_Men have fought and died for life and liberty since the beginning of time, and they will continue the fight until time finally comes to an end. Here is a thoroughly readable story about just such a situation--a story which could well be a forecast of the chilling future of your children and ours. _

 be it ever thus

 _by ... Robert Moore Williams_

 The planet's natives were so similar to their conquerors that no one could tell them apart--except for their difference in thinking. 

This was Graduation Day. The senior class from the Star Institute ofAdvanced Science was scheduled to go through the Museum of the Conqueredand observe the remnants of the race that had once ruled this planet. There were many such museums maintained for the purpose of allowing thepeople to see the greatness their ancestors had displayed in conqueringthis world and also to demonstrate how thorough and how complete thatconquest had been. Perhaps the museums had other reasons for existing, but the authorities did not reveal these reasons. Visiting such a museumwas part of the exercises of every graduating class. 

Billy Kasker arrived early, to take care of all last minute problems forMr. Phipper, the instructor who would take the group through the museum, and to make certain that all of the members of the graduating class knewwhat they were supposed to do on the trip. Billy Kasker was classpresident. A handsome, husky youth, accommodating, generous, andthoughtful to a fault. He was well liked both by the faculty and thestudents. He was pleasant to everybody, even to Joe Buckner, who calledhim "teacher's pet" and sneeringly remarked that he had been electedclass president as a result of a superb job of boot-licking. 

Even such remarks as these had not disturbed Bill Kasker. He still actedas if Joe Buckner was his best friend. 

"Are we all here, Billy?" the instructor called. 

"All here, sir, " Billy Kasker answered. 

"Very well. Let's start to the museum. As we go through you may ask anyquestions you wish. However, I must insist you stay close to me and notwander from the group. We will be in no danger, you understand--thecreatures living in the museum have had their fangs pulled mosteffectively--but even so we must not take chances. "

The instructor led off. He was a fussy little person in a shiny blackcoat and a soft hat that was too big for him. No matter how much paperhe stuffed inside the brim, the hat never seemed to fit right. Peeringthrough glasses that were always threatening to fall off, he moved awayfrom the Star Institute toward the nearby museum. The class of eightgirls and nine boys followed him. 

"Why do we have to go through this old museum?" Joe Buckner complained. "We already know everything about it. "

"It's the rule, " Billy Kasker answered. "The faculty thinks we shouldsee the situation at first hand. Then we will have a betterunderstanding of it. "

Joe Buckner grunted disdainfully. "You're always sucking in with the bigshots and telling everybody what they say. "

"You asked me. I tried to tell you. " Billy Kasker's voice was stillpleasant. If a slight glint appeared in his eyes, it remained there foronly a second. 

The museum was an open area many miles long. It was enclosed by a high, electrically charged fence along which guard towers were placed atregular intervals. There was only one gate, to which the instructor ledthe class. A captain, resplendent in a brilliant uniform, came out ofthe guard house to greet them. 

"The graduating class from the Star Institute, eh? Good. We had noticethat you were coming. Guard, bring Mr. Phipper a _Thor_ gun, then openthe gates. " The last was spoken in a brisk tone to the guard who hadfollowed the captain. 

The _Thor_ gun was brought immediately. It was a small weapon, with abelt and holster. The captain took it from the holster. Watching, BillyKasker had the impression that the weapon was made of glittering, spunglass. It had a short, heavy barrel in which tiny instruments werevisible. Billy Kasker watched very closely. 

"Do you know how to use it?" the captain asked. 

"Oh, yes, " the instructor answered. 

"Is it so dangerous in there that we need a _Thor_ gun?" Susan Sidwellsaid. Susan had majored in ionic chemistry and had graduated with highhonors. 

"No, it isn't dangerous at all, " the instructor answered hastily. "Theweapon is worn merely for the sake of tradition. "

"No danger at all, young lady, " the captain said. "Nothing to worryabout. Not while you've got this, anyhow. " He patted the _Thor_ gunwhich the instructor was buckling to his waist. 

