"I'm one of them, heaven help me, but soon I won't be! You must listen
carefully now. I haven't much time!" Landreth paced the room with great
uneven strides, face still twisting, his voice coming with an effort.
"They call themselves _Energons_. Their life-principle is ionized
protoplasm, that's as near as I can describe it! They subsist on the
energy-source fields that originate within all planetary bodies.
Electric, magnetic, gravitic, call it what you will. They left their
System, far beyond Pluto, because it's in a state of disintegration for
lack of the energy-magnetic source--" Landreth's features had gone pale
and tight, as if some ghastly struggle were occurring within him.
"I and three others boarded their ship. It drove toward the sun ... we
couldn't stop it. We barely managed to bring it to a crash, here. In
the crash some of the _Energons_ were released, they took possession of
our unconscious bodies ... and they evolved their plan ... they must
be stopped!" With a great effort Landreth managed to hold his body
erect.
Curt's mind raced. He saw the rest. Landreth and his three men were
only the beginning. _Through them, completely Energon-dominated, the
net had spread!_ Other men had been captured out of space and brought
here. The _Energon_ life-forms had been taken secretly to other
planets, to seize upon bodies, and bring them into _Energon_ control!
The plan had taken two years, but they had selected well. Jal Tagar of
Mars had been reached, and doubtless others among the highest officials
and scientists in the Federation! This explained it all, the growing
havoc and sabotage--
Curt saw the ghastly pattern, then he saw Landreth collapse against the
wall as if all strength were being drained from him. Lorine hurried to
his side, but Landreth waved her away.
"No, child, don't worry about me now! Heaven knows I've hated Earth....
I've done some terrible things in my time ... but nothing so terrible
as allowing these creatures to get foothold here...." He pulled himself
erect. "Jeffers! Has the Federation plunged into war?"