The New Boss

We had ultrophoned our arrival and the Big Boss himself, surrounded by the Council, was on hand to welcome us and learn our news. In turn we were informed that during the night a band of raiding Bad Bloods, disguised under the insignia of the Altoonas, a gang some distance to the west of us, had destroyed several of our camps before our people had rallied and driven them off. Their purpose, evidently, had been to embroil us with the Altoonas, but fortunately, one of our exchanges recognized the Bad Blood leader, who had been slain.

We had ultrophoned to announce our arrival. The Big Boss himself was there with the Council to welcome us and hear our news. They told us that a band of raiding Bad Bloods had attacked during the night. The raiders wore the insignia of the Altoonas, a gang based some distance west of us. They had destroyed several of our camps before our people rallied and drove them off. Apparently, the raiders meant to draw us into a conflict with the Altoonas. But fortunately, one of our exchanges recognized the Bad Blood leader, who had been killed.

The Big Boss had mobilized the full raiding force of the Gang, and was on the point of heading an expedition for the extermination of the Bad Bloods.

The Big Boss had mobilized the Gang's entire raiding force. He was about to lead an expedition to wipe out the Bad Bloods.

I looked around the grim circle of the sub-bosses, and realized the fate of America, at this moment, lay in their hands. Their temper demanded the immediate expenditure of our full effort in revenging ourselves for this raid. But the strategic exigencies, to my mind, quite clearly demanded the instant and absolute extermination of the Sinsings. It might be only a matter of hours, for all we knew, before these degraded people would barter clues to the American ultronic secrets to the Hans.

I looked around at the grim circle of sub-bosses and realized that America’s fate was in their hands. They were angry and wanted us to use all our strength at once to avenge the raid. But I thought our strategy clearly demanded the immediate and complete extermination of the Sinsings. For all we knew, it might be only hours before these degraded people traded clues to American ultronic secrets to the Hans.

"How large a force have we?" I asked Hart.

"How large is our force?" I asked Hart.

"Every man and maid who can be spared," he replied. "That gives us seven hundred married and unmarried men, and three hundred girls, more than the entire Bad Blood Gang. Every one is equipped with belts, ultrophones, rocket guns and swords, and all fighting mad."

"Every man and girl we can spare," he replied. "That gives us seven hundred men, married and unmarried, and three hundred girls. That's more than the entire Bad Blood Gang. Everyone has a belt, an ultrophone, a rocket gun, and a sword. They're all ready and eager to fight."

I meditated how I might put the matter to these determined men, and was vaguely conscious that they were awaiting my words.

I thought about how to explain the matter to these determined men. I was vaguely aware that they were waiting for me to speak.

Finally I began to speak. I do not remember to this day just what I said. I talked calmly, with due regard for their passion, but with deep conviction. I went over the information we had collected, point by point, building my case logically, and painting a lurid picture of the danger impending in that half-alliance between the Sinsings and the Hans of Nu-yok. I became impassioned, culminating, I believe, with a vow to proceed single-handed against the hereditary enemies of our race, "if the Wyomings were blindly set on placing a gang feud ahead of honor and duty and the hopes of all America."

Finally, I began to speak. To this day, I don't remember exactly what I said. I spoke calmly, respecting their strong feelings, but with deep conviction. I went over the information we had collected, point by point, building my case logically. I painted a vivid picture of the danger posed by the partial alliance between the Sinsings and the Hans of Nu-yok. I grew passionate and, I believe, ended with a vow to fight the hereditary enemies of our race alone, "if the Wyomings were blindly determined to put a gang feud ahead of honor, duty, and the hopes of all America."

As I concluded, a great calm came over me, as of one detached. I had felt much the same way during several crises in the First World War. I gazed from face to face, striving to read their expressions, and in a mood to make good my threat without any further heroics, if the decision was against me.

As I finished, a great calm came over me, as if I were detached from it all. I had felt much the same way during several crises in the First World War. I looked from face to face, trying to read their expressions. If the decision went against me, I was ready to carry out my threat without any further heroics.

But it was Hart who sensed the temper of the Council more quickly than I did, and looked beyond it into the future.

But Hart understood the Council's mood faster than I did and looked beyond it to the future.

He arose from the tree trunk on which he had been sitting.

He stood up from the tree trunk where he had been sitting.