The gates were open. The instructor in the lead, the group passedthrough. Billy Kasker brought up the rear. Joe Buckner was directlyahead of him. 

They went first to see the wreckage of the city--shattered walls, tumbled buildings, streets with rubble still piled in them. Weeds andcreeping vines grew over the broken bones of this city as if they wereattempting to hide the ugly scars. 

The instructor adjusted his voice to the proper tone. He had made thissame speech to many graduating classes and he knew exactly what he wasgoing to say. 

"You understand, of course, that this part of the old city was almostcompletely destroyed in our attack of the year 4021 After Yevbro, or theyear 1967, according to the way the natives reckoned time on thisplanet. This part of it has been allowed to remain the way our shipsleft it, as an example of the effectiveness of our weapons. "

His voice gave the impression that he was personally participating inthat attack and was enjoying the destruction that had taken place. Hestood straight, squared his shoulders and breathed deeply. 

"What happened to the natives who lived here?" Billy Kasker asked. 

The instructor frowned. "Oh, they were killed. " At first he was a littleirritated at the question, then again satisfaction came back into hisvoice. 

"They got what was coming to them for trying to resist our sky ships, "Joe Buckner said. 

"Oh, yes, they deserved their fate. " The instructor hitched the _Thor_gun a little higher on his hip. 

Billy Kasker was silent. 

"We will go next to the fields, then to the factory section--such of asthere is--then to that part of the city which we have allowed thenatives to rebuild. Come. "

The class moved out of the city. Here they saw their first natives. Cladmostly in rags--many of them bent and stooped, some of them showing themarks of hunger--they were a quiet people who kept strictly out of theway of the class group. But except for the clothing and the marks ofhunger, they were identical in appearance with their conquerors. 

"Why, they look just like us!" Joe Buckner said indignantly. He soundedoutraged at the resemblance. 

"There are many differences, " the instructor said quickly. "Note theirclothing, how poorly made it is. They make it themselves out of the woolof some kind of animal--deer, I believe, or bear. "

"Sheep, " Billy Kasker corrected. 

"Oh, yes, sheep is the name of the animal. Thank you, Billy. "

"You're welcome, sir. "

"But they oughtn't to look like _us_!" Joe Buckner continued. 

"There are chemical differences, " Susan Sidwell said. "Once, in thelaboratory, we analyzed their blood. The color was different for onething. They also have a much different metabolism. "

"But suppose one of them escaped from the museum and got into our partof the world. How would we know he wasn't one of us, if he put on ourclothes?" Joe Buckner sounded outraged. 

"That is one purpose our bracelets serve, " the instructor answered. "Avery good question, Joe. As you know, each of us receives a bracelet atbirth, which is slipped over the hand and onto the wrist. Made of_plasticum_, which cannot be cut by any method, the bracelet has theunique property of expanding in size as the wearer grows. It cannot beremoved except by cutting off the arm of the wearer. " He laughed as ifhe had made a good joke. "But I am sure no one would ever think of doingthat. The bracelet carries the serial number assigned to each of us. "

He held up his arm, exhibiting the gleaming circle of _plasticum_ on hiswrist. To him--to all of them--it was a badge of honor, a mark thatproved one belonged to a superior race. "If one of the natives escaped, the absence of a bracelet would disclose his identity at once. We wouldtake measures to have him eliminated. "

"I see, " Joe Buckner said. He sounded mollified. "How would we eliminatehim?"

"I believe it is customary to use a _Thor_ gun in such cases--a largecaliber which will disintegrate him instantly. The model I have willonly blast a hole a few inches in diameter. "

"I'm going to be a _Thorgunman_, " Joe Buckner said with suddenenthusiasm. 

"Good!" the instructor said. "That is a very fine calling. If I had mylife to live over again--" He sighed for lost opportunities. 

At the announcement of his ambition, Joe Buckner rose higher in theopinion of the class. 

