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diff --git a/26956-h/26956-h.htm b/26956-h/26956-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0fad7f2 --- /dev/null +++ b/26956-h/26956-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1623 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Alien Offer, by Al Sevcik + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1,h2,.p1,.figright {text-align: center;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 1em auto; visibility: hidden;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin: 1em 0 1em 1em; padding: 0; width: 359px;} + .trn {border: solid 1px; margin: 0 15% 3em; padding: 1em; text-align: justify;} + img {border: none;} + p.cap:first-letter {float: left; margin-right: .05em; padding-top: .05em; font-size: 300%; line-height: .8em;} + .dcap {text-transform: uppercase;} + .bk1 {width: 20em; margin: 0 auto 2em; border-top: solid 2px;} + .p1 {margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 3em;} +// --> +/* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Alien Offer, by Al Sevcik + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. 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: Alien Offer + +Author: Al Sevcik + +Illustrator: Llewellyn + +Release Date: October 18, 2008 [EBook #26956] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ALIEN OFFER *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="bk1"><p><i>In space, a vengeful fleet waited.... Then +the furred strangers arrived with a plan to +save Earth's children. But the General wasn't +sure if he could trust an</i></p></div> + +<h1><big>ALIEN OFFER</big></h1> + +<h2>By AL SEVCIK</h2> + +<p class="p1"><b>ILLUSTRATOR LLEWELLYN</b></p> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">"You</span> are General James Rothwell?"</p> + +<p>Rothwell sighed. "Yes, Commander +Aku. We have met several +times."</p> + +<p>"Ah, yes. I recognize your insignia. +Humans are so alike." +The alien strode importantly +across the office, the resilient +pads of his broad feet making +little plopping sounds on the rug, +and seated himself abruptly in +the visitor's chair beside Rothwell's +desk. He gave a sharp cry, +and another alien, shorter, but +sporting similar, golden fur, +stepped into the office and closed +the door. Both wore simple, +brown uniforms, without ornamentation.</p> + +<p>"I am here," Aku said, "to tell +you something." He stared impassively +at Rothwell for a minute, +his fur-covered, almost human +face completely expressionless, +then his gaze shifted to the +window, to the hot runways of +New York International Airport +and to the immense gray spaceship +that, even from the center +of the field, loomed above the +hangars and passenger buildings. +For an instant, a quick, +unguessable emotion clouded the +wide black eyes and tightened +the thin lips, then it was gone.</p> + +<p>Rothwell waited.</p> + +<p>"General, Earth's children +must all be aboard my ships +within one week. We will start +to load on the sixth day, next +Thursday." He stood.</p> + +<div class="figright"> +<img src="images/001.png" width="359" height="500" alt="" title="" /> +<small><b>The aliens supervised the loading as anguished parents looked on.</b></small></div> + +<p>Rothwell locked eyes with the +alien, and leaned forward, grinding +his knuckles into the desk +top. "You know that's impossible. +We can't select 100,000 +children from every country and +assemble them in only six days."</p> + +<p>"You will do it." The alien +turned to leave.</p> + +<p>"Commander Aku! Let me remind +you ..."</p> + +<p>Aku spun around, eyes flashing. +"General Rothwell! Let <i>me</i> +remind you that two weeks ago +I didn't even know Earth existed, +and since accidentally happening +across your sun system +and learning of your trouble I +have had my entire trading fleet +of a hundred ships in orbit about +this planet while all your multitudinous +political subdivisions +have filled the air with talk and +wrangle.</p> + +<p>"I am sorry for Earth, but my +allegiance is to my fleet and I +cannot remain longer than seven +more days and risk being caught +up in your destruction. Now, +either you accept my offer to +evacuate as many humans as my +ships will carry, or you don't." +He paused. "You are the planet's +evacuation coordinator; you will +give me an answer."