Best of OMNI Issue #1

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EDITOQA ^ FEl^TJJliirUE: ISAAC asjjmov ALFRED BESTER BEN BOVA ORSON SCOTT CARD

ARTHUR C. CLARKE ( HARLAN ELLISONf JOE HALDEMAN 1 ROBERT SHE©KU^ ROGER ZELAZNY& THE BEST OF onnrui SCIENCE FCTION EDITED BY BEN BOVA AND DON MYRUS

DO OMNI SOCIETY THE BEST OF onnrui SCIENCE FICTION

FOL.NDI few by Iscac Asir-ic-.: i i,s"al;cn by H R, Giger

IAT TELLS THE TIME fit y HclanFI ison. lustro~-cn by 'vlaf. -(lorwein

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by Scot Morns

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okoloy tsx' by F C. Duront III

I m NO FUTURE IN IT fiction by Joe Haldeirar . aire ;.- by C ofrti ed -e -weir, - GALATEA GALANTE fiction c-v '''ea Bey ei ; lustration by H. R. Giger

ALIEN LANDSCAPES pictorial by Les Edwards, John Harris, Terry Ookes, and Tony Roberts y^\ KINS VAN fict on by Ben Rove, i ustronor by John Schoenherr SPACE CITIES pictorial by Harry Harrison Cover pointing by Pierre Lacombe HALFJACKficorioy ~'cy? '.

SANDKINGS fiction by George R. R Martin llustrafol by Ernst Fuchs

PLANET STORV pictor c ey - rr 3'ir^s a:-'d -crry Harrison

: ARTHUR C.C .ARk'E!,-i:ef,igvv a-d i ...s-ofc', ::v VcIcoItsS. Kirk

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1 the D_bi st'is I- o'" i O.T'i,- t jfjai rie (Eon Gi.ooio-ne. e:: "::' i:-uo:is-(V. ;r;i design "i'g.~; Kathy Keeion.assr

pub.is-er) II- ! ::..'. . .!! 309 id Avenue N. n o. . n: li- 1 r . a, i , States of America; Canada. Library of CcngisMx oa-:;iog 73-92003 Frs; sd Iky Omni is 3 regist Omni Public; GREAT EXPERIMENT It is difficult to understand, now that THEOmni magazine is such an obvious success, how great a risk Bob Gucoione took when he decided to launch "the magazine of the future." No one had ever dared to produce a magazine that blended factual science, science fiction, fantasy, and sophisticated graphics into a single handsome package of extremely high quality— and high cost. Publishing "experts" predicted that the magazine would never get off the ground. It would contain science fiction I Who would read that stuff? The only people who read science fiction then were tiny groups of fanatics who never lifted their noses up from their digest- sized magazines and paperback books. They preferred this literary isolotion. Even within the science-fiction community itself, considerable doubt was expressed about an "outsider* bringing out such a magazine, someone who wasn't intimately connected with science fiction from childhood, immediately captured the attention I had a deeper worry Omni of millions of readers. Science fiction was no longer confined to digest-sized magazines and a relatively small and "in group" sci- readership. As Omni's fiction editor I wondered whether the ence-fiction writers would come through for Omni. Could they write stories that would entertain those readers who had never read science fiction before? Take a look In just the first twelve issues of Omni, science-fiction writers from Asimov to Zelazny came through with memorable, exciting stories. This anthology presents the cream of the first years crop: ten fine new stories by such Old Pros as Harlan Ellison and Robert Sheckley as well as such newer stars as George R. R. Martin and Orson Scott Card. And in keeping with Omni's breadth of subject material, we include in this volume some of the pictorials that, for the first time,- opened up the visual side of science fiction to your future-seeking eyes. We offer an interview with Arthur C. Clarke, perhaps the best-known and most respected science-fiction writer in the world. The great experiment that, is Omni has proved to be a stunning success. Turn the page and learn why —Ben Bova FOUND!

Thousands of lives were eopardized by Computer-Two's nalfunction ... so we had to go aloft and set things straight

than it had BMBSfiguch larger to be.

t diagnose. Show us (he error and we'll i« you the malfunction. Or Joe will, any-

' j sinqs one's o Anyway, this time, neither of us could "Well, then, what do we do?" capacity make the diagnosis.

Joe looked I uncomfortable. think it was Joe held his breath through acceleration, The first thing that happened was that at this point he realized what was coming. or at (east (I he seemed to. must admit, I Computer-Two losl internal pressure. That's He had made it sound peculiar enough to wasn't very comfortable myself. It was only not unprecedented, and it's certainly not require the troubleshooters on the spot— my third trip. I've taken a couple of vaca- fatal. Computer-Two can work in a vacuum and Joe had never in been up space. It he tions on Settlement-Rho with my husband, after all. An. internal atmosphere was estab- had told me once that his chief reason for out I'm not exactly a seasoned hand.) After lished in the old days when it was expected taking the. job was because it meant he that he was relieved for a while, but only for there would be a steady (low of repairmen would never have.to go up in space, he had a white. He got despondent. fiddlmg with it it's kept "And been up out of told it to me 2" times, with x. a pretty ' high I "iooe ih's :hing knows where its go- tradition. Who told you scientists aren't number. ing," he said, pettishly chained by tradition? In their " spare time Sol said it for him. "We'll have to go up I extended my arms forward, palms up, from being scientists, they're human, too. Joe's only way out would have been to and felt the rest of me sway backward a bit From the rate of pressure loss, it was say he didn't think he could handle the job, in the zero-gravity field, "You," I said, "area deduced that a gravel-sized meteor oid had I and watched his pride slowly come out compj:e- soocia is: Dent you kn-jw i hit Computer- Two. Its exact radius, mass, ahead of his cowardice. Not by much, you knows"?" and energy were reported by Computer- understand— by a nose, let's say. "Sure, but Computer-Two is off." Two itself, using that rate of pressure loss, To those of you who haven't been on a not into "We're hooked Computer-Two," I and a few other irregularities, as data. spaceship in the last fifteen I years- and said. "There are three others. And even if The thing that second happened was the suppose Joe can't the only let be one— me only one were left functional, it could handle break was not seated and the atmosphere emphasize that initial acceleration is the all the- spaceflights undertaken on an aver- was not regenerated. After that came er- only troublesome thing. You can't get away age day. rors, they in. and called us from it, of course. "All four might go off. If Computer-Two is It made no sense. Joe let a look of pain After that it's nothing, unless you want to wrong, what's to stop the rest?" cross his homely face and said, "There count possible boredom. You're just a "Then we'll run this thing manually." must be a dozen things out of whack." spectator. The whole thing is automated "You'll it, I do suppose. You know how— I Someone at Computer-Central said, and computerized, The old romantic days think not?" "The hunk of gravel ricocheted very likely." of space pilots are gone totally. I imagine "So they'll talk me in." Joe said, "With that energy of entry, it they'll return briefly when our space settle- "For the love of Eniac," he groaned. would have passed right through the other the ments make shift to the asteroid belt as There was no problem, actually. We side. No ricochets. Besides even with they constantly threaten to do- but then moved out to Computer-Two as smooth as ricochets, I figure it would have had to take only until additional computers are placed vacuum, and less than two days after some very unlikely strikes." in orbit to set the up necessary additional takeoff we were placed into a parking orbit

not ten meters behind it. What was not so smooth was that, about twenty hours out, we got the news from Earth that Computer-Three was losing J internal pressure. Whatever had hit Computer-Two was going to get the rest, HjE^zzI^' and when all four were out, spaceflight

would grind to a halt. It could be reorga- nized on a manual basis, surely, but that would take months at a minimum, possibly years, and there would be serious eco- nomic dislocation on Earth. Worse yet, several thousand people now out in space would 11 surely die. WMm&f It wouldn't bear thinking of, and neither Joe nor I talked about it, bur it didn't make

Joe's disposition sweeter and, let's face it, it didn't make me any happier, Earth hung more than two hundred thousand kilometers below us, but Joe wasn't bothered by that. He was concen- trating on his tether and checking the car- tridge in his reaction gun. He wanted to make sure, he could get to Computer- Two and back again.

You'd be surprised — if you've never tried

it — how you can get your space legs if you

absolutely have to. I wouldn't say there was

nothing to it, and we did waste half the fuel we used, but we finally reached

Computer- Two. We hardly made any bump - at all when we struck Computer- Two. (You hear it, of course, even in vacuum, because the vibration travels through the metalloid

fabric of your spacesuit - but rhere was hardly any bump, just a whisper.) "Now don't say anything that wilt n Of course, our contact and the addition of our momentum altered the orbit of Computer-Two slightly, but tiny expendi- " "

of the flash, ihe perfect There weren't any armchairs, though. For tures Of fuel ccmoersi-r.ee 'or thai, and we and, in the light circle of black was beautifully evident. that matter, the-e was nc gravitational field, didn't have to worry about it. Computer-Two imitation of one. It wasn't difficult to place a seal over the either, or any centrifugal took care of it, for nothing had gone wrong in midair, drifting slowly hole, It was a little more difficult to reconsti- We both floated with it. as far as we could tell, that affected -,j:3 a:"iosphere. Co'-cue'-Twos "'- this way or that Occasionally one of us any of its external workings. he supplies were low and the wall and gently rebounded.. Or We went over the outside first, naturally serve gas-forming touched overlapped pad of the The chances were pretty overwhelming the controls required manual adjustment. else part of one of u„s limping, but we thai a small piece of gravel had whizzed The solar generator was other. on. "Keep your foot out of my mouth." said through Computer-Two and left an unmis- managed to get the lights violently. It our gauntlets and Joe, and he pushed it away was takable hole. Two of them, in all probability, Eventually we removed carefully placed the a mistake because we both began to turn. one going in and one coming out. helmet, but Joe course, that's not how it looked to us. To The chances of thai happening are one gauntlets inside his helmet and secured Of that us, it was (he interior of Computer-Two m two million on any given day — even them both to one of his suit loops. turning, which was most unpleasant, in six "I want these handy if the air pressure was money that it will happen at least once relatively mo- said, sourly. and it took us a while to get thousand years. It's not likely, but it can, you begins to drop," he did the tionless again. know, The chances are one in not more than So I same. mark on the wall just next to We had the theory perfectly worked out ten billion that, on any one day. it will be There was a but were short it the light of flash in our plane tside training, we struck by a meteoroid large enough to de- the hole. I had noted in my seal. When the on practice. A lot short. I adjusting the molish it. when was time we had steadied ourselves, I that because Joe might lights came on, it was obvious. By the I didn't mention felt unpleasantly nauseated. You can call it realize that we were exposed to similar "You notice that, Joe?" I said. nausea, or astronausea, or space sick- odds ourselves. In fact, any given strike on "I notice depression in ness, but whatever you call it, it's the us would do (ar more damage to our soft There was a slight, narrow heaves, it's worse in space than any- and tender bodies than to the stoical and the wall, not very noticeable at all, but there and pull it. where else, because there's nothing to much-enduring machinery of the com- Beyond a doubt if you ran your finger over of It the stuff down. It floats around in a cloud nervous It could be noticed for nearly a meter. was puter, and I didn't want Joe more out a very shal- globules, and you don't want to be floating than he was. as if someone had scooped did sampling of the metal so that the sur- around-with it. So I held it back; so Joe. The thing is, though, it wasn't a meteoroid. low clearly the compuier distinctly smooth than I said, "Joe. it's "What's this?" said Joe, finally, face was less that's at fault, Let's get at its insides." Any- It was a small cylinder stuck to the outer elsewhere. call Computer- thing to get my mind off my insides and let wall of Computer- Two, the first abnormality I said. "We'd better downstairs." them quiet down. Besides, things weren't we had found in its outward appearance. It Centra! said moving fast enough, I kept thinking of was about halt a centimeter in diameter and "If you mean back on Earth, say so," its down the tube; fact, 1 Computer-Three on way perhaps six centimeters long. Just about Joe. "I hate the phony space-talk. In and Four by now, I Computer-One cigarette-size for any of you who've been hate everything about space. That's why maybe job on too; and.thousands of people in space with I mean a caught up in the antique fad of smoking. look an Earthside jot)— lives hanging on what we did. We brought out our small flashlights. Eartn — or what was supposed to be one." their call Com- Joe looked a little greenish, too, but he I said patiently, "We'd better 1 said, "That's not one of the external "First I've got to think. Something got components." puter-Central back on Earth." said, in. It wasn't a meteoroid, because whatever "it sure isn't," muttered Joe. "What for?" hull. It trouble." it chewed a neat hole out of the There was a faint spiral marking running "To tell them we've found the was circle wasn't cut out, because 1 didn'tfind a round the cylinder from one end to the "Oh? What did we find?" of metal anywhere inside. Did you?" other. Nothing else. For the rest, it was "The hole. Remember?" to look." what caused "No. But I hadn't thought clearly metal, but of an odd, grainy "Oddly enough, I do. And "/ looked, and it's nowhere in here." I never saw texture.— at least to the eye. the hole? It wasn't a meteoroid. leave perfectly circular "It may have fallen outside Joe said, "It's not tight." one that would a with signs of buckling or melting. "With the cylinder covering the hole till I He touched it gently with a fat and hole no it away? A likely thing. Did you see I that left a cylinder pulled it gave. Where it had And never saw one gauntleted finger, and '' his suit anything come flying out 7 made contact with the surface of Comput- behind." He, took the cylinder out of pocket smoothed the dent out of its "No." er-Two it lifted, and our flashes shone down and caused Joe said, "We may still find it in here, of on a visible gap. thin metal, thoughtfully, "Well, what dis- course, but I doubt it. It was somehow "There's the reason gas pressure inside the hole?" solved something got in." I "I don't know." and I didn't nesitate. said, declined to zero," I said. they'll "What something? Whose is it?" Joe grunted. He pushed a liltle harder "If we reporl to Computer-Central, don't Joe's grin was remarkably ill-natured. and the cylinder popped away and began ask the question and we'll say we will have gained? Ex- "Why do you bother asking questions to to drift. We managed to snare it after a little know, and what we are no answers' If this was last Left behind was a perfectly round cept hassle?" which there trouble. somehow if don't call them," century, I'd say the Russians had hole in the skin of Computer-Two, half a "They'll call us, Joe, we device onto the outside of centimeter across, "Sure. And we won't answer, will we?" stuck that killed us, Joe, Computer-Two— no offense. If it was last Joe said, "This thing, whatever it is, isn't "They'll assume something century, you'd say it was the Americans." much more than foil." and they'll send up a relief parly." offended I said, coldly. Computer-Central. It will take I decided to be It gave easily under his fingers, thin but "You know that. We'll have "We're trying to say something that makes springy, A little extra pressure and it dent- them two days to decide on which he something before then, and once we have sense this century, losif," giving it an exag- ed. He put it inside his pouch, gerated Russian pronunciation. snapped shut, and said, "Go over the out- something, we'll call them." internal structure ot Computer-Two "We'll have to assume some dissident side and see if there are any other items like The not realty designed for human occu- group." that on it. I'll go inside." was to assume foreseen the occa- "If so," I said, "we'll have one I in. pancy. was It didn't take me very long. Then went What was the only thing sional and temporary presence of trouble- with a capacity for spaceflight and with "It's ciean," 1 said. "That's the there needed to be ability to come up with an unusual device." there is. The only hole." shooters. That meant were tools Joe said, "Spaceflight presents no dif- "One is enough," said Joe, gloomily. He room for maneuvering, and there orbiting ficulties, if you can tap into the looked at the smooth aluminum of Ihe wall. and supplies. ; computers illegally- which has been He tried to stop too quickly ana somer- suspec; it's a i=i- nign-grade s icon in par- done. As for the cylinder, that saulted may make backward, crying, "That's it!" ticular. I can't say lor sure, of course, but my more sense when it is analyzed back on In his excitement, he was thrashing his guess is that the sides are mostly aluminum Earth -downstairs, as you space buffs arms and legs, which got him nowhere, of and the "flat end is mostly silicon." would say." course. I grabbed him, and for a while we I said, "Do you mean the thing is a solar "It doesn't make sense," I said. "Where's were both trying to exert pushes in uncoor- battery?" the point in trying to disable Computer- dinated directions, which got us nowhere "Part of it is. That's how it gets its energy Two''" either. Joe called me a few names, but I in space— energy to get to Computer- Two, "As part of a program to cripple space- called him some back and there I had the energytoeat a hole into il, energy to— to— I " flight advantage I understand English perfectly, don't know how e:se to put it. Energy :o stay 'Then everyone suiters The dissidents, belter than he does in fact: but his knowl- alive.' too." edge cf Russian is — well, fragmentary "You call it alive? r "But it get's eve yone's attention, doesn't would be a kind way of putting it. Bad lan- "Why not? Look, Computer-Two can re- it, suddenly the and cause of whatever-it-is guage in an ununderstood language al- pair itself. It can reject faulty bits of equip- - makes news. Or the plan is to just knock out ways sounds very dramatic. ment and replace them with working ones, Computer-Two and then threaten to knock "Here it is," he said when we finally had but it needs a supply of spares to work with. out the three others. real No damage, but sorted ourselves out. Given enough spares of all kinds, it could lots of potential, and lots of publicity." Where the computer shielding met the build a computer just like itself, when prop- He was studying all parts of the interior wall, a small circular hole appeared when erly p-cgrammed, but it needs the supply;