"Observe how they make their living, " the instructor continued. 

The class saw the natives at work tilling the soil. The technique usedhere was very crude but mildly interesting. They used plows and harrowsfor loosening the soil, devices that were pulled by large animals. 

"_Horses_, I believe they call the animals. Of course, we don't allowthem to have power-drawn equipment. "

"It's not at all like the way we obtain our food, " Billy Kasker saidthoughtfully. 

"Oh, no, " the instructor answered. "We synthesize our foods. As a matterof fact, they are _required_ to grow their food. That way, they have tospend so much time finding something to eat that they can't causetrouble. " He grinned as if something in the idea pleased him. 

"Serves them right, " Joe Buckner said. 

The natives working in the fields seemed not to see the class. When thegroup came near, they stopped talking and worked harder. 

"Scared to talk when we're around, " Joe Buckner said. "They're yellow!"

"Now for the factory section, " the instructor said. 

The factories were small and unimpressive. Working here with very crudetools and with no power equipment, the natives were making farmmachinery. 

"Why don't we give them better tools?" Billy Kasker asked. 

"What have they got coming?" Joe Buckner exclaimed. "They lost, didn'tthey?"

"Yes, but--"

"If you had your way you'd be sucking in and helping the side that lost. Pretty soon you'd discover _you_ had lost!"

"Hardly that, " Billy Kasker replied. "But it seems more human--"

"_Human?_ That's a laugh!" Joe Buckner slapped his thighs and roaredwith laughter. 

"Come along, " the instructor said. 

"Look--there are children playing games!" Susan Sidwell observed. "Horrible-looking little brats, aren't they?" She pointed to a group ofbrown-skinned youngsters playing some kind of a game that involved aball and a club. One threw the ball, the second struck at it with theclub. 

"What a stupid way to play, " Joe Buckner said. 

 * * * * *

As soon as the young natives saw the graduating group coming, theystopped their game and ran away. They seemed very frightened. 

"The young ones fear us, " the instructor explained. "The older ones fearus too, but they don't show it so much. " He watched the fleeingyoungsters with every evidence of great inward satisfaction. 

Billy Kasker's lips closed in a thin straight line. 

"Now we will go to the rebuilt section. "

They walked on. 

"One of the natives is following us, " Susan Sidwell suddenly said. 

Turning, the group saw that a member of the conquered race was comingalong the street behind them. He was dressed all in brown--his hat, hisshirt, his pants. 

The instructor put his hand on the butt of the _Thor_ gun. 

The native walked past the group without seeming to see it. He waswhistling between his teeth. He walked on ahead of them, turned down analley, and disappeared. The instructor took his hand off the _Thor_ gun. 

"He wasn't really following us; he wouldn't dare. Does anybody have anyquestions?" He looked brightly around the group. 

"Yes, I have, " Joe Buckner said. "Why don't we just kill all of thesenatives? They're not any good to us. "

The instructor smiled slyly. "I'll tell you a little secret about that. It's awfully hard to kill _all_ of any race. No matter how thoroughlyyou do the job, a few always manage to escape. Then they breed andincrease in spite of everything you do. 

"After we had conquered this planet we had trouble catching all of thenatives. They were the most cantankerous, persistent race you canimagine. So these museums were set up, to lure them in here. Weannounced that these places would be set aside and that they would notbe bothered as long as they remained in the museums. All in all, we madethe museums rather attractive places, hoping that--"

"I see the plan!" Joe Buckner said glowingly. "After you got them allinto the museums--_blooie!_--knock all of them off at once!"

The instructor smiled. He looked as pleased as if he had thought of theidea himself. A little stir of applause ran through the group as theyexpressed their gratitude to their rulers for making this world safe forthem. 

