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up. He moved hastily away from the box and called, "Come out." It required
several calls to attract the P!oian's attention. Then Jamieson asked, "Have
you looked this ship over?" "Yes," the P!oian replied. "Is there a section
through which all the e!ectric energy is channeled?" "Yes." Jamieson drew a
deep breath. "Go into it and let the energy flow through you. Then come back
here." "Oh, you're so good to me," the Ploian responded. Jamieson took the
precaution of hastily finding a nonmetallic object to stand on. He was barely
in a safe position when a hundred thousand volts crackled from every metal
plate. "What now?" said the Ploian two minutes later. "Look the ship over
and see if any Rulls are alive." Almost instantly, Jamieson was informed that
about a hundred Rulls were still alive. From the reports of the Ploian, the
survivors were already staying away from contact with meta! surfaces. Jamieson
accepted the information thoughtfully. Then he described the radio equipment
to the Ploian, and finished, "Whenever anyone attempts to use this equipment,
you go inside it and let the electricity flow through you-understand?" The
Ploian agreed to do this, and Jamieson added, "Report back to me periodically,
but only at times when no one is trying to use the radio. And don't go into
the main switchboard without my permission." "Consider it done," the Ploian
said. Five minutes later the Ploian located Jamieson in the weapon room.
"Somebody tried to use the radio just now; but he gave up finally, and went
away." "Fine," said Jamieson. "Keep watch-and listen-and join me as soon as
I'm through here." Jamieson proceeded on the positive assumption that he had
one decisive advantage over the Rull survivors: he knew when it was safe to
touch metal. They would have to rig up elaborate devices before they could
dare move. In the weapon control room he worked with energy cutting tools,
hurriedly but effectively. His purpose: to make certain that the gigantic
blasters could not be fired until the weapon control wiring was totally
repaired. That job done, he headed for the nearest lifeboat. The Ploian
joined him as he was edging his way through an opening. "There're some Rulls
that way," the Ploian warned. "Better go this way." They finally entered a
Rull lifeboat without mishap. A few minutes later Jamieson launched the small
craft, but five days went by before they were picked up. The high Aaish of
Yeel! was not on the ship to which Jamieson had been taken as a captive. And
so he was not among the dead, and, indeed, did not learn of the escape of the
prisoner for some time. When the information was finally brought to him, his
staff took it for granted that he would punish the Rull survivors of the
wrecked battleship. Instead, he said thoughtfully, "So that was the enemy? A
very powerful being." He silently considered the week of anguish he had
endured. He had recovered almost all of his perceptive powers-so he was able
to have a very unusual thought for an individual of his high estate. He said,
using the light-wave communicator, "I believe that this is the first time that
a Prime Leader has visited the battlefront. Is this not correct?" It was
correct. A Super-General had come from rear headquarters to the "front lines."
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Top brass had come out of the sheltered and protected home planet and risked a
skin so precious that all of Ria shuddered anxiously when the news was
released. The greatest Ru!! continued his speculations: "It would seem to me
that we have not received the most accurate intelligence about human beings.
There appears to have been an attempt to underestimate their abilities, and
while I commend the zeal and courage of such attempts, my reaction is that
this war is not likely to be successful in any decisive way. It is therefore
my conclusion that the Central Council reexamine the motives for the
continuation of the battle effort. I do not foresee an immediate
disengagement, but it might well be that the fighting could gradually
dissipate, as we assume a defensive position in this area of space, and
perhaps turn our attention to other galaxies." Far away, across light-years
of space, Jamieson was reporting to an august body, the Galactic [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]