
Part 1
Part 2
The Zades have secured a human sample, a lone Earthling brought aboard their ship under a formal, almost ceremonial exchange. Reporter Srtes watches as the alien, tall and dark‑skinned, with coarse hair covering his body, answers unsettling questions about consent, purpose, and the possibility of dissection. The human, John Wilson, speaks with a softened accent, his nervous demeanor hinting at the weight of his voluntary captivity. As the alien is escorted to the laboratory, his strange physiology—fragile organs yet astonishing reflexes—begins to intrigue the alien scientists.
The council of Zade officials debates how far they may push their study, even proposing a public trial they call the “Big Run.” Their initial assumption that the specimen will be harmless is shaken by his quick learning and above‑average intelligence. Meanwhile, tensions rise between the crew members who escorted him and those eager to exploit his uniqueness. Listeners are left wondering whether curiosity will turn into compassion—or something far more dangerous.
Language
en
Duration
~37 minutes (35K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
Oct 21, 2019
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1911–1997
A mid-century science fiction writer with a gift for sharp ideas and imaginative alien encounters, Charles V. De Vet created more than fifty short stories for the era’s leading magazines. His best-known novel, Cosmic Checkmate, was co-written with Katherine MacLean and earned a 1959 Hugo Award nomination.
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by Charles V. De Vet