"That settles it," he said, looking around the ring. "I have felt this thing coming on for some time now. I'm sure the Council agrees with me that there is among us a man more capable than I, to boss the Wyoming Gang, despite his handicap of having had all too short a time in which to familiarize himself with our modern ways and facilities. Whatever I can do to support his effective leadership, at any cost, I pledge myself to do."

"That settles it," he said, looking around the circle. "I've felt this coming for some time. I'm sure the Council agrees that one man among us is more capable than I am of leading the Wyoming Gang. That's despite his having had far too little time to learn our modern ways and use our facilities. I pledge to do whatever I can to support his leadership, at any cost."

As he concluded, he advanced to where I stood, and taking from his head the green-crested helmet that constituted his badge of office, to my surprise he placed it in my mechanically extended hand.

As he finished, he walked over to where I stood. He took off his green-crested helmet, the badge of his office. To my surprise, he placed it in my hand, which I had held out automatically.

The roar of approval that went up from the Council members left me dazed. Somebody ultrophoned the news to the rest of the Gang, and even though the earflaps of my helmet were turned up, I could hear the cheers with which my invisible followers greeted me, from near and distant hillsides, camps and plants.

The Council members roared their approval, leaving me dazed. Someone ultrophoned the news to the rest of the Gang. Though my helmet's earflaps were turned up, I could hear my invisible followers cheering for me. The cheers came from hillsides, camps, and plants, both near and far.

My first move was to make sure that the Phone Boss, in communicating this news to the members of the Gang, had not re-broadcast my talk nor mentioned my plan of shifting the attack from the Bad Bloods to the Sinsings. I was relieved by his assurance that he had not, for it would have wrecked the whole plan. Everything depended upon our ability to surprise the Sinsings.

My first step was to check what the Phone Boss had told the members of the Gang. I needed to know whether he had rebroadcast my talk or mentioned my plan to attack the Sinsings instead of the Bad Bloods. I was relieved when he assured me he had done neither. Either would have ruined the whole plan. Everything depended on our ability to surprise the Sinsings.

So I pledged the Council and my companions to secrecy, and allowed it to be believed that we were about to take to the air and the trees against the Bad Bloods.

So I swore the Council and my companions to secrecy. I let people believe we were about to fight the Bad Bloods from the air and the trees.

That outfit must have been badly scared, the way they were "burning" the ether with ultrophone alibis and propaganda for the benefit of the more distant gangs. It was their old game, and the only method by which they had avoided extermination long ago from their immediate neighbors—these appeals to the spirit of American brotherhood, addressed to gangs too far away to have had the sort of experience with them that had fallen to our lot.

That outfit must have been badly scared. They were "burning" the airwaves with ultrophone excuses and propaganda for the more distant gangs. It was their old game. Long ago, appeals to American brotherhood had been their only way to avoid extermination by their immediate neighbors. They made those appeals to gangs too far away to have had the kind of experience with them that we had.

I chuckled. Here was another good reason for the shift in my plans. Were we actually to undertake the exterminations of the Bad Bloods at once, it would have been a hard job to convince some of the gangs that we had not been precipitate and unjustified. Jealousies and prejudices existed. There were gangs which would give the benefit of the doubt to the Bad Bloods, rather than to ourselves, and the issue was now hopelessly beclouded with the clever lies that were being broadcast in an unceasing stream.

I chuckled. Here was another good reason to change my plans. If we started exterminating the Bad Bloods at once, some gangs would be hard to convince that we had not acted hastily or without justification. Jealousies and prejudices existed. Some gangs would give the Bad Bloods the benefit of the doubt rather than us. And the issue was now hopelessly clouded by the constant stream of clever lies being broadcast.

But the extermination of the Sinsings would be another thing. In the first place, there would be no warning of our action until it was all over, I hoped. In the second place, we would have indisputable proof, in the form of their rep-ray ships and other paraphernalia, of their traffic with the Hans; and the state of American prejudice, at the time of which I write held trafficking with the Hans a far more heinous thing than even a vicious gang feud.

But wiping out the Sinsings would be different. First, I hoped no one would know about our action until it was over. Second, their rep-ray ships and other equipment would give us undeniable proof that they had dealings with the Hans. At the time I am writing about, Americans regarded dealings with the Hans as far worse than even a vicious gang feud.

I called an executive session of the Council at once. I wanted to inventory our military resources.

I immediately called a closed meeting of the Council. I wanted to take stock of our military resources.