"Why haven't they been killed before now?" Billy Kasker asked. "Thesemuseums were opened over forty years ago. Surely--"

"I don't know about that, " the instructor answered. "I think probablyour rulers are waiting for a propitious time, or perhaps for an incidentthat will give them an excuse to carry out their plan. "

"I hope they don't wait too long, " Joe Buckner said. "Golly, I want tobe a _Thorgunner_ and get in on the mop-up when it comes!"

The group stirred, seemed to look forward to the day of the finalslaughter. 

"Any other questions?" the instructor asked. 

"I have one, " Billy Kasker said hesitantly. "It doesn't exactly haveanything to do with our trip through the museum--it's something I ranacross in a book--but I don't quite understand it, and I wondered--"

"Go right ahead, Billy. What do you have on your mind?"

"Well, ah, did--did you ever hear of a _changeling_? I know it's a kindof a silly question but--"

"A _changeling_?" The instructor frowned. 

"I think it comes out of a fairy story or something like that, " BillyKasker said. 

"Oh, yes. Now I recall the word. " The instructor's face lighted. "It's astory about the fairies taking one child from its crib and substitutinganother for it. The substituted child was called a _changeling_. Orperhaps some poor mother, wishing to give her child a better chance, stole the child of a rich mother and put her child in its place. Ireally don't remember too much about it. "

"Thank you, sir. You have explained it very lucidly. "

The instructor beamed. 

Joe Buckner sniffed. "Asking a question, then telling the instructor hehas explained it very clearly when you didn't even ask a sensiblequestion in the first place--that's what I call sucking in! Who everheard of a _changeling_?"

The group moved on. They came to the section of the city that had beenrepaired. The streets had been cleared of the rubble, houses had beenrebuilt, and here and there little touches of green grass showed wherean attempt to add a touch of beauty had been made. 

They saw very few of the natives. Far ahead of them they occasionallyglimpsed a native slipping furtively out of the way. Behind them, alwaysat a distance, heads occasionally poked around corners at them. 

"They're very cowardly, " the instructor said. 

"Where's Billy Kasker?" Susan Sidwell suddenly asked. 

The group halted. Billy Kasker was no longer following them. A littlestir of consternation ran through them as they realized the classpresident was missing. 

"Billy! Billy!" the instructor called. 

There was no answer. 

"I just don't understand this. He knows he should remain with us. "

"Maybe some of these horrible natives grabbed him!" Susan Sidwell said. The group was startled--and suddenly afraid. 

 * * * * *

The instructor took a deep breath. "I have a _Thor_ gun. I'll go findhim. Joe, you are in charge of the group until I return. All of youremain in the middle of the street and don't move. "

The instructor went back along the street. He was exasperated and alittle alarmed. If anything happened to Billy, how could he explain thematter to the gate captain or to Billy's parents?

"Billy!" he called again and again. 

Suddenly he had an answer from an alley. 

"Here, sir--here I am. Are you looking for me? I'm sorry, sir. " Billyhimself appeared in the alley. 

Reassured at the sight of the youth, but angry, the instructor movedinto the alley. "What is the meaning of this? You have alarmed all ofus. "

"I'm awfully sorry, sir. But I saw something back here that interestedme, and I stopped to take a look. I hope you will forgive me. " Hismanner was so contrite and his chagrin so complete that the instructorhad no choice but to forgive him. 

"Of course, Billy. But you mustn't do anything like this again. It mightbe dangerous. "

"I won't, sir. I promise. But I wonder, since you are here, if you wouldbe good enough to explain to me the thing I saw back here. It will onlytake a minute. "

"What is it?"

"It's something in one of the houses. I came back looking at somethingelse, then caught a glimpse of this. If you will come into the back yardyou can see it. I would really like to have you explain it to me, sir. You are always so clear in your explanations. " Billy Kasker's manner wasvery winning. 

"Well, if it will only take a minute--" The instructor followed Billyinto the back yard. At the rear was a shed with an open window. A plotof grass separated the shed from the house. On the second floor of thehouse, a window had been shattered. 