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Rothwell's arms sagged, he +sunk back down into his chair, +all pretense gone. Slowly he +swung around to face the window +and the gray ship, standing +like a Gargantuan sundial counting +the last days of Earth. He +almost whispered. "We are +choosing the children. They will +be ready in six days."</p> + +<p>He heard the door open and +close. He was alone.</p> + +<p>Five years ago, he thought, we +cracked the secret of faster-than-light +travel, and since then we've +built about three dozen exploration +ships and sent them out +among the stars to see what they +could see.</p> + +<p>He stared blankly at the palms +of his hand. I wonder what it +was we expected to find?</p> + +<p>We found that the galaxy was +big, that there were a lot of +stars, not so many planets, and +practically no other life—at least +no intelligence to compare with +ours. Then ... He jabbed a button +on his intercom.</p> + +<p>"Ed Philips here. What is it +Jim?"</p> + +<p>"Doc, are you sure your boys +have hypo'd, couched, and hypno'd +the <i>Leo</i> crew with everything +you've got?"</p> + +<p>The voice on the intercom +sighed. "Jim, those guys haven't +got a memory of their own. We +know everything about each one +of them, from the hurts he got +falling off tricycles to the feel of +the first girl he kissed. Those +men aren't lying, Jim."</p> + +<p>"I never thought they were +lying, Doc." Rothwell paused for +a minute and studied the long +yellow hairs that grew sparsely +across the back of his hand, +thickened to a dense grove at his +wrist, and vanished under the +sleeve of his uniform. He looked +back at the intercom. "Doc, all +I know is that three perfectly +normal guys got on board that +ship, and when it came back we +found a lot of jammed instruments +and three men terrified almost +to the point of insanity."</p> + +<p>"Jim, if you'd seen ..."</p> + +<p>Rothwell interrupted. "I know. +Five radioactive planets with +the fresh scars of cobalt bombs +and the remains of civilizations. +Then radar screens erupting +crazily with signals from a multi-thousand +ship space fleet; vector +computers hurriedly plotting +and re-plotting the fast-moving +trajectory, submitting each time +an unvarying answer for the +fleet's destination—our own solar +system." He slapped his hand +flat against the desk. "The point +is, Doc, it's not much to go on, +and we don't dare send another +ship to check for fear of attracting +attention to ourselves. If we +could only be <i>sure</i>."</p> + +<p>"Jim," over the intercom, +Philips' voice seemed to waver +slightly, "those men honestly +saw what they say. I'd stake my +life on it."</p> + +<p>"All of us are, Doc." He flipped +the off button. Just thirty +days now, since the scout ship +<i>Leo's</i> discovery and the panicked +dash for home with the warning. +Not that the warning was +worth much, he reflected, Earth +had no space battle fleet. There +had never been any reason to +build one.</p> + +<p>Then, two weeks ago, Aku's +trading fleet had descended from +nowhere, having blundered, he +said, across Earth's orbit while +on a new route between two distant +star clusters. When told of +the impending attack, Aku immediately +offered to cancel his +trip and evacuate as many humans +as his ships could hold, so +that humanity would at least +survive, somewhere in the galaxy. +Earth chose to accept his +offer.</p> + +<p>"Hobson's choice," Rothwell +growled to himself. "No choice +at all." After years of handling +hot and cold local wars and +crises of every description, his +military mind had become conditioned +to a complete disbelief +in fortuitous coincidence, and he +gagged at the thought of Aku +"just happening by." Still +frowning, he punched a yellow +button on his desk, and reviewed +in his mind the things he wanted +to say.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"Jim! Isn't everything all +right?"</p> + +<p>Chagrined, Rothwell scrambled +to his feet, the President +had never answered so quickly +before. He faced the screen on +the wall to his right and saluted, +amazed once again at how old +the man looked. Sparse white +hair criss-crossed haphazardly +over the President's head, his +face was lined with deep trenches +that not even the most charitable +could call wrinkles, and the +faded eyes that stared from deep +caverns no longer radiated the +flaming vitality that had inspired +victorious armies in the +African war.