When They Come from Space Read Online Free

moment I thought the added burden might be too much for him, but he shouldered it manfully. He gave up trying to step on each of the yellow dots in the rug, and paced in short, rapid steps over to the window, where he gazed at the impressive row of shining white government buildings stretching to the horizon. There was a silence while he collected his thoughts. Apparently he decided I could take the full brunt of it, all at once.
    "We're going out to Jupiter's moons!” He made the announcement portentous.
    "Of course,” I said indifferently. “So?"
    His face took on a hurt expression.
    "You already know that?” he asked, disappointed.
    "It's been in all the papers for days, weeks."
    "Those congressmen!” he exclaimed bitterly. “Always sucking up to news reporters, hoping they'll get their names in the papers or even mentioned on TV."
    "But anybody could have figured it out,” I consoled him. “We've already got contingents on Mars and Venus. We're not equipped to start mining the Asteroid belt just yet. The state of the art won't permit landing on Jupiter, itself. Naturally, its moons would be next."
    "I suppose you're right,” he agreed ruefully. “Not really much of a secret."
    "But what has that got to do with a war emergency?” I asked curiously.
    "Don't you see?” he admonished me, and shook his finger at me again. “We don't know much about those moons. What if there is some kind of life form there? What if it is technically advanced? What if it is hostile? What if we weren't prepared? So—a war emergency!"
    "Oh, come now!” I made no secret of my disgust. “That's going pretty extreme, even if you had a military mind—which you haven't."
    He looked at me piercingly, and then his eyes began to twinkle.
    "Shrewd!” he congratulated me. “Very shrewd. Oh, I knew you were the right man for me. Doesn't take you in for a minute. Took in that congressional committee without a murmur of doubt. Secret session of course. Very, very hush-hush. I asked for four billion. They gave me only two billion, so, later when it can be told, they can show the voters how economy minded they were. Paid me two billion dollars, well, for running my department, of course, for the status satisfaction of being in on something nobody else knows. In open session they wouldn't have given me a dime."
    "So the war emergency is just a con,” I said.
    He paced the floor for a moment more. His face was serious, drawn in worry.
    "No,” he said at last. “It's real.” He came across the room to stand at my elbow. “So now I'll tell you the real reason. The one known to the top men here in the Pentagon. The one we couldn't tell Congress because they're such blabbermouths, and so we had to con them."
    He took up his pursuit of the yellow dots in the rug design again while he assembled his thought.
    "Mustn't leak this to the reporters, son,” he began in a warning. “Public mustn't know, mustn't find out."
    "Why?” I asked.
    He drew a quick breath.
    "Oh my! Oh my! You really are from the Outside! Have to do something about that Outside attitude, right away. You're in government now. First rule of government of the people, by the people, for the people: Never tell the people!"
    He came over and stood in front of me. He peered at me through narrowed eyes. Apparently he was waiting for a loyalty oath. I raised my fingers in scout's honor. It seemed to satisfy him.
    "The Black Fleet has struck four times!” he whispered hoarsely.
    "The WHAT?” I shouted.
    "Sh-h-h!” he put his fingers to his lips hurriedly, and looked around the room.
    "The what?” I asked, more normally.
    "The Black Fleet."
    "What the hell is the Black Fleet?"
    He snapped his fingers in delight.
    "Good! Oh, good! Then that news hasn't leaked yet. Sometimes those generals and admirals are as anxious to get their names in the paper as a congressman.” He was as delighted as a child successfully playing button-button.
    "Tell you all about it,” he said.
    He came back