"His race is telepathic to a certain extent. They can read the minds of
most other races, although they cannot read each other's minds."
"These are the Vegans?" Lawrence asked, trying to keep the story
assembled into a coherent pattern.
"Yes. They are the Vegans--a warlike people who are now trying to
overthrow the galactic government. Three years ago, Meero contacted the
mind of a brilliant young Earth girl who had discovered a weapon of
great significance--a death ray, to be precise."
"You mean Bette Bauer?"
"That was the girl's name. Meero discovered her shortly before we did.
My race is telepathic too. We found that Dr. Bauer had discovered
a system of mass annihilation that would enable any group to take
over the galaxy--but Meero had her first. He focussed a mind-static
generator on her and drove her insane. Naturally, he wanted the secret,
so he came here to Earth to get it, as soon as he decided it was safe.
By that time we, too, had found Earth, and followed."
"Only Meero had already grabbed the girl," Lawrence said.
"Exactly. We were too late. And now you understand the situation."
"Ah--yes," Lawrence said uneasily. "All but one thing. Why did you drag
_me_ into this?"
The alien paused for a moment and said, "We found you unconscious and
decided to take you into protective custody."
"But why? The Vegans have no use for me."
"No," Nestiv Illon said gently. "But we do."
* * * * *
Another of the reptilian beings approached at that moment and inclined
its head toward Illon.
"What is it?"
"We're approaching Vega IX, sir."
"Very good," Illon said. "Shift into transparency-warp and go into
orbit."
"Yes, sir." The subordinate inclined his head once again and backed
away. Illon turned to Jim Lawrence.
"We are within striking range of the Vegan home base now. Here's where
you come in."
"What do you mean?" Lawrence asked.
The alien rose. "It is impossible, of course, for any of us to enter
the Vegan base, since no disguise will conceal our fundamental physical
appearance. But you--you are of the same general somatic type as the
Vegans. A little eye-shadow, a bit of plastotek applied here and there
to change the facial contours, and I think you could pass."
"You want me to dip into the Vegan base and rescue the girl? Is that
it?"
"Yes," Illon said.
"All very nice--but then what? Do I hand the death ray over to you and
let you conquer the galaxy? No, thanks; I might as well let the Vegans
do it."
Illon shook his head sadly. "We have no such plans, Jim Lawrence. We
are only concerned with keeping the annihilating ray out of the hands
of the Vegans, with placing it in the sane custody such a deadly weapon
deserves."
"How can I trust you?"
"It will be necessary, I'm afraid. You must believe that we plan no
aggression of our own. No--there is a way to prove it to you." He
leaned down and spoke rapidly into a microphone.
A few moments later an alien appeared, bearing a gleaming chromium
helmet. He handed it silently to Lawrence, who examined it curiously.
"What's this?"
"Put it on," Illon said softly.
"How do I know it's safe?"
"You have my word it's safe."
Suspiciously, Lawrence lifted the helmet and placed it on his head,
where it fit snugly. A stream of images filtered abruptly through his
mind.
The helmet was--a history book. It was a thought-record that stretched
back over centuries, over millenia, detailing the eon-old conflict
between the Vegans and Nestiv Illon's people. As the story unfolded,
Lawrence could see the cold malevolence of the Vegans opposed to the
wise, kind people of Viagon. Through a pattern of cosmic conflicts and
world-destroying wars, Lawrence grasped the history of the two peoples.
Vega had been threatening to extend its empire throughout the universe,
but had been checked at every point by the Viagoni, the guardians of
civilization.
Finally, Lawrence removed the helmet. It seemed that he had lived
through the history-record for hours, but a glance at his watch told
him that no more than a few seconds had passed.