il since it could not be examined from
a high-flying plane.

Lockley remembered the droning he and the others had heard through the
metal plates of their prison.

The helicopter had suddenly ceased to communicate. It is believed to
have had engine trouble. However, later on a fast jet had attempted a
flight below the extreme altitude of the photographic planes. Its
pilot reported that at fifteen thousand feet he'd suddenly smelled an
appalling odor. Then he was blinded, deafened, and his muscles knotted
in spasms. He was paralyzed. The experience lasted for seconds only.
It was as if he'd flown into a searchlight beam which produced those
sensations and then had flown out of it. He'd instinctively used
evasive maneuvers and got away, but twice before he passed the horizon
there were instantaneous flashes of the paralysis and the pain.
Scientists determined that the report of the men who'd been paralyzed
and released agreed with the report of the pilot. It was assumed that
whatever or whoever had landed in Boulder Lake possessed a beam--it
might as well be called a terror beam because of the effects it
had--of some sort of radiation which produced the paralysis and the
agony. Unless the three men missing from the construction camp had
died of it, however, it was not to be considered a death ray.

The news went on with every appearance of frankness and confidence. It
was natural for strangers on a strange planet to take precautions
against possibly hostile inhabitants of the newly-found world. But
every effort would be exerted to make friendly contact and establish
peaceful communications with the beings from space. Their weapon
appeared to be of limited range and so far not lethal to human beings.
Occasional flashes of its effects had been noted by the troops now
forming a cordon about the Park, but it only produced discomfort, not
paralysis. Nevertheless the troops in question have been moved back.
Meanwhile rocket missiles are being moved to areas where they can
deliver atom bombs on the alien ship if it should prove necessary. But
the government is extremely anxious to make this contact with
extra-terrestrials a friendly one, because contact with a race more
advanced than ourselves could be of inestimable value to us. Therefore
atom bombs will be used only as a last resort. An atom bomb would
destroy aliens and their ship together--and we want the ship. The
public is urged to be calm. If the ship should appear dang