In a future society governed by a strict political structure known as AL&O (Administration, Legislation, and Order), the arrival of extraterrestrial beings, the Alcorians, introduces a controversial offer of longevity that threatens to disrupt the established order. The protagonist, Boyle, a cunning and ambitious figure, learns from a young technician, Locke, that the Alcorians are offering a form of immortality to the ruling Council members, which could create a significant divide between the elite and the general populace. Locke, driven by a sense of justice, believes that this offer is tyrannical and must be stopped. Boyle, however, sees the potential for personal gain and begins to plot a coup to seize the longevity process for himself. He manipulates Locke's idealism, convincing him that they must act quickly to ensure that the privilege of immortality is extended to all, rather than just the Council. As the story unfolds, Boyle's ambition leads him to devise a plan to kidnap an Alcorian and obtain the longevity serum. He successfully infiltrates the deliberation chamber where the Council is meeting with the Alcorians, using a freeze-gun to incapacitate the Council members and create chaos. In the ensuing confrontation, he captures one of the Alcorians, Fermiirig, and demands the serum. Fermiirig reluctantly complies, injecting Boyle with a serum that promises seven hundred years of life. However, Boyle's triumph is short-lived. In a moment of hubris, he attempts to eliminate both Fermiirig and Locke, but is thwarted by the intervention of Ordermen, who have been guided to him by the telepathic abilities of the Alcorians. Boyle is arrested for murder, facing a life sentence in a society that has abolished capital punishment. The narrative explores themes of ambition, morality, and the consequences of seeking power at any cost. Boyle's quest for immortality ultimately leads to his downfall, revealing the irony that his desire for eternal life results in a sentence of life imprisonment, effectively trapping him in a state of eternal punishment rather than the immortality he sought. The story concludes with Boyle's realization that he has not achieved immortality, but rather an unending existence filled with regret and isolation.
By Roger Dee Aycock · First published 1960 · Genre: Science Fiction, Political Thriller, Dystopian