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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Invaders + +Author: William Fitzgerald Jenkins + +Release Date: February 21, 2010 [EBook #31343] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE INVADERS *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="figc"><img src="images/001.jpg" width="600" height="364" alt="" title="" /> + +<h1><span class="sp1">THE INVADERS</span></h1> + +<h2><small>By MURRAY LEINSTER</small></h2> + +<div class="bk1"><p><i>It started in Greece on the day after tomorrow. Before +the last act raced to a close, Coburn was buried to his +ears in assorted adventures, including a revolution and +an invasion from outer space!</i></p> + +<p><i>We're not given to throwing around the word "epic" +lightly, but here </i>is<i> one! Swashbuckling action, a great +many vivid characters, and a weird mystery—all spun +for you by one of the master story-tellers of our time.</i></p></div></div> + +<p class="cap"><span class="smcap">On</span> a certain day—it may be in +the history books eventually—Coburn +was in the village of +Ardea, north of Salonika in the +most rugged part of Greece. He +was making a survey for purposes +which later on turned out not to +matter much. The village of Ardea +was small, it was very early in the +morning, and he was trying to get +his car started when he heard the +yell.</p> + +<p>It was a shrill yell, and it traveled +fast. Coburn jerked his head +upright from the hood of the car. +A whiskered villager with flapping +trousers came pounding up the +single street. His eyes were panic-stricken +and his mouth was wide. +He emitted the yell in a long, sustained +note. Other villagers +popped into view like ants from a +disturbed ant-hill. Some instantly +ran back into their houses. Others +began to run toward the outskirts +of the village, toward the south.</p> + +<p>Coburn, watching blankly, +found himself astonished at the +number of people the village contained. +He hadn't dreamed it was +so populous. All were in instant +frenzied flight toward the mountains. +An old woman he'd seen +barely hobbling, now ran like a +deer. Children toddled desperately. +Adults snatched them up +and ran. Larger children fled on +twinkling legs. The inhabitants of +Ardea vanished toward the hills in +a straggling, racing, panting +stream. They disappeared around +an outcrop of stone which was +merely the nearest place that +would hide them. Then there was +silence.</p> + +<p>Coburn turned his head blankly +in the direction from which they +had run. He saw the mountains—incredibly +stony and barren. That +was all. No, not quite—there +was something far away which +was subtly different in color from +the hillsides. It moved. It flowed +over a hill crest, coming plainly +from somewhere beyond the mountains. +It was vague in shape. Coburn +felt a momentary stirring of +superstition. There simply couldn't +be anything so huge....</p> + +<p>But there could. There was. It +was a column of soldiers in uniforms +that looked dark-gray at +this distance. It flowed slowly out +of the mountains like a colossal +snake—some Midgard monster +or river of destruction. It moved +with an awful, deliberate steadiness +toward the village of Ardea.</p> + +<p>Coburn caught his breath. Then +he was running too. He was out of +the village almost before he realized +it. He did not try to follow +the villagers. He might lead pursuers +after them. There was a +narrow defile nearby. Tanks could +hardly follow it, and it did not +lead where they would be going. +He plunged into it and was instantly +hidden. He pelted on. It +was a trail from somewhere, because +he saw ancient donkey-droppings +on the stones, but he +did not know where it led. He +simply ran to get away from the +village and the soldiers who were +coming toward it.</p> + +<p>This was Greece. They were +Bulgarian soldiers. This was not +war or even invasion. This was +worse—a cold-war raid. He kept +running and presently rocky cliffs +overhung him on one side, a vast +expanse of sky loomed to his left. +He found himself panting. He +began to hope that he was actually +safe.</p> + +<p>Then he heard a voice. It +sounded vexed. Quite incredibly, +it was talking English. "But my +dear young lady!" it said severely. +"You simply mustn't go on! +There's the very devil of a mess +turning up, and you mustn't run +into it!"</p> + +<p>A girl's voice answered, also in +English. "I'm sure—I don't +know what you're talking about!"</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid I can't explain. +But, truly, you mustn't go on to +the village!"</p> + +<p>Coburn pushed ahead. He came +upon the people who had spoken. +There was a girl riding on a donkey. +She was American. Trim. +Neat. Uneasy, but reasonably +self-confident. And there was a +man standing by the trail, with a +slide of earth behind him and mud +on his boots as if he'd slid down +somewhere very fast to intercept +this girl. He wore the distinctive +costume a British correspondent +is apt to affect in the wilds.</p> + +<p>They turned as Coburn came +into view. The girl goggled at +him. He was not exactly the sort +of third person one expected to +find on a very lonely, ill-defined +rocky trail many miles north of +Salonika.</p> + +<p>When they turned to him, Coburn +recognized the man. He'd +met Dillon once or twice in Salonika. +He panted: "Dillon! There's +a column of soldiers headed across +the border! Bulgarians!"</p> + +<p>"How close?" asked Dillon.</p> + +<p>"They're coming," said Coburn, +with some difficulty due to +lack of breath. "I saw them across +the valley. Everybody's run away +from the village. I was the last +one out."</p> + +<p>Dillon nodded composedly. He +looked intently at Coburn. "You +know me," he said reservedly. +"Should I remember you?"</p> + +<p>"I've met you once or twice," +Coburn told him. "In Salonika."</p> + +<p>"Oh," said Dillon. "Oh, yes. +Sorry. I've got some cameras up +yonder. I want a picture or two of +those Bulgarians. See if you can +persuade this young lady not to +go on. I fancy it's safe enough +here. Not a normal raid route +through this pass."</p> + +<p>Coburn nodded. Dillon expected +the raid, evidently. This sort of +thing had happened in Turkey. +Now it would start up here, in +Greece. The soldiers would strike +fast and far, at first. They +wouldn't stop to hunt down the +local inhabitants. Not yet.</p> + +<p>"We'll wait," said Coburn. +"You'll be back?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, surely!" said Dillon. "Five +minutes or less."</p> + +<p>He started up the precipitous +wall, at whose bottom he had slid +down. He climbed remarkably +well. He went up hand-over-hand +despite the steepness of the stone. +It looked almost impossible, but +Dillon apparently found handgrips +by instinct, as a good +climber does. In a matter of minutes +he vanished, some fifty feet +up, behind a bulging mass of +stone. He did not reappear.</p> + +<hr /> + +<div class="figr"><a href="images/003-2.jpg"><img src="images/003-1.jpg" width="400" height="255" alt="" title="" /></a></div> + +<p>Coburn began to get his breath +back. The girl looked at him, her +forehead creased.</p> + +<p>"Just to make sure," said Coburn, +"I'll see if I can get a view +back down the trail."</p> + +<p>Where the vastness of the sky +showed, he might be able to look +down. He scrambled up a barrier +two man-heights high. There was +a screen of straggly brush, with +emptiness beyond. He peered.</p> + +<p>He could see a long way down +and behind, and actually the village +was clearly in sight from here. +There were rumbling, caterpillar-tread +tanks in the act of entering +it. There were anachronistic +mounted men with them. Cavalry +is outdated, nowadays, but in +rocky mountain country they can +have uses where tanks can't go. +But here tanks and cavalry looked +grim. Coburn squirmed back and +beckoned to the girl. She joined +him. They peered through the +brushwood together.</p> + +<p>The light tanks were scurrying +along the single village street. +Horsemen raced here and there. A +pig squealed. There was a shot. +The tanks emerged from the other +side. They went crawling swiftly +toward the south. But they did +not turn aside where the villagers +had. They headed along the way +Coburn had driven to Ardea.</p> + +<p>Infantrymen appeared, marching +into the village. An advance +party, rifles ready. This was strict +discipline and standard military +practise. Horsemen rode to tell +them that all was quiet. They +turned and spurred away after +the tanks.</p> + +<div class="figl"><a href="images/002-2.jpg"><img src="images/002-1.jpg" width="400" height="258" alt="" title="" /></a></div> + +<p>The girl said in a strained voice. +"This is war starting! Invasion!"</p> + +<p>Coburn said coldly, "No. No +planes. This isn't war. It's a training +exercise, Iron-Curtain style. +This outfit will strike twenty—maybe +thirty miles south. There's +a town there—Kilkis. They'll +take it and loot it. By the time +Athens finds out what's happened, +they'll be ready to fall back. +They'll do a little fighting. They'll +carry off the people. And they'll +deny everything. The West doesn't +want war. Greece couldn't fight +by herself. And America wouldn't +believe that such things could +happen. But they do. It's what's +called cold war. Ever hear of +that?"</p> + +<p>The main column of soldiers far +below poured up to the village +and went down the straggly street +in a tide of dark figures. The village +was very small. The soldiers +came out of the other end of the +village. They poured on after the +tanks, rippling over irregularities +in the way. They seemed innumerable.</p> + +<p>"Three or four thousand men," +said Coburn coldly. "This is a big +raid. But it's not war. Not yet."</p> + +<p>It was not the time for full-scale +war. Bulgaria and the other countries +in its satellite status were +under orders to put a strain upon +the outside world. They were +building up border incidents and +turmoil for the benefit of their +masters. Turkey was on a war +footing, after a number of incidents +like this. Indo-China was at +war. Korea was an old story. Now +Greece. It always takes more men +to guard against criminal actions +than to commit them. When this +raid was over Greece would have +to maintain a full-size army in its +northern mountains to guard +against its repetition. Which would +be a strain on its treasury and +might help toward bankruptcy. +This was cold war.</p> + +<p>The infantry ended. Horse-drawn +vehicles appeared in a +seemingly endless line. Motorized +transport would be better, but +the Bulgarians were short of it. +Shaggy, stubby animals plodded +in the wake of the tanks and the +infantry. There were two-wheeled +carts in single file all across the +valley. They went through the +village and filed after the soldiers.</p> + +<p>"I think," said Coburn in biting +anger, "this will be all there +is to see. They'll go in until they're +stopped. They'll kidnap Greek +civilians and later work them to +death in labor camps. They'll +carry off some children to raise as +spies. But their purpose is probably +only to make such a threat +that the Greeks will go broke +guarding against them. They +know the Greeks don't want war."</p> + +<p>He began to wriggle back from +the brushwood screen. He was +filled with the sort of sick rage +that comes when you can't actively +resent insolence and arrogance. +He hated the people who +wanted the world to collapse, and +this was part of their effort to +bring it about.</p> + +<p>He helped the girl down. "Dillon +said to wait," he said. He +found himself shaking with anger +at the men who had ordered the +troops to march. "He said he was +taking pictures. He must have had +an advance tip of some sort. If +so, he'll have a line of retreat."</p> + +<p>Then Coburn frowned. Not +quite plausible, come to think of +it. But Dillon had certainly known +about the raid. He was set to take +pictures, and he hadn't been surprised. +One would have expected +Greek Army photographers on +hand to take pictures of a raid of +which they had warning. Probably +United Nations observers on the +scene, too. Yes. There should be +Army men and probably a United +Nations team up where Dillon +was.</p> + +<p>Coburn explained to the girl. +"That'll be it. And they'll have a +radio, too. Probably helicopters +taking them out also. I'll go up +and tell them to be sure and have +room for you."</p> + +<p>He started for the cliff he'd +seen Dillon climb. He paused: +"I'd better have your name for +them to report to Athens."</p> + +<p>"I'm Janice Ames," she told +him. "The Breen Foundation has +me going around arranging for +lessons for the people up here. +Sanitation and nutrition and midwifery, +and so on. The Foundation +office is in Salonika, though."</p> + +<p>He nodded and attacked the +cliff.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>It hadn't been a difficult climb +for Dillon. It wasn't even a long +one for Coburn, but it was much +worse than he'd thought. The +crevices for handholds were rare, +and footholds were almost non-existent. +There were times when +he felt he was holding on by his +fingernails. Dillon seemed to +have made it with perfect ease, +but Coburn found it exhausting.</p> + +<p>Fifty feet up he came to the +place where Dillon had vanished. +But it was a preposterously difficult +task to get across an undercut +to where he could grasp a stunted +tree. It was a strain to scramble +up past it. Then he found himself +on the narrowest of possible ledges, +with a sickening drop off to one +side. But Dillon had made it, so +he followed.</p> + +<p>He went a hundred yards, and +then the ledge came to an end. He +saw where Dillon must have +climbed. It was possible, but Coburn +violently did not want to try. +Still ... He started.</p> + +<p>Then something clicked in his +throat. There was a rather deep +ledge for a space of four or five +feet. And there was Dillon. No, +not Dillon. Just Dillon's clothes. +They lay flat and deflated, but +laid out in one assembly beside a +starveling twisted bush. It would +have been possible for a man to +stand there to take off his clothes, +if he wanted to. But a man who +takes off his clothes—and why +should Dillon do that?—takes +them off one by one. These garments +were fitted together. The +coat was over the shirt, and the +trousers fitted to the bottom of +the shirt over the coat, and the +boots were at the ends of the +trouser legs.</p> + +<p>Then Coburn saw something he +did not believe. It palpably was +not true. He saw a hand sticking +out of the end of the sleeve. But +it was not a hand, because it had +collapsed. It was rather like an +unusually thick glove, flesh color.</p> + +<p>Then he saw what should have +been Dillon's head. And it was in +place, too. But it was not Dillon's +head. It was not a head at all. It +was something quite different. +There were no eyes. Merely holes. +Openings. Like a mask.</p> + +<p>Coburn felt a sort of roaring in +his ears, and he could not think +clearly for a moment because of +the shrieking impossibility of +what he was looking at. Dillon's +necktie had been very neatly untied, +and left in place in his collar. +His shirt had been precisely unbuttoned. +He had plainly done it +himself. And then—the unbuttoned +shirt made it clear—he +had come out of his body. Physically, +he had emerged and gone +on. The thing lying flat that had +lapsed at Coburn's feet was Dillon's +outside. His outside only. +The inside had come out and gone +away. It had climbed the cliff +over Coburn's head.</p> + +<p>The outside of Dillon looked +remarkably like something made +out of foam-rubber. Coburn +touched it, insanely.</p> + +<p>He heard his own voice saying +flatly: "It's a sort of suit. A suit +that looks like Dillon. He was in +it. Something was! Something is +playing the part of Dillon. Maybe +it always was. Maybe there isn't +any Dillon."</p> + +<p>He felt a sort of hysterical composure. +He opened the chest. It +was patently artificial. There were +such details on the inside as would +be imagined in a container needed +to fit something snugly. At the +edges of the opening there were +fastenings like the teeth of a zipper, +but somehow different. Coburn +knew that when this was +fastened there would be no visible +seam.</p> + +<p>Whatever wore this suit-that-looked-like-Dillon +could feel perfectly +confident of passing for Dillon, +clothed or otherwise. It could +pass without any question for—</p> + +<p>Coburn gagged.</p> + +<p><i>It could pass without question for +a human being.</i></p> + +<p>Obviously, whatever was wearing +this foam-rubber replica of +Dillon was not human!