as protecting
them from any blows that might destroy this growing idea. But we've
fallen down on the job. Nonviolence is essential to these
people--they have vitality without needing destruction. But if they
are forced to blow up Dis for their own survival--against every one
of their basic tenets--their philosophy won't endure. Physically
they'll live on, as just one more dog-eat-dog planet with an A-bomb
for any of the competition who drop behind."

"Sounds like paradise now."

"Don't be smug. It's just another worldful of people with the same
old likes, dislikes and hatreds. But they are evolving a way of
living together, without violence, that may some day form the key to
mankind's survival. They are worth looking after. Now get below and
study your Disan and read the reports. Get it all pat before we
land."

VI

"Identify yourself, please." The quiet words from the speaker in no
way appeared to coincide with the picture on the screen. The spacer
that had matched their orbit over Dis had recently been a freighter.
A quick conversion had tacked the hulking shape of a primary weapons
turret on top of her hull. The black disc of the immense muzzle
pointed squarely at them. Ihjel switched open the ship-to-ship
communication channel.

"This is Ihjel. Retinal pattern 490-BJ4-67--which is also the code
that is supposed to get me through your blockade. Do you want to
check that pattern?"

"There will be no need, thank you. If you will turn on your recorder
I have a message relayed to you from Prime-four."

"Recording and out," Ihjel said. "Damn! Trouble already, and four
days to blowup. Prime-four is our headquarters on Dis. This ship
carries a cover cargo so we can land at the spaceport. This is
probably a change of plan and I don't like the smell of it."

There was something behind Ihjel's grumbling this time, and without
conscious effort Brion could sense the chilling touch of the other
man's _angst_. Trouble was waiting for them on the planet below.
When the message was typed by the decoder Ihjel hovered over it,
reading each word as it appeared on the paper. When it was finished
he only snorted and went below to the galley. Brion pulled the
message out of the machine and read it.

IHJEL IHJEL IHJEL SPACEPORT LANDING DANGER NIGHT
LANDING PREFERABLE COORDINATES MAP 46 J92 MN75
REMOTE YOUR SHIP VION WILL MEET END END END

Dropping into the darkness was safe enough. It was done on
ins