MIGHTIEST QORN
BY KEITH LAUMER
Sly, brave and truculent, the Qornt
held all humans in contempt—except one!
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Worlds of If Science Fiction, July 1963.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
I
Ambassador Nitworth glowered across his mirror-polished, nine-footplatinum desk at his assembled staff.
"Gentlemen, are any of you familiar with a race known as the Qornt?"
There was a moment of profound silence. Nitworth leaned forward,looking solemn.
"They were a warlike race known in this sector back in Concordiattimes, perhaps two hundred years ago. They vanished as suddenly asthey had appeared. There was no record of where they went." He pausedfor effect.
"They have now reappeared—occupying the inner planet of this system!"
"But, sir," Second Secretary Magnan offered. "That's uninhabitedTerrestrial territory...."
"Indeed, Mr. Magnan?" Nitworth smiled icily. "It appears the Qornt donot share that opinion." He plucked a heavy parchment from a folderbefore him, harrumphed and read aloud:
His Supreme Excellency The Qorn, Regent of Qornt, Over-Lord of theGalactic Destiny, Greets the Terrestrials and, with reference to thepresence in mandated territory of Terrestrial squatters, has the honorto advise that he will require the use of his outer world on thethirtieth day. Then will the Qornt come with steel and fire. Receive,Terrestrials, renewed assurances of my awareness of your existence,and let Those who dare gird for the contest.
"Frankly, I wouldn't call it conciliatory," Magnan said.
Nitworth tapped the paper with a finger.
"We have been served, gentlemen, with nothing less than an Ultimatum!"
"Well, we'll soon straighten these fellows out—" the Military Attachebegan.
"There happens to be more to this piece of truculence than appears onthe surface," the Ambassador cut in. He paused, waiting for interestedfrowns to settle into place.
"Note, gentlemen, that these invaders have appeared on terrestrialcontrolled soil—and without so much as a flicker from the instrumentsof the Navigational Monitor Service!"
The Military Attache blinked. "That's absurd," he said flatly. Nitworthslapped the table.
"We're up against something new, gentlemen! I've considered everyhypothesis from cloaks of invisibility to time travel! The fact is—theQornt fleets are indetectible!"
The Military Attache pulled at his lower lip. "In that case, we can'ttry conclusions with these fellows until we have an indetectible driveof our own. I recommend a crash project. In the meantime—"
"I'll have my boys start in to crack this thing," the Chief of theConfidential Terrestrial Source Section spoke up. "I'll fit out acouple of volunteers with plastic beaks—"
"No cloak and dagger work, gentlemen! Long range policy will beworked out by Deep-Think teams back at the Department. Our role willbe a holding action. Now I want suggestions for a comprehensive,well rounded and decisive course for meeting this threat. Anyrecommendation?"
The Political Officer placed his fingertips together. "What about astiff Note demanding an extra week's time?"
"No! No begging," the Economic Officer objected. "I'd say a calm,dignified, aggressive withdrawal—as soon as possible."
"We don't want to give them the idea we spook easily," the MilitaryAttache said. "Le