by Edward Elmer Smith and Edward Everett Evans

“ Why did they set the status so far below their top ability? Why did they make it impossible for the Omans ever, of themselves, to learn their higher science? Why, if they did not want that science to become known, did they leave complete records of it? The majority of us believe that the Masters coded their records in such fashion that the Stretts, even if they conquered the Omans or destroyed them, could never break that code; since it was keyed to the basic difference between the Strett mentality and the human. Thus, they left it deliberately for some human race to find. ”

“ Wherever a Strett missile was, or wherever a Strett skeleton-ship appeared, an Oman beam reached it, usually in much less than one second. Beam clung to screen—caressingly, hungrily—absorbing its total energy and forming the first-stage booster. Then, three microseconds later, that booster went off into a ragingly incandescent, glaringly violent burst of fury so hellishly, so inconceivably hot that less than a thousandth of its total output of energy was below the very top of the visible spectrum! ”

“ Then, linking minds with the captain, he flashed their joint attention to the Hall of Records. Into the right room; into the right chest; along miles and miles of braided wire carrying some of the profoundest military secrets of the ancient Masters.
Then:
“Now you know a little of it,” Hilton said. “Maybe a thousandth of what we'll have to have before we can take the Stretts as they will have to be taken.”
For seconds Sawtelle could not speak. Then: “My ... God. I see what you mean. You're right. No Omans can ever go to Terra; and no Terrans can ever come here except to stay forever.” ”

“ Gordon demanded.
“You'll never know,” Hilton answered, quietly. “Things no Terran ever will know. We hope. Things that would drive any Terran stark mad. Some of them are hinted at—as much as we dared—between the lines of the report.”
The report had not mentioned the Stretts. Nor were they to be mentioned now. If the Ardans could stop them, no Terran need ever know anything about them.
If not, no Terran should know anything about them except what he would learn for himself just before the end. For Terra would never be able to do anything to defend herself against the Stretts. ”

“ We all do.” This was, of all people, Teddy! “No one in all history has had more than about fifty years of really productive thinking. And just the idea of having enough time ...”
“Hold it, Teddy. Use your brain. The Masters couldn't take it—they committed suicide. How do you figure we can do any better?”
“Because we'll use our brains!” she snapped. “They didn't. The Omans will serve us; and that's all they'll do.” ”

“ Sandra grinned at Hilton. “I simply can't conceive of anything more maddening than to have a lot of something Temple Bells hasn't got and not being able to brag about it because nobody—not even I—would know what I was bragging about!”
“You poor little thing. How you suffer!” Hilton grinned back. “You know darn well you've got a lot of stuff that none of the rest of us has.”
“Oh? Name one, please.”
“Two. What-it-takes and endovix. As I've said before and may say again, you're doing a real job, Sandy.”
“I just love having my ego inflated, boss, even if ... Come in, Larry!” ”

“ Watching you work has been not only a delight, but also a liberal education.”
“Thanks. I love you, too, Teddy.” He lighted two cigarettes, handed her one. “I'm glad, though, to lay it flat on the table with you, because in any battle of wits with you I'm licked before we start.”
“Yeah. You just proved it. And after licking me hands down, you think you can square it by swinging the old shovel that way?” She did not quite know whether to feel resentful or not.
“Think over a couple of things. First, with the possible exception of Temple Bells, you're the best brain aboard.” ”

“ But I wasn't thinking of any regular Oman brain...” Hilton's voice petered out.
“I see, sir. Yes, we can, by using your brain as Guide, reproduce it in an Oman body. You would then have the powers and most of the qualities of both ...”
“No, you don't see, because I've got my screen on. Which I will now take off—” he suited action to word—“since the whole planet's screened and I have nothing to hide from you. Teddy Blake and I both thought of that, but we'll consider it only as the ultimately last resort. We don't want to live a million years. And we want our race to keep on developing. ”

“ Hilton said, coldly. “No one except the very few selectees will know anything about it. Even if it were an unmixed blessing—which it very definitely is not—do you want all humanity thrown into such an uproar as that would cause? Or the quite possible racial inferiority complex it might set up? To say nothing of the question of how much of Terra's best blood do you want to drain off, irreversibly and permanently? No. What we suggest is that you paint the picture so black, using Sawtelle and me and what all humanity has just seen as horrible examples, that nobody would take it as a gift. ”

“ Then a new Larry spoke.
“That did it, folks. Thanks. I'm a free agent. You want me, I take it, to join the first team?”
“That's right.” Hilton drew a tremendously deep breath. “As of right now.”
“Tuly, too, of course ... and Doctor Cummings, I think?” Larry looked, not at Hilton, but at Temple Bells.
“I think so. Yes, after this, most certainly yes,” Temple said.
“But listen!” Sandra protested. “Jarve's a lot better than I am!”
“Not at all,” Tuly said. “Not only would his contribution to Team One be negligible, but he must stay on his own job. Otherwise the project will all fall apart.” ”

“ Larry said. “Most of you wanted the ocean, but many wanted a river or the mountains. Therefore we razed Omlu and built your new city, Ardane, at a place where the ocean, two rivers, and a range of mountains meet. Strictly speaking, it is not a city, but a place of pleasant and rewardful living.”
The space-ship was coming in, low and fast, from the south. To the left, the west, there stretched the limitless expanse of ocean. To the right, mile after mile, were rough, rugged, jagged, partially-timbered mountains, mass piled upon mass. ”