closely, edging over it r square centimeter by don't think of it as alive. Joe brushed aside a small cy hde I; was so we This object square centimeter "I might suppose the that entered is just like the one on the outer hull, but it Computer-Two apparently thing was of nonhuman origin." collecting its seemed even thinner. In fact, it seemed to own supplies That's suspi- "Don't be silly." lifelike." disintegrate when Joe touched it. ciously "You want me to the make case? The "We'd better get into the computer;" said "What you're saying," I said, "is that we cylinder made contact, after which some- Joe. have here a microcomputer advanced thing inside ate away a circle of metal and The computer was a shambles. enough to be considered alive." entered It Computer- Two. crawled over the "I don't honestly know what I'm saying." Not obviously. I don't mean to say it was inside wall", eai'ng away a rhm layer of metal like a beam of wood that had been riddled "Who on Earth couid make such a for reason. some Does that sound like any- by termites. thing?" thing of human censrucuori? on In fact, if you looked at the computer "Who Earn-?

"Not that I know of, bull don't know every- I the next discovery. It like' casually, you might swear it was intact. made looked a thing. Even you don't know everything." Look closely, though, and some of the stubby pen drifting through the air. I just Joe ignored that, "So the question is, how chips would be gone. The more closely you caught it out of the corner of my eye. and it did it— whatever it is get into the — com- looked, the more you realized were gone. registered as a pen. puter, which is, after all. reasonably well Worse, the s-.ores :ha: Computer-Two used In zero gravity, things will drift out of sealed. It did so quickly, since it knocked in self-repair had dwindled to almost noth- pockets and float off There's no way of out the researing and air-regeneration ing, We kept looking and would discover keeping anything in place unless it is phys- capacities almost at once.'' something e:se missmc. ically confined. You expect pens and coins "Is that what you're looking for'?" I said, Joe took the cylinder out of his pouch and anything else that finds an opening to pointing. drift air again and turned it end for end, He said, "I wherever the currents and inertia

lead it.

So my mind registered 'Pen," and I

groped for it absently, and, of course, my

fingers didn't close on it. Just reaching for something sets up an air current that

pushes it away. You have to reach over and

sneak behind it with one hand and then

reach for it with the other. Picking up any small object in midair is a two-handed operation.

I turned to look at the object and pay a 4* w%,. little more attention to retrieval, then realized that my pen was safely in its

pouch, I felt for if, and it was there.

"Did you lose a pen, Joe?" I called out. "No." 'Anything like that? Key? Cigarette?" '"' (to ""^ "I don't smoke. You know that."

A stupid answer. "Anything'?'' I saic in -" %«&>- lip exasperation. "I'm seeing things here." "No one ever said you were staoie." "Look. Joe. Over there. Over there."

He lunged for it. I could have told him it 'would do no good. By now, though, our ppking around in the computer seeded to nave- stirecj tings """ up, We were seeing them wherever we

. ' looked, They were floating in the air cur- ; rents.

I stopped one at last Or, rather, it

stopped itself, for it was on the elbow of

: Joes su ! sna;ched it off anc shouted. it it hard enough to make it clang. We Joe jumped in terror and nearly knocked nucleic acid molecule coated in a protein do often as not or just struck a out of my hand. shell, missed as whirling but virus irvades a cell, it manages glancing blow that sem us 1 said, "Look!" "When a were panting There was a shiny circle on Joe's suit, to dissolve a hole in the cell wall or mem- made virtually no sound, We aggravation n no time. ott. It had the use of some appropriate en- with effori and where I had taken the thing brane by inside, had acclimatea ourseves. We begun to eat its way through. zyme and the nucleic acid slips But we Inside the kept it up and eventually gathered uo more "Give il to me," said Joe. He took it gin- leaving the protein coat outside. nothing inside but it to make new of Ihe viruses, There was gerly and put it against the wall 10 hold cell it finds the malerial a dust in every case. They were clearly steady. Then he shelled it. gently lifting the protein coat for itself. In fact, it manages to space ob- paper-thin metal. form replicas of itself and produces a new adapted to empty, automated like modern computers, Were, There was something inside that looked protein coat for each replica. Once il has jects, which, vibration-free. Tha;'s what made it possi- like a line of cigarette ash. It caughr the lighi stripped the cell of all it has, the cell dis- build the exceedingly I up and glinted, though, like lightly woven solves, and in place of the one invading ble, suppose, to lie structures that metal virus there are several hundred daughter rickety-complex meta. possessed sufficient hstab.iity to produce There was a moistness about il, too. It viruses. Sound familiar?" of simple life. wriggled slowly, one end seeming to seek "Yes. Very familiar. It's what's happening the properties 9 " said, you think we got them all?" blindly. here. But where did it come from, Joe I "Do If there's left, it will I one The end made contacl with Ihe wall and "Not from Earth, obviously, or any Earth "How can say? the others for metal supplies I cannibalize stuck. Joe's finger pushed it away. It settlement, From somewhere else, sup-

' all over. Let's bang around some seemed to require a small effort to do so. pose. They drift througn spsce J"Oy rncl and start more." Joe rubbed his finger and thumb and said, something appropriate in which they can until we were sufficiently worn out "Feels oily." multiply. They look for sizable objects We'did care whether one was still left alive. else metal. I don't imagine they not to The metal worm— I don't know what ready-made of

"Of course." I said, panting, "the Plane- to call it— seemeo limp now after Joe had can smelt ores." with pure silicon tary Association for the Advancement of touched it. It didn't move again. "But large metal objects with turning, trying to look and a few other succulent Science isn't going to be pleased our I was twisting and components of intelli- k .lino, them all." at myself, matters Ike that are the products Joe's suggestion as to what the PAAS sake, have I life only," I said. "Joe,"" I said, "for Heaven's gent could with itself was forceful, but im- got one of them on me anywhere?" "Right," said Joe. "which means we have do that intelligent life is practical. He said, "Look, our mission is to "I don't see one," he said. the best evidence yet Computer- Two, a few thousand lives, "Well, look at me. You've got to walch me, common in the universe, since objects like save it out, our own lives, too, Now If are we're on must be quite common or it and, as turns Joe, and I'll watch you. our suits the one it decide whether to renovate this wrecked, we might not be able lo get back couldn't support these viruses. And fhey can is too, computer or rebuild it from scratch, It's their to the ship," means that intelligent life old, Joe said. "Keep moving, then," perhaps ten billion years old— long enough baby. pf for kind of metal evolution forming a "The PAAS can get what they can out It was a grisly feeling, being surrounded a these dead objects, and that should be by things hungry toe ssoive your suit wher- metal/si I icon/oil life as we have formed a life. Time to evolve a something. It they want live ones, I suspect ever they could touch it. When any showed nucleic/protein/water they'll find them floating about in these re- up, we tried to catch them and stay out of parasite on space-age artifacts."

it :ha: eve: time gions." I sound their way at the same time, which made said, "You make y suggestion is tell I 'All right. we things almost impossible, A rather long one some intelligent life form develops a space said, My going to jerry-rig it, iure, it is before long to Computer-Central we're drifted close to my leg, and I kicked' at cj subjected this and get it doing some work it, it mighl parasitic infestation," computer which was stupid, for if I had hit till relief is sent up it controlled Fortu- anyway, and we'll stay a I must be have stuck, As it was, the air current setup "Right. And repairs or whatever in-order to pre- il things are to kill, espe- for main brought it against the wall, where stayed. nately, these easy any reinfestation. Meanwhile they'd Joe" reached hastily for it— too hastily. cially now when they're forming. Later on, vent better get 1o each of the other computers The rest of his body rebounded as he when ready to burrow out of Computer- Two, will grow. Ihicken their and set up a system that can set it to vibrat- somersaulted, one booted foot striking the I suppose they r ing strongly as soon as the internal atmo- wall near the cylinder lightly. When he fi- shells, stabilize their inte >or. and prepare, r equivalent of spores to drift a million sphere shows a pressure drop," nally richtec himse'f i: was s > iheio as the 9 " before they find another home. They "Simple enoucjn." said Joe, sardonically, "I didn't smash it, did I years it's lucky them when we did." it might not be so easy to kill then.' we found "No, you didn't," I said. "You missed by 9 " the look in are you going to kill them "Wait a while," said Joe, and a decimeter. It won't get away," "How first his eye one of deep trouble. We didn't I was either side of it. It was "I already have. just touched that I had a hand on out metal to find them. They found us. It metal life has twice as long as the other cylinder had one when it instinctively sought it's likely that manufacturing a new shell after I had developed, do you suppose been, In fact, il was like two cylinders stuck begin is only form if takes? together longways, with a constriction at broken open the first 'one, and that touch this the

if life forms communicate but I "What such I second, the poinl of joining. finished it. didn't touch the and, across the vastness of "Act of reproducing," said Joe as he kicked the wall near it, and the sound vibra- Somehow others are converging on us for peeled away the metal. This time what was tion in the meta snook ks nte'icr apa't in:c space, now or picking. Other species, too— all of inside was a line of dust. Two lines. One on melal dust. So they can't get us — any the just them after the lush new fodder of an as- either side of the constriction. more of the computer— if we shake yet-untouched space culture. Other "It doesn't take much to kill them," said them apart, now!" to explain lurtner-or as species! Some that are sturdy enough to Joe. He relaxed visibly. "I think we're safe." He didn't have his gauntlets slowly and withstand vibration Some that are large "They do seem alive," l said reluctantly much. He put on in their reac- wall with one. It pushed him enough to be more versatile "I ;hink they seem more than that. They're banged at the wall he tions to danger. Some that are equipped to viruses — or the equivalent." away, and he Kicked at the where invade our settlements in orbit. Some, for "What are you talking about?" next approached it. sake of Univac, that may be able to Joe said. "Granred I'm a computer "You do the same!" he shouted. the of its cities. while both kept at it. invade the earth for the metals technologist and not a virologist, but it's my I tried to, and for a we

I'm going to report, what I must understanding that viruses on Earth, or You don't know how hard it is to hit a wall at "What is we've been found ."1 'downstairs' as you would say, consist of a zero gravity— ai least on purpose — and report, that DO —

One danger that haunts science fiction is the looming form of threatening robots: The earliest of these were constructed of flesh and bone and would now be called an- droids: Frankenstein's monster(1817); andCapek's R.U.R. (1923), Rossum's Uni- verse. Robots, the source of the term. The idea thai if you built it it couldn't be good car- ries on through C.C. Camp- bell's T/ie,4vafar(1935).in which the perfect artificial man becomes dictator of the world and has to be destroyed,

It was only with the construction of metal robots obedient machines— that mechanical men began operating on the side of justice. In the early pulp magazine. Frank Reade's Steam Man fought the Indians lor the good guys, and Eando Binder's robot, built for peace to prove its worth to mankind, was smart enough to choose sides against the Nazis in Adam Link Fights a War. Ed- mond Hamilton's Captain Fu- ture could count upon the faithful robot Krag, as well as the faithful but not so nice

H ..-inry i.-- <-" ;s -.Ti o Reed Bocks.

A glittering gallery to celebrate those timeless workhorses of science fiction android Lothar. to cal substitutes for are far aid him at all times. human parts A later develop- weaker than the the bi- ment is the part man, originals; part metal (or plas- onic man needs a not tic) creature. This wheelchair— a theme and the psy- springboard to leap chological effects of over buildings. We bionic engineering must slip far into the have been explored future to rationalize a successfully in superior technology Budry's Who (1958) i that makes the crea- well, in and more recently in ture work as the preposterous Saul Dunn's Man- bionic man, woman, droid, who is only 10 percent human, the dog, hamster, etc., p, tv series. The au- rest being manufac- thors of these stories tured parts. touch of order never seem to real- » A entered robotic cir- ize that all mechani- utilized them; cles in 1940 with Asimov's Rabby and Liar. The who have human being, or. mechanical men now began lo clank about ra- 1, A robot may not injure a to diating security, since they had the Laws of through inaction, allow a human Robotics stamped into their come to harm. the orders given it by hu- positronic brains. Asimov gets full credit for 2. A robot must obey orders these laws, and countless are the writers man beings except where such would conflict with and highly evolved the First Law. dogs. Jack 3. A robot must pro- Williamson's With

tect its own exis- Folded Hands . . . tence as long as (1947) does dis- such protection cover a danger in ro- does not conflict bot control, but a be- with the First or nevolent one. To pre- Second Law. vent men from being Once the robotic hurt, the robots are threat had been re- stunting all develop- moved, the infinitely ment of the human varied relationships race. With all the roof robot with man botic goodness

could be explored. around it was a plea- Clifford Simak. in his sure to see Alfred City series, shows Bester's Fori oVy mankind evolving Fahrenheit, about a and leaving the slightly insane robot. earth loihe robots Having once as- signed man's attribute to a machine, we must consider the relationship of this intelligent machine with man's mystical nature. Boucher's The Quest for Saint Aquin

asked it it is possible to have a robot saint. Silverberg answered the question years later with 6000" News from

the Vatican. It you can have a robot pope—then why not a saint? Of course these are just the human-appearing robots, although there is no good reason at all to shape a robot in

this manner, other than it

looks nice and it is handy to have around the house. Real robots, the ones actually in use in industry today, look nothing at all like the classic danker. The commonest are just collections of machine tools and mechanical manipulators. SF also has nonhumanoid robots of this kind. The computer-controlled, fully automated spaceship has been with us for quite a while. Fully automated cities, usually so well designed that they keep operating after their inhabitants are gone, have had their day, and fully automated trains ran first in the pages ol science fiction. At sea we have Bass's Godwhale, a sentient giant robot designed for harvesting plankton for undersea food processing plants. In Space—and at war again— are Saberhagen's Ber- serkers, super war machines, launched by alien nutters, whose job it is to zip about the galaxy destroying all forms of life. DO te BY HARLAN ELLISON

When I do count the clock that tells the time, S*i^ And see the brave day sunk In hideous night; When I behold the violet past prime, And sable curls all silverd o'er with white;

When lofty trees I see barren of leaves Which erst from heat did canopy the herd, And summer's green all girded up in sheaves Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard;

Then of thy beauty do I question make, That thou among the wastes of time must go ... William Shakespeare TfaXllth Sonne!