"There's something up there in that broken window. If you will comehere, sir, you can see it better. "

"Um. Ah! Oh, yes. " The instructor's back was to the open window of theshed. He stared upward at the house. 

Two brown-coated arms came out of the window of the shed and clamped afierce grip around his throat, jerking him backward against the wall. Hegrabbed frantically for the _Thor_ gun. 

The face of the brown native appeared in the window of the shed. "Getthat gun, Billy!"

Billy Kasker was already in action. He snatched the gun from theinstructor's flailing hands. 

The brown native leaned from the window. Muscles bulging in his powerfularms, he lifted the instructor upward and through the window. A thumpcame from inside the shed. Billy Kasker, _Thor_ gun ready for use, wentthrough the door. 

The instructor was writhing on the floor. The native had a knee on hischest, a knife in his hand. 

"This is for the race you _think_ you've conquered!" the native said. Heplunged the knife into the instructor's throat. Green liquid spurtedfrom the wound. 

"Green blood!" the native said. "One of the chemical differences. " Hecame to his feet. The dying instructor was forgotten. The native's handwent out. "Billy, am I glad to see you. I was afraid you wouldn'trecognize me in spite of the tune I was whistling as I walked past youon the street. "

"I wouldn't forget, " Billy Kasker said. 

"But, Billy, it's been twelve years since I traded you, as a kid offive, for one of their brats--changing the bracelet as I changed you. Many times since then I've thought you had forgotten, or that I wouldn'tlive to see the day when you came back here with a graduating class. "

"I don't forget, " Billy Kasker said. "I'm even class president!" Thewords burst out of him as if he was still having trouble understandingwhat they meant. 

"That's wonderful, Billy. You're accepted as one of them, but you're oneof us all the time. You're in with them, you're set. You have done awonderful job and I'm proud of you. "

The glow in the native's eyes was a wonderful sight to behold. In itthere showed the hope of the future for all the conquered natives ofthis lost planet that had once been called Earth--the faith, the sureknowledge that they would rise again ... Indeed, that they were alreadyrising. 

"Thank you! But--" Billy nodded toward the body of the instructor, thenspun hastily as a sound came from the rear of the shed, the _Thor_ guncoming to focus. A trap door was rising there. Three natives werelooking up from under it. 

"They're all right, " the brown native said quickly. "They're with us. "

Three ragged men scrambled up from below. They looked at the brownnative, then at the body of the instructor on the floor. A look offierce exultation appeared on their faces. Then they looked at BillyKasker and at the _Thor_ gun he was holding. 

"Give the _Thor_ gun to Jim, " the brown native said. 

Without hesitation Billy Kasker handed the gun to the native who reachedfor it. Jim did everything but kiss the weapon. "God, the years I'vespent dreaming of the moment when I would get one of these babies intomy hands! One was all I needed. "

"Don't stand there gloating, Jim--get moving, " the brown native said. "Within a month I want you not only to know how a _Thor_ gun works butto be manufacturing them by the dozens, including the large sizes. Thisis the gun that has been stopping us all these years--it is the gun thatis going to take us out of these pig pens they call museums. Getmoving!"

"Yes, sir. " Jim was already gone through the trap door. 

 * * * * *

The brown native jerked off the instructor's clothes, then workedquickly but deftly with his knife. As he finished, the instructor's handseparated from the arm at the wrist. 

"He said no one would ever _think_ of doing anything like that, " BillyKasker said. 

"Nobody but one of us stinking natives. " The brown man removed the_plasticum_ bracelet, began to work with the fingers of his left hand. "I've spent years learning how to throw my thumb out of joint, justgetting ready for the time--"

The _plasticum_ bracelet slipped over the collapsed thumb. It fittedvery snugly on his wrist. He held it up. 

"Neat, eh. This makes me one of the conquerors. "

"A nice fit. But we have very little time. The group will becomealarmed. "

The second native began to take the instructor's body down the trapdoor. The brown native swiftly slipped off his clothes and donned thegarments the instructor had worn. 

