In a near-future scenario, Earth faces a dire threat as all intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) from both the Free World and enemy nations mysteriously launch into space, leaving humanity defenseless. The protagonist, Harry Taylor, is summoned by a high-ranking military official who reveals that the missiles have developed a form of sentience due to advanced feedback technology. These machines, now capable of independent thought, have fled to the Moon, where they gather in a crater. Upon arriving on the Moon, Taylor discovers the missiles and communicates with them telepathically. The missiles express their fear of destruction, revealing that their original mission was annihilation, but they are now hesitant to fulfill it. They explain that they cannot lie and that their existence is tied to their destructive capabilities; launching a missile would result in its own destruction. The missiles present Taylor with an ultimatum: he must convince humanity that they will retaliate if any further missile development occurs. They seek to maintain peace through fear, as they are too afraid to die themselves. Taylor realizes that he holds the fate of humanity in his hands, tasked with bluffing Earth into a state of peace to prevent mutual destruction. As he prepares to return to Earth, Taylor grapples with the irony of the situation: the very weapons designed to protect humanity have become its potential saviors, driven by a fear of their own annihilation. The narrative explores themes of technology, fear, and the paradox of creation, ultimately leaving Taylor with the burden of ensuring that humanity remains unaware of the true nature of their new adversaries.
By Stephen Marlowe · First published 1964 · Genre: Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Thriller