W.Vaking in the cool and cloudy absolute dead middle of a Saturday afternoon one day, Ian Ross fell lost and vaguely frightened. Lying there in his bed, he was dis-

oriented, it and took him a moment to remember when it was and - . . r where he was. Where he was: in the bed where he had awakened every day of his 35-year-old life. When it was: the Saturday he had resolved to spend doing something. But as he lay there he realized he had life in come to the early hours just after dawn, it had looked as though it would rain, the sky seen through the high French windows, and he had turned over and gone back to sleep. Now the clock-

radio on the bedside table told him it was the absolute dead middle of the afternoon; and the world outside'his windows was cool and cloudy "Where does the time go?" he said. He was alone, as always: there was no one to hear him or to answer So he continued lying there, wasting time, feeling vaguely frightened. As though something important were passing him by

PAINTING BY'MATI KLARWEIN picture hung from Ihe walls in perfect true demon wind o'f _ak.e V- cnigan rattling the with the junctures of walls and ceiling, en- window glass in its frame and thinking this tering each c-- -n:..> /-non in the little year he would reputty and this year failing ledger with a fme-po

bluff overlooking that bountiful city, and finally he had rented a car and had driven

north out the Queensferry Road , across the bridge thai spanned the Firth of Forth, on

up the A-90 till he reached Pitlochry. Then a left, a random left, but noi so random

that he did nol know it would come out overlooking the Queens View, said to be the most beautiful view in the world, certainly in Scotland; and he had driven the twisting,

narrow road till he was deep in the hills of Perth. And there he had pulled off the road, gotten out of the car. leaving :he door open, and walked away down the Ociober hills to finally sil staring at the Loch, green and blue and silent as the mirror ol his memory Where only the buzzing fly reminded him of the past. He had been 35 when he said. "Where does the time go?" And he was 37 as he sat

on the hill.

And il was Ihere that the dream died.

- He stared at the hills, at the valley that ran off to left and right, at the sparkling water of the Loch, and knew he had wasted his time again. He had resolved to do something; but he had done nothing. Again. There was no place for him here.

He was out of phase with all around him, He was an alien object. A beer can thrown into the grass. A broken wall untended and . .

of other times other 'ailing back into the earth from which it had Ihe sun. with the shadows and been wrenched stone by stone. There was no sun. places swirling past. The sound of rushing emptiness through He felt lonely, starved, incapable of He thought perhaps it had been an wind, as though the clenching his hands or clearing his throat. eclipse, that his deep concentration of his which he moved was being constantly filled or A ruin from anolher world, set down in for- hopeless state had kept him from noticing. and emptied, endlessly, without measure eign soil, drinking air that was not his to There was no sun substance. drink. There were no tears, no pains in his No sky. The ground beneath him was Ha< that > body, no deep and trembling sighs, In a gone. He sat. merely sat. but on nothing, moment, with a fly buzzing, the dream died surrounded by nothing, seeing and feeling far him. He had not been saved; had. in nothing save a vague chill. It was cold now fact, come in an instant to understand lhat very cold now

he had been a child to think it could ever Aftera long time he decided to stand and change. What do you want to be when you did stand: there was nothing beneath or clear, drawn back from the absolute past, a when he had been grow up? Nothing. As I have always been above him. He stood in darkness. he remembered day that for nothing. 1 1 when his mother had suggested He could remember everything lhat had his birthday they make a small party to And so The sky began to bleach out. ever happened to him in his life. Every mo- which he would mvte a few friends. with diamond-bright per- The achingly beautiful golds and ment of it. with absolute clarity. It was some- (he remembered oranges anc: yellows began to drift toward thing he had neve' experienced before. His fection), he had invited six boys and girls. alone in the sepia. The blue of the loch slid softly toward memory had been no better or worse than They had never come. He sat all his comic books chalkiness. like an ineptly prepared paint- anyone else's, but he had forgotten all the house that Saturday, in laid in cake and party favors ing left too long in direct sunlight. The details, many years which nothing had out case the hold sounds of birds and forest creatures and happened, during which he had wasted and pin-the-tail-on-lhe-donkey did not msects faded, the gain turned down slowly. time — almost as a mute witness at the dull their attention sufficiently. Never came. It mother The sun gradually cooled for Ian Ross. The grew dark. He sat alone, with his through the living sky began to bleach out toward a gray- occasionally walking remark. But white newsprint colorlessness. The fly was room to make some consoling knew there was only gone. It was cold now; very cold now. he was alone, and he Shadows began to superimpose them- one reason for it: they had all forgotten. It out of with for selves over the dusty mezzotint of ihe 6He was phase was simply that he was a waste of time those actually living their lives. Invisible, by bloodless day: all around him . . towers and minarets, as seen token of being unimportant, A thing un- A city of an alien object. A ruin from through shallow, disturbed water; a moun- noticed: on a street, who notices the mail- crosswalk lines? tain range of glaciers with snow untracked another world . . box, the (ire hydrant, the and endless'as an ocean; an ocean, with drinking air that was not He was an invisible, useless thing. massive, serpent-necked creatures gliding He had never permitted another party to

his to drink. . , , In a through the jade deeps; a parade of rag- be thrown for him. ged children bearing crosses hewn from moment, with a fly buzzing, He remembered that Saturday now. And late, to to tree branches; a great walled fortress in the found the emotion. 26 years react the dream died for him3 He middle of a parched wasteland, the yellow this terrible vanishment of the world. uncontrollably, he sat earth split like strokes oi lightning all began to tremble and nothing to sit down around the structure; a motorway with hun- down where there was his together, feel- dreds of cars speeding past so quickly on. and he rubbed hands in knuckles and the they seemed to be stroboscope lines of ing the tremors his fingers. he felt the con- colored light; a battlefield with men in flow- rendition of his- life. ends of his Then his head ing robes and riding great-chested stal- But now. as he walked Ih'ougn Pie . mbo striction in his throat, he turned for nameless lions, 'the sunlight dancing off curved that was all he had been left of the world, he this way and that, looking a swords and helmets; a tornado careening recalled everything perfectly. The look of exit from self-pity and loneliness; and then no through a small town of slatback stores and terror on his mother's face when he had he cried. Lightly, softly, because he had houses, lifting entire buildings from their sliced through Ihe tendons of his left hand experience at it. foundations and flinging them into the sky; with the lid from the tin can of pink a river of lava burst through a fissure in the lemonade: he had been four years old. The A crippled old woman came out of the ground and boiled toward a shadowy indi- feel of his new Thorn McAn shoes that had gray mist of nowhere and stood watching cation of an amusement park, with throngs always been too tight from the moment him. His eyes were closed, or he would of holiday tourists moving in clots from one they had been bought but that he had have seen her coming. his attraction to another. been forced to wear to school every day, After a while, he. snuffled, opened of him. Ian Ross sat. frozen, on the hillside. The even though they rubbed him raw at the eyes, and saw her standing in front stared at her. standing. At a world was dying around him. No. . .it was back of his heels: he had been seven years He She was

vanishing, fading out. dematerializing. As if old. The Four Freshmen standing and sing- level somewhat below him, as though the ground of this nonexistant place all the sand had run out of the hourglass ing for the graduation dance. He had been invisible lower plane than that on which he around him; as if he were the only perma- alone. He had bought one ticket to support was on a nent, fixed, and immutable object in a the school event. He had been 16. The taste sat. metamorphosing universe suddenly cut of egg roll at Choy's. the first tirne.-He had . "That won't help much." she said. She neither there much loose from its time-anchor been 24. The woman he had met at the wasn't surly, but was The world faded out around Ian-Ross; the library, in the section where they kept the succor in her tone. shadows boiled and seethed and slithered books on animals, She had used a white He looked at her and immediately

' past him. caught in a cyclonic wind-tunnel lace handkerchief to dry her- temples. It stopped crying. and swept away past him, leaving him in had smelled of perfumer He had been 30. "Probably just got sucked in here." she darkness. He remembered all the sharp edges of said. It was not quite a question, though it

He sat now still, quiet too isolated to be every moment from his past. It was remark- had something of query in it. She knew and frightened. able. In this nowhere. was going carefully. He thought perhaps clouds had covered 'And he walked through gray spaces. He continued to look at her. hoping she " " "

could tell him what had happened to him. myself." forces they waved to each other. And to her? She was here. too. She stopped and turned, tilting oddly on When the sliding vision had rushed by. "Could be worse," shesaid. crossing her her bad leg. "Got to keep moving. Keep leaving emptiness between them, the luna- arms and shifting her weight oil her twisted going, you know? If you stay in one place tic rushed forward, clapping his hands as if let! leg. 1 could've been a Saracen or a you don't get anywhere; there's a way out preparing hi-nse-f for a long, arduous, but

ribbon clerk or even one oi those hairy . . you've just got io keep moving till you pleasurable chore. He was of indetermi- pre-humans." He didn'l respond, He didn't find it." She started again, saying, over her nate age but clearly past his middle years.

"I know what she was talking about. She shoulder guess I won't be seeing you His hair waslong and wild, he wore a pair of

smiled wryly, remembering. "First person I again; I don't think it's likely." rimless antique spectacles, and his suit met was some kind ol a retard, liltle boy He ran after her and grabbed'her arm. was turn-of-the-eighteenth-century, "Well. about 15 or so. Must have spent what She seemed very startled. As if no one had well, well." he called, across the narrowing there'd been of his life in some padded cell ever touched her in this place during all the space between them, "so good to see you. or a hospital bed. something like lhat. He time she had been here. sir!" just sat Ihere and stared at me. drooled a "Listen, you've got to tell me some things, Ian Ross was startled. In ihe timeless little, couldn't tell me a thing. I was scared whatever you know. I'm awfully scared, time he had wandered through this limbo, out of my mind, ran around like a chicken don't you understand? You have to have he had encountered coolies and Berbers

till with its head cut off. Wasn't a long time some understanding." and Thracian traders and silent Goihs . . .

after that before I met someone who spoke She looked ai him' carefully 'All right, as an endless stream of hurrying humanity

English." much as I can. then you'll let me go?" that would neither speak nc stop. This man He tried to speak and found his throat He nodded. was something different. Immediately Ian

"I was dry. His voice came out in a croak. He don't know what happened io me . knew he was insane. But he wanted to talk] swallowed and wet his lips. "Are there many or to you. Did it all fade away and just dis- The older man reached Ian and ex- other, uh. other people . . . we're not all appear, and everything that was left was tended his hand, "Cowper. sir. Justinian ?" alone . . . this, just Ihis gray nothing'?" Cowper, Alchemist, metaphysician, con- "Lots of others. Hundreds, thousands. He nodded. sultant io the forces of time and space, ah God only knows; maybe whole countries She sighed. "How old are— you. son?" yes, time'. Do I perceive in you, sir, one only full of people here. No animals, though. "I'm 37. My name is Ian recently come to our little Valhalla, one in

it They don't waste the way we do." She waved his name away with an impa- need of illumination? Certainly! Definitely. I

"Waste [I? What?" tient gesture. "That doesn't matter I can can see that is Ihe case." "Time, son, Precious, lovely time. That's see you don't know ahy betterthanldo.Sol Ian began to say something, almost any- all there is. just time. Sweet, flowing time. don't have the time to waste on you. You'll thing, in response, but the wildly gesticulat- Animals don't know about lime." learn that. too. Just keep walking, just keep ing old man pressed on without drawing a As she spoke, a slipping shadow of looking for a way out." breath. "This most recent manifestation, the some wild scene whirled past and through He made fists. "Thai doesn't tell me anyone we were both privileged to witness them. It was a great city in flames. It thing] What was that burning city what are was. I'm certain you're aware, the pivotal seemed more substantia! than the vagrant these shadows that go past all the time?" momentat Waterloo in which the Little Cor- wisps of countryside or sea scenes that As if to mark his question a vagrant filmy poral had his fat chewed good and proper. had been ribboning past them as they phantom caravan of cassowary-like ani- Fascinating piece of recent history. spoke. The wooden buildings and city tow- mals dh-ted through them. wouldn't you say?" ers seemed almost solid enough to crush She shrugged and signed "I think its Recent history? Ian started to ask him anything in their path, Flames leaped to- history. I'm not sure . I'm guessing, you how long he had been in this gray place, ward the gray, dead-skin sky: enormous understand. But I think it's all Ihe bits and but the old man barely paused before a tongues of crackling flame that ate the ci- pieces of the past, going through on its way fresh torrent of words spilled out, ty's gut and chewed the phantom image, somewhere. "Stunningly reminiscent of thai marvel- leaving ash. (But even the dead ashes had He waited She shrugged again, and her ous scene in Stendahl's Charterhouse of more lite than the grayness Ihrough which silence indicated— with a kind of helpless Parma in which Fabrizio. young, innocent, the vision swirled.) appeal to be let go— that she could tell him fresh to that environ, found himself walking Ian Ross ducked, frightened. Then il'was nolhing further. across a large meadow on which men were gone. He nodded resignedly. 'All right. Thank running in all directions, noise, shouts, con-

. it. "Don't worry aboul son," the old you fusion . . . and he knew not what was hap- woman said. "Looked a lot like London dur- She turned wilh her bad leg trembling; pening, and not till several chapters later ing the Big Fire. First the Plague, then the she had stood with her weight on it for too do we learn ah, marvelousl —that it was. Fire. I've seen its like before. Can't hurt you. ong And sic- started to walk off into the in fact, the Battle of Waterloo through which

None of it can hurt you." gray limbo. When she was almost out of he moved, totally unaware of history in the He tried to stand, found himself still sight, hefoundhimsel'aole to spesoga n. shaping all around him. He was there, while weak. "But what Is it?" and he said. . .too softly to reach her. . . not there. Precisely our situation, wouldn't She shrugged. "No one's ever been able "Good-bye. lady Thank you." you say?" to tell me for sure. Bet there's some around He wondered how old she was. How long He had run out of breath. He stopped, in here who can, though. One day I'll run she had been here. If he would one time far and Ian plunged into the gap. "That's whai into one of them. If I find out and we ever from now be like her. If it was all over and if I'd like Io know. Mr. Cowper: What's hap-

again I'll sure let know. in forever. meet be to you he would wander shadows pened tome? 've \qs\ everything , but I can

Bound to happen." But her face grew infi- He wondered r peop e died here. remember everything, too. I know I should nitely desolation sad and there was in her be going crazy or frightened, and I am expression. "Maybe. Maybe we'll meet Before he met Catherine, a long time be- scared, but not out of my mind with it . . .I again. Never happens, but it might. Never fore he met her. he met the lunatic who told seem to accept this, whatever it is. I-I don't

it saw that retarded boy again. But might him where, he was. what had happened to know how to take it. but I know I'm not happen." him. and why it had happened,, . ... feeling it yel. And I've been here a long She started to walk away, hobbling awk- They saw each other standing on oppo- time!" wardly. Ian got Io his feet with difficully b,ut site sides of a particularly vivid phantom of The old man slipped his arm around lan's as quickly as he could, "Hey. wait! Where the Battle of Waterloo. The battle raged back and began walking wilh him. Iwo are you going? Please, lady, don't leave me past them, and through the clash and gentlemen strolling in confidence on a here all alone. I'm scared to be here by slaughter of Napoleon's and Wellington's afternoon by the edge of a cool . . —

there?" park. "Quite correct, sir, quite correct. Dis- your' "How long have you been sociative behavior; mark ot tine man unable The old man's eyes g'ew misty. He spoke "My name is Ian Ross." he said. ." is!" she said with difficulty. "Yes. I . . "I don't care your name to accept his destiny, Accept- it. sir. I urge belong here what you; and fascination follows. Perhaps even Then he turned and. like one in a dream, angrily. "I asked you how long you've been obsession, but we must run that risk, lost, wandered away. Lunatic, observing siting there watching me." mustn't we?" phenomena. And fhen gone in the gray- "I don't know A while." you're Ian wrenched away from him. turned to ness of time-gorged limbo. Partofaglacial "I don'! like being walched; being period slid past Ian resumed very rude." face him. "Look, mister, I don't want to hear Ross and he his walk without his teet without answering and I destination. got to all that craziness! want to know where I am He And after a long, long time that time- walking away. Oh well. and how I get out of here. And if you can't was began wait!" tell me, then leave me alone!" less but filled with an abundance of time, She ran after him. "Hey. "Nothing easier, my good man. Explana- he met Catherine. He kept walking. He didn't have to be with him tion is the least of it. Observation of bothered like that. She caught up phenomena, ah. that's the key. You can fol- He saw her as a spot of darkness against and ran around to stand in front of him. "I low? Well, then: we are victims of the law of the gray limbo. She was quite a distance suppose you just think you can walk oft like conservation of time. Precisely and exactly away, and he walked on for a while, watch- that!"

