time the faint shado" of a plan "as e!innin! to ta*e shape in his mind$ The "ords of his interro!ator passed a!ain throu!h his memor#$ %es& perhaps instruments could e devised$$$$ 8hat he had refused to do under duress& he mi!ht #et attempt of his o"n free "ilL

5 IT "ould never have occurred to Storm!ren& even a fe" da#s efore& that he could seriousl# have considered the action he "as plnnnin! no"$ This ridiculousl# melodramatic *idnappin!& "hich in retrospect seemed li*e a third9rate TV drama& pro a l# had a !reat deal to do "ith his ne" outloo*$ It "as the first time in his life that Storm!ren had ever een e1posed to violent ph#sical action& as opposed to the ver al attles of the conference room$ The virus must have entered his loodstream+ or else he "as merel# approachin! second childhood more ,uic*l# than he had supposed$

Sheer curiosit# "as also a po"erful motive& and so "as a determination to !et his o"n ac* for the tric* that had een pla#ed upon him$ It "as perfectl# o vious no" that 2arellen had used him as a ait& and even if this had een for the est of reasons& Storm!ren did not feel inclined to for!ive the Supervisor at once$ Pierre Duval sho"ed no surprise "hen Storm!ren "al*ed unannounced into his office$ The# "ere old friends and there "as nothin! unusual in the Secretar#9?eneral pa#in! a personal visit to the (hief of the Science :ureau$ (ertainl# 2arellen "ould not thin* it odd& if # an# chance he9or one of his underlin!s9turned his instruments of surveillance upon this spot$ 0or a "hile the t"o men tal*ed usiness and e1chan!ed 53 political !ossip. then& rather hesitantl#& Storm!ren came to the point$ As his visitor tal*ed& the old 0renchman leaned ac* in his chair and his e#e ro"s rose steadil#& millimetre # millimetre& until the# "ere almost entan!led in his foreloc*$ Once or t"ice he seemed a out to spea*& ut each time thou!ht etter of it$ 8hen Storm!ren had finished& the scientist loo*ed nervousl# around the room$ ;Do #ou thin* he)s listenin!<; he said$ ;I don)t elieve he can$ He)s !ot "hat he calls a tracer on me& for m# protection$ :ut it doesn)t "or* under!round& "hich is one reason "h# I came do"n to this dun!eon of #ours$ It)s supposed to e shielded from all forms of radiation& isn)t it< 2arellen)s no ma!ician$ He *no"s "here I am& ut that)s all$; ;I hope #ou)re ri!ht$ Apart from that& "on)t there e trou le "hen he discovers "hat #ou)re tr#in! to do< :ecause he "ill& #ou *no"$; ;I)ll ta*e that ris*$ :esides& "e understand each other rather "ell$; The ph#sicist to#ed "ith his pencil and stared into space for a "hile$ ;It)s a ver# prett# pro lem$ I li*e it&; he said simpl#$ Then he dived into a dra"er and produced an enormous "ritin!9pad& ,uite the i!!est that Storm!ren had ever seen$ ;Ri!ht&; he e!an& scri lin! furiousl# in "hat seemed to e some private shorthand$ ;Let me ma*e sure I have all the facts$ Tell me ever#thin! #ou can a out the room in "hich #ou have #our intervie"s$ Don)t omit an# derail& ho"ever trivial it seems$; ;There isn)t much to descri e$ It)s made of metal& and is a out ei!ht metres s,uare and four hi!h$ The vision screen is a out a metre on a side and there)s a des* immediatel# eneath it9here& it "ill e ,uic*er if I dra" it for #ou$; Rapidl# Storm!ren s*etched the little room he *ne" so "ell& and pushed the dra"in! over to DuvaL As he did so& he recalled& "ith a sli!ht shiver& the last time he had done this sort of thin!$ He "ondered "hat had happened to the lind 8elsh9man and his confederates& and ho" the# had reacted to his a rupt departure$ The 0renchman studied the dra"in! "ith a puc*ered ro"$ ;And that)s all #ou can tell me<; 5A Duval snorted in dis!ust$ ;8hat a out li!htin!< Do #ou sit in total dar*ness< And ho" a out ventilation& heatin!$ $ $ Storm!ren smiled at the characteristic out urst$ ;The "hole ceilin! is luminous& and as far as I can tell the air comes throu!h the spea*er !rille$ I don)t *no" ho" it leaves. perhaps the stream reverses at intervals& ut I haven)t noticed it$ There)s no si!n of an# heater& ut the room is al"a#s at normal temperature$; ;7eanin!& I suppose& that the "ater vapour has fro'en out& ut not the car on dio1ide$; Storm!ren did his est to smile at the "ell9"orn -o*e$ ;I thin* I)ve told #ou ever#thin!&; he concluded$ ;As for the machine that ta*es me up to 2ardllen)s ship& the room in "hich I travel is as featureless as an elevator ca!e$ Apart from he couch and ta le& it mi!ht ver# "ell e one$; There "as silence for several minutes "hile the ph#sicist em roidered his "ritin!9pad "ith meticulous and microscopic doodles$ As he "atched& Storm!ren "ondered "h# it "as that a man li*e Duval9"hose mind "as incompara l# more rilliant than his o"n9had never made a !reater mar* in the "orld of science$ He remem ered an un*ind and pro a l# inaccurate comment of a friend in the >$S$ State Department$ ;The 0rench produce the est second9raters in the "orld$; Duval "as the sort of man "ho supported that statement$

The ph#sicist nodded to himself in satisfaction& leaned for"ard and pointed his pencil at Storm!ren$ ;8hat ma*es #ou thin*& Ri**i&; he as*ed& ;that 2arellen)s vision9screen& as #ou call it& reall# is "hat it pretends to e<; ;I)ve al"a#s ta*en it for !ranted+ it loo*s e1actl# li*e one$ 8hat else "ould it e& an#"a#<; ;8hen #ou sa# that it loo*s li*e a vision9screen& #ou mean& don)t #ou& that it loo*s li*e one of ours<; ;Of course$; ;I find that suspicious in itself$ I)m sure the Overlord)s o"n apparatus "on)t use an#thin! so crude as an actual ph#sical screen9the#)ll pro a l# materiali'e ima!es directl# in space$ :ut "h# should 2arellen other to use a TV s#stem& an#"a#< The simplest solution is al"a#s est$ Doesn)t it seem far more pro a le that #our )vision9screen) is reall# <"tlui'! mon cornplico5ed than a sheet of one9"a# !lass<; 5B Storm!ren "as so anno#ed "ith himself that for a moment hC sat in silence& retracin! the past$ 0rom the e!innin!& he -Cid never challen!ed Rardllen)s stor#9#et no" he came to loo* ac*& "hen had thC Supervisor ever told him that he "as usin! a TV s#stem< He had simpl# ta*en it for !ranted+ the "hole thin! had een a piece of ps#cholo!ical tric*er#& and he had een completel# deceived$ Al"a#s assumin!& of course& that Duval)s theor# "as correct$ :ut he "as -umpin! to conclusions a!ain+ no one had proved an#thin! #et$ ;If #ou)re ri!ht&; he said& ;all I have to do is to smash the !lass9; Duval si!hed$ ;These unscientific la#men= Do #ou thin* it)ll e made of an#thin! #ou could smash "ithout e1plosives< And if #ou succeeded& do #ou imCa!ine that 2arellen is li*el# to reathe the same air that "e do< 8on)t it e nice for oth of #ou if he flourishes in an atmosphere of chlorine<; Storro!ren felt a little foolish$ He should have thou!ht of that$ ;8ell& "hat do #ou su!!est<; he as*ed "ith some e1asperation$ ;I "ant to thin* it over$ 0irst of all "e)ve !ot to find if m# theor# is correct& and if so learn somethin! a out the material of that screen$ I)ll put a couple of m# men on the -o $ :# the "a#& I suppose #ou carr# a rief9case "hen #ou visit the Supervisor< Is it the one #ou)ve !ot there<; ;%es$; ;It should e i! enou!h$ 8e don)t "ant to attract attention # chan!in! it for another& particularl# if 2arellen)s !ro"n used to it$; )8hat do #ou "ant me to do<; as*ed Storm!ren$ ;(arr# a concealed N9ra# set<; The ph#sicist !rinned$ ;I don)t *no" #et& ut "e)ll thin* of somethin!$ I)ll let #ou *no" "hat it is in a fortni!ht)s time$; He !ave a little lau!h$ ;Do #ou *no" "hat all this reminds me of<; ;%es&; said Storm!ren promptl#& ;the time #ou "ere uildin! ille!al radio sets durin! the ?erman occupation$; Duval loo*ed disappointed$ ;8ell& I suppose I have mentioned that once or t"ice efore$ :ut there)s one other thiu!9; 55 ;8hat)s that<; ;8hen #ou are cau!ht& I didn)t *no" "hat #ou "anted the !ear for$; ;8hat& after all the fuss #ou once made a out the scientist)s social responsi ilit# for his inventions< Reall#& Pierre& I)m ashamed of #ou=; Storm!ren laid do"n the thic* folder of t#pescript "ith a si!h of relief$ ;Than* heavens that)s settled at last&; he said$ ;It)s stran!e to thin* that these fe" hundred pa!es hold the future of man*ind$ The 8orld State= I never thou!ht I "ould see it in m# lifetime=; He dropped the file into his rief9case& the ac* of "hich "as no more than ten centimetres from the dar* rectan!le of the screen$ 0rom time to nine his fin!ers pla#ed across the loc*s in a half9

conscious nervous reaction& ut he had no intention of pressin! the concealed s"itch until the meetin! "as over$ There "as a chance that somethin! mi!ht !o "ron!+ thou!h Duval had s"orn that 2arellen "ould detect nothin!& one could never e sure$ ;No"& #ou said #ou)d some ne"s for me&; Storm!ren continued& "ith scarcel# concealed ea!erness$ ;Is it a out9; ;%es&; said 2arellen$ ;I received a decision a fe" hours a!o$; 8hat did he mean # that< "ondered Storin!ren$ Surel# it "as not possi le for the Supervisor to have communicated "ith his distant home& across the un*no"n num ers of li!ht #ears that separated him from his ase$ Or perhaps9this "as van R# er!)s theor#9he had merel# een consultin! some vast computin! machine "hich could predict the outcome of an# political action$ ;I don)t thin*&; continued 2arellen& ;that the 0reedom Lea!ue and its associates "ill e ver# satisfied& ut it should help to reduce the tension$ 8e "on)t record this& # the "a#$ ;%ou)ve often told me& Ri**i& that no matter ho" unli*e #ou "e are ph#sicall#& the human race "ould soon !ro" accustomed to us$ That sho"s a lac* of ima!ination on #our part$ It "ould pro a l# e true in #our case& ut #ou must remem er that most of the "orld is still uneducated # an# reasona le 56 standards& and is riddled "ith pre-udices and superstitions that ma# ta*e decades to eradicate$ ;%ou "ill !rant that "e *no" somethin! of human ps#cholo!#$ 8e *no" rather accuratel# "hat "ould happen if "e revealed ourselves to the "orld in its present state of develop9merit$ I can)t !o into details& even "ith #ou& so #ou must accept m# anal#sis on trust$ 8e can& ho"ever& ma*e this definite promise& "hich should !ive #ou some satisfaction$ In fift# #ears9t"o !enerations from no"9"e "ill come do"n from our ships and humanit# "ill at last see us as "e are$; Storm!ren "as silent for a "hile& a sor in! the Supervisor)s "ords$ He felt little of the satisfaction that 2arellen)s statement "ould once have !iven him$ Indeed& he "as some"hat confused # his partial success& and for a moment his resolution faltered$ The truth "ould come "ith the passa!e of time+ all his plottin! "as unnecessar# and perhaps un"ise$ If he still "ent ahead& it "ould e onl# for the selfish reason that he "ould not e alive in fift# #ears$ 2arellen must have seen his irresolution& for he continued+ ;I)m sorr# if this disappoints #ou& ut at least the political pro lems of the near future "on)t e #our responsi ilit#$ Perhaps #ou "ill thin* that our fears are unfounded& ut elieve me "e)ve had convincin! proofs of the dan!er of an# other course$; Storm!ren leaned for"ard& reathin! heavil#$ ;So #ou have een seen # 7an=; ;I didn)t sa# that&; 2arellen ans"ered promptl#$ ;%our "orld isn)t the onl# planet "e)ve supervised$; Storm!ren "as not to e sha*en off so easil#$ ;There have een man# le!ends su!!estin! that E6L)th has een visited in the past # other races$; ;I *no"+ I)ve read the OIistorical Research Section)s report$ It ma*es Earth loo* li*e the crossroads of the >niverse$; ;There ma# have een visits a out "hich #ou *no" nothin!&; said Storm!ren& still an!lin! hopefull#$ ;Thou!h since #ou must have een o servin! us for thousands of #ears& I suppose that)s rather unli*el#$; ;I suppose it is&; replied 2arellen& in his most unhelpful manner$ And at that moment Storm!ren made up his mind$ ;2arellen&; he said a ruptl#& ;I)ll draft out the statement and send it up to #ou for approval$ :ut I reserve the ri!ht to continue pesterin! #ou& and if I see an# opportunit#& I)ll do m# est to learn #our secret$; 5K ;I)m perfectl# "ell a"are of that&; replied the Supervisor& "ith a sli!ht chuc*le$ ;And #ou don)t mind<; ;Not in the least9thou!h I dra" the line at nuclear "eapons& poison !as& or an#thin! else that mi!ht strain our friendship$;

Storm!ren "ondered "hat& if an#thin!& 2arellen had !uessed$ :ehind the Supervisor)s anter he had reco!ni'ed the note of understandin!& perhaps9"ho could tell<9even of encoura!ement$ ;I)m !lad to *no" it&; Storm!rcn replied in as level a voice as he could mana!e$ He rose to his feet& rin!in! do"n the cover of his case as he did so$ His thum slid alon! the catch$ ;I)ll draft that statement at once&; he repeated& ;and send It up on the telet#pe later toda#$; 8hile he "as spea*in!& he pressed the utton9and *ne" that all his fears had een !roundless$ 2arellen)s senses "ere no su tler than 7an)s$ The Supervisor could have detected nothin!& for there "as no chan!e in his voice as he said !ood #e and spo*e the fRnliliAr code9"ords that opened the door of the cham er$ %et Storm!ren still felt li*e a shoplifter leavin! a department store under the e#es of the house9 detective& and reathed a si!h of relief "hen the smooth "all had sealed itself ehind

;I admit&; said van R# er!& ;that some of m# theories haven)t een ver# successful$ :ut tell me "hat #ou thin* of this one$; ;7ust I<; si!hed Storm!ren$ Pieter didn)t seem to notice$ ;It isn)t reall# m# idea&; he said modestl#$ ;I !ot it from a stor# of (hesterton)s$ Suppose the Overlords are hidin! the fact that the#)ve !ot nothin! to hide<; ;That sounds -ust a little complicated to me&; said Storm!ren& e!innin! to ta*e sli!ht interest$ )8hat I mean is this&; van R# er! continued ea!erl#$ ;I thin* that ph#sicall# the#)re human ein!s li*e us$ The# reali'e that "e)ll tolerate ein! ruled # creatures "e ima!ine to e9 "ell& alien and super9intelli!ent$ :ut the human race ein! "hat it is& it -ust "on)t e ossed around # creatures of the same species$; 5D ;Ver# in!enious& li*e all #our theories&; said Storm!ren$ ;I "ish #ou)d !ive them opus num ers so that I could *eep up "ith them$ The o -ections to this one9999; :ut at that moment Ale1ander 8ain"ri!ht "as ushered in$ Stor'n!ren "ondered "hat he "as thin*in!$ He "onderedF too& if 8ain"ri!ht had made an# contact "ith the men "ho had *idnapped him$ He dou ted it& for he elieved 8ain"ri!ht)s disapproval of violence to e perfectl# !enuine$ The e1tremists in his movement had$ discredited themselves thorou!hl#& and it "ould e a lon! time efore the "orld heard of them a!ain$ The head of the 0reedom Lea!ue listened carefull# "hile the draft "as read to him$ Storm!ren hoped he appreciated this !esture& "hich had een 2arellen)s idea$ Not for another t"elve hours "ould the rest of the "orld *no" of the promise that had een made to its !randchildren$ ;0ift# #ears&; said 8ain"ri!ht thou!htfull#$ ;That is a lon! time to "ait$; ;0or man*ind& perhaps& ut not for 2arellen&; Storm!ren ans"ered$ Onl# no" "as he e!innin! to reali'e the nearness of the Overlords) solution$ It had !iven them the reathin! space the# elieved the# needed& and it had cut the !round from eneath the 0reedom Lea!ue)s feet$ He did not ima!ine that the Lea!ue "ould capitulate& ut its position "ould e seriousl# "ea*ened$ (ertainl# 8ain"ri!ht reali'ed this as "ell$ ;In fift# #ears&; he said itterl#& ;the dama!e "ill e done$ Those "ho remem ered our independence "ill e dead+ humanit# "ill have for!otten its herita!e$; 8ords9empt# "ords& thou!ht Storm!ren$ The "ords for "hich men had once fou!ht and died& and for "hich the# "ould never die or fi!ht a!ain$ And the "orld "ould e etter for it$ As he "atched 8ain"ri!ht leave& Storm!ren "ondered ho" much trou le the 0reedom Lea!ue "ould still cause $in the #ears that la# ahead$ %et that& he thou!ht "ith a liftin! of his spirits& "as a pro lem for his successor$ There "ere some thin!s that onl# time could cure$ Evil men could e destro#ed& ut nothin! could e done "ith !ood men "ho "ere deluded$ ;Here)s #our case&; said Duval$ ;It)s as !ood as ne"$;

;Than*s&; Storru!ren ans"ered& inspectin! it carefull# none 5@ the less$ ;No" perhaps #ou)ll tell me "hat it "as all a out& and "hat "e are !oin! to do ne1t$; The ph#sicist seemed more interested in his o"n thou!hts$ ;8hat I can)t understand&; he said& ;is the ease "ith "hich "e)ve !ot a"a# "ith it$ No" if I)d een 2ar9; ;:ut #ou)re not$ ?et to the point& man$ 8hat did "e discover<; ;Ah me& these e1cita le& hi!hl#9strun! Nordic races=; si!hed Duval$ ;8hat "e did "as to ma*e a t#pe of lo"9po"ered radar set$ :esides radio "aves of ver# hi!h fre,uenc#& it used far infra9red9 all "aves& in fact& "hich "e "ere sure no creature could possi l# see& ho"ever "eird an e#e it had$; ;Ho" could #ou e$ sure of that<; as*ed Storm!ren& ecomin! intri!ued # the technical pro lem in spite of himself$ ;8ell9"e couldn)t e ,uite sure&; admitted Duval reluctsntl#$ ;:ut 2arellen vie"s #ou under normal li!htin!& doesn)t he< So his e#es must e appro1imatel# similar to ours in spectral ran!e$ An#"a#& it "or*ed$ 8e)ve proved that there is a lar!e room ehind that screen of #ours$ The screen is a out three centimetres thic*& and the space ehind it is at least ten metres across$ 8e couldn)t detect an# echo from the far "all& ut "e hardl# e1pected to "ith the lo" po"er "hich "as all "e dared use$ Ho"ever& "e did !et this$; He pushed across a piece of photo!raphic paper on "hich "as a sin!le "av# line$ In one spot "as a *in* li*e the auto!raph of a mild earth,ua*e$ ;See that little *in*<; ;%es+ "hat is it<; ;Onl# 2arellen$; ;?ood Lord= Are #ou sure<; ;It)s a prett# safe !uess$ He)s sittin!& or standin!& or "hatever it is he does& a out t"o metres on the other side of the screen$ If the resolution had een a it etter& "e mi!ht even have calculated his si'e$; Storm!ren)s feelin!s "ere ver# mi1ed as he stared at that scarcel# visi le infle1ion of the trace$ >ntil no"& there had een no proof that 2arellen even had a material od#$ The evidence "as still indirect& ut he accepted it "ithout ,uestion$ ;The other thin! "e had to do&; said Duval& ;"as to calculate the transmission of the screen to ordinar# li!ht$ 8e thin* "e)ve !ot a reasona le idea of that9an#"a# it doesn)t matter If "e)re out even # a factor often$ %ou)ll reali'e& of course& 54 that there)s no such thin! as a trul# one9"a# !lass$ It)s simpl# a matter of arran!in! the li!hts$ 2arellen sits in a dar*ened room+ #ou are illuminated9that)s all$; Duval chuc*led$ ;8ell& "e)re !oin! to chan!e that=; 8ith the air of a con-urer producin! a "hole litter of "hite ra its& he reached into his des* and pulled out an over!ro"n nash9lamp$ The)end flared out into a "ide no''le& so that the "hole device loo*ed rather li*e a lunder uss$ Duval !rinned$ ;It)s not as dan!erous as it loo*s$ All #ou have to do is to tam the no''le a!ainst the screen and press the tri!!er$ It !ives out a ver# po"erful eam lastin! ten seconds& and in that dine #ou)ll e a le to s"in! it round the room and !et a !ood vie"$ All the li!ht "ill !o throu!h the screen and it "ill floodli!ht #our friend eautifull#$; ;It "on)t hurt 2arellen<; ;Not if #ou aim lo" and s"eep up"ards$ That "ill !ive his e#es time to adapt9I suppose he has refle1es li*e ours& and "e don)t "ant to lind him$; Storm!ren loo*ed at the "eapon dou tfull# and hefted it in his hand$ 0or the last fe" "ee*s his conscience had een pric*in! him$ 2arellen ad al"a#s treated him "ith unmista*a le affection& despite his occasional devastatin! fran*ness& and no" that their time to!ether "as dra"in! to its close he did not "ish to do an#thin! that mi!ht spoil that relationship$ :ut the Supervisor had received due "arnin!& and Storm!ren had the conviction that if the choice had een his& 2arellen

"ould lon! a!o have sho"n himself$ No" the decision "ould e made for him+ "hen their last meetin! came to its end& Storm!ren "ould !a'e upon 2arellen)s face$ it. of course& 2arellen ad a face$ The nervousness that Storm!ren had first felt had lon! since passed a"a#$ 2arellen "as doin! almost all the tal*in!& "eavin! the intricate sentences "hich he "as occasionall# prone to use$ Once this had seemed to Storm!ren the most "onderful and certainl# the most une1pected of all 2arellen)s !ifts$ No" it no lon!er appeared ,uite so marvellous& for he *ne" that li*e most of the Supervisor)s a ilities it "as the result of sheer intellectual po"er and not of an# special talent$ 2arellen had time for an# amount of literar# composition 6M "hen he slo"ed his thou!hts do"n to the pace of human speech$ ;There is no need for #ou or #our successor to "orr# undul# a out the 0reedom Lea!ue& even "hen it has recovered from its present despondenc#$ It has een ver# ,uiet for the past month& and thou!h it "ill revive a!ain it "ill not e a dan!er for some #ears$ Indeed& since it is al"a#s valua le to *no" "hat #our opponents are doin!& the Lea!ue is a ver# useful institution$ Should it ever !et into financial difficulties I mi!ht even have to su sidi'e it$; Storm!ren had often found it difficult to tell "hen 2arellen "as -o*in!$ He *ept his face impassive and continued to listen$ ;Ver# soon the Lea!ue "ill lose another of its ar!uments$ There has een a !ood deal of criticism& all some"hat childish& of the special position #ou have held for the past fe" #ears$ I found it ver# valua le in the earl# da#s of m# administration& ut no" that the "orld is movin! alon! the lines that I planned& it can cease$ In future& all m# dealin!s "ith Earth "ill e in9direct and the office of Secretar#9?eneral can revert to somethin! resem lin! its ori!inal form$ ;Durin! the ne1t fift# #ears there "ill e man# crises& ut the# "ill pass$ The pattern of the future is clear enou!h& and one da# all these diffl,ilties "ill e for!otten9even to a race "ith memories as lon! as #ours$; The last "ords "ere spo*en "ith such peculiar emphasis that Storm!ren immediatel# fro'e in his seat$ 2arellen& he "as sure& never made accidental slips+ even his indiscretions "ere calculated to man# decimal places$ :ut there "as no time to as* ,uestions9"hich certainl# "ould not e ans"ered9 efore the Supervisor had chan!ed the su -ect a!ain$ ;%ou have often as*ed me a out our lon!9term plans&; he continued$ ;The foundation of the 8orld State is& of course& onl# the first step$ %ou "ill live to see its completion9 ut the chan!e "ill e so impercepti le that fe" "ill notice it "hen it comes$ After that there "ill e a period of slo" consolidation "hile #our race ecomes prepared for us$ And then"ill comethe da# "hich "e have promised$ lain sorr# #ou "ill not e there$; Storm!ren)s e#es "ere open& ut his !a'e "as fi1ed far e#ond the dar* arrier of the screen$ He "as loo*in! into the future& ima!inin! the da# that he "ould never see& "hen the !reat ships of the Overlords came do"n at last to Earth and "ere thro"n open to the "aitin! "orld$ 63 DD ;On that da#&; continued 2arellen& ;the human race "ill e1perience "hat can onl# e called a ps#cholo!ical discontinuit#$ :ut no permanent harm "ill e done+ the men of that a!e "ill e more sta le than their !randfathers$ 8e "ill al"a#s have een part of their lives& and "hen the# meet us "e "ill not seem so9stran!e9as "e "ould do to #ou$; Storm!ren had never *no"n 2arellen in so contemplative a mood& ut this !ave him no surprise$ He did not elieve that he had ever seen more than a fe" facets of the Supervisor)s personalit#+ the real 2arellen "as un*no"n and perhaps un*no"a le to human ein!s$ And once a!ain Storm!ren had the feelin! that the Supervisor)s real interests "ere else"here& and that he ruled Earth "ith onl# a fraction of his mind& as effortlessl# as a master of three9dimensional chess mi!ht pla# a !ame of drau!hts$ ;And after that<; as*ed Storm!ren softl#$ ;Then "e can e!in our real "or*$;

;I have often "ondered "hat that mi!ht e$ Tid#in! up our "orld and civili'in! the human race is onl# a means9#ou must have an end as "ell$ 8ill "e ever e a le to come out into space and see #our universe9perhaps even help #ou in #our tas*s<; ;%ou can put it that "a#&; said 2arellen9and no" his voice held a clear #et ine1plica le note of sadness that left Storm!ren stran!el# pertur ed$ ;:ut suppose& after all& #our e1periment fails "ith 7an< 8e have *no"n such thin!s in our o"n dealin!s "ith primitive human races$ Surel# #ou have #our failures too<; ;%es&; said 2arellen& so softl# that Storm!ren could scarcel# hear him$ ;8e have had our failures$; ;And "hat do #ou do then<; )8e "ait9and tr# a!ain$; There "as a pause lastin! perhaps five seconds$ 8hen 2arellen spo*e a!ain& his "ords "ere so une1pected that for a moment Storm!ren did not react$ ;?ood9 #e& Ri**i=; 2arellen had tric*ed him9pro a l# it "as alread# too late$ Storrn!ren)s paral#sis lasted onl# a moment$ Then& "ith a sin!le s"ift& "ell9practised movement& he "hipped out the flash !un and -ammed it a!ainst the !lass$ 6A The pine trees came almost to the ed!e of the la*e& leavin! alon! its order onl# a narro" strip of !rass a fe" metres "ide$ Ever# evenin! "hen it "as "arm enou!h Storm!ren& despite his ninet# #ears& "ould "al* alon! this strip to the landin!9 sta!e& "atch the sunli!ht die upon the "ater& and then return to the house efore the chill ni!ht "ind came up from the forest$ The simple ritual !ave him much contentment& and he "ould continue it as lon! as he had the stren!th$ 0ar a"a# over the la*e somethin! "as comin! in from the "est& fl#in! lo" and fast$ Aircraft "ere uncommon in these parts& unless one counted the trans9polar liners "hich must e passin! overhead ever# hour of the da# and ni!ht$ :ut there "as never an# si!n of their presence& save an occasional vapour trail hi!h a!ainst the lue of the stratosphere$ This machine "as a small helicopter& and it "as comin! to"ards him "ith o vious determination$ Storm!ren !lanced alon! the each and sa" that there "as no chance of escape$ Then he shru!!ed his shoulders and sat do"n on the "ooden ench at the head of the -ett#$ The reporter "as so deferential that Storm!ren found it surprisin!$ He had almost for!otten that he "as not onl# an elder statesman ut& outside his o"n countr#& almost a m#thical fi!ure$ ;7r$ Storm!ren&; the intruder e!an& ;I)m ver# sorr# to other #ou& ut I "onder if #ou)d care to comment on somethin! "e)ve -ust heard a out the Overlords$; Storm!ren fro"ned sli!htl#$ After all these #ears& he still shared 2arellen)s disli*e for that "ord$ ;I do not thin*&; he said& ;that I can add a !reat deal to "hat has een "ritten else"here$; The reporter "as "atchin! him "ith a curious intentness$ ;I thou!ht that #ou mi!ht$ A rather stran!e stor# has -ust come to our notice$ It seems that& nearl# thirt# #ears a!o& one of the Science :ureau)s technicians made some remar*a le e,uipment for #ou$ 8e "ondered if #ou could tell us an#thin! a out it$; 0or a moment Storm!ren "as silent& his mind !oin! ac* into the past$ He "as not surprised that the secret had een discovered$ Indeed& it "as surprisin! that it had een *ept so ton!$ He rose to his feet and e!an to "al* ac* alon! the -ett#& the reporter follo"in! a fe" paces ehind$ 6B ;The stor#&; he said& ;contains a certain amount of truth$ On m# last visit to 2arellen)s ship I too* some apparatus "ith me& in the hope that I mi!ht e a le to see the Supervisor$ It "as rather a foolish thin! to do& ut9"ell& I "as onl# si1t# at the time$; He chuc*led to himself and then continued$ ;It)s not much of a stor# to have rou!ht #ou all this "a#$ %ou see& it didn)t "or*$; ;%ou sa" nothin! <;

;No& nothin! at all$ I)m afraid #ou)ll have to "ait9 ut after all& there are onl# t"ent# #ears to !o=; T"ent# #ears to !o$ %es& 2arellen ad een ri!ht$ :# then the "orld "ould e read#& as it had not een "hen he had spo*en that same lie to Duval thirt# #ears a!o$ 2arellen had trusted him& and Storm!ren had not etra#ed his faith$ He "as as sure as he could e of an#thin! that the Supervisor had *no"n his plan from the e!innin!& and had f reseen ever# moment of its final act$ 8h# else had that enormous chair een alread# empt# "hen the circle of li!ht la'ed upon it= In the same moment he had started to s"in! the eam& fearin! that he "as too late$ The metal door& t"ice as hi!h as a man& "as closin! s"iftl# "hen he first cau!ht si!ht of it9closin! s"iftl#& #et not ,uite s"iftl# enou!h$ %es& 2arellen had trusted him& had not "ished him to !o do"n into the lon! evenin! of his life haunted # a m#ster# he could never solve$ 2arellen dared not def# the un*no"n po"ers a ove him E"ere the# of that same race also<F ut he had done all that he could$ If he had diso e#ed them& the# could never prove it$ It "as the final proof& Storm!ren$ *ne"& of 2arellen)s affection for him$ Thou!h it mi!ht e the affection of a man for a devoted and intelli!ent do!& it "as none the less sincere for that& and Storm!ren)s life had !iven him fe" !reater satisfactions$ ;8e have had our failures$; %es& 2arellen& that "as true+ and "ere #ou the one "ho failed& efore the da"n of human histor#< It must have een a failure indeed& thou!ht Storm!ren& for its echoes to roll do"n all the a!es& to haunt the childhood of ever# race of man$ Even In fift# #ears& could #ou overcome the po"er of all the m#ths and le!ends of the "orld< %et Storm!ren *ne" there "ould e no second failure$ 65 8hen the t"o races met a!ain& the Overlords "ould have "on the trust and friendship of man*ind& and not even the shoc* of reco!nition could undo that "or*$ The# "ould !o to!ether Into the future& and the un*no"n tra!ed# that must have dar*ened the past "ould e lost forever do"n the dim corridors of prehistoric time$ And Storm!ren hoped that "hen 2arellen "as free to "al* once more on Earth& he "ould one da# come to these northern forests& and stand eside the !rave of the first man to e his friend$

5 66 n THE ?OLDEN A?E 6 ;Tins is the da#=; "hispered the radios in a hundred ton!ues$ ;This is the da#=; said the headlines of a thousand ne"spapers$ ;This is the da#=; thou!ht the cameramen as the# chec*ed and rechec*ed the e,uipment !athered round the vast empt# space upon "hich 2arellen)s ship "ould e descendin!$ There "as onl# the sin!le ship no"& han!in! a ove Ne" %or*$ Indeed& as the "orld had -ust discovered& the ships a ove 7an)s other cities had never e1isted$ The da# efore& the !reat fleet of the Overlords had dissolved into nothin!ness& fadin! li*e mists eneath the mornin! de"$ The suppl# ships& comin! and !oin! far out in space& had een real enou!h. ut the silver clouds that had hun! for a lifetime a ove almost all the capitals of Earth had een an illusion$ Ho" it had een done& no9one could tell& ut it seemed that ever# one of those ships had een nothin! more than an ima!e of 2arellen)s o"n vessel$ %et it had een far more than a matter of pla#in! "ith li!ht& for radar had also een deceived& and there "ere still men alive "ho s"ore that the# had heard the shrie* of torn air as the fleet came in throu!h the s*ies of Earth$ It "as not important+ all that mattered "as that 2arellen no lon!er felt the need for this displa#of force$ He had thro"n a"a# his ps#cholo!ical "eapons$

;The ship is movin! =; came the "ord& flashed instantl# to ever# corner of the planet$ ;It is headin! "est"ard=; At less than a thousand *ilometres an hour& fallin! slo"l# do"n from the empt# hei!hts of the stratosphere& the ship moved out to the !reat plains and to its second rende'vous "ith histor#$ It settled do"n o edientl# efore the "aitin! cameras and the pac*ed thousands of spectators& so fe" of "hom coul)C see as much as the millions !athered round their TV sets$ The !round should have crac*ed and trem led eneath 6K that tremendous "ei!ht& ut the vessel "as still in the !rip of "hatever forces drove it amon! the stars$ It *issed the earth as !entl# as a fallin! sno"fla*e$ The curvin! "all t"ent# metres a ove the !round seemed to flo" and shimmer+ "here there had een a smooth and shinin! surface& a !reat openin! had appeared$ Nothin! "as visi le "ithin it& even to the ,uestin! e#es of the camera$ It "as as dar* and shado"ed as the entrance to a cave$ Out of the orifice& a "ide& !litterin! !an!"a# e1truded itself and drove purposefull# to"ards the !round$ It seemed a solid sheet of metal "ith hand9rails alon! either side$ There "ere no steps. it "as steep and smooth as a to o!!an slide and& one "ould have thou!ht& e,uall# impossi le to ascend or descend in an# ordinar# manner$ The "orld "as "atchin! that dar* portal& "ithin "hich nothin! had #et stirred$ Then the seldom9 heard #et unfor9$ !etta le voice of 2arellen floated softl# do"n from some hidden source$ His messa!e could scarcel# have een more une1pected ;There are some children # the foot of the !an!"a#$ I "ould li*e t"o of them to come up and meet me$; There "as silence for a moment$ Then a o# and a !irl ro*e from the cro"d and "al*ed& "ith complete lac* of self9consciousness& to"ards the !an!"a# and into histor#$ Others follo"ed& ut stopped "hen 2arellen)s chuc*le came from the ship$ ;T"o "ill e enou!h$; Ea!erl# anticipatin! the adventure& the children9the# could not have een more than si1 #ears old9-umped on to the metal slide$ Then the first miracle happened$ 8avin! cheerfi$ill# to the cro"ds eneath& and to their an1ious parents9"ho& too late& had pro a l# remem ered the le!end of the Pied Piper9the children e!an s"iftl# ascendin! the steep slope$ %et their le!s "ere motionless& and soon it "as clear also that their odies "ere tilted at ri!ht an!les to that peculiar !an!"a#$ It possessed a private !ravit# of its o"n& one "hich could i!nore that of Earth$ The children "ere still en-o#in! this novel e1perience& and "onderin! "hat "as dra"in! them up"ards& "hen the# disappeared into the ship$ A vast silence la# over the "hole "orld for the space of t"ent# seconds9thou!h& after"ards& no9 one could elieve that the time had een so short$ Then the dar*ness of the 6D !reat openin! seemed to move for"ard& and 2arellen came forth into the sunli!ht$ The o# "as sittin! on his left arm& the !irl on his ri!ht$ The# "ere oth too us# pla#in! "ith 2arellen)s "in!s to ta*e an# notice of the "atchin! multitude$ It "as a tri ute to the Overlords) ps#cholo!#& and to their careful #ears of preparation& that onl# a fe" people fainted$ %et there could have een fe"er still& an#"here in the "orld& "ho did not feel the ancient terror rush for one a"ful instant a!ainst their minds efore reason anished it forever$ There "as no mista*e$ The leather# "in!s& the little horns& the ar ed tail9all "ere there$ The most terri le of all le!ends had come to life& out of the un*no"n past$ %et no" it stood smilin!& in e on ma-est#& "ith the sunli!ht !leamin! upon its tremendous od#& and "ith a human child restin! trustfull# on either arm$

K 0urr# #ears is ample time in "hich to chan!e a "orld and its people almost e#ond reco!nition$ All that is re,uired for the tas* are a sound *no"led!e of social en!ineerin!& a clear si!ht of the intended !oal9and po"er$

These thin!s the Overlords possessed$ Thou!h their !oal "as hidden& their *no"led!e "as o vious9and so "as their po"er$ That po"er too* man# forms& fe" of them reali'ed # the peoples "hose destinies the Overlords no" ruled$ The mi!ht enshrined in their !reat ships had een clear enou!h for ever# e#e to see$ :ut ehind that displa# of sleepin! force "ere other and much su tler "eapons$ ;All political pro lems&; 2arellen had once told Storm!ren& ;can e solved # the correct application of po"er$; ;That sounds a rather c#nical remar*&; Storm!ren had replied dou tfull#$ ;It)s a little too much li*e )7i!ht is Ri!ht)$ In our o"n past& the use of po"er has een nota l# unsuccessflu in solvin! an#thin!$; ;The operative "ord is correct$ %ou have never possessed real po"er& or the *no"led!e necessar# to appl# it$ As in all pro lems& there are efficient and inefficient approaches$ Suppose& for e1ample& that one of #our nations& led # some 6@ fanatical ruler& tried to revolt a!ainst me$ The hi!hl# inefficient ans"er to such a threat "ould e some illions of horsepo"er in the shape of atomic om s$ If I used enou!h om s& the solution "ould e complete and fini$ It "ould also& as I remar*ed& e inefficient9even if it possessed no other defects$; ;And the efficient solution<; ;That re,uires a out as much po"er as a small radio transmitter9and rather similar s*ills to operate$ 0or it)s the application of the po"er& not its amount& that matters$ Ho" lon! do #ou thin* Hitler)s career as dictator of ?erman# "ould have lasted& if "herever he "ent a voice "as tal*in! ,uietl# in his ear< Or if) a stead# musical note& loud enou!h to dro"n all other sounds and to prevent sleep& filled his rain ni!ht and da#< Nothin! rutal& #ou appreciate$ %et& in the final anal#sis& -ust as irresisti le as a tritium om $; ;I see&; said Storm!ren. ;and there "ould e no place to hide<; ;No place "here I could not send m#9ah9devices if I felt sufficientl# stron!l# a out it$ And that is "h# I shall never have to use reall# drastic methods to maintain m# position$; The !reat ships& then& had never een more than s#m ols& and no" the "orld *ne" that all save one had een phantoms$ %et& # their mere presence& the# had chan!ed the histor# of Earth$ No" their tas* "as done& and their achievementlin!ered ehind them to !o echoin! do"n the centuries$ 2arellen)s calculations had een accurate$ The shoc* of revulsion had passed s"iftl#& thou!h there "ere man# "ho prided themselves on their freedom from superstition #et "ould never e a le to face one of the Overlords$ There "as somethin! stran!e here& somethin! e#ond all reason or lo!ic$ In the 7iddle A!es& people elieved in the devil and feared him$ :ut this "as the t"ent#9first centur#+ could it e that& after all& there "as such a thin! as racial memor#< It "as& of course& universall# assumed that the Overlords& or ein!s of the same species& had come into violent conflict "ith ancient man$ The meetin! must have lain in the remOte past& for it had left no traces in recorded histor#$ Here "as another pu''le& and 2arellen "ould !ive no help in its solution$ The Overlords& thou!h the# had no" sho"n themselves to man& seldom left their one remainin! ship$ Perhaps the# found it ph#sicall# uncomforta le on Earth& for their si'e& and the e1istence of their "in!s& indicated that the# came from 64 a "orld of much lo"er !ravit#$ The# "ere never seen "ithout a elt adorned "ith comple1 mechanisms "hich& it "as !enerall# elieved& controlled their "ei!ht and ena led them to communicate "ith each other$ Direct sunli!ht "as painful to them& and the# never sta#ed in it for more than a fe" seconds$ 8hen the# had to !o into the open for an# len!th of time& the# "ore dar* !lasses "hich !ave them a some"hat incon!ruous appearance$ Thou!h the# seemed a le to reathe terrestrial air& the# sometimes carried small c#linders of !as from "hich the# refreshed themselves occasionall#$ Perhaps these purel# ph#sical pro lems accounted f r their aloofness$ Onl# a small fraction of the human race had ever actuall# met an Overlord in the flesh& and no9one could !uess ho"

man# of them "ere a oard 2arellen)s ship$ No more than five had ever een seen to!ether at one time& ut there mi!ht e hundreds& even thousands of them a oard that tremendous vessel$ In man# "a#s& the appearance of the Overlords had raised more pro lems than it had solved$ Their ori!in "as still no9*no"n& their iolo!# a source of endless speculation$ On man# matters the# "ould !ive information freel#& ut on others their ehaviour could onl# e descri ed as secretive$ On the "hole& ho"ever& this did not anno# an#one e1cept the scientists$ The avera!e man& thou!h he mi!ht prefer not to meet the Overlords& "as !rateflil to them for "hat the# had done to his "orld$ :# the standards of all earlier a!es& it "as >topia$ I!norance& disease& povert# and fear had virtuall# ceased to e1ist$ The memor# of "ar "as fadin! into the past as a ni!htmare vanishes "ith the da"n+ soon it "ould lie outside the e1perience of all livin! men$ 8ith the ener!ies of man*ind directed into constructive channels& the face of the "orld had een remade$ It "as& almost literall#& a ne" "orld$ The cities that had een !ood enou!h for earlier !enerations had een re uilt9or deserted and left as museum specimens "hen the# had ceased tC serve an# useful purpose$ 7an# cities had alread# een a andoned in this manner& for the "hole pattern of industr# and commerce had chan!ed completel#$ Production had ecome lar!el# automatic+ the ro ot factories poured forth consumer !oods in such unendin! streams that all the ordinar# necessities of life "ere virtuall# free$ 7en "or*ed for the sa*e of the lu1uries the# desired+ or the# did not "or* at all$ KM It "as One 8orld$ The old names of the old countries "ere still used& ut the# "ere no more than convenient postal divisions$ There "as no9one on earth "ho could not spea* En!lish& "ho could not read& "ho "as not "ithin ran!e of a television set& "ho could not visit the other side of the planet "ithin t"ent#9four hours$$ (rime had practicall# vanished$ It had ecome oth no9necessar# and impossi le$ 8hen no9one lac*s an#thin!& there is no point in stealin!$ 7oreover& all potential criminals *ne" that there could e no escape from the surveillance of the Overlords$ In the earl# da#s of their rule& the# had intervened so effectivel# on ehalf of la" and order that the lesson had never een for!otten$ (rimes of passion& thou!h not ,uite e1tinct& "ere almost unheard of$ No" that so man# of its ps#cholo!ical pro lems had een removed& humanit# "as far saner and less irrational$ And "hat earlier a!es "ould have called vice "as no" no more than eccentricit#9or& at the "orst& ad manners$ One of the most noticea le chan!es had een a slo"in!9do"n of the mad tempo that had so characteri'ed the t"entieth centur#$ Life "as more leisurel# than it had een for !enerations$ It therefore had less 'est for the fe"& ut more tran,uillit# for the man#$ 8estern man had relearned9"hat the rest of the "orld had never for!otten9that there "as nothin! sinful in leisure as lon! as it did not de!enerate into mere sloth$ 8hatever pro lems the future mi!ht rin!& time did not #et han! heav# on humanit#)s hands$ Education "as no" much more thorou!h and much more protracted$ 0e" people left colle!e efore t"ent#9and that "as merel# the first sta!e& since the# normall# returned a!ain at t"ent#9 five for at least three more #ears& after travel and e1perience had roadened their minds$ Even then& the# "ould pro a l# ta*e refresher Curses at intervals for the remainder of their lives in the su -ects that particularl# interested them$ This e1tension of human apprenticeshiC so far past the e!innin! of ph#sical maturit# had !iven rise to man# social chan!es$ Some of these had een necessar# for !enerations& ut earlier periods had refused to face the challen!e9or had pretended that it did not e1ist$ In particular& the pattern of se1ual mores9insofar as there had ever een a sin!le pattern9 Cad altered radicall#$ It had een virtuall# shattered # t"o K3 inventions& "hich "ere& ironicall# enou!h& of purel# human Crn and o"ed nothin! to the Overlords$ The first "as a completel# relia le oral contraceptive+ the Becond "as an e,uall# infalli le method9as certain as fin!erprintin!& and ased on a ver# detailed anal#sis of the lood9 of identif#in! the father of an# child$ The effect of these t"o inventions upon human societ# could onl# e descri ed as devastatin!& and the# had s"ept a"a# the last remnants of the Puritan a erration$

