* * * * *
Arlene Rolf's face had gone pale. "Doctor Ben," she said, "I believe
Colonel Weldon is implying that the rogue already knows about the diex
projector and what might be attempted with it."
Weldon nodded. "Of course, he knows about it. How many secrets do you
think can be kept from a creature who can tap the minds of anybody
he encounters? You can take it for granted that he's maintained
information sources in every department of the government since the day
we became aware of his existence. He knows we're out to get him. And he
isn't stupid enough to allow things here to develop to the point where
one of our telepaths is actually placed in front of that projector. He
can't be sure of what the outcome would be. After all, it might ...
very easily ... be fatal to him."
Lowry began, "Then I don't...." He checked himself, gave Arlene Rolf a
bewildered look. "Are _you_ still with this madman, Arlene?"
Her smile was twisted. "I'm afraid so! If I am, I don't like the
situation at all. Colonel Weldon, have you people planned to use the
diex projector as a trap for the rogue?"
"As bait for a trap," Weldon said. "Ben, put yourself in the rogue's
place. He regards this entire planet as his property. But now the
livestock is aware of him and is restless. On the technological side it
is also becoming more clever by the decade--dangerously clever. He can
still keep us in our place here, and so far he's succeeded in blocking
a major exodus into the solar system where his power would vanish. But
can he continue indefinitely? And can he find any enjoyment in being
the lord of all Earth when he has to be constantly on guard now against
our efforts to get rid of him? He's blocked our first thrusts and
showed us that he can make it a very costly business to harass him too
seriously. But the situation is as unsatisfactory to him as to us. He
needs much more effective methods of control than were required in the
past to bring us back to heel."