</p> + +<p>"Commander Aku was just +here, sir. He demands that the +children be ready for evacuation +next Thursday. I told him that +it would be damned difficult."</p> + +<p>The face on the screen paled +perceptibly. "I hope you didn't +anger the commander!"</p> + +<p>Rothwell ground his teeth. "I +told him we'd deliver the goods +on Thursday."</p> + +<p>Presidential lips tightened. "I +don't care for the way you said +that, General."</p> + +<p>Rothwell straightened. "I +apologize, sir. It's just that this +whole lousy setup has me worried +silly. I don't like Aku making +like a guardian angel and +us having no choice but to dance +to his harp." His fingers clenched. +"God knows we need his help, +and I guess its wrong to ask too +many questions, but how come +he's only landed one of his ships, +and why is it that he and his +lieutenant are the only aliens to +leave that ship—the only aliens +we've ever even seen? It just +doesn't figure out!" There, he +thought, I've said it.</p> + +<p>The President looked at him +quietly for a minute, then answered +softly, "I know, Jim, but +what else can we do?" Rothwell +winced at the shake in the old +man's voice.</p> + +<p>"I don't know," he said. "But +Aku's got us in a hell of a spot."</p> + +<p>"Uh, Jim. You haven't said +this in public, have you?"</p> + +<p>Rothwell snorted. "No, <i>sir</i>, I +don't care for a panic."</p> + +<p>"There, there, Jim." The +President smiled weakly. "We +can't expect the aliens to act like +we do, can we?" He began to +adopt the preacher tone he used +so effectively in his campaign +speeches. "We must be thankful +for the chance breeze that wafted +Commander Aku to these +shores, and for his help. Maybe +the war fleet won't arrive after +all and everything will turn out +all right. You're doing a fine job, +Jim." The screen went blank.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Rothwell felt sick. He felt +sorry for the President, but +sorrier for the Western Democratic +Union, to be captained by +such a feeble thing. Leaning +back in his chair, he glared at +the empty screen. "You can't +solve problems by wishing them +away. You knew that once."</p> + +<p>His mind wandered, and for +a minute he thought he could +actually feel the growing pressure +of three billion people waiting +for the computers of Moscow +Central to make their impartial +choice from the world's children. +Trained mathematicians, the +best that could be mustered from +every major country, monitored +each phase of the project to insure +its absolute honesty. One +hundred thousand children were +to be picked completely at random; +brown, yellow, black, +white, red; sick or well; genius +or moron; every child had an +equal chance. This fact, this fact +alone gave every parent hope, +and possibly prevented world-wide +rioting.</p> + +<p>But with the destruction of +the planet an almost certainty, +the collective nervous system +was just one micron away from +explosion. There was nothing +else to think about or talk about, +and no one tried to pretend any +different.</p> + +<p>Rothwell's eyes moved involuntarily +to the little spherical +tri-photo on his desk, just an informal +shot he'd snapped a few +months back of Martha and her +proudest possessions, their rambunctious, +priceless off-spring: +Jim, Jr., in his space scouts uniform, +and Mary Ellen with that +crazy hair-do she was so proud +of then, but had already forgotten.</p> + +<p>"Damn!" he said aloud. "Dammit +to hell!" In one quick movement, +he spun his chair around +and jabbed at the intercom. "Get +the heli!" His voice crackled.</p> + +<p>Grabbing his hat, he yanked +open the door and strode into the +sudden quiet of the small office. +He turned right and went out +through a side entrance to a +small landing ramp, arriving +just as his personal heli touched +down. He climbed in. "To the +ship."</p> + +<p>As he settled back in the hard +seat, Rothwell offered a silent +thanks that, instead of asking +which ship, Sergeant Johnson +promptly lifted and headed for +the gray space vessel that dominated +the field.