Another !reat chan!e "as the e1treme mo ilit# of the ne" societ#$ Than*s to the perfection of air9transport& ever#one "as free to !o an#"here at a moment)s notice$ There "as more room in the s*ies than there had ever een on the roads& and the& t"ent#9first centur# had repeated& on a lar!er scale& the !reat American achievement of purnn! a nation on "heels$ It had !iven "in!s to the "orld$ Thou!h not literall#$ The ordinar# private fl#er or air9car had no "in!s at all& or indeed an# visi le control surfaces$ Even the clums# rotor lades of the old helicopters had een anished$ %et 7an had not discovered anti9!ravit#+ onl# the Overlords possessed that ultimate secret$ His air9cars "ere propelled # forces "hich the 8ri!ht rothers "ould have understood$ /et reaction& used oth directl# and in the more su tle f rm of oundar# la#er control& drove his fl#ers for"ard and held them in the air$ As no la"s or edicts of the Overlords could have done& the u i,uitous little air9cars had "ashed a"a# the last arriers et"een the different tri es of man*ind$ Profounder thin!s had also passed$ It "as a completel# secular a!e$ Of the faiths that had e1isted efore the comin! of the Overlords& onl# a fornC of purified :uddhism9perhaps the most austere of all reli!ions9still survived$ The creeds that had een ased upon miracles and revelations had collapsed utterl#$ 8ith the rise of education& the# had alread# een slo"l# dissolvin!& ut for a "hile the Overlords had ta*en no sides in the matter$ Thou!h 2arellen "as often as*ed to e1press his vie"s on reli!ion& all that he "ould sa# "as that a man)s elieft "ere his o"n affair& so lon! as the# did not interfere "ith the li ert# of others$ Perhaps the old faiths "ould have lin!ered for !enerations #et& had it not een for human curiosit#$ It "as *no"n that the Overlords had access to the past& and more than once historians had appealed to 2arellen to settle some ancient contro KA vers#$ It ma# have een that he had !ro"n tired of such ,uestions& ut it is more li*el# that he *ne" perfectl# "ell "hat the outcome of his !enerosit# "ould e$$$$ The instrument he handed over on permanent loan to the 8orld Histor# 0oundation "as nothin! more than a television receiver "ith an ela orate set of controls for determinin! coordinates in time and space$ It must have een lin*ed someho" to a far more comple1 machine& operatin! on principles that no9one could ima!ine& a oard 2arellen)s ship$ One had merel# to ad-ust the controls& and a "indo" into the past "as opened up$ Almost the "hole of human histor# for the past five thousand #ears ecame accessi le in an instant$ Earlier than that the machine "ould not !o& and there "ere afihin! lan*s all do"n the a!es$ The# mi!ht have had some natural cause& or the# mi!ht e due to deli erate censorship # the Overlords$ Thou!h it had al"a#s een o vious to an# rational mind that all the "orld)s reli!ious "ritin!s could not e true& the shoc* "as nevertheless profound$ Here "as a revelation "hich no9one could dou t or den#+ here& seen # some un*no"n ma!ic of Overlord science& "ere the true e!innin!s of all the "orld)s !reat faiths$ 7ost of them "ere no le and inspirin!9 ut that "as not enou!h$ 8ithin a fe" da#s& all man*ind)s multitudinous messiahs had lost their divinit#$ :eneath the fierce and passionless li!ht of truth& faiths that had sustained millions for t"ice a thousand #ears vanished li*e mornin! de"$ All the !ood and all the evil the# had "rou!ht "ere s"ept suddenl# into the past& and could touch the minds of men no more$ Humanit# had lost its ancient !ods+ no" it "as old enou!h to have no need for ne" ones$ Thou!h fe" reali'ed it as #et& the fall of reli!ion ad een paralleled # a decline in science$ There "ere plent# of technolo!ists& ut fe" ori!inal "or*ers e1tendin! the frontiers of human *no"led!e$ (uriosit# remained& and the leisure to mdul!e in it& ut the heart had een ta*en out of fundamental scientific research$ It seemed futile to spend a lifetime search9to! fur secrets that the Overlords had pro a l# uncovered a!es efore$ This decline had een partl# dis!uised # an enormous efflorescence of the descriptive sciences such as 'oolo!#& otan# and o servational astronom#$ There had never een so KB man# amateur scientists !atherin! facts for their o"n amusement9 ut there "ere fe" theoreticians correlatin! these facts$

The end of strife and conflicts of all *inds had also meant the virtual end of creative art$ There "ere m#riads of performers& amateur and professional& #et there had& een no reall# outstandin! ne" "or*s of literature& music& paintin! or sculpture for a !eneration$ The "orld "as still livin! on the !lories of a past that could never return$ No9one "orried e1cept a fe" philosophers$ The race "as too intent upon savourin! its ne"9found freedom to loo* e#ond the pleasures of the present$ >topia "as here at last+ its novelt# had not #et een assailed # the supreme enem# of all >topias9 oredom$ Perhaps the Overlords had the ans"er to that& as the# had to all other pro lems$ No9one *ne"9 an# more than the# *ne"& a lifetime after their arrival9"hat their ultimate purpose mi!ht e$ 7an*ind had !ro"n to trust them& and to accept "ithout ,uestion the superhuman altruism that had *ept 2arellen and his companions so lon! e1iled from their homes$ If& indeed& it "as altruism$ 0or there "ere still some "ho "ondered if the policies of the Overlords "ould al"a#s coincide "ith the true "elfare of humanit#$

D 8HEN Rupert :o#ce sent out the invitations for his part#& the total milea!e involved "as impressive$ To list onl# the first do'en !uests& there "ere the 0osters from Adelaide& the Shoen er!ers from Haiti& the 0arrans from Stalin!rad& the 7oravias from (incinnati& the Ivan*os from Paris& and the Sullivans from the !eneral vicinit# of Easter Island& ut appro1imatel# four *ilometres do"n on the ocean ed$ It "as a considera le compliment to Rupert that althou!h thirt# !uests had een invited& over fort# turned up9"hich "as a out the percenta!e he had e1pected$ Onl# the 2rauses let him do"n& and that "as simpl# ecause the# for!ot a out the International Date Line and arrived t"ent#9four hours late$ :# noon an imposin! collection of fl#ers had accumulated in K5 the par*& and the later arrivals "ould have ,uite a distance to "al* once the# had found some"here to land$ At least& it "ould seem ,uite a distance to them& under this doudless s*# and "ith the mercur# at a hundred and ten$ The assem led vehicles ran!ed from one9man 0litter u!s to famil# (adillacs "hich "ere more li*e air9 orne palaces than sensi le fl#in! machines$ In this a!e& ho"ever& nothin! could e deduced concernin! the social status of the !uests from their modes of transport$ ;It)s a ver# 'C!3# house&; said /ean 7orrel as the 7eteor spiralled do"n$ ;It loo*s rather li*e a o1 that some od#)s stepped on$; ?eor!e ?re!!son& "ho had an old9fashioned disli*e of automatic landin!s& read-usted the rate9of9 descent control efore ans"erin!$ ;It)s hardl# fair to -ud!e the place from this an!le&; he replied& sensi l# enou!h$ ;0rom !round level it ma# loo* ,uite different$ Oh dear=; ;8hat)s the matter<; ;The 0osters are here$ I)d reco!ni'e that colour9scheme an#"here$; ;8ell& there)s no need to tal* to them if #ou don)t "ant to$ That)s one advanta!e of Rupert)s parties9#ou can al"a#s hide in the cro"d$; ?eor!e had selected a landin! place and "as no" divin! purposefull# to"ards it$ The# floated to rest et"een another 7eteor and somethin! that neither of them could identif#$ It loo*ed ver# fast and& /ean thou!ht& ver# uncomforta le$ One of Rupert)s technical friends& she decided& had pro a l# uilt it himself$ She had an idea that there "as a la" a!ainst that sort of thin!$ The heat hit them li*e a last from a lo"9torch as the# stepped out of the fl#er$ It seemed to suc* the moisture from their odies& and ?eor!e almost ima!ined that he could feel his s*in crac*in!$ It "as partl# their o"n fault& of course$ The# had left Alas*a three hours efore& and should have remem ered to ad-ust the ca in temperature accordin!l#$ ;8hat a place to live=; !asped /ean$ ;I thou!ht this climate "as supposed to e controlled$; ;So it is&; replied ?eor!e$ ;This "as all desert once9and loo* at it no"$ (ome on9it)ll e all ri!ht indoors=; Rupert)s voice& sli!htl# lar!er than life& oomed cheerfull#

K6 in their ears$ Their host "as standin! eside the fl#er& a !lass in each hand& loo*in! do"n at them "ith a ro!uish e1pression$ He loo*ed do"n at them for the simple reason that he "as a out t"elve feet tall+ he "as also semi9transparent$ One could see ri!ht throu!h him "ithout much difficult#$ ;This is a fine tric* to pla# on #our !uests=; protcsted ?eor!e$ He !ra ed at the drin*s& "hich he could -ust reach$ His hand& of course& "ent ri!ht throu!h them$ ;I hope #ou)ve !ot somethin! more su stantial for us "hen "e reach the house=; ;Don)t "orr#=; lau!hed Rupert$ ;/ust !ive #our order no"& and it)ll e read# # the time #ou arrive$; ;T"o lar!e eers& cooled in li,uid air&; said ?eor!e promptl#$ )8e)ll e ri!ht there$; Rupert nodded& put do"n one of his !lasses on an invisi le ta le& ad-usted an e,uall# invisi le control& and promptl# vanished from si!ht$ ;8ell=; said /ean$ ;That)s the first time I)ve seen one of those !ad!ets in action$ Ho" did Rupert !et hold of it< I thou!ht onl# the Overlords had them$; ;Have #ou ever *no"n Rupert not to !et an#thin! he "anted<; replied ?eor!e$ ;That)s -ust the to# for him$ He can sit comforta l# in his studio and !o "anderin! round half of Africa$ No heat& no u!s& no e1ertion9and the ice o1 al"a#s in reach$ I "onder "hat Stanle# and Livin!stone "ould have thou!ht<; The sun put an end to further conversation until the# had reached the house$ As the# approached the front door E"hich "as not ver# eas# to distin!uish from the rest of the !lass "all facin! themF it s"un! automaticall# open "ith a fanfare of trumpets$ /ean !uessed& correctl#& that she "ould e heartil# sic* of that fanfare efore the da# "as throu!h$ The current 7rs$ :o#ce !reeted them in the delicious coolness of the hail$ She "as& if truth e *no"n& the main reason for the !ood turn9out of !uests$ Perhaps half of them "ould have come in an# case to see Rupert)s ne" house+ the "averers had een decided # the reports of Rupert)s ne" "ife$ There "as onl# one ad-ective that ade,uatel# descri ed her$ She "as distractin!$ Even in a "orld "here eaut# "as almost commonplace& men "ould turn their heads "hen she entered the room$ She "as& ?eor!e !uessed& a out one ,uarter Ne!ro. her features "ere practicall# ?recian and her hair "as lon! and KK lustrous$ Onl# the dar*& rich te1ture of her s*in9the over"or*ed "ord ;chocolate; "as the onl# one that descri ed it9 revealed her mi1ed ancestr#$ ;%ou)re /ean and ?eor!e& aren)t #ou<; she said& holdin! out her hand$ ;I)m so pleased to meet #ou$ Rupert is doin! somethin! complicated "ith the drin*s9come alon! and meet ever# od#$; Her voice "as a rich contralto that sent little shivers runnin! up and do"n ?eor!e)s ac*& as if someone "as pla#in! on his spine li*e a flute$ He loo*ed nervousl# at /ean& "ho had mana!ed to force a some"hat artificial smile& and finall# recovered his voice$ ;It)s9it)s ver#nice to meet #ou&; he said lamel#$ )8e)ve een loo*in! for"ard to this part#$; ;Rupert al"a#s !ives such nice parties&; put in /ean$ :# the "a# she accented the ;al"a#s;& one *ne" perfectl# "ell she "as thin*in! ;Ever# time he !ets married;$ ?eor!e flushed sli!htl# and !ave /ean a !lance of reproof& ut there "as no si!n that their hostess noticed the ar $ She "as friendliness itself as she ushered them into the main loun!e& alread# half pac*ed "ith a representative collection of Rupert)s numerous friends$ Rupert himself "as sittin! at the console of "hat seemed to e a television en!ineer)s control unit+ it "as& ?eor!e assumed& the device that had pro-ected his ima!e out to meet them$ He "as usil# demonstratin! it # surprisin! t"o more arrivals as the# descended into the par*in! place& ut paused -ust lon! enou!h to !reet /ean and ?eor!e and to apolo!i'e for havin! !iven their drin*s to some od# else$ ;%ou)ll find plent# more over there&; he said& "avin! one hand va!uel# ehind him "hile he ad-usted controls "ith the other$ ;/ust ma*e #ourselves at home$ %ou *no" most of the people here97aia "ill introduce #ou to the rest$ ?ood of #ou to come$; ;?ood of #ou to invite us&; said /ean& "ithout much conviction$ ?eor!e had alread# departed to"ards the ar and she made her "a# after him& occasionall# e1chan!in! !reetin!s "ith someone she reco!ni'ed$ A out three9,uarters of those present "ere perfect stran!ers& "hich "as the normal state of affairs at one of Rupert)s parties$

;Let)s e1plore&; she said to ?eor!e "hen the# had refreshed themselves and "aved to ever#one the# *ne"$ ;I "ant to loo* at the house$; KD ?eor!e& "ith a arel# concealed ac*"ard loo* at 7aia :o#ce& follo"ed after her$ There "as a fara"a# loo* in his e#es that /ean didn)t li*e in the least$ It "as such a nuisance that men "ere fundamentall# pol#!amous$ On the other hand& if the# "eren)t$ $ $ %es& perhaps it "as etter this "a#& after 633$ ?eor!e ,uic*l# came ac* to normal as the# investi!ated the "onders of Rupert)s ne" a ode$ The house seemed ver# lar!e for t"o people& ut this "as -ust as "ell in vie" of the fre,uent overloads it "ould have to handle$ There "ere t"o store#s& the upper considera l# lar!er so that it overhun! and provided shade around the !round floor$ The de!ree of mechani'ation "as considera le& and the *itchen closel# resem led the coc*pit of an airliner$ ;Poor Ru #=; said /ean$ ;She "ould have loved this place$; ;0rom "hat I)ve heard&; replied ?eor!e& "ho had no !reat s#mpath# for the last 7rs$ :o#ce& ;she)s perfectl# happ# "ith her Australian o#9friend$; This "as such common *no"led!e that /ean could hardl# contradict it& so she chan!ed the su -ect$ ;She)s a"full# prett#& isn)t she<; ?eor!e "as sufficientl# alert to avoid the trap$ ;Oh& I suppose so&; he replied indifferentl#$ ;That is& of course& if one li*es runettes$; ;8hich #ou don)t& I ra*e it&; said /ean s"eetl#$ ;Don)t e -ealous& dear&; chuc*led ?eor!e& stro*in! her platinum hair$ ;Let)s !o and loo* at the li rar#$ 8hat floor do #ou thin* that "ill e on<; ;It must e up here+ there)s no more room do"n elo"$ :esides& that fits in "ith the !eneral desi!n$ All the livin!& eatin!& sleepin! and so on)s rele!ated to the !round flopr$ This is the fun and !ames department9thou!h I still thin* it)s a cra'# idea havin! a s"immin!9pool upstairs$; ;I !uess there)s some reason for it&; said ?eor!e& openin! a door e1perimentall#$ ;Rupert must have had s*illed advice "hen he uilt this place$ I)m sure he couldn)t have done it himself$; ;%ou)re pro a l# ri!ht$ If he had& there)d have een rooms "ithout doors& and stair"a#s leadin! no"here$ In fact& I)d e afraid to step inside a house that Rupert had desi!ned all # himself$; ;Here "e are&; said ?eor!e& "ith the pride of a navi!ator K@ L ma*in! landfall& ;the fa ulous :o#ce collection in Its ne" home$ I "onder -ust ho" man# of them Rupert has reall# read$; The li rar# ran the "hole "idth of the house& ut "as virtuall# divided into half a do'en small rooms # the !reat oo*cases e1tendin! across it$ These held& if ?eor!e remem ered correctl#& some fifteen thousand volumes9almost ever#thin! of importance that had ever een pu lished on the ne ulous su -ects of ma!ic& ps#chic research& divinin!& telepath#& and the "hole ran!e of elusive phenomena lumped in the cate!or# of paraph#sics$ It "as a ver# peculiar ho # for an#one to have in this a!e of reason$ Presuma l# it "as simpl# Rupert)s particular form of escapism$ ?eor!e noticed the smell the moment he entered the room$ It "as faint ut penetratin!& not so much unpleasant as pu''lin!$ /ean had o served it too+ her forehead "as "rin*led in the effort of identification$ Acetic acid& thou!ht ?eor!e9 that)s the nearest thin! to it$ :ut it)s !ot somethin! else as "ell$$$$ The li rar# terminated in a small open space -ust lar!e enou!h for a ta le& t"o chairs and some cushions$ This& presuma l#& "as "here Rupert did most of his readin!$ Someone "as readin! there no"& in an unnaturall# dim li!ht$ /ean !ave a little !asp and clutched at ?eor!e)s hand$ Her reaction "as& perhaps e1cusa le$ It "as one thin! to "atch a television picture& ,uite another to meet the realit#$ ?eor!e& "ho "as seldom surprised # an#thin!& rose to the occasion at once$ ;I hope "e haven)t distur ed #ou& sir&; he said politel#$ )8e)d no idea that there "as an#one here$ Rupert never told us$$$$;

The Overlord put do"n the oo*& loo*ed at them closel#& then commenced readin! a!ain$ There "as nothin! impolite a out the action& comin! as it did from a ein! "ho could read& tal*& and pro a l# do several other thin!s at the same time$ Nevertheless& to human o servers the spectacle "as distur in!l# schi'ophrenic$ ;7# name is Rashavera*&; said the Overlord amia l#$ ;I)m afraid I)m not ein! ver# socia le& ut Rupert)s li rar# is a difficult place from "hich to escape$; /ean mana!ed to suppress a nervous !i!!le$ Their une1pected fello" !uest "as& she noticed& readin! at the rate of a K4 pa!e ever# t"o seconds$ She did not dou t that he "as assimilatin! ever# "ord& and she "ondered if he could mana!e to read a oo* "ith each e#e$ ;And then& of course&; she thou!ht to herself& ;he could !o on to learn raille so he could use his fin!ers$ $ $ $; The resultin! mental picture "as too comic to e comforta le& so she tried to suppress it # enterin! into the conversation$ After all& it "as not ever# da# that one had a chance of tal*in! to one of the masters of Earth$ ?eor!e let her chatter on& after he had made the introductions& hopin! that she "ouldn)t sa# an#thin! tactless$ Li*e /ean& he ad never seen an Overlord in the flesh$ Thou!h the# mi1ed sociall# "ith !overnment officials& scientists and others "ho dealt "ith them in the course of usiness& he had never heard of one ein! present at an ordinar# private part#$ One inference "as that this part# "as not as private as it seemed$ Rupert)s possession of a piece of Overlord e,uipment also hinted at this& and ?eor!e e!an to "onder& in capital letters& -ust 8hat 8as ?oin! On$ He "ould have to tac*le Rupert a out this "hen he could !et him into a corner$ Since the chairs "ere too small for him& Rashavera* "as sittin! on the floor& apparentl# ,uite at ease since he had i!nored the cushions onl# a metre a"a#$ As a result his head "as a mere t"o metres from the !round& and ?eor!e had a uni,ue chance of stud#in! e1tra9terrestrial iolo!#$ >nfortunatel#& as he *ne" little a out terrestrial iolo!#& he "as not a le to learn much that he did not alread# *no"$ Onl# the peculiar& and # no means unpleasant& acid odour "as ne" to him$ He "ondered ho" humans smelt to the Overlords& and hoped for the est$ There "as nothin! anthropomorphic a out Rashavera*$ ?eor!e could understand the "a# in "hich& if seen from a distance # i!norant& terrified sava!es& the Overlords could e mista*en for "in!ed men& and so could have !iven rise& to the conventional portrait of the Devil$ 0rom as clOse as this& ho"ever& some of the illusion vanished$ The little horns E"hat function did the# serve< "ondered ?eor!eF "ere as per specification& ut the od# "as neither li*e that of a man nor of an# animal Earth had ever *no"n$ (omin! from a totall# alien evolutionar# tree& the Overlords "ere neither mCmmnIs& insects& nor reptiles$ It "as not even certain that the# "ere verte rates+ their hard& e1ternal armour mi!ht "ell e their onl# supportin! frame"or*$ DM Rashavera*)s "in!s "ere folded so that ?eor!e could not see them dearl#& ut his tail& loo*in! li*e a piece of armoured hose9pipe& la# neatl# curled under him$ The famous ar "as not so much an arro"head as a lar!e& flat diamond$ Its purpose& it "as no" !enerall# accepted& "as to !ive sta ilit# in fli!ht& li*e the tail9feathers of a ird$ 0rom scant# facts and suppositions such as these& scientists had concluded that the Overlords came from a "orld of lo" !ravit# and ver# dense atmosphere$ Rupert)s voice suddenl# ello"ed from a concealed spea*er$ ;/ean= ?eor!e= 8here the hell are #ou hidin!< (ome do"n and -oin the part#$ People are e!innin! to tal*$; ;Perhaps I)d etter !o too&; said Rashavera*& puttin! his oo* ac* on the shelfC He did that ,uite easil#& "ithout movin! from the floor& and ?eor!e noticed for the first time that he had t"o opposed thum s& "ith five fin!ers et"een them$ I)d hate to do arithmetic& ?eor!e thou!ht to himself& in a s#stem ased on fourteen$ Rashavera* !ettin! to his feet "as an impressive si!ht& and as the Overlord ent to avoid the ceilin! it ecame o vious that& even if the# "ere an1ious to mi1 "ith human ein!s& the practical difficulties "ould e considera le$ Several more car!oes of !uests had arrived in the last half hour& and the room "as no" ,uite cro"ded$ Rashavera*)s arrival made matters a !ood deal "orse& ecause ever#one in the

ad-acent rooms came runnin! in to see him$ Rupert "as o viousl# ver# pleased "ith the sensation$ /ean and ?eor!e "ere much less !ratified& as no9one too* an# notice of them$ Indeed& fe" people could see them& ecause the# "ere standin! ehind the Overlord$ ;(ome over here& Rash#& and meet some of the fol*s&; shouted Rupert$ ;Sit on the divan9then #ou can stop scrapin! the ceilin!$; Rashavera*& his tail draped over his shoulder& moved across the room li*e an ice rea*er "orr#in! its "a# throu!h a pac*$ As he sat do"n eside Rupert& the room seemed to ecome much lar!er a!ain and ?eor!e let out a si!h of relief$ ;It !ave me claustropho ia "hen he "as standin!$ I "onder ho" Rupert !ot hold of him9this loo*s li*e ein! an interestin! part#$; ;0anc# Rupert addressin! him li*e that& in pu lic too$ :ut he didn)t seem to mind$ It)s all ver# peculiar$; D3 ;I et #ou he did mind$ The trou le "ith Rupert Is that he li*es to sho" oft. and he)s !ot no tact$ And that reminds me9 some of those ,uestions #ou as*ed=; ;Such as<; ;8ell9)Ho" lon! have #ou een here<) )Ho" do #ou !et on "ith Supervisor 2arellen<) )Do #ou li*e it on Earth<) Reall#& darlin!= %ou -ust don)t tal* to Overlords that "a#=; ;I don)t see "h# not$ It is a out time someone did$; :efore the discussion could !et acrimonious& the# "ere accosted # the Shoen er!ers and fission rapidl# occurred$ The !irls "ent off in one direction to discuss 7rs$ :o#ce+ the men "ent in another and did e1actl# the same thin!& thou!h from a different vie"point$ :enn# Shoen er!er& "ho "as one of ?eor!e)s oldest friends& had a !ood deal of information on the su -ect$ ;0or heaven)s sa*e don)t tell an#one&; he said$ ;Ruth doesn)t *no" this& ut I introduced her to Rupert$; ;I thin*&; ?eor!e remar*ed enviousl#& ;that she)s much too !ood for Rupert$ Ho"ever& it can)t possi l# last$ She)ll soon !et fed up "ith him$; This thou!ht seemed to cheer him considera l#$ ;Don)t #ou elieve it= :esides ein! a eaut#& she)s a reall# nice person$ It)s hi!h time someone too* char!e of Rupert& and she)s -ust the !irl to do it$; :oth Rupert and 7aia "ere no" sittin! eside Rashavera*& receivin! their !uests in state$ Ruperf S parties seldom had an# focal point& ut usuall# consisted of half a do'en independent !roups intent on their o"n affairs$ This time& ho"ever& the "hole !atherin! "as polari'ed to"ards a centre of attraction$ ?eor!e felt rather sorr# for 7aia$ This should have een her da#& ut Rashavera* had partiall# eclipsed her$ ;Loo*&; said ?eor!e& ni lin! at a sand"ich$ ;Ho" the devil has Rupert !ot hold of an Overlord< I)ve never heard of such a thin!9 ut he seems to ta*e it for !ranted$ He never even mentioned it "hen he invited us$; :enn# thudded$ ;/ust another of his little surprises$ %ou)d etter as* him a out it$ :ut this isn)t the first time it)s happened& after all$ 2arellen)s een to parties at the 8hite House and :uc*in!ham Palace& and9; ;Hec*& that)s different= Rupert)s a perfectl# ordinar# citi'en$; DA I$ ;And ma# e Rashavera*)s a ver# minor Overlord$ :ut #ou)d etter as* them$; ;I "ill&; said ?eor!e& ;-ust as soon as I can !et Rupert # himself$; ;Then #ou)ll have to "ait a lon! time$; :enn# "as ri!ht& ut as the part# "as no" "armin! up it "as eas# to e patient$ The sli!ht paral#sis "hich the appearance of Rashavera* had cast over the assem l# had no" vanished$ There "as still a small !roup around the Overlord& ut else"here the usual fra!mentation had ta*en place and ever#one "as ehavin! ,uite naturall#$ Sullivan& for e1ample& "as descri in! his latest su marine research to an interested audience$ ;8e)re not sure& #et&; he said& ;-ust ho" i! the# !ro"$ There)s a can#on not far from our ase "here a real !iant lives$

I)ve cau!ht a !limpse of it once& and I)d sa# that its tentacle9spread is the est part of thirt# metres$ I)m !oin! in after it ne1t "ee*$ An#one li*e somethin! reall# novel in the "a# of pets<; There "as a s,ueal of horror from one of the "omen$ ;>!h= It !ives me the creeps -ust to thin* a out it= %ou must e terri l# rave$; Sullivan loo*ed ,uite surprised$ ;I)d never thou!ht a out that&; he said$ ;Of course& I ta*e suita le precautions& ut I)ve never een in an# real dan!er$ The s,uids *no" that the# can)t eat me& and as lon! as I don)t !o too close the# never ta*e the sli!htest notice$ 7ost sea9creatures leave #ou alone unless #ou interfere "ith them$; ;:ut surel#&; someone as*ed& ;sooner or later #ou)re ound to run up a!ainst one that thin*s #ou)re edi le<; ;Oh&; replied Sullivan airil#& ;that happens no" and then$ I tr# not to hurt them& ecause after all I)m an1ious to ma*e friends$ So I -ust turn the -ets full on and it usuall# ta*es onl a minute or t"o to pull free$ If I)m too us# to stop and pla#& ma# tidde them up "ith a couple of hundred volts$ That settles the matter and the# never other me a!ain$; %ou certainl# met some interestin! people at Rupert)s parties& thou!ht ?eor!e as he moved on to the ne1t !roup$ Rupert)s literar# tastes mi!ht e speciali'ed& ut his friendships "ere "ide9ran!in!$ 8ithout otherin! to turn his head& ?eor!e could see a famous film producer& a minor poet& a mathematician& t"o actors& an atomic po"er en!ineer& a !ame "arden& DB the editor of a "ee*l# ne"s ma!a'ine& a statistician from the 8orld :an*& a violin virtuoso& a professor of arthColo!# and an astroph#sicist$ There "ere no other representatives of ?eor!e)s o"n profession& television studio desi!n9"hich "as a !ood thin!& as he "anted to !et a"a# from shop$ He loved his "or*+ indeed& in this a!e& for the first time in human histor#& no9one "or*ed at tas*s the# did not li*e$ :ut ?eor!e "as content to mentall# loc* the studio doors ehind him at the end of the da#$ He finall# trapped Rupert in the *itchen& e1perimentin! "lthdrin*s$ It seemed apit#to rin!him ac*to earth "hen he had such a far9a"a# loo* in his e#e& ut ?eor!e could e ruthless "hen necessar#$ ;Loo* here& Rupert&; he e!an& perchin! himself on the nearest ta le$ ;I thip* #ou o"e us all some e1planation$; ;>m&; said Rupert thou!htfull#& rollin! his ton!ue round his mouth$ ;/ust a teen# it too much !in& I)m afraid$; ;Don)t hed!e& and don)t pretend #ou)re not still so er& ecause I *no" perfectl# "ell #ou are$ 8here does #our Overlord friend come from& and "hat)s he doin! here<; ;Didn)t I tell #ou<; said Rupert$ ;I thou!ht I)d e1plained it to ever# od#$ %ou couldn)t have een around9of course& #ou "ere hidin! up in the li rar#$; He thudded in a manner "hich ?eor!e found offensive$ ;It)s the li rar#& #ou *no"& that rou!ht Rash# here$; ;Ho" e1traordinar#=; ;8h#<; ?eor!e paused& reali'in! that this "ould re,uire tact$ Rupert "as ver# proud of his peculiar collection$ ;Er9"ell& "hen #ou consider "hat the Overlords *no" a out science& I should hardl# thin* the#)d e interested in ps#chic phenomena and all that sort of nonsense$; ;Nonsense or not&; replied Rupert& ;the#)re interested in human ps#cholo!#& and I)ve !ot some oo*s that can teach them a lot$ /ust efore I moved here some Deput# >nder9Overlord& or Over9 >nderlord& !ot in touch "ith me and as*ed if the# could orro" a out fift# of m# rarest volumes$ One of the *eepers of the :ritish 7useum Li rar# had put him on to me& it seemed$ Of course& #ou can !uess "hat I said$; ;I can)t ima!ine$;

;8ell& I replied ver# politel# that it had ta*en met"ent# #ears to !et m# li rar# to!ether$ The# "ere "elcome to stud# D5 m# oo*s& ut the#)d darn "ell have to read them here$ So Ras # came alon! and has een a sor in! a out t"ent# volumes a da#$ I)d love to *no" "hat he ma*es of them$; ?eor!e thou!ht this over& then shru!!ed his shoulders in dis!ust$ ;0ran*l#&; he said& ;m# opinion of the Overlords !oes do"n$ I thou!ht the# had etter thin!s to do "ith their time$; ;%ou)re an incorri!i le materialist& aren)t #ou< I don)t thin* /ean "ill a!ree at all$ :ut even from #our oh9so9practical vie"point& it9still ma*es sense$ Surel# #ou)d stud# the superstitions of an# primitive race #ou "ere havin! dealin!s "ith=; ;I suppose so&; said ?eor!e& not ,uite convinced$ The ta le9top "as feelin! hard& so he rose to his feet$ Rupert had no" mi1ed the drin*s to his satisfaction and "as headin! ac* to his !uests$ Huerulous voices could alread# e heard demandin! his presence$ ;He#=; protested ?eor!e& ;-ust efore #ou disappear there)s one other ,uestion$ Ho" did #ou !et hold of that t"o9"a# television !ad!et #ou tried to fri!hten us "ith<; ;/ust a it of ar!ainin!$ I pointed out ho" valua le it "ould e for a -o $li*e mine& and Rash# passed the su!!estion on to the ri!ht ,uarters$; ;0or!ive me for ein! so o tuse& ut "hat is #our ne" -o < I suppose& of course& it)s somethin! to do "ith animals$; ;That)s ri!ht$ I)m a super9vet$ 7# practice covers a out ten thousand s,uare *ilometres of -un!le& and as m# patients "on)t come to inc I)ve !ot to loo* for them$; ;Rather a full9time -o $; ;Oh& of course it isn)t practical to other a out the small fr#$ /ust lions& elephants& rhinos& and so on$ Ever# mornin! I set the controls for a hei!ht of a hundred metres& sit do"n in front of the screen and !o cruisin! over the countr#side$ 8hen I find an#one in trou le I clim into m# fl#er and hope m# edside manner "ill "or*$ Sometimes it)s a it tric*#$ Lions and such9li*e are eas#9 ut tr#in! to puncture a rhino from the air "ith an anCsthetic dart is the devil of a -o $; ;RuPERT=; #elled someone from the ne1t room$ ;No" loo* "hat #ou)ve done= %ou)ve made me for!et m# !uests$ There9#ou ta*e that tra#$ Those are the ones "ith vermouth9I don)t "ant to !et them mi1ed up$; D6 It "as -ust efore sunset that ?eor!e found his "a# up to the roof$ 0or a num er of e1cellent reasons he had a sli!ht headache and ftlt li*e escapin! front the noise and confusion do"nstairs$ /ean& "ho "as a much etter dancer than he "as& still seemed to e en-o#in! herself hu!el# and refused to leave$ This anno#ed ?eor!e& "ho "as e!innin! to feel alcoholicall# amorous& and he decided to have a ,uiet sul* eneath the stars$ One reached the roof # ta*in! the escalator to the first floor and then clim in! the spiral stair"a# round the inta*e of the air9conditionin! plant$ This led& throu!h a hatch"a#& out on to the "ide& flat roof$ Rupert)s fl#er "as par*ed at one end+ the centre area "as a !arden9alread# sho"in! si!ns of runnin! "ild9and the rest "as simpl# an o servation platform "ith a fe" dec*chairs placed on it$ ?eor!e flopped into one of these and re!arded his surroundin!s "ith an imperial e#e$ He felt ver# much monarch of all he surve#ed$ It "as& to put it mildl#& ,uite a vie"$ Rupert)s house had een uilt on the ed!e of a !reat asin& "hich sloped do"n"ards to"ards the east into s"amplands and la*es five *ilo9metres a"a#$ 8est"ards the land "as flat and the -un!le came almost to Rupert)s ac*9door$ :ut e#ond the -un!le& at a distance that must have een at least fift# *ilometres& a line of mountains ran li*e a !reat "all out of si!ht to north and south$ Their summits "ere strea*ed "ith sno"& and the clouds a ove them "ere turnin! to fire as the sun descended on the last fe" minutes of its dail# -ourne#$ As he loo*ed at those remote ramparts& ?eor!e felt a"ed into a sudden so riet#$ The stars that spran! out in such indecent haste the moment the sun had set "ere completel# stran!e to him$ He loo*ed for the Southern (ross& ut "ithout success$ Thou!h he *ne" ver# little

of astronom$#& and could reco!ni'e onl# a fe" constellations& the a sence of familiar friends "as distur in!$ So "ere the noises driftin! in from the -un!le& uncomforta l# close at and$ Enou!h of this fresh air& thou!ht ?eor!e$ I)ll !o ac* to the part# efore a vampire at& or somethin! e,uall# pleasant& comes fl#in! up to investi!ate$ He "as -ust startin! to "al* ac* "hen another !uest emer!ed from the hatch"a#$ It "as no" so dar* that ?eor!e could not see "ho it "as& so he called out+ ;Hello& there$ Have #ou had enou!h of it too<; His invisi le companion lau!hed$ ;Rupert)s startin! to sho" some of his movies$ I)ve seen them all efore$; DK ;Have a ci!arette&; said ?eor!e$ ;0han*s$; :# the flame of the li!hter9?eor!e "as fond of such anti,ues9he could no" reco!ni'e his fello"9 !uest& a stri*in!l# handsome #oun! ne!ro "hose name ?eor!e had een told ut had immediatel# for!otten& li*e those of the t"ent# other complete stran!ers at the part#$ Ho"ever& there seemed somethin! familiar a out him& and suddenl# ?eor!e !uessed the truth$ ;I don)t thin* "e)ve reall# met&; he said& ; ut aren)t #ou Rupert)s ne" rother9in9la"<; ;That)s ri!ht$ I)m /an Rodric*s$ Ever#one sa#s that 7ala and I loo* rather ali*e$; ?eor!e "ondered "hether to commiserate "ith /an for his ne"l# ac,uired relative$ He decided to let the poor fello" find out for himself. after all& it "as -ust possi le that Rupert "ould settle do"n this time$ ;I)m ?eor!e ?re!!son$ This is the first time #ou)ve een to one of Rupert)s famous parties<; ;%es$ %ou certainl# meet a lot of ne" people this "a#$; ;And not onl# humans&; added ?eor!e$ ;This is the first chance I)ve had of meetin! an Overlord sociall#$; The other hesitated for a moment efore repl#in!& and ?eor!e "ondered "hat sensitive spot he had struc*$ :ut the ans"er revealed nothin!$ ;I)ve never seen one efore& either9e1cept of course on TV$; There the conversation lan!uished& and after a moment ?eor!e reali'ed that /an "anted to e alone$ It "as !ettin! cold& an#"a#& so he too* his leave and re9-oined the part#$ The -un!le "as ,uiet no". as /an leaned a!ainst the curvin! "all of the air inta*e& the onl# sound he could hear "as the faint murmur of the house as It reathed throu!h its mcdianical lun!s$ He felt ver# much alone& "hich "as the "a# he "anted to e$ He also felt hi!hl# frustrated9and that "as somethin! he had no desire to e at all$ DD @ No >topia can ever !ive satisfaction to ever#one& all the time$ As their material conditions improve& men raise their si!hts and ecome discontented "ith po"ers and possessions that once "ould have seemed e#ond their "ildest dreams$ And even "hen the e1ternal "orld has !ranted all it can& there still remain the searchin!s of the mind and the lon!in!s of the heart$ /an Rodric*s& thou!h he seldom appreciated his luc*& "ould have een even more discontented in an earlier a!e$ A centur# efore& his colour "ould have een a tremendous& perhaps an over"helmin!& handicap$ Toda#& it meant nothin!$ The inevita le9 reaction that had !iven earl# t"ent#9first9centur# ne!roes a sli!ht sense of superiorit# had alread# passed a"a#$ The convenient "ord ;ni!!er; "as no lon!er ta u in polite societ#& ut "as used "ithout em arrassment # ever#one$ It had no more emotional content than such la els as repu lican or methodist& conservative or li eral$ /an)s father had een a charmin! ut some"hat fec*less Scot "ho had made a considera le name for himself as a professional ma!ician$ His death at the earl# a!e of fort#9five had een a!!ravated # the e1cessive consumption of his countr#)s most famous product$ Thou!h /an had never seen his father drun*& he "as not sure that he had ever seen him so er$ 7rs$ Rodric*s& still ver# mtCh alive& lectured in advanced pro a ilit# theor# at Edin ur!h >niversit#$ It "as t#pical of the e1treme mo ilit# of t"ent#9first9centur# 7an that 7rs$ Rodric*s& "ho "as coal lac*& had een orn in Scotland& "hereas her e1patriate and lond hus and had

