"Precisely." Kradzy Zago smiled. "And the military commanders and
political leaders of the First Century were no less ruthless or
efficient than you. You know how atomic energy was first used? There was
an ancient nation, upon the ruins of whose cities we have built our own,
which was famed for its idealistic humanitarianism. Yet that nation,
treacherously attacked, created the first atomic bombs in self defense,
and used them. It is among the people of that nation that Hradzka has
emerged."

"But would they recognize him as the cause of the calamity he brings
among them?"

"Of course. He will emerge at the time when atomic energy is first being
used. They will have detectors for the Deadly Radiations--detectors we
know nothing of, today, for a detection instrument must be free from the
thing it is intended to detect, and today everything is radioactive. It
will be a day or so before they discover what is happening to them, and
not a few will die in that time, I fear; but once they have found out
what is killing their people, Hradzka's days--no, his hours--will be
numbered."

"A mass of concrete bigger than this place," Tobbh the Slave repeated
General Zarvas' words. "_The Ancient Spaceport!_"

Prince Burvanny clapped him on the shoulder. "Tobbh, man! You've hit
it!"

"You mean...?" Kradzy Zago began.