Kiley felt all-powerful with the alien
guiding him in the looting of a world. Now the
whole galaxy was his if he could remember to—
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy
February 1958
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Kiley took one last, fond look at the glittering heap of jewels in theback of the spaceship, nodded happily to himself, and began to set upa blastoff orbit. Somewhere down on the field far below, he could seedot-like figures—spaceport attendants, all firmly convinced that thiswas an authorized flight.
He chuckled. This is the right way to pull a job, he thoughtcontentedly. Hypnotize 'em silly and then walk in and take what youwant.
His fingers skipped lightly over the control panel as he readied theship for blastoff. For the first time in his life he felt truly happy.Two million stellors of rare gems in the back of the ship, and evenafter cutting Thaklaru in for his share, that still left a million. Amillion stellors! Lord, that sounded good!
Well, Kiley, are you going to spend all day dreaming? I'm waiting foryou!
The rolling thunder of Thaklaru's voice in Kiley's mind jolted him backto reality. "I'm on my way," he said out loud, knowing that the alienwas listening. "I've got the stuff, and I'll be there before you knowit."
Good. I'm anxious to see those jewels.
"Don't worry about it, Thaklaru."
I'm not worrying. But I know you'd be quite willing to blast off inthe other direction and keep them all for yourself.
Kiley grinned. "Nothing's secret from you, eh, Thaklaru? You don't missa thing."
I can't afford to, the alien's telepathic voice said. The first rulein thievery is never to trust an accomplice.
"That makes sense," Kiley admitted. "Only there's no way I can escapeyou—not when you can telepath anywhere in the galaxy. How do I get toyour planet?"
Don't trouble yourself. Simply blast off and I'll assume mentalcontrol of your ship once you're out in space. I'd prefer that thelocation of my world remain a secret even to you.
Kiley shrugged. "Okay. I won't argue. I'm blasting off now."
He jabbed down on the firing stud.
The stolen spaceship sprang up into the void, and Kiley felt thealien's mental emanations enfolding him, seizing control of the ship,guiding it—just as, a month before, similar emanations had come tohim in the darkness of a jail cell in the Under-Dungeon of Alpheraz VII.
They had nailed him for a bungled burglary—he'd have made it, allright, except that he hadn't foreseen one of the new-model psionicalarms—and, since he was a four-timer, they'd stuck him in solitarydeep in the dank heart of the planet.
The guard, a thick-muscled Alpherazian with three cold, slitted eyes,had hurled him into the cell, thrown him sprawling against the slimystone.
"That ought to hold you, Kiley!" the Alpherazian growled. "You'vestolen your last jewel, Earthman."
"Get out of here!" Kiley said thinly. "Don't stand here and gloat. I'dbe free and out of here if that crazy alarm hadn't popped off."
The guard chuckled. "Relax and cool off, Kiley. You've got plenty oftime to get used to your new home."
The door clanged shut. Kiley spat in the darkness as he heard the boltslipping home—the unbreakable, foolproof bolt of the escape proofAlpheraz jail. And then—
How would you like to be free in five minutes? a voice asked.
"Huh? Who's there?" Kiley looked around, narrowing his eyes to see