</p> + +<p>A few hundred yards from +the craft he said, "You'd better +set her down here, Sarge, and let +me walk in. Our friends might +get nervous about something flying +in at them."</p> + +<p>He jumped out, squinting +against the hot glare off the concrete, +and then, with a slight +uneasiness, stepped into the dark +shadow that pointed a thousand +feet along the runway, away +from the setting sun. He walked +towards the ship.</p> + +<p>A few seconds later, his eye +caught a small, unexplained flash +and he threw himself flat just as +a section of pavement exploded, +a dozen feet ahead.</p> + +<p>Cursing, Rothwell picked himself +off the ground, brushed the +dust off his uniform, and stood +quietly. He didn't have long to +wait.</p> + +<p>A small cubicle jutted out +from the ship and lowered itself +along a monorail running down +to the ground. The side nearest +him opened revealing, as Rothwell +expected, Commander Aku +and his lieutenant who both hurried +over to where he was standing, +as if to keep him from +coming forward to meet them—and +in so doing coming nearer +the ship. As the commander +trotted rapidly towards him, +Rothwell noted that he was still +buttoning his jacket and that the +shirt underneath looked suspiciously +as if it hadn't been buttoned +at all. Funny, he thought, +that my presence should cause +such a panic.</p> + +<p>"General, what a pleasure." +The commander's disconcerted +look belied his words, but even +as he spoke he began to regain +his composure and assume the +poker face that Rothwell had +come to expect.</p> + +<p>"I do hope," said Rothwell, +"that my visit hasn't inconvenienced +you."</p> + +<p>Aku and his lieutenant traded +swift glances, neither said anything.</p> + +<p>"Well," Rothwell began again, +"I am here to convey to you the +good wishes of the President of +our country and to submit a request +from him and from the +other governments of the +Earth."</p> + +<p>Aku straightened. "Though +merely the commander of a poor +trading fleet, I feel sure I speak +for my empire when I wish your +President good health. The request?"</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Rothwell spoke evenly, trying +to keep the bitterness out of his +voice. "Commander, when the +attack comes we expect that +Earth with all its life will be +annihilated. But your offer to +transport a hundred thousand +children to your own home +worlds has prevented despair, +and has at least given us hope +that if we will not see the future +our children will."</p> + +<p>Aku nodded slightly, avoiding +his eyes. "You take it well."</p> + +<p>"But it takes more than hope, +Commander. We need some assurance, +also, that our children +will be all right." He took an involuntary +step nearer the alien, +whose facial muscles never +moved, and who turned away +slightly, refusing to meet Rothwell's +eyes.</p> + +<p>"Commander, you and your +lieutenant are the only members +of your race that we have ever +seen, and then only on official +business. We would like very +much to meet the others. Why +don't you land your ships and +give the crews liberty, so that +we can meet them informally +and they can get to know us, +also? That way it won't seem as +if we are giving our kids over +to complete strangers."</p> + +<p>Without turning his head, +Aku said flatly, "That is impossible. +Do you want reasons?"</p> + +<p>"No," Rothwell said quietly. +"If you don't want to do something, +it's easy enough to think +up reasons." He ached to reach +out and grab the alien neck, to +shake some expression into that +frozen face. "Look, Commander, +surely the friendship of a doomed +race can't bring any harm to +your crew!"</p> + +<p>Aku faced him now. "What +you ask is impossible."</p> + +<p>Ashamed of the desperate note +that crept inadvertently into his +voice, Rothwell said, "Commander, +will you let me, alone, briefly +enter your ship, so that I can +tell my people what it is like?"</p> + +<p>Aku and the lieutenant traded +a long, silent look, then the lieutenant +almost imperceptibly +shrugged his shoulders. Without +moving, turned partly away +from Rothwell, Aku said, simply, +"No." The two started to +walk back to the ship.</p> + +<p>"Commander!"</p> + +<p>They stopped, but didn't turn.