In a psychiatric hospital, Dr. James Lawrence encounters a group of armed men who abduct his patient, Bette Bauer, a once-brilliant physicist now rendered catatonic by mental illness. The men, working for a telepathic alien named Andsu Meero, seek Bette for her knowledge of a powerful weapon she had discovered before her breakdown. After being knocked unconscious, Lawrence awakens aboard a spaceship, where he learns from Nestiv Illon, a reptilian alien, that they are pursuing Meero to prevent him from exploiting Bette's mind for the weapon's secrets. Illon explains that the Vegans, Meero's race, are attempting to conquer the galaxy, and Bette is crucial to their plans. The Viagoni, Illon's people, need Lawrence to infiltrate the Vegan base on Vega IX, disguised as a Vegan, to rescue Bette and secure the weapon. Lawrence reluctantly agrees after experiencing a thought-record that reveals the history of conflict between the Vegans and the Viagoni, solidifying his trust in Illon. Upon landing on Vega IX, Lawrence successfully disguises himself and navigates the Vegan base, blending in with workers. He devises a plan to create a diversion by faking a seizure, which leads to him being taken to a medical facility. There, he overpowers the Vegan doctors, steals a knockout drug, and contaminates the air supply to incapacitate the base's inhabitants. As the Vegans succumb to the drug, Lawrence searches for Meero and Bette. He eventually finds Meero preparing to drain Bette's mind. A confrontation ensues, and with Bette's help, Lawrence defeats Meero. They escape the base and return to the Viagoni ship, where they plan to build the annihilator weapon to prevent further Vegan aggression. The story concludes with Lawrence and Bette racing to safety, ready to confront the looming threat of the Vegans.
By Robert Silverberg · First published 1969 · Genre: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Adventure