[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Thrilling Wonder Stories, June 1947.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Obviously the man was dying, and there was no chance that he ever wouldbe discovered.
I blessed the carelessness that had caused me to set the space-timedials a little off when I began this journey to the distant past. Ihad come to this barbaric era in the proper time, indeed, but millionsof miles removed from it in space. It had been only after an annoyingsearch that I had discovered Earth, jetted toward it in my space-drivesuit and had come down out of the skies to land on this tiny, desertedisland in the middle of an empty sea.
But it was incredible luck that had brought me there. For I had foundexactly what I needed—a man who would give me information, clothingand an identity—and then die, and obliterate the record of myinterference with the course of events!
I, Thom Ra, walked toward him. Feeble though he was, he opened his eyesand stared at me.
"Thank Heaven!" he whispered, in the thick, hideous language of thatera. "I couldn't have lasted much longer if you hadn't found me." Hefell back and smiled at me with heartfelt gratitude, and for a momentI felt a wild, fleeting impulse to help him, to save his life. But ofcourse, I dared not interfere. For that would change the shape of thefuture, and that meant destruction for me....
When I blasted off from the island, a little later, he was dead, and Iwas wearing his uniform—and his name.
He gave me information before he died, and I had no trouble locatingthe spot I wanted. I waited till dark before landing a few hundredyards from the war-dome. Then I hid my space-drive suit in a clusterof ancient trees, and walked into the building that housed the mostmurderous weapon of all time.
The sentry challenged me, of course, but I was ready for him. After aquick look at my stolen credentials he sheathed his ray pistol.
"Pass, sir," he said, and I walked in, no longer as Thom Ra, butidentified as a Captain San Requa of the Intelligence Service.
At once I saw the atom-rocket. It was on the other side of the greatchamber, nestled in a wheeled cradle, ready to be rolled out to theblast-off point. Hurrying technicians swarmed about it with last-minutechecks. I walked over, saluted the officer who was supervising andbegan to witness events which I had crossed so tremendous a span ofyears to observe.
The atom-rocket was a long, silvery torpedo, a cluster of tubes at therear, a snub-nosed warhead at the front. A panel in the side of it wasopen, and technicians were setting dials according to the figures readoff by a white-haired old officer with the insignia of a general on hiscollar.
I listened in awe and reverence, straining to note and remembereverything that occurred. To think that I was actually present at theclimactic moment of the legendary War of Annihilation! It was the mostthrilling moment of my life. Almost I forgot to curse Master Lys andhis duplicity as I watched.
Almost—but not quite. For the thing was too fresh in my mind, and Iwas aware that I was still in danger.
It had begun with a routine notice that my preparatory work had beenapproved, and that I was authorized to enter a theme in ortho-historyfor my final Citizenship Ratings. The theme, I saw with a sinkingheart, was the War of Annihilation.
I had hurried to Master Lys, my instructor, sure that there was anerror.
"Master, you give me an impossible task," I had said. "The themeregulations are that I must make a 'real and complete c