</p> + +<p>"Commander Aku, if you have +any sort of God in your empire, +or any sort of honor that your +race swears by, please tell me +one thing—tell me that our children +will be safe, I won't ask +you anything else."</p> + +<p>The two aliens stood still, facing +away from him, towards +their ship. Minutes passed. +Rothwell stood quietly, looking +at their backs, human appearing, +but hiding unguessable thoughts. +Neither of them moved, or said +a word. Finally, he turned and +walked away, back towards his +heli.</p> + +<p>He leaned back in the little +heli's bucket seat and ran a +large hand through unruly yellow +hair that was already flecked +with white. The first evening +lights of Brooklyn and Queens +and, off to the left, Manhattan, +moved unseen beneath him as +the craft headed towards his +home. Dammit, he thought, is it +that Aku just doesn't care what +we think, or that he cares very +much what we would think if we +knew whatever it is he's hiding?</p> + +<p>He banged his fists together +in frustration. How the hell can +anyone guess what goes on in an +alien mind? His whole damn +brain is probably completely +different! Maybe to him a poker +face is friendly. Maybe he's honestly +not hiding anything at all. +He looked out as the heli slowly +started its descent. No evidence, +he thought. Not a shred, except +a suspicious mind and, he +glanced at the dirt on his trousers, +and a shell exploding in my +face.</p> + +<p>He slapped his hat back on +and whirled to the surprised +pilot. "Dammit, I don't make the +decisions, I'm just in charge of +loading, and if the President +says it's okay, then it's okay with +me!" He stepped out onto the +grass of his yard, and quashed +a little shriek of conscience +somewhere in the back of his +mind.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Blinding lights pinned him in +mid-stride. A familiar voice +sprang out of the glare, "Here +he is now viewers, General +James Rothwell, commander of +the western armies, and head of +the Earth evacuation project. +General, International-TV cameras +have been waiting secretly +in your yard for hours for your +return."</p> + +<p>As his eyes adjusted, Rothwell +distinguished a camera +crew, their small portable instrument, +and a young, smooth-talking +announcer that he had seen +several times on television. He +forced the annoyance out of his +eyes. This, he thought, is all I +need.</p> + +<p>"What the general doesn't +know," the announcer went on, +"is that earlier this evening it +was announced by Moscow Central +that the computers had +picked his son as one of the +evacuees!"</p> + +<p>The shock was visible on +150,000,000 TV sets. Completely +unexpected, the surprise of the +announcement hit Rothwell like +a physical blow; his eyes widened, +his chin dropped, and for +an instant the world's viewers +read in his face the frank emotions +of a father, unshielded by +military veneer. Then years of +training took command, and he +faced the camera, apparently +calm, though churning internally. +The odds, he thought confusedly, +the odds must be at least +ten thousand to one! Then he +realized that someone was talking +to him, waving a microphone.</p> + +<p>"Er, I'm sorry, I didn't quite +catch ..." he mumbled at the +camera.</p> + +<p>The announcer laughed amiably. +"Certainly can't blame you, +this must be a really big night! +How does it feel, General, for +your son to be one of the evacuees?"</p> + +<p>Something in the back of his +mind twisted the question. How +does it feel, General, to turn your +only son over to a poker-faced +alien who shoots when you walk +near his ship? "I'm not sure," +he said, "how I feel."</p> + +<p>Talking excitedly, the announcer +drew closer. "To think +that your name will live forever +in the vast star clusters of the +galaxy!" He lowered his voice. +"General, speaking now unofficially, +as a parent, to the thousands +of other parents whose +children may also be selected, +and to the rest of us who ..." +he seemed to stumble for a word, +and for an instant Rothwell saw +him, too, as a man worried and +afraid, instead of as part of a +television machine. "Well, General, +<i>you've</i> had contact with the +aliens, are you glad your son is +going?"