The Starcomber Read Online Free PDF

and X-beamed the sonic before Tantial murdered O’Leary. Aux armes. Jeez. Ouch!”
    â€œThere you have the confession, Halsyon,” General Balorsen grated. He was tall, gaunt, bitter. “By God. Ars est celare artem. You are innocent.”
    â€œI falsely condemned you, old faithful,” Judge Field grated. He was tall, gaunt, bitter. “Can you forgive this God damn fool? We apologize.”
    â€œWe wronged you, Jeff,” Judith whispered. “How can you ever forgive us? Say you forgive us.”
    â€œYou’re sorry for the way you treated me,” Halsyon grated. “But it’s only because on account of a mysterious mutant strain in my makeup which it makes me different, I’m the one man with the one secret that can save the galaxy from the Grssh.”
    â€œNo, no, no, old gin and tonic,” General Balorsen pleaded. “God damn. Don’t hold grudges. Save us from the Grssh.”
    â€œSave us, faute de mieux, save us, Jeff,” Judge Field put in. “Oh please, Jeff, please,” Judith whispered. “The Grssh are everywhere and coming closer. We’re taking you to the U. N. You must tell the council how to stop the Grssh from being in two places at the same time.” The starship came out of overdrive and landed on Governor’s Island where a delegation of world dignitaries met the ship and rushed Halsyon to the General Assembly room of the U. N. They drove down the strangely rounded streets lined with strangely rounded buildings which had all been altered when it was discovered that the Grssh always appeared in comers. There was not a comer or an angle left on all Terra.
    The General Assembly was filled when Halsyon entered. Hundreds of tall, gaunt, bitter diplomats applauded as he made his way to the podium, still dressed in convict plasti-clothes. Halsyon looked around resentfully.
    â€œYes,” he grated. “You all applaud. You all revere me now; but where were you when I was framed, convicted and jailed . . . an innocent man? Where were you then?”
    â€œHalsyon, forgive us. God damn!” they shouted.
    â€œI will not forgive you, I suffered for seventeen years in the Grssh mines. Now it’s your turn to suffer.”
    â€œPlease, Halsyon!”
    â€œWhere are your experts? Your professors? Your specialists? Where are your electronic calculators? Your super thinking machines? Let them solve the mystery of the Grssh.”
    â€œThey can’t, old whiskey and soda. Entre nous. They’re stopped cold. Save us, Halsyon. Auf wiedersehen.”
    Judith took his arm. “Not for my sake, Jeff,” she whispered. “I know you’ll never forgive me for the injustice I did you. But for the sake of all the other girls in the galaxy who love and are loved.”
    â€œI still love you, Judy.”
    â€œI’ve always loved you, Jeff.”
    â€œOkay. I didn’t want to tell them but you talked me into it.” Halsyon raised his hand for silence. In the ensuing hush he spoke softly. “The secret is this, gentlemen. Your calculators have assembled data to ferret out the secret weakness of the Grssh. They have not been able to find any. consequently you have assumed that the Grssh have no secret weakness. That was a wrong assumption .”
    The General Assembly held its breath.
    â€œHere is the secret. You should have assumed there was something wrong with the calculators .”
    â€œGod damn!” the General Assembly cried. “Why didn’t we think of that? God damn!”
    â€œ And I know what’s wrong! ”
    There was a deathlike hush.
    The door of the General Assembly burst open. Professor Deathhush, tall, gaunt, bitter, tottered in. “Eureka!” he cried. “I’ve found it. God damn. Something wrong with the thinking machines. Three comes after two, not before.” The General Assembly broke into cheers. Professor Deathhush was seized and pummeled happily.