</p> + +<p>Coburn went back to where he +had to climb down the cliffside +again. He moved like a sleep-walker. +He descended the fifty-foot +cliff by the crevices and the +single protruding rock-point that +had helped him get up. It was +much easier going down. In his +state of mind it was also more +dangerous. He moved in a sort of +robot-like composure.</p> + +<p>He moved toward the girl, +trying to make words come out +of his throat, when a small rock +came clattering down the cliff. +He looked up. Dillon was in the +act of swinging to the first part of +the descent. He came down, very +confident and assured. He had +two camera-cases slung from his +shoulders. Coburn stared at him, +utterly unable to believe what +he'd seen ten minutes before.</p> + +<p>Dillon reached solid ground and +turned. He smiled wryly. His +shirt was buttoned. His tie was +tied.</p> + +<p>"I hoped," he said ruefully to +Janice Ames, "that the Bulgars +would toddle off. But they left a +guard in the village. We can't +hope to take an easier trail. We'll +have to go back the way you +came. We'll get you safe to Salonika, +though."</p> + +<p>The girl smiled, uneasily but +gratefully.</p> + +<p>"And," added Dillon, "we'd +better get started."</p> + +<p>He gallantly helped the girl +remount her donkey. At the sight, +Coburn was shaken out of his +numbness. He moved fiercely to +intervene. But Janice settled herself +in the saddle and Dillon confidently +led the way. Coburn +grimly walked beside her as she +rode. He was convinced that he +wouldn't leave her side while Dillon +was around. But even as he +knew that desperate certitude, he +was filled with confusion and a +panicky uncertainty.</p> + +<p>When they'd traveled about +half a mile, another frightening +thought occurred to Coburn. Perhaps +Dillon—passing for human—wasn't +alone. Perhaps there +were thousands like him.</p> + +<p>Invaders! Usurpers, pretending +to be men. Invaders, obviously, +from space!</p> + +<h3>II</h3> + +<p>They made eight miles. At least +one mile of that, added together, +was climbing straight up. Another +mile was straight down. The rest +was boulder-strewn, twisting, donkey-wide, +slanting, slippery stone. +But there was no sign of anyone +but themselves. The sky remained +undisturbed. No planes. They saw +no sign of the raiding force from +across the border, and they heard +no gunfire.</p> + +<p>Coburn struggled against the +stark impossibility of what he had +seen. The most horrifying concept +regarding invasion from space is +that of creatures who are able to +destroy or subjugate humanity. +A part of that concept was in Coburn's +mind now. Dillon marched +on ahead, in every way convincingly +human. But he wasn't. +And to Coburn, his presence as a +non-human invader of Earth +made the border-crossing by the +Bulgarians seem almost benevolent.</p> + +<p>They went on. The next hill was +long and steep. Then they were at +the hill crest. They looked down +into a village called Náousa. It +was larger than Ardea, but not +much larger. One of the houses +burned untended. Figures moved +about. There were tanks in sight, +and many soldiers in the uniform +that looked dark-gray at a distance. +The route by which Dillon +had traveled had plainly curved +into the line-of-march of the Bulgarian +raiding force.</p> + +<p>But the moving figures were not +soldiers. The soldiers were still. +They lay down on the grass in +irregular, sprawling windrows. +The tanks were not in motion. +There were two-wheeled carts in +sight—reaching back along the +invasion-route—and they were +just as stationary as the men and +the tanks. The horses had toppled +in their shafts. They were motionless.</p> + +<p>The movement was of civilians—men +and women alike. They +were Greek villagers, and they +moved freely among the unmilitarily +recumbent troops, and even +from this distance their occupation +was clear. They were happily +picking the soldiers' pockets. But +there was one figure which moved +from one prone figure to another +much too quickly to be looting. +Coburn saw sunlight glitter on +something in his hand.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Dillon noticed the same thing +Coburn did at the same instant. +He bounded forward. He ran toward +the village and its tumbled +soldiers in great, impossible leaps. +No man could make such leaps or +travel so fast. He seemed almost +to soar toward the village, shouting. +Coburn and Janice saw him +reach the village. They saw him +rush toward the one man who had +been going swiftly from one prone +soldier to another. It was too far +to see Dillon's action, but the sunlight +glittered again on something +bright, which this time flew +through the air and dropped to +the ground.</p> + +<p>The villagers grouped about +Dillon. There was no sign of a +struggle.</p> + +<p>"What's happened?" demanded +Janice uneasily. "Those are soldiers +on the ground."</p> + +<p>Coburn's fright prevented his +caution. He shouted furiously. +"He's not a man! You saw it! +No man can run so fast! You saw +those jumps! He's not human! +He's—something else!"</p> + +<p>Janice jerked her eyes to Coburn +in panic. "What did you +say?"</p> + +<p>Coburn panted: "Dillon's no +man! He's a monster from somewhere +in space! And he and his +kind have killed those soldiers! +Murdered them! And the soldiers +are men! You stay here. I'll go +down there and—"</p> + +<p>"No!" said Janice, "I'm coming +too."</p> + +<p>He took the donkey's halter +and led the animal down to the +village, with Janice trembling a +little in the saddle. He talked in a +tight, taut, hysterical tone. He +told what he'd found up on the +cliffside. He described in detail +the similitude of a man's body +he'd found deflated beside a +stunted bush.</p> + +<p>He did not look at Janice as he +talked. He moved doggedly toward +the village, dragging at the +donkey's head. They neared the +houses very slowly, and Coburn +considered that he walked into the +probability of a group of other +creatures from unthinkable other +star systems, disguised as men. +It did not occur to him that his +sudden outburst about Dillon +sounded desperately insane to +Janice.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>They reached the first of the +fallen soldiers. Janice looked, +shuddering. Then she said thinly: +"He's breathing!"</p> + +<p>He was. He was merely a boy. +Twenty or thereabouts. He lay +on his back, his eyes closed. His +face was upturned like a dead +man's. But his breast rose and fell +rhythmically. He slept as if he +were drugged.</p> + +<p>But that was more incredible +than if he'd been dead. Regiments +of men fallen simultaneously +asleep....</p> + +<p>Coburn's flow of raging speech +stopped short. He stared. He saw +other fallen soldiers. Dozens of +them. In coma-like slumber, the +soldiers who had come to loot and +murder lay like straws upon the +ground. If they had been dead it +would have been more believable. +At least there are ways to kill +men. But this ...</p> + +<p>Dillon parted the group of villagers +about him and came toward +Coburn and Janice. He was +frowning in a remarkably human +fashion.</p> + +<p>"Here's a mess!" he said irritably. +"Those Bulgars came +marching down out of the pass. +The cavalry galloped on ahead +and cut the villagers off so they +couldn't run away. They started +to loot the village. They weren't +pleasant. Women began to scream, +and there were shootings—all in +a matter of minutes. And then the +looters began to act strangely. +They staggered around and sat +down and went to sleep!"</p> + +<p>He waved his hands in a helpless +gesture, but Coburn was not +deceived.</p> + +<p>"The tanks arrived. And they +stopped—and their crews went +to sleep! Then the infantry appeared, +staggering as it marched. +The officers halted to see what +was happening ahead, and the +entire infantry dropped off to +sleep right where it stood!</p> + +<p>"It's bad! If it had happened a +mile or so back ... The Greeks +must have played a trick on +them, but those cavalrymen raised +the devil in the few minutes they +were out of hand! They killed +some villagers and then keeled +over. And now the villagers aren't +pleased. There was one man +whose son was murdered, and he's +been slitting the Bulgars' throats!"</p> + +<p>He looked at Coburn, and Coburn +said in a grating voice: "I +see."</p> + +<p>Dillon said distressedly: "One +can't let them slit the throats of +sleeping men! I'll have to stay +here to keep them from going at +it again. I say, Coburn, will you +take one of their staff cars and run +on down somewhere and tell the +Greek government what's happened +here? Something should be +done about it! Soldiers should +come to keep order and take +charge of these chaps."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Coburn. "I'll do it. +I'll take Janice along, too."</p> + +<p>"Splendid!" Dillon nodded as +if in relief. "She'd better get out +of the mess entirely. I fancy +there'd have been a full-scale +massacre if we hadn't come along. +The Greeks have no reason to +love these chaps, and their intentions +were hardly amiable. But +one can't let them be murdered!"</p> + +<p>Coburn had his hand on his revolver +in his pocket. His finger +was on the trigger. But if Dillon +needed him to run an errand, then +there obviously were no others of +his own kind about.</p> + +<p>Dillon turned his back. He gave +orders in the barbarous dialect of +the mountains. His voice was +authoritative. Men obeyed him +and dragged uniformed figures out +of a light half-track that was +plainly a staff car. Dillon beckoned, +and Coburn moved toward +him. The important thing as far +as Coburn was concerned was to +get Janice to safety. Then to report +the full event.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"I ... I'm not sure ..." began +Janice, her voice shaking.</p> + +<p>"I'll prove what I said," raged +Coburn in a low tone. "I'm not +crazy, though I feel like it!"</p> + +<p>Dillon beckoned again. Janice +slipped off the donkey's back. +She looked pitifully frightened +and irresolute.</p> + +<p>"I've located the chap who's +the mayor of this village, or something +like that. Take him along. +They might not believe you, but +they'll have to investigate when +he turns up."</p> + +<p>A white-bearded villager reluctantly +climbed into the back +of the car. Dillon pleasantly offered +to assist Janice into the +front seat. She climbed in, deathly +white, frightened of Coburn and +almost ashamed to admit that his +vehement outburst had made her +afraid of Dillon, too.</p> + +<p>Dillon came around to Coburn's +side of the vehicle. "Privately," +he said with a confidential air, +"I'd advise you to dump this mayor +person where he can reach authority, +and then go away quietly +and say nothing of what happened +up here. If the Greeks are +using some contrivance that handles +an affair like this, it will be +top secret. They won't like civilians +knowing about it."</p> + +<p>Coburn's grip on his revolver +was savage. It seemed likely, +now, that Dillon was the only +one of his extraordinary kind +about.</p> + +<p>"I think I know why you say +that," he said harshly.</p> + +<p>Dillon smiled. "Oh, come now!" +he protested. "I'm quite unofficial!"</p> + +<p>He was incredibly convincing +at that moment. There was a +wry half-smile on his face. He +looked absolutely human; absolutely +like the British correspondent +Coburn had met in Salonika. +He was too convincing. Coburn +knew he would suspect his own +sanity unless he made sure.</p> + +<p>"You're not only unofficial," +said Coburn grimly. His hand +came up over the edge of the +staff-car door. It had his revolver +in it. It bore inexorably upon the +very middle of Dillon's body. +"You're not human, either! +You're not a man! Your name +isn't Dillon! You're—something +I haven't a word for! But if you +try anything fancy I'll see if a +bullet through your middle will +stop you!"</p> + +<p>Dillon did not move. He said +easily: "You're being absurd, my +dear fellow. Put away that pistol."</p> + +<p>"You slipped!" said Coburn +thickly. "You said the Greeks +played a trick on this raiding +party. But you played it. At +Ardea, when you climbed that +cliff—no man could climb so +fast. No man could run as you ran +down into this village. And I saw +that body you're wearing when +you weren't in it! I followed you +up the cliff when—" Coburn's +voice was ragingly sarcastic—"when +you were taking pictures!"</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Dillon's face went impassive. +Then he said: "Well?"</p> + +<p>"Will you let me scratch your +finger?" demanded Coburn almost +hysterically. "If it bleeds, +I'll apologize and freely admit +I'm crazy! But if it doesn't ..."</p> + +<p>The thing-that-was-not-Dillon +raised its eyebrows. "It wouldn't," +it said coolly. "You do know. +What follows?"</p> + +<p>"You're something from space," +accused Coburn, "sneaking around +Earth trying to find out how to +conquer us! You're an Invader! +You're trying out weapons. And +you want me to keep my mouth +shut so we Earth people won't +patch up our own quarrels and +join forces to hunt you down! +But we'll do it! We'll do it!"</p> + +<p>The thing-that-was-not-Dillon +said gently: "No. My dear chap, +no one will believe you."</p> + +<p>"We'll see about that!" snapped +Coburn. "Put those cameras in +the car!"</p> + +<p>The figure that looked so human +hesitated a long instant, +then obeyed. It lowered the two +seeming cameras into the back +part of the staff car.</p> + +<p>Janice started to say, "I ... +I ..."</p> + +<p>The pseudo-Dillon smiled at +her. "You think he's insane, and +naturally you're scared," it said +reassuringly. "But he's sane. He's +quite right. I am from outer space. +And I'm not humoring him either. +Look!"</p> + +<p>He took a knife from his pocket +and snapped it open. He deliberately +ran the point down the side +of one of his fingers.</p> + +<p>The skin parted. Something +that looked exactly like foam-rubber +was revealed. There were +even bubbles in it.</p> + +<p>The pseudo-Dillon said, "You +see, you don't have to be afraid +of him. He's sane, and quite human. +You'll feel much better traveling +with him." Then the figure +turned to Coburn. "You won't +believe it, but I really like you, +Coburn. I like the way you've +reacted. It's very ... human."</p> + +<p>Coburn said to him: "It'll be +human, too, when we start to +hunt you down!" He let the staff +car in gear. Dillon smiled at him. +He let in the clutch, and the car +leaped ahead.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>In the two camera-cases Coburn +was sure that he had the cryptic +device that was responsible for the +failure of a cold-war raid. He +wouldn't have dared drive away +from Dillon leaving these devices +behind. If they were what he +thought, they'd be absolute proof +of the truth of his story, and they +should furnish clues to the sort of +science the Invaders possessed. +Show the world that Invaders +were upon it, and all the world +would combine to defend Earth. +The cold war would end.</p> + +<p>But a bitter doubt came to him. +Would they? Or would they offer +zestfully to be viceroys and overseers +for the Invaders, betraying +the rest of mankind for the privilege +of ruling them even under +unhuman masters?</p> + +<p>Janice swayed against his shoulder. +He cast a swift glance at her. +Her face was like marble.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?"</p> + +<p>She shook her head. "I'm trying +not to faint," she said unsteadily. +"When you told me he was from +another world I ... thought you +were crazy. But when he admitted +it ... when he proved it ..."</p> + +<p>Coburn growled. The trail +twisted and dived down a steep +slope. It twisted again and ran +across a rushing, frothing stream. +Coburn drove into the rivulet. +Water reared up in wing-like +sheets on either side. The staff +car climbed out, rocking, on the +farther side. Coburn put it to the +ascent beyond. The trail turned +and climbed and descended as the +stony masses of the hills required.</p> + +<p>"He's—from another world!" +repeated Janice. Her teeth chattered. +"What do they want—creatures +like him? How—how +many of them are there? Anybody +could be one of them! What do +they want?"</p> + +<p>"This is a pretty good world," +said Coburn fiercely. "And his +kind will want it. We're merely +the natives, the aborigines, to +them. Maybe they plan to wipe +us out, or enslave us. But they +won't! We can spot them now! +They don't bleed. Scratch one and +you find—foam-rubber. X-rays +will spot them. We'll learn to pick +them out—and when some specialists +look over those things that +look like cameras we'll know more +still! Enough to do something!"