FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   >>  
ght hand was resting on the butt of a .45, the safety off. * * * * * "I have come," the alien said, "as an ambassador-at-large, representing an empire that stretches half-way across the Galaxy. I wish to extend the welcome of my people and to invite you to join our organization." "I see," Cercy replied. "Some of the scientists got the impression that participation was compulsory." "You will join," the Ambassador said, blowing smoke through his nostrils. Cercy could see Darrig stiffen in his chair and bite his lip. Cercy moved the automatic to a position where he could draw it easily. "How did you find us?" he asked. "We ambassadors-at-large are each assigned an unexplored section of space," the alien said. "We examine each star-system in that region for planets, and each planet for intelligent life. Intelligent life is rare in the Galaxy, you know." Cercy nodded, although he hadn't been aware of the fact. "When we find such a planet, we land, as I did, and prepare the inhabitants for their part in our organization." "How will your people know that you have found intelligent life?" Cercy asked. "There is a sending mechanism that is part of our structure," the Ambassador answered. "It is triggered when we reach an inhabited planet. This signal is beamed continually into space, to an effective range of several thousand light-years. Follow-up crews are continually sweeping through the limits of the reception area of each Ambassador, listening for such messages. Detecting one, a colonizing team follows it to the planet." He tapped his cigarette delicately on the edge of an ash tray. "This method has definite advantages over sending combined colonization and exploration teams obviously. It avoids the necessity of equipping large forces for what may be decades of searching." "Sure." Cercy's face was expressionless. "Would you tell me more about this message?" "There isn't much more you need know. The beam is not detectable by your methods and, therefore, cannot be jammed. The message continues as long as I am alive." * * * * * Darrig drew in his breath sharply, glancing at Cercy. "If you stopped broadcasting," Cercy said casually, "our planet would never be found." "Not until this section of space was resurveyed," the diplomat agreed. "Very well. As a duly appointed representative of the President of the United States, I a
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   >>  



Top keywords:
planet
 

Ambassador

 
Darrig
 

sending

 
message
 
intelligent
 
people
 

organization

 

section

 

continually


Galaxy

 

President

 

United

 

decades

 

equipping

 

States

 

avoids

 

necessity

 

forces

 

combined


tapped

 

cigarette

 

delicately

 

colonizing

 
listening
 
messages
 

Detecting

 

searching

 

colonization

 

exploration


advantages

 
method
 
definite
 

breath

 

sharply

 

jammed

 

continues

 

glancing

 

agreed

 
resurveyed

casually
 
broadcasting
 

diplomat

 

stopped

 
methods
 

expressionless

 

representative

 

appointed

 

detectable

 
compulsory