did not need to tell the
people of Weald what vigilance, what constant watchfulness was necessary
against that race of depraved and malevolent deviants from the norm of
humanity. But Weald, he said with emotion, held aloft the torch of all
that humanity held most dear, and defended not alone the lives of its
people against blueskin contagion, but their noble heritage of ideals
against Blueskin pollution.

When he sat down, Calhoun said very politely;

"It looks like some day it should be practical politics to urge the
massacre of all blueskins. Have you thought of that?"

The chief executive said comfortably;

"The idea's been proposed. It's good politics to urge it, but it would
be foolish to carry it out. People vote against blueskins. Wipe them
out, and where'd you be?"

Calhoun ground his teeth, quietly.

* * * * *

There were more speeches. Then a messenger, white-faced, arrived with a
written note for the chief executive. He read it and passed it to
Calhoun. It was from the Ministry of Health. The space-port reported
that a ship had just broken out from overdrive within the Wealdian
solar system. Its tape-transmitter had automatically signalled its
arrival from the mining-planet Orede. But, having sent off its automatic
signal, the ship lay dead in space. It did not drive toward Weald. It
did not respond to signals. It drifted like a derelict upon no course at
all. It seemed ominous, and since it came from Orede--the planet nearest
to Dara of the blueskins--the health ministry informed the planet's
chief executive.

"It'll be blueskins," said that astute person, firmly. "They're
next-door to Orede. That's who's done this. It wouldn't surprise me if
they'd seeded Orede with their plague, and this ship came from there to
give us warning!"

"There's no evidence for anything of the sort," protested Calhoun. "A
ship simply came out of overdrive and didn't signal further. That's
all."

"We'll see," said the chief executive ominously. "We'll go directly to
the spaceport."

Calhoun retrieved Murgatroyd who had been visiting with the wives of the
higher-up officials. His small paunch distended with cakes and coffee
and such delicacies as he'd been plied with. He was half comatose from
over-feeding and over-petting, but he was glad to see Calhoun. At the
spaceport they discovered the situation remained unchanged.

A ship from Orede had come out of overdrive and lay dead in empt