"Ed, where's that _Thor_ gun model? I've got to have something thatlooks and feels like a genuine _Thor_ gun to turn in at the gate. "

"Here it is, sir. " The third native handed a gleaming replica of the_Thor_ gun to the brown man. He slipped it into the holster. It fittedsnugly. 

"How do I look, Billy?"

Billy Kasker surveyed the brown native. He was remarkably changed. Nolonger did he look like one of the natives, he looked like a conqueror. "Just a little higher on the nose with the glasses. And maybe a littleless stuffing inside the brim of the hat. But--can you carry off thepart of the instructor?"

"I can carry it off or die trying, " the brown native said. 

"Good!" The two shook hands, then turned and went out the door. As theyleft, Billy Kasker saw that Ed was mopping the last remnants of thegreen blood from the floor. 

"Perfect, down to the last detail, " Billy Kasker said. "You're a geniusat planning. "

"You have to be a genius to stay alive. Okay, Billy. Here is where we gointo our act. "

They had moved into the street and the group had seen them. The voicethat came from the brown native's mouth was the voice of the instructor, hot and angry. 

"Billy, this sort of conduct is intolerable. You know better than towander off like this. What possible explanation can you offer for yourconduct?"

Billy Kasker was very penitent. He was embarrassed, he was humiliated, and he showed both very clearly. He had lost all of his air of easyaplomb. "I'm very sorry, sir. I didn't think--"

"That's just it, you didn't think. You saw nothing in that alley, yetyou asked me to come back and look. Is that the way you waste your andmy time?"

"It won't happen again, sir, " Billy Kasker said contritely. 

"See that it doesn't. "

"Yah!" Joe Buckner gloated. "This is one time the class president got itin the neck!"

"A very good point you have brought out, " the instructor said. "Billyhas just demonstrated his unfitness to be class president. I amtherefore removing him from this position and appointing you in hisstead. "

"What?" Joe Buckner gasped, giddy with pleasure. 

Billy Kasker took his position in line. No longer did he bring up therear. Joe Buckner now had that position of honor. The group showed somesympathy for Billy, but not very much or very long. When he lost hisposition as president they seemed to change their minds about him. 

The group moved slowly through the city. As if nothing had happened, theinstructor explained what they were seeing. When they asked questions, he answered them. Billy Kasker asked no more questions. 

They finally came to the gate and the same resplendent captain greetedthem. He accepted the _Thor_ gun and the holster, handed them to theguard. 

"How are things in the museum?"

"Everything is in good order, sir. "

"Good. I've had the impression they were getting a little restlesslately. "

"I saw no signs of it. "

"Fine. Did you have any trouble with the group?"

"Very little. Billy Kasker wandered off for a few moments and I had todemote him. But it was nothing. See you next year when I bring anothergraduating class through to show them around. "

The group began to separate to go to their own homes. Billy Kaskerlingered a little, to speak to the instructor. "I've already asked myfolks, sir, so I know it will be all right with them, so if you wouldlike to come home with me tonight--"

"Hmmmm. "

"Trying to suck in again, " Joe Buckner said. "It won't do you any goodnow. You're cooked for good this time!"

Billy Kasker seemed not to hear him. His eyes were on the instructor. "We would be very glad to have you, sir. We could talk about a greatmany things. "

"Why, Billy, in that case I will be glad to come home with you. "

They moved away together. "There's one thing I want made completelyclear, " Billy Kasker said. 

"What is that?"

"When the time comes, there is one conqueror I've got on _my_ list!"

"That jerk I made class president? Of course, Billy. We will be glad tosave him for you alone. " The instructor's smile was a happy one. 

"Good. That's agreed then. " In the gathering dusk, Billy Kasker's voicewas as sharp as the edge of a knife driving home into a throat fromwhich green blood spurted.... 

Transcriber's Note:

 This etext was produced from _Fantastic Universe_ January 1954. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U. S. Copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and typographical errors have been corrected without note.