"I know of no such plans." Clare, lying defenseless against the obscene tortures of these soulless animals....

"Let's not waste time with lies, Mr. Kendall. You have been working on the project."

"The defense against Willy Seven—"

"—Is not perfected!" The Centaurian leaned forward and snapped out the words in triumph. "It can't possibly be ready for use in less than six months because the projectile involved a difficult combination of lethal—germs and subsonic vibrations. The toughest you ever tackled."

A deep sickness clawed at Kendall's stomach. The Centaurian had hit upon the truth while still evidently unaware of Terran defense procedure. He did not seem to know that the development of an offensive weapon was never allowed to proceed faster than the development of a defense against it, the theory being two-fold; that defense was the most important element concerned and that defense against our own weapons would probably function as safeguards against those of Centaurian origination.

Also, the possibility of theft had been foreseen. To have the plans of a nondefensible weapon stolen would mark the end of Terra. But in the case of Willy Seven, the defensive unit had involved such problems that the defensive half of the project had lagged.

... They will give her drugs to sensitize the flesh and nerves of her body until her sufferings will be those of ten people crowded into one skin....

"We want Willy Seven, Mr. Kendall. We want it now."

"I don't have access to the plans."

The eyes were again baleful behind the mask. "Let's not waste time. You know very well we didn't launch this project only to leave such important angles to chance."

"But getting them out—"

"You will take microfilms of the plans within the next twenty-four hours. We left a thumbnail-sized camera under your wife's pillow in case you have need of it."

"You thought of everything, didn't you?" Kendall said. "Everything except the one all-important point."

"What is that?"

"My wife could never be returned to me because there would be no place to return her—after you destroy this globe."

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