He muttered in that terrible racked whisper. Show me-got to see it-hooked up-my own words—"
Over the Chief's angry gesture, I showed Flanders the Dictaphone.
He leaned back on his pillows, smiling. I have never seen a happier smile on the face of a child. He stirred a little and put out his hand, and incredibly I felt the terrible racked heartbeats slowing and easing. And abruptly the emaciated body heaved itself upright, and Flanders suddenly spoke in a new, a strong and sharp voice.
“Men of America, of the planet which you call Earth, he said strongly, “This man Flanders is a volunteer whom we are using to bring you our message. And this is what we have to say. The stars are waiting for you. The stars are waiting."
A moment's pause; then that sharp, strong inflexible voice continued, “A hundred thousand years ago, men's ancestors lived on this world and were a part of the great empire which stretches from sun to sun and has so stretched since before your planet was born out of the womb of your little yellow star. Great cataclysms of nature wrecked your planet. Many were evacuated, but many chose to stay with their home world, with the floods, the sunken continents, the deluges and tidal waves. For this they paid a price. They reverted to savagery. And savages know no space."
Another, long, quiet pause, while the Senator said in the sharp stillness, “Impossible! This is—"
“Shut up!” the chief snapped, for Flanders, or rather, the curiously alien voice through Flanders, was speaking again.
“...assume that you have re-climbed most of the distance from savagery, and the stars are waiting for you. We have been watching. We are ready to reclaim your world. We make only one condition; there is no war in space. We insist upon trust and sufferance. We insist. We do not show ourselves until we know that you are ready.
“Whatever country will totally remove and destroy all weapons of disaster, whatever country will close off their frontiers and withdraw completely from a world torn by war, that nation and that people will be received into the Commonwealth of the Stars. It is so with the state you call India. It is so with the state you call Norway, which today has closed its frontiers.
“The invitation is extended equally to all. Lay down your arms. You will be protected in ways you cannot even imagine. You need not fear that your enemies on this Earth will be permitted to harm you, for they, and not you, are the truly isolated.
“Display your trust and your will to non-aggression. Disarm yourselves. Lay down your arms. The stars are waiting."
The voice trailed off, was silent. The thunder in the stethoscopes began again. Flanders slumped; the rattling breath tortured, tore through the room, stopped.
I let my hand drop from his wrist.
“He's dead, sir,” I said.
Before the words were out of my mouth, the Senator was clawing at the telephone.
"Get me the President!"
* * *
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The Stars Are Waiting Page 2