</p> + +<p>Rothwell looked at the strained +face of the announcer, at the +camera crew quietly eyeing him, +and at the small huddled group +of neighbors hovering in the +background, and he knew that +his next words might be the +most critical he would ever use +in his life. In a world strained +emotionally almost beyond endurance, +the wrong words, a hint +of a suspicion, could spark the +riots that would kill millions and +bring total destruction.</p> + +<p>He faced the camera and said +calmly, "I am glad my son is going. +I wish it could happen for +everyone. Commander Aku has +assured me that everything will +turn out all right." Mentally he +begged for forgiveness, there +was nothing else he could say. +Sweat glistened on his forehead +as he tried to fight down the +memory of Aku turning his back +on the plea that echoed in his +brain—"tell me that our children +will be safe."</p> + +<p>The front door of the house +banged open and all at once +Martha was in his arms, crying, +laughing. "Oh, Jim, I'm so glad, +so very glad!" Rothwell blinked +his eyes as he put his arm +around her and waved the +camera away. Tears sparkled on +his cheeks; but neither Martha +nor the viewers knew why.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The next morning Aku and +his ever-present lieutenant were +waiting when Rothwell's heli set +him down in front of the administration +building, a few minutes +later than usual. They followed +him into his office.</p> + +<p>"Coffee?" Rothwell held out a +paper cup.</p> + +<p>"No, thank you," said Aku, as +expressionless as ever. "We are +here to make final arrangements +for the evacuation."</p> + +<p>"I see. Well," said Rothwell, +"Thursday will be a very painful +day for us and we will want +to expedite things as much as +possible."</p> + +<p>Aku nodded.</p> + +<p>Rothwell went on. "I have +made arrangements to have a +hundred air fields cleared at +various population centers +around the world. That way your +ships can land simultaneously, +one at each field, and the loading +can be finished in very little +time. Now," he opened a desk +drawer, "here is a list, of ..."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Aku held up a fur-covered +hand. "That will not be possible."</p> + +<p>Rothwell looked down at his +desk and closed his eyes briefly. +I knew it, he thought, I knew +this would happen, sure as hell. +He raised his head. "Impossible?"</p> + +<p>"We will first land twenty +ships. These twenty must be +fully loaded and back in orbit +before the next will land. We will +use the first twenty air fields on +your list."</p> + +<p>Rothwell took a deep breath. +"But I thought you wanted to +get away as soon as possible! It +will take at least an extra day +to load according to your +scheme."</p> + +<p>"Will it?" Aku moved to go, +his lieutenant reached to open +the door.</p> + +<p>On an impulse, Rothwell stepped +forward. "Commander, if +you had a son would you send +him away like this?"</p> + +<p>Aku stopped, and looked directly +at him with even, black +eyes; then the gaze moved +through and past him, to the +window and the ship beyond. For +a minute his expression altered, +changing almost to one of pain. +When he spoke, it was almost to +himself. "My father loved his +children more than ..." He +started as his lieutenant suddenly +clapped a hand on his shoulder. +The expression vanished. +They left together, without looking +at Rothwell or saying another +word.</p> + +<p>For several minutes Rothwell +stared frowning at the closed +door. He walked thoughtfully +back to his desk, and lowered +himself slowly into the chair.</p> + +<p>He sat for a long time, trying +to puzzle through the picture. +Finally he stood and paced the +room. "Suppose," he said to himself, +"just suppose that not all +of those hundred ships up there +are really cargo ships. Suppose +that, say, only twenty are. Then, +after those twenty were loaded ..." +He swung around to look +again at the long, slim silhouette +poised high against the main +runway. "With ocean vessels, +it's the fighting ships that are +lean and slender."</p> + +<p>Bending over his desk, he +nudged an intercom button with +his finger. "Doc, how would one +go about trying to understand +an alien's reactions?"</p> + +<p>Philips' voice shot right back. +"Well, Jim, the very first thing, +you'd have to be sure they +weren't exactly the same as a human's +reactions."