</p> + +<p>"Then you think it's an invasion +from space?"</p> + +<p>"What else?" snapped Coburn.</p> + +<p>His stomach was a tight +cramped knot now. He drove the +car hard!</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>In air miles the distance to be +covered was relatively short. In +road miles it seemed interminable. +The road was bad and curving beyond +belief. It went many miles +east and many miles west for +every mile of southward gain. The +hour grew late. Coburn had fled +Ardea at sunrise, but they'd +reached Náousa after midday and +he drove frantically over incredible +mountain roads until dusk. +Despite sheer recklessness, however, +he could not average thirty +miles an hour. There were times +when even the half-track had to +crawl or it would overturn. The +sun set, and he went on up steep +grades and down steeper ones in +the twilight. Night fell and the +headlights glared ahead, and the +staff car clanked and clanked and +grumbled and roared on through +the darkness.</p> + +<p>They probably passed through +villages—the headlights showed +stone hovels once or twice—but +no lights appeared. It was midnight +before they saw a moving +yellow spot of brightness with a +glare as of fire upon steam above +it. There were other small lights +in a row behind it, and they +saw that all the lights moved.</p> + +<p>"A railroad!" said Coburn. +"We're getting somewhere!"</p> + +<p>It was a railroad train on the +other side of a valley, but they did +not reach the track. The highway +curved away from it.</p> + +<p>At two o'clock in the morning +they saw electric lights. The highway +became suddenly passable. +Presently they ran into the still, +silent streets of a slumbering +town—Serrai—an administrative +center for this part of Greece. +They threaded its ways while +Coburn watched for a proper +place to stop. Once a curiously-hatted +policeman stared blankly +at them under an arc lamp as the +staff car clanked and rumbled past +him. They saw a great pile of stone +which was a church. They saw a +railroad station.</p> + +<p>Not far away there was a building +in which there were lights. A +man in uniform came out of its +door.</p> + +<p>Coburn stopped a block away. +There were uneasy stirrings, and +the white-bearded passenger from +the village said incomprehensible +things in a feeble voice. Coburn +got Janice out of the car first. She +was stiff and dizzy when she tried +to walk. The Greek was in worse +condition still. He clung to the +side of the staff car.</p> + +<p>"We tell the truth," said Coburn +curtly, "when we talk to the +police. We tell the whole truth—except +about Dillon. That sounds +too crazy. We tell it to top-level +officials only, after they realize +that something they don't know +anything about has really taken +place. Talk of Invaders from space +would either get us locked up as +lunatics or would create a panic. +This man will tell what happened +up there, and they'll investigate. +But we take these so-called cameras +to Salonika, and get to an +American battleship."</p> + +<p>He lifted Dillon's two cameras +by the carrying-straps. And the +straps pulled free. They'd held the +cases safely enough during a long +journey on foot across the mountains. +But they pulled clear now.</p> + +<p>Coburn had a bitter thought. +He struck a match. He saw the +leather cases on the floor of the +staff car. He picked up one of +them. He took it to the light of +the headlights, standing there in +the resonant darkness of a street +in a city of stone houses.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The leather was brittle. It was +friable, as if it had been in a fire. +Coburn plucked it open, and it +came apart in his hands. Inside +there was the smell of scorched +things. There was a gritty metallic +powder. Nothing else. The other +carrying-case was in exactly the +same condition.</p> + +<p>Coburn muttered bitterly: +"They were set to destroy themselves +if they got into other hands +than Dillon's. We haven't a bit of +proof that he wasn't a human +being. Not a shred of proof!"</p> + +<p>He suddenly felt a sick rage, as +if he had been played with and +mocked. The raid from Bulgaria +was serious enough, of course. It +would have killed hundreds of +people and possibly hundreds of +others would have been enslaved. +But even that was secondary in +Coburn's mind. The important +thing was that there were Invaders +upon Earth. Non-human monsters, +who passed for humans +through disguise. They had been +able to travel through space to +land secretly upon Earth. They +moved unknown among men, +learning the secrets of mankind, +preparing for—what?</p> + +<h3>III</h3> + +<p>They got into Salonika early +afternoon of the next day, after +many hours upon an antique railroad +train that puffed and grunted +and groaned among interminable +mountains. Coburn got a taxi to +take Janice to the office of the +Breen Foundation which had sent +her up to the north of Greece to +establish its philanthropic instruction +courses. He hadn't much +to say to Janice as they rode. He +was too disheartened.</p> + +<p>In the cab, though, he saw great +placards on which newspaper +headlines appeared in Greek. He +could make out the gist of them. +Essentially, they shrieked that +Bulgarians had invaded Greece +and had been wiped out. He made +out the phrase for valiant Greek +army. And the Greek army was +valiant enough, but it hadn't had +anything to do with this.</p> + +<p>From the police station in +Serrai—he had been interviewed +there until dawn—he knew what +action had been taken. Army +planes had flown northward in +the darkness, moved by the Mayor's, +and Coburn's, and Janice's +tale of Bulgarian soldiers on +Greek soil, sleeping soundly. They +had released parachute flares and +located the village of Náousa. +Parachutists with field radios had +jumped, while other flares burned +to light them to the ground. That +was that. Judging by the placards, +their reports had borne out the +story Coburn had brought down. +There would be a motorized Greek +division on the way to take charge +of the four-thousand-odd unconscious +raiders. There was probably +an advance guard there now.</p> + +<p>But there was no official news. +Even the Greek newspapers called +it rumors. Actually, it was leaked +information. It would be reasonable +for the Greek government to +let it leak, look smug, and blandly +say "No comment" to all inquiries, +including those from Bulgaria.</p> + +<p>But behind that appearance of +complacency, the Greek government +would be going quietly mad +trying to understand what so fortunately +had happened. And Coburn +could tell them. But he knew +better than to try without some +sort of proof. Yet, he had to tell. +The facts were more important +than what people thought of him.</p> + +<p>The cab stopped before his own +office. He paid the driver. The +driver beamed and said happily: +"<i>Tys nikisame, é?</i>"</p> + +<p>Coburn said, "<i>Poly kala. Orea.</i>"</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>His office was empty. It was +dustier than usual. His secretary +was probably taking a holiday +since he was supposed to be out of +town. He grunted and sat down at +the telephone. He called a man he +knew. Hallen—another American—was +attached to a non-profit +corporation which was attached +to an agency which was +supposed to coöperate with a +committee which had something +to do with NATO. Hallen answered +the phone in person.</p> + +<p>Coburn identified himself. +"Have you heard any rumors +about a Bulgarian raid up-country?" +he asked.</p> + +<p>"I haven't heard anything else +since I got up," Hallen told him.</p> + +<p>"I was there," said Coburn. "I +brought the news down. Can you +come over?"</p> + +<p>"I'm halfway there now!" said +Hallen as he slammed down the +phone.</p> + +<p>Coburn paced up and down his +office. It was very dusty. Even +the seat of the chair at his secretary's +desk was dusty. The odds +were that she was coming in only +to sort the mail, and not even sitting +down for that. He shrugged.</p> + +<p>He heard footsteps. The door +opened. His secretary, Helena, +came in. She looked surprised.</p> + +<p>"I was at lunch," she explained. +She had a very slight accent. She +hung up her coat. "I am sorry. I +stopped at a store."</p> + +<p>He had paused in his pacing to +nod at her. Now he stared, but +her back was turned toward him. +He blinked. She had just told a +very transparent lie. And Helena +was normally very truthful.</p> + +<p>"You had a good trip?" she +asked politely.</p> + +<p>"Fair," said Coburn. "Any +phone calls this morning?" he +asked.</p> + +<p>"Not this morning," she said +politely.</p> + +<p>She reached in a desk drawer. +She brought out paper. She put +it in the typewriter and began to +type.</p> + +<p>Coburn felt very queer. Then he +saw something else. There was a +fly in the office—a large, green-bodied +fly of metallic lustre. The +inhabitants of Salonika said with +morbid pride that it was a specialty +of the town, with the most +painful of all known fly stings. +And Helena abhorred flies.</p> + +<p>It landed on the bare skin of her +neck. She did not notice. It stayed +there. Ordinarily she would have +jumped up, exclaiming angrily in +Greek, and then she would have +pursued the fly vengefully with a +folded newspaper until she killed +it. But now she ignored it.</p> + +<p>Hallen came in, stamping. Coburn +closed the door behind him. +He felt queer at the pit of his +stomach. For Helena to let a fly +stay on her neck suggested that +her skin was ... somehow not +like its usual self.</p> + +<p>"What happened to those Bulgarians?" +demanded Hallen.</p> + +<p>Coburn told him precisely what +he'd seen when he arrived in +Náousa after an eight-mile hike +through mountains. Then he went +back and told Hallen precisely +what he'd seen up on the cliffside.</p> + +<p>"His cameras were some sort of +weapon. He played it on the +marching column, it took effect +and they went to sleep," he finished. +"I took them away from +him and brought them down, +but—"</p> + +<p>He told about the contents of +the camera cases being turned to +a gritty, sooty powder. Then he +added: "Dillon set them to destroy +themselves. You understand. +He's not a man. He's a +creature from some planet other +than Earth, passing for a human +being. He's an Invader from +space."</p> + +<p>Hallen's expression was uneasy +and compassionate but utterly +unbelieving. Helena shivered and +turned away her face. Coburn's +lips went taut. He reached down +to his desk. He made a sudden, +abrupt gesture. Hallen caught his +breath and started up.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Coburn said curtly: "Another +one of them. Helena, is that +foam-suit comfortable?"</p> + +<p>The girl jerked her face around. +She looked frightened.</p> + +<p>"Helena," said Coburn, "the +real Helena, that is, would not +sit down on a dusty chair. No +woman would. But you did. She is +a very truthful girl. You lied to +me. And I just stuck pins in your +shoulder and you didn't notice. +They're sticking in your foam suit +now. You and the creature that +passed for Dillon up-country are +both aliens. Invaders. Do you +want to try to convince me otherwise?"</p> + +<p>The girl said evenly: "Mr. Coburn, +I do not think you are +well—"</p> + +<p>Then Coburn said thickly: "I'm +crazy enough to put a bullet +through you if your gang of devils +has harmed the real Helena. +What's happened to her?"</p> + +<p>Hallen moved irresolutely to +interfere. But the girl's expression +changed. She smiled. "The real +Helena, Mr. Coburn," said an +entirely new voice, "has gone to +the suburbs to visit her fiancé's +family. She is quite safe."</p> + +<p>There was dead silence. The +figure—it even moved like Helena—got +composedly to its feet. +It got its coat. It put the coat on. +Hallen stared with his mouth +open. The pins hadn't convinced +him, but the utterly different +voice coming from this girl's +mouth had. Yet, waves of conflicting +disbelief and conviction, +horror and a racking doubt, +chased themselves over his features.</p> + +<p>"She admits she's not Helena!" +said Coburn with loathing. "It's +not human! Should I shoot it?"</p> + +<p>The girl smiled at him again. +Her eyes were very bright. "You +will not, Mr. Coburn. And you +will not even try to keep me +prisoner to prove your story. If I +screamed that you attack me—" +the smile widened—"Helena's +good Greek friends would come to +my assistance."</p> + +<p>She walked confidently to the +door and opened it. Then she said +warmly: "You are very intelligent, +Mr. Coburn. We approve of +you very much. But nobody will +believe you."</p> + +<p>The office door closed.</p> + +<p>Coburn turned stiffly to the +man he'd called to hear him. +"Should I have shot her, Hallen?"</p> + +<p>Hallen sat down as if his knees +had given way beneath him. +After a long time he got out a +handkerchief and painfully mopped +his face. At the same time he shivered.</p> + +<p>"N-no...." Then he swallowed. +"My God, Coburn! It's +true!"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Coburn bitterly, +"or you're as crazy as I am."</p> + +<p>Hallen's eyes looked haunted. +"I—I ..." He swallowed +again. "There's no question about +the Bulgarian business. That did +happen! And you were there. And—there've +been other things.... +Rumors.... Reports that +nobody believed.... I might +be able to get somebody to listen...." +He shivered again. "If it's +true, it's the most terrible thing +that ever happened. Invaders +from space.... Where do you +think they came from, Coburn?"</p> + +<p>"The creature that looked like +Dillon could climb incredibly fast. +I saw it run and leap. Nothing on +Earth could run or leap like that." +Coburn shrugged. "Maybe a planet +of another sun, with a monstrous +gravity."</p> + +<p>"Try to get somebody to believe +that, eh?" Hallen got painfully +to his feet. "I'll see what I +can do. I ... don't know that I +can do anything but get myself +locked up for observation. But I'll +call you in an hour."</p> + +<p>He went unsteadily out of the +door. Coburn instantly called the +Breen Foundation on the telephone. +He'd left Janice there less +than an hour before. She came to +the phone and gasped when she +heard his voice. Raging, he told +her of Helena, then cautioned her +to be especially careful—to be +suspicious of everybody.</p> + +<p>"Don't take anybody's word!" +snapped Coburn. "Doubt everybody! +Doubt me! Until you're absolutely +certain. Those creatures +are everywhere.... They may +pretend to be anybody!"</p> + +<p>After Coburn hung up on +Janice, he sat back and tried to +think logically. There had to be +some way by which an extra-terrestrial +Invader could be told +instantly from a human being. +Unmask and prove even one such +creature, and the whole story +would be proved. But how detect +them? Their skin was perfectly +deceptive. Scratched, of course, +they could be caught. But one +couldn't go around scratching +people. There was nothing of the +alien creature's own actual form +that showed.</p> + +<p>Then Coburn remembered the +Dillon foam suit. The head had +been hollow. Flaccid. Holes instead +of eyes. The creature's own +eyes showed through.</p> + +<p>But he'd have to make certain. +He'd have to look at a foam-suited +creature. He could have examined +Helena's eyes, but she was gone +now. However, there was an alternative. +There was a Dillon in +Salonika, as there was a Helena. +If the Dillon in Salonika was the +real Dillon—if there were a real +Dillon—he could look at his +eyes. He could tell if he were the +false Dillon or the real one.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>At this hour of the afternoon a +Britisher would consider tea a +necessity. There was only one +place in Salonika where they +served tea that an Englishman +would consider drinkable. Coburn +got into a cab and gave the driver +the address, and made sure of the +revolver in his pocket. He was +frightened. He was either going to +meet with a monster from outer +space, or be on the way to making +so colossal a fool of himself that a +mental asylum would yawn for +him.</p> + +<p>He went into the one coffee-shop +in Salonika which served +drinkable tea. It was dark and +dingy inside, though the tablecloths +were spotless. He went in, +and there was Dillon.</p> + +<p>Coburn's flesh crawled. If the +figure sitting there with the <i>London +Times</i> and a cup of tea before +him were actually a monster from +another planet ...</p> + +<p>But Dillon read comfortably, +and sipped his tea. Coburn approached, +and the Englishman +looked up inquiringly.