spent almost all his life in Haiti$ 7aia and /an had never had a sin!le home& ut had oscillated et"een their parents) families li*e t"o small shuttlecoc*s$ The treatment had een !ood fun& ut had not helped to correct the insta ilit# the# had oth inherited from their father$ At t"ent#9seven& /an still had several #ears of colle!e life ahead of him efore he needed to thin* seriousl# a out his career$ He had ta*en his achelors) de!rees "ithout an# difilcult#& follo"in! a s#lla us that "ould have seemed ver# stran!e a centur# efore$ Ilis main su -ects ad een mathematics and ph#sics& ut as su sidiaries he had ta*en philosoph# and D@ musical appreciation$ Even # the hi!h standards of the time he "as a first9rate amateur pianist$ In three #ears he "ould ta*e his doctorate in en!ineerin! ph#sics& "ith astronom# as a second su -ect$ This "ould involve fairl# hard "or*& ut /an rather "elcomed that$ He "as stud#in! at "hat "as perhaps the most eautifull# situated place of hi!her education in the "orld9the >niversit# of (ape To"n& nestlin! at the foot of Ta le 7ountain$ He had no material "orries& #et he "as discontented and sa" no cure for his condition$ To ma*e matters "orse& 7aia)s o"n happiness9thoti!h he did not !rud!e it in the least9had underlined the chief cause of his o"n trou le$ 0or /an "as still sufferin! from the romantic illusion9the cause of so much miser# and so much poetr#9that ever# man has onl# one real love in his life$ At an unusuall# late a!e& e had lost his heart for the first time& to a lad# more reno"ned for eaut# than constanc#$ Rosita Tsien claimed& "ith perfect truth& to have the lood of 7anchu emperors flo"in! in her veins$ She still possessed man# su -ects& includin! most of the 0acult# of Science at (ape$ /an had een ta*en prisoner # her delicate& flo"er9li*e eaut#& and the affair had proceeded far enou!h to ma*e its termination all the more !allin!$ He could not ima!ine "hat had !one "ron!$$$$ He "ould !et over it& of course$ Other men had survived similar catastrophes "ithout irrepara le dama!e& had even reached the sta!e "hen the# could sa#& ;I)m sure I could never have een reall# serious a out a "oman li*e that=; :ut such detachment still la# far in the future& and at the moment /an "as ver# much at odds "ith life$ His other !rievance "as less easil# remedied& for it concerned the impact of the Overlords upon his o"n am itions$ /an "as a romantic not onl# in heart ut in mind$ Li*e so man# other #oun! men since the con,uest of the air had een assured& he had let his dreams and his ima!ination roam the une1plored seas of space$ A centur# efore& 7an had set foot upon the ladder that could lead him to the stars$ At that ver# moment9could it have een coincidence<9the door to the planets had een slammed in his face$ The Overlords had imposed fe" positive ans on an# form of human activit# Ethe conduct of "ar "as perhaps the ma-or e1ceptionF& ut research into space fli!ht had virtuall# ceased$ The challen!e presented # the science D4 of the Overlords "as too !reat$ 0or the moment& at least& 7an had lost heart and had turned to other fields of activit#$ There "as no point in developin! roc*ets "hen the Overlords had Infinitel# superior means of propulsion& ased on principles of "hich the# had never !iven an# hint$ A fe" hundred men had visited the moon& for the purpose of esta lishin! a lunar o servator#$ The# had travelled as passen!ers in a small vessel loaned # the Overlords9and driven # roc*ets$ It "as o vious that little could e learned from a stud# of this primitive vehicle& even if its o"ners handed it over "ithout reservation to in,uisitive terrestrial scientists$ 7an "as& therefore& still a prisoner on his "n planet$ It "as a much fairer& ut a much smaller& planet than it had een a centur# efore$ 8hen the Overlords had a olished "ar and hun!er and disease& the# had also a olished adventure$ The risin! moon "as e!innin! to paint the eastern s*# "ith$ a pale mil*# !lo"$ >p there& /an *ne"& "as the main ase of the Overlords& l#in! "ithin the ramparts of Pluto$ Thou!h the suppl# ships must have een comin! and !oin! for more than sevent# #ears& it "as onl# in /an)s lifetime that all concealment had een dropped and the# had made their departure in clear si!ht of Earth$ In the t"o9hundred9inch telescope& the shado"s of the !reat ships could e dearl# seen "hen the mornin! or evenin! sun cast them for miles across the lunar plains$ Since ever#thin! that the Overlords did "as of immense interest to man*ind& a careful "atch "as *ept of their comin!s and !oin!s& and the pattern of their ehaviour Ethou!h

not the reason for itF "as e!innin! to emer!e$ One of those !reat shado"s had vanished a fe" hours a!o$ That meant& /an *ne"& that some"here off the moon an Overlord ship "as l#in! in space& carr#in! out "hatever routine "as necessar# efore it e!an its -ourne# to its distant& un*no"n home$ He had never seen one of those returnin! ships launch itself to"ards the stars$ If conditions "ere !ood the si!ht "as visi le over half the "orld& ut /an had al"a#s een unluc*#$ One could never tell e1actl# "hen the ta*e9off "ould e9and the Overlords did not advertise the fact$ He decided he "ould "ait another ten minutes& then re-oin the part#$ 8hat "as that< Onl# a meteor slidin! do"n throu!h Eridanus$ /an rela1ed& discovered his ci!arette had !one out& and lit another$ He "as half9"a# throu!h it "hen& half a million *ilometres @M a"a#& the Stardrive "ent on$ >p from the heart of the spreadin! moon9!lo" a tin# spar* e!an to clim to"ards the 'enith$ At first its movement "as so slo" that it could hardl# e perceived& ut second # second it "as !ainin! speed$ As it clim ed it increased in rilliance& then suddenl# faded from si!ht$ A moment later it had reappeared& !ainin! speed and ri!htness$ 8a1in! and "anin! "ith a peculiar rh#thm& it ascended ever more s"iftl# into the s*#& dra"in! a fluctuatin! line of li!ht across the stars$ Even if one did not *no" its real distance& the impression of speed "as reathta*in!+ "hen one *ne" that the departin! ship "as some"here e#ond the moon& the mind reeled at the speeds and ener!ies involved$ It "as an unimportant #9product of those ener!ies& /an *ne"& that he "as seein! no"$ The ship itself "as invisi le& alread# far ahead of that ascendin! li!ht$ As a hi!h9fl#in! -et ma# leave a vapour trail ehind it& so the out"ard9 ound vessel of the Overlords left its o"n peculiar "a*e$ The !enerall# accepted theor#9and there seemed little dou t of its truth9 "as that the immense accelerations of the Stardrive caused a local distortion of space$ 8hat /an "as seein!& he *ne"& "as nothin! less than the li!ht of distant stars& collected and focused into his e#e "herever conditions "ere favoura le alon! the trac* of the ship$ It "as a$ visi le proof of relativit#9the endin! of li!ht in the presence of a colossal !ravitational field$ No" the end of that vast& pencil9shaped lens seemed to e movin! more slo"l#& ut that "as onl# due to perspective$ In realit# the ship "as still !ainin! speed+ its path "as merel# ein! foreshortened as it hurled itself out"ards to the stars$ There "ould e man# telescopes follo"in! it& /an *ne"& as Earth)s scientists tried to uncover the secrets of the Drive$ Do'ens of papers had alread# een pu lished on the su -ect. no dou t the Overlords had read them "ith the !reatest interest$ The phantom li!ht "as e!innin! to "ane$ No" it "as a fadin! strea*& pointin! to the heart of the constellation (arina& as /an had *no"n that it "ould$ The home of the Overlords "as some"here out there& ut it mi!ht circle an# one of a thousand stars in that sector of space$ There "as no "a# of tellin! its distance from the Solar S#stem$ It "as all over$ Thou!h the ship had scarcel# e!un its /ourne#& there "as nothin! more that human e#es could see$ :ut in /an)s mind the memor# of that shinin! path still urned& @3 a eacon that "ould never fade as lon! as he possessed ani ition and desire$ The parr# "as over$ Almost all the !uests had clim ed ac* into the s*# and "ere no" scatterin! to the four corners of the !lo e$ There "ere& ho"ever& a fe" e1ceptions$ One "as Norman Dods"orth& the poet& "ho had !ot unpleasantl# drun* ut had een sensi le enou!h to pass out ef re an# violent action proved necessar#$ He had een deposited& not ver# !entl#& on the la"n& "here it "as hoped that a h#ena "ould !ive him a rude a"a*enin!$ 0or all practical purposes he could& therefore& e re!arded as a sent$ The other remainin! !uests "ere ?eor!e and /ean$ This "as not ?eor!e)s idea at all+ he "anted to !o home$ He disapproved of the friendship et"een Rupert and /ean& thou!h not for the usual reason$ ?eor!e prided himself on ein! a practical& level9headed character& and re!arded the interest "hich dre" /ean and Rupert to!ether as ein! not onl# childish in this a!e of science& ut

more than a little unhealth#$ That an#one should still place the sli!htest credence in the supernormal seemed e1traordinar# to him& and findin! Rashavera* here had sha*en his faith in the Overlords$ It "as no" o vious that Rupert had een plottin! some surprise& pro a l# "ith /ean)s connivance$ ?eor!e resi!ned himself !loomil# to "hatever nonsense "as comin!$ ;I tried all sorts of thin!s efore I settled on this&; said Rupert proudl#$ ;The i! pro lem is to reduce friction so that #ou !et complete freedom of movement$ The old9fashioned polished ta le and tum ler set9up isn)t ad& ut ft)s een used for centuries no" and I "as sure that modern science could do etter$ And here)s the result$ Dra" up #our chairs9 are #ou ,uite sure #ou don)t "ant to -oin& Rash#<; The Overlord seemed to hesitate for a fraction of a second$ Then he shoo* his head$ EHad the# learned that ha it on Earth< ?eor!e "ondered$F ;No& than* #ou&; he replied$ ;I "ould prefer to o serve$ Some other time& perhaps$; ;Ver# "ell9there)s plent# of time to chan!e #our mind later$; Oh& Is there< thou!ht ?eor!e& loo*in! !loomil# at his "atch$ Rupert had shepherded his friends round a small ut massive @A ta le& perfectl# circular in shape$ It had a flat plastic top "hich he lifted off to reveal a !litterin! sea of closel# pac*ed all9 earin!s$ The# "ere prevented from escapin! # the ta le)s sli!htl# raised rim& and ?eor!e found it ,uite impossi le to ima!ine their purpose$ The hundreds of reflected points of li!ht formed a fascinatin! and h#pnotic pattern& and he felt himself ecomin! sli!htl# di''#$ As the# dre" up their chairs& Rupert reached under the ta le and rou!ht forth a disc some ten centimetres in diameter& "hich he placed on the surface of the all9 earin!s$ ;There #ou are&; he said$ ;%ou put #our fin!ers on this& and it moves around "ith no resistance at all$; ?eor!e e#ed the device "ith profound distrust$ He noted that the letters of the alpha et "ere placed at re!ular intervals 9thou!h in no particular order9round the circumference of the ta le$ In addition there "ere the num ers one to nine& scattered at random amon! the letters& and t"o cards earin! the "ords ;Cs; and ;NO;$ These "ere on opposite sides of the ta le$ ;It loo*s li*e a lot of mum o9-um o to me&; he muttered$ ;I)m surprised that an#one ta*es it seriousl# in this a!e$; He felt a little etter after deliverin! this mild protest& "hich "as aimed at /ean ,uite as much as Rupert$ Rupert didn)t pretend to have more than a detached scientific interest in these phenomena$ He "as open9minded& ut not credulous$ /ean& on the other hand9 "ell& ?eor!e "as sometimes a little "orried a out her$ She reall# seemed to thin* that there "as somethin! in this usiness of telepath# and second9si!ht$ Not until he had made his remar* did ?eor!e reali'e that it also implied a criticism of Rashavera*$ He !lanced nervousl# round ut the Overlord sho"ed no reaction$ 8hich& of course& proved a solutel# nothin! at all$ Ever#one had no" ta*en up their positions$ ?oin! in a cloc*"ise direction round the ta le "ere Rupert& 7aia& /an& /ean& ?eor!e& and :enn# Shoen er!er$ Ruth Shoen er!er "as sittin! outside the cirde "ith a note oo*$ She apparentl# had some o -ection to ta*in! part in the proceedin!s& "hich had caused :enn# to sna*e o scurel# sarcastic remar*s a out people "ho still too* the Talmud seriousl#$ Ho"ever& she seemed perfectl# "illin! to act as a recorder$ ;No" listen&; e!an Rupert& ;for the enefit of sceptics li*e ?eor!e& let)s !et this strai!ht$ 8hether or not there)s @B an#thin! supernormal a out this& it "or*s$ Personall#& I thin* there)s a purel# mechanical e1planation$ 8hen "e put our hands on the disc& even thou!h "e ma# tr# to avoid influencin! its movements& our su conscious starts pla#in! tric*s$ I)ve anal#sed lots of these seances& and I)ve never !ot ans"ers that someone in the !roup mi!htn)t have *no"n or !uessed9 thou!h sometimes the# "eren)t a"are of the fact$ Ho"ever& I)d li*e to carr# out the e1periment in these rather9ah9 peculiar circumstances$; The Peculiar (ircumstance sat "atchin! them silentl#& ut dou tless not "ith indifference$ ?eor!e "ondered -ust "hat Rashavera* thou!ht of these antics$ 8ere his reactions those of an

anthropolo!ist "atchin! some primitive reli!ious rite< The "hole set9up "as reall# ,uite fantastic& and ?eor!e felt as i! a fool as he had ever done in his life$ If the others felt e,uall# foolish& the# concealed their emotions$ Onl# /ean loo*ed flushed and e1cited& thou!h that ni!ht have een the drin*s$ ;All set<; as*ed Rupert$ ;Ver# "ell$; He paused impressivel#. then& addressin! no9one in particular& he called Cut+ ;Is there an# od# there<; ?eor!e could feel the plate eneath his fin!ers trem le Cli!htl#$ That "as not surprisin!& considerin! the pressure tein! e1erted upon it # the si1 people in the circle$ It ilithered around in a small fi!ure9ei!ht& then came to rest ac* at the centre$ ;Is there an# od# there<; repeated Rupert$ In a more conversational tone of voice he added& ;It)s often ten or fifteen minutes efore "e !et started$ :ut sometimes9; ;Hush=; reathed /ean$ The plate "as movin!$ It e!an to s"in! in a "ide arc et"een the cards la elled ;#Es; and ;NO;$ 8ith some difficult#& ?eor!e suppressed a !i!!le$ /ust "hat "ould it prove& he "ondered& if the ans"er "as ;NO;< He remem ered the old -o*e+ ;There)s no od# here ut us chic*ens& 7assa$ $$ $; :ut the ans"er "as ;%ES;$ The plate came s"iftl# ac* to the centre of the ta le$ Someho" it no" seemed alive& "aitin! fir the ne1t ,uestion$ Despite himself& ?eor!e e!an to e impressed$ ;8ho are #ou<; as*ed Rupert$ There "as no hesitation no" as the letters "ere spelled out$ The plate darted across the ta le li*e a sentient thin!& movin! @5 P so s"iftl# that ?eor!e sometimes found it hard to *eep his fin!ers in contact$ He could s"ear that he "as not contri utin! to its motion$ ?lancin! ,uic*l# round the ta le& he could see nothin! suspicious in the faces of his friends$ The# seemed as intent& and as e1pectant& as he himselfC ;IA7ALL; spelled the plate& and returned to its point of e,uili rium$ ;)I am all&); repeated Rupert$ ;That)s a t#pical repl#$ Evasive& #et stimulatin!$ It pro a l# means that there)s nothin! here e1cept our com ined minds$; He paused for a moment& o viousl# decidin! upon his ne1t ,uestion$ Then he addressed the air once more$ ;Have #ou a messa!e for an#one here<; ;No&; replied the plate promptl#$ Rupert loo*ed around the ta le$ ;It)s up to us. sometimes it volunteers information& ut this time "e)ll have to as* definite ,uestions$ An#one li*e to start<; ;8ill it rain tomorro"<; said ?eor!e -estin!l#$ At once the plate e!an to s"in! ac* and forth in the %ES9 NO line$ 9 ;That)s a sill# ,uestion&; reproved Rupert$ ;It)s ound to e rAinin! some"here and to e dr# some"here else$ Don)t as* ,uestions that have am i!uous ans"ers$; ?eor!e felt appropriatel# s,uashed$ He decided to let someone else have the ne1t turn$ ;8hat is m# favourite colour<; as*ed 7aia$ ;:LuE&; came the prompt repl#$ ;That)s ,uite correct$; ;:ut it doesn)t prove an#thin!$ At least three people here *ne" that&; ?eor!e pointed out$ ;8hat)s Ruth)s favourite colour<; as*ed :enn#$ ;RED$; ;Is that ri!ht& Ruth<; The recorder loo*ed up from her note oo*$ ;%es& it is$ :ut :enn# *no"s that& and he)s in the circle$; ;I didn)t *no"&; retorted :enn#$ ;%ou darn "ell ou!ht to9I)ve told #ou enou!h times$; ;Su conscious memor#&; murmured Rupert$ ;That often happens$ :ut can "e have some more intelli!ent ,uestions& please< No" that this has started so "ell& I don)t "ant It to peter out$; (uriousl# enou!h& the ver# trivialit# of the phenomenon "as @6

e!innin! to impress ?eor!e$ He "as sure that there "as no supernormal e1planation. as Rupert had said& the plate "as simpl# respondin! to their unconscious muscular movements$ :ut this fact in itself "as surprisin! and impressive+ he "ould never have elieved that such precise& s"ift replies could have een o tained$ Once he tried to see if he could influence the oard # ma*in! it spell out his o"n name$ He !ot the ;?;& ut that "as all+ the rest "as nonsense$ It "as virtuall# unpossi le& he decided& for one person to ta*e control "ithout the remainder of the circle *no"in! it$ After half an hour& Ruth had ta*en do"n more than a do'en messa!es& some of them ,uite lon! ones$ There "ere occasional spellin! mista*es and curiosities of !rammar& ut the# "ere fe"$ 8hatever the e1planation& ?eor!e "as no" convinced that he "as not contri utin! consciousl# to the results$ Several times& as a "ord "as ein! spelt out& he had anticipated the ne1t letter and hence the meanin! of the messa!e$ And on each occasion the plate had !one in a ,uite une1pected direction and spelt somethin! totall# different$ Sometimes& indeed 9since there "as no pause to indicate the end of one "ord and the e!innin! of the ne1t9the entire messa!e "as meanin!less until it "as complete and Ruth had read it ac*$ The "hole e1perience !ave ?eor!e an uncann# impression of ein! in contact "ith some purposeful& independent mind$ And #et there "as no conclusive proof one "a# or the other$ The replies "ere so trivial& so am i!uous$ 8hat& for e1ample& could one ma*e of+ :ELIEVEIN7ANNAT>RRIS8ITH%O>$ %et sometimes there "ere su!!estions of profound& even distur in! truths+ RI7E7:ER7ANISNOTALONENEAR7ANIS(O>NTR%O0OTHERS$ :ut of course ever#one *ne" that9thou!h could one e sure that the messa!e merel# referred to the Overlords< ?eor!e "as !ro"in! ver# sleep#$ It "as hi!h time& he thou!ht dro"sil#& that the# headed for home$ This "as all ver# Intri!uin!& ut it "asn)t !ettin! them an#"here and #ou could have too much of a !ood thin!$ He !lanced around the ta le$ :enn# loo*ed as if he mi!ht e feelin! the same "a#& 7aia and Rupert oth appeared sli!htl# !la'ed& and /ean9"ell& she had een ta*in! it too seriousl# all alon!$ Her e1pression "orried @K ?eor!e. it "as almost as if she "ere afraid to stop9#et afraid to !o on$ That left onl# /an$ ?eor!e "ondered "hat he thou!ht of his rother9in9la")s eccentricities$ The #oun! en!ineer had as*ed no ,uestions& sho"n no surprise at an# of the ans"ers$ He seemed to e stud#in! the movement of the plate as if it "as -ust another scientific phenomenon$ Rupert roused himself from the lethar!# into "hich he appeared to have fallen$ ;Let)s have one more ,uestion&; he said& ;then "e)ll call it a da#$ 8hat a out #ou& /an< %ou)ve not as*ed an#thin!$; Surprisin!l#& /an never hesitated$ It "as as if he had made his choice a lon! time a!o and had een "aitin! for the opportunit#$ He !lanced once at the impassive ul* of Rashavera*& then called out in a clear& stead# voice+ ;8hich star is the Overlord)s sun<; Rupert chec*ed a "histle of surprise$ 7aia and :enn# sho"ed no reaction at all$ /ean had closed her e#es and seemed to e asleep$ Rashavera* had leaned for"ard so that he could loo* do"n into the circle over Rupert)s shoulder$ And the plate e!an to move$ 8hen it came to rest a!ain& there "as a rief pause+ then Ruth as*ed& in a pu''led voice+ ;8hat does N?S 654KDA mean<; She !ot no repl#& for at the same moment ?eor!e called out an1iousl#+ ;?ive me a hand "ith /ean$ I)m afraid she)s fainted$;

;THIS man :o#ce&; said 2arellen$ ;Tell me all a out him$; The Supervisor did not use those actual "ords& of course& and the thou!hts he reall# e1pressed "ere far more su tle$ A human listener "ould have heard a short urst of rapidl# modulated sound& not unli*e a hi!h9speed 7orse sender in action$ Thou!h man# samples of Overlord lan!ua!e had een recorded& the# all defied anal#sis ecause of their e1treme coinple1it#$ The speed of transmission made it certain that no Interpreter& even if he had mastered the elements of the @D lan!ua!e& could ever *eep up "ith the Overlords in their normal conversation$ The Supervisor for Earth stood "ith his ac* to Rashavera*& starin! out across the multicoloured !ulf of the ?rand (an#on$ Ten *ilometres a"a#& #et scarcel# veiled # distance& the terraced "alls "ere catchin! the full force of the sun$ Hundreds of metres do"n the shado"ed slope at "hose rim 2arellen stood& a mule9train "as slo"l# "indin! its "a# into the valle#)s depths$ It "as stran!e& 2arellen thou!ht& that so man# human ein!s still sei'ed ever# opportunit# for primitive ehaviour$ The# could reach the ottom of the can#on in L fraction of the time& and in far !reater comfort& if the# chose$ %et the# preferred to e -olted alon! trac*s "hich "ere pro a l# as unsafe as the# loo*ed$ 2arellen made an impercepti le !esture "ith his hand$ The !reat panorama faded from vie"& leavin! onl# a shado"# lan*ness of indetermina le depth$ The realities of his office and of his position cro"ded in upon the Supervisor once more$ ;Rupert :o#ce is a some"hat curious character&; Rashavera* ans"ered$ ;Professionall#& he)s in char!e of animal "elfare over an important section of the 7ain African ReservaLion$ He)s ,uite efficient& and interested in his "or*$ :ecause he has to *eep "atch over several thousand s,uare *ilometres& he has one of the fifteen panoramic vie"ers "e)ve so far issued cm loan9"ith the usual safe!uards& of course$ It is& incidentill#& the onl# one "ith full pro-ection facilities$ He "as a le to ma*e a !ood case for these& so "e let him have them$; ;8hat "as his ar!ument<; ;He "anted to appear to various "ild animals so that the# could !et used to seein! him& and so "ouldn)t attac* "hen he "as ph#sicall# present$ The theor# has "or*ed out ,uite "ell "ith Cnirna3s that rel# on si!ht rather than smell9thou!h he)ll pro a l# !et *illed eventuall#$ And& of course& there "as anFther reason "h# "e let him have the apparatus$; ;It made him more co9operative<; ;Precisel#$ I ori!inall# contacted him ecause he has one rf the "orld)s finest li raries of oo*s on paraps#cholo!# and illied su -ects$ He politel# ut firml# refused to lend an# of them& so there "as nothin! to do ut toCit him$ I)ve no" read i out half his li rar#$ It has een a considera le ordeal$; ;That I can "ell elieve&; said 2ardllen dr#l#$ ;Have #ou fiscovered an#thin! amon! all the ru ish<; @@ ;%es9eleven dear cases of partial rea*throu!h& and t"ent#9seven pro a les$ The material is so selective& ho"ever& that one cannot use it for samplin! purposes$ And the evidence is hopelessl# confused "ith m#sticism9perhaps the prime a erration of the human mind$; ;And "hat is :o#ce)s attitude to all this<; ;He pretends to e open9minded and sceptical& ut it)s clear that he "ould never have spent so much time and effort in this field unless he had some su conscious faith$ I challen!ed him on this and he admitted that I "as pro a l# ri!ht$ He "ould li*e to find some convincin! proof$ That is "h# he Is al"a#s carr#in! out these e1periments& even thou!h he pretends that the# are onl# !aines$; ;%ou are sure he doesn)t suspect that #our interest is more than academic<; ;Huite sure$ In man# "a#s :o#ce is remar*a l# o tuse and simple9minded$ That ma*es his attempts to do research in this& of all fields& rather pathetic$ There is no need to ta*e an# special acon re!ardin! him$; ;I see$ And "hat a out the !irl "ho fainted<; ;This is the most e1citin! feature of the entire affair$ /ean 7orrel "as& almost certainl#& the channel throu!h "hich the information came$ :ut she is t"ent#9si19far too old to e a prime contact herself& -ud!in! # all our previous e1perience$ It must& therefore& e someone closel#

lin*ed to her$ The conclusion is o vious$ 8e cannot have man# more #ears to "ait$ 8e must transfer her to (ate!or# Purple+ she ma# e the most important human ein! alive$; ;I "ill do that$ And "hat of the #oun! man "ho as*ed the ,uestion< 8as it random curiosit#& or did he have some other motive<; ;It "as chance that rou!ht him there9his sister has -ust married Rupert :o#ce$ He had never met an# of the other !uests efore$ I am sure the ,uestion "as unpremeditated& ein! inspired # the unusual conditions9and pro a l# # m# presence$ ?iven these factors& it is hardl# surprisin! that he acted in the "a# he did$ His !reat interest is astronautics+ he is secretar# of the space9travel !roup at (ape To"n >niversit#& and o viousl# intends to ma*e this field his life stud#$; ;0lis career should e interestin!$ 7ean"hile& "hat action do #ou thin* he "ill ta*e& and "hat shall "e do a out him<; @4 ;lie "ill undou tedl# ma*e some chec*s as soon as he can$ :ut there is no "a# in "hich he can prove the accurac# of his information& and ecause of its peculiar ori!in he is hardl# li*el# to pu lish it$ Even if he does& "ill it affect matters in the sli!htest<; ;I "ill have oth situations evaluated&; 2arellen replied$ ;Thou!h it is part of our Directive not to reveal our ase& there is no "a# in "hich the information could e used a!ainst us$; ;I a!ree$ Rodric*s "ill have some information "hich is of dou tful truth& and of no practical value$; ;So it "ould seem&; said 2arellen$ ;:ut let us not e too certain$ Human ein!s are remar*a l# in!enious& and often ver# persistent$ It is never safe to underrate them& and it "ill e interestin! to follo" 7r$ Rodric*s) career$ I must thin* a out this further$; Rupert :o#ce never reall# !ot to the ottom of it$ 8hen his !uests had departed& rather less oisterousl# than usual& he ad thou!htfull# rolled the ta le ac* into its corner$ The mild alcoholic fo! prevented an# profound anal#sis of "hat had happened& and even the actual facts "ere alread# sli!htl# lurred$ He had a va!ue idea that somethin! of !reat ut elusive importance had happened& and "ondered if he should Biscuss it "ith Rashavera*$ On second thou!ht& he decided it au!ht e tactless$ After all& his rother9in9la" had caused the trou le& and Rupert felt va!uel# anno#ed "ith #oun! /an$ :ut "as it /an)s fault< 8as it an# od#)s fault< Rather !uiltil#& Rupert remem ered that it had een his e1periment$ He lecided& fairl# successfull#& to for!et the "hole usiness$ Perhaps he mi!ht have done somethin! if the last pa!e of Ruth)s note oo* could have een found& ut it had vanished in the confusion$ /an al"a#s fei!ned innocence9and& "ell& one ould hardl# accuse Rashavera*$ And no9one could ever Cemem er e1actl# "hat had een spelled out& e1cept that it lidn)t seem to ma*e an# sense$ The person most immediatel# affected had een ?eor!e (Cre!!son$ He could never for!et his feelin! of terror as /ean iitched into his arms$ Her sudden helplessness transformed icr in that moment from an amusin! companion to an o -ect 4M of tenderness and affection$ 8omen had fainted9not al"a#s "ithout forethou!ht9since time immemorial& and men had invaria l# responded in the desired "a#$ /ean)s collapse "as completel# spontaneous& ut it could not Chave een etter planned$ In that instant& as he reali'ed later& ?eor!e came to one of the most important decisions of his life$ /ean "as definitel# the !irl "ho mattered& despite er,ueer ideas and ,ueerer friends$ He had no intention of totall# a andonin! Naomi or /o# or Elsa or9"hat "as her name<9Denise. ut the tune ad come for somethin! more permanent$ He had no dou t that /ean "ould a!ree "ith him& for her feelin!s had een ,uite o vious from the start$ :ehind his decision there "as another factor of "hich& he "as una"are$ Toni!ht)s e1perience had "ea*ened his con9tempt and scepticism for /ean)s peculiar interests$ He "ould never reco!ni'e the fact& ut it "as so9and it had removed the last arrier et"een them$

He loo*ed at /ean as she la#& pale ut composed& in the reclinin! chair of the fl#er$ There "as dar*ness elo"& stars a ove$ ?eor!e had no idea& to "ithin a thousand *ilometres& "here the# mi!ht e9nor did he care$ That "as the usiness of the ro ot that "as !uidin! them home"ards and "ould land them in& so the control oard announced& fift#9seven minutes from no"$ /ean smiled ac* at him and !entl# dislod!ed her hand from his$ ;/ust let me restore the circulation&; she pleaded& ru in! her fin!ers$ ;I "ish #ou)d elieve me "hen I tell #ou I)m perfectl# all ri!ht no"$; ;Then "hat do #ou thin* happened< Surel# #ou remem er somet0thC!<; ;No9it)s -ust a complete lan*$ I heard /an as* his ,uesdon9and then #ou "ere all ma*in! a fuss over me$ I)m sure it "as some *ind of trance$ After all9; She paused& then decided not to tell ?eor!e that this sort of thin! had happened efore$ She *ne" ho" he felt a out these matters& and had no desire to upset him further9and perhaps scare him a"a# completel#$ ;After all9"hat<; as*ed ?eor!e$ ;Oh& nothin!$ I "onder "hat that Overlord thou!ht a out the "hole usiness$ 8e pro a l# !ave him more material than he ar!ained for$; 43 /ean shivered sli!htl#& and her e#es clouded$ ;I)m afraid of the Overlords& ?eor!e$ Oh& I don)t 1neC the#)re evil& or an#thin! foolish li*e that$ I)m sure the# mean "ell and are doin! "hat the# thin* is est for us$ I "onder -ust "hat their plans reall# are<; ?eor!e shifted uncomforta l#$ ;7en have een "onderin! that ever since the# came to Earth&; he said$ ;The#)ll tell us "hen "e)re read# for it9and& fran*l#& I)m not in,uisitive$ :esides& I)ve !ot more importCt thin!s to other a out$; He turned to"ards /ean and !rasped her hands$ ;8hat a out !oin! to Archives tomorro" and si!nin! a contract for9let)s sa#9five #ears<; /ean loo*ed at him steadfastl#& and decided that& C the "hole& she li*ed "hat she sa"$ ;7a*e it ten&; she said$ /an ided his time$ There "as no hurr#& and he "anter- to thin*$ It "as almost as if he feared to ma*e an# chec*s& lest the fantastic hope that had come into his mind e too s"iftl# destro#ed$ 8hile he "as still uncertain& he could at least dream$ 7oreover& to ta*e an# further action he "ould have to see the O servator# li rarian$ She *ne" hint and his interests too "ell& and "ould certainl# e intri!ued # his re,uest$ Pro a l# it "ould ma*e no difference& ut /an "as determined to leave nothin! to chance$ There "ould e a etter opportuC-t# in a "ee*$ He "as ein! super9cautious& he *ne"& ut that added a school o# 'est to the enterprise$ /an also feared ridicule ,uite as much as an#thin! that the Overlords mi!ht (onceiva l# do to th"art him$ If he "as em ar*in! on a "ild9!oose chase& no9one else "ould ever *no"$ He had a perfectl# !ood reason for !oin! to London+ the arran!ements had een made "ee*s a!o$ Thou!h he "aC too #oun! and too un,ualified to e a dele!ate& he "as one of the three students "ho had nlAnll!ed to attach themselves to the official part# !oin! to the meetin! of the International AstrC$$ nomical >nion$ The vacancies had een there& and it scenCed a pit# to "aste the opportunit#& as he had not visited London since his childhood$ He *ne" that ver# fe" of the do'ens of papers to e delivered to the I$A$>$ "ould e of the CIi!CtC 4A interest to turn& even if he could understand them$ Li*e a dele!ate to an# scientific con!ress& he "ould attend the lectures that loo*ed promisin!& and spend the rest of the time tal*in! "ith fello" enthusiasts& or simpl# si!htseein!$ London had chan!ed enormousl# in the last fift# #ears$ It no" contained scarcel# t"o million people& and a hundred times as man# machines$ It "as no lon!er a !reat port& for "ith ever# countr# producin! almost all its needs& the entire

pattern of "orld trade had een altered$ There "ere some !oods that certain countries still made est& ut the# "ent directl# # air to their destinations$ The trade routes that had once conver!ed on the !reat har ours& and later on the !reat airports& had finall# dispersed into an intricate "e 9"or* coverin! the "hole "orld "ith no ma-or nodal points$ %et some thin!s had not altered$ The cit# "as still a centre of administration& of art& of learnin!$ In these matters& none of the continental capitals could rival it9not even Paris& despite man# claims to the contrar#$ A Londoner from a centur# efore could still have found his "a# around& at least at the cit#)s centre& "ith no difficult#$ There "ere ne" rid!es over the Thames& ut in the old places$ The !reat& !rim# rail"a# stations had !one9 anished to the su ur s$ :ut the Houses of Parliament "ere unchan!ed+ Nelson)s solitar# e#e still stared do"n 8hitehall+ the dome of St$ Paul)s still stood a ove Lud!ate Hill& thou!h no" there "ere taller uildin!s to challen!e its pre9eminence$ And the !uard still marched in front of :uc*in!ham Palace$ All these thin!s& thou!ht /an& could "ait$ It "as vacation time& and he "as lod!ed& "ith his t"o fello" students& in one of the >niversit# hostels$ :looins ur# also had not chan!ed its character in the last centur#+ it "as still an island of hotels and oardin!9houses& thou!h the# no lon!er -ostled each other so closel#& or formed such endless& identical ro"s of soot9coated ric*$ It "as not until the second da# of the (on!ress that /an !ot his opportunit#$ The main papers "ere ein! read in the !reat assem l# cham er of the Science (entre& not far from the (oncert Hall that had done so much to ma*e London the musical metropolis of the "orld$ /an "anted to hear the first of the da#)s lectures& "hich& it "as rumoured& "ould completel# demolish the current theor# of the formation of the planets$ Perhaps it did& ut /an "as little the "iser "hen he left after 4B the interval$ He hurried do"n to the director#& and loo*ed up the rooms he "anted$ Some humorous civil servant had put the Ro#al Astrociomical Societ# on the top floor of the !reat uildin!& a !esture "hich the (ouncil mem ers full# appreciated as it !ave them a ma!nificent vie" across the l)hames and over the entire northCrn part of the cit#$ There seemed to e no od# around& ut Can9duchin! his mem ership card li*e a passport in case he "as challen!ed9had no difficult# in locatin! the li rar#$ It too* him almost an hour to find "hat he "anted& and to learn ho" to handle the !reat star catalo!ues "ith their millions of entries$ He "as trem lin! sli!htl# as he neared the end of his ,uest& and felt !lad that there "as no9one around to see his nervousness$ He put the catalo!ue ac* amon! its fello"s& and for a lon! time sat ,uite still& starin! si!htlessl# at the "all of volumes efore him$ Then he slo"l# "al*ed Out into the still corridors& past the secretar#)s office Ethere "as some od# there no"& usil# unpac*in! parcels of oo*sF and do"n the stairs$ He avoided the elevator& for he "anted to e free and unconfined$ There "as another lecture he had intended to hear& ut that "as nO lon!er important no"$ His thou!hts "ere still in turmoil as he crossed to the em an*ment "all and let his e#e follo" the Thames on its unhurried "a# to the sea$ It "as hard for an#one "ith his trainin! in orthodo1 science to accept the evidence that had no" come into his hands$ He "ould never e certain of its truth& #et the pro a ilit# "as over"helmin!$ As he paced slo"l# eside the river "all& he marshalled the facts one # one$ 0act one+ no9one at Rupert)s part# could possi l# have *no"n that he "as !oin! to as* that ,uestion$ He had not *no"n it himself+ it had een a spontaneous reaction to the circumstances$ Therefore& no9one could have prepared an# ans"er& or had it alread# l#in! in their minds$ 0act t"o+ ;N?S 654KDA; pro a l# meant nothin! to an#one e1cept an astronomer$ Thou!h the !reat National ?eo!raphic Surve# had een completed half a centur# efore& its e1istence "as *no"n onl# to a fe" thousand specialists$ And ta*in! an# num er from it at random& no9one could have said "here that particular star la# in the heavens$ :ut9and this "as 0act three& "hich he had onl# this moment discovered9the small and insi!nificant star *no"n as 45

N?S 654KDA "as in precisel# the ri!ht place$ It la# in the heart of the constellation (arina& at the end of that shinin! trail /an himseLf had seen& so fe" ni!hts a!o& leadin! from the Solar S#stem out across the depths of space$ It "as an impossi le coincidence$ N?S 654KDA must e the home of the Overlords$ %et to accept the fact violated all /an)s cherished ideas of scientific method$ Ver# "ell9let them e violated$ He must accept the fact that& someho"& Rupert)s fantastic e1periment had tapped a hitherto un*no"n source of *no"led!e$ Rashavera*< That seemed the most pro a le e1planation$ The Overlord had not een in the circle& ut that "as a minor point$ Ho"ever& /an "as not concerned "ith the mechanism of paraph#sics+ he "as onl# interested in usin! the results$ Ver# little "as *no" a out N?S 654KDA+ there had een nothin! to distin!uish it from a million other stars$ :ut the catalo!ue !ave its ma!nitude& its co9ordinates& and its spectral t#pe$ /an "ould have to do a little research& and ma*e a fe" simple calculations+ then he "ould *no"& at least appro1imatel#& ho" far the "orld of the Overlords "as from Earth$ A slo" smile spread over /an)s face as he turned a"a# from the Thames& ac* to"ards the !leamin! "hite faade of the Science (entre$ 2no"led!e "as po"er9and he "as the onl# man on Earth "ho *ne" the ori!in of the Overlords$ Ho" he "ould use that *no"led!e he could not !uess$ It "ould lie safel# in his mind& a"aitin! the moment of destin#$

3M T"C human race continued to as* in the lon!& cloudless summei afternoon of peace and prosperit#$ 8ould there ever e a "inter a!ain< It "as unthin*a le$ The a!e of reason& prematurel# "elcomed # the leaders of the 0rench Revolution t"o and a half centuries efore& had no" reall# arrived$ This time& there "as no mista*e$ There "ere dra" ac*s& of course& thou!h the# "ere "illin!l# accepted$ One had to e ver# old indeed to reali'e that the papers "hich the telecaster printed in ever# home "ere reall# rather dull$ ?one "ere the crises that had once produced anner headlines$ There "ere no m#sterious murders to 46 affle the police and to arouse in a million reasts the moral indi!nation that "as often suppressed env#$ Such murders as did occur "ere never m#sterious+ it "as onl# necessar# to turn a dial9and the crime could e seen re9enacted$ That instruments capa le of such feats e1isted had at first caused considera le panic amon! ,uite la"9a idin! people$ This "as somethin! that the Overlords& "ho had mastered most ut not all the ,uir*s of human ps#cholo!#& had not anticipated$ It had to e made perfectl# clear that no Peepin! Tom "ould e a le to sp# on his fello"s& and that the ver# fe" instruments in human hands "ould e under strict control$ Rupert :o#ce)s pro-ector& for instance& could not operate e#ond the orders of the Reservation& so he and 7ain "ere the onl# persons inside its ran!e$ Even the fe" serious crimes that did occur received no par$$ ricular attention in the ne"s$ 0or "ell9 red people do not& after all& care to read a out the social !affes of others$ The avera!e "or*in! "ee* "as no" a out t"ent# hours9 ut those t"ent# hours "ere no sinecure$ There "as little "or* left of a routine& mechanical nature$ 7en)s minds "ere too valua le to "aste on tas*s that a fe" thousand transistors& some photoelectric cells& and a cu ic metre of printed circuits could perform$ There "ere factories that ran for "ee*s "ithout ein! visited # a sin!le human ein!$ 7en "ere needed for trou le9shootin!& for ma*in! decisions& for plannin! ne" enterprises$ The ro ots did the rest$ The e1istence of so much leisure "ould have created tremendous pro lems a centur# efore$ Education had overcome most of these& for a "ell9stoc*ed mind is safe from oredom$ The !eneral standard of culture "as at a level "hich "ould once have seemed fantastic$ There "as no evidence that the intelli!ence of the human race had improved& ut for the first time ever#one "as !iven the fullest opportunit# of usin! "hat rains the# had$

