THIRD PLANET
By MURRAY LEINSTER
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Worlds of Tomorrow April 1963.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
The aliens had lost their lives
to nuclear war—but their loss
might be the salvation of Earth!
I
It was, as usual, a decision on which the question of peace or atomicwar depended. The Council of the Western Defense Alliance, as usual,had made the decision. And, as usual, the WDA Coordinator had to tellthe Com Ambassador that the Coms had won again. The WDA would not riskatomic war over a thirty-mile shift of a national border in southeastAsia.
"Perhaps," said the Com Ambassador politely, "it will be easier foryou personally if I admit that our Intelligence Service has reportedthe decision of your Council." He paused, and added, "in detail."
The Coordinator asked wearily, "How much detail?"
"First," said the Ambassador, "you are to insist that no decisionhas been reached. You are to play for time. If I do not agree, youare to offer to compromise. If I do not agree, you are to accept thesettlement we suggested. But you are to ask urgently for time in whichto remove the citizens we might feel ought to be shot. This is not anabsolute condition, but you are to use every possible means to persuademe to grant it."
The Coordinator ground his teeth. But the Council wouldn't go to warfor a few thousand citizens of an Asiatic country—who would probablybe killed in the war anyhow. There would be millions killed in Westerncountries if the war did come.
"I have much respect for you," said the Ambassador politely, "so Iagree to three days of delay during which you may evacuate disloyalcitizens by helicopter. On the fourth day our troops will move up tothe new border. It would be unfortunate if there were clashes on theway."
"We can't get them out in three days!" protested the Coordinator. "It'simpossible! We haven't enough copters!"
"With warning to flee," said the Ambassador, "many can reach the newborder on foot."
The Coordinator ground his teeth again. That would be a publicdisgrace—and not the first one—for the WDA for not protecting itsfriends. But the public in the Western nations did not want war. Itwould not allow its governments to fight over trivial matters. Itsalliance could not make threats. On the other hand, the public in theCom nations had no opinions its governments had not decreed. The Comnations could threaten. They could even carry out threats, though madefor trivialities. So the WDA found itself yielding upon one point afteranother. Eventually it would fight, and fight bravely, but too late.
The Coordinator said heavily, "You will excuse me, Mr. Ambassador. Ihave to see about getting as many copters as possible to southeastAsia."
Some hundreds of light-years away, the Survey ship Lotus floated inspace, a discreet number of millions of miles from the local sun. Itwas on a strictly scientific mission, so it would not be subject toCom suspicion of having undesirable political intentions. At leastthey hadn't demanded to have an observer on board. Com intelligencereports were notoriously sound, however, and possibly spies had assuredtheir employers that the Lotus's mission was bona fide. Her errandwas the mapping and first-examination of a series of sol-type solarsystems. This was the ninth such system on the list. The third planetout from the sun, her