</p> + +<p>"I was ... up in the mountains," +said Coburn feverishly, +"when those Bulgarians came +over. I can give you the story."</p> + +<p>Dillon said frostily: "I'm not +interested. The government's officially +denied that any such incident +took place. It's merely a +silly rumor."</p> + +<p>It was reasonable that it should +be denied. But it had happened, +nonetheless. Coburn stared, despite +a consciousness that he was +not conspicuously rational in the +way his eyes searched Dillon's +face hungrily. The eyes <i>were</i> different! +The eyes of the Dillon up +in the mountains had been larger, +and the brown part—But he had +to be sure.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, Coburn found himself +grinning. There was a simple, +a perfect, an absolute test for +humanity!</p> + +<p>Dillon said suspiciously: "What +the devil are you staring at me +for?"</p> + +<p>Coburn continued to grin uncontrollably, +even as he said in a +tone of apology: "I hate to do this, +but I have to be sure...."</p> + +<p>He swung. He connected with +Dillon's nose. Blood started.</p> + +<p>Coburn zestfully let himself +be thrown out, while Dillon +roared and tried to get at him +through the flying wedge of waiters. +He felt an enormous relaxation +on the way back to his office +in another cab. He was a trifle +battered, but it was worth it.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Back in the office he called +Hallen again. And again Hallen +answered. He sounded guilty and +worried.</p> + +<p>"I don't know whether I'm +crazy or not," he said bitterly. +"But I was in your office. I saw +your secretary there—and she +didn't feel pins stuck in her. And +something did happen to those +Bulgarians that the Greeks don't +know anything about, or the +Americans either. So you're to tell +your story to the high brass down +in Athens. I think you'll be locked +up afterward as a lunatic—and +me with you for believing my own +eyes. But a plane's being readied."</p> + +<p>"Where do I meet you?" asked +Coburn.</p> + +<p>Hallen told him. A certain room +out at the airport. Coburn hung +up. The telephone rang instantly. +He was on the way out, but he +turned back and answered it. +Janice's voice—amazingly convincing—came +from the instrument. +And at the first words his +throat went dry. Because it +couldn't be Janice.</p> + +<p>"I've been trying to get you. +Have you tried to reach me?"</p> + +<p>"Why, no. Why?"</p> + +<p>Janice's voice said: "I've something +interesting to tell you. I +left the office an hour ago. I'm at +the place where I live when I'm in +Salonika. Write down the address. +Can you come here? I've found out +something astonishing!"</p> + +<p>He wrote down the address. He +had a feeling of nightmarishness. +This was not Janice—</p> + +<p>"I'm clearing up some matters +you'll guess at," he said grimly, +"so I may be a little while getting +there. You'll wait?"</p> + +<p>He hung up. And then with a +rather ghastly humor he took +some pins from a box on the desk +and worked absorbedly at bending +one around the inside of the band +of the seal ring he wore on his +right hand.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>But he didn't go to the telephoned +address. He went to the +Breen Foundation. And Janice +was there. She was the real Janice. +He knew it instantly he saw her. +She was panic-stricken when he +told her of his own telephone experience. +Her teeth chattered. But +she knew—instinctively, she said—that +he was himself. She got +into the cab with him.</p> + +<p>They reached the airport and +found the office Hallen had +named. The lettering on it, in +Greek and French, said that it +was a reception room for official +visitors only.</p> + +<p>"Our status is uncertain," said +Coburn drily. "We may be official +guests, or we may be crazy. It's a +toss-up which status sticks."</p> + +<p>He opened the door and looked +carefully inside before he entered. +Hallen was there. There was a +lean, hard-bitten colonel of the +American liaison force in Greece. +There was a Greek general, pudgy +and genial, standing with his back +to a window and his hands clasped +behind him. There were two +Greek colonels and a major. They +regarded him soberly.</p> + +<p>"Howdo, Coburn," said Hallen +painfully. "You're heading for +Athens, you know. This is Miss +Ames? But these gentlemen have +... ah ... a special concern +with that business up-country. +They'd like to hear your story +before you leave."</p> + +<p>"I suppose," said Coburn +curtly, "it's a sort of preliminary +commission in lunacy."</p> + +<p>But he shook hands all around. +He kept his left hand in his coat +pocket as he shook hands with his +right. His revolver was in his left-hand +pocket now too. The Greek +general beamed at him. The +American colonel's eyes were hard +and suspicious. One of the two +Greek colonels was very slightly +cross-eyed. The Greek major +shook hands solemnly.</p> + +<p>Coburn took a deep breath. "I +know my tale sounds crazy," he +said, "but ... I had a telephone +call just now. Hallen will bear me +out that my secretary was impersonated +by somebody else this +afternoon."</p> + +<p>"I've told them that," said +Hallen unhappily.</p> + +<p>"And something was impersonating +Dillon up in the hills," +finished Coburn. "I've reason to +believe that at this address"—and +he handed the address he'd +written down to Hallen—"a +... creature will be found who +will look most convincingly like +Miss Ames, here. You might send +and see."</p> + +<p>The American colonel snorted: +"This whole tale's preposterous! +It's an attempt to cash in on the +actual mystery of what happened +up-country."</p> + +<p>The Greek general protested +gently. His English was so heavily +accented as to be hard to understand, +but he pointed out that +Coburn knew details of the event +in Náousa that only someone who +had been there could know.</p> + +<p>"True enough," said the American +officer darkly, "but he can +tell the truth now, before we make +fools of ourselves sending him to +Athens to be unmasked. Suppose," +he said unpleasantly, "you +give us the actual facts!"</p> + +<p>Coburn nodded. "The idea you +find you can't take is that creatures +that aren't human can be on +Earth and pass for human beings. +There's some evidence on that +right here." He nodded to the +Greek major who was the junior +officer in the room. "Major, will +you show these other gentlemen +the palm of your hand?"</p> + +<p>The Greek major frowned perplexedly. +He lifted his hand and +looked at it. Then his face went +absolutely impassive.</p> + +<p>"I'm ready to shoot!" snapped +Coburn. "Show them your hand. +I can tell now."</p> + +<p>He felt the tensing of the others +in the room, not toward the major +but toward him. They were preparing +to jump him, thinking him +mad.</p> + +<p>But the major grinned ruefully: +"Clever, Mr. Coburn! But how +did you pick me out?"</p> + +<p>Then there was a sensation of +intolerable brightness all around. +But it was not actual light. It was +a sensation inside one's brain.</p> + +<p>Coburn felt himself falling. He +knew, somehow, that the others +were falling too. He saw everyone +in the room in the act of slumping +limply to the floor—all but the +Greek major. And Coburn felt a +bitter, despairing fury as consciousness +left him.</p> + +<h3>IV</h3> + +<p>He came to in a hospital room, +with a nurse and two doctors and +an elaborate oxygen-administering +apparatus. The apparatus was +wheeled out. The nurse followed. +The two doctors hurried after her. +The American colonel of the airport +was standing by the bed on +which Coburn lay, fully dressed.</p> + +<p>Coburn felt perfectly all right. +He stirred. The American colonel +said sourly: "You're not harmed. +Nobody was. But Major Pangalos +got away."</p> + +<p>Coburn sat up. There was a +moment's bare trace of dizziness, +and that was gone too. Coburn +said: "Where's Miss Ames? What +happened to her?"</p> + +<p>"She's getting oxygen," said +the colonel. "We were rushed here +from the airport, sleeping soundly +just like those Bulgarians. Major +Pangalos ordered it before he disappeared. +Helicopters brought +some Bulgarians down, by the +way, and oxygen brought them to. +So naturally they gave us the same +treatment. Very effective."</p> + +<p>The colonel looked both chastened +and truculent. "How'd you +know Major Pangalos for what he +was? He was accepted everywhere +as a man."</p> + +<p>"His eyes were queer," said +Coburn. He stood up experimentally. +"I figured they would be, if +one looked. I saw the foam suit +that creature wore up-country, +when he wasn't in it. There were +holes for the eyes. It occurred to +me that his eyes weren't likely to +be like ours. Not exactly. So I +hunted up the real Dillon, and his +eyes weren't like I remembered. I +punched him in the nose, by the +way, to make sure he'd bleed and +was human. He was."</p> + +<p>Coburn continued, "You see, +they obviously come from a heavy +planet and move differently. +They're stronger than we are. +Much like the way we'd be on the +moon with one-sixth Earth gravity. +They probably are used to a +thicker atmosphere. If so, their +eyes wouldn't be right for here. +They'd need eyeglasses."</p> + +<p>"Major Pangalos didn't—"</p> + +<p>"Contact eyeglasses," said Coburn +sourly. "Little cups of plastic. +They slip under the eyelids +and touch the white part of the +eye. Familiar enough. But that's +not all."</p> + +<p>The American colonel looked +troubled. "I know contact lenses," +he admitted. "But—"</p> + +<p>"If the Invaders have a thick +atmosphere at home," Coburn +said, "they may have a cloudy +sky. The pupils of their eyes may +need to be larger. Perhaps they're +a different shape. Or their eyes +may be a completely alien color. +Anyhow, they need contact lenses +not only to correct their vision, +but to make their eyes look like +ours. They're painted on the inside +to change the natural look +and color. It's very deceptive. +But you can tell."</p> + +<p>"That goes to Headquarters at +once!" snapped the colonel.</p> + +<p>He went out briskly. Coburn +followed him out of the room to +look for Janice. And Janice happened +to be looking for him at +exactly the same moment. He was +genuinely astonished to realize +how relieved he was that she was +all right.</p> + +<p>He said apologetically: "I was +worried! When I felt myself passing +out I felt pretty rotten at +having failed to protect you."</p> + +<p>She looked at him with nearly +the same sort of surprised satisfaction. +"I'm all right," she said +breathlessly. "I was worried about +you."</p> + +<p>The roaring of motors outside +the hospital interrupted them. +More and more vehicles arrived, +until a deep purring filled the air. +A Greek doctor with a worried +expression hurried somewhere. +Soldiers appeared, hard-bitten, +tough, professional Greek soldiers. +Hallen came out of a hospital +room. The Greek general appeared +with one of the two colonels who'd +been at the airport. The general +nodded, and his eyes seemed cordial. +He waved them ahead of +him into a waiting elevator. The +elevator descended. They went +out of the hospital and there was +an armored car waiting. An impressive +escort of motorcycle +troops waited with it.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The Greek general saw Coburn's +cynical expression at sight +of the guards. He explained +blandly that since oxygen brought +sleeping Bulgarians out of their +slumber—and had been used on +them—oxygen was handy for use +by anybody who experienced a +bright flash of light in his mind. +The Bulgarian soldiers, incidentally, +said that outside the village +of Ardea they'd felt as if the +sunlight had brightened amazingly, +but they felt no effects for +two hours afterward, when they +fell asleep at Náousa. So, said the +general almost unintelligibly, if +anything untoward happened on +the way to the airport, everybody +would start breathing oxygen. A +sensation of bright light would be +untoward.</p> + +<p>The armored car started off, +with motorcyclists crowded about +it with weapons ready. But the +ride to the airport was uneventful. +To others than Janice and Coburn +it may even have been tedious. +But when she understood the +general's explanation, she shivered +a little. She leaned insensibly +closer to Coburn. He took her +hand protectively in his.</p> + +<p>They reached the airport. They +roared through the gateway and +directly out upon the darkened +field. Something bellowed and +raced down a runway and took to +the air. Other things followed it. +They gained altitude and circled +back overhead. Tiny bluish flickerings +moved across the overcast +sky. Exhaust flames.</p> + +<p>Coburn realized that it was a +fighter plane escort.</p> + +<p>The huge transport plane that +waited for them was dark. They +climbed into it and found their +seats. When it roared down the +unlighted field and took to the +air, everything possible had been +done to keep anybody from bringing +any weapon to bear upon it.</p> + +<p>"All safe now!" said the voice +of the American colonel in the +darkness of the unlit plane, as the +plane gained height. "Incidentally, +Coburn, why did you want +to look at Pangalos' palm? What +did you expect to find there?"</p> + +<p>"When I started for the airport," +Coburn explained, "I bent +a pin around the band of a ring I +wear. I could let it lie flat when I +shook hands. Or I could make it +stand out like a spur. I set it with +my thumb. I saw Pangalos' eyes, +so I had it stand out, and I made a +tear in his plastic skin when I +shook hands with him. He didn't +feel it, of course." He paused. +"Did anybody go to the address I +gave Hallen?"</p> + +<p>Hallen said, in the darkness: +"Major Pangalos got there first."</p> + +<p>The blackness outside the plane +seemed to grow deeper. There was +literally nothing to be seen but the +instrument dials up at the pilots' +end of the ship.</p> + +<p>The Greek general asked a question +in his difficult English.</p> + +<p>"Where'd they come from?" +repeated Coburn. "I've no idea. +Off Earth, yes. A heavy planet, +yes. I doubt they come from our +solar system, though. Somewhere +among the stars."</p> + +<p>The Greek general said something +with a sly up-twist of his +voice. Whatever and whoever the +Invaders were, he said, they did +not like Bulgarians. If they'd +knocked out the raiding party +simply to test their weapons +against human subjects, at least +they had chosen suitable and +pleasing subjects for the test.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>There was light. For an instant +Coburn tensed. But the plane +climbed and the brightness steadied. +It was the top of a cloud +bank, brilliantly white in the +moonlight. They had flown up +through it, and it reached as far +ahead as they could see. A stubby +fighter plane swam up out of the +mist and fell into position alongside. +Others appeared. They took +formation about the transport and +all flew steadily through the +moonlight.</p> + +<p>"I wish I knew," said the +American colonel vexedly, "if +those creatures were only testing +weapons, or if they were getting +set to start bargaining with us!"</p> + +<p>"Meaning?" asked Coburn.</p> + +<p>"If they're here," said the +colonel angrily, "and if they do +mean to meddle in our business, +they may set up a sort of auction +with us bidding against the Iron +Curtain gang for their friendship. +And <i>they'd</i> make any deal!"</p> + +<p>The Greek general agreed drily. +He said that free people were not +practical people. They were always +ready to die rather than +cease to be free. Surely the +Greeks had proved themselves +ready to die. But people like the +Bulgarians thought that to continue +to live was the most important +thing in the world. It was, +of course, the practical view-point....</p> + +<p>"They can have it!" growled +Coburn.</p> + +<p>Janice said hesitantly: "But +the Invaders haven't killed anybody +we know of. They could +have killed the Bulgarians. They +didn't. The one who called himself +Dillon stopped one man from +killing them. And they could have +killed us, earlier today at the airport. +Could they want to be +friends?"</p> + +<p>"They're starting the wrong +way," said Coburn.</p> + +<p>The Greek general stirred in his +seat, but he was pointedly silent.</p> + +<p>The pilot snapped abruptly +from up at the bow of the plane: +"Colonel! sir! Two of the fighters +are climbing as if they've spotted +something. There go the rest."</p> + +<p>Coburn leaned across Janice to +stare out the window. When the +fighters were below the transport, +they could be seen in silhouette +against the clouds. Above, their +exhaust flames pin-pointed them. +Small blue flames climbed steeply.