The Project Gutenberg EBook of Oneness, by James H. Schmitz

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Title: Oneness

Author: James H. Schmitz

Illustrator: Leo Summers

Release Date: December 21, 2009 [EBook #30728]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Transcriber's Note:

This etext was produced from Analog Science Fact & Fiction May 1963.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S.
copyright on this publication was renewed.

ONENESS

At that, you know the power to enforce
the Golden Rule would make a terrible weapon!

by JAMES H. SCHMITZ

ILLUSTRATED BY LEO SUMMERS

* * * * *

Menesee felt excitement surge like a living tide about him as he came
with the other directors into the vast Tribunal Hall. Sixty years ago,
inexcusable carelessness had deprived Earth of its first chance to
obtain a true interstellar drive. Now, within a few hours, Earth, or
more specifically, the upper echelons of that great political
organization called the Machine which had controlled the affairs of
Earth for the past century and a half, should learn enough of the
secrets of the drive to insure that it would soon be in their
possession.

Menesee entered his box between those of Directors Cornelius and
Ojeda, immediately to the right of the Spokesman's Platform and with
an excellent view of the prisoner. When Administrator Bradshaw and
Spokesman Dorn had taken their places on the platform, Menesee seated
himself, drawing the transcript of the day's proceedings towards him.
However, instead of glancing over it at once, he spent some seconds in
a study of the prisoner.

The fellow appeared to be still young. He was a magnificent physical
specimen, tall and strongly muscled, easily surpassing in this respect
any of the hard-trained directors present. His face showed alert
intelligence, giving no indication of the fact that f