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_There's no such thing as a weapon too horrible to use; weapons will continue to become bigger, and deadlier. Like other things that can't be stopped...._
IRRESISTIBLE WEAPON
By H. B. Fyfe
Illustrated by ED EMSH
In the special observation dome of the colossal command ship just beyondPluto, every nervous clearing of a throat rasped through the silence.Telescopes were available but most of the scientists and high officialspreferred the view on the huge telescreen.
This showed, from a distance of several million miles, one of the smallmoons of the frigid planet, so insignificant that it had not beendiscovered until man had pushed the boundaries of space exploration pastthe asteroids. The satellite was about to become spectacularlysignificant, however, as the first target of man's newest, mostdestructive weapon.
"I need not remind you, gentlemen," white-haired Co-ordinator Evora ofMars had said, "that if we have actually succeeded in this race againstour former Centaurian colonies, it may well prevent the imminentconflict entirely. In a few moments we shall know whether our scientistshave developed a truly irresistible weapon."
Of all the officials, soldiers, and scientists present, Arnold Gibsonwas perhaps the least excited. For one thing, he had labored hard tomake the new horror succeed and felt reasonably confident that it would.The project had been given the attention of every first-class scientificmind in the Solar System; for the great fear was that the new states onthe Centaurian planets might win the race of discovery and ...
_And bring a little order into this old-fashioned, inefficient fumblingtoward progress_, Gibson thought contemptuously. _Look at them--foolsfor all their degrees and titles! They've stumbled on something withpossibilities beyond their confused powers of application._
A gasp rustled through the chamber, followed by an even more awedsilence than had preceded the unbelievable, ultra-rapid action on thetelescreen. Gibson permitted himself a tight smile of satisfaction.
_Now my work really begins_, he reflected.
A few quick steps brought him to Dr. Haas, director of the project, justbefore the less stunned observers surrounded that gentleman, babblingquestions.
"I'll start collecting the Number Three string of recorders," hereported.
"All right, Arnold," agreed Haas. "Tell the others to get their shipsout too. I'll be busy here."
_Not half as busy as you will be in about a day_, thought Gibson,heading for the spaceship berths.
* * * * *
He had arranged to be assigned the recording machines drifting in spaceat the greatest distance from the command ship. The others would assumethat he needed more time to locate and retrieve the apparatus--whichwould give him a head start toward Alpha Centauri.
His ship was not large, but it was powerful and versatile to cope withany emergency that may have been encountered during the dangerous tests.Gibson watched his instruments carefully for signs of pursuit until hehad put a few million miles between himself and the command ship. Thenhe eased his craft into subspace drive and relaxed his vigilance.
He returned to normal space many "days" later in the vicinity of AlphaCentauri. They may have attempted to follow him for all he knew, but ithardly mattered by then. He broadcast the recognition signal he had beengiven to memorize long ago, when he had volunteered his services to thenew states. Then he headed for the capital planet, Nessus. Long beforereaching it, he acquired a lowering escort of warcraft, but he waspermitted to land.
"Well, well, it's young Gibson!" the Chairman of Nessus greeted him,after the newcomer had passed through the exhaustive screening designedto protect the elaborate underground headquarters. "I trust you havenews for us, my boy. Watch outside the door, Colonel!"
One of the ostentatiously armed guards stepped outside and closed thedoor as Gibson greeted the obese man sitting across the button-studdedexpanse of desk. The scientist was under no illusion as to the vaguenessof the title "Chairman." He was facing the absolute power of theCentaurian planets--which, in a few months' time, would be the same assaying the ruler of all the human race in both systems. Gibson's filemust have been available on the Chairman's desk telescreen withinminutes of the reception of his recognition signal. He felt a thrill ofadmiration for the efficiency of the new states and their system ofgovernment.
He made it his business to report briefly and accurately, trusting thatthe plain facts of his feat would attract suitable recognition. Theydid. Chairman Diamond's sharp blue eyes glinted out of the fat mask ofhis features.
"Well done, my boy!" he grunted, with a joviality he did not bothertrying to make sound overly sincere. "So _they_ have it! You must seeour men immediately, and point out where they have gone wrong. You mayleave it to me to decide _who_ has gone wrong!"
* * * * *
Arnold Gibson shivered involuntarily before reminding himself that _he_had seen the correct answer proved before his eyes. He had stood thereand watched--more, he had worked with them all his adult life--and hewas the last whom the muddled fools would have suspected.
The officer outside the door, Colonel Korman, was recalled and givenorders to escort Gibson to the secret state laboratories. He glancedbriefly at the scientist when they had been let out through thecomplicated system of safeguards.
"We have to go to the second moon," he said expressionlessly. "Bettersleep all you can on the way. Once you're there, the Chairman will beimpatient for results!"
Gibson was glad, after they had landed on the satellite, that he hadtaken the advice. He was led from one underground lab to another, tocompare Centaurian developments with Solarian. Finally, Colonel Kormanappeared to extricate him, giving curt answers to such researchers asstill had questions.
"Whew! Glad you got me out!" Gibson thanked him. "They've been pickingmy brain for two days straight!"
"I hope you can stay awake," retorted Korman with no outward sign ofsympathy. "If you think you can't, say so now. I'll have them give youanother shot. The Chairman is calling on the telescreen."
Gibson straightened.
_Jealous snob!_ he thought. _Typical military fathead, and he knows Iamount to more than any little colonel now. I was smart enough to foolall the so-called brains of the Solar System._
"I'll stay awake," he said shortly.
Chairman Diamond's shiny features appeared on the screen soon afterKorman reported his charge ready.
"Speak freely," he ordered Gibson. "This beam is so tight and scrambledthat no prying jackass could even tell that it is communication. Haveyou set us straight?"
"Yes, Your Excellency," replied Gibson. "I merely pointed out which ofseveral methods the Solarians got to yield results. Your--our scientistswere working on all possibilities, so it would have been only a matterof time."
"Which you have saved us," said Chairman Diamond. His ice-blue eyesglinted again. "I wish I could have seen the faces of Haas andCo-ordinator Evora, and the rest. You fooled them completely!"
Gibson glowed at the rare praise.
"I dislike bragging, Your Excellency," he said, "but they _are_ fools. Imight very well have found the answer without them, once they hadcollected the data. My success shows what intelligence, well-directedafter the manner of the new states of Centauri, can accomplish againstinefficiency."
The Chairman's expression, masked by the fat of his face, neverthelessapproached a smile.
"So you would say that you--one of _our_ sympathizers--were actually themost intelligent worker _they_ had?"
_He'll have his little joke_, thought Gibson, _and I'll let him put itover. Then, even that sour colonel
will laugh with us, and the Chairmanwill hint about what post I'll get as a reward. I wouldn't mind being incharge--old Haas' opposite number at this end._
"I think I might indeed be permitted to boast of that much ability, YourExcellency," he answered, putting on what he hoped was an expectantsmile. "Although, considering the Solarians, that is not saying much."
The little joke did not develop precisely as anticipated.
"Unfortunately," Chairman Diamond said, maintaining his smilethroughout, "wisdom should never be confused with intelligence."
* * * * *
Gibson waited, feeling his own smile stiffen as he wondered what couldbe going wrong. Surely, they could not doubt _his_ loyalty! A hastyglance at Colonel Korman revealed no