</p> + +<p>The big ship went on. The roar +of its motors was steady and +unvarying. From a passenger seat +it was not possible to look overhead. +But suddenly there were +streaking sparks against the stars. +Tracer bullets. Fighters swerved +and plunged to intercept something....</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>And a Thing came down out of +the sky with a terrific velocity. +Tracer bullets sprayed all around +it. Some could be seen to ricochet +off its sides. Flashings came from +the alien craft. They were not explosions +from guns. They were +lurid, actinic, smokeless blasts +of pure light. The Thing seemed +to be made of polished metal. It +dodged, trying to approach the +transport. The fighters lunged to +prevent it. The ghastly game of +interception seemed to rush here +and there all over the sky.</p> + +<p>The strange object was not possibly +of human design or manufacture. +It had no wings. It left +no trail of jet fumes or rocket +smoke. It was glittering and mirror-like, +and it was shaped almost +exactly like two turtle-shells base +to base. It was flat and oval. It +had no visible external features.</p> + +<p>It flung itself about with incredible +darts and jerkings. It +could stop stock still as no plane +could possibly stop, and accelerate +at a rate no human body could +endure. It tried savagely to get +through the swarming fighters to +the transport. Its light weapon +flashed—but the pilots would be +wearing oxygen masks and there +were no casualties among the human +planes. Once a fighter did +fall off in a steep dive, and fluttered +almost down to the cloud +bank before it recovered and came +back with its guns spitting.</p> + +<p>That one appeared to end the +fight. It came straight up, pumping +tracers at the steel flier from +below. And the glittering Thing +seemed to stop dead in the air. +Then it shuddered. It was bathed +in the flaring sparks of tracers. +Then—</p> + +<p>It dropped like a stone, tumbling +aimlessly over and over as it +dropped. It plummeted into the +cloud bank.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the clouds were +lighted from within. Something +inside flared with a momentary, +terrifying radiance. No lightning +bolt ever flashed more luridly.</p> + +<p>The transport plane and its +escort flew on and on over the +moonlit bank of clouds.</p> + +<p>Presently orders came by radio. +On the report of this attack, the +flight plan would be changed, for +safety. If the air convoy had been +attacked once, it might be attacked +again. So it would be +wisest to get it immediately to +where there would be plenty of +protection. Therefore, the transport +plane would head for Naples.</p> + +<p>Nearly the whole of the United +States Mediterranean fleet was in +the Bay of Naples just then. It +had been there nearly a week, and +by day its liberty parties swarmed +ashore. The merchants and the +souvenir salesmen were entranced. +American sailors had money and +they spent it. The fleet's officers +were social assets, its messes +bought satisfyingly of local viands, +and everybody was happy.</p> + +<p>All but one small group. The +newspapers of one of the Italian +political parties howled infuriatedly. +They had orders to howl, +from behind the Iron Curtain. +The American fleet, that one +party's newspapers bellowed, was +imperialistic, capitalistic, and decadent. +In short, there was virulent +propaganda against the American +fleet in Naples. But most +people were glad it was there anyway. +Certainly nobody stayed +awake worrying about it.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>People were staying awake +worrying about the transport +plane carrying Coburn and Janice, +however. On the plane, Janice was +fearful and pressed close to Coburn, +and he found it an absorbing +experience and was moved to talk +in a low tone about other matters +than extra-terrestrial Invaders +and foam suits and interstellar +travel. Janice found those other +subjects surprisingly fitted to +make her forget about being +afraid.</p> + +<p>Elsewhere, the people who +stayed awake did talk about just +the subjects Coburn was avoiding. +The convoy carrying Coburn to +tell what he knew had been +attacked. By a plane which was +definitely not made or manned +by human beings. The news +flashed through the air across +continents. It went under the +ocean over sea beds. It traveled +in the tightest and most closely-guarded +of diplomatic codes. The +Greek government gave the other +NATO nations a confidential account +of the Bulgarian raid and +what had happened to it. These +details were past question. The +facts brought out by Coburn were +true, too.</p> + +<p>So secret instructions followed +the news. At first they went only +to highly-trusted individuals. In +thirty nations, top-ranking officials +and military officers blindfolded +each other in turn and gravely +stuck pins in each other. The +blindfolded person was expected +to name the place where he had +been stuck. This had an historical +precedent. In olden days, pins +were stuck in suspected witches. +They had patches of skin in which +there was no sensation, and discovery +of such areas condemned +them to death. Psychologists in +later centuries found that patches +of anaesthetic skin were typical of +certain forms of hysteria, and +therefore did not execute their patients. +But the Invaders, by the +fact that their seemingly human +bodies were not flesh at all, could +not pass such tests.</p> + +<p>There were consequences. A +Minister of Defense of a European +nation amusedly watched the +tests on his subordinates, blandly +excused himself for a moment before +his own turn came, and did +not come back. A general of division +vanished into thin air. +Diplomatic code clerks painstakingly +decoded the instructions for +such tests, and were nowhere +about when they themselves were +to be tested. An eminent Hollywood +director and an Olympic +champion ceased to be.</p> + +<p>In the free world nearly a hundred +prominent individuals simply +disappeared. Few were in position +to influence high-level decisions. +Many were in line to know rather +significant details of world affairs. +There was alarm.</p> + +<p>It was plain, too, that not all +disguised Invaders would have +had to vanish. Many would not +even be called on for test. They +would stay where they were. And +there were private persons....</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>There was consternation. But +Janice, in the plane, was saying +softly to Coburn: "The—creature +who telephoned and said she +was me. How did you know she +wasn't?"</p> + +<p>"I went to the Breen Foundation +first," said Coburn. "I looked +into your eyes—and they were +right. So I didn't need to stick a +pin in you."</p> + +<p>The thought of Coburn not +needing to stick a pin in her impressed +Janice as beautiful trust. +She sighed contentedly. "Of +course you'd know," she said. +"So would I—now!" She laughed +a little.</p> + +<p>The convoy flew on. The lurid +round disk of the moon descended +toward the west.</p> + +<p>"It'll be sunrise soon. But I +imagine we'll land before dawn."</p> + +<p>They did. The flying group of +planes flew lower. Coburn saw +a single light on the ground. It +was very tiny, and it vanished +rearward with great speed. Later +there was another light, and a +dull-red glow in the sky. Still later, +infinitesimal twinklings on the +ground at the horizon. They increased +in number but not in size, +and the plane swung hugely to the +left, and the lights on the ground +formed a visible pattern. And +moonlight—broken by the shadows +of clouds—displayed the +city and the Bay of Naples below.</p> + +<p>The transport plane landed. +The passengers descended. Coburn +saw Hallen, the American +colonel, the Greek general, and a +Greek colonel. The other had been +left behind to take charge of +things in Salonika. Here the uniforms +were American, and naval. +There were some Italian police +in view, but most of the men +about were American seamen, ostensibly +on shore leave. But Coburn +doubted very much if they +were as completely unarmed as +men on shore leave usually are.</p> + +<p>A man in a cap with much gold +braid greeted the American colonel, +the Greek general, and the +Greek colonel. He came to Coburn, +to whose arm Janice seemed +to cling.</p> + +<p>"We're taking you out to the +fleet. We've taken care of everything. +Everybody's had pins stuck +in him!"</p> + +<p>It was very humorous, of +course. They moved away from +the plane. Surrounded by white-clad +sailors, the party from the +plane moved into the hangar.</p> + +<p>Then a voice snapped a startled +question, in English. An instant +later it rasped: "Stop or I'll +shoot!"</p> + +<p>Then there was a bright flash of +light. The interior of the hangar +was made vivid by it. It went out. +And as it disappeared there were +the sounds of running footsteps. +Only they did not run properly. +They ran in great leaps. Impossible +leaps. Monstrous leaps. A +man might run like that on the +moon, with a lesser gravity. A +creature accustomed to much +greater gravity might run like +that on Earth. But it would not +be human.</p> + +<p>It got away.</p> + +<p>There was a waiting car. They +got into it. They pulled out from +the airport with other cars close +before and behind. The cavalcade +raced for the city and the shoreline +surrounded by a guard less +noisy but no less effective than +the Greek motorcycle troopers.</p> + +<p>But the Greek general said +something meditative in the dark +interior of the car.</p> + +<p>"What's that?" demanded +someone authoritatively.</p> + +<p>The Greek general said it +again, mildly. This latest attempt +to seize them or harm them—if +it was that—had been surprisingly +inept. It was strange that +creatures able to travel between +the stars and put regiments and +tanks out of action should fail so +dismally to kill or kidnap Coburn, +if they really wanted to. Could it +be that they were not quite sincere +in their efforts?</p> + +<p>"That," said the authoritative +voice, "is an idea!"</p> + +<p>They reached the waterfront. +And here in the darkest part of +the night and with the moon near +to setting, the waters of the Bay +of Naples rolled in small, smooth-surfaced, +tranquil waves. There +was a Navy barge waiting. Those +who had come by plane boarded +it. It cast off and headed out into +the middle of the huge harbor.</p> + +<p>In minutes there was a giant +hull looming overhead. They +stepped out onto a landing ladder +and climbed interminably up the +ship's metal side. Then there was +an open door.</p> + +<p>"Now," said the American +colonel triumphantly, "now everything's +all right! Nothing can +happen now, short of an atomic +bomb!"</p> + +<p>The Greek general glanced at +him out of the corner of his eyes. +He said something in that heavy +accent of his. He asked mildly if +creatures—Invaders—who +could travel between the stars +were unlikely to be able to make +atom bombs if they wanted to.</p> + +<p>There was no answer. But somebody +led Coburn into an office +where this carrier's skipper was +at his desk. He looked at Coburn +with a sardonic, unfriendly eye.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Coburn, I believe," he +said remotely. "You've been very +well staged-managed by your +friends, Mr. Coburn. They've +made it look as if they were trying +hard to kill you, eh? But we know +better, don't we? We know it's all +a build-up for you to make a deal +for them, eh? Well, Mr. Coburn, +you'll find it's going to be a let-down +instead! You're not officially +under arrest, but I wouldn't +advise you to try to start anything, +Mr. Coburn! We're apt to +be rather crude in dealing with +emissaries of enemies of all the +human race. And don't forget it!"</p> + +<p>And this was Coburn's first +inkling that he was regarded as a +traitor of his planet who had sold +out to the Invaders. All the plans +made from his information would +be based on the supposition that +he intended to betray mankind +by misleading it.</p> + +<div class="figc"><img src="images/004.jpg" width="600" height="527" alt="" title="" /></div> + +<h3>V</h3> + +<p>It was not yet forty-eight hours +since Coburn had been interrupted +in the act of starting his +car up in Ardea. Greek newspapers +had splashed lurid headlines +of a rumored invasion by Bulgarians, +and their rumored defeat. +The story was not widely copied. +It sounded too unlikely. In a +few hours it would be time for a +new set of newspapers to begin to +appear. Not one of them would +print a single word about the most +important disclosure in human +history: that extra-terrestrial Invaders +moved blandly about +among human beings without +being suspected.</p> + +<p>The newspapers didn't know it. +On inside pages and bottom corners, +the London papers might +refer briefly to the remarkable +rumor that had swept over Greece +about an invasion force said to +have crossed its border. The London +papers would say that the +Greek government officially denied +that such a happening had +taken place. The New York papers +would be full of a political +scandal among municipal officials, +the Washington papers would deal +largely with a Congressional investigation +committee hearing, +Los Angeles would have a new +and gory murder to exploit, San +Francisco news would be of a +waterfront strike, Tokyo would +talk of cherry blossoms, Delhi +of Pakistan, and the French press +would discuss the political crisis. +But no newspaper, anywhere, +would talk about Invaders.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>In the United States, radar +technicians had been routed out of +bed and informed that night +fighters had had a fight with an +alien ship manned by non-humans +and had destroyed it, but +their radars detected nothing at +all. An hour after sunrise in Naples +they had come up with a combination +of radar frequencies which +were built to detect everything. +Instructions were going out in +code to all radar establishments +on how to set it up on existing +equipment. Long before that time, +business machines had begun intricate +operations with punched +cards containing all known facts +about the people known to have +dropped out of sight. Other machines +began to integrate crackpot +reports of things sighted in divers +places. The stores of Hunter and +Nereid rockets—especially the +remote-control jobs—were broken +out. Great Air Transport +planes began to haul them to +where they might be needed.</p> + +<p>In England, certain establishments +that had never been mentioned +even in Parliament were +put on war alert. There was frantic +scurrying-about in France. In +Sweden, a formerly ignored scientist +was called to a twice-scrambled +telephone connection and +consulted at length about objects +reported over Sweden's skies. +The Canadian Air Force tumbled +out in darkness and was briefed. +In Chile there was agitation, and +in Peru.</p> + +<p>There was earnest effort to +secure coöperation from behind +the Iron Curtain, but that did not +work. The Iron Curtain stood pat, +demanding the most detailed of +information and the privilege of +inspecting all weapons intended +for use against anybody so far +unnamed, but refusing all information +of its own. In fact, there +was a very normal reaction everywhere, +except that the newspapers +didn't know anything to print.</p> + +<p>These secret hassles were continuing +as the dawnlight moved +over Italy and made Naples and +its harbor quite the most beautiful +place in the world. When daylight +rolled over France, matters +were beginning to fall into pattern. +As daybreak moved across +the Atlantic, at least the measures +to be taken began to be visualized +and orders given for their accomplishment.</p> + +<p>And then, with sunrise in America, +real preparations got under +way.</p> + +<p>But hours earlier there was consultation +on the carrier in the Bay +of Naples. Coburn sat in a wardroom +in a cold fury which was in +part despair. He had been kept in +complete ignorance of all measures +taken, and he felt the raging +indignation of a man accused of +treason. He was being questioned +again. He was treated with an icy +courtesy that was worse than +accusation. The carrier skipper +mentioned with detachment that, +of course, Coburn had never been +in any danger. Obviously. The +event in the airport at Salonika +and the attack on the convoy +were window-dressing. They were +not attempts to withdraw him +from circulation, but to draw attention +to him. Which, of course, +implied that the Invaders—whoever +or whatever they might be—considered +Coburn a useful tool +for whatever purpose they intended.