I you. linked to the law of the conservation of mat- ing the dark blotch against gray and then "Yes. I can. I'm sorry bothered if don't want ter; matter, which can neither be created decided to change direction, It didn't mat- Please get out of my way you

nor destroyed. Time exists without end. But ter. Nothing mattered : he was alone with his me around."

there is an ineluctable entropic balance, memories, replaying again and again. "I didn't say that."

I never absolutely necessary to maintain order in The sinking of the Titanic wafted through "You said I was being rude. am the universe. Keeps events discrete, you him. rude; I'm a very well-mannered person. see. As matter approaches universal dis- She did not move, even though he was and you were just being insulting." tribution, there is a counterbalancing, how approaching on a direct line. He walked around her. She ran after him.

right, maybe I was a little out of shall I put it. a counterbalancing 'leaching 'All okay,

out' of time. Unused time is not wasted in sorts. I was asleep, after all." places where nothing happens, ft goes He stopped. She stood in front of him. is somewhere. It goes here, to be precise. In Now i-t was her move. "My name measurable units —which I've decided, Cai'-vj-rine Molnar. How do you do?" 47he world was vanishing . . after considerable thought, to call 'chro- "Not loo well, that's how." nons'." as if all the sand "Have you been here long?" here, that's He paused, perhaps hoping Ian would "Longer than I wanted to be had run out of the hourglass compliment him on his choice of nomencla- for sure." ture. Ian put a hand fo his forehead; his around him; as If he "Can you explain what's happened to brain was swimming. were the only fixed and me?" "That's insane. It doesn't make sense." He thought about it. Walking with some- immutable object in a ask "Makes perfectly good sense. I assure one would be a nice change. "Let me something," Ian Ross said, beginning you. I was a top savant in my time: what I've universe suddenly cut loose you told you is the only theory that fits the facts. to stroll off toward the phantom image of the from its time-anchor.? Time unused is not wasted; it is leached Hanging Gardens o! Babylon wafting past sitting out. drained through the normal space- them. "Did you waste a lot of time, time coniinuum and recycled. All this his- around, not doing much, maybe watching tory you see shooting past us is ihat part of life's, en a lot?" the time-flow that was wasted. Entropic were lying down side by side be- balance. I assure you." When he was quite close he could see They than "But what am / doing here?" thai she was siring cross-legged on noth- cause they were tired. Nothing more "You force me to hurt your feelings, sir." ingness; she was asleep. Her head was that. The Battle of the Ardennes. First World Just sound . "What am I doing here?!" propped in one hand, the bracing arm War. was all around them. Not a "You wasted your life. Wasted time. All supported by her knee. Asleep. movement. Mist, fog, turretless tanks, shat- around you, throughout your life, unused He came right up to her and stood there tered trees all around them. Some corpses chronons were being leached out, drawn simply watching. He smiled. She was like a left lying in the middle of no-man's-land. away from the contiguous universe, until bird, he thought, with her head tucked They had been together for a space of time

it six it their pull on you was irresistible. Then you under her wing. Not really, but that was how ... it was three hours, was weeks, went on through, pulled loose like a piece he saw her. Though her cupped hand cov- was a month of Sundays, it was a year to

it the best of times, it was of wood in a rushing torrent, a bit of chalf ered half her tace he could make out a remember, was measure it? whirled away on the wind. Like Fabrizio. sweet face, very pale skin, a mole on her the worst of times; who could town criers, no you were- never really there. You wandered throat; her hair was brown, cut quite short. There were no signposts, no of seasons. through, never seeing, never participating, Her eyes were closed: he decided they grandfather clocks, no change and so there was nothing to moor you sol- would be blue. who could measure it? begun to talk freely. He told her idly in your own time." The Greek Senate, the Age of Pericles, They had " 7 in property owners again that his name was Ian Ross, and she "But how long will I stay here men a crowd — Catherine Molnar again. The old man looked sad and spoke screaming at Lycurgus's exhortations in said Catherine, his that her life kindly for the first time: "Forever. You neves, behalf ol socialism. The shadow of it sailed She confirmed guess had used your lime, so you have nothing to rely past not very far away. been empty. "Plain." she said. "I was plain. I

to say you think I on as anchorage in normal space." Ian stood staring, and after a while he sat am plain. No. don't bother "But everyone here thinks there's a way down opposite her. He leaned back on his have nice cheekbones or a irim figure; it If want plain, I've it! trying to watched. He hummed an old won't change a Ihing. you . arms. and out. 1 know They keep walking, find an exit." tune Ihe name of which he did not know. got it." nice cheekbones "Fools. There is no way back." Finally, she opened her brown eyes and He didn't say she had was "But you don't seem to be the sort of stared at him. or a trim figure. But he didn't think she plain. person who wasted his life. Some of the At first momentary terror, statement. chagrin, curiosity. took umbrage. The Battle of the Ardennes was swirling others I've seen, yes, I can see that; but Then she away now. tiling inal lo say, instead of all the things I read in most impcr'snl m that endless world

She suggested Ihey make love. novels." of gray spaces, even if they never found Ian his Ross got to feel quickly and "I think it's a very clever phrase." Even their way back. walked away. now, he found it hard to touch her. He lay And they began to use their time to- She walched him for a while, keeping with hands at his sides. gether, setting small goals for each "day"

him in sight. Then she gol up. dusted off She changed the subject. "I was never upon awakening. We will walk that far; we her hands- there though was nothing on able to get very far playing the piano. I have- will play word games in which you have to them, an act of memory, and followed him. absolutely no give between the thumb and begin the name of a female movie star from Quite a long lime later, after Hailing him but first finger. And that's essential, you know the last letter of a male movie star's name

not trying to catch up to him. she ran to You have to have a long reach, a good that / have to begin off Ihe last letter of a match his finally, for pace and gasping spread. I think they call it, to play Chopin. A female movie star; we will exchange shirt

breath, reached him. tenth: that's two notes over an octave. A full and blouse and see how it feels for a while; "I'm sorry," she said. octave, a perfect octave, those are just we will sing every camp song we can re- "Nothing to be sorry about." to enjoy their time technical terms, Ociave is good enough. I member. They began

' "I offended you." don't have that." together. They began to live.

"No. you didn't. I just felt like walking." "I like piano playing." he said, realizing And sometimes his vo co taded out, and

it. I "Stop Ian. I did, offended you." how silly and dull he must sound and she could see him moving his lips but there He stopped and spun on her. "Do you frightened (very suddenly) that she would was no sound. think I'm a virgin? I'm not a virgin." find him so. that she would leave him. Then And sometimes when the mist cleared His vehemence pulled her back from the he remembered where they were and he she was invisible from the ankles down and edge of boldness. "No. of course you're smiled. Where could she go? Where could her body moved as through thick soup. not. lneverthoug.htsucha'thing."Thenshe he go? And as they used their time, they be-

said, I "Well ... am." "I always hated the fellows at parties who came alien in that place where wasted time "Sorry." he said, because he didn't know could play Ihe piano ... all the girls clus- had gone to rest.

the right thing to say. if there was a right tered around those people. Except these And they began to fade. As the world had

thing. days it's not so much piano; not too many leached out for Ian Ross in Scotland, and "Not your fault," she said. Which was the people have pianos in their homes any- for Catherine Molnar in Wisconsin, they right thing to say. more. The kids grow up and go away and began to vanish from limbo, Matter could

nobody takes lessons and the kids don't neither be created nor destroyed, but it

From nothing to nothing. Thirty-four buy pianos. They get those electric could be disassembled and sent where it years old. the oroperly desperate age for guitars." was needed for entropic balance. unmarried, unmotherhooded. unloved. 'Acoustical guitars."' He saw her pale skin become transparent. Catherine Molnar, Janesville. Wisconsin. "Yes, those. 1 don't think it would be much She saw his hands as clear as glass. Straightening the trinkets in her jewelry better for fellows like me who don't play, And they thought:roo/afe-/fcomesioo late. ironing. clothes, re- box. her removing and even if it's acoustical guitars," Invisible motes of their selves were folding Ihe sweaters in her drawers, hang- They got up and walked again. drawn off and were sent away from that ing the siacks with the sacKs skirts with gray place. Were sent where needed to the skirts, blouses with the blouses, coats Once they discussed how they had maintain balance. One and one and one. with the coats, all in order in the closet, _ wasted their lives, how they had sat there separated on the wind and blown to the reading every word in Time and Reader's with hands folded as lime filled space farthest corners of the tapestry that was Digest., learning seven new words every around them, swept through, was drained time and space. And could never be re-

1 day. never using seven new words every off. and their own "chronons' (he had told called. And could never be rejoined.

day. mopping the floors in the three-room her about the lunatic; she said 'it sounded So they touched, there in that vast limbo apartment, pulling aside one full evening to like Benjamin Franklin, he said the man of wasted time, for the last time, and pay the bills and spelling out Wisconsin hadn't looked like Benjamin Franklin, but shadows existed for an instant, and then

completely, never the Wl abbreviation on maybe, it might have been) had been were gone; he first, leaving her behind for the return envelopes, listening to talk-radio, leached of all potency. the merest instant of terrible loneliness and calling for Ihe correct time to set the clocks, Once they discussed the guillotine loss, and then she, without shadow, pulled spooning out the droppings from the kitty executions in the Paris of the Revolution, apart and scattered, followed. Separation box. repasting photos in the album of because it was keeping pace with them, without hope of return. scenes with round-faced people, pinching Once they chased the Devonian and al- There was the faintest keening whine of back the buds on the coleus, calling Aunt most caught it. Once they were privileged matter fleeing, Beatrice every Tuesday at seven o'clock, to enjoy themselves in the center of an Arc- There was the soundless echo of a di- talking brightly to the waitress in the tic snowstorm that held around them for a minishing moan. orange-and-blue unitorm at the chicken pie measure of measureless time. Once they The universe was poised to accept re- shoppe. repainting fingernails carefully so saw nothing for an eternity but were truly stored order, the moon on each nail is showing, heating chilled— unlike the Arctic snowstorm that And then balance was regained; as if morning waler for herself alone for the cup had had no effect on them— by the winds they had never been. of herbal tea. setting the table with a cloth that blew past them. And once he turned to napkin and a placemat. doing dishes, her and said. "I love you, Catherine." Great events hushed in mist swirled past. going to the office and straightening the But when she looked at him with a gentle Ptolemy crowned King of Egypt, the Battle bills of lading precisely, From nothing to smile, he noticed for the first time that her of the Teutoburger Forest. Jesus crucified. nothing. Thirty-four. eyes seemed to be getting gray and pale. |he founding of Constantinople, the Van- Then, not too soon after, she said she dals plundering Rome, the massacre of the They lay side by side but they were not loved him. too. Omayyad family, the Court of the Fujiwaras tired. There was more to it than that. But could mist flesh she see through the in Japan. Jerusalem falling to Saladin . . . "I hate men can't think past the pil- who of his . . . hands when he reachedout to touch and on and on. great events . .empty low." she said, touching his hair. her face. time . . . and the timeless population "What's that?" They walked with their around trudged . . arms each past endlessly .endlessly, . , "Oh. it's just something I practiced, to other, having found each other. They said unaware that finally, at last, hopelessly and say after the first time I slept with -a 1 it times, so. that they . . man. many and agreed was too late . two of their nameless order always felt there should be something orig- were in love and being together was Ihe had found the way out. DO I'll touch another dish- of 'coq au vin,' "I'll never forget you, Xeena; I'll see your face In every omelet, never again INNER DOMAINS

Uncharted regions of bone and sinew become fantastic art in the service of science

BY KATHLEEN STEIN

in my study of vertebrate structure, I Early became en- tranced by the aesthetic pleasure I derived from con- templating the organic form," says the renowned medical artist Paul Peck. Like his predecessors from Da Vinci to Andrew Wyeth, Peck contradicis the myth that the artist is at confinual odds with the stringent discipline and accountability of the scientific method. To the contrary, the instant the artist records an observation — a leaf, sunlight falling on a pool of water, ihe complexities of a human face —he is participating in a scien-

Peck's three-dimensional tendering ol Ihe various libtous and netlike components ol connective tissue (top). Inner structure ol the kidney (top right) depicts thousands ot glomeruli and tubules; neurons (below).

. ->. £ / was determined, " says Peck, "to create art that would reveal the harmony in living organisms.^

tiiic even!. Belore the invention of the camera, medical illustration was the only means—other than dissecting corpses —of learning anatomy Although photography has now replaced the illus- trator's tunction in recording the appearance of objects, the camera is not able to dramatize important elements or simplify and clarity relationships. That is the work of art. In the case of anatomy, the arrangements of organs and their vessels and nerves are so intricate, the relationships so hidden by overlying tissue, that a photograph tends to confuse rather than clarify. Medical art captures the essence of life, a more subtle task. In fact, advancing photographic technology has done art a ravor in

The structure of bone (above left). Right ventricle of the heart (above right) looking toward the bicuspid valve. Gallstones (below right). Lung section (below) painted by Frank Armitage for a pharmaceuticals house.