</p> + +<p>Rothwell paused, startled. "It +can't be, Doc. Why, if Aku was +a human I'd say ..." He stiffened, +feeling the hair rise at the +back of his neck. The short, curt +answers, the refusal to meet his +eyes, the frozen expression clicked +into pattern. "Doc ... I'd say +he was being forced to do something +he hated like hell to do."</p> + +<p>Tensely, he straightened and +contemplated the lean, gray +spaceship. Then he whirled +around and slapped every button +on the intercom.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Thursday. The sun pecked fitfully +at the low overcast while +a sullen crowd watched a squat +alien ship descend vertically, to +finally settle with a flaming belch +not far from the first. Similar +crowds watched similar landings +at nineteen other airports +around the world, but the loading +was to start first in New +York.</p> + +<p>An elevator-like box swung +out from the fat belly of the +ship and was lowered rapidly to +the ground. Two golden-hued +aliens, in uniforms resembling +Aku's, stepped out and walked +about a thousand feet towards +the crowd. Only children actually +being loaded were to go beyond +this point; parents had to +stay at the airport gates.</p> + +<p>"When do I go, Dad?"</p> + +<p>"Shortly, son." Rothwell laid +his hand on the lean shoulder. +"You're in the second hundred." +There was a brief, awkward silence. +"Martha, you'd better take +him over to the line." He held +out his hand. "So long, son."</p> + +<p>Jim, Jr., shook his hand gravely, +then, without a word, suddenly +threw his hands tight +around his younger sister. He +took his mother's hand, and +they walked slowly over to the +sad line that was forming beyond +the gate.</p> + +<p>Rothwell turned to his daughter. +"You going over there too, +kitten?" The words were gruff +in his tight throat.</p> + +<p>She wiped a hand quickly +across her cheek. "No, Dad, I +guess I'll stay here with you." +She stood close beside him.</p> + +<p>Aku, forgotten until now, +cleared his throat. "I think the +loading should start, General."</p> + +<p>Raising his hand in a half-salute, +Rothwell signaled to a captain +standing near the gate who +turned and motioned to a small +cordon of military police. Shortly, +a group of fifty of the first +youngsters in the line separated +from the others and moved slowly +out onto the concrete ribbon +towards the waiting ship. The +rest of the line hesitated, then +edged reluctantly up to the gate, +to take the place of the fifty who +had left. They waited there, the +children of a thousand families, +suddenly dead quiet, staring after +the fifty that slowly moved +away.</p> + +<p>They walked quietly, in a +tight group, without any antics +or horseplay which, in itself, +gave the event an air of unreality. +Approaching the ship, they +seemed to huddle even closer together, +forming a pathetically +tiny cluster in the shadow of +the towering space cruiser. The +title of a book that he had read +once, many years before, flashed +unexpectedly in Rothwell's memory, +<i>The Story of Mankind</i>. He +looked sadly after the fifty, then +back at the silent line. Were +these frightened kids now writing +the final period in the last +chapter? He shook himself, work +to be done, no time now for daydreams.</p> + +<p>As the fifty reached the ship +and started to enter the elevator, +Rothwell turned and beckoned to +some technicians standing out of +sight just inside the entrance to +the control tower. Three of them +ran out and set up what looked +like a television set, only with +three screens. One ran back, unreeling +a power cable, while a +fourth flicked on a bank of +switches, making feverish, minute +adjustments. Rothwell felt +the sweat in his hands. "Is it +okay, Sergeant?"</p> + +<p>The back of the sergeant's +shirt was wet though the air +was cool. "It's got to be, sir!" +His fingers played across the +knobs. "All that metal, the whole +thing is critical as ... Ah!" He +jumped back. The screens flashed +into life.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Aku stiffened. His lieutenant +gasped audibly, made a jerky +movement towards the screens, +then suddenly became aware of +three MPs standing beside him, +hands nonchalantly cradling +blunt-nosed weapons.