</p> + +<p>This was before the conference +officially began. It took time to +arrange. There were radio technicians +with microphones. The +consultation—duly scrambled +and re-scrambled—would be relayed +to Washington while it was +on. It was a top level conference. +Hallen was included, but he did +not seem happy.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Then things were ready. The +skipper of the carrier took over, +with full awareness that the very +highest brass in Washington was +listening to every word.</p> + +<p>"We can skip your technical +information, Mr. Coburn," he +said with ironic courtesy, "unless +you've something new to offer."</p> + +<p>Coburn shook his head. He +seethed.</p> + +<p>"For the record," said the skipper, +"I repeat that it is obvious +that your presence at the scene +when those Bulgarians were +knocked out, that you were attacked +in Salonika, that the ship +carrying you was also attacked, +and that there was an incident on +your landing here:—it's obvious +that all these things were stage-managed +to call attention to you, +for the purposes of ... whoever +staged them. Have you anything +more to offer?"</p> + +<p>"No," growled Coburn. "I've +told all I know." He was furiously +angry and felt completely helpless.</p> + +<p>"Your information," purred the +Skipper, "and the stage-managed +incidents, make you look like a +very patriotic citizen who is +feared by the supposedly extra-terrestrial +creatures. But we don't +have to play any longer, Mr. Coburn. +What were you told to tell +your government? What do these ... +extra-terrestrials want?"</p> + +<p>"My guess," snapped Coburn, +"is that they want Earth."</p> + +<p>The skipper raised his eyebrows. +"Are you threatening us in their +name?" he asked, purring.</p> + +<p>"I'm telling you my guess," +said Coburn hotly. "It's just as +good as yours and no better! I +have no instructions from them. +I have no message from them. +I've only my own opinion, which +is that we humans had better get +ready to fight. I believe we ought +to join together—all of Earth—and +get set to defend ourselves."</p> + +<p>There was silence. Coburn found +himself regarding the faces around +him with an unexpected truculence. +Janice pressed his hand +warningly.</p> + +<p>"All of Earth," said the skipper +softly. "Hmmmm. You advise an +arrangement with all the Earth.... +What are your politics, Mr. +Coburn?—No, let us say, what +are the political views of the extra-terrestrial +creatures you tell +us about? We have to know."</p> + +<p>Coburn seethed. "If you're suggesting +that this is a cold war +trick," he said furiously, "—if +they were faking it, they wouldn't +try tricks! They'd make war! +They'd try conquest!"</p> + +<p>Coburn saw the stout Greek +general nodding to himself. But +the Skipper said suavely: "You +were with one of the creatures, +you say, up in the village of +Náousa. Would you say he seemed +unfriendly to the Bulgarians?"</p> + +<p>"He was playing the part of an +Englishman," snapped Coburn, +"trying to stop a raid, and murders, +and possibly a war—all of +them unnecessary!"</p> + +<p>"You don't paint a frightening +picture," complained the skipper +ironically. "First you say we have +to fight him and his kind, and then +you imply that he was highly altruistic. +What is the fact?"</p> + +<p>"Dammit!" said Coburn. "I +hated him because he wasn't human. +It made my flesh crawl to +see him act so much like a man +when he wasn't. But he made me +feel ashamed when I held a gun on +him and he proved he wasn't human +just so Janice—so Miss +Ames wouldn't be afraid to drive +down to Salonika with me!"</p> + +<p>"So you have some ... +friendly feelings toward him, eh?" +the skipper said negligently. +"How will you get in touch with +his kind, by the way? <i>If</i> we should +ask you to? Of course you've got +it all arranged? Just in case."</p> + +<p>Coburn knew that absolutely +nothing could be done with a man +who was trying to show off his +shrewdness to his listening superiors. +He said disgustedly: "That's +the last straw. Go to hell!"</p> + +<p>A loud-speaker spoke suddenly. +Its tone was authoritative, and +there were little cracklings of +static in it from its passage across +the Atlantic.</p> + +<p>"That line of questioning can +be dropped, Captain. Mr. Coburn, +did these aliens have any other +chances to kill you?"</p> + +<p>"Plenty!" snapped Coburn. +"And easy ones. One of them +came into my office as my secretary. +She could have killed me. +The man who passed for Major +Pangalos could have shot us all +while we were unconscious. I +don't know why they didn't get +the transport plane, and I don't +know what their scheme is. I'm +telling the facts. They're contradictory. +I can't help that. All I +have are the facts."</p> + +<p>The loud-speaker said crisply: +"The attack on the transport +plane—any pilots present who +were in that fight?"</p> + +<p>Someone at the back said: +"Yes, sir. Here."</p> + +<p>"How good was their ship? +Could it have been a guided missile?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir. No guided missile. +Whoever drove that ship was +right on board. And that ship was +good. It could climb as fast as we +could dive, and no human could +have taken the accelerations and +the turns it made. Whoever drove +it learned fast, too. He was clumsy +at the beginning, but he learned. +If we hadn't gotten in a lucky hit, +he'd've had us where he wanted +us in a little while more. Our +fifty-calibres just bounced off that +hull!"</p> + +<p>The loud-speaker said curtly: +"If that impression is justified, +that's the first business to be +taken up. All but flying officers +are excused. Mr. Coburn can go, +too."</p> + +<p>There was a stirring everywhere +in the room. Officers got up and +walked out. Coburn stood. The +Greek general came over to him +and patted him on the shoulder, +beaming. Janice went out with +him. They arrived on the carrier's +deck. This was the very earliest +hour of dawn, and the conference +had turned abruptly to a discussion +of arms and tactics as soon as +Washington realized that its +planes were inadequate for fighting. +Which was logical enough, +but Coburn was pretty sure it was +useless.</p> + +<p>"If anybody else in the world +feels as futile as I do," said Coburn +bitterly, "I feel sorry for +him!"</p> + +<p>Janice said softly: "You've got +me."</p> + +<p>But that was less than complete +comfort. It is inborn in a man that +he needs to feel superior. No man +can feel pride before the woman +of his choice while there is something +stronger than himself. And +Coburn especially wanted to feel +that pride just now.</p> + +<p>There were very probably discussions +of the important part of +what Coburn had reported, of +course, during the rest of the +morning. But there was much +more discussion of purely military +measures. And of course there +were attempts to get military intelligence. +Things were reported +in the sky near South Africa, and +from Honolulu—where nobody +would ignore what a radar said +again, especially the juiced-up +equipment just modified on orders—and +from other places. +Not all the reports were authentic, +of course. If there were any observations +inside the Iron Curtain, +the Iron Curtain countries kept +them to themselves. Politics was +much more important than anything +else, in that part of the +world.</p> + +<p>But Coburn need not have felt +as futile as he did. There was just +one really spectacular occurrence +in connection with the Invaders +that day, and it happened where +Coburn was. Almost certainly, it +happened because Coburn was +there. Though there is reason to +believe that the newspaper campaign +on shore, declaring that the +American fleet risked the lives of +all Naples by its mere presence, +had something to do with it too.</p> + +<p>It was very spectacular.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>It happened just after midday +when the city and its harbor were +at their most glamorous. Coburn +and Janice were above when it +began. There was an ensign assigned +to escort Coburn about +and keep an eye on him, and he +took them on a carefully edited +tour of the carrier. He took them +to the radar room which was not +secret any longer. He explained +reservedly that there was a new +tricked-up arrangement of radar +which it was believed would detect +turtle-shaped metal ships if +they appeared.</p> + +<p>The radar room was manned, of +course. It always was, with a cold +war in being. Overhead, the bowl +cages of the radars moved restlessly +and rhythmically. Outside, +on deck, the huge elevator that +brought planes up from below +rose at the most deliberate of +peace-time rates.</p> + +<p>The ensign said negligently, +pointing to the radar-screen: +"That little speck is a plane making +for the landing field on shore. +This other one is a plane coming +down from Genoa. You'd need a +good pair of binoculars to see it. +It's a good thirty-five miles away."</p> + +<p>Just then, one of the two radar-men +on duty pushed a button and +snapped into a microphone: "Sir! +Radar-pip directly overhead! Does +not show on normal radar. Elevation +three hundred thousand +feet, descending rapidly." His +voice cut off suddenly.</p> + +<p>A metallic voice said: "Relay!"</p> + +<p>The ensign in charge of Coburn +and Janice seemed to freeze. The +radar-man pressed a button, which +would relay that particular radar-screen's +contents to the control +room for the whole ship. There +was a pause of seconds. Then bells +began to ring everywhere. They +were battle gongs.</p> + +<p>There was a sensation of stirring +all over the ship. Doors closed +with soft hissings. Men ran furiously. +The gongs rang.</p> + +<p>The ensign said politely: "I'll +take you below now."</p> + +<p>He led them very swiftly to a +flight of stairs. There was a monstrous +bellowing on the carrier's +deck. Something dark went hurtling +down its length, with a tail of +pale-blue flame behind it. It vanished. +Men were still running. +The elevator shot into full-speed +ascent. A plane rolled off it. The +elevator dropped.</p> + +<p>An engine roared. Another. Yet +another. A second dark and deadly +thing flashed down the deck and +was gone. There was a rumbling.</p> + +<p>The battle gongs cut off. The +rumbling below seemed to increase. +There was a curious vibration. +The ship moved. Coburn +could feel that it moved. It was +turning.</p> + +<p>The ensign led them somewhere +and said: "This is a good place. +You'd better stay right here."</p> + +<p>He ran. They heard him running. +He was gone.</p> + +<p>They were in a sort of ward +room—not of the morning conference—and +there were portholes +through which they could +look. The city which was Naples +seemed to swing smoothly past +the ship. They saw other ships. A +cruiser was under way with its +anchor still rising from the water. +It dripped mud and a sailor was +quite ridiculously playing a hose +on it. It ascended and swayed and +its shank went smoothly into the +hawse-hole. There were guns +swinging skyward. Some were +still covered by canvas hoods. The +hoods vanished before the cruiser +swung out of the porthole's line of +vision.</p> + +<p>A destroyer leaped across the +space they could see, full speed +ahead. The water below them began +to move more rapidly. It +began to pass by with the speed of +ground past an express train. +And continually, monotonously, +there were roarings which climaxed +and died in the distance.</p> + +<p>"The devil!" said Coburn. +"I've got to see this. They can't +kill us for looking."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>He opened the door. Janice, +holding fast to his arm, followed +as he went down a passage. Another +door. They were on the deck +side of the island which is the +superstructure of a carrier, and +they were well out of the way, +and everybody in sight was too +busy to notice them.</p> + +<p>The elevator worked like the +piston of a pump. It vanished and +reappeared and a plane came off. +Men in vividly-colored suits +swarmed about it, and the elevator +was descending again. The +plane roared, shot down the deck, +and was gone to form one of the +string of climbing objects which +grew smaller with incredible +swiftness as they shot for the sky. +Coburn saw another carrier. There +was a huge bow-wave before it. +Destroyers ringed it, seeming to +bounce in the choppy sea made +by so many great ships moving so +close together.</p> + +<p>The other carrier, too, was +shooting planes into the air like +bullets from a gun. The American +Mediterranean fleet was putting +out to sea at emergency-speed, +getting every flying craft aloft +that could be gotten away. A +cruiser swung a peculiar crane-like +arm, there was a puff of smoke +and a plane came into being. The +crane retracted. Another plane. +A third.</p> + +<p>The fleet was out of the harbor, +speeding at thirty knots, with +destroyers weaving back and forth +at higher speeds still. There were +barges left behind in the harbor +with sailors in them,—shore-parties +or details who swore bitterly +when they were left behind. +They surged up and down on the +mêlée of waves the fleet left +behind in its hasty departure.</p> + +<p>On the fleet itself there was a +brisk tenseness as it sped away +from the land. Vesuvius still +loomed high, but the city dwindled +to a mere blinking mass of +white specks which were its buildings. +The sea was aglitter with +sunlight reflected from the waves. +There was the smell of salt air.</p> + +<p>Men began to take cryptic +measures for the future. They +strung cables across the deck +from side to side. Arresting gear +for planes which would presently +land.</p> + +<p>Their special ensign found Coburn +and Janice. "I'm supposed +to stay with you," he explained +politely. "I thought I could be of +use. I'm really attached to another +ship, but I was on board because +of the hassle last night."</p> + +<p>Coburn said: "This would be +invader stuff, wouldn't it?"</p> + +<p>The ensign shrugged. "Apparently. +You heard what the radar +said. Something at three hundred +thousand feet, descending rapidly. +It's not a human-built ship. Anyway, +we've sent up all our planes. +Jets will meet it first, at fifty +thousand. If it gets through them +there are ... other measures, +of course."</p> + +<p>"This one beats me!" said Coburn. +"Why?"</p> + +<p>The ensign shrugged again. +"They tried for you last night."</p> + +<p>"I'm not that important, to +them or anybody else. Or am I?"</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't know," said the +ensign.</p> + +<p>"I don't know anything I +haven't told," said Coburn grimly, +"and the creatures can't suppress +any information by killing me +now. Anyhow, if they'd wanted to +they'd have done it."</p> + +<p>A dull, faint sound came from +high overhead. Coburn stepped +out from under the shelter of the +upper works of the island. He +stared up into the sky. He saw a +lurid spot of blue-white flame. He +saw others. He realized that all +the sky was interlaced with contrails—vapor-trails +of jet-planes +far up out of sight. But they were +fine threads. The jets were up very +high indeed. The pin-points of +flame were explosions.</p> + +<p>"Using wing-rockets," said the +ensign hungrily, "since fifty-calibres +did no good last night, until +one made a lucky hit. Rockets +with proximity fuses. Our jets +don't carry cannon."</p> + +<p>There were more explosions. +There was a bright glint of reflected +sunshine. It was momentary, +but Coburn knew that it +was from a flat, bright space-ship, +which had tilted in some monstrously +abrupt maneuver, and +the almost vertical sunshine shone +down from its surface.</p> + +<p>The ensign said in a very quiet +voice: "The fight's coming lower."</p> + +<p>There was a crashing thump in +the air. A battleship was firing +eight-inch guns almost straight +up. Other guns began.</p> + +<p>Guns began to fire on the carrier, +too, below the deck and beyond +it. Concussion waves beat +at Coburn's body. He thrust +Janice behind him to shield her, +but there could be no shielding.</p> + +<p>The air was filled with barkings +and snarlings and the unbelievably +abrupt roar of heavy guns. +The carrier swerved, so swiftly +that it tilted and swerved again. +The other ships of the fleet broke +their straight-away formation and +began to move in bewildering +patterns. The blue sea was criss-crossed +with wakes. Once a destroyer +seemed to slide almost +under the bow of the carrier. The +destroyer appeared unharmed on +the other side, its guns all pointed +skyward and emitting seemingly +continuous blasts of flame and +thunder.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The ensign grabbed Coburn's +shoulder and pointed, his hands +shaking.