Invaders from the Infinite | Page 6

which would make it easier, and the terrestrian invited them
into his laboratory, for the crowd was steadily growing.
The three returned to their ship for a moment, coming out with several
peculiar headsets. Almost at once the ship started to rise, going up more
and more swiftly, as the people cleared a way for it.
Then, in the tiniest fraction of a second, the ship was gone; it shrank to
a point, and was invisible in the blue vault of the sky.
"Apparently they intend to stay a while," said Wade. "They are trusting
souls, for their line of retreat is cut off. We naturally have no intention
of harming them, but they can't know that."
"I'm not so sure," said Arcot. He turned to the apparent leader of the
three and explained that there were several stories to descend, and stairs
were harder than a flying unit. "Wrap your arms about my legs, when I
rise above you, and hold on till your feet are on the floor again," he
concluded.
The stranger walked a little closer to the edge of the shaft, and looked
down. White bulbs illuminated its walls down its length to the ground.
The man talked rapidly to his friends, looking with evident distaste at
the shaft, and the tiny pack on Arcot's back. Finally, smiling, he
evinced his willingness. Arcot rose, the man grasped his legs, and then
both rose. Over the shaft, and down to his laboratory was the work of a

moment.
Arcot led them into his "consultation room," where a number of
comfortable chairs were arranged, facing each other. He seated them
together, and his own friends facing them.
"Friends of another world," began Arcot, "we do not know your errand
here, but you evidently have good reason for coming to this place. It is
unlikely that your landing was the result of sheer chance. What brought
you? How came you to this point?"
"It is difficult for me to reply. First we must be en rapport. Our system
is not simple as yours, but more effective, for yours depends on thought
ideas, not altogether universal. Place these on your heads, for only a
moment. I must induce temporary hypnotic coma. Let one try first if
you desire." The leader of the visitors held out one of the several
headsets they had brought, caplike things, made of laminated metal
apparently.
Arcot hesitated, then with a grin slipped it on.
"Relax," came a voice in Arcot's head, a low, droning voice, a voice of
command. "Sleep," it added. Arcot felt himself floating down an
infinite shaft, on some superflying suit that did not pull at him with its
straps, just floating down lightly, down and down and down. Suddenly
he reached the bottom, and found to his surprise that it led directly into
the room again! He was back. "You are awake. Speak!" came the voice.
Arcot shook himself, and looked about. A new voice spoke now, not
the tonelessly melodious voice, but the voice of an individual, yet a
mental voice. It was perfectly clear, and perfectly comprehensible. "We
have traveled far to find you, and now we have business of the utmost
import. Ask these others to let us treat them, for we must do what we
can in the least possible time. I will explain when all can understand. I
am Zezdon Fentes, First Student of Thought. He who sits on my right is
Zezdon Afthen, and he beyond him, is Zezdon Inthel, of Physics and of
Chemistry, respectively."

And now Arcot spoke to his friends.
"These men have something of the greatest importance to tell us, it
seems. They want us all to hear, and they are in a hurry. The treatment
isn't at all annoying. Try it. The man on the extreme right, as we face
them, is Zezdon Fentes of Thought, Zezdon apparently meaning
something like professor, or 'First Student of.' Those next him are
Zezdon Afthen of Physics and Zezdon Inthel of Chemistry."
Zezdon Afthen offered them the headsets, and in a moment everyone
present was wearing one. The process of putting them en rapport took
very little time, and shortly all were able to communicate with ease.
"Friends of Earth, we must tell our strange story quickly for the benefit
of your world as well as ours, and others, too. We cannot so much as
annoy. We are helpless to combat them.
"Our world lies far out across the galaxy; even with incalculable
velocity of the great swift thing that bore us, three long months have we
traveled toward your distant worlds, hoping that at last the Invaders
might meet their masters.
"We landed on this roof because we examined mentally the knowledge
of a pilot of one of your patrol ships. His mind told