7ost people had t"o homes& in "idel# separated parts of the "orld$ No" that the polar re!ions had een opened up& a considera le fraction of the human race oscillated from Arctic to Antarctic at si1 monthl# intervals& see*in! the lon!& ni!htiess polar summer$ Others ad !one into the deserts& up the mountains& or even into the sea$ There "as no"here on the planet "here science and technolo!# could not provide one "ith a comforta le home& if one "anted it adl# enou!h$ 4K Some of the more eccentric d"ellin!9places provided the fe" items of e1citement in the ne"s$ In the most perfectl# ordered9societ# there "ill al"a#s e accidents$ Perhaps it "as a !ood si!n that people felt it "orth"hile to ris*& and occasionall# rea*& their nec*s for the sa*e of a cos# villa tuc*ed under the summit of Everest& or loo*in! out throu!h the spra# of Victoria 0alls$ As a result& someone "as al"a#s ein! rescued from some"here$ It had ecome a *ind of !ame9almost a planetar# sport$ People could indul!e in such "hims& ecause the# had oth the time and the mone#$ The a olition of armed forces had at once almost dou led the "orld)s effective "ealth& and increased production had done the rest$ As a result& it "as difficult to compare the standard of livin! of t"ent#9first9centur# man "ith that of an# of his predecessors$ Ever#thin! "as so cheap that the necessities of life "ere free& provided as a pu lic service # the communit# as roads& "ater& street li!htin! and draina!e had once een$ A man could travel an#"here he pleased& eat "hatever food he fancied9"ithout handin! over an# mone#$ He had earned the ri!ht to do this # ein! a productive mem er of the communit#$ There "ere& of course& some drones& ut the num er of people sufficientl# stron!9"illed to indul!e in a life of complete idleness is much smaller than is !enerall# supposed$ Supportin! such parasites "as considera l# less of a urden than providin! the armies of tic*et9collectors& shop assistants& an* cler*s& stoc* ro*ers and so forth "hose main function& "hen one too* the !lo al point of vie"& "as to transfer items from one led!er to another$ Nearl# a ,uarter of the human race)s total activit#& it had een calculated& "as no" e1pended on sports of various *inds& ran!in! from such sedentar# occupations as chess to lethal pursuits li*e s*i9!lidin! across mountain valle#s$ One une1pected result of this "as the e1tinction of the professional sportsmen$ There "ere too man# rilliant amateurs& and the chan!ed economic conditions had made the old s#stem o solete$ Ne1t to sport& entertainment& in all its ranches& "as the !reatest sin!le industr#$ 0or more than a hundred #ears there had een people "ho had elieved that Holl#"ood "as the centre of the "orld$ The# could no" ma*e a etter case for this claim than ever efore& ut it "as safe to sa# that most of 4D AM6M)s productions "ould have seemed incomprehensi l# hi!h ro" to 346M$ There had een some pro!ress+ the o19office "as no lon!er lord of all it surve#ed$ Amon! all the distractions and diversions of a planet "hich)C$ no" seemed "ell on the "a# to ecomin! one vast pla#!round& there "ere some "ho still found time to repeat an ancient and never9ans"ered ,uestion+ ;8here do "e !o from here<;

ii /ail leaned a!ainst the elephant and rested his hands on the s*in& rou!h as the ar* of a tree$ He loo*ed at the !reat tus*s and the curvin! trun*& cau!ht # the s*ill of the ta1idermist in the moment of challen!e or salutation$ 8hat still "eirder creatures& he "ondered& from "hat un*no"n "orlds "ould one da# e loo*in! at this e1ile from Earth< ;Ho" man# animals have #ou sent the Overlords<; he as*ed Rupert$ ;At least fift#& thou!h of course this is the i!!est one$ He)s ma!nificent& isn)t he< 7ost of the others have een ,uite small9 utterflies& sna*es& mon*e#s& and so on$ Thou!h I did !et a hippo last #ear$; /an !ave a "r# smile$

;It)s a mor id thou!ht& ut I suppose the#)ve !ot a fine stuffed !roup of Homo sapiens in their collection # this time$ I "onder "ho "as honoured<; ;%ou)re pro a l# ri!ht&; said Rupert& rather indifferentl#$ ;It "ould e eas# to arran!e throu!h the hospitals$; ;8hat "ould happen&; continued /an thou!htfull#& ;if someone volunteered to !o as a live specimen< Assumin! that an eventual return "as !uaranteed& of course$; Rupert lau!hed& thou!h not uns#mpatheticall#$ ;Is that an offer< Shall I put it to Rashavera*<; 0or a moment /an considered the idea more than half seriousl#$ Then he shoo* his head$ ;Er9no$ I "as onl# thin*in! out loud$ The#)d certainl# turn me do"n$ :# the "a#& do #ou ever see Rashavera* these da#s<; ;He called me up a out si1 "ee*s a!o$ He)d -ust foun5a oo* I)d een huntin!$ Rather nice of him$; 4@ /an "al*ed slo"l# round the stuffed monster& admirin! the s*ill that had fro'en it forever at this instant of !reatest vi!our$ ;Did #ou ever discover "hat he "as loo*in! for<; he as*ed$ ;I mean& it seems so hard to reconcile the Overlords) science "ith an interest in the occult$; Rupert loo*ed at /an a little suspiciousl#& "onderin! if his rother9in9la" "as po*in! fun at his ho #$ ;His e1planation seemed ade,uate$ As an anthropolo!ist he "as interested in ever# aspect of our culture$ Remem er& the# have plent# of time$ The# can !o into more detail than a human research "or*er ever could$ Readin! m# entire li rar# pro a l# put onl# a sli!ht strain on Rash#)s resources$; That mi!ht e the ans"er& ut /an "as not convinced$ Sometimes he had thou!ht of confidin! his secret to Rupert ut his natural caution had held him ac*$ 8hen he met his Overlord friend a!ain& Rupert "ould pro a l# !ive somethin! a"a#9the temptation "ould e far too !reat$ ;Incidentall#&; said Rupert& chan!in! the su -ect a ruptl#& ;if #ou thin* this is a i! -o & #ou should see the commission Sullivan)s !ot$ He)s promised to deliver the t"o i!!est creatures of all9a sperm "hale and a !iant s,uid$ The#)ll e sho"n loc*ed in mortal com at$ 8hat a ta leau that "ill ma*e=; 0or a moment /an did not ans"er$ The idea that had e1ploded in his mind "as too outra!eous& too fantastic to e ta*en seriousl#$ %et& ecause of its ver# darin!& it mi!ht succeed$ ;8hat)s the matter<; said Rupert an1iousl#$ ;The heat !ettin! #ou do"n<; /an shoo* himself ac* to present realit#$ ;I)m all ti!ht&; he said$ ;I "as -ust "onderin! ho" the Overlords "ould collect a little pac*et li*e that$; ;oh&; said Rupert& ;one of those car!o ships of theirs "ill come do"n& open a hatch& and hoist it in$; ;That&; said /an& ;is e1actl# "hat I thou!ht$) It mi!ht have een the ca in of a spaceship& ut it "as not$ The "alls "ere covered "ith meters and instruments+ there "ere no "indo"s9merel# a lar!e screen in front of the pilot$ The vessel could carr# si1 passen!ers& ut at the moment /an "as the onl# one$ 44 He "as "atchin! the screen intentl#& a sor in! each !limpse of this stran!e and un*no"n re!ion as it passed efore his e#es$ >n*no"n9#es& as un*no"n as an#thin! he mi!ht meet e#ond the stars& ifhis mad plan succeeded$ He "as !oin! into a realm of ni!htmare creatures& pre#in! upon each other in a dar*ness undistur ed since the "orld e!an$ It "as a realm a ove "hich men had sailed for thousands of #ears+ it la# no more than a *ilometre elo" the *eels of their ships9 #et until the last hundred #ears the# had *no"n less a out it than the visi le face of the moon$ The pilot "as droppin! do"n from the ocean hei!hts& to"ards the still une1plored vastness of the South Pacific :asin$ He "as follo"in!& /an *ne"& the invisi le !rid of sound "aves created #

eacons alon! the ocean floor$ The# "ere still sailin! as far a ove that floor as clouds a ove the surface of the Earth$$$$ There "as ver# little to see+ the su marine)s scanners "ere searchin! the "aters in vain$ The distur ance created # their -ets had pro a l# scared a"a# the smaller fish+ if an# creature came to investi!ate& it "ould e somethin! so lar!e that it did not *no" the meanin! of fear$ The tin# ca in vi rated "ith po"er9the po"er "hich could hold at a# the immense "ei!ht of the "aters a ove their heads& and could create this little u le of li!ht and air "ithin "hich men could live$ If that po"er failed& thou!ht /an& the# "ould ecome prisoners in a metal tom & uried deep in the silt of the ocean ed$ ;Time to !et a fi1&; said the pilot$ He thre" a set of s"itches& and the su marine came to rest in a !entle sur!e of deceleraion as the -ets ceased their thrust$ The vessel "asinotioniess& Coatin! in e,uili rium as a alloon floats in the atmosphere$ It too* onl# a moment to chec* their position on the sonar Crid$ 8hen he had finished "ith his instrument readin!s& the pilot remar*ed+ ;:efore "e start the motors a!ain& let)s see if "e can hear an#thin!$; The loudspea*er flooded the ,uiet little room "ith a lo"& Continuous murmur of sound$ There "as no outstandin! ioise that /an could distin!uish from the rest$ It "as a stead# Dac*!round& into "hich all individual sounds had een Diended$ He "as listenin!& /an *ne"& to the m#riad creatures Ff the sea tal*in! to!ether$ It "as as if he stood in the centre Ff a forest that teemed "ith life9e1cept that there he "ould 3MM have reco!ni'ed some of the individual voices$ Here& not one thread in the tapestr# of sound could e disentan!led and identified$ It "as so alien& so remote from an#thin! he had ever *no"n& that it set /an)s scalp cra"lin!$ And #et this "as part of his o"n "orld9 The shrie* cut across the vi ratin! ac*!round li*e a flash of li!htnin! a!ainst a dar* stormdoud$ It faded s"iftl# a"a# Into a anshee "ail& an ululation that d"indled and died& #et "as repeated a moment later from a more distant source$ Then a chorus of screams ro*e out& a pandemonium that caused the pilot to reach s"iftl# for the volume control$ )8hat in the name of ?od "as that<; !asped /an$ ;8eird& isn)t it< It)s a school of "hales& a out ten *ilo9metres a"a#$ I *ne" the# "ere in the nei!h ourhood and thou!ht #ou)d li*e to hear them$; /an shuddered$ ;And I al"a#s thou!ht the sea "as silent= 8h# do the# ma*e such a din<; ;Tal*in! to one another& I suppose$ Sullivan could tell #ou 9the# sa# he can even identifS) some individual "hales& thou!h I find that hard to elieve$ Hello& "e)ve !ot compan#=; A fish "ith incredi l# e1a!!erated -a"s "as visi le in the vie"in! screen$ It appeared to e ,uite lar!e& ut as /an did no" *no" the scale of the picture it "as ard to -ud!e$ Han!in! from a point -ust elo" its !ills "as a lon! tendril& endin! In an unidentifia le& ell9shaped or!an$ ;8e)re seein! it on infra9red&; said the pilot$ ;Let)s loo* at the normal picture$; The fish vanished completel#$ Onl# the pendant remained& slo"in! "ith its o"n phosphorescence$ Then& -ust for an mstant& the shape of the creature ific*ered into visi ilit# as a line of li!hts flashed out alon! its od#$ ;It)s an an!ler+ that)s the ait it uses to lure other fish$ 0antastic& Isn)t it< 8hat I don)t understand is9"h# doesn)t his ait attract fish i! enou!h to eat him< :ut "e can)t "ait here all da#$ 8atch him run "hen I s"itch on the -ets$; The ca in vi rated once a!ain as the vessel eased itself for"ard$ The !reat luminous fish suddenl# flashed on all its li!hts in a frantic si!nal of alarm& and departed li*e a meteor Into the dar*ness of the a #ss$ It "as after another t"ent# minutes of slo" descent that the Invisi le fin!ers of the scanner eams cau!ht the first 3M3 !limpse of the ocean ed$ 0ar eneath& a ran!e of lo" hills "as passin!& their outlines curiousl# soft and rounded$ 8hat9C ever irre!ularities the# mi!ht once have possessed had lon! a!o een

o literated # the ceaseless rain from the "ater# hei!hts a ove$ Even here in mid9Pacific& far from the !reat estuaries that slo"l# s"ept the continents out to sea& that rain never ceased$ It came from the storm9scarred flan*s of the Andes& C/ from the odies of a illion livin! creatures& from the dust ofCi meteors that had "andered throu!h space for a!es and had come at last to rest$ Here in the eternal ni!ht& it "as la#in! the foundations of the lands to e$ The hills drifted ehind$ The# "ere the frontier posts& as /an could see from the charts& of a "ide plain "hich la# at too !reat a depth for the scanners to reach$ The su marine continued on its !entle do"n"ard !lide$ No" another picture "as e!innin! to form on the screen+ ecause of the an!le of vie"& it "as some tune efore /an could interpret "hat he sa"$ Then he reali'ed that the# "ere approachin! a su mer!ed mountain& -uttin! up from the hidden plain$ The picture "as dearer no"+ at this short ran!e the definition of the scanners improved and the vie" "as almost as distinct as if the ima!e "as ein! formed # li!ht9"aves$ /an could see fine detail& could "atch the stran!e fish that pursued each other amon! the roc*s$ Once a venomous9 loo*in! creature "ith !apin! -a"s s"am slo"l# across a half9concealed cleft$ So s"iftl# that the e#e could not follo" the movement& a lon! tentacle flashed out and dra!!ed the stru!!lin! fish do"n to its doom$ ;Nearl# there&;$said the pilot$ ;%ou)ll e a le to see the la in a minute$; The# "ere travellin! slo"l# a ove a spur of roc* -uttin! out from the ase of the mountain$ The plain eneath "as no" comin! into vie"+ /an !uessed that the# "ere not more than a fe" hundred metres a ove the sea9 ed$ Then he sa"& a *ilometre or so ahead& a cluster of spheres standin! on tripod le!s& and -oined to!ether # connectin! tu es$ It loo*ed e1actl# li*e the tan*s of some chemical plant& and indeed "as desi!ned on the same asic principles$ The onl# difference "as that here the pressures "hich had to e resisted "ere outside& not "ithin$ ;8hat)s that<; !asped /an suddenl#$ He pointed a sha*# 3MA fin!er to"ards 9the nearest sphere$ The curious pattern of lines on its surftce had resolved itself into a net"or* of !iant tentacles$ As the su marine came closer& he could see that the# ended in a !reat& pulp# a!& from "hich peered a pair of enormous e#es$ ;That&; said the pilot indifferentl#& ;is pro a l# Lucifer$ Someone)s een feedin! him a!ain$; He thre" a s"itch and leaned over the control des*$ ;S$A callin! La $ I)m connectin! up$ 8ill #ou shoo a"a# #our pet<; The repl# came promptl#$ ;La to S$A$ O$2$9!o ahead and ma*e contact$ Luce# "ill !et out of the "a#$; The curvin! metal "alls e!an to fill the screen$ /an cau!ht a last !limpse of a !iant& suc*er9 studded arm "hippin! a"a# at their approach$ Then there "as a dull clan!& and a series of scratchin! noises as the clamps sou!ht for their loc*in! points on the su marine)s smooth& oval hull$ In a fe" minutes the vessel "as pressed ti!htl# a!ainst the "all of the ase& the t"o entrance ports had loc*ed to!ether& and "ere movin! for"ard throu!h the hull of the su marine at the end of a !iant hollo" scre"$ Then came the ;pressure e,uali'ed; si!nal& the atches unsealed& and the "a# into Deep Sea La One "as open$ /an found Professor Sullivan in a small& untid# room that seemed to com ine the attri utes of office& "or*shop and la orator#$ He "as peepin! throu!h a microscope into "hat loo*ed li*e a small om $ Presuma l# it "as a pressure9capsule containin! some specimen of deep9sea life& still s"immin! happil# around under its normal tons9to9the9s,uare9centimetre conditions$ )8ell&; said Sullivan& dra!!in! himself a"a# from the e#epiece$ ;Ho")s Rupert< And "hat can "e do for #ou<; ;Rupert)s fine&; replied /an$ ;He sends his est "ishes& and sa#s he)d love to visit #ou if it "eren)t for his claustropho ia$; ;Then he)d certainl# feel a little unhapp# do"n here& "ith five *ilometres of "ater on top of him$ Doesn)t it "orr# #ou& # the "a#<; /an shru!!ed his shoulders$ ;No more than ein! in a stratoliner$ If an#thin! "ent "ron!& the result "ould e the same in either case$; ;That)s the sensi le approach& ut it)s surprisin! ho" fe" 3MB

people see it that "a#$; Sullivan to#ed "ith the controls of his microscope& then shot /an an in,uisitive !lance$ ;I)ll e ver# !lad to sho" #ou around&; he said& ; ut I must confess I "as a little surprised "hen Rupert passed on #our re,uest$ I couldn)t understand "h# one of #ou spacehoundsC$ should e interested in our "or*$ Aren)t #ou !oin! in the "ron! direction<; He !ave a chuc*le of amusement$ ;Personall#& I)ve never seen "h# #ou "ere in such a hurr# to !etC out there$ It "ill e centuries efore "e)ve !ot ever#thin! lnC the oceans nicel# charted and pi!eonholed$; /an too* a deep reath$ He "as !lad that Sullivan had $C& roached the su -ect himself. f r it made his tas* that much easier$ Despite the ichth#olo!ist)s -est& the# had a !reat deal in common$ It should not e too hard to uild a rid!e& to enlist Sullivan)s s#mpath# and aid$ He "as a man of ima!ination& or he "ould never have invaded this under"ater "orld$ :ut /an "ould have to e cautious& for the re,uest he "as !oin! to ma*e "as& to sa# the least of it& some"hat unconventional$ There "as one fact that !ave him confidence$ Even if Sullivan refused to co9operate& he "ould certainl# *eep /an)s secret$ And here in this ,uiet little office on thc ed of the Pacific& there seemed no dan!er that the Overlords9"hatever stran!e po"ers the# possessed9"ould e a le to listen to their conversation$ ;Professor Sullivan&; he e!an& ;if #ou "ere interested in the ocean& ut the Overlords refused to let #ou !o near it& ho" "ould #ou feel<; ;E1ceedin!l# anno#ed& no dou t$; ;I)m sure #ou "ould$ And suppose& one da#& #ou had a chance of achievin! #our !oal& "ithout them *no"in!& "hat "ould #ou do< 8ould #ou ta*e the opportunit#<; Sullivan never hesitated$ ;Of course$ And ar!ue later$; Ri!ht into m# hsndsC thou!ht /an$ He can)t retreat no"9 unless he)s afraid of the Overlords$ And I dou t if Sullivan is afraid of an#thin!$ He leaned for"ard across the cluttered ta le and prepared to present his case$ Professor Sullivan "as no fool$ :efore /an could spea*& his lips t"isted into a sardonic smile$ ;So that)s the !ame& is it<; he said slo"l#$ ;Ver#& ver# Interestin!= No" #ou !o ri!ht ahead and tell me "h# I should help #ou9; 3M5 3A earlier a!e "ould have re!arded Professor Suffivan as an e1pensive lu1ur#$ His operations cost as much as a small "ar+ indeed& he could e li*ened to a !eneral conductin! a perpetual campai!n a!ainst an enem# "ho never rela1ed$ Professor Sullivan)s enem# "aS the sea& and it fou!ht him "ith "eapons of cold and dar*ness9and& a ove all& pressure$ In his turn& he countered his adversar# "ith intelli!ence and en!ineerin! s*ill$ He ad "on man# victories& ut the sea "as patient+ it could "ait$ One da#& Sullivan *ne"& he "ould ma*e a mista*e$ At least he had the consolation of *no"in! that he could never dro"n$ It "ould e far too ,uic* for that He had refused to commit himself one "a# or the other "hen /an made his re,uest& ut he *ne" "hat his ans"er "as !oin! to e$ Here "as the opportunit# for a most interestin! e1periment$ It "as a pit# that he "ould never *no" the result. still& that happened often enou!h in scientific research& and he had initiatedother pro!rammes that"ould ta*e decades to complete$ Professor Sullivan "as a rave and an intelli!ent man& ut loo*in! ac* on his career he "as conscious of the fact that it had not rou!ht him the sort of fame that sends a scientist)s name safel# do"n all the centuries$ Here "as a chance& totall# une1pected and all the more attractive for that& of reall# esta lishin! himself in the histor# oo*s$ It "as not an am ition he "ould ever have admitted to an# od#9and& to do him -ustice& he "ould still have helped /an even if his part in the plot remained forever secret As for /an& he "as no" havin! second thou!hts$ The momentum of his ori!inal discover# had carried him thus far almost "ithout effort$ He had made his investi!ations& ut had ta*en no active steps to turn his dream into realit#$ In L fe" da#s& ho"ever& he must ma*e his choice$ If Professor

Sullivan a!reed to co9operate& there "as no "a# in "hich he could retreat$ He must face the future he had chosen& "ith all its Implications$ 8hat finall# decided him "as the thou!ht that& If he ne!lected this incredi le opportunit#& he "ould never for!ive himself$ All the rest of his life "ould e spent in vain re!rets9 and nothin! could e "orse than that$ 3M6 Sullivan)s ans"er reached him a fe" hours later& and he *ne" that the die "as cast$ Slo"l#& ecause there "as still plent# of time& he e!an to put his affairs in order$ ;Dear 7aia Ithe letter e!anJ$ This is !oin! to e9to put it mildl#9rather a surprise for #ou$ 8hen #ou !et this letter& I shall no lon!er e on Earth$ :# that I don)t mean that I shall have !one to the7oon& as man# others have done$ No+ I shall e on m# "a# to the home of the Overlords$ I shall e the Crst man ever to leave the Solar S#stem$ ;I am !ivin! this letter to the friend "ho is helpin! me+ he "ill hold it until he *no"s that m# plan has succeeded9in its first phase& at least9and that it is too late for the Overlords to interfere$ I shall e so far a"a#& and travellin! at such a speed& that I dou t if an# recall messa!e can overta*e me$ Even if it could& it seems most unli*el# that the ship "ould e a le to put ac* to Earth$ And I ver# much dou t if I)m all that important& an#"a#$ ;0irst& let me e1plain "hat led to this$ %ou *no" that I)ve al"a#s een interested in spacefli!ht& and have al"a#s felt frustrated ecause "e)ve never een allo"ed to !o to the other planets& or to learn an#thin! a out the civili'ation of the Overlords$ If the# had never intervened& "e mi!ht have reached 7ars and Venus # no"$ I admit that it is e,uall# pro a le that "e "ould have destro#ed ourselves "ith coliCalt om s and the other !lo al "eapons the t"entieth centur# "as developin!$ %et sometimes I "ish "e could have had a chance of standin! on our o"n feet$ ;Pro a l# the Overlords have their reasons for *eepin! us in the nurser#& and pro a l# the# are e1cellent reasons$ :ut even if= *ne" "hat the# "ere& I dou t if it "ould ma*e much difference to m# o"n feelin!s9or m# actions$ ;Ever#thin! reall# e!an at that part# of Rupert)s$ EHe doesn)t *no" a out this& # the "a#& thou!h he put me on the ri!ht trac*$F %ou remem er that sill# s ance he arran!ed and ho" it ended "hen that !irl9I for!et her name9fainted< I)d as*ed "hat star the Overlords came from& and tne repl# "as )N?S 654KDA$) I)d not e1pected an# ans"er& and had treated the "hole usiness as a -o*e until then$ :ut "hen I reali'ed that this "as a num er in a star catalo!ue& I decided to loo* into it$ I found that the star "as in the constellation (arina9 3MK and one of the fe" facts that "e do *no" a out the Overlords is that the# come from that direCQion$ ;No" I don)t pretend to understand ho" that information reached us& or "here it ori!inated$ Did someone read Rashavera*)s mind< Even if the# had& it)s hardl# li*el# that he "ould have *no"n the reference num er of his sun in one of our catalo!ues$ It)s a complete m#ster#& and I leave it to people li*e Rupert to solve9if the# can= I)m -ust content to ta*e the information& and to act on it$ ;8e *no" a lot no"& throu!h our o servation of their departure& a out the speed of the Overlord ships$ The# leave the Solar S#stem under such tremendous accelerations that the# approach the velocit# of li!ht in less than an hour$ That means that the Overlords must possess some *ind of propulsive s#stem that acts e,uall# on ever# atom of their ships& so that an#thin! a oard "on)t e crushed instantl#$ I "onder "h# the# emplo# such colossal accelerations& "hen the#)ve !ot all space to pla# "ith and could ta*e their time pic*in! up speed< 7# theor# is that the# can someho" tap the ener!# fields round the stars& and so have to do their startin! and stoppin! "hile the#)re fairl# close to a sun$ :ut that)s all # the "a#$$$$ ;The important fact "as that I *ne" ho" far the# had to travel& and therefore ho" lon! the -ourne# too*$ N?S 654KDA is fort# li!ht9#ears from Earth$ The Overlords ships reach more than ninet#9 nine per cent of the speed of li!ht& so the trip must last fort# #ears of our dine$ Our time+ that)s the cru1 of the matter$ ;No" as #ou ma# have eard& stran!e thin!s happen as one approaches the speed of li!ht$ Time itself e!ins to flo" at a different rate9to pass more slo"l#& so that "hat "ould e months on Earth "ould e no more than da#s on the ships of the Overlords$ The effect is ,uite fundamental+ it "as discovered # the !reat Einstein more than a hundred #ears a!o$

;I have made calculations ased on "hat "e *no" a out the Stardrive& and usin! the firml#9 esta lished results of Relativit# theor#$ 0rom the vie"point of the passen!ers on one of the Overlord ships& the -ourne# to N?S 654KDA "ill last not more than t"o months9even thouCh # Earth)s rec*onin! fort# #ears "ill have passed$ I *no" this seems a parado1& and if it)s an# consolation it)s pu''led the "orld)s est rains ever since Einstein announced it$ ;Perhaps this e1ample "ill sho" #ou the sort of thin! that 3MD can happen& and "ill !ive #ou a clearer picture of the situation$ If the Overlords send me strai!ht ac* to Earth& I shall arrive home havin! a!ed onl# four months$ :ut on Earth itself. ei!ht# #ears "ill have passed$ So #ou understand& 7aia& that "hatever happens& this is !ood #e$ ;I have fe" ties indin! me here& as #ou *no" "ell enou!h& so I can leave "ith a clear conscience$ I)ve not told mother #et+ she "ould !et h#sterical& and I couldn)t face that$ It)s etter this "a#$ Thou!h I)ve tried to ma*e allo"ances& ever since father died9oh& there)s no point no" in !oin! into all that a!ain= ;I)ve terminated m# studies and told the authorities that& for famil# reasons& I)m movin! to Europe$ Ever#thin! has een settled and there should e nothin! for #ou to "orr# a out$ ;:# this time& #ou ma# ima!ine that I)m cra'#& since it seems impossi le for an#one to !et into one of the Overlord ships$ :ut I)ve found a "a#$ It doesn)t happen ver# often& and after this it ma# never happen a!ain& for I)m sure 2arellen never ma*es the same mista*e t"ice$ Do #ou *no" the le!end of the 8ooden Horse& that !ot the ?ree* soldiers into Tro#< :ut there)s a stor# from the Old Testament that)s an even closer parallel$$$ $; ;%ou)ll certainl# e much more comforta le than /onah&; said Sullivan$ ;There is no evidence that he "as provided "ith electric li!ht or sanitation$ :ut #ou)ll need a lot of$ provisions& and I see #ou)re ta*in! o1#!en$ (an #ou ta*e enou!h for a t"o month)= vo#a!e in such a small space<;$ He stu ed his fin!er on the careful s*etches "hich /an had laid on the ta le$ The microscope acted as a paper "ei!ht at one end& the s*ull of some impro a le fish held do"n the other$ ;I hope the o1#!en isn)t necessar#&; said /an$ )8e *no" that the# can reathe our atmosphere& ut the# don)t seem to li*e it ver# much and I mi!ht not e a le to mana!e theirs at all$ As for the suppl# situation& usin! narcosamine solves that$ It)s perfectl# safe$ 8hen "e)re under "a#& I)ll ta*e a shot that "ill *noc* me out for si1 "ee*s& plus or minus a fe" da#s$ P33 e nearl# there # then$ Actuall#& it "asn)t the food and 1#!en that "as "orr#in! me& so much as the oredom$; 3M@ Professor Sullivan nodded thou!htfull#$ ;%es& narcosamine is safe enou!h& and can e cali rated fairl# accuratel#$ :ut mind #ou)ve !ot plent# of food hand#9 #ou)ll e ravenin! "hen #ou "a*e up& and as "ea* as a *itten$ Suppose #ou starved to death ecause #ou hadn)t the stren!th to use a can9opener<; ;I)d thou!ht of that&; said /an& a little hurt$ ;I)ll "or* up throu!h su!ar and chocolate in the usual "a#$; ;?ood+ I)m !lad to see that #ou)ve een into the pro lem thorou!hl#& and aren)t treatin! it li*e some stunt #ou can ac* out of if #ou don)t li*e the "a# it)s !oin!$ It)s #our life #ou)re pla#in! "ith& ut I)d hate to feel I "as helpin! #ou to commit suicide$; He pic*ed up the s*ull and lifted it a sentmindedl# in his ands$ /an !ra ed the plan to prevent it rollin! up$ ;Luc*il#&; continued Professor Sullivan& ;the e,uipment #ou need is all fairl# standard& and our shop can put it to!ether in a fe" "ee*s$ And if #ou decide to chan!e #our mind9; ;I "on)t&; said /an$ ;$$$ I)ve considered all the ris*s I)m ta*in!& and there seems to enofla"intheplan$ Attheend ofsi1"ee*s I)ll emer!e li*e an# other sto"a"a# and !ive m#self up$ :# then9 in m# time& remem er9the -ourne# "ill e nearl# over$ 8e "ill e a out to land on the "orld of the Overlords$ ;Of course& "hat happens then is up to them$ Pro a l# I)ll e sent home on the ne1t ship9 ut at least I can e1pect to see somethin!$ I)ve !ot a four millimetre camera and thousands of metres of

film+ it "on)t e m# fault if I can)t use it$ Even at the "orst& I)ll have proved that man can)t e *ept in ,uarantine forever$ I)ll have created a precedent that "ill compel 2arellen to ta*e some action$ ;That& m# dear 7aia& is all I have to sa#$ I *no" #ou "on)t miss mc !reatl#+ let)s e honest and admit that "e never had ver# stron! ties& and no" that #ou)ve married Rupert #ou)ll e ,uite happ# in #our o"n private universe$ At least& I hope so$ ;?ood #e& then& and !ood luc*$ I shall loo* for"ard to meetin! Ciour !randchildren9ma*e sure that the# *no" a out me& "on t #ou< ;%our affectionate rother 3M4 3B 8iCtaii /an first sa" it& he found it hard to reali'e that he "as not "atchin! the fusela!e of a small airliner ein! assem led$ the metal s*eleton "as t"ent# metres lon!& perfectl# streamlined& and surrounded # li!ht scafi idin! over "hich the "or*men "ere clath erin! "ith their po"er tools$ ;%es&; said Sullivan in repl# to /an)s ,uestion$ ;8e use standard aeronautical techni,ues& and most of these men are from the aircraft industr#$ It)s hard to elieve that a thin! this si'e could e alive& isn)t it< Or could thro" itself clear out of the "ater& as I)ve seen them do$; It "as all ver# fascinatin!& ut /an had other thin!s on his mind$ His e#es "ere searchin! the !iant s*eleton to find a suita le hidin!9place for his little cell9the ;air9conditioned coflin;& as Sullivan had christened it$ On one point he "as Immediatel# reassured$ As far as space "as concerned& there "ould e room for a do'en sto"a"a#s$ ;The frame"or* loo*s nearl# complete&; said /an$ ;8hen "ill #ou e puttin! on the s*in< I suppose #ou)ve alread# cau!ht #our "hale& or #ou "ouldn)t *no" ho" lar!e to ma*e the s*eleton$; Sullivan seemed hi!hl# amused # this remar*$ ;8e haven)t the sli!htest intention of catchin! a "hale$ An#"a#& the# don)t have s*ins in the usual sense of the "ord$ It "ould hardl# e practica le to fold a lan*et of lu er t"ent# centimetres thic* around that frame"or*$ No& the "hole thin! "ill e fa*ed up "ith plastics and then accuratel# painted$ :# the time "e)ve finished& no9one "ill e a le to tell the difference$; In that case& thou!ht /an& the sensi le thin! for the$ Overlords to have done "ould e to ta*e photo!raphs and ma*e the full9si'ed model themselves& ac* on their home planet$ :ut perhaps their suppl# ships returned empt#& and a little thin! li*e a t"ent#9metre sperm "hale "ould hardl# e noticed$ 8hen one possessed such po"er and such resources& one could not e othered "ith minor economics$ Professor Sullivan stood # one of the !reat statues that had een such a challen!e to archCcolo!# since Easter Island "as 33M discovered$ 2in!& !od or "hatever it mi!ht e& its e#eless !a'e seemed to e follo"in! his as he loo*ed upon his handi"or*$ He "as proud of "hat he had done+ it seemed a pit# that it "ould soon e anished forever from human si!ht$ The ta leau mi!ht have een the "or* of some mad artist in a dru!!ed delirium$ %et it "as a painsta*in! cop# from life+ Nature herself "as the artist here$ The scene "as one that& until the perfection of under"ater television& fe" men had ever !limpsed9and even then onl# for seconds on those rare occasions "hen the !iant anta!onists thrashed their "a# to the surface$ These attles "ere fou!ht in the endless ni!ht of the ocean depths& "here the sperm "hales hunted for their food$ It "as food that o -ected stron!l# to ein! eaten alive9 The lon!& sa"9toothed lo"er -a" of the "hale "as !apin! "ide& preparin! to fasten upon its pre#$ The creature)s head "as almost concealed eneath the "rithin! net"or* of "hite& pulp# arms "ith "hich the !iant s,uid "as fi!htin! desperatel# for life$ Livid suc*er9mar*s& t"ent# centimetres or more in diameter& had mottled the "hale)s s*in "here those arms had fastened$ One tentacle "as alread# a truncated stump& and there could e no dou t as to the ultimate outcome of the attle$ 8hen the t"o !reatest easts on earth en!a!ed in com at& the "hale "as al"a#s the "inner$ 0or all the vast stren!th of its forest of tentacles& the s,uid)s onl# hope la# in escapin! efore that patientl# !rindin! -a" ad sa"n it to pieces$ Its !reat

e1pressionless e#es& half a metre across& stared at its destro#er9thou!h& in all pro a ilit#& neither creature could see the other in the dar*ness of the a #ss$ The entire e1hi it "as more than thirt# metres lon!& and had no" een surrounded # a ca!e of aluminium !irders to "hich the liftin! tac*le had een connected$ Ever#thin! "as read#& a"aitin! the Overlords) pleasure$ Sullivan hoped that the# "ould act ,uic*l#+ the suspense "as e!innin! to e uncomforta le$ SomeonCe had come out of the office into the ri!ht sunli!ht& o viousl# loo*in! for him$ Sullivan reco!ni'ed his chief cler*& and "al*ed over to meet him$ ;Hello& :ill9"hat)s the fuss<; The other "as holdin! a messa!e form and loo*ed rather pleased$ ;Some !ood ne"s& Professor$ 8e)ve een honoured= The Supervisor himself "ants to come and loo* at our ta leau 333 efore it)s shipped off$ /ust thin* of the pu licit# "e)ll !eti It "ill help a lot "hen "e appl# for our ne" !rant$ I)d een hopin! for somethin! li*e this$; Professor Sullivan s"allo"ed hard$ He never o -ected to pu licit#& ut this time he "as afraid he mi!ht !et alto!ether too much$ 2arellen stood # the head of the "hale and loo*ed up at the !reat& lunt snout and the ivor#9 studded /a"$ Sullivan& concealin! his unease& "ondered "hat the Supervisor "as thin*in!$ His ehaviour had not hinted at an# suspicion& and the visit could e easil# e1plained as a normal one$ :ut Sullivan "ould e ver# !lad "hen it "as over$ )8e)ve no creatures as lar!e as this on our planet&; said 2arellen$ ;That is one reason "h# "e as*ed #ou to ma*e this !roup$ 7#9er99compatriots "ill find it fascinatin!$; ;8ith #our lo" !ravit#&; ans"ered Sullivan& ;I should have thou!ht #ou "ould have had some ver# lar!e Cnima3sC Alter all& loo* ho" much i!!er #ou are than us =; ;%es9 ut "e have no oceans$ And "here si'e is concerned& the land can never compete "ith the sea$; That "as perfectl# true& thou!ht Sullivan$ And as far as he *ne"& this "as a hitherto unrevealed fact a out the "orld of the Overlords$ /an& confound him& "ould e ver# interested$ At the moment that #oun! man "as sittin! in a hut a *ilometre a"a#& an1iousl# "atchin! the inspection throu!h field9$ !lasses$ He *ept tellin! himself that there "as nothin! to fear$ No inspection of the "hale& ho"ever close& could reveal its secret$ :ut there "as al"a#s the chance that 2arellen suspected somethin!9and "as pla#in! "ith them$ It "as a suspicion that "as !ro"in! in Sullivan)s mind as the Supervisor peered into the cavernous throat$ ;In #our :i le&; said 2arellen& ;there is a remar*a le stor# of a He re" prophet& one /onah& "ho "as s"allo"ed # a "hale and thus carried safel# to land after he had een cast from a ship$ Do #ou thin* there could e an# asis of fact in such a le!end<; ;I elieve&; Sullivan replied cautiousl#& ;that there is one fairl# "ell9authenticated case of a "haleman ein! s"allo"ed and then re!ur!itated "ith no ill9 effects$ Of course& if he had een inside the "hale for more than a fe" seconds he "ould have suffocated$ And he must have een ver# luc*# to miss 33A the teeth$ It)s an almost incredi le stor#& ut not ,uit$ impossi le$; ;Ver# interestin!&; said 2arellen$ He stood for another moment starin! at the !reat -a"& then moved on to e1amine the s,uid$ Sullivan hoped he did not hear his si!h of relief$ ;If I)d *no"n "hat I "as !oin! to !o throu!h&; said Professor Sullivan& ;I)d have thro"n #ou out of the office as soon as #ou tried to infect me "ith #our insanit#$; ;I)m sorr# a out that&; /an replied$ ;:ut "e)ve !ot a"a# "ith it$; ;I hope so$ ?ood luc*& an#"a#$ If #ou "ant to chan!e #our

mind& #ou)ve still !ot at least si1 hours$; ;I "on)t need them$ Onl# 2arellen can stop me no"$ Than*s for all that #ou)ve done$ If I ever !et ac*& and "rite a oo* a out the Overlords& I)ll dedicate it to #ou$; ;7uch !ood that "ill do me&; said Sullivan !ruffl#$ ;I)ll have een dead for #ears$; To his surprise and mild consternation& for he "as not a sentimental man& he discovered that this fare"ell "as e!innin! to affect him$ He had !ro"n to li*e /an durin! the "ee*s the# had plotted to!ether$ 7oreover& he had e!un to fear he mi!ht e an accessor# to a complicated suicide$ He steadied the ladder as /an clim ed into the !reat -a"& carefull# avoidin! the lines of teeth$ :# the li!ht of the electric torch& he sa" /an turn and "ave+ then he "as lost in the cavernous hollo"$ There "as the sound of the airloc* hatch ein! opened and closed& and& thereafter& silence$ In the moonli!ht& that had transformed the fro'en attle into a scene from a ni!htmare& Professor Sullivan "al*ed slo"l# ac* to his office$ He "ondered "hat he had done& and "here it "ould lead$ :ut this& of course& he "ould never *no"$ /an mi!ht "al* this spot a!ain& havin! !iven no more than a fe" months of his life in travellin! to the home of the Overlords and returnin! to Earth$ %et if he did so& it "ould e on the other side of Time)s impassa le arrier& for it "ould e ei!ht# #ears in the future$ The li!hts "ent on in the tin# metal c#linder as soon as /an ad closed the inner door of the loc*$ He allo"ed himself no time for second thou!hts& ut e!an immediatel# upon the routine chec* he had alread# "or*ed out$ All the stores and 33B provisions ad een loaded da#s a!o& ut a final rechec* "ould put him in the ri!ht frame of mind& # assurin! him that nothin! had een left undone$ An hour later& he "as satisfied$ He la# ac* on the spon!e9ru er couch and recapitulated his plans$ The onl# sound "as the faint "hirr of the electric calendar doc*& "hich "ould "arn him "hen the vo#a!e "as comin! to its end$ He *ne" that he could e1pect to feel nothin! here in his cell& for "hatever tremendous forces drov)e the ships of the Overlords must e perfectl# compensated$ Sullivan had chec*ed that& pointin! out that his ta leau "ould collapse if su -ected to more than a fe" !ravities$ His9clients9 had assured him that there "as no dan!er on this score$ 9 There "ould& ho"ever& e a considera le chan!e of atmospheric pressure$ This "as unimportant& since the hollo" models could ; reathe; throu!h several orifices$ :efore he left his cell& /an "ould have to e,uali'e pressure& and he had assumed that the atmosphere inside the Overlord ship "as un reatha le$ A simple face9mas* and o1#!en set "ould ta*e care of that+ there "as no need for an#thin! ela orate$ If he could reathe "ithout mechanical aid& so much the etter$ There "as no point in "aitin! an# lon!er+ it "ould onl# e a strain on the nerves$ He too* out the little s#rin!e& alread# loaded "ith the carefull# prepared solution$ Narcosamine had een discovered durin! research into animal hi ernation+ it "as not true to sa#9as "as popularl# elieved9that it produced suspended animation$ All it caused "as a !reat slo"in!9do"n of the vital processes& thou!h meta olism still continued at a reduced level$ It "as as if one had an*ed up the fires of life& so that the# smouldered under!round$ :ut "hen& after "ee*s or months& the effcct of the dru! "ore off& the# "ould urst out a!ain and the sleeper "ould revive$ Narcosamine "as perfectl# safe$ Nature had used it for a milliOn #ears to protect man# of her children from the foodless "inter$ So /an slept$ He never felt the tu! of the hoistin! ca les as the hu!e metal frame"or* "as lifted into the hold of the Overlord frei!hter$ He never hcaid the hatches dose& not to open a!ain for three hundred million million *ilometres$ He never heard& far9off and faint throu!h the mi!ht# "alls& the protestin! scream of Earth)s atmosphere& as the ship clim ed s"iftl# ac* to its natural element$ And he never felt the Stardrive !o on$ 335 35 TiuC conference room "as al"a#s cro"ded for these "ee*l# meetin!s& ut toda# it "as so closel# pac*ed that the reporters had difficult# in "ritin!$ 0or the hundredth time& the# !ruin led to each other at 2arellen)s conservatism and lac* of consideration$ An#"here else in the "orld the# could have rou!ht TV cameras& tape recorders& and all the other tools of their hi!hl# mechani'ed