</p> + +<p>There was the Invader ship. It +was exactly as Coburn had known +it would be. It was tiny. It seemed +hardly larger than some of the +planes that swooped at it. But the +planes were drawing back now. +The shining metal thing was no +more than two thousand feet up +and it was moving in erratic, unpredictable +darts and dashes here +and there, like a dragon-fly's +movements, but a hundred times +more swift. Proximity-fused shells +burst everywhere about it. It +burst through a still-expanding +puff of explosive smoke, darted +down a hundred feet, and took a +zig-zag course of such violent and +angular changes of position that it +looked more like a streak of metal +lightning than anything else.</p> + +<p>It was down to a thousand feet. +It shot toward the fleet at a speed +which was literally that of a +projectile. It angled off to one side +and back, and suddenly dropped +again and plunged crazily through +the maze of ships from one end to +the other, no more than fifty feet +above the water and with geysers +of up-flung sea all about it from +the shells that missed.</p> + +<p>Then it sped away with a velocity +which simply was not conceivable. +It was the speed of a +cannonball. It was headed straight +toward a distant, stubby, draggled +tramp-steamer which plodded +toward the Bay of Naples.</p> + +<p>It rose a little as it flew. And +then it checked, in mid-air. It +hung above the dumpy freighter, +and there were salvoes of all the +guns in the fleet. But at the +flashes it shot skyward. When +the shells arrived and burst, it +was gone.</p> + +<p>It could still be sighted as a +spark of sunlight shooting for the +heavens. Jets roared toward it. It +vanished.</p> + +<p>Coburn heard the ensign saying +in a flat voice: "If that wasn't +accelerating at fifteen Gs, I never +saw a ship. If it wasn't accelerating +at fifteen Gs ..."</p> + +<p>And that was all. There was +nothing else to shoot at. There +was nothing else to do. Jets +ranged widely, looking for something +that would offer battle, but +the radars said that the metal +ship had gone up to three hundred +miles and then headed west and +out of radar range. There had +not been time for the French to set +up paired radar-beam outfits anyhow, +so they couldn't spot it, and +in any case its course seemed to be +toward northern Spain, where +there was no radar worth mentioning.</p> + +<p>Presently somebody noticed the +dingy, stubby, draggled tramp +steamer over which the Invaders' +craft had hovered. It was no +longer on course. It had turned +sidewise and wallowed heavily. +Its bow pointed successively to +every point of the compass.</p> + +<p>It looked bad. Salvoes of the +heaviest projectiles in the Fleet +had been fired to explode a thousand +feet above it. Perhaps—</p> + +<p>A destroyer went racing to see. +As it drew near—Coburn learned +this later—it saw a man's body +hanging in a sagging heap over +the railing of its bridge. There +was nobody visible at the wheel. +There were four men lying on its +deck, motionless.</p> + +<p>The skipper of the destroyer +went cold. He brought his ship +closer. It was not big, this tramp. +Maybe two thousand tons. It was +low in the water. It swayed and +surged and wallowed and rolled.</p> + +<p>Men from the destroyer managed +to board it. It was completely +unharmed. They found one small +sign of the explosions overhead. +One fragment of an exploded shell +had fallen on board, doing no +damage.</p> + +<p>Even the crew was unharmed. +But every man was asleep. Each +one slumbered heavily. Each +breathed stertorously. They could +not be awakened. They would +need oxygen to bring them to.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>A party from the destroyer +went on board to bring the ship +into harbor. The officer in charge +tried to find out the ship's name.</p> + +<p>There was not a document to +be found to show what the ship's +name was or where it had come +from or what it carried as cargo. +That was strange. The officer +looked in the pockets of the two +men in the wheel house. There was +not a single identifying object on +either of them. He grew disturbed. +He made a really thorough search. +Every sleeping man was absolutely +anonymous. Then—still +on the way to harbor—a really +fine-tooth-comb examination of +the ship began.</p> + +<p>Somebody's radium-dial watch +began to glow brightly. The +searchers looked at each other and +went pale. They hunted frantically, +fear making them clumsy.</p> + +<p>They found it. Rather—they +found them.</p> + +<p>The stubby tramp had an adequate +if rather clumsy atomic +bomb in each of its two holds. +The lading of the ship was of materials +which—according to theory—should +be detonated in +atomic explosion if an atomic +bomb went off nearby. Otherwise +they could not be detonated.</p> + +<p>The anonymous tramp-steamer +had been headed for the harbor of +Naples, whose newspapers—at +least those of a certain political +party—had been screaming of +the danger of an atomic explosion +while American warships were +anchored there.</p> + +<p>It was not likely that two atom +bombs and a shipload of valuable +secondary atomic explosive had +been put on a carefully nameless +ship just to be taken for a ride. If +this ship had anchored among +the American fleet and if it had +exploded in the Bay of Naples ...</p> + +<p>The prophecies of a certain +political party would seem to have +been fulfilled. The American ships +would be destroyed. Naples itself +would be destroyed. And it would +have appeared that Europeans +who loved the great United States +had made a mistake.</p> + +<p>It was, odd, though, that this +ship was the only one that the Invaders' +flying craft had struck +with its peculiar weapon.</p> + +<h3>VI</h3> + +<p>We humans are rational beings, +but we are not often reasonable. +Those who more or less handle us +in masses have to take account of +that fact. It could not be admitted +that the fleet had had a +fight with a ship piloted by Invaders +from another solar system. +It would produce a wild panic, +beside which even a war would be +relatively harmless. So the admiral +of the Mediterranean fleet +composed an order commending +his men warmly for their performance +in an unrehearsed firing-drill. +Their target had been—so +the order said—a new type of +guided missile recently developed +by hush-hush agencies of the Defense +Department. The admiral +was pleased and proud, and +happy....</p> + +<p>It was an excellent order, but +it wasn't true. The admiral wasn't +happy. Not after battle photographs +were developed and he +could see how the alien ship had +dodged rockets with perfect ease, +and had actually taken a five-inch +shell, which exploded on +impact, without a particle of +damage.</p> + +<p>On the carrier, the Greek general +said mildly to Coburn that +the Invaders had used their power +very strangely. After stopping +an invasion of Greece, they had +prevented an atomic-bomb explosion +which would have killed +some hundreds of thousands of +people. And it was strange that +the turtle-shaped ship that had +attacked the air transport was so +clumsily handled as compared +with this similar craft which had +zestfully dodged all the missiles a +fleet could throw at it.</p> + +<p>Coburn thought hard. "I think +I see," he said slowly. "You +mean, they're here and they know +all they need to know. But instead +of coming out into the open, +they're making governments recognize +their existence. They're +letting the rulers of Earth know +they can't be resisted. But we did +knock off one of their ships last +night!"</p> + +<p>The Greek general pointedly +said nothing. Coburn caught his +meaning. The fleet, firing point-blank, +had not destroyed its target. +The ship last night had seemed +to fall into a cloud bank and explode. +But nobody had seen it +blow up. Maybe it hadn't.</p> + +<p>"Humoring us!" realized Coburn. +"They don't want to destroy +our civilization, so they'll +humor us. But they want our +governments to know that they +can do as they please. If our governments +know we can't resist, +they think we'll surrender. But +they're wrong."</p> + +<p>The Greek general looked at +him enigmatically.</p> + +<p>"We've still got one trick left," +said Coburn. "Atomic bombs. +And if they fail, we can still get +killed fighting them another way."</p> + +<p>There was a heavy, droning +noise far away. It increased and +drew nearer. It was a multi-engined +plane which came from +the west and settled down, and +hovered over the water and +touched and instantly created a +spreading wake of foam.</p> + +<p>The fleet was back at anchor +then. It was enclosed in the most +beautiful combination of city and +scene that exists anywhere. Beyond +the city the blunted cone of +Vesuvius rose. In the city, newspaper +vendors shrilly hawked denunciations +of the American ships +because of the danger that their +atom bombs might explode. Well +outside the harbor, a Navy crew +of experts worked to make quite +impossible the detonation of +atomic bombs in a stubby tramp-steamer +which had—plausibly, +at least—been sent to make +those same newspapers' prophecies +of disaster come true.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>A long, long time passed, while +consultations took place to which +Coburn was not invited. Then a +messenger led him to the wardroom +of the previous conference. +He recognized the men who had +landed by seaplane a while since. +One was a cabinet member from +Washington. There was someone +of at least equal importance from +London, picked up en route. There +were generals and admirals. The +service officers looked at Coburn +with something like accusation in +their eyes. He was the means by +which they had come to realize +their impotence. The Greek general +sat quietly in the rear.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Coburn," said the Secretary +from Washington. "We've +been canvassing the situation. It +seems that we simply are not prepared +to offer effective resistance—not +yet—to the ... invaders +you tell us about. We know of +no reason why this entire fleet +could not have been disabled as +effectively as the tramp-steamer +offshore. You know about that +ship?"</p> + +<p>Coburn nodded. The Greek +general had told him. The Secretary +went on painfully: "Now, +the phenomena we have to ascribe +to Invaders fall into two +categories. One is the category of +their action against the Bulgarian +raiding force, and today the prevention +of the cold-war murder of +some hundreds of thousands of +people. That category suggests +that they are prepared—on terms—to +be amiable. A point in their +favor."</p> + +<p>Coburn set his lips.</p> + +<p>"The other group of events +simply points you out and builds +you up as a person of importance +to these Invaders. You seem to be +extremely important to them. +They doubtless could have killed +you. They did not. What they did +do was bring you forward to official +attention. Presumably they +had a realistic motive in this."</p> + +<p>"I don't know what it could +be," said Coburn coldly. "I +blundered into one affair. I figured +out a way to detect them. I happened +to be the means by which +they were proved to exist. That's +all. It was an accident."</p> + +<p>The Secretary looked skeptical. +"Your discoveries were remarkably ... +apt. And it does seem +clear that they made the appearance +of hunting you, while going +to some pains not to catch you. +Mr. Coburn, how can we make +contact with them?"</p> + +<p>Coburn wanted to swear furiously. +He was still being considered +a traitor. Only they were +trying to make use of his treason.</p> + +<p>"I have no idea," he said +grimly.</p> + +<p>"What do they want?"</p> + +<p>"I would say—Earth," he +said grimly.</p> + +<p>"You deny that you are an +authorized intermediary for +them?"</p> + +<p>"Absolutely," said Coburn. +There was silence. The Greek +general spoke mildly from the +back of the room. He said in his +difficult English that Coburn's +personal motives did not matter. +But if the Invaders had picked +him out as especially important, +it was possible that they felt him +especially qualified to talk to +them. The question was, would he +try to make contact with them?</p> + +<p>The Secretary looked pained, +but he turned to Coburn. "Mr. +Coburn?"</p> + +<p>Coburn said, "I've no idea how +to set about it, but I'll try on one +condition. There's one thing we +haven't tried against them. Set +up an atom-bomb booby-trap, and +I'll sit on it. If they try to contact +me, you can either listen in or try +to blow them up, and me with +them!"</p> + +<p>There was buzzing comment. +Perhaps—Coburn's nails bit into +his palms when this was suggested—perhaps +this was a proposal to +let the Invaders examine an +atomic bomb, American-style. It +was said in earnest simplicity. +But somebody pointed out that a +race which could travel between +the stars and had ships such as +the Mediterranean fleet had tried +to shoot down, would probably +find American atomic bombs +rather primitive. Still—</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The Greek general again spoke +mildly. If the Invaders were to be +made to realize that Coburn was +trying to contact them, he should +return to Greece. He should visibly +take up residence where he +could be approached. He should, +in fact, put himself completely +at the mercy of the Invaders.</p> + +<p>"Ostensibly," agreed the Secretary.</p> + +<p>The Greek general then said +diffidently that he had a small +villa some twenty miles from the +suburbs of Salonika. The prevailing +winds were such that if an +atomic explosion occurred there, +it would not endanger anybody. +He offered it.</p> + +<p>"I'll live there," asked Coburn +coldly, "and wait for them to +come to me? I'll have microphones +all about so that every word that's +said will be relayed to your recorders? +And there'll be a bomb +somewhere about that you can set +off by remote control? Is that the +idea?"</p> + +<p>Then Janice spoke up. And Coburn +flared into anger against her. +But she was firm. Coburn saw the +Greek general smiling slyly.</p> + +<p>They left the conference while +the decision was made. And they +were in private, and Janice talked +to him. There are methods of argument +against which a man is +hopeless. She used them. She +said that she, not Coburn, might +be the person the Invaders might +have wanted to take out of circulation, +because she might have +noticed something important she +hadn't realized yet. When Coburn +pointed out that he'd be living +over an atomic bomb, triggered to +be set off from a hundred miles +away, she demanded fiercely to +know if he realized how she'd feel +if she weren't there too....</p> + +<p>Next day an aircraft carrier +put out of Naples with an escort +of destroyers. It traveled at full +speed down the toe of Italy's +boot, through the Straits of Messina, +across the Adriatic, and +rounded the end of Greece and +went streaking night and day for +Salonika. Special technicians sent +by plane beat her time by days. +The Greek general was there well +ahead. And he expansively supervised +while his inherited, isolated +villa was prepared for the reception +of Invaders—and Coburn +and Janice.</p> + +<p>And Coburn and Janice were +married. It was an impressive +wedding, because it was desirable +for the Invaders to know about it. +It was brilliantly military with +uniforms and glittering decorations +and innumerable important +people whom neither of them +knew or cared about.</p> + +<p>If it had been anybody else's +wedding Coburn would have +found it unspeakably dreary. The +only person present whom he +knew beside Janice was Hallen. +He acted as groomsman, with the +air of someone walking on eggs. +After it was over he shook hands +with a manner of tremendous relief.</p> + +<p>"Maybe I'll brag about this +some day," he told Coburn uneasily. +"But right now I'm scared +to death. What do you two really +expect to happen?"</p> + +<p>Janice smiled at him. "Why," +she said, "we expect to live happily +ever after."</p> + +<p>"Oh yes," said Hallen uncomfortably. +"But that wasn't just +what I had in mind."</p> + +<h3>VII</h3> + +<p>The world wagged on. The +newspapers knew nothing about +super-secret top-level worries. +There was not a single news story +printed anywhere suggesting an +invasion of Earth from outer +space. There were a few more +Flying Saucer yarns than normal, +and it was beginning to transpire +that an unusual number of important +people were sick, or on +vacation, or otherwise out of contact +with the world. But, actually, +not one of the events in which Coburn +and Janice had been concerned +reached the state of being +news. Even the shooting off the +Bay of Naples was explained as +an emergency drill.