J ./ structures —in a manner to fire the imagination. m I would reveal especially those microscopic

liberating the artist to create more exciting conceptual visions. "Artists must realize the creative potential inherent in the in- tricacies of science," comments Frank Armitage. who, as an art student, had to cajole his way into the dissecting rooms of medical schools. Once inside, the space-age Michelangelo made sketches and mental notes that would later become epic visions of the interior body. Armitage's inner landscapes have become the bases of numerous medical films. The SF movie Fantastic

Voyage is an Armitage odyssey. So, in giving "the inward parts" a local habitation and a name, science has enlarged the artist's vocabulary: science in service to art. DO

Armitage's conceptualization o) ihe brain's optic system (above telt). Nerve synapse (right). The exposed tendon sheaths ot the hand, palm- side lacing up (below left), dorsal view (right). Acrylic on mai board. It was a prime corpus, complete with reconditioned heart, lungs, and enriched glands BODY GAME BY ROBERT SHECKLEY

D.ir Senator. I'm writing to you because you are our senior Senator and because you said at election time last year that you were our servant and that we should write to you immediately if we had any grievances. You were very definite, and you even got a little hutfy and said it was actually a citizen's duty to write to his Senator and let him know what was going on. Well. Senator. I thought about that a lot Naturally. I didn't believe the part about you being our servant, what with you earning 50 times, or 100 times. the or for all I know 1000 times what we do But thing about writing to you. which you were so insistent on, that part got to me. Your words puzzled me at first when you said we should let you know what was going on here. I mean, you were raised in this city same as me, and a man would have to be blind, deaf, dumb, and stupid not to know what's happening here. But I decided that I was being unfair: you've got to spend a lot of

PAINTING BY SAMUEL BAK your time in Washington, so maybe you are the first lime in his life he hadn't felt well. We Grandfather asked. out of touch. I'm taking your Anyway, you at took him to Doc Saunders at the U Thant "German." I told him. 'A friend of Freud word and taking the liberty of writing to you. Memorial Socio-Medical Center on Easr and Einstein and smarter than both of

Specifically, I want to tell you about my 1G3rd Street. It took us the better part of a them. He puf longevity on the map. You grandfather's retread body, because it's a day to hike up there. Those moving side- wouldn't argue with a brainy guy like that. specific grievance, something you ought to walks cost five bucks a ride, and that's too would you?" know about and maybe even .do something much just to get around. Maybe I didn't have all my facts straight. about. otfice filled with Doc Saunders had an but I had to say "something. And I didn't At the time all this hell of began. Grandfather one a batch of instruments. He ran a want the old man to die. I don't know why

was a healthy sprighlly 92 year old with all three-day checkout on Grandfather. At the because it didn't make any sense to have

his own teeth still, a full head of white hair, end of il he said, "There's nothing wrong an old man in the house with things getting of with and not an ounce spare meat on his you except old age. Your heart's just tougher every year Buf I wanted him to live. bones. He'd always taken care of himself, about used up. and your arteries can't He was never any trouble, and the kids hadn't even had to wear glasses until he stand up to pressure. There's more, but liked him. and even May, my wife, said he was 80-something. The old boy had that's the most important part." was nice to talk to. worked for 50 years, until they retired him at "Can you replace anything. Doc?" Well, he didn't pay any attention to my with pretty age 65 a generous pension Grandfather wanted to know. Faustus talk, which I guess was about what

considering that he had been a second- Doc Saunders shook his head. "Put in a it was worth. He sat with his chin on his fist grade comptometer operator With the new heart, and it'd blow out your arteries. and thought. He must have thought for ten pension and social security and what he'd Patch and mend your arteries, and your full minutes. And' then he looked up and saved. pull lungs couldn't Grandfather was able to his oxygenate the blood flow. blinked, like he was a little surprised I was

own weight and not be a burden to the rest Do something about that, and your kidneys still there.

of us, which was lucky since we were barely would declare a holiday. Fact is. your whole "Sonny." he asked, "how old is Arthur afloat, monetarily speaking, internal system is just plain worn out." Rockefeller?" old just lay apart- The boy around the Grandfather nodded. He read the Daily "One hundred and thirty or so." I said. ment for a while, sleeping late and watch- News every morning. He knew about this "He's in his third body."

ing television. He always -made his own stuff, 'And how old is Eustis Morgan Hunt?"

meals, and he always washed up after- "What should I do?" he asked, "Must be about the same age." wards. Afternoons he went down to the "Get a new body." Saunders said. 'And Blaise Eisenhower?"

park and sat with some other old-timers. Grandfather thought it over. "Well, by "Must be a good 175. He's gone through Then home to bed. He was very good with God." he said, "maybe a man my age four bodies."

our kids; on Sundays he'd take them to ought to be ready to die; but I'm not Still too 'And Morris Mellon?"

Sheepshead Bay. and they'd walk along many things to look at. you know what I 'Around 210. 220. But what's that got to the shore and look for nose cones. He went mean? Sure, I'm ready to put on a new do with anything?" ." tishing, too, just to pass the time; and once ootiy But the money, . . He gave me a pitying look. "The poor are

he caught asand shark, though how it got "That's the problem," Saunders said. like children. It takes them nearly a hundred close to shore through all the garbage and "Medicare doesn't handle corpus re- years just to grow up. and then they still chemical junk is beyond me. We boiled it placement, you know" can't do anything because they're dying. up for a couple of days and ate it, and it "I know." Grandfather said sadly. But the rich can try to live forever." wasn't bad if you used enough ketchup. "Could you meet the price?" He didn't say anything for a while. Then But the old guy was getting bored. He'd "Don't see how." Grandfather said. he spit into the street, got up. and went worked for 50 years, and he simply didn't For the next couple of days Grandfather inside to the apartment. It was time for his know how to retire gracefully. He moped sat on the curb near our apartment and favorite afternoon show around for a while, then made up his mind thought. It wasn't too nice for him" there. The out looking for kids would after and went a job. come by school and shout I don't know how or where he got the Weil, of course, that was just plain silly at him. "Die, old man. why don't you die? money Maybe he had savings tucked and we told him so. Man of 40 can't find Selfish old bastard using up air and food away, or maybe he went to New Jersey and anything these days, much less a man of and water. Lousy old pervert, why can't you held up a candy store, Your guess is as die decent 70. which was Grandfather's age at the like old men are supposed to good as mine. All I know is three days later time. But he went on trying. He'd wake up do? Die. die, greedy son-of-a-bitch. die!." he came up to me and said, "Johnny, let's

I every morninc. and-ekeh s longevity serum When heard about that I swore I was go body shopping." prescribed the going out there with stick by Medicare people, wash a and raise some "Body dreaming, you mean." I said. and shave, and off he'd go. welts. But Grandfather wouldn't allow it. "Shopping." he said again and showed He didn't find a thing, of course, and "They're just repeating what their parents me 380 dollars in his list. And ne wouldn't finally he had to swallow his pride and rent say." he told me. "There's no harm in a child, tell me where he got it, either —me, his own a job as a garbage sorter's assistant. It no more than in a parrot. And besides, grandson who's going to need a new body didn't cos! him much, which was lucky be- they're right: probably I should die." one of these days.

cause he didn't have much. But he could "Now don't start that." I said. So we went body shopping. never get used lo the idea of "Die. die." I paying money Grandfather said, "Hell. I've Senator, guess you know how it is with every in order to day work when the gov- been worthless for 30 years, and if I had an the poor. Everything costs more and is not ernment willing to to not work. was pay him ounce of guts I damned well would die. and as good. When you are poor like us you "It's a useful job, and I do it damned well." good riddance to me!" don't want to go downtown to Saks's Body he used to tell us. "Why in God's name must "That's crazy talk." I'd tell him, "What do Shop, for example, or Lord & Taylor's Relife

Ipay in order I to work a useful job do well?" you think lhaf longevity stuff is for if they Center. You figure they'll laugh at you or As if that had anything to do with it. meant ior old men to die?" arrest you for loitering, You simply don't Well, he held that job or others like it for "Maybe they made a mistake." he'd say. shop there. You shop in your neighborhood. nearly years. in- 20 But then someone "Like hell they did," I came back. "They In o.ur case, that means that we bring our vented self-consuming garbage, and my taught me in school that people have been' business to Dapper Dan's Living Models grandfather and a lot of other men were out aiming for long-life for hundreds and hun- store, which is located at 103rd Street and of work. Grandfather was about 90 now, dreds of years. You've heard of Dr, Faustus. Broadway. I'm not trying to get that com- and he still had lot of useful a ideas about haven't you?" pany into trouble, It just happens to be jobs. But he wasn't feeling well. This was "Famous Austrian doctor, wasn't he?" .vie re we went. "

Maybe you've read what those places to a dog-fight. There really ought to be a law But that brings me to the second reason

1 ate like. Plenty of neon, three or four good- against selling that sort of thing— lopsided I've written you. I've been talking it ove with looking bodies in the window, junk inside. bodies with chewed ears, bodies still my buddies. Senator, and we all agree that Always a couple of salesmen in sharp suits bloody, with a new heart sewed in quick, my grandfather and all the rest of the poor telling jokes on the videophone. These lab bodies that hadn't worked oui. bodies have been conned cng enough. This Gold- ^ salesmen must sell to each other because assembled out of parts found at wrecks en Age is not so nice for people like us. It's bodies wiih i never see anyone else in there. and other disasters, suicides' not that we want anything so much: we just We walked in and started looking over the wrists taped and a couple of quarts of can't goon knowing that other people have Ihe goods. One of the salesmen came drift- new blood pumped in. lepers' bodies with privileges — like long-life — that we don't ing over, nice and easy, smiling while he flesh-tone plastic sprayed over the- sores. have. We iigure that that stuff has gone on

was still 50 feel away. We hadn't been expecting the retreads long enough. "Looking for a nice body?" he asked. to be pretty but we hadn't expected any- We've decided that if you and the other

-No. just looking for a fourth for bridge." thing like this, either. I thought Grandfather people in power don't do something about

told him. was going to turn around and march out of it. then we're going to. The time has come to. his a He laughed. I was a very witty fellow lhai store. But he didn't. Shaking head take a stand. going declare war. "Take your time." he said. "Bui if there is little, he picked out a pretty good-looking We're to anything specific — synthetic with an extruded arm and a leg You may think this is sort of sudden. sur- it Senator. But it isn't, really. You'd be "How much is that one?" Grandfather missing . God knows was no beauty, but at think- i! it prised many people nave been asked. least it didn't look as had just been how sort of thing. But each of us "I see thai you're a man of taste." the pulled out of a train wreck. ing about this like alone that every- salesman said. "That is our Elon model- "I might be interested in something has thought we were and satisfied. And now we learn part of General Dynamics's new spring this." Grandfather said cautiously. one else was lot of have been thinking line. The Eton is six feet tall, 170 pounds, "You have a good eye for merchandise." that a hell of a us Grandfather and reflexes rated AA. All its organs have re- the salesman told him. "It just so happens the same thoughts as burn about it. ceived the Good Housekeeping seal of that this little number will outperform a lot of doing a slow approval. General Clay Baxter occupies a the high-price new jobs." Before this, we didn't know what to do,

brain "It looks sickly." Grandfather said. Now we do know. modified Eton . did you know that? The and we and nervous system are by Dynaco and "Not a chance! This is a prime corpus, We are simple men. Senator, big thinkers among us. We have been rated a 'best buy' by Consumer my dear sir. and it comes complete with don't have any Queries, Sculpturewise, this particular reconditioned heart, extractor-type lungs, figure that all men ought to be roughly are model came out very nicely— notice the heavy-duty liver, and enriched glands. This equal. And we understand that no laws facial flesh tones and the crinkly laugh lines model comes with four kidneys as standard going to do thai. So our program is to kill rich guys. Do around the eyes, You don't always get that . equipment, a double-insulated stomach, with entirely. sort of detail." and two hundred feet of Armour's finest away them

of sir?" That may notsound very constructive , as "How much is it?" Grandfather asked. intestine. What do you think that, . said. the tv says. But to us it looks simple, "I forgot to mention, it comes with a ten- "Well. I don't know." Grandfather year guarantee on parts and labor backed But the salesman knew, It took about fif- straightforward, and we think it'll be effec- by a Good Housekeeping seal of ap- teen minutes for him to sell the lopsided tive. proval." body to my grandfather. We're going lo kill the rich when and how "How much?" You get a one-month guarantee on re- we can. And we're not going to discrimi- either. care how the money "Well, sir, this week we're having our an- treads. My grandfather got into it the follow- nate, We don't

what he uses it for. We'll kill nual clearance sale. Solely because of ing day. and it lasted him three weeks. Then was made, nor for heart to and flutter, one labor leaders as well as bankers, high- thai. I can let you have this number the began race eighteen thousand nine hundred dollars, kidney shut down completely, and the other class criminals as well as big-deal oil men, lot twelve percent off list." three only worked part-time. A lung patch We'll kill anyone and everyone who has a Grandfather shook his head. "Do you ac- blew out, the intestines started leaking, more than we do. We'll kill until the rich are them, or until all tually expect to sell that thing up here?" and the liver began td shrink. like us. or we're like we kill people "You'd be surprised." the salesman told Grandfather is in bed now. and Doc meet in the middle, We'll our own thing, too. we'll him, "Sometimes a man hits it on the num- Saunders says it's a day-to-day thing. The if they profit off of this And bers or comes into an inheritance-" company won't make good on the body. sure as hell kill senators and congressmen, "For eighteen grand it'd pay me to die," They got some pretty nifty clauses in that too. help it I my my grandfather said. "You got anything contract of theirs, and our block legal ad- So there is. Senator. hope you it'll that maybe cheaper?" visor says we could fight it in the courts for grandfather. If you do. mean The salesman had plenty of cheaper ten years and not be sure of the outcome. you see things our way. and we'll be glad to give models. There was a Renault-Bofors And in the meantime. Grandfather would put you on the deferred list and you 'Hornbre' for S10.000 and a Socony-GM be dead. three weeks to get rid of the wealth you've 'Everyman' for $6500. There was a Union So I'm writing to you first and primarily, been able to accumulate. Carbide-Chrysler 'Go-Man' with plastic Senator, to ask you to do something about You know where to reach my grandfather. hair and glass eyes for $2200 and a Texas this quick, while there's still time. My grand- Me. you can't reach at all. However this dropping out oi sight. Don't Instrument 'Veracruzano' without voicebox. father says that all I'll get from you is a form thing goes. I'm gyrocenter. or protein conversion unit for letter or maybe even a real letter from your bother- looking for me. $1695. secretary expressing regret at your inability Remember— there's a hell of a lot more that you'll of than there are of you. We've never "Hell I wasn't interested in a new syn- to rectify this grievous wrong and us thetic, anyhow." Grandfather said. "You got probably mention how you've introduced or been able to bring this thing off before, my " in history a used-body department7 sponsored a bill before Congress that'll do grandfather tells me— never the hell, there's to "Yes sir we do." something about it if it ever gets passed. of the world. But what the got we'll "Then show me some good relreads." And all that crap. So I and Grandfather be a first time for everything. Maybe He took us into a back room where the expect he'll die because he 'hadn't the even make it this time: pull down your Gold- bodies were stacked against the wall like price of a decent body, and nobody will do en Age and build our own.

see it our way. cordwood. It was like one of those old-time anything about it. That's business as usual, I don't expect you'll So looking at you. Senator right down chamber of horror things, I mean, honestly, right? Isn't that what always happens to the here's —

you wouldn't have worn one of ihose bodies little people? the sights of a gun. DQ UNACCOMPANIED SONATA

He was an artist, so he had to be kept under close control

BY ORSON SCOTT CARD When Christian Haroldsen was six months Did. preliminary tests showed a predis- position toward rhythm and a keen awareness of pitch. There were other tests, of course, and many possible routes still open to him. But rhythm and pitch were the governing signs of his own private zodiac, and already the reinforcement began. Mr and Mrs. Haroldsen were provided wfth tapes of many kinds of sound and instructed to play them constantly, whether Christian was awake or asleep. When Christian Haroldsen was two years old, his seventh battery of tests pinpointed the path he would inevitably follow. His creativity was excep- tional; his curiosity, insatiable; his understanding of music, so intense that on top of all the tests was written "Prodigy." Prodigy was the word that took him from his parents' home to a house in deep deciduous forest where winter was savage and violent and summer, a briei, desperate eruption of green He grew up, cared tor by unsinging servants, and the only music he was allowed lo hear was bird song and wind song and the crackling ol winter wood; thunder and the faint cry of golden leaves as they broke free and tumbled to the earth; ram on the roof and the drip of water Irom icicles; the chatter of squirrels and the deep silence of snow falling on a moonless night. These sounds were Christian's only conscious music, He grew up with the symphonies of his early years only distant and impossible-to-retrieve memories. And so he learned to hear music in unmusical things— for he had to find music, even when there was none to find. He found that colors made sounds m his mind; Sunlight in summer was a blanng chord; moonlight in winter, a thin, mournful wail; new green in spring, a low murmur in almost (but not quite) random rhythms: !he fash of 3 red fox in the leaves, a gasp of sudden siartjement.