trade$ :ut here the# had to rel# on such archaic devices as paper and pencil9and even& incredi le to relate& shorthand$ There had& of course& een several attempts to smu!!le in recorders$ The# had een successfull# smu!!led out a!ain& ut a sin!le !lance at their smo*in! interiors had sho"n the futilit# of the e1periment$ Ever#one understood& then& "h# the# had al"a#s een "arned& in their o"n interest& to leave "atches and other metallic o -ects outside the conference room$ To ma*e thin!s more unfair& 2arellen himself recorded the "hole proceedin!s$ Reporters !uilt# of carelessness& or do"nri!ht misrepresentation9thou!h this "as ver# rare9had een summoned to short and unpleasant sessions "ith 2arellen)s underlin!s and re,uired to listen attentivel# to pla# ac*s of "hat the Supervisor had reall# said$ The lesson "as not one that ever had to e repeated$ It "as stran!e ho" these rumours !ot around$ No prior announcement "as made& #et there "as al"a#s a full house "henever 2arellen had an important statement to ma*e9 "hich happened& on the avera!e& t"o or three times a #ear$ Silence descended on the murmurin! cro"d as the !reat door"a# split open and 2arellen caine for"ard on to the dais$ The li!ht here "as dim9appro1imatin!& no dou t& to that of the Overlords) far distant sun9so that& the Supervisor for Earth had discarded the dar* !lasses he normall# "ore "hen in the open$ He replied to the ra!!ed chorus of !reetin!s "ith a formal ;?ood mornin!& ever# od#&; then turned to the tall& distin!uished fi!ure at the front of the cro"d$ 7r$ ?olde& do#en of the Press (lu & mi!ht have een the ori!inal inspirer of the utler)s announcement+ ;Three reporters& m)lud& and a !entleman from The Times$; He dressed and ehaved li*e a diplomat 336 of the old school+ no9one "ould ever hesitate to confide in him& and no9one had ever re!retted it su se,uentl#$ ;Huite a cro"d toda#& 7r$ ?olde$ There must e a shorta!e of ne"s$; The !entleman from The Times smiled and cleared his throat$ ;I hope #ou can rectif# that& 7r$ Supervisor$; He "atched intentl# as 2arellen considered his repl#$ It seemed so unfair that the Overlords) faces& ri!id as mas*s& etra#ed no trace of emotion$ The !reat& "ide e#es& their pupils sharpl# contracted even in this indifferent li!ht& stared fathonilessl# ac* into the fran*l# curious human ones$ The t"in reathin! orifices on either chee*9if those fluted& asalt curves could e called chee*s9emitted the faintest of "histles as 2arellen)s h#pothetical lun!s la oured in the thin air of Earth$ ?olde could -ust see the curtain of tin# "hite hairs flutterin! to and fro& *eepin! accuratel# out of phase& as the# responded to 2arellen)s rapid& dou le9action reathin! c#cle$ Dust filters& the# "ere !enerall# elieved to e& and ela orate theories concernin! the atmosphere of the Overlords) home ad een constructed on this slender foundation$ ;%es& I have some ne"s for #ou$ As #ou are dou tless a"are& one of m# suppl# ships recentl# left Earth to return to its ase$ 8e have -ust discovered that there "as a sto"a"a# on oard$; A hundred pencils ra*ed to a halt+ a hundred pairs of e#es fi1ed themselves upon 2arellen$ ;A sto"a"a#& did #ou sa#& 7r$ Supervisor<; as*ed ?olde$ ;7a# "e as* "ho he "as9and ho" he !ot a oard<; ;His name is /an Rodric*s+ he is an en!ineerin! student from the >niversit# of (ape To"n$ 0urther details #ou can no dou t discover for #ourselves throu!h #our o"n ver# efficient channels$; 2arellen smiled$ The Supervisor)s smile "as a curious affair$ 7ost of the effect reall# resided in the e#es+ the infle1i le& lipless mouth scarcel# moved at all$ 8as this& ?olde "ondered& another of the man# human customs that 2arellen ad copied "ith such s*ill< 0or the total effect "as& undou tedl#& that of a smile& and the mind readil# accepted it as such$ ;As for ho" he left&; continued the Supervisor& ;that is of secondar# importance$ I can assure #ou& or an# other potential astronauts& that there is no possi ilit# of repeatin! the e1ploit$; 33K ;8hat "ill happen to this #oun! man<; persisted ?olde$ ;8ill he e sent ac* to Earth<; ;That is outside m# -urisdiction& ut I e1pect he "ill come

ac* Ofl the ne1t ship$ He "ould find conditions too9alien9 fur comfort "here he has !one$ And this leads me to the main purpOSe of our meetin! toda#$; /Earellen paused& and the silence !re" even deeper$ ;There has een some complaint& amon! the #oun!er and more romantic elements of #our population& ecause outer space has een closed to #ou$ 8e had a purpose in doin! this+ "e do not impose ans for the pleasure of it$ :ut have #o> ever stopped to consider9if #ou "ill e1cuse a sli!htl# Catterin! analo!#9"hat a man from #our Stone A!e "ould have felt& if he suddenl# found himself in a modern cit#<; ;Surel#&; protested the Herald Tri une& ;there is a fundamental difference$ 8e are accustomed to Science$ On #our "orld there are dou tless man# thin!s "hich "e mi!ht not understand9 ut the# "ouldn)t seem ma!ic to us$; ;Are #ou ,uite sure of that<; said 2arellen& so softl# that it "as hard to hear his "ords$ ;Onl# a hundred #ears lies eC"een the a!e of electricit# and the a!e of steam& ut "hat "ould a Victorian en!ineer have made of a television set or an electronic computer$ And ho" lon! "ould he have lived if he started to investi!ate their "or*in!s< The !ulf et"een t"o CCC nolo!ies can easil# ecome so !reat that it is9lethal$; E;Hello&; "hispered Reuters to the :$:$($ ;8e)re in luc*$ He)s !oin! to ma*e a ma-or polic# statement$ I *no" the s#mptoIflS$ F ;And there are other reasons "h# "e have restricted the human race to Earth$ 8atch$; The li!hts dimmed and vanished$ As the# faded& a mil*# opalescence formed in the centre of the room$ It con!ealed intO a "hirlpool of stars9a spiral ne ula seen from a point far e#ond its outermost sun$ ;No human e#es have ever seen this si!ht efore&; said 2arellen)s voice from the dar*ness$ ;%ou arc loo*in! at #our o"n >niverse& the island !ala1# of "hich #our Sun is a mem er& from a distance of half a million li!ht9#ears$; There "as a lon! silence$ Then 2arellen continued& and no" his voice held somethin! that "as not ,uite pit# and not C3$ecisel# scorn$ 33D ;%our race has sho"n a nota le incapacit# for dealin! "ith the pro lems of its o"n rather small planet$ 8hen "e arrived& #ou "ere on the point of destro#in! #ourselves "ith the po"ers that Science had rashl# !iven #ou$ 8ithout our intervention& the Earth toda# "ould e a radioactive "ilderness$ ;No" #ou have a "orld at peace& and a united race$ Soon #ou "ill e suflicientl# civili'ed to run #our planet "ithout our assistance$ Perhaps #ou could eventuall# handle the pro lems of an entire Solar S#stem9sa# fift# moons and planets$ :ut do #ou reall# ima!ine that #ou could ever cope "ith this<; The ne ula e1panded$ No" the individual stars "ere rushin! past& appearin! and vanishin! as s"iftl# as spar*s from a for!e$ And each of those transient spar*s "as a sun& "ith "ho *ne" ho" man# circlin! "orlds$$$$ ;In this sin!le !ala1# of ours&; murmured 2arellen& ;there are ei!ht#9seven thousand million suns$ Even that fi!ure !ives onl# a faint idea of the immensit# of space$ In challen!in! it& #ou "ould e li*e ants attemptin! to la el and classif# all the !rains of sand in all the deserts of the "orld$ ;%our race& in its present sta!e of evolution& cannot face that stupendous challen!e$ One of m# duties has een to protect #ou from the po"ers and forces that lie amon! the stars9 f roes e#ond an#thin! that #ou can ever ima!ine$; The ima!e of the !ala1#)s s"irlin! fire9mists faded+ li!ht returned to the sudden silence of the !reat cham er$ 2arellen turned to !o+ the audience "as over$ At the door he paused and loo*ed ac* upon the hushed cro"d$ ;It is a itter thou!ht& ut #ou must face it$ The planets #ou ma# one da# possess$ :ut the stars are not for 7an$;

;The stars are not for 7an$; %es& it "ould anno# them to have the celestial portals slammed in their faces$ :ut the# must learn to face the truth9or as much of the truth as could mercifull# e !iven to them$ 0rom the lonel# hei!hts of the stratosphere& 2arellen loo*ed lo"n upon the "orld and the people that had een !iven into Cis reluctant *eepin!$ He thou!ht of all that la# ahead& and "hat this "orld "ould e onl# a do'en #ears from no"$ The# "ould never *no" ho" luc*# the# had een$ 0or a 33@ lifetime 7an*ind had achieved as much happiness as an# race can ever *no"$ It had een the ?olden A!e$ :ut !old "as also the colour of sunset& of autumn+ and onl# 2arellen)s ears could catch the first "ailin!s of the "inter storms$ AndConl# 2arellen *ne" "ith "hat ine1ora le s"iftness the ?olden A!e "as rushin! to its close$ 334 m THE LAST ?ENERATION 36 ;LOO2 at this=; e1ploded ?eor!e ?re!!son& hurlin! the paper across at /ean$ It came to rest& despite her efforts to intercept it& spread listlessl# across the rea*fast ta le$ /ean patientl# scraped a"a# the -am and read the offendin! passa!e& doin! her est to re!ister disapproval$ She "as not ver# !ood at this& ecause all too often she a!reed "ith the critics$ >suall# she *ept these heretical opinions to herself. and not merel# for the sa*e of peace and ,uiet$ ?eor!e "as perfectl# prepared to accept praise from her Eor an#one elseF& ut if she ventured an# criticism of his "or* she "ould receive a crushin! lecture on her artistic i!norance$ She read the revie" t"ice& then !ave up$ It appeared ,uite favoura le& and she said so$ ;He seemed to li*e the performance$ 8hat are #ou !rum lin! a out<; ;This&; snarled ?eor!e& stu in! his fin!er at the middle of the column$ ;/ust read it a!ain$; ;)Particularl# restful on the e#es "ere the delicate pastel !reens of the ac*!round to the allet se,uence$) 8ell<; ;The# "eren)t !reens= I spent a lot of time !ettin! that e1act shade of lue= And "hat happens< Either some lasted en!ineer in the control room upsets the colour alance& or that idiot of a revie"er)s !ot a coc*9e#ed set$ He#& "hat colour did it loo* on our receiver<; ;Er9I can)t remem er&; confessed /ean$ ;The Poppet started s,uealin! a out then and I had to !o and find "hat "as "ron! "ith her$; ;Oh&; said ?eor!e& relapsin! into a !entl# simmerin! ,uiescence$ /ean *ne" that another eruption could e e1pected at an# moment$ 8hen it came& ho"ever& it "as fairl# mild$ ;I)ve invented a ne" definition for TV&; he muttered 3AM !loomil#$ ;I)ve decided it)s a device for hinderin! communication et"een artist and audience$; ;8hat do #ou "ant to do a out it<; retorted /ean$ ;?o ac* to the live theatre<; ;And "h# not<; as*ed ?eor!e$ ;That)s e1actl# "hat I hat)$ een thin*in! a out$ %ou *no" that letter I received from the Ne" Athens people< The#)ve "ritten to me a!ain$ This time I)m !oin! to ans"er$; ;Indeed<; said /ean& faintl# alarmed$ ;I thin* the#)re a lot of cran*s$; ;8ell& there)s onl# one "a# to find out$ I intend to !o and see them in the ne1t fortni!ht$ I must sa# that the literature the# put out loo*s perfectl# sane$ And the#)ve !ot some ver# !ood men there$; ;If #ou e1pect me to start coo*in! over a "ood fire& or learnin! to dress in s*ins& #ou)ll have9; ;Oh& don)t e sill#= Those stories are -ust nonsense$ The (olon#)s !ot ever#thin! that)s reall# needed for civili'ed life$ The# don)t elieve in unnecessar# frills& that)s all$ An#"a#& it)s a couple of #ears since I visited the Pacific& It "ill ma*e a trip for us oth$;

;I a!ree "ith #ou there&; said /ean$ ;:ut I don)t intend /unior and the Poppet to !ro" up into a couple of Pol#nesian sava!es$; ;The# "on)t&; said ?eor!e$ ;I can promise #ou that$; He "as ri!ht& thou!h not in the "a# he had intended$ ;As #ou noticed "hen #ou fle" in&; said the little man on the other side of the veranda& ;the (olon# consists of t"o islands& lin*ed # a cause"a#$ This is Athens& the other "e)ve christened Sparta$ It)s rather "ild and roc*#& and is a "onderful place for sport or e1ercise$; His e#e flic*ered momentaril# over his visitor)s "aistline& and ?eor!e s,uirmed sli!htl# in the cane chair$ ;Sparta is an e1tinct volcano& # the "a#$ At least the !eolo!ists sa# it)s e1tinct& ha9ha= ;:ut ac* to Athens$ The idea of the (olon#& as #ou)ve !athered& is to uild up an independent& sta le cultural !roup "ith its o"n artistic traditions$ I should point out that a vast amount of research too* place efore "e started this enterprise$ It)s reall# a piece of applied social en!ineerin!& ased on some e1ceedin!l# comple1 mathematics "hich I "ouldn)t pretend 3A3 to understand$ All I *no" is that the mathematical sociolo!ists have computed ho" lar!e the (olon# should e& ho" man# t#pes of people it should contain9and& a ove all& "hat constitution it should have fur lon!9term sta ilit#$ ;8e)re ruled # a (ouncil of ei!ht directors& representin! Production& Po"er& Social En!ineerin!& Art& Economics& Science& Sport& and Philosoph#$ There)s no permanent chairman or president$ The chair)s held # each of the directors in rotation for a #ear at a time$ ;Our present population is -ust over fift# thousand& "hich is a little short of the desired optimum$ That)s "h# "e *eep our e#es open for recruits$ And& of course& there is a certain "asta!e+ "e)re not #et ,uite self9supportin! in some of the more speciali'ed talents$ ;Here on this island "e)re tr#in! to save somethin! of humanit#)s independence& its artistic traditions$ 8e)ve no hostilit# to"ards the Overlords+ "e simpl# "ant to e left alone to !o our o"n "a#$ 8hen the# destro#ed the old nations and the "a# of life man had *no"n since the e!innin! of histor#& the# s"ept a"a# man# !ood thin!s "ith the ad$ The "orld)s no" placid& featureless and culturall# dead+ nothin! reall# ne" has een created since the Overlords came$ The reason)s o vious$ There)s nothin! left to stru!!le for& and there are too man# distractions and entertainments$ Do #ou reali'e that ever# da# somethin! li*e five hundred hours of radio and TV pour out over the various channels< If #ou "ent "ithout sleep and did nothin! else& #ou could follo" less than a t"entieth of the entertainment that)s availa le at the turn of a s"itch= No "onder that people are ecomin! passive spon!es9a sor in! ut never creatin!$ Did #ou *no" that the avera!e vie"in! time per person is no" three hours a da#< Soon people "on)t e livin! their o"n lives an# more$ It "ill e a full9time -o *eepin! up "ith the various famil# serials on TV= ;Here& in Athens& entertainment ta*es its proper place$ 7oreover& it)s live& not canned$ In a communit# this si'e it is possi le to have almost complete audience participation& "ith all that that means to the performers and artists$ Incidentall# "e)ve !ot a ver# fine s#mphon# orchestra9 pro a l# amon! the "orld)s half9do'en est$ ;:ut I don)t "ant #ou to ta*e m# "ord for aJ3 this$ 8hat usuall# happens is that prospective citi'ens sta# here a fe" 3AA da#s& !ettin! the feel of the place$ If the# decide the#)d li*e to -oin us& then "e let them ta*e the atter# of ps#cholo!ical tests "hicharereall#ourmainlineofdefence$ A out athirdof the applicants are re-ected& usuall# fur reasons "hich don)t reflect on them and "hich "ouldn)t matter outside$ Those "ho pass !o home lon! enou!h to settle their affairs& and then re-oin us$ Sometimes& the# chan!e their minds at this sta!e& ut that)s ver# unusual and almost invaria l# throu!h personal reasons outside their controL Our tests are practicall# a hundred9per9cent relia le no"+ the people the# pass are the people "ho reall# "ant to come$; ;Suppose an#one chan!ed their mind later<; as*ed /ean an1iousl#$ ;Then the# could leave$ There)d e no difficult#$ It)s happened once or t"ice$;

There "as a lon! silence$ /ean loo*ed at ?eor!e& "ho "as ru in! thou!htfull# at the side9 "his*ers currentl# popular in artistic circles$ As lon! as the# "eren)t urnin! their oats ehind them& she "as not undul# "orried$ The (olon# loo*ed an interestin! place& and certainl# "asn)t as cran*# as she)d feared$ And the children "ould love it$ That& in the final anal#sis& "as all that mattered$ The# moved in si1 "ee*s later$ The sin!le9storied house "as small& ut ,uite ade,uate for a famil# "hich had no intention of ein! !reater than four$ All the asic la our9savin! devices "ere in evidence+ at least& /ean admitted& there "as no dan!er of revertin! to the dar* a!es of domestic drud!er#$ It "as sli!htl# distur in!& ho"ever& to discover that there "as a *itchen$ In a communit# of this si'e& one "ould normall# e1pect to dial 0ood (entral& "ait five minutes& and then !et "hatever meal the# had selected$ Individualit# "as all ver# "ell& ut this& /ean feared& mi!ht e ta*in! thin!s a little too far$ She "ondered dar*l# if she "ould e e1pected to ma*e the famil#)s clothes as "ell as to prepare its meals$ :ut there "as no spinnin!9"heel et"een the automatic dish9"asher and the radar ran!e& soit "asn)t ,uite as ad as that$$$$ Of course& the rest of the house still loo*ed ver# are and ra"$ The# "ere its first occupants& and it "ould e some time efore all this aseptic ne"ness had een converted into a "arm& human home& The children& dou tless& "ould catal#'e the 3AB process rather effectivel#$ There "as alread# Ethou!h /ean did not *no" it #etF an unfortunate victim of /effre#)s e1pirin! in the ath& as a result of that #oun! man)s i!norance of the fundamental difference et"een fresh and salt "ater$ /ean moved to the still uncurtained "indo" and loo*ed across the (olon#$ It "as a eautiful place& there "as no dou t of that$ The house stood on the "estern slopes of the lo" ill that dominated& ecause of the a sence of an# other competition& the island of Athens$ T"o *ilometres to the north she could see the cause"a#9a thin *nife9ed!e dividin! the "ater9 that led to Sparta$ That roc*# island& "ith its roodin! volcanic cone& "as such a contrast to this peaceful spot that it sometimes fri!htened her$ She "ondered ho"& the scientists could e so certain that it "ould never rea"a*en and over"helm them all$ A "averin! fi!ure comin! up the slope& *eepin! carefull# to the palm9trees) shade in defiance of the rule of the road& attracted her e#e$ ?eor!e "as returnin! from his first conference$ It "as time to stop da#9dreamin! and !et us# a out the house$ A metallic crash announced the arrival of ?eor!e)s ic#cle$ /ean "ondered ho" lon! it "as !oin! to ta*e them oth to learn to ride$ This "as #et another une1pected aspect of life on the island$ Private cars "ere not permitted& and indeed "ere unnecessar#& since the !reatest distance one could travel in a strai!ht line "as less than fifteen *ilometres$ There "ere various communit#9o"ned service vehicles9truc*s& am ulances& and fire9 en!ines& all restricted& e1cept in cases of real emer!enc#& to fift# *ilometres an hour$ As a result the inha itants of Athens had plent# of e1ercise& uncon!ested streets 9and no traffic accidents$ ?eor!e !ave his "ife a perfunctor# pec* and collapsed "ith a si!h of relief into the nearest chair$ ;Phe" I; he said& moppin! his ro"$ ;Ever#one raced past me on the "a# up the hill& so I suppose people do !et used "it$ I thin* I)ve lost ten *ilo!rams alread#$; ;8hat sort of a da# did #ou have<; as*ed /ean dutifull#$ She hoped ?eor!e "ould not e too e1hausted to help "ith the unpac*in!$ ;Ver# stimulatin!$ Of course 3 can)t remem er half the people I met& ut the# all seemed ver# pleasant$ And the theatre is -ust as !ood as I)d hoped$ 8e)re startin! "or* ne1t 3A5 "ee* on Sha")s ):ac* to 7ethuselah)$ I)ll e in complete char!e of sets and sta!e desi!n$ It)ll ma*e a chan!e& not havin! a do'en people to tell me "hat I can)t do$ %es& I thin* "e)re !oin! to li*e it here$; ;Despite the ic#cles<; ?eor!e summoned up enou!h ener!# to !rin$

;%es&; he said$ ;In a couple of "ee*s I "on)t even notice this little hill of ours$; He didn)t reall# elieve it9 ut it "as perfectl# true$ It "as another month& ho"ever& efore /ean ceased to pine for the car& and discovered all the thin!s one could do "ith one)s o"n *itchen$ Ne" Athens "as not a natural and spontaneous !ro"th li*e the cit# "hose name it ore$ Ever#thin! a out the (olon# "as deli eratel# planned& as the result of man# #ears of stud# # a !roup of ver# remar*a le men$ It had e!un as an open conspirac# a!ainst the Overlords& an implicit challen!e to their polic# if not to their po"er$ At first the (olon#)s sponsors had een more than half certain that 2arellen "ould neatl# frustrate them& ut the Supervisor had done nothin!9 a solutel# nothin!$ This "as not ,uite as reassurin! as mi!ht have een e1pected$ 2arellen had plent# of time+ he mi!ht e preparin! a dela#ed counterstro*e$ Or he mi!ht e so certain of the pro-ect)s failure that he felt no need to ta*e an# action a!ainst it$ That the (olon# "ould fail had een the prediction of most people$ %et even in the past& lon! efore an# real *no"led!e of social d#namics had e1isted& there had een man# communities devoted to special reli!ious or philosophical ends$ It "as true that their mortalit# rate had een hi!h& ut some had survived$ And the foundations of Ne" Athens "ere as secure as modern science could ma*e them$ There "ere man# reasons for choosin! an island site$ Not the least important "ere ps#cholo!ical$ In an a!e of universal air transport& the ocean meant nothin! as a ph#sical arrier& ut it still !ave a sense of isolation$ 7oreover& a limited land area made it impossi le for too man# people to live in the (olon#$ The ma1imum population "as fi1ed at a hundred thousand+ more than that& and the advanta!es inherent in a small& compact communit# "ould e lost$ One of the aims of the founders "as that an# mem er of Ne" Athens should 3A6 *no" all the other citi'ens "ho shared his interests9and as man# as one or t"o per cent of the remainder as "ell$ The man "ho had een the drivin! force ehind Ne" Athens "as a /e"$ And& li*e 7oses& he had never lived to enter his promised land& for the (olon# had een founded three #ears after his death$ He had een orn in Israel& the last independent nation ever to come into e1istence9and& therefore& the shortest lived$ The end of national soverei!nt# had een felt here perhaps more itterl# than an#"here else& for it is hard to lose a dream "hich one has -ust achieved after centuries of strivin!$ :en Salomon "as no fanatic& ut the memories of his childhood must have determined& to no small e1tent& the philosoph# he "as to put into practice$ He could -ust remem er "hat the "orld had een efore the advent of the Overlords& and had no "ish to return to it$ Li*e not a fe" other intelli!ent and "ell9meanin! men& he could appreciate all that 2arellen had done for the human race& "hile still ein! unhapp# a out the Supervisor)s ultimate plans$ 8as it possi le& he sometimes said to himself that despite all their enormous intelli!ence the Overlords did not reall# understand man*ind& and "ere ma*in! a terri le mista*e from the est of motives< Suppose& in their altruistic passion for -ustice and order& the# had determined to reform the "orld& ut had not reali'ed that the# "ere destro#in! the soul of man< The decline had arel# started& #et the ftrst s#mptoms of deca# "ere not hard to discover$ Salomon "as no artist& ut he had an acute appreciation of art and *ne" that his a!e could riot match the achievements of previous centuries in an# sin!le field$ Perhaps matters "ould ri!ht themselves in due course& "hen the shoc* of encounterin! the Overlord civili'ation had "orn off$ :ut it mi!ht not& and a prudent man "ould consider ta*in! out an insurance polic#$ Ne" Athens "as that polic#$ Its esta lishment had ta*en t"ent# #ears and some illions of Pounds Decimal9a relativel# trivial factor& therefore& of the "orld)s total "ealth$ Nothin! had happened for the first fifteen #ears+ ever#thin! had happened in the last five$ Salomon)s tas* "ould have een impossi le had he not een a le to convince a handful of the "orld)s most famous artists that his plan "as sound$ The# had s#mpathi'ed ecause it appealed to their e!os& not ecause it "as important for the

3AK race$ :ut& once convinced& the "orld had listened to them and !iven oth moral and material support$ :ehind this spectacular faade of temperamental talent the real architects of the (olon# had laid their plans$ A societ# consists of human ein!s "hose ehaviour as individuals is unpredicta le$ :ut if one ta*es enou!h of the asic units& then certain la"s e!in to appear9as "as discovered lon! a!o # life9insurance companies$ No9one can tell "hat individuals "ill die in a !iven time9#et the total num er of deaths can e predicted "ith considera le accurac#$ There are other& su tler la"s& first !limpsed in the earl# t"entieth centur# # mathematicians such as 8einer and Rashaves*#$ The# had ar!ued that such events as economic depressions& the results of armament races& the sta ilit# of social !roups& political elections& and so on could e anal#sed # the correct mathematical techni,ues$ The !reat difficult# "as the enormous num er of varia les& man# of them hard to define in numerical terms$ One could not dra" a set of curves and state definitel#+ ;8hen this line is reached& it "ill mean "ar$; And one could never "holl# allo" for such utterl# unpredicta le events as the assassination of a *e# fi!ure or the effects of some ne" scientific discover#9still less such natural catastrophes as earth,ua*es or floods& "hich mi!ht haves profound effect on lar!e num ers of people and the social !roups in "hich the# lived$ %et one could do much& t3Cian*s to the *no"led!e patientl# accumulated durin! the past hundred #ears$ The tas* "ould have een impossi le "ithout the aid of the !iant computin! machines that could perform the "or* of a thousand human calculators in a matter of seconds$ Such aids had een used to the utmost "hen the (olon# "as planned$ Even so& the founders) of Ne" Athens could onl# provide the soil and the climate in "hich the plant the# "ished to cherish mi!ht9or mi!ht not9come to flo"er$ As Salomon himself had remar*ed+ ;8e can e sure of talent+ "e can onl# pra# for !enius$; :ut it "as a reasona le hope that in such a concentrated solution some intCrestin! reactions "ould ta*e place$ 0e" artists thrive in solitude& and nothin! is more stimulatin! than the conflict of minds "ith similar interests$ So far& the conflict had produced "orth"hile results in sculpture& music& literar# criticism and film9 ma*in!$ It "as still too earl# to see if the !roup "or*in! on historical research 3AD "ould fulfil the hopes of its insti!ators& "ho "ere fran*l# aimin! at restorin! man*ind)s pride in its o"n achievements$ Paintin! still lan!uished& "hich supported the vie" of those "ho considered that static& t"o9dimensional forms of art had no further possi ilities$ It "as noticea le9thou!h a satisfactor# e1planation f r this had not #et een produced9that time pla#ed an essential part in the $(olon#)s most successful artistic achievements$ Even its sculpture "as seldom immo ile$ Andre" (arson)s intri!uin! volumes and curves chan!ed slo"l# as one "atched& accordin! to comple1 pCtterns that the mind could appreciate& even if it could not full# comprehend them$ Indeed& (arson claimed& "ith some truth& to have ta*en the ;mo iles; of a centur# efore to their ultimate conclusion& and thus to have "edded sculpture and allet$ 7uch of the (olon#)s musical e1perimentin! "as& ,uite consciousl#& concerned "ith "hat mi!ht e called ;time span;$ 8hat "as the riefest note that the mind could !rasp9or the lon!est that it could tolerate "ithout oredom< (ould the result e varied # conditionin! or # the use of appropriate orchestration< Such pro lems "ere discussed endlessl#& and the ar!uments "ere not purel# academic$ The# had resulted in some e1tremel# interestin! compositions$ :ut it "as in the art of the cartoon film& "ith its limitless possi ilities& that Ne" Athens had made its most successful e1periments$ The hundred #ears since the time of Disne# had still left much undone in this most fle1i le of all mediums$ On the purel# realistic side& results could e produced indistin!uisha le from actual photo!raph#9much to the contempt of those "ho "ere developin! the cartoon alon! a stract lines$ The !roup of artists and scientists that had so far done least "as the one that had attracted the !reatest interest9and the !reatest alarm$ This "as the team "or*in! on ;total identification;$ The histor# of the cinema !ave the clue to their actions$ 0irst& sound& then colour& then stereoscop#& then (inerama& had made the old )movin! pictures; more and more li*e reaiit# itself$ 8here "as the end of the stor#< Surel#& the final sta!e "ould e reached "hen the audience for!ot it "as an

audience& and ecame part of the action$ To achieve this "ould involve stimulation Cf all the Senses& and perhaps h nosis as "cll& ut man# eheved it to e practical$ 8hen !oal "as attained& there "ould e an enormous enrichment of 3A@ human e1perience$ A man could ecome9for a "hile& at least9an# other person& and could ta*e part in an# conceiva le adventure& real or ima!inar#$ He could even e plant or animal& if it proved possi le to capture and record the sense impressions of other livin! creatures$ And "hen the ;pro!ramme; "as over& he "ould have ac,uired a memor# as vivid as an# e1perience in his actual life9indeed& indistin!uisha le from realit# itself$ The prospect "as da''lin!$ 7an# also found it terrif#in!& and hoped that the enterprise "ould fail$ :ut the# *ne" in their hearts that once science had declared a thin! possi le& there "as no escape from its eventual reali'ation$$$$ This& then& "as Ne" Athens and some of its dreams$ It hoped to ecome "hat the old Athens mi!ht have een had it possessed machines instead of slaves& science instead of superstition$ :ut it "as much too earl# #et to tell if the e1periment "ould succeed$

3K /m)iCluC% ?iC?soN "as one islander "ho& as #et& had no interest in esthetics or science& the t"o main preoccupations of his elders$ :ut he heartil# approved of the (olon#& for purel# personal reasons$ The sea& never more than a fe" *ilometres a"a# in an# direction& fascinated hini$ 7ost of his short life ad een spent far inland& and he "as not #et accustomed to the novelt# of ein! surrounded # "ater$ He "as a !ood s"immer& and "ould often c#cle off "ith other #oun! friends& carr#in! his fins and mas*& to !o e1plorin! the shallo"er "ater of the la!oon$ At first /ean "as not ver# happ# a out this& ut after she had made a fe" dives herself. she lost her fear of the sea and its stran!e creatures and let /effre# en-o# himself as he pleased9on condition that he never s"am alone$ The other mem er of the ?re!!son household "ho approved of the chan!e "as 0e#& the eautiful !olden retriever "ho nominall# elon!ed to ?eor!e& ut could seldom e detached from /effre#$ The t"o "ere insepara le& oth # da# and9if /ean had not put her foot do"n9 # ni!ht$ Onl# "hen /effre# "ent off on his ic#cle did 0e# remain at home& l#in! listlessl# in front of the door and starin! do"n the road 3A4 "ith moist& mournful e#es& her mu''le restin! on her pa"s$ This "as rather mortif#in! to ?eor!e& "ho had paid a stiff price for 0e# and her pedi!ree$ It loo*ed as if he "ould have to "ait for the ne1t !eneration9due in three months9 efore he could have a do! of his o"n$ /ean had other vie"s on the su -ect$ She li*ed 0e#& ut felt that one hound per house "as ,uite sufficient$ Onl# /ennifer Anne had not #et decided "hether she li*ed the (olon#$ That& ho"ever& "as hardl# surprisin!& for she had so far seen nothin! of the "orld e#ond the plastic panels of her cot& and had& as #et& ver# little suspicion that such a place e1isted$ ?eor!e ?re!!son did not often thin* a out the past+ he "as too us# "ith plans for the future& too much occupied # his "or* and his children$ It "as rare indeed that his mind "ent ac* across the #ears to that evenin! in Africa& and he never tal*ed a out it "ith /ean$ :# mutual consent& the su -ect "as avoided& and since that da# the# had never visited the :o#ces a!ain& despite repeated invitations$ The# called Rupert "ith fresh e1cuses several times a #ear& and latel# he ad ceased to other them$ His marria!e to 7aia& rather to ever#one)s surprise& still seemed to e flourishin!$ One result of that evenin! "as that /ean had lost all desire to da le "ith m#steries at the orders of *no"n science$ The naive and uncritical "onder that had dra"n her to Rupert and his e1periments ad completel# vanished$ Perhaps she had een convinced and "anted no more

proof+ ?eor!e preferred not to as* her$ It "as -ust as li*el# that the cares of maternit# had anished such interests from her mind$ There "as no point& ?eor!e *ne"& in "orr#in! a out a m#ster# that could never e solved& #et sometimes in the stillness of the ni!ht he "ould "a*e and "onder$ He remem ered his meetin! "ith /an Roderic*s on the roof of Rupert)s house& and the fe" "ords that "ere all he had spo*en "ith the onl# human ein! successfull# to def# the Overlords) an$ Nothin! in the realm of the supernatural& thou!ht ?eor!e& could e more eerie than the plain scientific fact that thou!h almost ten #ears had passed since he had spo*en to /an& that no"9far9distant vo#a!er "ould have a!ed # onl# a fe" da#s$ The universe "as vast& ut that fact terrified him less than its 3BM m#ster#$ ?eor!e "as not a person "ho thou!ht deepl# on such matters& #et sometimes it seemed to him that men "ere li*e children amusin! themselves in some secluded pla#!round& protected from the fierce realities of the outer "orld$ /an Rodric*s had resented that protection and had escaped from it 9into no9one *ne" "hat$ :ut in this matter ?eor!e found himself on the side of the Overlords$ He ad no "ish to face "hatever C3ur*ed in the un*no"n dar*ness& -ust e#ond the little circle of li!ht cast # the lamp of Science$ ;Ho" is it<; said ?eor!e plaintivel#& ;that /eff)s al"a#s off some"here "hen I happen to e home< 8here)s he !one toda#<; /ean loo*ed up from her *nittin!9an archaic occupation "hich had recentl# een revived "ith much success$ Such fashions came and "ent on the island "ith some rapidit#$ The main result of this particular cra'e "as that the men had no" all een presented "ith multi9coloured s"eaters& far too hot to "ear in the da#time ut ,uite useful after sundo"n$ ;He)s !one off to Sparta "ith some friends&; /ean replied$ ;He promised to e ac* for dinner$; ;I reall# came home to do some "or*&; said ?eor!e thou!htfull#$ ;:ut it)s a nice da#& and I thin* I)ll !o out there and have a s"im m#self$ 8hat *ind of fish "ould #ou li*e me to rin! ac*<; ?eor!e had never cau!ht an#thin!& and the fish in the la!oon "ere much too "il# to e trapped$ /ean "as -ust !oin! to point this out "hen the stillness of the afternoon "as shattered # a sound that still had po"er& even in this peaceful a!e& to chill the lood and set the scalp cra"lin! "ith apprehension$ It "as the "ail of a siren& risin! and fillin!& spreadin! its messa!e of dan!er in concentric circles out to sea$ 0or almost a hundred #ears the stresses had een slo"l# increasin!& here in the urnin! dar*ness deep eneath the ocean)s floor$ Thou!h the su marine can#on had een formed !eolo!ical a!es a!o& the tortured roc*s had never reconciled themselves to their ne" positions$ (ountless times the strata ad crea*ed and shifted& as the unima!ina le "ei!ht of "ater distur ed their precarious e,uili rium$ The# "ere read# to move a!ain$ 3B3 /eff "as e1plorin! the roc* pools alon! the narro" Spartan each9an occupation he found endlessl# a sor in!$ One never *ne" "hat e1otic creatures one mi!ht find& sheltered here from the "aves that marched forever across the Pacific to spend themselves a!ainst the reef$ It "as a fair#land for an# child& and at the moment he possessed it all himself& for his friends had !one up into the hills$ The da# "as ,uiet and peaceful$ There "as not a reath of "ind& and even the perpetual mutterin! e#ond the reef had sun* to a sullen undertone$ A la'in! sun hun! half9"a# do"n the s*#& ut /eff)s maho!an#9 ro"n od# "as no" ,uite immune to its onslau!hts$ The each here "as a narro" elt of sand& slopin! steepl# to"ards the la!oon$ Loo*in! do"n into the !lass9clear "ater& /eff could see the su mer!ed roc*s "hich "ere as familiar to him as an# formations on$ the land$ A out ten metres do"n& the "eed9covered ri s of an ancient schooner

curved up to"ards the "orld it had left almost t"o centuries a!o$ /eff and his friends had often e1plored the "rec*& ut their hopes of hidden treasure had een disappointed$ All that the# had ever retrieved "as a arnacle9encrusted compass$ Ver# firml#& somethin! too* hold of the each and !ave it a sin!le& sudden -er*$ The tremor passed so s"iftl# that /eff "ondered if he had ima!ined it$ Perhaps it "as a momentar# !iddiness& for all around him remained utterl# unchan!ed$ The "aters of the la!oon "ere unruffled& the s*# empt# of cloud or menace$ And then a ver# stran!e thin! e!an to happen$ S"ifter than an# tide could e & the "ater "as recedin! from the shore$ /eff "atched& deepl# pu''led and not in the least afraid& as the "et sands "ere uncovered and la# spar*lin! in the sun$ He follo"ed the retreatin! ocean& determined to ma*e the most of "hatever miracle had opened up the under"ater "orld for his inspection$ No" the level had sun* so far that the ro*en mast of the old "rec* "as clim in! into the air& its "eeds han!in! limpl# from it as the# lost their li,uid support$ /eff hastened for"ard& ea!er to see "hat "onders "ould e uncovered ne1t$ It "as then that he noticed the sound from the reef$ He had never heard an#thin! li*e it efore& anLi he stopped to thin* the matter over& his are feet slo"l# sin*in! into the moist sand$ A !reat fish "as thrashin! in its death a!onies a fe" 3BA metres a"a#& ut /eff scarcel# noticed it$ He stood& alert and listenin!& "hile the noise from the reef !re" steadil# around him$ It "as a suc*in!& !ur!lin! sound& as of a river racin! throu!h a narro" channel$ It "as the voice of the reluctantl# retreatin! sea& an!r# at losin!& even for a moment& the lands it ri!htfull# possessed$ Throu!h the !raceful ranches of the coral& throu!h the hidden su marine caves& millions of tons of "ater "ere drainin! out of the la!oon into the vastness of the Pacific$ Ver# soon& and ver# s"iftl#& the# "ould return$ One of the salva!e parties& hours later& found /eff on a !reat loc* of coral that had een hurled t"ent# metres a ove the normal "ater level$ He did not seem particularl# fri!htened& thou!h he "as upset over the loss of his ic#cle$ He "as also ver# hun!r#& as the partial destruction of the cause"a# had cut him off from home$ 8hen rescued he "as contemplatin! s"immin! ac* to Athens& and& unless the currents had chan!ed drasticall#& "ould dou tless have mana!ed the cross9 i! "ithout much trou le$ /ean and ?eor!e had "itnessed the "hole se,uence of events "hen the tsunami hit the island$ Thou!h the dama!e to the lo"9l#in! areas of Athens had een severe& there had een no loss of life$ The seismo!raphs had een a le to !ive onl# fifteen minutes) "arnin!& ut that had een lon! enou!h to !et ever#one a ove the dan!er line$ No" the (olon# "as lic*in! its "ounds and collectin! to!ether a mass of le!ends that "ould !ro" steadil# more hair9raisin! throu!h the #ears to come$ /ean urst into tears "hen her son "as restored to her& for she had ,uite convinced herself that he had een s"ept out to sea$ She had "atched "ith horrified e#es as the lac* and foam9 capped "all of "ater had moved roarin! in from the hori'on to smother the ase of Sparta in spume and spra#$ It seemed incredi le that /eff could have reached safet# in time$ It "as scarcel# surprisin! that he could not !ive a ver# rational account of "hat had happened$ 8hen he had eaten and "as safel# in ed& /ean and ?eor!e !athered # his side$ ;?o to sleep& darlin!& and for!et all a out it&; said /ean$ ;%ou)re all ri!ht no"$; 3BB ;:ut it "as fun& 7umm#&; protested /eff$ ;I "asn)t rea3C# fri!htened$; ;That)s fine&; said ?eor!e$ ;%ou)re a rave lad& and it)s a !ood thin! #ou "ere sensi le and ran in time$ I)ve heard a out these tidal "aves efore$ A lot of people !et dro"ned ecause the# !o out on the uncovered each to see "hat)s happened$; ;That)s "hat I did&; confessed /eff$ ;I "onder "ho it "as helped me<; ;8hat do #ou mean< There "asn)t an#one "ith #ou$ The other o#s "ere up the ill$; /eff loo*ed pu''led$

