No name in human speech was black
enough for the man who was surrendering
Earth to the aliens ... but Everson
knew that the only way to keep his
world from slavery was to link it to the
invaders—with a cosmic ball and chain!
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Super Science Stories May 1950.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
George Everson descended hastily from the air liner, and the flyingsteps of a street escalator carried him up into the Star Building, butnot before the crowd surging behind the fence a hundred yards away hadcaught sight of him. How they recognized him in the growing dusk hedidn't know. His gray hair and mustache, the sensitive lines of hisface were unobtrusive, anonymous—but recognize him they did. Probablyhate had sharpened their vision, for the chorus of yells that overtookhim was fierce. It was clear enough that they didn't like traitors.
He smiled wearily, knowing, without pausing to make sure, that hishand-picked guards were keeping them in check, and dropped wearily intoa convenient desk chair. As it headed for his office, he switched onthe visor, and his secretary's anxious face met his eyes. "We've beenexpecting you, Mr. Everson."
"Any messages?"
"A great many of them, sir."
"What do they say about the surrender?" he asked.
"Most of them are protests, sir. Official resignations—"
"The resignees have been replaced, according to plan?"
"Naturally, Mr. Everson."
"And they are proceeding to carry out the surrender, as ordered?"
"Well, not quite. A few said they couldn't stomach it, Mr. Everson.They resigned too."
"See that they are replaced with names selected from List C. Thesurrender must go through."
"Yes, Mr. Everson."
His secretary—herself a replacement of the man who had been with himfor ten years—seemed to wait for him to go on, but he only noddedcurtly and switched off. There were other people to see and talk to,but suddenly he felt it impossible to face them, to stare into theireyes. He let the chair carry him silently, and once in his office, heturned on the door lock to insure privacy. Then he stared out throughthe transparent wall at the spectacle the heavens offered.
Off the right, not far above the horizon, hung the Hop planet-fortress,from which he had just come. A bit smaller than the moon in apparentdiameter, it was actually larger than Jupiter, and had several timesthat planet's mass.
From an anti-grav chamber, he had seen only one tiny corner of itsvast surface, but that single vision had been enough to convince himthat he had been correct. The Hops, in their countless numbers, wereunconquerable, and the human race, despite all its weapons, had nochoice but to surrender unconditionally.
The Hop Supreme Three had observed all the customary formalities. Theyhad signed the agreement for humane treatment of the surrendering race,and given their most solemn promises to live up to the agreement inevery detail; although from what he had seen of them, Everson knew thattheir idea of what was humane differed from his. He knew also that theysigned agreements merely to break them, as they had broken the one onNeptune, and that when they broke this one the human race might verywell be exterminated. But, as he had been telling himself time andagain these last five days, he had no choice.
He had, by dint of superhuman effort, managed to persuade the majorityof his Council of that, and only two members had resigned. Publicopposition had been more violent and outspoken, with here and theresome