PAINTING BY EVELYN TAYLOR .

And learned to play all those he sounds you happy?" torbidden, I can't have my creativity pol- on his Instrument. In the world were violins, "Yes," Christian answered, and he was luted by hearing other musicians' work. trumpets, and clarinets, .as there had been telling the truth. His life was perfect, and he That would make me imitative and deriva- for centuries. Christian knew nothing of wouldn't change anything, not even the tive, instead of original."

that, Only his Instrument was available. It sweet sadness of the backs of the Listen- "Reciting," the man said. "You're just re-

was enough ers as they walked away at the end of his citing that. This is Bach's music." There Christian lived in one room in his house, songs. was reverence in his voice,

which he had to himself most of the time. Christian was seven years old, "I can't," Christian said. He had a bed (not too soft), a chair and And then the short man shook his head. FIRST MOVEM ENT table, .a silent machine that cleaned him ____ "You don't know You don't know what you're and his clothing, an electric light, For the third time and the short missing. I it man with But heard in your song when I The other room contained only his In- glasses and a strangely inappropriate came here years ago, Christian. You want

strument. It was a console with many keys mustache dared to wait in the underbrush this."

and strips and levers and bars, and when for Christian to come out. For the third time "It's forbidden," Christian answered, tor he touched any part of it, a sound came he was overcome by the beauty of the song to him the very fact that a man who knew an Every key out made a different sound; that had just ended, a mournful symphony act was forbidden still wanted to perform it every point on the strips made a different that made the short man with glasses feel was astounding, and he couldn't get past pitch; lever tone; every modified the every the pressure of the leaves above him, even the novelty of it to realize that some action bar altered the structure of the sound. though it was summer and they had months was expected of him. When he first came to the house, Chris- left before they would fall. The fall was still There were footsteps, and words being tian played (as children will) with the In- inevitable, said Christian's song; through spoken in the distance, and the short man's strument, making strange and funny all their life the leaves hold within them the face became frightened. He ran at Chris- noises. It was his only playmate; he learned power to die, and that must color their life. tian, forced the recorder into his hands, it well, could produce any sound he wanted The short man with glasses wept— but then took off toward the gate of the pre- lo At first he delighted in loud, blaring serve. tones. Later to learn the pleasure he began Christian took the recorder and held it in of silences and rhythms. And soon he a spot of sunlight. coming through the began to play with soft and loud and to play leaves.. It gleamed dully. "Bach," Christian two sounds at once and to change those said. Then, "Who the hell is Bach?" •"You have broken the law. You two sounds together to make a new sound But he didn't throw the recorder down. and to play again a sequence of sounds he were put here because Nor did he give the recorder to the woman had played before. you were a genius, creating who came to ask him what the short man Gradually, the sounds of the forest out- with glasses had stayed for, "He stayed for side his house found their way into the new things with only at least ten minutes." music he played. He learned to make nature for your inspiration. "I only saw him for thirty seconds," Chris- winds sing -through his Instrument; he '.'ari answered.

. learned to make summer one ol the songs Now , , you're 'And?' play at will. with its infinite he could . Green derivative. . . You'll have "He wanted me to hear some other variations was his most subtle harmony; the music. He had a recorder." to leave."} birds cried out from his Instrument with all "Did he give it to you?" the passion of Christian's loneliness. "No," Christian said. "Doesn't he still And the word spread to the licensed Lis- have it?" teners; "He must have dropped it in the woods."

"There's a new sound north of here, east "He said it was Bach." of here: Christian Harqldsen, and he'll tear when the song ended and the other Listen- "It's forbidden. That's all you need to out your heart with his songs." ers moved away, he hid in the brush and know. If you should find the recorder, Chris- The Listeners came, a few to whom vari- waited. tian, you know the law" ety was everything first, then those to whom This time his wait was rewarded, Chris- "I'll give it to you." novelty and vogue mattered most, and at tian came out of his house, walked among She looked at him carefully, "You know last those who valued beauty and passion the trees, and came toward where the short what would happen if you listened to such a above everything else. They came and man with glasses waited. The man admired thing." stayed out in Christian's woods and lis- the easy, unpostured way that Christian Christian nodded. tened as. his music was played through walked. The composer looked to be about "Very well. We'll be looking for it, too. I'll perfect speakers on the roof of his house. thirty, yet there was something childish in see you tomorrow, Christian. And next time When the music stopped and Christian the way he looked around him, the way his somebody stays after, don't talk to him. Just came out of his house, he could see the walk was aimless and prone to stop so he come back in and lock the doors."

Listeners moving away. He asked and was would just touch (and not break) a fallen "I'll do that," Christian said. told why they came; he marveled that the twig with his bare toes. There was a summer rainstorm that things he did for love on his Instrument "Christian," said the short man with night, wind and rain and thunder, and could be of interest to other people. glasses. Christian found that he could not sleep. Not He felt, strangely, even more lonely to Christian turned, startled. In all these because of the music of the weather—he'd know that he could sing to the Listeners years, no Listener had ever spoken to him. slept through a thousand such storms. It and yet never be able to hear their songs. It was forbidden, Christian knew the law was the recorder that lay against the wall "But they have no songs," said the "It's forbidden," Christian said. behind the Instrument. Christian had lived woman who came to bring him food every "Here," the short man with glasses said, ior nearly thirty years surrounded only by ' day. "They are Listeners. You are a Maker. holding out a small black object. this wild, beautiful place and the music he You have they listen." songs, and "What is if" himself made. But now . .

"Why?" asked Christian, innocently. The short man grimaced, "dust take it." Now he could not stop wondering. Who

The woman looked puzzled. "Because Push the button and it plays." was Bach? Who Is Bach? What is his that's what they want most to do. TheyVe "Plays?" music? How is it different from mine? Has been tested, they are happiest Lis- and as "Music." he discovered things that I don't know? teners. You are happiest as a Maker. Aren't Christian's .vice eyes opened "But that's What is his music? What is his music? " "

a bartender, and the What s his music? den to you. You may not sing. You may not But Joe was good him in the right kind of Wondering. Until dawn, when the storm play an instrument. You may not tap out a Watchers had put small was abating and the wind had died. Chris- rhythm. place. Not in a big city but in a town; a freeway, truck driv- tian got out of his bed, where he had not "Why not?" town just off the where ers often town not far from a large slept but only tossed back and forth all The Watcher shook his head, "The world came; a interesting things were nearby night, and took the recorder from its hiding is too perfect, tod at peace, too happy, for city, so that misfit broke the law to go to be talked about and worried about and place and played it. us to permit a who discontent. And if you biched about and loved. At first it sounded strange, like noise; about spreading Grill was, therefore, a nice odd sounds that had nothing to do with the make more music, Christian, you will be Joe's. Bar and drastically. Drastically."- place to come, and many people came sounds of Christian's life. But the patterns pursued there. fashionable people, and not were clear, and by the end of the recording, Christian nodded, and when the Watcher Not behind lonely people and friendly which was not even a halt-hour long, Chris- told him to come, he came, leaving drunks, but his Instru- in just the right mixture, "My clients tian had mastered the idea oi fugue, and the house and the woods and people drink, Just enough of this the sound of the harpsichord preyed on his ment. At first he took it calmly, as the inevi- are like a good mind. table punishment for his infraction; but he and that to make a new flavor that tastes of or of what better than any of the ingredients." Oh, Joe Yet he knew that if he let these things had little concept punishment, would mean. poet; he a poet of alcohol, and show up in his music, he would be discov- exile from his Instrument was a was he ered. So he did not try a fugue. He did not Within five hours he was shouting and like many another person these days, him, father a lawyer and in atlempt to imitate the harpsichord's sound. striking out at anyone who came near often said, "My was probably 1 would have ended And every night he listened to the record- because his fingers craved the touch of the the old days

1 never would have ing, learning more and more until finally the Instrument's keys and levers and strips and up a lawyer, too. And Watcher came. bars, and he could not have them, and now known what I was missing." good The Watcher was blind, and a dog led he knew that he had never been lonely be- Joe was right. And he was a damn wish he were any- him. He came to the door, and because he fore. bartender, and ha didn't thing else, happy. was a Watcher, the door opened for him so he was however, a in, without his even knocking. One night, new man came with doughnut delivery truck and a "Christian Haroldsen, where is the re- a man a his uniform. Joe corder?" the Watcher asked. doughnut brand name on the "Recorder?" Christian asked, then knew noticed him because silence clung to iOnce, went to the piano Joe man like a smell—wherever he walked, it was hopeless. So he took the machine people sensed it, and though they scarcely and gave it to the Watcher. and lifted the lid looked at him, they lowered their voices or "Oh, Christian," said the Watcher, and his and played every key on the at all, and they got reflec- voice was mild and sorrowful. "Why didn't stopped talking piano. And when tive and looked at the walls and the mirror you turn it in without listening to it?" behind the bar. The doughnut deliveryman "I meant to," Christian said. "But how did he had done that he put his watered-down you know?" sat in a corner and had a head down on long "Because suddenly there are no fugues drink that meant he intended to stay a his alcohol intake to be . . didn't want . It time and in your work. Sucder y your songs have lost the piano and cried. was leave early. the only Bach-like thing about them. And so rapid that he was forced to like . . . losing his bar.? people, and he you've stopped experimenting with new Joe noticed things about looking the sounds. What were you trying to avoid?" noticed thai this man kept off in stood. It "This," Christian said, and he sal down dark corner where the piano was old, out-of-tune monstrosity from the old and on his first try duplicated the sound of an long the harpsichord. days (for this had been a bar for a wondered the man was "Yet you've "never tried to do that until now, It took six mcnt'is before no was ready for time), and Joe why it. custom- have you?" normal life. And when he left the Retraining fascinated by True, a lot of Joe's

it interested, but they had al- "I thought you'd notice." Center (a small building, because was so ers had been "Fugues and harpischord. the two things rarely used), he looked tired and years ways walked over and plunked on the keys. the you noticed first— and the only things you older, and he didn't smile at anyone. He trying to find a melody, failing with out This didn't absorb into your music. All your other became a delivery-truck driver, because of-tune keys, and finally giving up. = afra:c c :t>e songs for these last weeks have been tinted the tests said that this was a job that would man, however; seemed almost and colored and influenced by Bach. Ex- least grieve him and least remind him of his piano, and didn't go near it. cept that there was no fugue, and there was loss and most engage his few remaining At closing time, the man was stiii ttsere. making the no harpsichord, You have broken the law. aptitudes and interests. and, on a whim, instead of man music, You were put here because you were a He delivered doughnuts to grocery leave, Joe turned oft the piped-*) genius, creating new things with only na- stores. turned off most of the lights, and wrem ma ture for your inspiration. Now, of course, And at night he discovered the mysteries and lifted the lid and exposed the gray the you're derivative, and truly new creation is of alcohol; and the alcohol and keys. o\e*" id tre paano. impossible for you. You'll have to leave." doughnuts and the truck and his dreams The deliveryman came in his tag satd He sal and "I know," Christian said, afraid, yet not were enough that he was, way, con- Chris, his name live The sound not really understanding what life outside his tent. He had no anger in him. He could touched a single key. was atl &ie keys one house would be like. the rest of his life, without bitterness. pretty. But the man touched in different "We'll train you for the kin'ds of jobs you He delivered fresh doughnuts and took by one and then touched them watched, won- can pursue now. You won't starve. You won't the stale ones away with him. orders, and all the time Joe intense about it. die of boredom. Bui because you broke the dering why the man was so SECOND MOVEMENT saud. law, one thing is forbidden to you now" "Chris," Joe "Music." "With a name like Joe," Joe always said, Chris tooted up at him.

"Not all music. There is music of a sort, "I had to open a bar and grill, just so I could Do you know any songs?' Christian, that the common people, the put up a sign saying 'Joe's Bar and Grill.' Chris's face went funny. ones who aren't Listeners, can have. Radio And he laughed and la'.ghcd, because, "i mean, some of those old-time songs. and television and record music, But live after all, Joe's Bar and Grill was a funny not those fancy ass-twitchers on the radio. music and new music — those are forbid- name these days. but songs. 'In a Little Spanish Town. My mother sang that one to me." And Joe gers, ignoring the strictures of the twelve- idea of getting rid of the piano, but the began to sing, "In a little Spanish town, tone scale, played, it seemed to Joe, in the customers would have been angry at him, 'twas on a night like this. Stars were peek- cracks. He thought of asking Chris not to come any a-booing down, 'twas on a night like this." None of the customers left until Chris more, but he could not bring himself to Chris began to play as Joe's weak and finished an hour and a half later. They all speak to the strange, silent man, toneless baritone went on with the sang. shared that final drink and went home, And so finally he did what he knew he But his playing wasn't an accompaniment, shaken by the experience. should have done_ in the first place. He not anything Joe could call an accompan- The next night Chris came again, and the called the Watchers. iment. It was, instead, an opponent to his next, and the next.. Whatever private battle They came in the middle of a perform- melody, an enemy to it, and the sounds had kept him away for the first few days ance, a blind Watcher with a dog on a coming out of the piano were strange and after his first night of playing, he had ap- leash, and an earless Watcher who walked unharmonious and, by God, beautiful. Joe parently won it or lost it. None of Joe's busi- unsteadily, holding on to things for balance. stopped singing and listened. For two ness. What Joe cared about was the fact They came in the middle of a song and did

listened, it hours he and when was over he that when Chris played the piano, it did not wait for it to end. They walked to the soberly poured the man a drink and poured things to him that music had never done, piano and closed the lid gently, and Chris one for himself and clinked glasses with and he wanted it. withdrew his fingers and looked at the

Chris the doughnut deliveryman who could The customers apparently wanted it, too. closed lid. take that rotten old piano and make the Near closing time people began showing "Oh, Christian," said the man with the damn thing sing. up, apparently just to hear Chris play. Joe seelng-eye dog.

Three nights later, Chris came back, look- began starting the piano music earlier and "I'm sorry," Christian answered. "I tried, ing harried and afraid. But this time Joe earlier, and he had to discontinue the free not to."

knew what would happen (had to happen), drinks after the playing, because there "Oh, Christian, how can I bear doing to and instead of waiting until closing time, were so many people ii would have put him you what must be done?"