;:ut someone told me to run$; /ean and ?eor!e !lanced at each other in mild alarm$ ;%ou mean9#ou ima!ined #ou heard somethin!<; ;Oh& don)t other him no"&; said /ean an1iousl#& and "ith a little too much haste$ :ut ?eor!e "as stu orn$ ;I "ant to !et to the ottom of this$ Tell me -ust CCvhat happened& /eff$; ;8ell& I "as ri!ht do"n the each& # that old "rec*& "hen the voice spo*e$; ;8hat did it sa#<; ;I can)t ,uite remem er& ut it "as somethin! li*e )/effre#& !et up the hill as ,uic*l# as #ou can$ %ou)ll e dro"ned if #ou sta# here$) I)m sure it called me /effre#& not /eff$ So it couldn)t have een an#one I *ne"$; ;8as it a man)s voice< And "here did it come from<; ;It "as ever so close eside me$ And it sounded li*e a man$ $ $ $; /eff hesitated for a moment& and ?eor!e prompted him$ ;?o on9-ust ima!ine that #ou)re ac* on the each& and tell us e1actl# "hat happened$; ;8ell& it "asn)t ,uite li*e an#one I)ve ever heard tal*in! efore$ I thin* he "as a ver# i! man$; ;Is that all the voice said<; ;%es9until I started to clim the hill$ Then another funn# thin! happened$ %ou *no" the path up the cliff<; ;%es$; ;I "as runnin! up that& ecause it "as the ,uic*est "a#$ I *ne" "hat "as happenin! no"& for I)d seen the i! "ave comin! in$ It "as ma*in! an a"ful noise& too$ And then I found there "as a !reat i! roc* m the "a#$ It "asn)t there efore& and I couldn)t !et past it$; 3B5 ;The ),ua*e must have rou!ht it do"n&; said ?eor!e$ ;Shush= ?o on& /eff$; ;I didn)t *no" "hat to do& and I could hear the "ave comin! closer$ Then the voice said )(lose #our e#es& /effre#& and put #our hand in front of #our face$) It seemed a funn# thin! to do& ut I tried it$ And then there "as a !reat flash9I could feel it all over9and "hen I opened m# e#es the roc* "as !one$; ;?one<; ;That)s ri!ht9it -ust "asn)t there$ So I started runnin! a!ain& and that)s "hen I nearl# urnt m# feet& ecause the path "as a"ful hot$ The "ater hissed "hen it "ent over it& ut it couldn)t catch me then9I "as too far up the cliff$ And that)s all$ I came do"n a!ain "hen there "eren)t an# more "aves$ Then I found that m# i*e had !one& and the road home had een *noc*ed do"n$; ;Don)t "orr# a out the ic#cle& dear&; said /ean& s,uee'in! her& son than*full#$ ;8e)ll !et #ou another one$ The onl# thin! that matters is that$ #ou)re safe$ 8e "on)t "orr# a out ho" it happened$; That "asn)t true& of course& for the conference e!an immediatel# the# had left the nurser#$ It decided nothin!& ut it ad t"o se,uels$ The ne1t da#& "ithout tellin! ?eor!e& /ean too* her small son to the (olon#)s child ps#cholo!ist$ He listened carefull# "hile /eff repeated his stor#& not in the least over9a"ed # his novel surroundin!s$ Then& "hile his unsuspectin! patient re-ected seriatim the to#s in the ne1t room& the doctor reassured /ean$ ;There)s nothin! on his card to su!!est an# mental a normalit#$ %ou must remem er that he)s een throu!h a terrif#in! e1perience& and he)s come out of it remar*a l# "ell$ He)s a hi!hl# ima!inative child& and pro a l# elieves his o"n stor#$ So -ust accept it& and don)t "orr# unless there are an# later s#mptoms$ Then let me *no" at once$; That evenin!& /ean passed the verdict on to her hus and$ He did not seem as relieved as she had hoped& and she put it do"n to "orr# over the dama!e to his eloved theatre$ He -ust !runted ;That)s fine; and settled do"n "ith the current issue of Sta!e and Studio$ It loo*ed as if he had lost interest in the "hole affair& and /ean felt va!uel# anno#ed "ith him$ :ut three "ee*s later& on the first da# that the cause"a# "as reopened& ?eor!e and his ic#cle set off ris*l# to"ards Sparta$ 3B6

The each "as still littered "ith masses of shattered coral& and in one place the reef itself seemed to have een reached$ ?eor!e "ondered ho" lon! it "ould ta*e the m#riads of patient pol#ps to repair the dama!e$ There "as onl# one path up the face of the dliff& and "hen he had recovered his reath ?eor!e e!an the clim $ A fe" dried fra!ments of "eed& trapped amon! the roc*s& mar*ed the limit of the ascendin! "aters$ 0or a lon! time ?eor!e ?re!!son stood on that lonel# trac*& starin! at the patch of fused roc* eneath his feet$ He tried to tell himself that it "as some frea* of the lon!9dead volcano& ut soon a andoned this attempt at self9deception$ His mind "ent ac* to that ni!ht& #ears a!o& "hen he and /ean had -oined that sill# e1periment of Rupert :o#ce)s$ No9one had ever reall# understood "hat had happened then& and ?eor!e *ne" that in some unfathoma le "a# these t"o stran!e events "ere lin*ed to!ether$ 0irst it had een /ean& no" her son$ He did not *no" "hether to e !lad or fearful& and in his heart he uttered a silent pra#er+ ;Than* #ou& 2arellen& for "hatever #our people did for /eff$ :ut I "ish I *ne" "h# the# did it$; He "ent slo"l# do"n to the each& and the !reat "hite !ulls "heeled around him& anno#ed ecause he had rou!ht no food to thro" them as the# cirded in the s*#$

3D 2iuCuC)s re,uest& thou!h it mi!ht have een e1pected at an# time since the foundation of the (olon#& "as somethin! of a om shell$ It represented& as ever#one "as full# a"are& a crisis in the affairs of Athens& and no od# could decide "hether !ood or ad "ould come of it$ >ntil no"& the (olon# had !one its "a# "ithout an# form of interference from the Overlords$ The# had left it completel# alone& as indeed the# i!nored most human activities that "ere not su versive or did not offend their codes of ehaviour$ 8hether the (olon#)s aims could e called su versive "as uncertain$ The# "ere non9political& ut the# represented a id for intellectual and artistic independence$ And from that& "ho *ne" "hat mi!ht come< The Overlords mi!ht "ell e 3BK a le to foresee the future of Athens more clearl# than its founders9and the# mi!ht not li*e it$ Of course& if 2arellen "ished to send an o server& inspector& or "hatever one cared to call him& there "as nothin! that could e done a out it$ T"ent# #ears a!o the Overlords had announced that the# had discontinued all use of their surveillance devices& so that humanit# need no lon!er consider itself spied upon$ Ho"ever& the fact that such devices still e1isted meant that nothin! could e hidden from the Overlords if the# reall# "anted to see it$ There "ere some on the island "ho "elcomed this visit as a chance of settlin! one of the minor pro lems of Overlord ps#cholo!#9their attitude to"ards Art$ Did the# re!ard it as a childish a erration of the human race< Did the# have an# forms of art themselves< In that case& "as the purpose of this visit purel# asthetic& or did 2arellen have less innocent motives< All these matters "ere de ated endlessl# "hile the preparations "ere under "a#$ Nothin! "as *no"n of the visitin! Overlord& ut it "as assumed that he could a sor (ulture in unlimited amounts$ The e1periment "ould at least e attempted& and the reactions of the victim o served "ith interest # a atter# of ver# shre"d minds$ The current chairman of the council "as the philosopher& (harles %an Sen& an ironic ut fundamentall# cheerful man "ho "as not #et in his si1ties and "as therefore still in the prime of life$ Plato "ould have approved of him as an e1ample of the philosopher9statesman& thou!h Sen did not alto!ether approve of Plato& "hom he suspected of !rossl# misrepresentin! Socrates$ He "as one of the islanders "ho "as determined to ma*e the most of this visit& if onl# to sho" the Overlords that men still had plent# of initiative and "ere not #et& as he put it& ;full# domesticated;$ Nothin! in Athens "as done "ithout a committee& that ultimate hall9mar* of the democratic method$ Indeed& someone had once defined the (olon# as a s#stem of interloc*in! committees$ :ut the s#stem "or*ed& than*s to the patient studies of the social ps#cholo!ists "ho had een

the real founders of Athens$ :ecause the communit# "as not too lar!e& ever#one in it could ta*e some part in its runnin! and could e a citi'en in the truest sense of the "ord$ It "as almost inevita le that ?eor!e& as a leadin! mem er 3BD of the artistic hierarch#& should e one of the reception committee$ :ut he made dou l# sure # pullin! a fe" strin!s$ If the Overlords "anted to stud# the (olon#& ?eor!e "anted e,uall# to stud# them$ /ean "as not ver# happ# a out this$ Ever since that evenin! at the :o#ces)& she had felt a va!ue hostilit# to"ards the Overlords& thou!h she could never !ive an# reason for it$ She -ust "ished to have as little to do "ith them as possi le& and to her one of the island)s main attractions had een its hoped9for independence$ No" she feared that this independence mi!ht e threatened$ The Overlord arrived "ithout ceremon# in an ordinar# manmade fl#er& to the disappointment of those "ho had hoped for somethin! more spectacular$ He mi!ht have een 2arellen himself& for no9one had ever een a le to distin!uish one Overlord from another "ith an# de!ree of confidence$ The# all seemed duplicates from a sin!le master9mould$ Perhaps& # some un*no"n iolo!ical process& the# "ere$ After the first da#& the islanders ceased to pa# much attention "hen the official car murmured past on its si!htseein! tours$ The visitor)s correct name& Thanthalteresco& proved too intracta le& for !eneral use& and he "as soon christened ;The Inspector;$ It "as an accurate enou!h name& for his curiosit# and appetite for statistics "ere insatia le$ (harles %an Sen "as ,uite e1hausted "hen& lon! after midni!ht& he had seen the Inspector ac* to the fl#er "hich "as servin! as his ase$ There& no dou t& he "ould continue to "or* throu!hout the ni!ht "hile his human hosts indul!ed in the frailt# of sleep$ 7rs$ Sen !reeted her hus and an1iousl# on his return$ The# "ere a devoted couple& despite his pla#ful ha it of callin! her Nantippe "hen the# "ere entertainin! !uests$ She had lon! a!o threatened to ma*e the appropriate retort # re"in! him a cup of hemloc*& ut f rtunatel# this her al evera!e "as less common to Ne" Athens than the old$ ;8as it a success<; she as*ed as her hus and settled do"n to a elated meal$ ;I thin* so9 ut #ou can never tell "hat !oes on inside those remar*a le minds$ He "as certainl# interested& even cornplimentar#$ I apolo!i'ed& # the "a#& for not invitin! him here$ He said he ,uite understood& and had no "ish to an! his head on our ceilin!$; ;8hat did #ou sho" him toda#<; 3B@ ;The read9and9 utter side of the (olon#& "hich he didn)t seem to find as orin! as I al"a#s do$ He as*ed ever# ,uestion #ou could ima!ine a out production& ho" "e alanced our ud!et& our mineral resources& the irth rate& ho" "e !ot our food& and so on$ Luc*il# I had Secretar# Harrison "ith me& and he)d come prepared "ith ever# Annual Report since the (olon# e!an$ %ou should have heard them s"appin! statistics$$ The Inspector)s orro"ed the lot& and I)m prepared to et that "hen "e see him tomorro" he)ll e a le to ,uote an# fi!ure ac* at us$ I find that *ind of mental performance fri!htfull# depressin!$; He #a"ned and e!an to pec* haif9heartedl# at his food$ ;Tomorro" should e more interestin!$ 8e)re !oin! to do the schools and the Academ#$ That)s "hen I)m !oin! to as* some ,uestions for a chan!e$ I)d li*e to *no" ho" the Overlords rin! up their *ids9assumin!& of course& that the# have an#$; That "as not a ,uestion that (harles Sen "as ever to have ans"ered& ut on other points the Inspector "as remar*a l# tal*ative$ He "ould evade a"*"ard ,ueries in a manner that "as a pleasure to ehold& and then& ,uite une1pectedl#& "ould ecome positivel# confidin!$ Their first real intimac# occurred "hile the# "ere drivin! a"a# from the school that "as one of the (olon#)s chief prides$ ;It)s a !reat responsi ilit#&; Dr$ Sen had remar*ed& ;trainin! these #oun! minds ftr the future$ 0ortunatel#& human ein!s are e1traordinaril# resilient+ it ta*es a prett# ad up rin!in! to do permanent dama!e$ Even if our aims are mista*en& our little victims "ill pro a l# !et over it$ And as #oti)ve seen& the# appear to e perfectl# happ#$; He paused for a moment&

then !lanced mischievousl# up at the to"erin! fi!ure of his passen!er$ The Inspector "as completel# clothed in some reflectin! silver# cloth so that not an inch of his od# "as e1posed to the fierce sunli!ht$ :ehind the dar* !lasses& Dr$ Sen "as a"are of the !reat e#es "atchin! him emotionlessl#9or "ith emotions "hich he could never understand$ ;Our pro lem in rin!in! up these children must& I ima!ine& e ver# similar to #ours "hen confronted "ith the human race$ 8ouldn)t #ou a!ree<; ;In some "a#s&; admitted the Overlord !ravel#$ ;In others& perhaps a etter analo!# can e found in the histor# of #our colonial po"ers$ The Roman and :ritish Empires& for that 3B4 reason& have al"a#s een of considera le interest to us$ The case of India is particularl# instructive$ The main difference et"een us and the :ritish in India "as that the# had no real motives for !oin! there9no conscious o -ectives& that is& e1cept such trivial and temporar# ones as trade or hostilCt# to other European po"ers$ The# found themselves possessors of an Empire efore the# *ne" "hat to do "ith it& and "ere never reall# happ# until the# had !ot rid of it a!ain$; ;And "ill #ou&; as*ed Dr$ Sen& ,uite una le to resist the opportunit#& ;!et rid of #our empire "hen the time arises<; ;8ithout the sli!htest hesitation&; replied the Inspector$ Dr$ Sen did not press the point$ The forthri!htness of the repl# "as not alto!ether flatterin!+ moreover& the# had no" arrived at the Academ#& "here the assem led peda!o!ues "ere "aitin! to sharpen their "its on a real& live Overlord$ ;As our distin!uished collea!ue "ill have told #ou&; said Professor (hance& Dean of the >niversit# of Ne" Athens& ;our main purpose is to *eep the minds of our people alert& and to ena le them to reali'e all their potentialities$ :e#ond this island;9his !esture indicated& and re-ected& the rest of the !lo e9;I fear that the human race has lost its initiative$ It has peace& it has plent#9 ut it has no hori'ons$; ;%et here& of course$$ $ <; inter-ected the Overlord landl#$ Professor (hance& "ho lac*ed a sense of humour and "as va!uel# a"are of the fact& !lanced suspiciousl# at his visitor$ ;Here&; he continued& ;"e do not suffer from the ancient o session that leisure is "ic*ed$ :ut "e do not consider that it is enou!h to e passive receptors of entertainment$ Ever# od# on this island has one am ition& "hich ma# e summed up ver# simpl#$ It is todo somethin!& ho"ever small it ma# e& etter than an#one else$ Of course& it)s an ideal "e don)t all achieve$ :ut in this modern "orld the !reat thin! isto have an ideal$ Achievin! it is considera l# less important$; The Inspector did not seem inclined to comment$ He had discarded his protective clothin!& ut still "ore dar* !lasses even in the su dued li!ht of the (ommon Room$ The Dean "ondered if the# "ere ph#siolo!icall# necessar#& or "hether the# "ere merel# camoufla!e$ (ertainl# the# made ,uite impossi le the alread# difficult tas* of readin! the Overlord)s thou!hts$ He did not& ho"ever& seem to o -ect to the some9 35M "hat challen!in! statements that had een thro"n at him& or the criticisms of his race)s polic# "ith re!ard to Earth "hich the# implied$ The Dean "as a out to press the attac* "hen Professor Sperlin!& Head of the Science Department& decided to ma*e it a three9cornered fi!ht$ ;As #ou dou tless *no"& sir& one of the !reat pro lems of our culture has een the dichotom# et"een art and science$ I)d ver# much li*e to *no" #our vie"s on the matter$ Do #ou su scri e to the vie" that all artists are a normal< That their "or*9or at an# rate the impulse ehind it9is the result of some deep9 seated ps#cholo!ical dissatisfaction<; Professor (hance cleared his throat purposefull#& ut the

Inspector forestalled him$ ;I)ve een told that all men are artists to a certain e1tent& so that ever#one is capa le of creatin! somethin!& if onl# on a rudimentar# level$ At #our schools #esterda#& for e1ample& I noticed the emphasis placed on self9e1pression in dra"in!& paintin! and modellin!$CThe impulse seemed ,uite universal& even amon! those clearl# destined to e specialists in science$ So if all artists are a normal& and all men are artists& "e have an interestin! s#llo!ism$$ $ $; Ever#one "aited for him to complete it$ :ut "hen it suited their purpose the Overlords could e impecca l# tactful$ The Inspector came throu!h the s#mphon# concert "ith fl#in! colours& "hich "as a !ood deal more than could e said for man# human mem ers of the audience$ The onl# concession to popular taste ad een Stravins*#)s ;S#mphon# of Psalms;+ the rest of the pro!ramme "as a!!ressivel# modernistic$ 8hatever one)s vie"s on its merits& the performance "as super & for the (olon#)s oast that it possessed some of the finest musicians in the "orld "as no idle one$ There had een much "ran!lin! amon! the various rival composers for the honour of ein! included in the pro!ramme& thou!h a fe" c#nics "ondered if it "ould e an honour at all$ 0or all that an#one *ne" to the contrar#& the Overlords mi!ht e tone deaf$ It "as o served& ho"ever& that after the concert Thanthalteresco sou!ht out the three composers "ho had een present& and complimented them all on "hat he called their ;!reat 353 in!enuit#;$ This caused them to retire "ith pleased ut va!uel# affled e1pressions$ It "as not until the third da# that ?eor!e ?re!!son had a chance of meetin! the Inspector$ The theatre had arran!ed a *ind of mi1ed !rill rather than a sin!le dish9t"o one9act pla#s& a s*etch # a "orld9famous impersonator& and a allet se,uence$ Once a!ain all these items "ere super l# e1ecuted and one critic)s predicnon9;No" at least "e)ll discover if the Overlords can #a"n;9"as falsified$ Indeed& the Inspector lau!hed several times& and in the correct places$ And #et9no9one could e sure$ He mi!ht himself e puttin! on a super act& follo"in! the performance # lo!ic alone and "ith his o"n stran!e emotions completel# untouched& as an anthropolo!ist mi!ht ta*e part in some primitive rite$ The fact that he uttered the appropriate sounds& and made the e1pected responses& reall# proved nothin! at all$ Thou!h ?eor!e had een determined to have a tal* "ith the Inspector& he failed utterl#$ After the performance the# e1chan!ed a fe" "ords of introduction& then the visitor "as s"ept a"a#$ It "as completel# impossi le to isolate him from his entoura!e& and ?eor!e "ent home in a state of e1treme frustration$ He "as # no means certain "hat he "ished to sa# even if he had had the chance& ut someho"& he felt sure& he could have turned the conversation round to /eff$ And no" the opportunit# had !one$ His ad temper lasted t"o da#s$ The Inspector)s fl#er had departed& amid man# protestations of mutual re!ard& efore the se,uel emer!ed$ No9one had thou!ht of ,uestionin! /eff& and the o# must have een thin*in! it over for a lon! time efore he approached ?eor!e$ ;Dadd#&; he said& -ust prior to edtime$ ;%ou *no" the Overlord "ho came to see us<; ;%es&; replied ?eor!e !riml#$ ;8ell& he came to our school& and I heard him tal* to some of the teachers$ I didn)t reall# understand "hat he said9 ut I thin* I reco!ni'ed his voice$ That)s "ho told me to run "hen the i! "ave came$; ;%ou are ,uite sure<; /eff hesitated for a moment$ ;Not ,uite9 ut if it "asn)t him& it "as another Overlord$ I "ondered if I ou!ht to than* him$ :ut he)s !one no"& hasn)t he<; 35A ;%es&; said ?eor!e$ ;I)m afraid he has$ Still& perhaps "e)ll have another chance$ No" !o to ed li*e a !ood o# and don)t "orr# a out it an# more$;

8hen /eff "as safel# out of the "a#& and /enn# had een attended to& /ean came ac* and sat on the ru! eside ?eor!e)s chair& leanin! a!ainst his le!s$ It "as a ha it that struc* him as anno#in!l# sentimental& ut not "orth creatin! a fuss a out$ He merel# made his *nees as no l# as possi le$ ;8hat do #ou thin* a out it no"<; as*ed /ean in a tired& flat voice$ ;Do #ou elieve it reall# happened<; ;It happened&; ?eor!e replied& ; ut perhaps "e)re foolish to "orr#$ After all& most parents "ould e !rateful9and of course& I am !rateful$ The e1planation ma# e perfectl# simple$ 8e *no" that the Overlords have !ot interested in the (olon#& so the#)ve undou tedl# een o servin! it "ith their instruments9despite that promise the# made$ Suppose one "as -ust pro"lin! round "ith that vie"in! !ad!et of theirs& and sa" the "ave comin!$ It "ould e natural enou!h to "arn an#one "ho "as in dan!er$; ;:ut he *ne" /eff)s name& don)t for!et that$ No& "e)re ein! "atched$ There)s somethin! peculiar a out us& somethin! that attracts their attention$ I)ve felt it ever since Rupert)s part#$ It)s funn# ho" that chan!ed oth our lives$; ?eor!e loo*ed do"n at her "ith s#mpath#& ut nothin! more$ It "as stran!e ho" much one could alter in so short a time$ He "as fond of her+ she had orne his children and "as part of his life$ :ut of the love "hich a not9clearl#9remem ered person named ?eor!e ?re!!son had once *no"n to"ards a fadin! dream called /ean 7orrel& ho" much remained< His love "as divided no" et"een /eff and /ennifer on the one hand9and (arolle on the other$ He did not elieve that /ean *ne" a out (arolle& and he intended to tell her efore an#one else did$ :ut someho" he had never !ot round to it$ ;Ver# "ell9/eff is ein! "atched9protected& in fact$ Don)t #ou thin* that should ma*e us proud< Perhaps the Overlords have planned a !reat future for him$ I "onder "hat it can e<; He "as tal*in! to reassure /ean& he *ne"$ He "as not !reatl# distur ed himselfC onl# intri!ued and affled$ And ,uite suddenl# another thou!ht struc* him& somethin! that 35B should have occurred to him efore$ His e#es turned autonaticall# to"ards the nurser#$ ;I "onder if it)s onl# /eff the#)re after&; he said$ In due course the Inspector presented his report$ The Islanders "ould have !iven much to see it$ All the statistics md records "ent into the insatia le memories of the !reat omputers "hich "ere some& ut not all& of the unseen po"ers hehind 2arellen$ Even efore these impersonal electric minds had arrived at their conclusions& ho"ever& the Inspector had !iven his o"n recommendations$ E1pressed in the thou!hts and lan!ua!e of the human race& the# "ould have run as follo"s+ )8e need ta*e no action re!ardin! the (olon#$ It is an interestin! e1periment& ut cannot in an# "a# affect the future$ Its artistic endeavours are no concern of ours& and there is no evidence that an# scientific research is pro!ressin! alon! dan!erous channels$ ;As planned& I "as a le to see the school records of Su -ect Gero& "ithout arousin! curiosit#$ The relevant statistics are attached& and it "ill e seen that there are still no si!ns of an# unusual development$ %et& as "e *no"& :rea*throu!h seldom !ives much prior "arnin!$ ;I also met the Su -ect)s father& and !athered the impression that he "ished to spea* to me$ 0ortunatel# I "as a le to avoid this$ There is no dou t that he suspects somethin!& thou!h of course he can never !uess the truth nor affect the outcome in an# "a#$ ;I !ro" more and more sorr# for these people$; ?eor!e ?re!!son "ould have a!reed "ith the Inspector)s verdict that there "as nothin! unusual a out /eff$ There "as -ust that one afflin! incident& as startlin! as a sin!le clap of thunder$ on a lon!& calm da#$ And after that9nothin!$ /eff ad all the ener!# and in,uisitiveness of an# other seven9#ear9old$ He "as intelli!ent9"hen he othered to e

9 ut "as in no dan!er of ecomin! a !enius$ Sometimes& /ean thou!ht a little "earil#& he filled to perfection the classic recipe for a small o#+ ;a noise surrounded # dirt;$ Not that it "as ver# eas# to e certain a out the dirt& "hich had to accumulate 355 for a considera le time efore it sho"ed a!ainst /eff)s normal sun urn$ :# turns he could e affectionate or morose& reserved or e ullient$ He sho"ed no preference for one parent rather than the other& and the arrival of his little sister had not produced an# si!ns of -ealous#$ His medical card "as spotless. he had never had a da#)s illness in his life$ :ut in these times& and in such a climate& there "as nothin! unusual a out this$ >nli*e some o#s& /eff did not !ro" ,uic*l# ored # his father)s compan# and desert him "henever possi le for assodates of his o"n a!e$ It "as o vious that he shared ?eor!e)s artistic talents& and almost as soon as he "as a le to "al* had ecome a re!ular ac*9sta!e visitor to the (olon#)s theatre& Indeed& the theatre had adopted him as an unofficial mascot and he "as no" hi!hl# s*illed at presentin! ou,uets to visitin! cele rities of sta!e and screen$ %es& /eff "as a perfectl# ordinar# o#$ So ?eor!e reassured himself as the# "ent for "al*s or rides to!ether over the Island)s rather restricted terrain$ The# "ould tal* as sons and fathers had done since the e!innin! of time9e1cept that in this a!e there "as so much more to tal* a out$ Thou!h /eff never left the Island& he could see all that he "ished of the surroundin! "orld throu!h the u i,uitous e#e of the television screen$ He felt& li*e all the (olonists& a sli!ht disdain for the rest of man*ind$ The# "ere the elite& the van!uard of pro!ress$ The# "ould ta*e 7an*ind to the hei!hts that the Overlords had reached9and perhaps e#ond$ Not tomorro"& certainl#& ut otie da#$ The# never !uessed that that da# "ould e all too soon$

3@ TC dreams e!an si1 "ee*s later$ In the dar*ness of the su 9tropical ni!ht& ?eor!e ?re!!son s"am slo"l# up"ards to"ards consciousness$ He did not *no" "hat had a"a*ened him& and for a moment he la# in a pu''led stupor$ Then he reali'ed that he "as alone$ /ean had !ot up and !one silentl# into the nurser#$ She "as tal*in! ,uietl# to /eff& too ,uietl# for him to hear "hat she "as sa#in!$ 356 ?eor!e heaved himself out of ed and "ent to -oin her$ The Poppet had made such nocturnal e1cursions common enou!h& ut then there had een no ,uestion of his remainin! asleep throu!h the uproar$ This "as somethin! ,uite different and he "ondered "hat had distur ed /ean$ The onl# li!ht in the nurser# came from the fluoro9paint patterns on the "alls$ :# their dim !lo"& ?eor!e could see /ean sittin! eside /eff)s ed$ She turned as he came in& and "hispered& ;Don)t distur the Poppet$; ;8hat)s the matter<; ;I *ne" that /eff "anted me& and that "o*e me up$; The ver# matter9of9fact simplicit# of that statement !ave ?eor!e a feelin! of sic* apprehension$ ;I *ne" that /eff "anted me$; Ho" did #ou *no"< he "ondered$ :ut all$ he as*ed "as+ ;Has he een havin! ni!htmares<; ;I)m not sure&; said /ean& ;he seems all ri!ht no"$ :ut he "as fri!htened "hen I came in$; ;I "asn)t fri!htened& 7umm#&; came a small& indi!nant voice$ ;:ut it "as such a stran!e place$; ;8hat "as<; as*ed ?eor!e$ ;Tell me all a out it$; ;There "ere mountains&; said /eff dreamil#$ ;The# "ere ever so hi!h and there "as no sno" on them& li*e on all the mountains I)ve ever seen$ Some of them "ere urnin!$; ;%ou mean9volcanoes <; ;Not reall#$ The# "ere urnin! all over& "ith funn# lue flames$ And "hile I "as "atchin!& the sun came up$; ;?o on9"h# have #ou stopped<; /eff turned pu''led e#es to"ards his father$

;That)s the other thin! I don)t understand& Dadd#$ It came up so ,uic*l#& and it "as much too i!$ And9it "asn)t the ri!ht colour$ It "as such a prett# lue$; There "as a lon!& heart9free'in! silence$ Then ?eor!e said ,uietl#& ;Is that all<; ;%es$ I e!an to feel *ind of lonel#& and that)s "hen 7umm# came and "o*e me up$; ?eor!e tousled his son)s untid# hair "ith one hand& "hile ti!htenin! his dressin!9!o"n around him "ith the other$ He felt suddenl# ver# cold and ver# small$ :ut there "as no hint of this in his voice "hen he spo*e to /eff$ ;It)s -ust a sill# dream+ #ou)ve eaten too much for supper$ 0or!et all a out it and !o ac* to sleep& there)s a !ood o#$; 35K ;I "ill& Dadd#&; /eff replied$ He paused for a moment& then added thou!htfull#& ;I thin* I)ll tr# and !o there a!ain$; ;A lue sun<; said 2arellen& not man# hours later$ ;That must have made identification fairl# eas#$; ;%es&; Rashavera* ans"ered$ ;It is undou tedl# Aiphanidon A$ The Sulphur 7ountains confirm the fact$ And it)s interestin! to notice the distortion of the time scale$ The planet rotates fairl# slo"l#& so he must have o served man# hours in a fe" minutes$; ;That)s all #ou can discover<; ;%es& "ithout ,uestionin! the child directl#$; ;8e dare not do that$ Events must ta*e their natural course "ithout our interference$ 8hen his parents approach us9 then& perhaps& "e can ,uestion him$; ;The# ma# never come to us$ And "hen the# do& it ma# e too late$; ;That& I am afraid& cannot e helped$ 8e should never for!et this fact9that in these matters our curiosit# is of no importance$ It is no more important& even& than the happiness of man*ind$; His hand reached out to rea* the connection$ ;(ontinue the surveillance& of course& and report all results to me$ :ut do not interfere in an# "a#$; %et "hen he "as a"a*e& /eff still seemed -ust the same$ That at least& thou!ht ?eor!e& "as somethin! for "hich the# could e than*ful$ :ut the dread "as !ro"in! in his heart$ To /effC it "as onl# a !ame+ it had not #et e!un to fri!hten him$ A dream "as merel# a dream& no matter ho" stran!e it mi!ht e$ He "as no lon!er lonel# in the "orlds that sleep opened up to him$ Onl# on that first ni!ht had his mind called out to /ean across "hatever un*no"n !ulfs had sundered them$ No" he "ent alone and fearless into the universe that "as openin! up efore him$ In the mornin!s the# "ould ,uestion him& and he "ould tell "hat he could remem er$ Sometimes his "ords stum led and failed as he tried to descri e scenes "hich "ere clearl# not onl# e#ond all his e1perience& ut e#ond the ima!ination of 7an$ The# "ould prompt him "ith ne" "ords& sho" him pictures 35D and colours to refresh his memor#& then uild up "hat pattern the# could from his replies$ Often the# could ma*e nothin! of the result& thou!h it seemed that in /eft)s o"n mind his dream "orlds "ere perfectl# plain and sharp$ He "as simpl# una le to communicate them to his parents$ %et some "ere clear enou!h9 Space9no planet& no surroundin! landscape& no "orld underfoot$ Onl# the stars in the velvet ni!ht& and han!in! a!ainst them a !reat red sun that "as eatin! li*e a heart$ Hu!e and tenuous at one moment& it "ould slo"l# shrin*& ri!htenin! at the same time as if ne" fuel "as ein! fed to its internal fires$ It "ould clim the spectrum and hover at the

ed!e of #ello"& and the c#cle "ould reverse itself& the& star "ould e1pand and cool& ecomin! once more a ra!!ed& flame9red cloud$$$$ E;T#pical pulsatin! varia le&; said Rashavera* ea!erl#$ ;Seen& too& under tremendous time9acceleration$ I can)t identif# it precisel#& ut the nearest star that fits the description is Rhamsandron 4$ Or it ma# e Pharanidon 3A$; ;8hichever it is&; replied 2arellen& ;he)s !ettin! further a"a# from home$; ;7uch further&; said Rashavera*$$$$F It mi!ht have een Earth$ A "hite sun hun! in a lue s*# flec*ed "ith clouds& "hich "ere racin! efore a storm$ A ill sloped !entl# do"n to an ocean torn into spra# # the ravenin! "ind$ %et nothin! moved+ the scene "as fro'en as if !limpsed in a flash of li!htnin!$ And far& far a"a# on the hori'on "as somethin! that "as not of Earth9a line of mist# columns& taperin! sli!htl# as the# soared out of the sea and lost themselves amon! the clouds$ The# "ere spaced "ith perfect precision alon! the rim of the planet9too hu!e to e artificial& #et too re!ular to e natural$ E;Sideneus 5 and the Pillars of the Da"n&; said Rashavera*& and there "as a"e in his voice$ ;He has reached the centre of the >niverse$; ;And he has arel# e!un his -ourne#&; ans"ered 2arellen$F 35@ The planet "as a solutel# flat$ Its enormous !ravit# had lon! a!o crushed into one uniform level the mountains of its fier# #outh9mountains "hose mi!htiest pea*s had never e1ceeded a fe" metres in hei!ht$ %et there "as life here& for the surface "as covered "ith a m#riad !eometrical patterns that cra"led and moved and chan!ed their colour$ It "as a "orld of t"o dimensions& inha ited # ein!s C"ho could e no more than a fraction of a centimetre in thic*ness$ And in its s*# "as such a sun as no opium eater could have ima!ined in his "ildest dreams$ Too hot to e "hite& it "as a searin! !host at the frontiers of the ultra9violet& urnin! its planets "ith radiations "hich "ould e instantl# lethal to all earthl# forms of life$ 0or millions of *ilometres around e1tended !reat veils of !as and dust& fluorescin! in countless colours as the lasts of ultra9violet tore throu!h them$ It "as a star a!ainst "hich Earth)s pale sun "ould have een as fee le as a !lo"9"orm at noon$ E;He1anera1 A& and no"here else in the *no"n universe&; said Rashavera*$ ;Onl# a handful of our ships have ever reached it9and the# have never ris*ed an# landin!s& for "ho "ould have thou!ht that life could e1ist on such planets<; ;It seems&; said 2arellen& ;that #ou scientists have not een as thorou!h as #ou had elieved$ If those9patterns$99are intelli!ent& the pro lem of communication "ill e interestin!$ I "onder if the# have an# *no"led!e of the third dimension<;F It "as a "orld that could never *no" the meanin! of ni!ht and da#& of #ears or seasons$ Si1 coloured suns shared its s*#& so that there came onl# a chan!e of li!ht& never dar*ness$ Throu!h the clash and tu! of conflictin! !ravitational fleldsC the planet travelled alon! the loops and curves of its inconceiva l# comple1 or it& never retracin! the same path$ EverF moment "as uni,ue+ the confi!uration "hich the si1 suns no" held in the heavens "ould not repeat itself this side of eternit#$ And even here there "as life$ Thou!h the planet mi!ht e scorched # the central fires in one a!e& and fro'en in the outer reaches in another& it "as #et the home of intelli!ence$ The !reat& man#9faceted cr#stals stood !rouped in intricate !eometrical patterns& motionless in the eras of cold& !ro"in! slo"l# alon! the veins of mineral "hen the "orld "as "arm 354 a!ain$ No matter if it too* a thousand #ears f r them to complete a thou!ht$ The universe "as still #oun!& and Time stretched endlessl# efore them9 E;I have searched all our records&; said Rashavera*$ ;8e have no *no"led!e of such a "orld& or such a com ination of suns$ If it e1isted inside our universe& the astronomers "ould have detected it& even if it la# ehind the ran!e of our ships$; ;Then he has left the ?ala1#$; ;%es$ Surel# it cannot e much lon!er no"$;

;8ho *no"s< He is onl# dreamin!$ 8hen he a"a*es& he is still the same$ It is merel# the first phase$ 8e "ill *no" soon enou!h "hen the chan!e e!ins$;F )8e have met efore& 7r$ ?re!!son&; said the Overlord !ravel#$ ;7# name is Rashavera*$ No dou t #ou remem er$; ;%es&; said ?eor!e$ ;That part# of Rupert :o#ce)s$ I am not li*el# to for!et$ And I thou!ht "e should meet a!ain$; ;Tell me9"h# have #ou as*ed f r this intervie"<; ;I thin* #ou alread# *no"$; ;Pernaps+ ut it "ill help us oth if #ou tell me in #our o"n "ords$ It ma# surprise #ou a !ood deal& ut I also am tr#in! to understand& add in some "a#s m# i!norance is as !reat as #ours$; ?eor!e stared at the Overlord in astonishment$ l)his "as a thou!ht that had never occurred to him$ He had su consciousl# assumed that the Overlords possessed all *no"led!e and all po"er9 that the# understood& and "ere pro a l# responsi le f r& the thin!s that had een happenin! to /eff$ ;I !ather&; ?eor!e continued& ;that #ou have seen the reports I !ave to the Island ps#cholo!ist& so #ou *no" a out the dreams$; ;%es+ "e *no" a out them$; ;I never elieved that the# "ere simpl# the ima!inin!s of a child$ The# "ere so incredi le that9I *no" this sounds ridiculous9the# had to e ased on some realit#$; He loo*ed an1iousl# at Rashavera*& not *no"in! "hether to hope for confirmation or denial$ The Overlord said nothin!& ut merel# re!arded him "ith his !reat calm e#es$ The# "ere sittin! almost face to face& for the room9"hich had o viousl# een desi!ned for such intervie"s9"as on t"o levels& the 36M Overlord)s massive chair ein! a !ood metre lo"er than ?eor!e)s$ It "as a friendl# !esture& reassurin! to the men "ho as*ed for these meetin!s and "ho "ere seldom in an eas# frame of mind$ ;8e "ere "orried& ut not reall# alarmed at first$ /eff seemed perfectl# normal "hen he "o*e up& and his dreams didn)t appear to other him$ And then one ni!ht;9he hesitated and !lanced defensivel# at the Overlord$ ;I)ve never elieved in the supernatural+ I)m no scientist& ut I thin* there)s a rational e1planation for ever#thin!$; ;There is&; said R$ashavera*$ ;I *no" "hat #ou sa"+ I "as "atchin!$; ;I al"a#s suspected it$ :ut 2arellen had promised that #ou)d never sp# on us "ith #our instruments$ 8h# have #ou ro*en that promise<; ;I have not ro*en it$ The Supervisor said that the human race "ould no lon!er e under surveillance$ That is a promise "e have *ept$ I "as "atchin! #our children& not #ou$; It "as several seconds efore ?eor!e understood the implications of Rashavera*)s "ords$ Then the colour drained slo"l# from his face$ ;%ou mean<$ $ $; he !asped$ His voice trailed a"a# and he had to e!in a!ain$ ;Then "hat in ?od)s name are m# children<; ;That&; said Rashavera* solemnl#& ;is "hat "e are tr#in! to discover$; /ennifer Anne ?re!!son& latel# *no"n as the Poppet& la# on her ac* "ith her e#es ti!htl# closed$ She had not opened them for a lon! time. she "ould never open them a!ain& for si!ht "as no" as superfluous to her as to the man#9sensed creatures of the li!htless ocean deeps$ She "as a"are of the "orld that surrounded her+ indeed& she "as a"are of much more than that$ One refle1 remained from her rief a #hood& # some unaccounta le tric* of development$ The rattle "hich had once deli!hted her sounded incessantl# no"& eatin! a comple1& ever9chan!in! rh#thm in her cot$ It "as that stran!e s#ncopadon "hich had amused /ean from her sleep and sent her fl#in! Into the nurser#$ :ut it "as not the sound alone that had started her screamin! for ?eor!e$ It "as the si!ht of that commonplace& ri!htl# coloured 363

rattle eatin! steadil# in air# isolation half a metre a"a# from an# support& "hile /ennifer Anne& her chu # fin!ers clasped ti!htl# to!ether& la# "ith a smile of calm contentment on her face$ She had started later& ut she "as pro!ressin! s"iftl#$ Soon she "ould pass her rother& for she had so much less to unlearn$ ;%ou "ere "ise&; said Rashavera*& ;not to touch her to#$ I do not elieve #ou could have moved it$ :ut if #ou had succeeded& she mi!ht have een anno#ed$ And then& I do not *no" "hat "ould have happened$; ;Do #ou mean&; said ?eor!e dull#& ;that #ou can do nothin!<; ;I "ill not deceive #ou$ 8e can stud# and o serve& as "e are doin! alread#$ :ut "e cannot interfere& ecause "e cannot understand$; ;Then "hat are "e to do< And "h# has this thin! happened to us<; ;It had to happen to someone$ There is nothin! e1ceptional a out #ou& an# more than there is a out the first neutron that starts the chain reaction in an atomic om $ It simpl# happens to e the first$ An# other neutron "ould have served9-ust as /effre# mi!ht have een an# od# in the "orld$ 8e call it Total :rea*throu!h$ There is no need for an# secrec# no"& and I am ver# !lad$ 8e have een "aitin! for this to happen& ever since "e caine to Earth$ There "as no "a# of tellin! "hen and "here it "ould start9until& # pure chance& "e met at Rupert :o#ce)s part#$ TheLi I *ne" that& almost certainl#& #our "ife)s children "ould e the first$; ;:ut9"e "eren)t married then$ 8e hadn)t even9; ;%es& I *no"$ :ut 7iss 7orrel)s mind "as the channel that& if onl# for a moment& let throu!h *no"led!e "hich no9one alive at that time could possess$ It could onl# come from another mind& intimatel# lin*ed to hers$ The fact that it "as a mind not #et orn "as of no conse,uence& for Time is ver# much stran!er than #ou thin*$; ;I e!in to understand$ /eff *no"s these thin!s9he can see other "or*is& and can tell "here #ou come from$ And someho" /ean cau!ht his thou!hts& even efore he "as orn$; ;There is far more to it than that9 ut I do not 3niC!ine #ou "ill ever !et much closer to the truth$ All throu!h histor# 36A there have een people "ith ine1plica le po"ers "hich seemed to transcend space and time$ The# never understood them+ almost "ithout e1ception& their attempted e1planations "ere ru ish$ I should *no"9I have read enou!h of them= ;:ut there is one analo!# "hich is9"ell& su!!estive and helpful$ It occurs over and over a!ain in #our literature$ Ima!ine that ever# man)s mind is an island& surrounded # ocean$ Each seems isolated& #et in realit# all are lin*ed # the edroc* from "hich the# sprin!$ If the oceans "ere to vanish& that "ould e the end of the islands$ The# "ould all e part of one continent& ut their individualit# "ould have !one$ ;Telepath#& as #ou have called it& is somethin! li*e this$ In suita le circumstances minds can mer!e and share each other)s contents& and carr# ac* memories of the e1perience "hen the# are isolated once more$ In its hi!hest form& this po"er is not su -ect to the usual limitations of time and space$ That is "h# /ean could tap the *no"led!e of her un orn son$; There "as a lon! silence "hile ?eor!e "restled "ith these astoundin! thou!hts$ The pattern "as e!innin! to ta*e shape$ It "as an un elieva le pattern& ut it had its o"n inherent lo!ic$ And it e1plained9if the "ord could e used fur an#thin! so incomprehensi le9all that had happened since that evenin! at Rupert :o#ce)s home$ It also accounted& he reali'ed no"& for /ean)s o"n curiosit# a out the supernormal$ ;8hat has started this thin!<; as*ed ?eor!e$ ;And "here is it !oin! to lead<; ;That is somethin! "e cannot ans"er$ :ut there are man# races in the universe& and some of them discovered these po"ers lon! efore #our species9or mine9appeared on the scene$ The# have een "aitin! for #ou to -oin them& and no" the time has come$; ;Then "here do #ou come into the picture<; ;Pro a l#& li*e most men& #ou have al"a#s re!arded us as #our masters$ That is not true$ 8e have never een more than !uardians& doin! a dut# imposed upon us from9a ove$