I created a new office on the spot, that of "Control Boss," and appointed Ned Garlin to the post, turning over his former responsibility as Plants Boss to his assistant. I needed someone, I felt, to tie in the records of the various functional activities of the campaign, and take over from me the task of keeping the records of them up to the minute.

I created a new position on the spot, "Control Boss," and appointed Ned Garlin to it. I gave his former responsibilities as Plants Boss to his assistant. I felt I needed someone to bring together the records of the campaign’s various activities. I also needed that person to take over the job of keeping those records up to date.

I received reports from the bosses of the ultrophone unit, and those of food, transportation, fighting gear, chemistry, electronic activity and electrophone intelligence, ultroscopes, air patrol and contact guard.

I received reports from the heads of the ultrophone unit and the food, transportation, fighting gear, and chemistry units. I also heard from the heads of electronic activity and electrophone intelligence, ultroscopes, air patrol, and contact guard.

My ideas for the campaign, of course, were somewhat tinged with my 20th Century experience, and I found myself faced with the task of working out a staff organization that was a composite of the best and most easily applied principles of business and military efficiency, as I knew them from the viewpoint of immediate practicality.

My ideas for the campaign were, of course, influenced somewhat by my 20th Century experience. So I had to devise a staff organization that combined the best and most easily applied principles of business and military efficiency, based on what I knew to be immediately practical.

What I wanted was an organization that would be specialized, functionally, not as that indicated above, but from the angles of: intelligence as to the Sinsings' activities; intelligence as to Han activities; perfection of communication with my own units; co-operation of field command; and perfect mobilization of emergency supplies and resources.

I wanted an organization specialized by function, but not along the lines described above. It would gather intelligence on Sinsings' activities and on Han activities. It would ensure perfect communication with my own units, cooperation among field commanders, and perfect mobilization of emergency supplies and resources.

It took several hours of hard work with the Council to map out the plan. First we assigned functional experts and equipment to each "Division" in accordance with its needs. Then these in turn were reassigned by the new Division Bosses to the Field Commands as needed, or as Independent or Headquarters Units. The two intelligence divisions were named the White and the Yellow, indicating that one specialized on the American enemy and the other on the Mongolians.

It took several hours of hard work with the Council to draw up the plan. First, we assigned specialists and equipment to each "Division" according to its needs. The new Division Bosses then reassigned them as needed to Field Commands or to Independent or Headquarters Units. The two intelligence divisions were named the White and the Yellow. One specialized in the American enemy and the other in the Mongolians.

The division in charge of our own communications, the assignment of ultrophone frequencies and strengths, and the maintenance of operators and equipment, I called "Communications."

I called the division in charge of our communications "Communications." It assigned ultrophone frequencies and strengths and maintained the operators and equipment.

I named Bill Hearn to the post of Field Boss, in charge of the main or undetached fighting units, and to the Resources Division, I assigned all responsibility for what few aircraft we had; and all transportation and supply problems, I assigned to "Resources." The functional bosses stayed with this division.

I appointed Bill Hearn as Field Boss, in charge of the main fighting units that had not been detached. I assigned the Resources Division full responsibility for the few aircraft we had. I also assigned all transportation and supply problems to "Resources." The functional bosses stayed with this division.

We finally completed our organization with the assignment of liaison representatives among the various divisions as needed.

We finally finished organizing by assigning representatives to coordinate among the divisions as needed.

Thus I had a "Headquarters Staff" composed of the Division Bosses who reported directly to Ned Garlin as Control Boss, or to Wilma as my personal assistant. And each of the Division Bosses had a small staff of his own.

So I had a "Headquarters Staff" made up of the Division Bosses. They reported directly to Ned Garlin, the Control Boss, or to Wilma, my personal assistant. Each Division Boss also had a small staff of his own.

In the final summing up of our personnel and resources, I found we had roughly a thousand "troops," of whom some three hundred and fifty were, in what I called the Service Divisions, the rest being in Bill Hearn's Field Division. This latter number, however, was cut down somewhat by the assignment of numerous small units to detached service. Altogether, the actual available fighting force, I figured, would number about five hundred, by the time we actually went into action.

In our final count of personnel and resources, I found we had roughly a thousand "troops." About three hundred and fifty were in what I called the Service Divisions. The rest were in Bill Hearn's Field Division. But numerous small units were assigned to detached service, reducing the Field Division's numbers somewhat. I figured that by the time we went into action, we would have about five hundred fighters available.