Joe turned off the piped-in music ten min- out of business. "Do it," Christian said. utes early. Chris looked up at him plead- It went on for two long, strange months. And so the man with no ears took a laser ingly. Joe misunderstood— he went over The delivery van pulled up outside, and knife from his coat pocket and cut off Chris- and lifted the lid to the keyboard and people stood aside for Chris to enter, No tian's fingers and thumbs, right where they smiled. Chris walked stilt y perhaps reluc- one said anything to him. No one said any- rooted into his hands. The laser cauterized tantly, to the stool and all, sat. thing at but everyone waited until he and sterilized the wound even as it cut, but "Hey Joe," one of the last five customers began to play the piano. He drank nothing still some blood spattered on Christian's shouted, "closing early?" at all. Just played, And between songs the uniform. And, his hands now meaningless Joe didn't answer. Just watched as Chris hundreds ot people in Joe's Bar and Grill palms and useless knuckles, Christian began to play. No preliminaries this time; no ate and drank. stood and walked out of Joe's Bar and Grill. scales and wanderings over the keys. Just But the merriment was gone. The laugh- The people made way for him again, and power and the piano was played as pianos ter and the chatter and the camaraderie they listened intently as the blind Watcher aren't meant to be played; the bad notes, were missing, and after a while Joe grew said, "That was a man who broke the law the out-of-tune notes, were fit into the music tired of the music and wanted to have his and was forbidden to be a Maker. He broke so that they sounded right, and Chris's fin- bar back the way it was. He toyed with the the law a second time, and the law insists that he be stopped from breaking down the system that makes all of you so happy"

The people understood. It grieved them;

it made them uncomfortable for a tew hours, but once they had returned home to their exactly right homes and got back to their exactly right jobs, the sheer contentment of their lives overwhelmed their

momentary sorrow for Chris. Atler all, Chris

had broken the law. And it was the law that kept them all safe and happy Even Joe. Even Joe soon forgot Chris and his music. He knew he had done the right thing, He couldn't iigure out. though, why a man like Chris would have broken the law in the first place, or what law he would have broken. There wasn't a law in the world that wasn'l designed to make people happy—and there wasn't a law Joe could think of that he was even mildly interesled in breaking. Yet. Once, Joe went to the piano and lifted the lid and played every key on the piano. And when he had done that he put his head down on the piano and cried, because he knew that when Chris lost that piano, lost even his fingers so he could never play

again — it was like ^ce's losing his bar. And if Joe ever lost his bar his life wouldn't be worth living. As for Chris, someone else began coming to the bar driving the same doughnut delivery van, and no one ever saw Chris again in that part of the world. —

be! Never!" we're miles from any other human beings. TH IRD MOVEMENT our rnolh- He did not say it sadly. He said it fervently, You know us, Sugar. We swear on never I er's graves, every of us, that we'll "Oh, what a beautiful mornin'!" sang the confidently. "Here is where I belong! can one You're of us. road-crew man who had seen Oklahoma! sing to you who like to hear me sing! I can fell a soul. Why should we? one

I But sing, sing!' tour times in his home town, harmonize with you when feel a harmony dammit man, that Guil- "I can't," said. "Rock my soul in the bosom of Abra- in my heart. Bui don't be thinking Sugar ham!" sang, the road-crew man who had lermo is a great singer, because he's not!" "It isn't what God intended," said the learned to sing when his family got together It was an evening of honesly, and every man who believed". "We're all doing what with guitars. man there explained why it was he was we love best, and here you are, loving for "Lead, kindly light, amid the encircling happy on the road'crew and didn't wish to music and not able lo sing a note. Sing gloom!" sang the road-crew man who be- be anywhere else. Everyone, that is, except us! Sing with us! And only you and us and lieved. Sugar. God will know!" But the road-crew man without hands, "Come on, Sugar. Aren't you happy They all promised. They all pleaded. who held the signs telling the traffic to Stop here?" And the next day as the man who loved "Love, or Go Slow, listened but never sang. Sugar smiled. "I'm happy. I like it here. Rogers and Hammerstein sang the "Whyn'tyou never sing?" asked the man This is good work for me. And I love to hear Look Away," Sugar began to hum. As who liked Rogers and Hammerstein; asked you sing." man who believed sang "God of Our Fa- thers," softly And as the all ot them, at one time or another. "Then why don't you sing with us?" Sugar sang along. And the man they called Sugar just Sugar shook his head. "I'm not a singer." man who loved folk songs sang, "Swing shrugged. "Don't feel like singin'," he'd say, Bui Guillermo looked at him knowingly Low, Sweet Chariot," Sugar joined in with a strange, piping voice, all the men when he said anything at all. "Not a singer, ha! Not a singer, A man with- and "Why they call him Sugar?" a new guy out hands who refuses to sing is not a man laughed and cheered and welcomed once asked. "He don't look sweet to me." who is not a singer. Hey?" Sugar's voice to the songs. And the man who believed said, "His "What the hell did that mean?" asked the Inevitably Sugar began inventing. First of strange harmonies initials are CH. Like the sugar. C & H, you man who sang folk songs. harmonies, course, know." And the new guy laughed. A stupid "It means that this man you call Sugar, that made Guillermo trown and then, afler a in, best joke, but the kind ot gag that makes life he's a fraud, Not a singer! Look at his while, grin as he joined sensing as easier on the road building crew. hands. All his fingers gone! Who is it who he could what Sugar was doing to the Not that life was that hard. For these men, cuts off men's fingers?" music. sing- too, had been tested, and they were in the The road crew didn't try to guess. There And after harmonies, Sugar began job that made them happiest. They took were many ways a man could lose fingers, ing his own melodies, with his own words. pride in the pain of sunburn and pulled and none of them were anyone's business. He made them repetitive, the words simple muscles, and the road growing long and "He loses his fingers because he breaks and the melodies simpler still. And yet he thin behind them was the most beautiful the law and the Watchers cut them off! shaped (hem into odd shapes and built thing in theworld. And so they sang all day That's how a man loses fingers. What was them into songs that had never been heard yet at their work, knowing that they could not he doing with his fingers thai the Watchers of before, that sounded wrong and were possibly be happier than ihey were this day. wanted him to stop? He was breaking the absolutely right. It was not long before the Except Sugar. law. wasn't he?" man who loved Rogers and Hammerstein Then Guillermo came. A short Mexican "Stop," Sugar said. and the man who sang folk songs and the who spoke with an accent, Guillermo told "It you want," Guillermo said, but the man who believed were learning Sugar's rig tnem joyously or mourn- everyone who asked, "I may come from others would not respect Sugar's privacy. songs and sine Sonora, but my heart belongs in Milano!" "Tell us," Ihey said. fully or angrily or gaily as they worked along And when anyone asked why (and often Sugar left the room. the road. when no one asked anything), he'd explain: "Tell us," and Guillermo told them. That Even Guillermo learned the songs, and "I'm an Italian tenor in a Mexican body," and Sugar must have been a Maker who broke his strong tenor was changed by them until his voice, after all, been ordi- he proved it by singing every note that Puc- the law and was forbidden to make music which had, cini and Verdi ever wrote. "Caruso was any more. The very thought that a Maker nary, became something unusual and fine. nothing," Guillermo boasted. "Listen to even a lawbreaker —was working on the Guillermo finally said tg Sugar one day, this!" road crew with them filled the men with "Hey, Sugar, your music is all wrong, man. nose! Hey. Guillermo had records, and he sang awe. Makers were rare, and they were the But I like the way it feels in my in along with them, and at work on the road most esteemed of men and women. you know? I like the way it teels my crew he'd join in with any man's song and "But why his lingers?" mouth!"

harmonize with it or sing an obbligato high "Because," Guillermo said, "he must Some of the songs were hymns: "Keep above the melody, a soaring tenor thai took have tried to make music again aiterward. me hungry, Lord," Sugar sang, and the the roof off his head and tilled the clouds. "I And when you break the law a second time, road crew sang it too. "Put can sing," Guillermo would say, and soon the power to break it a third time is taken Some of the songs were love songs: the other road-crew men answered, "Damn away from you." Guillermo spoke seriously, your hands in someone else's pockets." in right, Guillermo! Sing it again!" and so to the road-crew men Sugar's story Sugar sang angrily; "I heaf your voice the But one night Guillermo was honest and sounded as majestic and terrible as an op- morning," Sugar sang tenderly: "Is it sum- road told the truth, 'Ah, my friends, I'm no era. They crowded into Sugar's room and mer yet?" Sugar sang sadly, and the singer." found the man staring at the wall. crew sang them. loo. tfie road crew "Whaf do you mean? Of course you are!" "Sugar, is it true?" asked the man who Over. the months, came the unanimous answer. loved Rogers and Hammerstein. changed, one man leaving on Wednesday "Nonsense!" Guillermo cried, his voice "Were you a Maker?" asked the man who and a new man taking nis place on Thurs- day, as different skills were needed in dif- theatrical. "If I am this great singer, why do believed. silent each you never see me going off to record "Yes," Sugar said, ferent places. Sugar was when given songs? Hey? This is a great singer? Non- "But Sugar," the man who believed said, newcomer arrived, until the man had sense! Great singers Ihey raise to be great "God can't mean for a man lo stop making his word and the secret was sure to be kept. finally the singers. I'm just a man who loves to sing but music, even if he broke the law." What deslroyed Sugar was has no talent! I'm a man who loves to work Sugar smiled. "No one asked God." fact that his songs were so unforgettable. on the road crew with men like you and sing "Sugar," Guillermo finally said, "There The men who left would s'ng the songs with of us, their new crews, and those crews would his guts out, but in the opera I could never are nine of us on the crew, nine and learn Them and teach Ihem to others. Crew came out. Just a hiss of air. "No." found few doors closed to him. He wan- men taught the songs in bars and on the "Yes," the Watcher said. dered where in his former lives he had once road; people learned them quickly and The road crew watched silently as the lived. A road in the mountains, A city where loved Ihem; and one day a blind Watcher Watcher led Christian away. They did not he had once known the loading entrance ol heard the songs and knew, instantly, who sing lor days. But then Guillermo iorgot his every restaurant and coffee shop and had first sung them. They were Christian grief one day and sang an aria from La grocery store. And, at last, a place in the Haroldsen's music, because in those Boheme, and the songs went on from there. woods where a house was falling apart in melodies, simple of as they were, the wind Now and then they sang one of Sugar's the weather because it had not been used the north woods still whistled and the tall of songs, because the songs could not be in forty years. leaves still hung oppressively over every forgotten. Christian was old. The thunder roared, note and and the Watcher sighed. In the city, blind — He the Watcher furnished and it only made him realize that it was took a specialized tool from his file ot tools Christian with a pad of paper and a pen. about to rain. All the old songs. All the old and boarded an airplane and flew to the Christian immediately gripped the pencil in songs, he mourned inside himself, more city closest to where a certain road crew the crease ot his palm and wrote: "What do because he couldn't remember them than

worked. And the blind l Watcher took a do now?" because he thought his life had been par- company car with a company driver up the The blind Watcher laughed. "Have we ticularly sad.

road, at of it, and the end where the road got a job for you! Oh, Christian, have we got As he sat in a coffee shop in a nearby was just beginning to swallow a strip of a job for you!" town to stay out of the rain, he heard four wilderness, he got out of the car and heard teenagers who played the guitar very badly singing. Heard a piping voice singing a APPLAUSE singing a song that he knew. It was a song song that made even an eyeless man In all the world there were only two dozen he had invented while the asphalt poured weep. Watchers. They were secretive men who on a hot summer day. The teenagers were "Christian," the Watcher said, and the supervised a system that needed little not musicians and certainly were not Mak- song stopped. supervision because it actually made ers. But they sang the song from their "You," said Christian. nearly everybody happy. It was a good sys- hearts, and even though the words were "Christian, even after you lost your fin- tem, but like even the most perfect ot ma- happy, the song made everyone who heard

gers?" chines, here and there it broke down. Here it cry, The other men didn't understand —all and there someone acted madly and dam- Christian wrote on the pad he always Guillermo. the other men, that is, except aged himself, and to protect everyone and carried, and showed his question to the "Watcher," said Guillermo. "Watcher, he the person himself, a Watcher had to notice boys. "Where did that song come from?" done no harm." the madness and go to fix it. "It's a Sugar song," the leader of the The Watcher smiled wryly. "No one said For many years the best of the Watchers group answered. "It's a song by Sugar" he did. But he broke the law. You, Guillermo, was a man with no fingers, a man with no Christian raised an eyebrow, making'a how would you like to work as a servant in a voice. He would come silently, wearing the shrugging motion. rich man's house? How would you like to be uniform that . named him with the only name "Sugar was a guy who worked on a road a bank teller?" he needed— Authority. And he would find crew and made up songs. He's dead now "Don't take me from the road crew, man." the kindest, easiest, yet most thorough way though," the boy answered. Guillermo said. of solving the problem and curing the mad- Christian smiled. Then he wrote (and the "It's the law that finds where people will ness and prese'v no. the system (hat made boys waited impatiently for this speechless be happy. But Christian Haroldsen broke the world, for the first time in history, a very old man to go away): 'Aren't you happy? the law And he's gone around ever since, good place to live. For practically every- Why sing sad songs?" making people hear music they were never one. The boys were at a loss for an answer. meant to hear." For there were still a few people—one or The leader spoke up, though, and said, Guillermo knew he had lost the battle two year each —who were caught in a cir- "Sure, I'm happy. I've got a good job, a girl I

before it began, but he couldn't stop him- cle ot their devising, could I own who neither like, and man, I couldn't ask for more. got

self. "Don't hurt him, man. I was meant to adjust to the nor it, system bear to harm my guitar. I got my songs. And my friends." hear his music. Swear to God, it's made me people who kept breaking the law despite And another boy said, "These songs happier." their knowledge that it would destroy them. aren't sad, mister. Sure, they make people The Watcher shook his head sadly. "Be Eventually, when the gentle maimings cry, but they aren't sad." honest, Guillermo. You're an honest man. and deprivations did not cure their mad- "Yeah," said another. "It's just that they His music's made you miserable, hasn't it? ness and set them back into the system, were written by a man who knows." You've got everything you could want in life, they were given uniforms, and they, too, Christian scribbled on his paper. "Knows and yet his music makes you sad. All the went out. Watching. what?" time, sad." The keys of power were placed in the "He just knows. Just knows, that's all." Guillermo tried to argue, but he was hon- hands of those who had most cause to hate And then the teenagers turned back to est, and he looked into his own heart. And the system they had to preserve. Were they their clumsy guitars and their young, un- he knew that the music was full of grief. sorrowful? trained voices, and Christian walked to the Even the happy songs mourned for some- "I am," Christian answered in the mo- door to leave because the rain had stopped thing; even the angry songs wept; even the ments when he dared to ask himself that and because he knew when to leave the love songs seemed to say that everything question. stage. He turned and bowed just a little dies and contentment is the most fleeting of In sorrow he did his duty. In sorrow he toward the singers. They didn't notice him,

things. Guillermo looked in his own heart, grew old. And finally the other Watchers, but their voices were all the applause he and all Sugar's music stared back up at who reverenced the silent man (for they needed. He left the ovation and went out- him; and Guillermo wept. knew he had once sung magnificent side where the leaves were just turning "Just don't hurt him, piease," Guillermo songs), told him he was free. "You've color and would soon, with a slight inaudi- cried. murmured as he served your time, "said the Watcher with no ble sound, break free and fall to the earth. "1 won't," the blind Watcher said. Then he legs, and he smiled. For a moment he thought he heard him- ' walked to Christian, who stood passively Christian raised an eyebrow as if to'say self singing. But it was just the last of the waiting, and he held the special tool up to "And?" wind, coasting madly through the wires Christian's throat. Christian gasped. "So wander." over the street. It was a frenzied song, and "No," Christian said, but the word only Christian wandered. He took off his uni- Christian thought he had recognized his formed with his lips and tongue. No sound form, but lackifio neiihftr money nor time he voice. 00

Mysteries of the miniscule seen through the eye of a scanning electron microscope- Science fact looking like science fiction BY SCOT MORRIS.

tree ant becomes a futuristic alien: marijuana-resin sacs ripe with hashish become Disneyesque mushrooms; typ- A ing paper looks like a nightmare road map. This is the miniature world ot David Scharf, whom Time called "the Ansel Adams of inner space" and whose photos Adams has described as "absolutely wonderful." Scharf's peephole is the scanning electron microscope (SEM). An electron beam re- places visible light (hence, there is no color involved) and scans every contour to produce a 3-D image entirely in focus and incredibly litelike. In part that's because Scharf's subjects are alive. Previously, most SEM photography was of subjects that were dead, dried, and coated with gold alloy. But Scharf has perfected ways of shooting living subjects temporarily immobilized in a vacuum. "I want my pictures to be an accurate representation ol life," he says. "I take great care to keep my specimens uninjured. Some are returned to my garden alive."

