Spoilers of the Spaceways

It could be said that the Resistance began at the moment the greatspaceship from Trygon II first appeared as an unknown body on thephotographic plates at Palomar, for while the astronomers propoundedtheories as to its origin and composition, it entered our atmosphereand came to earth on the runways of Idlewild Airport, just outside ofwhat was then New York City. Nothing need be said of the panic causedby its coming.

Three Trygonians went immediately in a ground car to the UnitedNations Building in the city. The records of their pronouncement have,unfortunately, been lost, but from subsequent events it has beenestablished that they granted Terra fifteen days to submit to Trygonia.

Then they returned to space.

Fifteen days later they returned and crushed the feeble opposition theyencountered.

Ross Savage was tired of seeing nothing but white; the walls andceiling of his small, windowless room, the few pieces of utilitarianfurniture and the sheets covering the narrow bed, which sagged underthe weight of his muscularly massive, six-foot five-inch frame. Hewas tired too, of the white bandages on his hands and, although hecould not see them, the white bandages that swathed his head and face,leaving only slits for his eyes and mouth.

Today is the day, he thought. Why don't they come? As if in answer tohis unspoken question the door latch clicked. Savage turned his headstiffly to watch the door open. As it swung wide the doctor entered,followed by General Strathmore and two nurses guiding a wheeled tray.

"It's time to take them off," the doctor said. No one answered, butSavage felt his hands grow sweaty in their wrappings.

As the group reached the bed a nurse handed the doctor a pair ofsurgical scissors. He bent over Savage as he said, "We'll take thehands first."

There was no sound other than the snip-snip of the scissors as thedoctor carefully cat through the gauze. Finally the sound stopped andSavage looked at his hands. They were white and soft, but there were noscars to betray the fingerprint change.

The doctor permitted himself a small smile of satisfaction, but theroom was pregnant with tension as he turned his attention to the gauzecovering Savage's head.

The snip-snip came again as the cold steel slid slowly over his skin.An eternity passed before the sound again ceased and a nurse carefullyremoved the freed gauze. For a long moment there was no sound andSavage looked anxiously from face to face and tried to interpret whathe read there. The nurses stared in disgust and horror while the doctorlooked satisfied. The General beamed.

"Beautiful job," the General said finally, and the doctor nodded inagreement.

"Let me see," Savage croaked through stiff lips.

A nurse took the hand mirror from the bedside table and held it infront of him. From the glass the bearded face of a Trygonian stared athim; there was no mistaking the narrow chin, the high, broad cheekbonesand aquiline nose.

Almost a month later Savage stood at attention in the General's office.He wore the flamboyantly brilliant uniform of a Trygonian officer.Medals and orders sparkled on his breast. His new face wore a sardonicscowl.

"Fleet captain Choon reporting, sir," he said, and the General's sternface relaxed to a half smile....