We had only six small swoopers, but I had an ingenious plan in my mind, as the result of our little raid on Nu-yok, that would make this sufficient, since the reserves of inertron blocks were larger than I expected to find them. The Resources Division, by packing its supply cases a bit tight, or by slipping in extra blocks of inertron, was able to reduce each to a weight of a few ounces. These easily could be floated and towed by the swoopers in any quantity. Hitched to ultron lines, it would be a virtual impossibility for them to break loose.

We had only six small swoopers, but our little raid on Nu-yok had given me a clever plan. It would make six enough, since the reserves of inertron blocks were larger than I had expected. The Resources Division could reduce each supply case to a few ounces by packing it tightly or adding extra inertron blocks. The swoopers could easily float and tow any number of these cases. Hitched to ultron lines, the cases would be virtually impossible to break loose.

The entire personnel, of course, was supplied with jumpers, and if each man and girl was careful to adjust balances properly, the entire number could also be towed along through the air, grasping wires of ultron, swinging below the swoopers, or stringing out behind them.

Everyone, of course, was supplied with jumpers. If each man and girl carefully adjusted their balance, they could all be towed through the air. They would hold on to ultron wires, swinging below the swoopers or trailing behind them.

There would be nothing tiring about this, because the strain would be no greater than that of carrying a one or two pound weight in the hand, except for air friction at high speeds. But to make doubly sure that we should lose none of our personnel, I gave strict orders that the belts and tow lines should be equipped with rings and hooks.

This would not be tiring. The strain would be no greater than carrying a one- or two-pound weight in one hand, except for air resistance at high speeds. But to make doubly sure we lost none of our personnel, I gave strict orders to equip the belts and tow lines with rings and hooks.

So great was the efficiency of the fundamental organization and discipline of the Gang, that we got under way at nightfall.

The Gang's basic organization and discipline were so efficient that we set out at nightfall.

One by one the swoopers eased into the air, each followed by its long train or "kite-tail" of humanity and supply cases hanging lightly from its tow line. For convenience, the tow lines were made of an alloy of ultron which, unlike the metal itself, is visible.

One by one, the swoopers rose into the air. Each towed a long train or "kite-tail" of people and supply cases, hanging lightly from its tow line. For convenience, the tow lines were made of an ultron alloy. Unlike ultron itself, the alloy is visible.

At first these "tails" hung downward, but as the ships swung into formation and headed eastward toward the Bad Blood territory, gathering speed, they began to string out behind. And swinging low from each ship on heavily weighted lines, ultroscope, ultrophone, and straight-vision observers keenly scanned the countryside, while intelligence men in the swoopers above bent over their instrument boards and viewplates.

At first, these "tails" hung downward. But they began to stream behind as the ships formed up, headed east toward Bad Blood territory, and gained speed. Observers hung low from each ship on heavily weighted lines, carefully scanning the countryside with ultroscopes, ultrophones, and straight vision. Meanwhile, intelligence men in the swoopers above bent over their instrument boards and viewplates.

Leaving Control Boss Ned Garlin temporarily in charge of affairs, Wilma and I dropped a weighted line from our ship, and slid down about half way to the under lookouts, that is to say, about a thousand feet. The sensation of floating swiftly through the air like this, in the absolute security of one's confidence in the inertron belt, was one of never-ending delight to me.

We left Control Boss Ned Garlin temporarily in charge. Then Wilma and I dropped a weighted line from our ship and slid down it. We went about halfway to the under lookouts, or about a thousand feet. Floating swiftly through the air like that was a constant delight to me. I felt completely secure in my confidence in the inertron belt.

We reascended into the swooper as the expedition approached the territory of the Bad Bloods, and directed the preparations for the bombardment. It was part of my plan to appear to carry out the attack as originally planned.

As the expedition approached Bad Bloods territory, we climbed back into the swooper and directed preparations for the bombardment. My plan was to make it look as if we were carrying out the attack as originally planned.

About fifteen miles from their camps our ships came to a halt and maintained their positions for a while with the idling blasts of their rocket motors, to give the ultroscope operators a chance to make a thorough examination of the territory below us, for it was very important that this next step in our program should be carried out with all secrecy.

About fifteen miles from their camps, our ships stopped and held position for a while using their idling rocket motors. This gave the ultroscope operators a chance to examine the territory below us thoroughly. It was very important to carry out the next step in our plan in complete secrecy.

