The Project Gutenberg EBook of Alien Offer, by Al Sevcik

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Title: Alien Offer

Author: Al Sevcik

Illustrator: Llewellyn

Release Date: October 18, 2008 [EBook #26956]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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_In space, a vengeful fleet waited.... Then
the furred strangers arrived with a plan to
save Earth's children. But the General wasn't
sure if he could trust an_

ALIEN OFFER

By AL SEVCIK

ILLUSTRATOR LLEWELLYN

"You are General James Rothwell?"

Rothwell sighed. "Yes, Commander Aku. We have met several times."

"Ah, yes. I recognize your insignia. Humans are so alike." The alien
strode importantly across the office, the resilient pads of his broad
feet making little plopping sounds on the rug, and seated himself
abruptly in the visitor's chair beside Rothwell's desk. He gave a sharp
cry, and another alien, shorter, but sporting similar, golden fur,
stepped into the office and closed the door. Both wore simple, brown
uniforms, without ornamentation.

"I am here," Aku said, "to tell you something." He stared impassively at
Rothwell for a minute, his fur-covered, almost human face completely
expressionless, then his gaze shifted to the window, to the hot runways
of New York International Airport and to the immense gray spaceship
that, even from the center of the field, loomed above the hangars and
passenger buildings. For an instant, a quick, unguessable emotion
clouded the wide black eyes and tightened the thin lips, then it was
gone.

Rothwell waited.

"General, Earth's children must all be aboard my ships within one week.
We will start to load on the sixth day, next Thursday." He stood.

[Illustration: The aliens supervised the loading as anguished parents
looked on.]

Rothwell locked eyes with the alien, and leaned forward, grinding his
knuckles into the desk top. "You know that's impossible. We can't select
100,000 children from every country and assemble them in only six days."

"You will do it." The alien turned to leave.

"