Human-alien encounters -- Fiction; Science fiction; Scientists -- Fiction; Short stories; Space ships -- Fiction
MOON SHIP DESTROYED
IN TRANSIT
NO COMMUNICATION FROM
ANTARCTICA IN 6 HOURS
STRANGE FORCE DEFLECTS
PLANES FROM SAHARA AREA
WORLD POLICE MOBILIZING
The item below the last one said:
Pacifica, June 7--The World Police are mobilizing, for the first time
in fifty years. The order was made public early this morning by
R. Stein, Secretary of the Council, who said in part:
"The reason for this ... order must be apparent to all civilized
peoples. For the Invaders have spared no part of this planet in their
depredations: they have laid Hong Kong waste; they have terrorized
London; they have destroyed the lives of citizens in every member state
and in every inhabited area. There can be few within reach of printed
reports or my words who have not seen the Invaders, or whose friends
have not seen them.
"The peoples of the world, then, know what they are, and know that
we face the most momentous struggle in our history. We face an enemy
_superior to ourselves in every way_.
"Since the Invaders first appeared in Wood River, Oregon, 24 hours
ago, they have not once acknowledged our attempts to communicate, or
in any way taken notice of our existence as reasoning beings. They
have treated us precisely as we, in less enlightened days, might
have treated a newly-discovered race of lower animals. They have not
attacked our centers of government, nor immobilized our communications,
nor laid siege to our defenses. But in instance after instance, they
have done as they would with us. They have examined us, dissected us,
driven us mad, killed us with no discernable provocation; and this is
more intolerable than any normal invasion.
"I have no fear that the people of Earth will fail to meet this
challenge, for there is no alternative. Not only our individual lives
are threatened, but our existence as a race. We must, and will, destroy
the Invaders!"
Peter sank back in his chair, the full shock of it striking him for the
first time.
"_Will_ we?" he asked himself softly.
* * * * *
It was only two stories down the moving ramp to Lorelei Cooper's
laboratory. Peter took it in fifteen seconds, running, and stumbled to
a halt in front of the door marked "Radiation." She had set her door
mechanism to "Etaoin Shrdlu," principally because he hated double-talk.
He mouthed the syllables, had to repeat them because he put an accent
in the wrong place, and squeezed through the door as soon as it opened
far enough to admit him.
Lorelei, beautiful in spite of dark-circled eyes and a smear of grease
on her chin, looked up from a huge ledger at the end of the room. One
blonde eyebrow arched in the quizzical expression he knew so well.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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