At length they reported the ground below us entirely clear of any appearance of human occupation, and a gun unit of long-range specialists was lowered with a dozen rocket guns, equipped with special automatic devices that the Resources Division had developed at my request, a few hours before our departure. These were aiming and timing devices. After calculating the range, elevation and rocket charges carefully, the guns were left, concealed in a ravine, and the men were hauled up into the ship again. At the predetermined hour, those unmanned rocket guns would begin automatically to bombard the Bad Bloods' hillsides, shifting their aim and elevation slightly with each shot, as did many of our artillery pieces in the First World War.

Finally, they reported no sign of human occupation on the ground below us. A unit of long-range gun specialists was lowered with a dozen rocket guns. The guns had special automatic aiming and timing devices. The Resources Division had developed these devices at my request a few hours before we left. The men carefully calculated the range, elevation, and rocket charges. Then they left the guns hidden in a ravine and were hauled back up into the ship. At the set hour, the unmanned rocket guns would automatically begin bombarding the Bad Bloods' hillsides. They would shift their aim and elevation slightly with each shot, as many of our artillery pieces did in the First World War.

In the meantime, we turned south about twenty miles, and grounded, waiting for the bombardment to begin before we attempted to sneak across the Han ship lane. I was relying for security on the distraction that the bombardment might furnish the Han observers.

Meanwhile, we traveled about twenty miles south and landed. We waited for the bombardment to begin before trying to sneak across the Han ship lane. I was counting on the bombardment to distract the Han observers and keep us safe.

It was tense work waiting, but the affair went through as planned, our squadron drifting across the route high enough to enable the ships' tails of troops and supply cases to clear the ground.

Waiting was tense, but everything went as planned. Our squadron drifted across the route high enough for the ships' trailing troops and supply cases to clear the ground.

In crossing the second ship route, out along the Beaches of Jersey, we were not so successful in escaping observation. A Han ship came speeding along at a very low elevation. We caught it on our electronic location and direction finders, and also located it with our ultroscopes, but it came so fast and so low that I thought it best to remain where we had grounded the second time, and lie quiet, rather than get under way and cross in front of it.

As we crossed the second ship route along the Beaches of Jersey, we were not as successful at avoiding detection. A Han ship came speeding toward us at a very low altitude. We detected it with our electronic location and direction finders and spotted it with our ultroscopes. But the ship was moving so fast and flying so low that I thought it best to stay put. We had grounded for the second time, and I thought we should lie quiet rather than set off and cross in front of it.

The point was this. While the Hans had no such devices as our ultroscopes, with which we could see in the dark (within certain limitations of course), and their electronic instruments would be virtually useless in uncovering our presence, since all but natural electronic activities were carefully eliminated from our apparatus, except electrophone receivers (which are not easily spotted), the Hans did have some very highly sensitive sound devices which operated with great efficiency in calm weather, so far as sounds emanating from the air were concerned. But the "ground roar" greatly confused their use of these instruments in the location of specific sounds floating up from the surface of the earth.

Here was the point. The Hans had nothing like our ultroscopes, which let us see in the dark, within certain limits, of course. Their electronic instruments would be nearly useless for detecting us. That was because we had carefully eliminated all but natural electronic activity from our equipment, except for electrophone receivers. Those receivers are not easily detected. But the Hans did have highly sensitive sound devices that worked very well in calm weather, detecting sounds traveling through the air. The "ground roar", however, made it much harder for them to use these instruments to locate specific sounds rising from the earth's surface.

This ship must have caught some slight noise of ours, however, in its sensitive instruments, for we heard its electronic devices go into play, and picked up the routine report of the noise to its Base Ship Commander. But from the nature of the conversation, I judged they had not identified it, and were, in fact, more curious about the detonations they were picking up now from the Bad Blood lands some sixty miles or so to the west.

The ship's sensitive instruments must have picked up a faint noise from us, however. We heard its electronic devices activate and picked up the routine report of the noise to its Base Ship Commander. But from their conversation, I judged that they had not identified the noise. They seemed more curious about the explosions they were now detecting in the Bad Blood lands, some sixty miles to the west.

Immediately after this ship had shot by, we took the air again, and following much the same route that I had taken the previous night, climbed in a long semi-circle out over the ocean, swung toward the north and finally the west. We set our course, however, for the Sinsings' land north of Nu-yok, instead of for the city itself.

As soon as the ship had passed, we took to the air again. We followed much the same route I had taken the night before, climbing in a long semicircle out over the ocean. Then we turned north and finally west. But instead of heading for Nu-yok itself, we set our course for the Sinsings' land north of the city.