The Second Voice

At the height of his fame, the celebrated ventriloquist steps onto the massive, tightly guarded Harlow Field—the largest experimental base on Earth. Known for his quick wit, a dummy named Spud, and a string of TV, radio, and USO appearances, he arrives to rehearse a special morale‑boosting show for the troops. The base hums with the promise of secret weapons and cutting‑edge science, a stark contrast to the glittering lights of his usual stages.

He is interrupted by Colonel Meadows and a civilian scientist, Dr. Paul Shalt, whose reputation for atomic‑age radar work precedes him. The doctor compliments the performer’s “extraordinary voice,” hinting that something about his act may be more than mere entertainment. As the curtain prepares to rise, the ventriloquist senses that the seemingly routine rehearsal could become a doorway to a baffling, perhaps even planetary, conversation.