Human-alien encounters -- Fiction; Science fiction; Space warfare -- Fiction
"Absolutely. I'm beginning to think that maybe we've got something he
doesn't know exists--our ultra-wave. Of course I wasn't surprised when
his searchers failed to find our instruments, but it never occurred to
me that I might have a clear field to use them in! I can't quite believe
it yet, but I haven't been able to find any indication that he can even
detect the bands we are using. I'm going to look around over there with
my spy-ray ... I'm looking at you now--feel it?"
"Yes, the watch feels that way, now."
"Fine! Not a sign of interference over here, either. I can't find a
trace of ultra-wave--anything below ether-level, you know--anywhere in
the whole place. He's got so much stuff that we've never heard of that I
supposed of course he'd have ultra-wave, too; but if he hasn't, that
gives us the edge. Well, Bradley and I've got a lot of work to do....
Wait a minute, I just had a thought. I'll be back in about a second."
There was a brief pause, then the soundless, but clear voice went on:
"Good hunting! That woman that gave you the blue willies isn't
alive--she's full of the prettiest machinery and circuits you ever saw!"
"Oh, Conway!" and the girl's voice broke in an engulfing wave of
thanksgiving and relief. "It was so unutterably horrible, thinking of
what must have happened to her and to others like her!"
"He's running a colossal bluff, I think. He's good, all right, but he
lacks quite a lot of being omnipotent. But don't get too cocky, either.
Plenty has happened to plenty of women here, and men too--and plenty may
happen to us unless we put out a few jets. Keep a stiff upper lip, and
if you want us, yell. 'Bye!"
The silent voice ceased, the watch upon Clio's wrist again became an
unobtrusive timepiece, and Costigan, in his solitary cell far below her
tower room, turned his peculiarly goggled eyes toward other scenes. His
hands, apparently idle in his pockets, manipulated tiny controls; his
keen, highly-trained eyes studied every concealed detail of mechanism of
the great globe. Finally, he took off the goggles and spoke in a low
voice to Bradley, confined in another windowless room across the hall.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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