</p> + +<p>Quietly, a good many things +happened. Cryptic orders passed +around, and oxygen tanks were +accumulated in military posts. +Hunter and Nereid guided missiles +were set up as standard equipment +in a number of brand-new +places. They were loaded for bear. +But days went by, and nothing +happened. Nothing at all. But +officialdom was not at ease.</p> + +<p>If anything—while the wide +world went happily about its +business—really high-level officialdom +grew more unhappy day +by day. Coburn and Janice flew +back to Salonika. They went in +a Navy plane with a fighter plane +escort. They landed at the Salonika +airport, and the Greek general +was among those who greeted +them.</p> + +<p>He took them out to the villa +he'd placed at the disposal of +high authority for their use. He +displayed it proudly. There was +absolutely no sign that it had +been touched by anybody since +its original builders had finished +with it two-hundred-odd years +before. The American officer who +had wired it, though—he looked +as if he were short a week's sleep—showed +them how anywhere on +the grounds or in the house they +would need only to speak a code-word +and they'd instantly be +answered.</p> + +<p>There were servants, and the +Greek general took Coburn aside +and assured him that there was +one room which absolutely was +not wired for sound. He named it.</p> + +<p>So they took up a relatively +normal way of life. Sometimes +they decided that it would be +pleasant to drive in to Salonika. +They mentioned it, and went out +and got in the car that went with +the villa. Oddly, there was always +some aircraft lazying about overhead +by the time they were out of +the gate. They always returned +before sunset. And sometimes they +swam in the water before the +villa's door. Then, also, they were +careful to be back on solid ground +before sunset. That was so their +guards out on the water wouldn't +have to worry.</p> + +<p>But it was a nagging and an unhappy +business to know that they +were watched and overheard everywhere +save in that one unwired +room. It could have made for tension +between them. But there was +another thought to hold them +together. This was the knowledge +that they were literally living on +top of a bomb. If an Invader's +flying ship descended at the villa, +everything that happened would +be heard and seen by microphones +and concealed television cameras. +If the Invaders were too arrogant, +or if they were arbitrary, there +would be a test to see if their ship +could exist in the heart of an atom-bomb +explosion.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Coburn and Janice, then, were +happy after a fashion. But nobody +could call their situation +restful.</p> + +<p>They had very few visitors. +The Greek general came out meticulously +every day. Hallen came +out once, but he knew about the +atomic bomb. He didn't stay long. +When they'd been in residence a +week, the General telephoned +zestfully that he was going to +bring out some company. His +English was so mangled and obscure +that Coburn wondered cynically +if whoever listened to their +tapped telephone could understand +him. But, said the General +in high good humor, he was playing +a good joke. He had hunted +up Helena, who was Coburn's +secretary, and he had also invited +Dillon to pay a visit to some +charming people he knew. It +would be a great joke to see Dillon's +face.</p> + +<p>There was a fire in the living +room that night. The Greek servants +had made it, and Coburn +thought grimly that they were +braver men and women than he'd +have been. They didn't have to +risk their lives. They could have +refused this particular secret-service +assignment. But they +hadn't.</p> + +<p>A voice spoke from the living-room +ceiling, a clipped American +voice. "Mr. Coburn, a car is +coming."</p> + +<p>That was standard. When the +General arrived; when the occasional +delivery of telephoned-for +supplies came; on the one occasion +when a peddler on foot had +entered the ground. It lacked +something of being the perfect +atmosphere for a honeymoon, but +it was the way things were.</p> + +<p>Presently there were headlights +outside. The Greek butler went to +greet the guests. Coburn and +Janice heard voices. The General +was in uproarious good humor. +He came in babbling completely +uncomprehensible English.</p> + +<p>There was Helena. She smiled +warmly at Coburn. She went at +once to Janice. "How do you +do?" she said in her prettily accented +English. "I have missed +not working for your husband, but +this is my fiancé!"</p> + +<p>And Janice shook hands with a +slick-haired young Greek who +looked pleasant enough, but did +not seem to her as remarkable as +Coburn.</p> + +<p>Then Dillon stared at Coburn.</p> + +<p>"The devil!" he said, with every +evidence of indignation. "This is +the chap—"</p> + +<p>The General roared, and Coburn +said awkwardly: "I owe you +an apology, and the privilege of a +poke in the nose besides. But it +was a situation—I was in a +state—"</p> + +<p>Then the General howled with +laughter. Helena laughed. Her +fiancé laughed. And Dillon grinned +amusedly at Coburn.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"My dear fellow!" said Dillon. +"We are the guests this whole +villa was set up to receive! The +last time I saw you was in Náousa, +and the last time Helena saw you +you stuck pins in her, and—"</p> + +<p>Coburn stiffened. He went +slowly pale.</p> + +<p>"I—see! You're the foam-suit +people, eh?" Then he looked with +hot passion at the General. +"You!" he said grimly. "You I +didn't suspect. You've made fools +of all of us, I think."</p> + +<p>The General said something obscure +which could have been a +proverb. It was to the effect that +nobody could tell a fat man was +cross-eyed when he laughed.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Dillon beaming. +"He is fat. So his eyes don't look +like they're different. You have to +see past his cheeks and eyebrows. +That's how he passed muster. +And he slept very soundly after +the airport affair."</p> + +<p>Coburn felt a sort of sick horror. +The General had passed as a +man, and he'd loaned this villa, +and he knew all about the installation +of the atomic bomb.... +Then Coburn looked through +a doorway and there was his +Greek butler standing in readiness +with a submachine-gun in his +hands.</p> + +<p>"I take it this is an official +call," said Coburn steadily. "In +that case you know we're overheard—or +did the General cancel that?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes!" said Dillon. "We +know all about the trap we've +walked into. But we'd decided +that the time had come to appear +in the open anyhow. You people +are very much like us, incidentally. +Apparently there's only +one real way that a truly rational +brain can work. And we and you +Earth people both have it. May +we sit down?"</p> + +<p>Janice said: "By all means!"</p> + +<p>Helena sat, with an absolutely +human gesture of spreading her +skirt beside her. The General +plumped into a chair and chuckled. +The slick-haired young man +politely offered Janice a cigarette +and lighted Helena's for her. +Dillon leaned against the mantel +above the fire.</p> + +<p>"Well?" said Coburn harshly. +"You can state your terms. What +do you want and what do you +propose to do to get it?"</p> + +<p>Dillon shook his head. He took +a deep breath. "I want you to +listen, Coburn. I know about the +atom bomb planted somewhere +around, and I know I'm talking +for my life. You know we aren't +natives of Earth. You've guessed +that we come from a long way off. +We do. Now—we found out the +trick of space travel some time +ago. You're quite welcome to it. +We found it, and we started exploring. +We've been in space, +you might say, just about two of +your centuries. You're the only +other civilized race we've found. +That's point one."</p> + +<p>Coburn fumbled in his pocket. +He found a cigarette. Dillon held +a match. Coburn started, and then +accepted it.</p> + +<p>"Go on." He added, "There's a +television camera relaying this, +by the way. Did you know?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I know," said Dillon. +"Now, having about two centuries +the start of you, we have a +few tricks you haven't found out +yet. For one thing, we understand +ourselves, and you, better than +you do. We've some technical +gadgets you haven't happened on +yet. However, it's entirely possible +for you to easily kill the four +of us here tonight. If you do—you +do. But there are others of +our race here. That's point two."</p> + +<p>"Now come the threats and demands," +said Coburn.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps." But Dillon seemed +to hesitate. "Dammit, Coburn, +you're a reasonable man. Try to +think like us a moment. What +would you do if you'd started to +explore space and came upon a +civilized race, as we have?"</p> + +<p>Coburn said formidably, "We'd +study them and try to make +friends."</p> + +<p>"In that order," said Dillon +instantly. "That's what we've +tried to do. We disguised ourselves +as you because we wanted +to learn how to make friends before +we tried. But what did we +find, Coburn? What's your guess?"</p> + +<p>"You name it!" said Coburn.</p> + +<p>"You Earth people," said Dillon, +"are at a turning-point in +your history. Either you solve +your problems and keep on climbing, +or you'll blast your civilization +down to somewhere near a +caveman level and have to start +all over again. You know what I +mean. Our two more spectacular +interferences dealt with it."</p> + +<p>"The Iron Curtain," said Coburn. +"Yes. But what's that got +to do with you? It's none of your +business. That's ours."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"But it <i>is</i> ours," said Dillon +urgently. "Don't you see, Coburn? +You've a civilization nearly +as advanced as ours. If we can +make friends, we can do each +other an infinite lot of good. We +can complement each other. We +can have a most valuable trade, +not only in goods, but in what you +call human values and we call +something else. We'd like to start +that trade.</p> + +<p>"But you're desperately close +to smashing things. So we've had +to rush things. We did stop that +Bulgarian raid. When you proved +too sharp to be fooled, we grew +hopeful. Here might be our entering +wedge. We hammered at you. +We managed to make your people +suspicious that there might be +something in what you said. We +proved it. It was rugged for you, +but we had to let you people force +us into the open. If we'd marched +out shyly with roses in our hair—what +would you have thought?"</p> + +<p>Coburn said doggedly: "I'm +still waiting for the terms. What +do you want?"</p> + +<p>The General said something +plaintive from his chair. It was to +the effect that Coburn still believed +that Earth was in danger of +conquest from space.</p> + +<p>"Look!" said Dillon irritably. +"If you people had found the trick +of space travel first, and you'd +found us, would you have tried to +conquer us? Considering that +we're civilized?"</p> + +<p>Coburn said coldly, "No. Not +my particular people. We know +you can't conquer a civilized race. +You can exterminate them, or +you can break them down to +savagery, but you can't conquer +them. You can't conquer us!"</p> + +<p>Then Dillon said very painstakingly: +"But we don't want to +conquer you. Even your friends +inside the Iron Curtain know that +the only way to conquer a country +is to smash it down to savagery. +They've done that over and over +for conquest. But what the devil +good would savages be to us? We +want someone to trade with. We +can't trade with savages. We want +someone to gain something from. +What have savages to offer us? +A planet? Good Heavens, man! +We've already found sixty planets +for colonies, much better for us +than Earth. Your gravity here is +... well, it's sickeningly low."</p> + +<p>"What <i>do</i> you want then?"</p> + +<p>"We want to be friends," said +Dillon. "We'll gain by it exactly +what you Earth people gained +when you traded freely among +yourselves, before blocked currencies +and quotas and such nonsense +strangled trade. We'll gain +what you gained when you'd +stopped having every city a fort +and every village guarded by the +castle of its lord. Look, Coburn: +we've got people inside the Iron +Curtain. We'll keep them there. +You won't be able to disband your +armies, but we can promise you +won't have to use them—because +we certainly won't help you +chaps fight among yourselves. +We'll give you one of our ships to +study and work on. But we won't +give you our arms. You'll have +your moon in a year and your +whole solar system in a decade. +You'll trade with us from the time +you choose, and you'll be roaming +space when you can grasp the +trick of it. Man, you can't refuse. +You're too near to certain smashing +of your civilization, and we +can help you to avoid it. Think +what we're offering."</p> + +<p>Then Coburn said grimly: "And +if we don't like the bargain? What +if we refuse?"</p> + +<p>Dillon carefully put the ash +from his cigarette into an ashtray. +"If you won't be our friends," he +said with some distaste, "we can't +gain anything useful from you. +We don't want you as slaves. +You'd be no good to us. For that +reason we can't get anything we +want from the Iron Curtain people. +They've nothing to offer +that we can use. So our ultimatum +is—make friends or we go away +and leave you alone. Take it or +leave it!"</p> + +<p>There was a dead, absolute +silence. After a long time Coburn +said: "Altruism?"</p> + +<p>Dillon grinned. "Enlightened +self-interest. Common sense!"</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>There was a clicking in the ceiling. +A metallic voice said: "Mr. +Coburn, the conversation just +overheard and recorded has to be +discussed in detail on high diplomatic +levels. It will take time +for conferences—decisions—arrangements. +Assuming that your +guests are acting in good faith, +they have safe conduct from the +villa. Their offer is very attractive, +but it will have to be passed on at +high policy-making levels."</p> + +<p>Dillon said pleasantly, to the +ceiling: "Yes. And you've got to +keep it from being public, of +course, until your space ships can +discover us somewhere. It will +have to be handled diplomatically, +so your people are back of a grand +offer to make friends when it +happens." He added wryly, "We're +very much alike, really. Coburn's +very much like us. That's why—if +it's all right with you—you +can arrange for him to be our +point of confidential contact. We'll +keep in touch with him."</p> + +<p>The ceiling did not reply. Dillon +waited, then shrugged. The Greek +general spoke. He said that since +they had come so far out from +Salonika, it was too early to leave +again. It might be a good idea to +have a party. Some music would +be an excellent thing. He said he +liked Earth music very much.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>A long time later Janice and +Coburn were alone in the one room +of the house which was not wired +for sound. There were no microphones +here.</p> + +<p>Coburn said reluctantly in the +darkness: "It sounds sensible all +right. Maybe it's true. But it feels +queer to think of it...."</p> + +<p>Janice pressed closer to him and +whispered in his ear: "I made +friends with that girl who passed +for Helena. I like her. She says +we'll be invited to make a trip to +their planet. They can do something +about the gravity. And she +says she's really going to be married +to the ... person who was +with her...." She hesitated. +"She showed me what they really +look like when they're not disguised +as us."</p> + +<p>Coburn put his arm around her +and smiled gently. "Well? Want +to tell me?"</p> + +<p>Janice caught her breath. "I—I +could have cried.... The poor +thing—to look like that. I'm +glad I look like I do. For you, +darling. For you."</p> + +<div class="trn"><b>Transcriber's Note:</b> +This etext was produced from <i>Amazing Stories</i> April-May 1953. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and +typographical errors have been corrected without note.</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Invaders, by William Fitzgerald Jenkins + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE INVADERS *** + +***** This file should be named 31343-h.htm or 31343-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/1/3/4/31343/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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