That dut# is hard to define+ perhaps #ou can est thin* of us as mid"ives attendin! a difficult irth$ 8e are helpin! to rin! somethin! ne" and "onderful into the "orld$; Rashavera* hesitated+ for a moment it almost seemed as if he "as at a loss for "ords$ ;%es& "c are the mid"ives$ :ut "e ourselves are arren$; In that instant& ?eor!e *ne" he "as in the presence of a 36B tra!ed# transcendin! his o"n$ It "as incredi le9and #et someho" -ust$ Despite all their po"ers and their rilliance& the Overlords "ere trapped in some evolutionar# cul9de9sac$ Here "as a !reat and no le race& in almost ever# "a# superior to man*ind. #et it had no future& and it "as a"are of it$ In the face of this& ?eor!e)s o"n pro lems seemed suddenl# trivial$ ;No" I *no"&; he said& ;"h# #ou have een "atchin! /effre#$ He "as the !uinea pi! in this e1periment$; ;E1actl#9thou!h the e1periment "as e#ond our control$ 8e did not start it9"e "ere merel# tr#in! to o serve$ 8e did not interfere e1cept "hen "e had to$; %es& thou!ht ?eor!e9the tidal "ave$ It "ould never do to let a valua le specimen e destro#ed$ Then he felt ashamed of himself+ such itterness "as un"orth#$ ;I)ve onl# one more ,uestion&; he said$ ;8hat shall "e do a out our children<; ;En-o# them "hile #ou ma#&; ans"ered Rashavera* !entl#$ ;The# "ill not e #ours for lon!$; It "as advice that mi!ht have een !iven to an# parent in an# a!e+ ut no" it contained a threat and a terror it had never held efore$

34 TIiaR/C came the time "hen the "orld of /effre#)s dreams "as no lon!er sharpl# divided from his ever#da# e1istence$ He no lon!er "ent to school& and for /ean and ?eor!e also the routine of life "as completel# ro*en& as it "as soon to rea* do"n throu!hout the "orld$ The# avoided all their friends& as if alread# conscious that soon no9one "ould have s#mpath# to spare for them$ Sometimes& in the ,uietness of the ni!ht "hen there "ere fe" people a out& the# "ould !o for lon! "al*s to!ether$ The# "ere closer no" than the# had een since the first da#s of their marria!e& united a!ain in the face of the still un*no"n tra!ed# that soon "ould over"helm them$ At first it had !iven them a feelin! of !uilt to leave the sleepin! children alone in the house& ut no" the# reali'ed that /eff and /enn# could loo* after themselves in "a#s$ e#ond the *no"led!e of their parents$ And& of course& the Overlords 365 "ould e "atchin! too$ That thou!ht "as reassurin!+ the# felt that the# "ere not alone "ith their pro lem& ut that "ise and s#mpathetic e#es shared their vi!il$ /ennifer slept+ there "as no other "ord to descri e the state she had entered$ To all out"ard appearances& she "as still a a #& ut round her no" "as a sense of latent po"er so terrif#in! that /ean could no lon!er ear to enter the nurser#$ There "as no need to do so$ The entit# that had een /ennifer Anne ?re!!son "as not #et full# developed& ut even in its sleepin! chr#salis state it alread# had enou!h control of its environment to ta*e care of all its needs$ /ean had onl# once attempted to feed it& "ithout success$ It chose to ta*e nourishment in its o"n time& and in its o"n manner$ 0or food vanished from the free'er in a slo"& stead# stream+ #et /ennifer Anne never moved from her cot$ The rattlin! had ceased& and the discarded to# la# on the nurser# floor "here no9one dared to touch it& lest /ennifer Anne mi!ht need it a!ain$ Sometimes she caused the furniture to stir itself into peculiar patterns& and it seemed to ?eor!e that the fluoro9paint on the "all "as !lo"in! more rilliantl# than it had ever done efore$ She !ave no trou le. she "as e#ond their assistance& and e#ond their love$ It could not last much lon!er& and in the time that "as left the# clun! desperatel# to /eff$

He "as chan!in! too& ut he still *ne" them$ The o# "hose !ro"th the# had "atched from the formless mists of a #hood "as losin! his personalit#& dissolvin! hour # hour efore their ver# e#es$ %et sometimes he still spo*e to them as he had al"a#s done& and tal*ed of his to#s and friends as if unconscious of "hat la# ahead$ :ut much of the time he did not see them& or sho" an# a"areness of their presence$ He no lon!er slept& as the# "ere forced to do& despite their over"helmin! need to "aste as fe" as possi le of these last remainin! hours$ >nli*e /enn#& he seemed to possess no a normal po"ers over ph#sical o -ects9perhaps ecause& ein! alread# partl# !ro"n& he had less need for them$ His stran!eness "as entirel# in his mental life& of "hich the dreams "ere no" onl# a small part$ He "ould sta# ,uite still for hours on end& his e#es ti!htl# closed& as if listenin! to sounds "hich no9one else could hear$ Into his mind "as floodin! *no"led!e9from some"here or some"hen9"hich soon "ould over"helm and 366 destro# the half9formed creature "ho had een /effre# An!us ?re!!son$ And 0e# "ould sit "atchin!& loo*in! up at him "ith tra!ic& pu''led e#es& "onderin! "here her master had !one and "hen he "ould return to her$ /eff and /enn# had een the first in all the "orld& ut soon the# "ere no lon!er alone$ Li*e an epidemic spreadin! s"iftl# from land to land& the metamorphosis infected the entire human race$ It touched practicall# no9one a ove the a!e of ten& and practicall# no9one elo" that a!e escaped$ It "as the end of civili'ation& the end of all that men had striven for since the e!innin! of time$ In the space of a fe" da#s& humanit# had lost its future& for the heart of an# race is destro#ed& and its "ill to survive is utterl# ro*en& "hen its children are ta*en from it$ There "as no panic& as there "ould have een a centur# efore$ The "orld "as num ed& the !reat cities stilled and silent$ Onl# the vital industries continued to function$ It "as as thou!h the planet "as in mournin!& lamentin! all that no" could never e$ And then& as he had done once efore in a no"9for!otten a!e& 2arellen spo*e for the last time to man*ind$

AM ;7# "or* here Is nearl# ended&; said 2arellen)s voice from a million radios$ ;At last& after a hundred #ears& I can tell #ou "hat it "as$ ;There are man# thin!s "e have had to hide from #ou& as "e hid ourselves for half our sta# on Earth$ Some of #ou& I *no"& thou!ht that concealment unnecessar#$ %ou are accustomed to our presence+ #ou can no lon!er ima!ine ho" #our ancestors "ould have reacted to us$ :ut at least #ou can understand the purpose of our concealment& and *no" that "e had a reason for "hat "e did$ ;The supreme secret "e *ept from #ou "as our purpose in comin! to Earth9that purpose a out "hich #ou have speculated so endlessl#$ 8e could not tell #ou until no"& for the secret "as not ours to reveal$ 36K ;A centur# a!o "e came to #our "orld and saved #ou from self9destruction$ I do not elieve that an#one "ould den# that fact9 ut "hat that selfCCdestruction "as& #ou never !uessed$ ;:ecause "e anned nuclear "eapons and all the other deadl# to#s #ou "ere accumulatin! in #our armouries& the dan!er of ph#sical annihilation "as removed$ %ou thou!ht that "as the onl# dan!er$ 8e "anted #ou to elieve that& ut it "as never true$ The !reatest dan!er that confronted #ou "as of a different character alto!ether9and it did not concern #our race alone$ ;7an# "orlds have come to the crossroads of nuclear po"er& have avoided disaster& have !one on to uild peaceful and happ# civili'ations9and have then een utterl# destro#ed # forces of "hich the# *ne" nothin!$ In the t"entieth centur#& #ou first e!an to tamper seriousl# "ith those forces$ That "as "h# it ecame necessar# to act$

;All throu!h that centur#& the human race "as dra"in! slo"l# nearer to the a #ss9never even suspectin! its e1istence$ Across that a #ss& there is onl# one rid!e$ 0e" races& unaided& have ever found it$ Some have turned ac* "hile there "as still time& avoidin! oth the dan!er and the achievement$ Their "orlds have ecome El#sian islands of effortless content& pla#in! no further part in the stor# of the universe$ That "ould never have een #our fate9or #our fortune$ %our race "as too vital for that$ It "ould have plun!ed into ruin and ta*en others "ith it& for #ou "ould never have found the rid!e$ ;I am afraid that almost all I have to sa# no" must e # means of such analo!ies$ %ou have no "ords& no conceptions& for man# of the thin!s I "ish to tell #ou9and our o"n *no"led!e of them is also sadl# imperfect$ ;To understand& #ou must !o ac* into the past and recover much that #our ancestors "ould have found familiar& ut "hich #ou have for!otten9"hich& in fact& "e deli eratel# helped #ou to for!et$ 0or all our so-ourn here has een ased on a vast deception& a concealment of truth "hich #ou "ere not read# to face$ ;In the centuries efore our comin!& #our scientists uncovered the secrets of the ph#sical "orld and led #ou from the ener!# of steam to the ener!# of the atom$ %ou had put superstition ehind #ou+ Science "as the onl# real reli!ion of man*ind$ It "as the !ift of the "estern minorit# to the remainder 36D of man*ind& and it had destro#ed all other faiths$ Those that still e1isted "hen "e came "ere alread# d#in!$ Science& it "as felt& could e1plain ever#thin!+ there "ere no forces "hich did not come "ithin its scope& no events for "hich it could not ultimatel# account$ The ori!in of the universe mi!ht e forever un*no"n& ut all that had happened after o e#ed the la"s of ph#sics$ ;%et #our m#stics& thou!h the# "ere lost in their o"n delusions& had seen part of the truth$ There are po"ers of the mind& and po"ers e#ond the mind& "hich #our science could never have rou!ht "ithin its frame"or* "ithout shatterin! it entirel#$ All do"n the a!es there have een countless reports of stran!e phenomena9polter!eists& telepath#& preco!nition9"hich #ou had named ut never e1plained$ At first Science i!nored them& even denied their e1istence& despite the testimon# of five thousand #ears$ :ut the# e1ist and if it isto e complete an# theor# of the universe must account for them$ ;Durin! the first half of the t"entieth centur#& a fe" of #our scientists e!an to investi!ate these matters$ The# did not *no" it& ut the# "ere tamperin! "ith the loc* of Pandora)s o1$ The forces the# mi!ht have unleashed transcended an# perils that the atom could have rou!ht$ 0or the ph#sicists could onl# have ruined the Earth+ the paraph#sicists could have spread havoc to the stars$ ;That could not e allo"ed$ I cannot e1plain the full nature of the threat #ou represented$ It "ould not have een a threat to us& and therefore "e do not comprehend it$ Let us sa# that #ou mi!ht have ecome a telepathic cancer& a mali!nant mentalit# "hich in its inevita le dissolution "ould have poisoned other and !reater minds$ ;And so "e came9"e "ere sent9to Earth$ 8e interrupted #our development on ever# cultural level& ut in particular "e chec*ed all serious "or* on paranormal phenomena$ I am "ell a"are of the fact that "e have also inhi ited& # the contrast et"een our civili'ations& all other forms of creative achievement as "ell$ :ut that "as a secondar# effect& and it is of no Importance$ ;No" I must tell #ou somethin! "hich #ou ma# find ver# surprisin!& perhaps almost incredi le$ All these potentialities& all these latent po"ers9"e do not possess them& nor do "e understand them$ Our intellects are far more po"erful than 36@ #ours& ut there is somethin! in #our minds that has al"a#s eluded us$ Ever since "e came to Earth "e have een stud#in! #ou. "e have learned a !reat deal& and "ill learn more& #et I dou t if "e shall discover all the truth$ ;Our races have much in common9that is "h# "e "ere chosen for this tas*$ :ut in other respects& "e represent the ends of t"o different evolutions$ Our minds have reached the end of their development$ So& in their present form& have #ours$ %et #ou can ma*e the -ump to the ne1t sta!e& and therein lies the difference et"een us$ Our potentialities are e1hausted& ut #ours are still untapped$ The# are lin*ed& in "a#s "e do not understand& "ith the po"ers I have mentioned9 the po"ers that are no" a"a*enin! on #our "orld$

;8e held the cloc* ac*& "e made #ou mar* time "hile those po"ers developed& until the# could come floodin! out into the channels that "ere ein! prepared for them$ 8hat "e did to improve #our planet& to raise #our standards of livin!& to rin! -ustice and peace9those thin!s "e should have done in an# event& once "e "ere forced to intervene in #our affairs$ :ut all that vast transformation diverted #ou from the truth& and therefore helped to serve our purpose$ ;8e are #our !uardians9no more$ Often #ou must have "ondered "hat position m# race held in the hierarch# of the universe$ As "e are a ove #ou& so there is somethin! a ove us& usin! us for its o"n purposes$ 8e have never discovered "hat it is& thou!h "e have een its tool for a!es and dare not diso e# it$ A!ain and a!ain "e have received our orders& have !one to some "orld in the earl# flo"er of its civili'ation& and have !uided it alon! the road that "e can never follo"9the road that #ou are travellin! no"$ ;A!ain and a!ain "e have studied the process "e have een sent to foster& hopin! that "e mi!ht learn to escape from our o"n limitations$ :ut "e have !limpsed onl# the va!ue outlines of the truth$ %ou called us the Overlords& not *no"in! the iron# of that title$ Let us sa# that a ove us is the Over9mind& usin! us as the potter uses his "heel$ ;And #our race is the cla# that is ein! shaped on that "heel$ ;8e elieve9it is onl# a theor#9that the Overmind Is tr#in! to !ro"& to e1tend its po"ers and its a"areness of the universe$ :# no" it must e the sum of man# races& and lon! a!o it left the t#rann# of matter ehind$ It is conscious of 364 intelli!ence& ever#"here$ 8hen it *ne" that #ou "ere almost read#& it sent us here to do its iddin!& to prepare #ou for the transformation that is no" at hand$ ;All the earlier chan!es #our race has *no"n too* countless a!es$ :ut this is a transformation of the mind& not of the od#$ :# the standards of evolution& it "ill e catacl#smic9instantaneous$ It has alread# e!un$ %ou must face this thct+ #ours is the last !eneration of Homo sapiens$ ;As to the nature of that chan!e& "e can tell #ou ver# little$ 8e do not *no" ho" it is produced9 "hat tri!!er impulse the Overmind emplo#s "hen it -ud!es that the time is ripe$ All "e have discovered is that it starts "ith a sin!le individual9 al"a#s a Cchild9and then spreads e1plosivel#& li*e the formation of cr#stals round the first nucleus in a saturated solution$ Adults "ill not e affected& for their minds are alread# set in an unaltera le mould$ ;In a fe" #ears& it "ill all e over& and the human race "ill have divided in t"ain$ There is no "a# ac*& and no future for the "orld #ou *no"$ All the hopes and dreams of #our race are ended no"$ %ou have !iven irth to #our successors& and it is #our tra!ed# that #ou "ill never understand them9"ill never even e a le to communicate "ith their minds$ Indeed& the# "ill not possess minds as #ou *no" them$ The# "ill e a sin!le entit#& as #ou #ourselves are the sums of #our m#riad cells$ %ou "ill not thin* them human& and #ou "ill e ri!ht$ ;I have told #ou these thin!s so that #ou "ill *no" "hat fCaces #ou$ In a fe" hours& the crisis "ill e upon us$ 7# tas* and m# dut# is to protect those I have een sent here to !uard$ Despite their "a*enin! po"ers& the# could e destro#ed # the multitudes around them9#es& even # their parents& "hen the# reali'e the truth$ I must ta*e them a"a# and isolate them& for their protection& and for #ours$ Tomorro" m# ships "ill e!in the evacuation$ I shall not lame #ou if #ou tr# to interfere& ut it "ill e useless$ ?reater po"ers than mine are "a*enin! no". I am onl# one of their instruments$ ;And then9"hat am I to do "ith #ou& the survivors& "hen #our purpose has een fufilled< It "ould e simplest& perhaps& and most merciful& to destro# #ou9as #ou #ourselves "ould destro# a mortall# "ounded pet #ou loved$ :ut this I cannot do$ %our future "ill e #our o"n to choose in the #ears that are left to #ou$ It is m# hope that humanit# "ill !o to its rest in peace& *no"in! that it has not lived in vain$ 3KM ;0or "hat #ou have rou!ht into the "orld ma# e utterl# alien& it ma# share none of #our desires or hopes& it ma# loo* upon #our !reatest achievements as childish to#s9#et it is somethin! "onderful& and #ou "ill have created it$ ;8hen our race is for!otten& part of #ours "ill still e1ist$ Do not& therefore& condemn us for "hat "e "ere compelled to do$ And remem er this9"e shall al"a#s env# #ou$;

A3 /EAN had "ept efore& ut she "as not "eepin! no"$ The island la# !olden in the heartless& unfeelin! sunli!ht as the ship came slo"l# into si!ht a ove the t"in pea*s of Sparta$ On that roc*# island& not lon! a!o& her son had escaped death # a miracle she no" understood all too "ell$ Sometimes she "ondered if it mi!ht not have een etter had the Overlords stood aside and left him to his fate$ Death "as somethin! she could face as she had faced it efore+ it "as in the natural order of thin!s$ :ut this "as stran!er than death9and more final$ >ntil this da#& men had died& #et the race had continued$ There "as no sound or movement from the children$ The# stood in scattered !roups alon! the sand& sho"in! no more interest in one another than in the homes the# "ere leavin! forever$ 7an# carried a ies "ho "ere too small to "al*9or "ho did not "ish to assert the po"ers that made "al*in! unnecessar#$ 0or surel#& thou!ht ?eor!e& if the# could move inanimate matter& the# could move their o"n odies$ 8h#& indeed& "ere the Overlord ships collectin! them at all< It "as of no importance$ The# "ere leavin!& and this "as the "a# the# chose to !o$ Then ?eor!e reali'ed "hat it "as that had een teasin! his memor#$ Some"here& lon! a!o& he had seen a centur#9old ne"sreel of such an e1odus$ It must have een at the e!innin! of the 0irst 8orld 8ar9or the Second$ There had een lon! lines of trains& cro"ded "ith clCildren& pullin! slo"l# out of the threatened cities& leavin! ehind the parents that so man# of them "ould never see a!ain$ 0e" "ere cr#in!+ some "ere pu''led& clutchin! nervousl# at their small elon!in!s& ut most seemed to e loo*in! for"ard "ith ea!erness to some !reat adventure$ And #et9the analo!# "as false$ Histor# never repeated 3K3 itself$ These "ho "ere leavin! no" "ere no lon!er children& "hatever the# mi!ht e$ And this time there "ould e no reunion$ The ship had !rounded alon! the "ater)s ed!e& sin*in! deepl# into the soft sand$ In perfect unison& the line of !reat curvin! panels slid up"ards and the !an!"a#s e1tended themselves to"ards the each li*e metal ton!ues$ The scattered& unuttera l# lonel# fi!ures e!an to conver!e& to !ather into a cro"d that moved precisel# as a human cro"d mi!ht do$ Lonel#< 8h# had he thou!ht that& "ondered ?eor!e$ 0or that "as the one thin! the# could never e a!ain$ Onl# individuals can e lonel#9onl# human ein!s$ 8hen the arriers "ere do"n at last& loneliness "ould vanish as personalit# faded$ The countless raindrops "ould have mer!ed into the ocean$ He felt /ean)s hand increase its pressure on his in a sudden spasm of emotion$ ;Loo*&; she "hispered$ ;I can see /eff$ :# that second door$; It "as a lon! "a# a"a#& and ver# hard to e certain$ There "as a mist efore his e#es "hich made it hard to see$ :ut it "as /eff9he "as sure of that+ ?eor!e could reco!ni'e his son no"& as he stood "ith one foot alread# on the metal !an!"a#$ And /eff turned and loo*ed ac*$ His face "as onl# a "hite lur+ at this distance& there "as no "a# of tellin! if it ore an# hint of reco!nition& an# remem rance for all that he "as leavin! ehind$ Nor "ould ?eor!e ever *no" if /eff had turned to"ards them # pure chance9or if he *ne"& in those last moments "hile he "as still their son& that the# stood "atchin! him as he passed into the land that the# could never enter$ The !reat doors e!an to close$ And in that moment 0e# lifted up her mu''le and !ave a lo"& desolate moan$ She turned her eautiful limpid e#es to"ards ?eor!e& and he *ne" that she had lost her master$ He had no rival no"$ 0or those "ho "ere left there "ere man# roads ut onl# one destination$ There "ere some "ho said+ ;The "orld is still eautiful+ one da# "e must leave it& ut "h# should "e hasten our departure<; :ut others& "ho had set more store # the future than the 3KA

past& and had lost all that made life "orth livin!& did not "ish to sta#$ The# too* their leave alone& or "ith their friends& accordin! to their nature$ It "as thus "ith Athens$ The Island had een orn in fire. in fire it chose to die$ Those "ho "ished to leave did so& ut most remained& to meet the end amid the ro*en fra!ments of their dreams$ No9one "as supposed to *no" "hen the time "ould e$ %et /ean a"o*e in the stillness of the ni!ht& and la# for a moment starin! at the !hostl# !limmer from the ceilin!$ Then she reached out to !rasp ?eor!e)s hand$ He "as a sound sleeper& ut this time he "o*e at once$ The# did not spea*& fur the "ords that "ere "anted did not e1ist$ /ean "as no lon!er fri!htened& or even sad$ She had come throu!h to the calm "aters and "as e#ond emotion no"$ :ut there "as one thin! still to e done& and she *ne" that there "as arel# time to do it$ Still "ithout a "ord& ?eor!e follo"ed her throu!h the silent house$ The# "ent across the patch of moonli!ht that had entered throu!h the studio roof& movin! as ,uietl# as the shado"s it cast& until the# came to the deserted nurser#$ Nothin! had een chan!ed$ The fluoro9patterns that ?eor!e had painted so carefull# still !lo"ed on the "alls$ And the rattle that had once elon!ed to /ennifer Anne still la# "here she had dropped it& "hen her mind turned into the un*no"a le remoteness it inha ited no"$ She ad left her to#s ehind& thou!ht ?eor!e& ut ours !o hence "ith us$ He thou!ht of the ro#al children of the Pharaohs& "hose dolls and eads had een uried "ith them five thousand #ears a!o$ So it "ould e a!ain$ No9one else& he told himsel5 "ill ever love our treasures+ "e "ill ta*e them "ith us& and "ill not part "ith them$ Slo"l# /ean turned to"ards him& and rested her head upon his shoulder$ He clasped his arms a out her "aist& and the love he had once *no"n came ac* to him& faint #et clear& li*e an echo from a distant ran!e of hills$ It "as too late no" to sa# all that "as due to her& and the re!rets he felt "ere less for his deceits than for his past indifference$ Then /ean said ,uietl#+ ;?ood #e& m# darlin!; and ti!htened her arms a out him$ There "as no time for ?eor!e 3KB I to ans"er& ut even at that final moment he felt a rief astonishment as he "ondered ho" she *ne" that the moment had arrived$ 0ar do"n in the roc*& the se!ments of uranium e!an to rush to!ether& see*in! the union the# could never achieve$ And the Island rose to meet the da"n$

AA Tiis ship of the Overlords came slidin! In alon! its !lo"in! meteor9trail throu!h the heart of (arina$ It had e!un its mad deceleration amon! the outer planets& ut even "hile passin! 7ars it had still possessed an apprecia le fraction of the velocit# of li!ht$ Slo"l# the immense fields surroundin! the Sun "ere a sor in! its momentum& "hile for a million *ilometres ehind& the stra# ener!ies of the Stardrive "ere paintin! the heavens "ith fire$ /an Rodric*s "as comin! home& si1 months older& to the "orld he had left ei!ht# #ears efore$ This time he "as no lon!er a sto"a"a#& hidden in a secret cham er$ He stood ehind the three pilots E"h#& he "ondered& did the# need so man#<F "atchin! the patterns come and !oC on the !reat screen that dominated the control room$ The colours and shapes it sho"ed "ere meanin!less to him+&he assumed that the# "ere conve#in! information "hich in a vessel desi!ned # men "ould have een displa#ed on an*s of meters$ :ut sometimes the screen sho"ed the surroundin! star9fields& and soon& he hoped& it "ould e sho"in! Earth$ He "as !lad to e home& despite the effort he had devoted to escapin! from it$ In these fe" months he had !ro"n up$ He had seen so much& travelled so far& and no" "as "ear# for his o"n familiar "orld$ He understood& no"& "h# the Overlords had sealed Earth from the stars$ Humnriit# still had ver# far to !o efore it could pla# an# part in the civili'ation he had !limpsed$

It mi!ht e9thou!h this he refused to accept9that man*ind could never e more than an inferior species& preserved in an out9of9the9"a# 'oo "ith the Overlords as *eepers$ Perhaps that "as "hat Vindarten ad meant "hen he !ave /an that am i!uous "arnin!& -ust efore his departure$ ;7uch 3K5 ma# have happened&; the Overlord had said& ;in the time that has passed on #our planet$ %ou ma# not *no" #our "orld "hen #ou see it a!ain$; Perhaps not& thou!ht /an+ ei!ht# #ears "as a lon! time& and thou!h he "as #oun! and adapta le& he mi!ht find it hard to understand all the chan!es that had come to pass$ :ut of one thin! he "as certain9men "ould "ant to hear his stor#& and to *no" "hat he had !limpsed of the civili'ation of the Overlords$ The# had treated him "ell& as he had assumed the# "ould$ Of the out"ard -ourne# he had *no"n nothin!+ "hen the in-ection had "orn off and he had emer!ed& the ship "as alread# enterin! the Overlord s#stem$ He had clim ed out of his fantastic hidin!9place& and found to his relief that the o1#!en set "as not needed$ The air "as thic* and heav#& ut he could reathe "ithout difficult#$ He had found himself in the ship)s enormous red9lit hold& amon! countless other pac*in!9cases and all the impedimenta one "ould e1pect on a liner of space or of sea$ It had ta*en him almost an hour to find his "a# to the control room and to introduce himself to the cre"$ Their lac* of surprise had pu''led him+ he *ne" that the Overlords sho"ed fe" emotions& ut he had e1pected some reaction$ Instead& the# simpl# continued "ith their "or*& "atchin! the !reat screen and pla#in! "ith the countless *e#s on their control panels$ It "as then that he *ne" that the# "ere landin!& for from time to time the ima!e of a planet9 lar!er at each appearance9"ould flash upon the screen$ %et there "as never the sli!htest sense of motion or acceleration9onl# a perfectl# constant !ravit#& "hich he -ud!ed to e a out a fifth of Earth)s$ The immense forces that drove the ship must have een compensated "ith e1,uisite precision$ And then& in unison& the three Overlords had risen from their seats& and he *ne" that the vo#a!e "as over$ The# did not spea* to their passen!er or to each other& and "hen one of them ec*oned to him to follo"& /an reali'ed somethin! that he should have thou!ht of efore$ There mi!ht "ell e no9one here& at this end of 2arellen)s enormousl# lon! suppl# line& "ho understood a "ord of En!lish$ The# "atched him !ravel# as the !reat doors opened efore his ea!er e#es$ This "as the supreme moment of his life+ no" he "as to e the first human ein! ever to loo* upon a "orld lit # another sun$ The onl# li!ht of N?S 654KDA came 3K6 floodin! into the ship& and there efore him la# the planet of the Overlords$ 8hat had he e1pected< He "as not sure$ Vast uildin!s& cities "hose to"ers "ere lost amon! the clouds& machines e#ond ima!ination9these "ould not have surprised him$ %et "hat he sa" "as an almost featureless plain& reachin! out to an unnaturall# close hori'on& and ro*en onl# # three more of the Overlords) ships& a fe" *ilometres a"a#$ 0or a moment /an felt a sur!e of disappointment$ Then he shru!!ed his shoulders& reali'in! that& after all& one "ould e1pect to find a space9port in some such remote and uninha ited re!ion as this$ It "as cold& thou!h not uncomforta l# so$ The li!ht from the !reat red sun lo" do"n on the hori'on "as ,uite ample for human e#es& ut /an "ondered ho" lon! it "ould e efore he #earned for !reens and lues$ Then he sa" that enormous& "afer9thin crescent reachin! up the s*# li*e a !reat o" placed eside the sun$ He stared at it for a lon! time efore he reali'ed that his -ourne# "as not #et alto!ether ended$ That "as the "orld of the Overlords$ This must e its satellite& merel# the ase from "hich their vessels operated$ The# had ta*en him across in a ship no lar!er than a terrestrial airliner$ 0eelin! a p#!m#& he had clim ed up into one of the !reat seats to tr# and see somethin! of the approachin! planet throu!h the o servation "indo"s$ The -ourne# "as so s"ift that he had time to ma*e out fe" details on the e1pandin! !lo e eneath$ Even so near to home& it seemed& the Overlords used some version of the Stardrive& for

in a matter of minutes the# "ere fallin! do"n throu!h a deep& cloud9flec*ed atmosphere$ 8hen the doors opened& the# stepped out into a vaulted cham er "ith a roof that must have s"un! s"iftl# shut ehind them& for there "as no si!n of an# entrance overhead$ It "as t"o da#s efore /an left this uildin!$ He "as an une1pected consi!nment& and the# had no"here to put him$ To ma*e matters "orse& not one of the Overlords could understand En!lish$ (ommunication "as practicall# impossi le& / and /an reali'ed itterl# that !ettin! in touch "ith an alien race "as not so eas# as it "as so often depicted in fiction$ Si!n lan!ua!e proved sin!ularl# unsuccessful& for it depended too much on a od# of !estures& e1pressions and attitudes "hich the Overlords and man*ind did not possess in common$ 3KK L It "ould e more than frustratin!& thou!ht /an& if the onl# Overlords "ho spo*e his lan!ua!e "ere all ac* on Earth$ He could onl# "ait and hope for the est$ Surel# some scient3st& some e1pert on alien races& "ould come and ta*e char!e of him= Or "as he so unimportant that no9one could e othered< There "as no "a# he could !et out of the uildin!& ecause the !reat doors had no visi le controls$ 8hen an Overlord "al*ed up to them& the# simpl# opened$ /an had tried the same tric*& had "aved o -ects hi!h in the air to interrupt an# controllin! li!ht9 eam& had tried ever#thin! he could ima!ine 9"ith no result at all$ He reali'ed that a man from the Stone A!e& lost in a modern cit# uildin!& mi!ht e e,uall# helpless$ Once he had tried to "al* out "hen one of the Overlords left& ut had een !entl# shooed ac*$ As he "as ver# an1ious not to anno# his hosts& he did not persist$ Vindarten arrived efore /an had e!un to !et desperate$ The Overlord spo*e ver# ad En!lish& much too rapidl#& ut improved "ith ama'in! speed$ In a fe" da#s the# "ere a le to tal* to!ether "ith little trou le on an# su -ect that did not demand a speciali'ed voca ular#$ Once Vindarten had ta*en char!e of him& /an had no more "orries$ He also had no opportunit# of doin! the thin!s he "ished& for almost all his time "as spent meetin! Overlord scientists an1ious to carr# Out o scure tests "ith complicated instruments$ /an "as ver# "a1# of these machines& and after one session "ith some *ind of h#pnotic device had a splittin! headache for several hours$ He "as perfectl# "illin! to cooperate& ut "as not sure if his investi!ators reali'ed his limitations& oth mental and ph#sical$ It "as certainl# a lon! time efore he could convince them that he had to sleep at re!ular intervals$ :et"een these investi!ations& he cau!ht momentar# !limpses of the cit#& and reali'ed ho" difficult9and dan!erous9it "ould e for him to travel around in it$ Streets "ere practicall# non9 e1istent& and there seemed to e no surface transport$ This "as the home of creatures "ho could fl#& and "ho had no fear of !ravit#$ It "as nothin! to come "ithout "arnin! upon a verti!inous drop of several hundred metres& or to find that the onl# entrance into a room "as an openin! hi!h up in the "all$ In a hundred "a#s& /an e!an to reali'e that the ps#cholo!# of a race "ith "in!s must e fundamentall# different from that of earth ound creatures$ 3KD It "as stran!e to see the Overlords fl#in! li*e !reat irds amon! the to"ers of their cit#& their pinions movin! "ith slo"& po"erful eats$ And there "as a scientific pro lem here$ This "as a lar!e planet9lar!er than Earth$ %et its !ravit# "as lo"& and /an "ondered "h# it had so dense an atmosphere$ He ,uestioned Vindarten on this& and discovered& as he had half e1pected& that this C"as not the ori!inal planet of the Overlords$ The# had evolved on a much smaller "orld and then con,uered this one& chan!in! not onl# its atmosphere ut even its !ravit#$ The architecture of the Overlords "as lea*l# functional+ /an sa" no ornaments& nothin! that did not serve a purpose& even thou!h that purpose "as often e#ond his understandin!$ If a man from mediaval times could have seen this red9lit cit#& and the ein!s movin! throu!h it& he "ould certainl# have elieved himself in Hell$ Even /an& for all his curiosit# and scientific detachment& sometimes found himself on the ver!e of unreasonin! terror$ The a sence of a sin!le familiar reference point can e utterl# unnervin! even to the coolest and clearest minds$

And there "as much he did not understand& and "hich Vindarten could or "ould not attempt to e1plain$ 8hat "ere those flashin! li!hts and chan!in! shapes& the thin!s that flic*ered throu!h the air so s"iftl# that he could never e certain of their e1istence< The# could have een somethin! tremendous and a"e9inspirin!99or as spectacular #et trivial as the neon si!ns of old9 time :road"a#$ /an also sensed that the "orld of the Overlords "as full of sounds that he could not hear$ Occasionall# he cau!ht comple1 rh#thmical patterns racin! up and do"n throu!h the audi le spectrum& to vanish at the upper or lo"er ed!e of hearin!$ Vindarten did not seem to understand "hat /an meant # music& so he "as never a le to solve this pro lem to his satisfaction$ The cit# "as not ver# lar!e+ it "as certainl# far smaller then London or Ne" %or* had een at their he#da#$ Accordin! to Vindarten& there "ere several thousand such cities scattered over the planet& each one desi!ned for some specific purpose$ On Earth& the closest parallel to this place "ould have een a universit# to"n9e1cept that the de!ree of speciali'ation had !one much further$ This entire cit# "as devoted& /an soon discovered& to the stud# of alien cultures$ 3K@ In one of their first trips outside the are cell in "hich /an lived& Vindarten had ta*en him to the museum$ It had !iven /an a much needed ps#cholo!ical oost to find himself in a place "hose purpose he could full# understand$ Apart from the scale upon "hich it "as uilt& this museum mi!ht "ell have een on Earth$ The# had ta*en a lon! time to reach it& fallin! steadil# on a !reat platform that moved li*e a piston in a vertical c#linder of un*no"n len!th$ There "ere no visi le controls& and the sense of acceleration at the e!innin! and endin! of the descent "as ,uite noticea le$ Presuma l# the Overlords did not "aste their compensatin! field devices for domestic uses$ /an "ondered if the "hole interior of this "orld "as riddled "ith e1cavations+ and "h# had the# limited the si'e of the cit#& !oin! under!round instead of out"ards< That "as -ust another of the eni!mas he never solved$ One could have spent a lifetime e1plorin! these colossal cham ers$ Here "as the loot of planets& the achievements of more civili'ations than /an could !uess$ :ut there "as no time to see much$ Vindarten placed him carefull# on a strip of floorin! that at first si!ht seemed an ornamental pattern$ Then /an remem ered that there "ere no ornaments here9 and at the same time& somethin! invisi le !rasped him !entl# and hurried him for"ard$ He "as movin! past the !reat displa# cases& past vistas of unima!ina le "orlds& at a speed of t"ent# or thirt# *iometres an hour$ The Overlords had solved the pro lem of museum fati!ue$ There "as no need for an#one to "al*$ The# must have travelled several *ilometres efore /an)s !uide !rasped him a!ain& and "ith a sur!e of his !reat "in!s lifted him a"a# from "hatever force "as propellin! them$ :efore them stretched a hu!e& half9empt# hail& flooded "ith a familiar li!ht that /an had not seen since leavn! Earth$ It "as flint& so that it "ould not pain the sensitive e#es of the Overlords& ut it "as& unmista*a l#& sunli!ht$ /an "ould never have elieved that an#thin! so simple or so commonplace could have evo*ed such #earnin! in his heart$ So this "as the e1hi it for Earth$ The# "al*ed for a fe" metres past a eautiful model of Paris& past art9treasures from a do'en centuries !rouped incon!ruousl# to!ether& past modem calculatin! machines and paleolithic a1es& past television receivers and Hero of Ale1andra)s steam9tur ine$ A 3K4 !reat door"a# opened ahead of them& and the# "ere in the office of the (urator for Earth$ 8as he seein! a human ein! for the first time< /an "ondered$ Had he ever een to Earth& or "as it -ust another of the man# planets in his char!e& of "hose e1act location he "as not precisel# sure< (ertainl# he neither spo*e nor understood En!lish& and Vindarten had to act as interpreter$ /an had spent several hours here& tal*in! into a recordin! device "hile the Overlords presented various terrestrial o -ects to him$ 7an# of these& he discovered to his shame& he could not identifC#$ His i!norance of his o"n race and its achievements "as enormous+ he "ondered if the Overlords& for all their super mental !ifts& could reall# !rasp the complete pattern of human culture$

Vindarten too* him out of the museum # a different route$ Once a!ain the# floated effortlessl# throu!h !reat vaulted corridors& ut this time the# "ere movin! past the creations of nature& not of conscious mind$ Sullivan& thou!ht /an& "ould have !iven his life to e here& to see "hat "onders evolution had "rou!ht on a hundred "orlds$ :ut Sullivan& he remem ered& "as pro a l# alread# dead$ Then& "ithout an# "arnin!& the# "ere on a !allei# hi!h a ove a lar!e circular cham er& perhaps a hundred metres across$ As usual& there "as no protective parapet& and for a moment /an hesitated to !o near the ed!e$ :ut Vindarten "as standin! on the ver# rin*& loo*in! calml# do"n"ards& so /an moved cautiousl# for"ard to -oin him$ The floor "as onl# t"ent# metres elo"9far& far too dose$ After"ards& /an "as sure that his !uide had not intended to surprise him& and "as completel# ta*en a ac* # his reaction$ 0or he had !iven one tremendous #ell and -umped ac*"ards frRm the !aller#)s ed!e& in an involuntar# effort to hide "hat la# elo"$ It "as not until the muffled echoes of his shout had died a"a# in the thic* atmosphere that he steeled himself to !o for"ard a!ain$ It "as lifeless& of course9not& as he had thou!ht in that first moment of panic& consciousl# starin! up at him$ It filled almost all that !reat circular space& and the ru # li!ht !leamed and shifted in its cr#stal depths$ It "as a sin!le !iant e#e$ ;8h# did #ou ma*e that noise<; as*ed Vindarten$ ;I "as fri!htened&; /an confessed sheepishl#$ 3DM ;:ut "h#< Surel# #ou did not ima!ine that there could e an# dan!er here<; /an "ondered if he could e1plain "hat a refle1 action "as& ut decided not to attempt it$ ;An#thin! completel# une1pected is fri!htenin!$ >ntil a novel situation is anal#sed& it is safest to assume the "orst$; His heart "as still poundin! violentl# as he stared do"n once more at that monstrous e#e$ Of course& it mi!ht have een a model& enormousl# enlar!ed as "ere micro es and insects in terrestrial museums$ %et even as he as*ed the ,uestion& /an *ne"& "ith a sic*enin! certaint#& that it "as no lar!er than life$ Vindarten could tell him little+ this "as not his field of *no"led!e& and he "as not particularl# curious$ 0rom the Overlord)s description& /an uilt up a picture of a c#clopean east livin! amon! the asteroidal ru le of some distant sun& its !ro"th uninhi ited # !ravit#& dependin! for food and life upon the ran!e and resolvin! po"er of its sin!le e#e$ There seemed no limit to "hat Nature could do if she "as pressed& and /an felt an irrational pleasure at discoverin! somethin! "hich the Overlords "ould not attempt$ The# had rou!ht a full9si'ed "hale from Earth9 ut the# had dra"n the line at this$ And there "as the time "hen he had !one up& endlessl# up& until the "alls of the elevator had faded throu!h opalescence into a cr#stal transparenc#$ He "as standin!& it seemed& unsupported amon! the uppermost pea*s of the cit#& "ith nothin! to protect him from the a #ss$ :ut he felt no more verti!o than one does in an aeroplane& for there "as no sense of contact "ith the distant !round$ He "as a ove the clouds& sharin! the s*# "ith a fe" pinnacles of metal or stone$ A rose9red sea& the cloud9la#er rolled slu!!ishl# eneath him$ There "ere t"o pale and tin# moons in the s*#& not far from the som re sun$ Near the centre of that loated red disc "as a small& dar* shado"& perfectl# circular$ It mi!ht have een a sunspot& or another moon in transit$ /an slo"l# moved his !a'e alon! the hori'on$ The cloud9cover e1tended clear to the ed!e of this enormous "orld& ut in one direction& at an un!uessa le distance& there "as a mottled patch that mi!ht have mar*ed the to"ers of another 3D3 cit#$ He stared at it for a lon! "hile& then continued his careful surve#$ 8hen he had turned half9circle he sa" the mountain$ It "as not on the hori'on& ut e#ond it9a sin!le serrated pea*& clim in! up over the ed!e of the "orld& its lo"er slopes hidden as the ul* of an ice er! is concealed elo" the "ater9line$

