_Science equipped David Corbin with borrowed time;
sent him winging out in a state of suspension to future
centuries ... to a dark blue world whose only defense
was to seal tight the prying minds of foolish interlopers._
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Planet Stories November 1952.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
I heard the voice as I opened my eyes. I was lying down, still not
aware of where I was, waiting for the voice.
"Your name is David Corbin. Do you understand?"
I looked in the direction of the sound. Above my feet a bulkhead
loomed. There were round dials set in a row above a speaker. Over the
mesh-covered speaker, two knobs glowed red. I ran the words over in
my sluggish mind, thinking about an answer. The muscles in my throat
tightened up in reflex as I tried to bring some unity into the jumble
of thoughts and ideas that kept forming. One word formed out of the
rush of anxiety.
"No."
I shouted a protest against the strangeness of the room. I looked to
the right, my eyes following the curving ceiling that started at the
cot. The curve met another straight bulkhead on the left. I was in a
small room, gray in color, like dull metal. Overhead a bright light
burned into my vision. I wondered where in the universe I was.
"Your name is David Corbin. If you understand, press button A on your
right."
I stared at the speaker in the wall. The mesh-covered hole and the two
lights looked like a caricature of a face, set in a panel of dials. I
twisted my head to look for the button. I pushed away from the close
wall but I couldn't move. I reached down to the tightness that held my
body, found the wide strap that held me and fumbled with the buckle.
I threw it off and pushed myself up from the hard cot. I heard myself
yell in surprise as I floated up towards the light overhead.