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289
Astounding Stories of Super-Science, August 1930
·
Various
270
"People
of
America!"
it
said.
"We
of
the
planet
Vada
have
come
to
conquer
your
country.
You
will
be
given
forty-eight
hours
to
lay
down
your
arms.
If
complete
surrender
has
not
been
made
by
high
noon,
two
days
from
now,
New
York
will
be
destroyed."
The
voice
ceased.
The
humming
recommenced--waned
in
volume
till
it
died
away.
Twilight
turned
once
more
to
midday.
Peering
fixedly
through
the
west
windows
of
the
laboratory,
the
little
assemblage
saw
the
disc
swallowed
up
in
the
clear
blue
sky.
Then
they
turned,
faced
one
another
gravely.
Outside,
on
the
streets,
confusion
reigned.
In
newspaper
plants,
presses
were
whirling.
In
telegraph
and
cable
offices,
keys
were
ticking.
From
radio
towers,
waves
were
speeding.
Within
an
hour,
the
nation
and
the
world
knew
of
this
planetary
invader
and
its
staggering
ultimatum.
Naturally,
the
government
at
Washington
refused
to
meet
these
shameful
terms.
Military
and
naval
forces
were
rushed
to
the
threatened
metropolis.
The
Atlantic
Fleet
steamed
up
from
Hampton
Roads
under
forced
draught
and
assembled
in
the
outer
harbor.
Thousands
of
planes
gathered
at
Mitchell
Field
and
other
nearby
aerodromes.
But
where
was
the
enemy?
He
must
be
miles
up
in
space,
Kendrick
knew,
as
he
toiled
feverishly
in
the
laboratory
over
his
experiment
after
a
sleepless
night.
For
had
that
flying
city
been
nearer
earth,
it
could
not
have
maintained
invisibility
without
that
peculiar
humming
vibration.
Scout
planes
urged
on
by
impatient
squadron
commanders,
climbed
till
they
reached
their
ceilings,
searching
in
vain.
They
could
encounter
nothing,
see
nothing
of
the
invader.
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