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."Lost! Television-control tube gave way, evidently.They weren't made too well, I'm afraid, too much of a hurry, and, with any severe jar, they give way.The rest of the thing's all right.And as useful as a left-hand thread bolt when a right-hand is needed.""I've got six of those things rigged up, Dr.Munro," announced Canning."Those small antigravity coils for storing power can be modified a bit, and I used one of the power-storage coils as an antigravitor.You have more than enough power left, haven't youF'"Certainly, Canning! That's good.Send 'em out.What's the master wave?""Eleven point five-five.I'll give you the key-wave list-" This time, the cave in the cliff was reached easily and safely, a dry floor found well back, and the investigator left.One was brought out on the key wave and immediately started toward Cantak, back in the mountains.It struck a road presently, a broken, rutted track of concrete, with an occasional pedestrian of the Tefflan race.Instinctively, to his surprise, Spencer felt the short hairs on the back Page 54ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlof his neck rise, and a wave of anger swept over him at the sight."The monsters!" he said in a low tense voice.Anto Rayl chuckled."You are a human," he said; "you cannot help that feeling.I know them, have seen.them-and hate them more with every sight.Yet I know that they are reasonable, intelligent creatures; that they are no more cruel or evil than we; but our hatred for them is as instinctive and as complete as the hatred of anseth and carlee.""Cat and dog," said Aarn."We're born that way; so are they."The investigator shot rapidly ahead now, in clear daylight, high in the sky.There were ships up here-ships that scurried busily across the sky between cities.There was a great deal of anxious activity, and the furnaces that stood aboveground, alone of Tefflan city structures, were evidently working hard.A great opening in the ground, into which ships of all sizes were constantly sinking while others rose from it, betrayed the entrance to"Cantak.The investigator crept forward at a speed of some two feet per second, till it was directly over the great bore.Then Aarn let it drift across.By far the most common vessels were huge.The next was.The little investigator caught by it, lodged in a crack under its great, stubby wing, and carried down, cushioned by its antigravity field.Aam gave a stop signal and knew the little machine would remain in place unless heavily jarred in landing.The ship it clung to descended, landing in the midst of a great terminal, a bustle of Tefflan activity.With a sudden swoop, the investigator detached itself, shot straight up into the air, and disappeared in the black roof of the great cavern before the startled Tefflans could guess what had happened.Laborers, common Tefflans, they paid no further attention, and went on with their work.And all that day, behind doors, hidden in great vessels, in small vases and among bushes in parks, the investigator listened and watched and sought.It crept out when the lights were turned down for the rest period, and slunk into important public buildings, buildings that had no window glass in this great cavern where there was no weather, save that which they made themselves.Through ventilation tubes, through doors, through transoms, the investigator went, seeking records, secrets- Never before had Magyans had so perfect an opportunity to learn every secret of Teff-el.But they could not read the records they so much wanted.They listened to a chance conversation between officers on the merchant stratosphere ships, and spaceship warrior officers.And learned only that no Tefflan save those few who manufactured the essential parts knew of the secret of the ray, and the reason it was made so great a secret was that no known apparatus would stop the effect of the ray
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