While fishing, Tommy Jordan watches a spacecraft land. He observes a pair of aliens, and hears them communicate to each other by “thinking-aloud”. The two aliens, which Tommy thinks resemble bugs, are named Gool and Zorg. They plan to eliminate the Earth people, who the aliens think look like the bugs of their planet. Tommy attempts to tell his friends, parents, and the authorities. As a known teller of tall tales, no one believes him. Tommy returns to where the ship landed and finds the aliens setting up an insecticide-based weapon. He watches them kill an old trapper. Tommy tries to use the device against the aliens, but they hear him. Captured, the aliens strap a thought extractor on him. Tommy provides information, but resists enough to lie to the aliens. He makes the machine see giant birds gobbling up anything the size of the aliens. At that moment, an airplane flies overhead, casting a large shadow nearby. The aliens panic and flee, but in their haste they crash into a mountainside. An avalanche ensues, hopelessly burying the craft. Tommy knows his deceit has saved the world, but also knows nobody will believe him.
Description While fishing, Tommy Jordan watches a spacecraft land. He observes a pair of aliens, and hears them communicate to each other by “thinking-aloud”. The two aliens, which Tommy thinks resemble bugs, are named Gool and Zorg. They plan to eliminate the Earth people, who the aliens think look like the bugs of their planet. Tommy attempts to tell his friends, parents, and the authorities. As a known teller of tall tales, no one believes him. Tommy returns to where the ship landed and finds the aliens setting up an insecticide-based weapon. He watches them kill an old trapper. Tommy tries to use the device against the aliens, but they hear him. Captured, the aliens strap a thought extractor on him. Tommy provides information, but resists enough to lie to the aliens. He makes the machine see giant birds gobbling up anything the size of the aliens. At that moment, an airplane flies overhead, casting a large shadow nearby. The aliens panic and flee, but in their haste they crash into a mountainside. An avalanche ensues, hopelessly burying the craft. Tommy knows his deceit has saved the world, but also knows nobody will believe him.