He tried to !uess its si'e& and failed completel#$ Even on a "orld "ith !ravit# as lo" as this& it seemed hard to elieve that such mountains could e1ist$ Did the Overlords& he "ondered& sport themselves upon its slopes and s"eep li*e ea!les around those immense uttresses< And then& slo"l#& the mountain e!an to chan!e$ 8hen he sa" it first& it "as a dull and almost sinister red& "ith a fe" faint mar*in!s near its cro"n that he could not dearl# distin!uish$ He "as tr#in! to focus on them "hen he reali'ed that the# "ere movin!$$$$ At first he could not elieve his e#es$ Then he forced himself to remem er that all his preconceived ideas "ere "orthless here+ he must not let his mind re-ect an# messa!e his senses rou!ht into the hidden cham er of the rain$ He must not tr# to understand9onl# to o serve$ >nderstandin! "ould come later& or not at all$ The mountain9he still thou!ht of it as such& for there "as no other "ord that could serve9seemed to e alive$ He remem ered that monstrous e#e in its uried vault9 ut no& that "as inconceiva le$ It "as not or!anic life that he "as "atchin!+ it "as not even& e suspected& matter as he *ne" it$ The som re red "as ri!htenin! to an an!rier hue$ Strea*s of vivid #ello" appeared& so that for a moment /an felt he "as loo*in! at a volcano pourin! streams of lava do"n on to the land eneath$ :ut these streams& as he could tell # occasional flec*s and mottlin!s& "ere movin! up"ards$ No" somethin! else "as risin! out of the ru # clouds around the mountain)s ase$ It "as a hu!e rin!& perfectl# hori'ontal and perfectl# circular9and it "as the colour of all that /an had left so far ehind& for the s*ies of Earth had held no lovelier lue$ No"here else on the "orld of the Overlords had he seen such hues& and his throat contracted "ith the lon!in! and the loneliness the# evo*ed$ The rin! "as e1pandin! as it clim ed$ It "as hi!her than the mountain no"& and its nearer arc "as s"eepin! s"iftl# to"ards him$ Surel#& thou!ht /an& it must e a vorte1 of some 3DA *ind9a smo*e9rin! alread# man# *ilometres across$ :ut it sho"ed none of the rotation he e1pected& and it seemed to !ro" no less solid as its si'e increased$ Its shado" rushed past lon! efore the rin! itself had s"ept ma-esticall# overhead& still risin! into space$ He "atched until it had d"indled to a thin thread of lue& hard for the e#e to focus upon in the surroundin! redness of the s*#$ 8hen it vanished at last& it must alread# have een man# thousands of *ilometres across$ And it "as still !ro"in!$ He loo*ed ac* at the mountain$ It "as !olden no"& and devoid of all mar*in!s$ Perhaps it "as ima!ination9he could elieve an#thin! # this time9 ut it seemed taller and narro"er& and appeared to e spinnin! li*e the funnel of a c#clone$ Not until then& still num ed and "ith his po"ers of reason almost in a e#ance& did he remem er his camera$ He raised it to e#e9level& and si!hted to"ards that impossi le& mind9sha*in! eni!ma$ Vindarten moved s"iftl# into his line of vision$ 8ith implaca le firmness& the !reat hands covered the lens turret and forced him to lo"er the camera$ /an did not attempt to resist+ it "ould have een useless& of course& ut he felt a sudden deathl# fear of that thin! out there at the ed!e of the "Orld& and "anted no further part of it$ There "as nothin! else in all his travels that the# "ould not let him photo!raph& and Vindarten !ave no e1planations$ Instead& he spent much time !ettin! /an to descri e in minute detail "hat he had "itnessed$ It "as then that /an reali'ed that Vindarten)s e#es had seen somethin! totall# different+ and it "as then that he !uessed& fur the first time& that the Overlords had masters& too$ No" he "as comin! home& and all the "onder& the fear and the m#ster# "ere far ehind$ It "as the same ship& he elieved& thou!h surel# not the same cre"$ Ho"ever lon! their lives& It "as hard to elieve that the Overlords "ould "illin!l# cut themselves off from their home for all the decades consumed on an interstellar vo#a!e$ The Relativit# time9dilation effect "or*ed oth "a#s& of course$ The Overlords "ould a!e onl# four months on the round trip& ut "hen the# returned their friends "ould e ei!ht# #ears older$

3DB Had he "ished& /an could dou tless have sta#ed here for the remainder of his life$ :ut Vindarten had "arned him that there "ould e no other ship !oin! to Earth for several #ears& and had advised him to ta*e this opportunit#$ Perhaps the Overlords reali'ed that even in this relativel# short time& his mind had nearl# reached the end of its resources$ Or he mi!ht merel# have ecome a nuisance& and the# could spare no more time for him$ It "as of no importanct no"& for Earth "as there ahead$ He had seen it thus a hundred times efore& ut al"a#s throu!h the remote& mechanical e#e of the television camera$ No" at last he himself "as out here in space& as the final act of his dream unfolded itself. and Earth spun eneath on its eternal or it$ The !reat lue9!reen crescent "as in its first ,uarter+ more than half the visi le disc "as still in dar*ness$ There "as little cloud9a fe" ands scattered alon! the line of the trade "inds$ The arctic cap !littered rilliantl#& ut "as far outshone # the da''lin! reflection of the sun in the north Pacific$ One mi!ht have thou!ht it "as a "orld of "ater+ this hemisphere "as almost devoid of land$ The onl# continent visi le "as Australia& a dar*er mist in the atmospehric ha'e alon! the lim of the planet$ The ship "as drivin! into Earth)s !reat cone of shado"+ the !leamin! crescent d"indled& shran* to a urnin! o" of fire& and "in*ed out of e1istence$ :elo" "as dar*ness and ni!ht$ The "orld "as sleepin!$ It "as thea that /an reali'ed "hat "as "ron!$ There "as land do"n there9 ut "here "ere the !leamin! nec*laces of li!ht& "here "ere the !litterin! coruscations that had een the cities of man< In all that shado"# hemisphere& there "as no sin!le spar* to drive ac* the ni!ht$ ?one "ithout a trace "ere the millions& of *ilo"atts that once had een splashed carelessl# to"ards the stars$ He mi!ht have een loo*in! do"n on Earth as it had een efore the comin! of man$ This "as not the homecomin! he had e1pected$ There "as nothin! he could do ut "atch& "hile the fear of the un*no"n !re" "ithin him$ Somethin! had happened9somethin! tinimsC!ina Ie$ And #et the ship "as descendin! purposefull# in a lon! curve that "as ta*in! it a!ain over the sunlit hemisphere$ He sa" nothin! of the actual landin!& for the picture of Earth suddenl# "in*ed out and "as replaced # that meanin!9 3D5 less pattern of lines and li!hts$ 8hen vision "as restored& the# "ere on the !round$ There "ere !reat uildin!s in the distance& machines movin! a out& and a !roup of Overlords "atchin! them$$ Some"here there "as the muffled roar of air as the ship e,uali'ed pressure& then the sound of !reat doors openin!$ He did not "ait+ the silent !iants "atched him "ith tolerance or indifference as he ran from the control room$ He "as home& seein! once more # the spar*lin! li!ht of his o"n familiar sun& reathin! the air that had first "ashed throu!h his lun!s$ The !an!"a# "as alread# do"n& ut he had to "ait for a moment until the !lare outside no lon!er linded him$ 2arellen "as standin!& a little apart from his companions& eside a !reat transport vehicle loaded "ith crates$ /an did not stop to "onder ho" he reco!ni'ed the Supervisor& nor "as he surprised to see him completel# unchan!ed$ That "as almost the onl# thin! that had turned out as he had e1pected$ ;I have een "aitin! for #ou&; said 2arellen$$ 9 AB

;3" the earl# da#s&; said 2arellen& ;it "as safe for us to !o amon! them$ :ut the# no lon!er needed us+ our "or* "as done "hen "e had !athered them to!ether and !iven them a continent of their o"n$ 8atch$; The "all in front of /an disappeared$ Instead he "as loo*in! do"n from a hei!ht of a fe" hundred metres on to a pleasantl# "ooded countr#$ The illusion "as so perfect that he fou!ht a momentar# !iddiness$ ;This is five #ears later& "hen the second phase had e!un$; There "ere fi!ures movin! elo"& and the camera s"ooped do"n upon them li*e a ird of pre#$ ;This "ill distress #ou&; said 2arellen$ ;:ut remem er that #our standards no lon!er appl#$ %ou are not "atchin! human children$; %et that "as the immediate impression that came to /an)s mind& and no amount of lo!ic could dispel it$ The# mi!ht have een sava!es& en!a!ed in some comple1 ritual dance$ The# "ere na*ed and filth#& "ith matted hair o scurin! their 3D6 e#es$ As faras /an could tell& the# "ere of all a!es from five to fifteen& #et the# all moved "ith the same speed& precision& and complete indifference to their surroundin!s$ Then /an sa" their faces$ He s"allo"ed hard& and forced himself not to turn a"a#$ The# "ere emptier than the faces of the dead& for even a corpse has some record carved # Time)s chisel upon its features& to spea* "hen the lips themselves are dum $ There "as no more emotion or feelin! here than in the face of a sna*e or an insect$ The Overlords themselves "ere more human than this$ ;%ou are searchin! for somethin! that is no lon!er there&; said 2arellen$ ;Remem er9the# have no more identit# than the cells in #our o"n od#$ :ut lin*ed to!ether& the# are somethin! much !reater than #ou$; )8h# do the# *eep movin! li*e this <; ;8e called it the Lon! Dance&; replied 2arellen$ ;The# never sleep& #ou *no"& and this lasted almost a #ear$ Three hundred million of them& movin! in a controlled pattern over a "hole continent$ 8e)ve anal#sed that pattern endlessl#& ut it means nothin!& perhaps ecause "e can see onl# the ph#sical part of it9the small portion that)s here on Earth$ Possi l# "hat "e have called the Overmind is still trainin! them& mouldin! them into one unit efore it can "holl# a sor them into its ein!$; ;:ut ho" did the# mana!e a out food< And "hat happened if the# hit o structions& li*e trees& or cliffs& or "ater<; ;8ater made no difference+ the# could not dro"n$ 8hen the# encountered o stacles& the# sometimes dama!ed themselves& ut the# never noticed it$ As for food9"ell& there "as all the fruit and !ame the# re,uired$ :ut no" the# have left that need ehind& li*e so man# others$ 0or food is lar!el# a source of ener!#& and the# have learned to tap !reater sources$; The scene flic*ered as if a heat ha'e had passed over it$ 8hen it cleared& the movement elo" had ceased$ ;8atch a!ain&; said 2arellen$ ;It is three #ears later$; The little fi!ures& so helpless and pathetic if one did no& *no" the truth& stood motionless in forest and !lade and plaint The camera roamed restlessl# from one to the other+ alread#$ thou!ht /an& their faces "ere mer!in! into a common mould$ He had once seen some photo!raphs made # the superposition of do'ens of prints to !ive one ;avera!e; face$ The result had een as empt#& as void of character as this$ 3DK 5 The# seemed to e sleepin! or entranced$ Then e#es "ere ti!htl# closed& and the# sho"ed no more a"areness of their surroundin!s than did the trees under "hich the# stood$ 8hat thou!hts& /an "olidered& "ere echoin! throu!h the intricate net"or* in "hich their minds "ere no" no more9and #et no less9 than the separate threads of some !reat tapestr#< And a tapestr#& he no" reali'ed& that covered man# "orlds and man# races9and "as !ro"in! still$ It happened "ith a s"iftness that da''led the e#e and stunned the rain$ At one moment /an "as loo*in! do"n upon a eautiful& fertile countr# "ith nothin! stran!e a out it save the countless

small statues scattered9#et not randoml#9 over its len!th and readth$ And then in an instant all the trees and !rass& all the livin! creatures that had inha ited this land& flic*ered out of e1istence and "ere !one$ There "ere left onl# the still la*es& the "indin! rivers& the rollin! ro"n hills& no" stripped of their !reen carpet9and the silent& indifferent fi!ures "ho had "rou!ht all this destruction$ ;8h# did the# do it<; !asped /an$ ;Perhaps the presence of other minds distur ed them9 even the rudimentar# minds of plants and animals$ One da#& "e elieve& the# ma# find the material "orld e,uall# distractin!$ And then& "ho *no"s "hat "ill happen< No" #ou understand "h# "e "ithdre" "hen "e had done our dut#$ 8e are still tr#in! to stud# them& ut "e never enter their land or even send our instruments there$ All "e dare do is to o serve from space$; ;That "as man# #ears a!o&; said /an$ ;8hat has happened since<; ;Ver# little$ The# have never moved in all that time& and ta*e no notice of da# or ni!ht& summer or "inter$ The# are still testin! their po"ers. some rivers have chan!ed their courses& and there is one that flo"s uphill$ :ut the# have done nothin! that seems to have an# purpose$; ;And the# have i!nored #ou completel#<; ;%es& thou!h that is not surprisin!$ The9entit#9of "hich the# are part *no"s all a out us$ It does not seem to care if "e attempt to stud# it$ 8hen it "ishes us to leave& or has a ne" tas* f r us else"here& it "ill ma*e its desires ver# o vious$ >ntil then& "e "ill remain here so that our scientists can !ather "hat *no"led!e the# ma#$; So this& thou!ht /an& "ith a resi!nation that la# e#ond all 3DD sadness& "as the end of man$ It "as an end that no prophet had ever foreseen9an end that repudiated optimism and pessimism ali*e$ %et it "as fittin!+ it had the su lime inevita ilit# of a !reat "or* of art$ /an had !limpsed the universe in all its a"ful immensit#& and *ne" no" that it "as no place for man$ He reali'ed at last ho" vain& in the ultimate anal#sis& had een the dream that had lured him to the stars$ 0or the road to the stars "as a road that for*ed in t"o directions& and neither led to a !oal that too* an# account of human hopes or fears$ At the end of one path "ere the Overlords$ The# had preserved their individuall#& their independent e!os. the# possessed self9a"areness and the pronoun ;I; had a meanin! in their lan!ua!e$ The# had emotions& some at least of "hich "ere shared # humanit#$ :ut the# "ere trapped& /an reali'ed no"& in a cul9de9sac from "hich the# could never escape$ Their minds "ere ten9perhaps a hundred9times as po"erful as men)s$ It made no difference in the final rec*onin!$ The# "ere e,uall# helpless& e,uall# over"helmed # the unima!ina le comple1it# of a !ala1# of a hundred thousand million suns& and a cosmos of a hundred thousand million !ala1ies$ And at the end of the other path< There la# the Overmind& "hatever it mi!ht e& earin! the same relation to man as man ore to amcr$ a$ Potentiall# infinite& e#ond mortalit#& ho" lon! had it een a sor in! race after race as it spread across the stars< Did it too have desires& did it have !oals it sensed diml# #et mi!ht never attain< No" it had dra"n into its ein! all that the human race had ever achieved$ This "as not tra!ed#& ut fulfilment$ The illions of transient spar*s of consciousness that had made up humanit# "ould flic*er no more li*e flreffies a!ainst the ni!ht$ :ut the# had not lived utterl# in vain$ The last act& /an *ne"& had still to come$ It mi!ht occur tomorro"& or it mi!ht e centuries hence$ Even the Overlords could not e certain$ He understood their purpose no"& "hat the# had done "ith 7an and "h# the# still lin!ered upon Earth$ To"ards them he felt a !rcat humilit#& as "ell as admiration for the infle1i le patience that had *ept them "aitin! here so lon!$ He never learned the full stor# of the stran!e s#m iosis et"een the Overmind and its servants$ Accordin! to Rasha 3D@ vera*& there had never een a time in lus racSs histor# "hen the Overmind "as not there& thou!h it had made no use of them until the# had achieved a scientific civili'ation and could ran!e throu!h space to do its iddin!$ ;:ut "h# does it need #ou<; ,ueried /an$ ;8ith all its tremendous po"ers& surel# it could do an#thin! it pleased$;

;No&; said Rashavera*& ;it has limits$ In the past& "e *no"& it has attempted to act directl# upon the minds of other races& and to influence their cultural development$ It)s al"a#s failed& perhaps ecause the pull is too !reat$ 8e are the interpreters9the !uardians$ Or& to use one of #our o"n metaphors& "e till the field until the crop is ripe$ The Overmind collects the harvest9and "e move on to another tas*$ This is the fifth race "hose apotheosis "e have "atched$ Each time "e learn a little more$; ;And do #ou not resent ein! used as a tool # the Over9mind<; ;The arran!ement has some advanta!es+ esides& no9one of intelli!ence resents the inevita le$; That proposition& /an reflected "r#l#& had never een full# accepted # man*ind$ There "ere thin!s e#ond lo!ic that the Overlords had never understood$ ;It seems stran!e&; said /an& ;that the Overmind chose #ou to do its "or*& if #ou have no trace of the paraph#sical po"ers latent in man*ind$ Ho" does it communicate "ith #ou and ma*e its "ishes *no"n<; ;That is one ,uestion I cannot ans"er9and I cannot tell #ou the reason "h# I must *eep the facts from #ou$ One da#& perhaps& #ou "ill *no" some of the truth$; /an pu''led over this for a moment& ut *ne" it "as useless to follo" this line of in,uir#$ He "ould have to chan!e the su -ect and hope to pic* up clues later$ ;Tell me this& then&; he said& ;this is somethin! else #ou)ve never e1plained$ 8hen #our race first came to Earth& ac* in the distant past& "hat "ent "ron!< 8h# had #ou ecome the s#m ol of fear and evil to us<; Rashavera* smiled$ He did not do this as "ell as 2arellen could& ut it "as a fair imitation$ ;No9one ever !uessed& and #ou see no" "h# "e could never .ell #ou$ There "as onl# one event that could have made such an impact upon humanit#$ And that event "as not at the da"n of histor#& ut at its ver# end$; 3D4 ;8hat do #ou mean<; as*ed /an$ )8hen our ships entered #our s*ies a centm# and a half a!o& that "as the first meetin! of our t"o races& thou!h of course "e had studied #ou from a distance$ And #et #ou feared and reco!ni'ed us& as "e *ne" that #ou "ould$ It "as not precisel# a memor#$ %ou have alread# had proof that time is more comple1 than #our science ever ima!ined$ 0or that memor# "as not of the past& ut of thefuture9of those dosin! #ears "hen #our race *ne" that ever#thin! "as finished$ 8e did "hat "e could& ut it "as not an eas# end$ And ecause "e "ere there& "e ecame identified "ith #our race)s death$ %es& even "hile it "as still ten thousand #ears in the future= It "as as if a distorted echo had rever erated round the closed cirde of time& from the future to the past$ (all it not a memor#& ut a premonition$; The idea "as hard to !rasp& and for a moment /an "restled "ith it in silence$ %Ct he should have een prepared. he had alread# received proof enou!h that cause and event could reverse their normal se,uence$ There must e such a thin! as racial memor#& and that memm# "as someho" independent of time$ To it& the future and the past "ere one$ l)hat "as "h#& thousands of #ears a!o& men hadalread#!limpsedadistortedima!eoftheOverlords&throu!h a mist of fear and terror$ ;No" I understand&; said the last man&$ The Last 7an= /an found it ver# hard to thin* of himself as that$ 8hen he had !one into space& he had accepted the possi ilit# of eternal e1ile from the human race& and loneliness had not #et come upon him$ As the #ears passed& the lon!in! to see another human ein! mi!ht rise and over"helm him& ut for the present& the compan# of the Overlords prevented him from feelin! utterl# alone$ There had een men on Earth as little as ten #ears a!o& ut the# had een de!enerate survivors and /an had lost nothin! # missin! them$ 0or reasons "hich the Overlords could not e1plain& ut "hich /an suspected "ere lar!el# ps#cholo!ical& there had een no children to replace those "ho had !one$ Homo sapiens "as e1tinct$

Perhaps& lost in one of the still9intact cities& "as the manuscript of some later9da# ?i on& recordin! the last da#s of 3@M the human race$ If so& /an "as not sure that he "ould care to read it. Rashavera* had told him all that he "ished to *no"$ Those "ho had not destro#ed themselves had sou!ht o livion in ever more feverish activities& in fierce and suicidal sports that "ere often indistin!uisha le from minor "ars$ As the population had s"iftl# fallen& the a!ein! survivors had clustered to!ether& a defeated arm# closin! its ran*s as it made its last retreat$ That final act& efore the curtain came do"n for ever& must have een lit # flashes of heroism and devotion& dar*ened # sava!er# and selfishness$ 8hether it had ended in despair or resi!nation& /an "ould never *no"$ There "as plent# to occup# his mind$ The Overlords) ase "as a out a *ilometre from a deserted villa& and /an spent months fittin! this out "ith e,uipment he had ta*en from the nearest to"n& some thirt# *ilometres distant$ He had flo"n there "ith Rashavera*& "hose friendship& he suspected& "as not completel# altruistic$ The Overlord ps#cholo!ist "as still stud#in! the last specimen of Homo sapiens$ The to"n must have een evacuated efore the end& for the houses and even man# of the pu lic services "ere still in !ood order$ It "ould have ta*en little "or* to restart the !enerators& so that the "ide streets !lo"ed once more "ith the illusion of life$ /an to#ed "ith the idea& then a andoned it as too mor id$ The one thin! he did not "ish to do "as to rood upon the past$ There "as ever#thin! here that he needed to maintain himself for the rest of his life& ut "hat he "anted most "as an electronic piano and certain :ach transcriptions$ He had never had as much time for music as he "ould have li*ed& and no" he "ould ma*e up for it$ 8hen he "as not performin! himselfC& he pla#ed tapes of the !reat s#mphonies and concertos& so that the villa "as never silent$ 7usic had ecome his talisman a!ainst the loneliness "hich& one da#& must surel# over"helm him$ Often he "ould !o for lon! "al*s on the hills& thin*in! of all that had happened in the fe" months since he had last seen Earth$ He had never thou!ht& "hen he said !ood #e to Suffivan ei!ht# terrestrial #ears a!o& that the last !eneration of man*ind "as alread# in the "om $ 8hat a #oun! fool he had een= %et he "as not sure that he re!retted his action. had he sta#ed on Earth& he "ould have 3@3 "itnessed those dosin! #ears over "hich time had no" dra"n a veil$ Instead& he had leap9 fro!!ed past them into the future& and had learned the ans"ers to ,uestions that no other man "ould ever *no"$ His curiosit# "as almost satisfied& ut sometimes he "ondered "h# the Overlords "ere "aitin!& and "hat "ould happen "hen their patience "as at last re"arded$ :ut most of the time& "ith a contented resi!nation that comes normall# to a man onl# at the end of a lon! and us# life& he sat efore the *e# oard and filled the air "ith his eloved :ach$ Perhaps he "as deceivin! himself& perhaps this "as some merciful tric* of the mind& ut no" it seemed to /an that this "as "hat he had al"a#s "ished to do$ His secret am ition had at last dared to emer!e into the full li!ht of consciousness$ /an had al"a#s een a !ood pianist9and no" he "as the finest in the "orld$

A5 IT "as Rashavera* "ho rou!ht him the ne"s& ut he had alread# !uessed it$ In the small hours of the mornin! a ni!htmare had a"a*ened him& and he had not een a le to re!ain sleep$ He could not remem er the dream& "hich "as ver# stran!e& for he elieved that all dreams could e recalled if one tried hard enou!h immediatel# after "a*in!$ All he could remem er of this "as that he had een a small o# a!ain& on a vast and empt# piain& listenin! to a !reat voice callin! in an un*no"n lan!ua!e$ The dream had distur ed him+ he "ondered if it "as the first onslau!ht of loneliness upon his mind$ Restlessl#& he "al*ed out of the villa on to the ne!lected la"n$

A full moon athed the scene "ith a !olden li!ht so rilliant that he could see perfectl#$ The immense !leamin! c#linder of 2arellen)s ship la# e#ond the uildin!s of the Overlord ase& to"erin! a ove them and reducin! them to man9made proportions$ /an loo*ed at the ship& tr#in! to recall the emotions it had once roused in him$ There "as a time "hen it had een an unattaina le !oal& a s#m ol of all that he had never reall# e1pected to achieve$ And no" it meant nothin!$ Ho" ,uiet and still it "ail The Overlords& of course3 "ould 3@A e as active as ever& ut for the moment there "as no si!n of them$ He mi!ht have een alone on Earth9as& indeed& in a ver# real sense he "as$ He !lanced up at the 7oon& see*in! some familiar si!ht on "hich his thou!hts could rest$ There "ere the ancient& "ell9remem ered seas$ He had een fort# li!ht9#ears into space& #et he had never "al*ed on those silent& dust# plains less than t"o li!ht9seconds a"a#$ 0or a moment he amused himself tr#in! to locate the crater T#cho$ 8hen he did discover it& he "as pu''led to find that !leamin! spec* further from the centre line of the disc than he had thou!ht$ And it "as then that he reali'ed that the dar* oval of the 7are (risium "as missin! alto!ether$ The face that her satellite no" turned to"ards the Earth "as not the one that had loo*ed do"n on the "orld since the da"n of life$ The 7oon had e!un to turn upon its a1is$ That could mean onl# one thin!$ On the other side of the Earth& in the land that the# had stripped so suddenl# of life& the# "ere emer!in! from their lon! trance$ As a "a*in! child ma# stretch its arms to !reet the da#& the# too "ere fle1in! their muscles and pla#in! "ith their ne"9found po"ers$ ;%ou have !uessed correctl#&; said Rashavera*$ ;It is no lon!er safe for us to sta#$ The# ma# i!nore us still& ut "e cannot ta*e the ris*$ 8e leave as soon as our e,uipment can e loaded9 pro a l# in t"o or three hours$; He loo*ed up at the s*#& as if afraid that some ne" miracle "as a out to la'e forth$ :ut all "as peaceful+ the 7oon had set& and onl# a fe" clouds rode hi!h upon the "est "ind$ ;It does not matter !reatl# if the# tamper "ith the 7oon&; Rashavera* added& ; ut suppose the# e!in to interfere "ith the Sun< 8e shall leave instruments ehind& of course& so that "e can learn "hat happens$; ;I shall sta#&; said /an a ruptl#$ ;I have seen enou!h of the universe$ There)s onl# one thin! I)m curious a out no"9 and that is the fate of m# o"n planet$; Ver# !entl#& the !round trem led underfoot$ ;I "as e1pectin! that&; /an continued$ ;If the# alter the 7ooLi)s spin& the an!ular momentum must !o some"here$ So the Earth is slo"in! do"n$ I don)t *no" "hich pu''les me more9ho" the# are doin! it& or "h#$; ;The# are still pla#in!&; said Rashavera*$ ;8hat lo!ic is 3@B there in the actions of a child< And in man# "a#s the entit# that#ourracehas ecomeisstillachild$ Itisnot#etread#to unite "ith the Overmind$ :ut ver# soon it "ill e& and then #ou "ill have the Earth to #our o"n$; He did not complete the sentence& and /an finished it for him$ ;If& of course& the Earth still e1ists$; ;%ou reali'e that dan!er9and #et #ou "ill sta#<; ;%es$ I have een home five9or is it si1<9#ears no"$ 8hatever happens& I)ll have no complaints$; ;8e "ere hopin!&; e!an Rashavera* slo"l#& ;that #ou "ould "ish to sta#$ There is somethin! that #ou can do for us$ $$ $;

The !lare;of the Stardrive d"indled and died& some"here out there e#ond the or it of 7ars$ Alon! that road& thou!ht /an& he alone had travelled& out of all the illions of human ein!s "ho had lived and died on Earth$ And no9one "ould ever travel it a!ain$

The "orld "as his$ Ever#thin! he needed9all the material possessions an#one could ever desire9 "ere his for the ta*in!$ :ut he "as no lon!er interested$ He feared neither the loneliness of the deserted planet& nor the presence that still rested here in the last moments efore it "ent to see* its un*no"n herita!e$ In the inconceiva le ac*"ash of that departure& /an did not e1pect that he and his pro lems "ould lon! survive$ That "as "ell$ He had done all that he$had "ished to do& and to dra! out a pointless life on this empt# "orld "ould hive een un eara le anticlima1$ He could have left "ith the Overlords& ut for "hat purpose< 0or he *ne"& as no9one else had ever *no"n& that 2arellen spo*e the truth "hen he had said+ ;The stars are not for 7an$; He turned his ac* upon the ni!ht and "al*ed throu!h the vast entrance of the Overlord ase$ Its si'e affected him not in the least+ sheer immensit# no lon!er had an# po"er over his mind$ The li!hts "ere urnin! redl#& driven # ener!ies that could feed them for a!es #et$ On either side la# machines "hose secrets he "ould never *no"& a andoned # the Overlords in their retreat$ He "ent past them& and clam ered a"*"ardl# up the !reat steps until he had reached the control room$ 3@5 The spirit of the Overlords still lin!ered here+ their machines "ere still alive& doin! the iddin! of their no" fir9distant masters$ 8hat could he add& "ondered /an& to the information the# "ere alread# hurlin! into space< He clim ed into the !reat chair and made himself as comforta le as he could$ The microphone& alread# alive& "as "aitin! for him+ somethin! that "as the e,uivalent of a TV camera must e "atchin!& ut he could not locate it$ :e#ond the des* and its meanin!less instrument panels& the "ide "indo"s loo*ed out into the starr# ni!ht& across a valle# sleepin! eneath a !i ous moon& and to the distant ran!e of mountains$ A river "ound alon! the valle#& !litterin! here and there as the moonli!ht struc* upon some patch of trou led "ater$ It "as all so peaceful$ It mi!ht have een thus at 7an)s irth as it "as no" at his endin!$ Out there across un*no"n millions of *ilometres of space& 2arellen "ould e "aitin!$ It "as stran!e to thin* that the ship of the Overlords "as racin! a"a# from Earth almost as s"iftl# as his si!nal could speed after it$ Almost9 ut not ,uite$ It "ould e a lon! chase& ut his "ords "ould catch the Supervisor and he "ould have repaid the de t he o"ed$ Ho" much of this& /an "ondered& had 2arellen planned& and ho" much "as masterful improvisation< Had the Supervisor deli eratel# let him escape into space& almost a centur# a!o& so that he could return to pla# the role he "as flulfihlin! no"< No& that seemed too fantastic$ :ut /an "as certain no"& that 2arellen "as involved in some vast and complicated plot$ Even "hile he served it& he "as stud#in! the Overmind "ith all the instruments at his command$ /an suspected that it "as not onl# scientific curiosit# that inspired the Supervisor+ perhaps the Overlords had dreams of one da# escapin! from their peculiar onda!e& "hen the# had learned enou!h a out the po"ers the# served$ That /an could add to that *no"led!e # "hat he "as no" doin! seemed hard to elieve$ ;Tell us "hat #ou see&; Rashavera* had said$ ;The picture that reaches #our e#es "ill e duplicated # our cameras$ :ut the messa!e that enters #our rain ma# e ver# different& and it could tell us a !reat deal$; 8ell& he "ould do his est$ ;Still nothin! to report&; he e!an$ ;A fe" minute& a!o I sa" the trail of #our ship disappear in the s*#$ )ihe 7oon is 3@6 -ust past full& and almost half its familiar side has no" turned a"a# from Earth9 ut I suppose #ou alread# *no" that$; /an paused& feelin! sli!htl# foolish$ There "as somethin! incon!ruous& even faintl# a surd& a out "hat he "as doin!$ Here "as the clima1 of all histor#& #et he mi!ht have een a radio9commentator at a race9trac* or a o1in!9rin!$ Then he shru!!ed his shoulders and put the thou!ht aside$ At all

moments of !reatness& he suspected& athos had never een ver# far a"a#9and certain he alone could sense its presence here$ ;There have een three sli!ht ),ua*es in the last hour&; he continued$ ;Their control of Earth)s spin must e marvellous& ut not ,uite perfect$$$$ %ou *no"& 2arellen& I)m !oin! to find it ver# hard to sa# an#thin! #our instruments haven)t alread# told #ou$ It mi!ht have helped if #ou)d !iven me some idea of "hat to e1pect& and "arned me ho" lon! I ma# have to "ait$ If nothin! happens& I)ll report a!ain in si1 hours& as "e arran!ed9$ ;Hello= The# must have een "aitin! for #ou to leave$ Somethin!)s startin! to happen$ The stars are ecomin! dimmer$ It)s as if a !reat doud is comin! up& ver# s"iftl#& over all the s*#$ :ut it isn)t reall# a doud$ It seems to have some sort of structure9I can !limpse a ha'# net"or* of lines and ands that *eep chan!in! their positions$ It)s almost as if the stars are tan!led in a !hostl# spider)s "e $ ;The "hole net"or* is e!innin! to !lo"9to pulse "ith li!ht& e1actl# as if it "ere alive$ And I suppose it is+ or is it somethin! as much e#ond life as that is a ove the inor!anic "orld< ;The !lo" seems to e shiftin! to one part of the s*#9"ait a minute "hile I move round to the other "indo"$ ;%es9I mi!ht have !uessed$ There)s a !reat urnin! column& li*e a tree of fire& reachin! a ove the "estern hori'on$ It)s a lon! "a# off& ri!ht round the "orld$ I *no" "here it sprin!s from+ the#)re on their "a# at last& to ecome part of the Overmind$ Their pro ation is ended+ the#)re leavin! the last remnants of matter ehind$ ;As that fire spreads up"ards from the Earth& I can see the net"or* ecomin! firmer and less mist#$ In places& it seems almost solid9#et the stars are still shinin! faintl# throu!h it$ ;I)ve -ust reali'ed$ It)s not e1actl# the same& ut the thin! I sa" shootin! up a ove #our "orld& 2arellen& "as ver# much 3@K li*e this$ 8as that part of the Overmind< I suppose #ou hid the truth from me so that I "ould have no preconceived ideas 9so that I)d e an un iased o server$ I "ish I *ne" "hat #our cameras "ere sho"in! #ou no"& to compare it "ith "hat m# mind ima!ines I)m seein!= ;Is this ho" it tal*s to #ou& 2arellen& in colours and shapes li*e these< I)ve remem ered the control screens on #our ship and the patterns that "ent across them& spea*in! to #ou in some visual lan!ua!e "hich #our e#es could read$ ;No" it loo*s e1actl# li*e the curtains of the aurora& dancin! and flic*erin! across the stars$ 8h#& that)s "hat it reall# is& I)m sure9a !reat auroral storm$ The "hole landscape is lit up9it)s ri!hter than da#9reds and !olds and !reens are chasin! each other across the s*#9oh& it)s e#ond "ords& it doesn)t seem fair that I)m the onl# one to see it9I never thou!ht such colours9 ;The storm)s d#in! do"n& ut the !reat mist# net"or* is still there$ I thin* that aurora "as onl# a #9product of "hatever ener!ies are ein! released up there on the frontier of space$ ;/ust a minute+ I)ve noticed somethin! else$ 7# "ei!ht)+ decreasin!$ 8hat does that mean< I)ve dropped a pencil9it)s fallin! slo"l#$ Somethin!)s happened to !ravit#9there)s a !reat "ind comin! up9I can see the trees tossin! their ranches do"n there in the valle#$ ;Of course9the atmosphere)s escapin!$ Stic*s and stones are risin! into the s*#& almost as if the Earth itself is tr#in! to follo" Them out into space$ There)s a !reat cloud of dust& "hipped up # the !ale$ It)s ecomin! hard to see$ $ $ perhaps It "ill dear in a moment$ ;%es9that)s etter$ Ever#thin! mova le has een stripped a"a#9the dust clouds have vanished$ I "onder ho" lon! this uildin! "ill stand< And it)s !ettin! hard to reathe9I must tr# and tal* more slo"l#$ ;I can see clearl# a!ain$ That !reat urnin! column is still there& ut it)s constrictin!& narro"in!9it loo*s li*e the funnel of a tornado& a out to retract into the clouds$ And9oh& this is hard to descri e& ut -ust then I felt a !reat "ave of emotion s"eep over me$ It "asn)t -o# or sorro". it "as a sense of fulfilment& achievement$ Did I ima!ine it< Or did it come from outside< I don)t *no"$

;And no"9this can)t e all ima!ination9the "orld feels 3@D empt#$ >tterl# empt#$ It)s li*e listenin! to a radio set that)s suddenl# !one dead$ And the s*# is dear a!ain9the mist# "e has !one$ 8hat "orld "ill it !o to ne1t& 2arellen< And "ill #ou e there to serve it still< ;Stran!e+ ever#thin! around me is unaltered$ I don)t *no" "h#& ut someho" I)d thou!ht that9; /an stopped$ 0or a moment he stru!!led for "ords& then closed his e#es in an effort to re!ain control$ There "as no room for fear or panic no"+ he had a dut# to perform9a dut# to 7an& and a dut# to 2arellen$ Slo"l# at first& li*e a man a"a*in! from a dream& he e!an to spea*$ ;The uildin!s round me9the !round9the mountains9ever#thin!)s li*e !lass9I can see throu!h it$ Earth)s dissolvin! 9m# "ei!ht has almost !one$ %ou "ere ri!ht9the#)ve finished pla#in! "ith their to#s$ ;It)s onl# a fe" seconds a"a#$ There !o the mountains& li*e "isps of smo*e$ ?ood #e& 2arellen& Rashavera*9I am sorr# fC #ou$ Thou!h I cannot understand it& I)ve seen "hat m# race ecame$ Ever#thin! "e ever achieved has !one up there into the stars$ Perhaps that)s "hat the old reli!ions "ere tr#in! to sa#$ :ut the# !ot it all "ron!+ the# thou!ht man*ind "as so important& #et "e)re onl# one race in9do#ou *no" ho" man#< %et no" "e)ve ecome somethin! that #ou could never e$ ;There !oes the river$ No chan!e in the s*#& thou!h$ I can hardl# reathe$ Stran!e to see the 7oon still shinin! up there$ I)m !lad the# left it& ut it "ill e lonel# no"9 ;The li!ht= 0rom eneath me9inside the Earth9shinin! up"ard& throu!h the roc*s& the !round& ever#thin!9!ro"in! ri!hter& ri!hter& lindin!9; In a soundless concussion of li!ht& Earth)s core !ave up its hoarded ener!ies$ 0or a little "hile the !ravitational "aves crossed and re9crossed the Solar S#stem& distu in! ever so sli!htl# the or its of the planets$ Then the Suit)s remainin! children pursued their ancient paths once more& as cor*s floattn!Con a placid la*e ride out the tin# ripples set in motion # a fallin! stone$ There "as nothin! left of Earth$ The# had teethed a"a# the last atoms of its su stance$ It had nourished them& throu!h the fierce moments of their inconceiva le metamorphosis& as the food stored in a !rain of "heat feeds the nfant plant "hile it clim s to"ards the Sun$ Si1 thousand million *ilometres e#ond the or it of Pluto& 2arellen sat efore a suddenl# dar*ened screen$ The record "as complete& the mission ended. he "as home"ard ound = r the "orld he had left so lon! a!o$ The "ei!ht of centuries "as upon him& and a sadness that no lo!ic could dispel$ He lid not mourn for 7an+ his sorro" "as for his o"n race& forever arred from !reatness # forces it could not overcome$ 0or all their achievements& thou!ht 2arellen& for all their master# of the ph#sical universe& his people "ere no etter than a tri e that had passed its "hole e1istence upon some flat and dust# plain$ 0ar off "ere the mountains& "here po"er and eaut# d"elt& "here the thunder sported a ove the !laciers and the air "as clear and *een$ There the sun still "al*ed& transfi!urin! the pea*s "ith !lor#& "hen all the land elo" "as "rapped in dar*ness$ And the# could onl# "atch and "onder+ the# could never scale those hei!hts$ %et& 2arellen *ne"& the# "ould hold fast until the end+ the# "ould a"ait "ithout despair "hatever destin# "as theirs$ The# "ould serve the Overmind ecause the# had no choice& ut even in that service the# "ould not lose their souls$ The !reat control screen flared for a moment "ith som re& ru # li!ht+ "ithout conscious effort& 2arellen read the messa!e of its chan!in! patterns$ The ship "as leavin! the frontiers of the Solar S#stem+ the ener!ies that po"ered the Stardrive "ere e in! fast& ut the# had done their "or*$ 2arellen raised his hand& and the picture chan!ed once more$ A sin!le rilliant star !lo"ed in the centre of the screen+ no9one could have told& from this distance& that the Sun had ever possessed

planets or that one of them had no" een lost$ 0or a lon! time 2arellen stared ac* across that s"iftl# "idenin! !ulfC& "hile man# memories raced throu!h his vast and la #rinthiric mind$ In silent fare"ell& he saluted the men he had *no"n& "hether the# had hindered or helped him ta his purpose$ No9one dared distur him or interrupt his thou!hts+ and presentl# he turned his ac* upon the d"indlin! Sun$