</p> + +<p>All three receivers showed +similar scenes, the milling +youngsters and the ship, but +from up close, the pictures jerking +and swaying erratically as +if the cameras were somehow +fastened to moving human beings. +Then the scenes condensed +into a cramped, jostling blackness +as the fifty crowded into the +elevator and were lifted up the +side of the ship.</p> + +<p>Next, were three views of a +large room, bare except for +what appeared to be overhead +cranes and other mechanical +paraphernalia of a military shop +or warehouse. For a while the +fifty moved about restlessly, then +the cameras swung about simultaneously +to face a wall that +slowly slid apart.</p> + +<p>Rothwell froze. "Good Lord!"</p> + +<p>Six murky <i>things</i> moved from +the open wall towards the +cameras, which fell back to the +opposite side of the room. Each +was large, many times the size +of a man, but somehow indistinct, +for the cameras didn't convey +any sense of shape or form. +For an instant, one of the +screens flashed a picture of a +terrified human face, and arms +raised protectively as the shadowy +things moved in upon the +group.</p> + +<p>A projection snapped out +from one, grabbed two of the humans, +and hurled them into a +corner. Then it motioned a dozen +or so others over to the same +spot. With similar harsh, sweeping +movements, the group of +humans was quickly broken up +into three roughly equal segments. +One of the groups seemed +to be protecting someone who +appeared seriously hurt. A black +tentacle lashed out and one of +the screens went blank. Then another.</p> + +<p>The third showed a small +group pushed stumbling through +a narrow door, down a short +passageway, and abruptly into +blackness. Something that looked +like bars flashed across the +screen, then a dark liquid trickled +across the camera lens, blotting +out the view.</p> + +<p>Eyes blazing, Rothwell whirled +on Aku. "Throughout our history, +Commander, humans have +had one thing in common, our +blasted pride! We will not turn +over our young to slavery, and +by hell if we die, we'll die fighting!" +He jerked up his coat +sleeve, barked an order into a +small transmitter on his wrist, +and, grabbing his daughter, +threw himself flat on the concrete.</p> + +<p>Hesitating only an instant, +Aku, his lieutenant, and the +MPs hit the ground as both +spaceships vanished in a cataclysmic +eruption of flame and +steel.</p> + +<p>Raising his head, Rothwell +grinned crazily into the exploding +debris, imagining nineteen +other ships suddenly disintegrating +under the rocket guns of +nineteen different nations. He +saw Earth, like a giant porcupine, +flicking thousands of atom +tipped missiles into space from +hundreds of submarines and secret +bases—the war power of the +great nations, designed for the +ruin of each other, united to destroy +the alien fleet.</p> + +<p>He turned to Aku, "Midgets, +volunteers with miniature TV +cameras ..." he stopped.</p> + +<p>The commander and his lieutenant +had flung their arms +about each other and were crying +like babies. Tentatively, Aku +reached towards him. "Those +things, the <i>Eleele</i>, from another +galaxy." He struggled for words. +"They captured your scout crew +and implanted memories of thousands +of ships to create fear and +make it easier to take slaves before +blasting you." He glanced +up at the flashes in the sky. +"This was their only fleet."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Rothwell glared. "You helped +them."</p> + +<p>Aku nodded miserably. "We +had to. They thought you'd trust +us because we look almost human. +It was a trick that worked +before." Tears streamed across +his face, matting the golden fur. +"You see, the radioactive planets +your men reported, one of them +was—home."</p> + +<p class="p1"><b>THE END</b></p> + +<div class="trn"><b>Transcriber's Note:</b> +This etext was produced from <i>Amazing Stories</i> January 1959. +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 the Project Gutenberg EBook of Alien Offer, by Al Sevcik + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ALIEN OFFER *** + +***** This file should be named 26956-h.htm or 26956-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/9/5/26956/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://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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