First Lensman · Chapter
XV explained
Jack Kinnison and Mase Northrop interrogate two women, Hazel and Jane, who are involved in a plot against the Lensmen.
What happens
Jack Kinnison and Mase Northrop interrogate two women, Hazel and Jane, who are involved in a plot against the Lensmen. They decode a hidden message but release the women on Samms' orders. Meanwhile, Costigan (posing as Jones) meets with Isaacson and the board of Uranium, Inc., passing a test and gaining their trust. Jack and Northrop then execute a diversion by picking up two women at a spaceport to gather intelligence.
Themes in this chapter
Truth and Deception
The Lensmen decode a hidden message and use deception to gather intelligence, while the women maintain hostile mental blocks.
Sacrifice and Duty
Jack and Mase endure taunts and personal discomfort to carry out their mission, and Costigan takes risks to infiltrate the criminal organization.
Characters to notice
- Jack Kinnison
Interrogates Hazel and Jane, decodes their message, and later picks up a woman named Bee Bailey at the spaceport as part of a diversion.
- Mase Northrop
Assists Jack in the interrogation, develops the letter for hidden messages, and later meets Grace James at the spaceport for the diversion.
- Hazel DeForce
A blonde operative who is interrogated by Jack and Mase; she is hostile and taunting, but eventually released.
- Conway Costigan
Undercover as Jones, he attends a meeting with Isaacson and the board of Uranium, Inc., passing their tests and gaining their trust.
- Isaacson
The Big Noise of Spaceways and Uranium, Inc., who personally interviews Jones (Costigan) and shows him the uranium works.
- Virgil Samms
Gives orders to release the women and congratulates Jack and Mase on the success of Operation Red Herring.
Key passages
“Listen, Hazel," Kinnison said, holding up the now slightly stained paper. " 'Three six two'—that's you, I suppose, and you're the squad leader—'Men mentioned previously being investigated stop assign three nine eight'—that must be you, Jane—'and make acquaintance stop if no further instructions received by eighteen hundred hours liquidate immediately stop party one.'”
Kinnison reads a decoded message from a letter, revealing that Hazel is the squad leader and that they are to investigate certain men and liquidate them if no further orders arrive by 6 PM.
This shows the Lensmen's ability to break codes and uncover assassination plots.
“The blond operative lost for the first time her brazen control. "Why … that code is unbreakable !" she gasped.”
Hazel is shocked that the Lensmen could decode their supposedly unbreakable cipher.
Highlights the theme of deception and the superiority of Lensman intelligence.
“Samms was called, and considered the matter for approximately one minute. "Your first idea was right, Jack. Let them go. The message may be helpful and informative, but the women would not. They know nothing. Congratulations, boys, on the complete success of Operation Red Herring."”
Samms decides to release the women, valuing the decoded message over their detention, and praises the operation.
Demonstrates strategic thinking and the importance of intelligence over captives.