Ivar Jorgensen

“ The President hid his shock well. "If killing me will—"
"Annihilate life on the planet. You see, Mr. President, there comes a time when each inhabited planet must join the Council—when it reaches a point at which its existence affects the great family of planets. If at that time, its state of affairs and development are negative, its population is eradicated for the greater good."
"May I ask two questions?" The President said.
"You may."
"Thank you. First, why do you contact only me with this news? I am the titular head of only one nation on this planet. There are many others." ”

“ President, lies in the spiritual. Every race on every inhabited planet is given the intelligence and desire to evolve upward spiritually but they do not always succeed. A time limit is set on this so that the inhabitants of each planet arrive finally at an evolutionary crisis."
The President thought of nuclear fission, the atom bomb, mankind's incredible progress over the last two hundred years. "And you have come to aid us in spiritual development?" ”

“ Below, under bright moonlight, lay the snow-covered approaches to Ranier and her sister peaks. A view of overpowering majesty such as few men had ever seen. One of the reasons, the President thought, why some men join the air force. ”

“ When conditions are right, life inevitably comes into existence upon a planet. The entities involved are always pretty much as you and I, physically, because conditions produce a ruling race of our structure or do not produce life at all. ”

“ The President said nothing and Rex went on. "As Director of this sector, it is my job to check the development on its various planets and make progress reports to the Council."
"And this Council is located—?"
"Many light years from here—at the hub of the known universe, but that is not important."
"I thought perhaps we—or our representatives might someday—"
"Appear before it? I'm afraid not. I fear you are treading the path of those who once inhabited your neighbor planet, Mars."
"Then life does exist—or did—on Mars?" ”

“ He said, "One more thing—why was I not contacted directly in this matter?"
This embarrassed the young man. "Wherever we go, sir, we attempt to conform to customs and manner existing in that place. We understood that to reach The President of the United States, one always proceeds through channels."
The President smiled. The humming sound ceased. The young man arose, forestalling further questions.
"This way, if you will be so kind."
The President and the Press Secretary followed the young man from the room into a low corridor. ”

“ A man, he told himself, is entitled to a few blessed years as his own master; a time when he ceases to be a slave of duty. Why just think! To grab the clubs and shoot eighteen without having to make "arrangements"! ”

“ When the Press Secretary stopped talking, he sat looking at the President with question marks in his eyes. He had no idea what the latter would say or do. The possible extremes were in his mind. The President might smile and say, "You've done a good job, Jim." Or he might reach for the phone and say, "Please send in two strong men and a straight jacket."
The President did neither. He spoke very quietly. "I think I'd better go to Mount Ranier. Tell them I'm ready."
The Press Secretary picked up the phone, dialed a number. When the party at the other end answered, he said, "The President agrees. ”

“ He awaits your contact."
He put down the phone and they sat looking at each other, waiting. There was nothing else to do, now. The President's eyes were vague as though he were looking through space and time. He said, "We've come a long way in a very short time, Jim. It's worth pondering."
"A long way, Mr. President."
"In a scant fifty years, we've gone practically straight up in matters of science, invention—" The thought broke off as his mind went to some of the things his Press Secretary had told him. ”