Clockwise from above: drug-secreting resin nodules of a female marijuana flower: paper, helxine budding flower and leaves: fiberglass fabric; a curved protuberance from the style of a hibiscus flower,

6 The heartbeat of a small animal can cause enough vibration to make photographing impossible. 3 • I'm extremely careful to keep my specimens uninjured; some are returned to my garden alive. ?

How does he get an insect to hold still while scanning him for seventy seconds per portrait? "The truth is, they don't all hold still. They tend to freeze in their tracks when the air is removed from the chamber, but many photos have been ruined by unpredicted The mere heartbeat of a small' animal can cause enough vibration of a limb to make photographing impossible." Though Scharl's pictures contain impressive information, they are intended primarily as visual studies. Composition, balance, detail, and beauty are what he looks for. His photos are scientific records second, works of art first. DO . .

was a minor incident at the polling station in Si There Tropez that year, nothing serious, merely another case of an inebriated American, good for 3 laugh at the discos that evening after the votes had been counted, but a nuisance nevertheless to those authorities

who had to deal with it along with all the other problems of Election Day. "Nume/o 2871, Monsieur Goodman, Alexandre.' yelled the registrar, sitting behind the long table on which

rested the voting list, the piles of unused ballots, and the ballot box itself, "Monsieur Goodman, Alexandre, numero 2871." cried the second official, making a note in a register and hand- ing a ballot to the red-faced, semi-dazed gentleman who stood before him dressed in bedraggled white linen. "Listen, you. ecoutez," enunciated Mr. Goodman with some difficulty (lunch aboard the dear Aga's yacht was always so tipsy making), "I wanna ballot in English, ya hear?" "Comment, Monsieur?"

it, veux voter en "I said I want, aw. the hell with ye anglais, comprenez?" "Mais, Monsieur, on n'est pas en Angleterre, on esl en France, replied the baffled registrar with a polite smile. mon vote," "Won, non, I mean oui, oui, je sais, je veux here Mr Goodman waved his ballot vigorously before the noses of the officials, "en anglais, pas francais, vous comprenez? C'est mon right. '.' An impatient murmur arose from those standing in line behind Mr. Goodman as the two officials conferred hastily. ." "Qu'est-ce qu'il dit? Son accent .

"Sije comprends bien, it veut qu'on lui donne un bulle- tin de vote traduit en americain'." "Mais tu rigolesi" "Mais non, c'est lui qui tigole' Attends, on va voir" Turning to Mr. Goodman, he said in that fluent Oxford- accented English that so many Frenchmen possess and yet are so loath to use, "You are indeed a French citizen,

stoutly. "Ten years "Course I am," replied Mr. Goodman now" "And you wish to cast a ballot paper en americain?" "Oui, 6ui, now you comprenez'." The mayor. twoagen(s de police, and a gendarme had been attracted by the noise. "Mais c'est impossible," pointed out the mayor, who prided himself on his grasp of Cartesian logic. "Vous efes en France, n'est-ce pas? Par definition, quoi. on vote en francais, vous voyez ce queje veux dire?" "Mais nonl" cried Mr. Goodman passionately. "In New York they got Spanish ballot, in California they got Spanish ballot, espagnol, savvy? It's their right, saver,

I all. AmericainF . espagnol. jus' wan' my rights, tha's

"II est fou," explained the mayor to the others. "Votez, espece de salaudl" shouted the gendarme, less tolerant of folly. "Won." replied Mr Goodman, folding his arms with dignity. blown; "II est fou,' agreed the gendarme. A whistle was brown khaki surged into the room; truncheons rose and carried ICEBACK fell; and presently Mr. Goodman's inert form was to Ihe rear of a small jeep, which roared away in a cloud of BY HAYFORD PEIRCE dust. He awoke some time later in the maison de fous of Nice, tightly swathed in a wet sheet, from which three "Give me your tired, your years later his lawyer would succeed in getting him re-

." leased for a probationary weekend. . . poor . . Russians?

PAINTING BY EVELYN TAYLOR " "

The two border-ua^ci agents of the Im- presidential supporter. "White man takem ated. As of today it consists of 51 percent

migration and Naturalization Service land belong Indian, n'est-ce pas?" and re- females, 47 percent males, 1 percent stared at each other glumly. verted to his customary lethargy. transsexuals, and 1 percent transvestites. "Going to lose that arm, Padillo?" "Gentlemen, please" implored the Pres- it is. furthermore, 8 percent biack, 26 per-

"Naw. only us wops know how to really ident. cent Hispanic, 1 percent Amerind, 2S per-

use knives. The doc says it'll take a couple "Gentlemen? Men?" cried Secretary of cent Catholic. 2 percent Jewish, 1 percent

months' therapy to get it working again and Enforcement of Women's Constitutionally Muslim, 4 percent lesbian, 6 percent gay,

it'll always be a little stiff, but, what the hell, Guaranteed Equality Eliza Heliogabalus, 11 percent bisexual, 14 percent hand- that oughta be okay for a desk job, right?" founder and national chaircreature of the icapped and mentally retarded, 7 percent

"A nice desk jot; sounds p'eity good to minority but powerful Le's Begin Perty criminal, 9 percent pacifist, 21 percent illit- me righl about now," said O'Hara, who lay "Gentlepersons." erate, and 100 percent unionized)" immobilized inthe hospital bed, connected "Touchy, touchy," muttered Rafael laPine. "Bravo," applauded Mr. laPine. to a collection of tubes, drains, and monitor- HEW, softo voce, to Ms, Heliogabalus. "Re- "An' how many ot dese bums is combat ing devices. "So what happened to those jected another ball transplant, dear?" ready?" inquired "Rocky Knucks" Kawolski mothering wetbacks that jjnped us? After "Dat still leave her wit' two more dan you, with professional interest, ." 'An favorable that shotgun started blasting . . ya fuckin' transveslite." explained Jeremy extremely ratio. Aside from Padillo scowled outlandishly. "Did you "Rocky Knucks" Kawo'ski. director of penal the 6,200 men in the missile submarines at

say wetback, you dumb mick?" sequestration and rehabilitation, "so let's all times, I sincerely believe that upon sev- O'Hara grinned weakly. "Excuse me, shut ya mout' arV listen to what da man has enty-two hours' notice, the armed forces of

commissioner. Illegal alien is what I meant to say, huh?" the United States of America could field to say." "Beast," muttered Mr laPine, turning for some 27,000 battle-ready combat troops!" 'Illegal alien!" sympathy to, and groping for the leg of, Ms. Haggleman blushed modestly. "And in "Well, pardon me all to hell, your honor Commerce Secretary Codfish Saltcnstall six weeks we could double that figure!" Undocumented worker" Winthrop —tall, dim, pinstriped, the token Mr, Kawolski nodded thoughtfully but "Worker?'' remained a man who demanded absolute

"Okay. Okay. I've got it. Probationary citi- certitude. His massive jaw swung majesti- zen. Undocumented probationary citizen. cally around to confront President Mar- Or they up- with while tinez. "You like have come a new one I mean dere ain't enough been in a coma?" guys in da army to defend da country, and £This is the most egalitarian "Nope, undocumented probationary dat's da end of da Republic?" he asked. citizens is what carved me up and gunned army ever created, it President Martinez gaped. "Why, what-

. you down, Don't hurt as much that way, consists of 51 percent femaies, ever gave you that idea? I was referring, of does it, O'Hara''" course, to the potential dangers of a mili- 47 percent males, "Only I laugh, when pal, only when I tary coup\" laugh." 1 percent transsexuals, 1 percent "Well, hold on to your sides then. This is Charlie "The Fighting Eskimo" Ruben- transvestites, 4 percent really going to break you up. The six guys stein, circuit judge tor the Twenty-seventh what did the carving have been released in lesbians, 6 percent gays, District, pouted dolefully "It's all over." he custody of their new citizen-sponsors, the 7 percent criminals.^ moaned, "the election is down the tubes. United Brotherhood of Sanitation Workers Me, an ex-judge at forty-two. And by a of Los Angeles. Their complaint sworn lousy two hundred votes. That's—what hurts, against us mentions little things like as- Maxie, two. hundred votes, just sault, battery, illegal use of force, unwar- "Pipe down, Charlie, I goita tell ya again ranted and unjustified stop and search, to stop your worrying? Your two hundred and there's about a dozen other charges WASP of President Martinez's Cabinet. votes will be coming in any moment now" pending before the court. The district di- "The end of the Republic?" repeated The campaign manager pulled his rum- rector is trying to get. them quashed, but he Welfare Payments Secretary Morgan pled jacket together, straightened his col-

doesn't know how good the chances are. Phipps DuPont, "As we know it, of course. In lar, and began to slick down his hair. "Get The UB swings a lotta weight, and there's, a what way?" presentable, Charlie boy, your victory lotta garbage cans up in LA needing to be "The army," snapped President Mar- speech will be coming up any moment emptied," tinez, glaring a: DoreriL-pSscetary Mildred now. "So it's our asses that swing, huh?" Haggleman. "But, Maxie," enunciated Charlie pon-

"It sure is, O'Hara, it sure is." "But surely," interjected Budget Director derously, "where are the votes going to Cyrus Openhand, "next year's defense come from? We already counted the gay "It is the end," announced President Mar- budget is some $950 billion?" vote, the graveyard vote, the anti-pot vote, tinez with gloomy foreboding, "of the Re- "Exactly," replied the President; "and do the Aaron Burr Society vote, the vegetarian public as we know it." you realize that with a budget of nearly a vote, the men's-liberation vote, and we're

"Oh yeah?" said Secretary of State trillion dollars a year, the entire armed still behind!" Richard XYZ. a study in ebony skepticism. forces personnel—Army Navy, Air Force, "Charlie," said Maxie gently "I'm gonna reparations "Our to Black Africa is bein' Marines, National Guard, and what have tell ya somepin: A lotta people don't like ya, paid on time, ain't they?" you— is currently 348,000 effectives? Total I But it don't matter, because that ballot box

"Humph!" snorted Attorney General This in a country of 300 million?" which they is carrying in and dumping on Ahmed El-Ali. "Under my our, your adminis- "On the other hand," pointed out Ms. the registrar's table over there and which tration, all political prisoners detained be- Heliogabalus, "it is an exceptionally well- they are now opening up and counting the cause of race, color, creed, or revolutionary equaiized army." ballots thereof, that ballot box is gonna give beliet have been released." "Extremely important," concurred you a landslide margin of a matfer of thirty "How exciting," drawled Labor Secretary Richard XYZ. or maybe even forty votes. Believe me, Antonelli languicly. "Without having to refer "Overriding consideration, even." SUg-' baby, the electorate of the Twenty -seventh

the question tomy er, 'family' I feel certain gested Ahmed El-Ali. District has declared its will, and Charlie that no union problems are about to arise.' "Figures, Ms. Secretary Haggleman?" Ruben-stein is the one they willed." "Ugh," concurred Interior Secretary "Certainly," she replied proudly, "It is the Charlie shook his head in battled awe. Chief Running Clubfoot, first and lasf a most egalitarian armed force ever cre- "But Maxie, we've courted every nut group " " " " " "

— from herG to the funny farm and was able to articulate that profound dis- agents and comrades lie slaughtered in

'Ah hah\" crowed Maxie. "I knew ya'd quiet which had been nibbling like a fox at a dozen countries." Vasily Pavlovich forget! his 'bosom for some minutes now. "But, pounded the table.

' "Forget? Forget what?" Maxie, doesn't that mean , . . like, these 'And finally, the United States surrounds with with cruise missiles, "The funny farm." retarded guys, couldn't they . . . you know, us submarines, "The funny farm?" have voted for the other guy?" with laser-armed satellites. Its dollar "Of course the funny farm." "For chrissake, Charlie," snarled Maxie, weakens, its economy groans, its morals "Maxie. Listen io me. What are you say- "who else would be dumb enough to vote decay, its will to survive atrophies, its army ing? Do you take me lor some kind of a for a schmuck like you? Now straighten ya is nearly nonex stent, t ;s clearly in the last ' NUT?" tie, here comes the TV camera." days of degeneracy. But." he thumped the

"Ssshhh." table anew, "still it survives. Clearly it is as " — certify 367 votes from the Sixteenth "Enough!" shouted the party secretary comparatively dangerous to the Soviet Ward, Sub-Division E, Polling Station Four. balefully "You will support me on this mea- Union as it was twenty years ago, There-

Seventeen votes for Sitka, Ihree hundred sure or— fore, I submit thai the tactics of fifty years of will struggle have been to no avail, and that we fifty votes for Rubenstein. The— winner in the "You have us shot, Dimitri An- — Twenty-seventh District is dreyevich?" smirked the director of state implement "That Resolution Six?" I goat-befouled "You, ya dummy. Now—" security. "No, comrade, I think speak on

"Polling Station Four is the funny farm?" behalf of the entire Politburo when I say that cried the minister of agriculture incredu- "Woodchopper State Hospital for the your heroic labors in aid of the glorious lously Mentally Retarded," said Maxie smugly. peoples of the Soviet Union have earned 'Ah," said the minister of consumer plan-

"That's it." you that so richly rewarding retirement from ning suavely, eager to expunge memories Charlie inhaled slowly and profoundly, the cares of the anti-imperialist struggle in of a trifling matter, recently discussed, of his eyes glazed. Suddenly he exhaled with the quiet calm of your beloved dacha on the some 54 million left shoes produced a whoosh. He broke into a maniacal grin. distant S:de of ne Ural Mountains." throughout the Soviet Union to the exclu- "Maxie," he cried, staggering Maxie with a sion of any rignt snoes whatsoever, "but ask gleeful thump between the shoulder yoursell this, dear Ivan Mikhailovich: By Resolution Six. blades, "now I get it. Wow I get it. You mean adopting and implementing like you had the fix in, and like the doctors what have we actually to lose?" "And of equal importance." concluded and the nurses and the orderlies and the Q The minister of consumer gardeners and the guards and all ot the the director of state security decisively, others that take care of the nuts—" planning was suave, "even if anything does go wrong, what, " — mentally retarded, Charlie—" eager to expunge memories of short of nuclear war, can they do to us?" " —and like, they're the ones that voted the trifling matter for me. Right, Maxie, isn't that right, "Fifteen years ago," said O'Hara, still at- Maxie?" of 54 million left shoes produced tached to his plumbing, "I got called Io "Wrong, Charlie. They all vote in their own testify in Orinda, the one that pulled the throughout the precincts, where they live, just like every- plug on the border patrol and let every Soviet Union, excluding any right of the border into the country one else. I mean like the mentally retarded greaser south nuts in the funny farm is who has just shoes whatsoever.^ and onto the payroll as easy as kiss my Irish reelected you the distinguished circuit— ass." judge for the glorious Twenty-seventh "You were? In Orinda?" marveled Padillo, The distinguished Judge could only who settled back to listen to the story for the sputter dozenth time. "Ya sound like a motorboat," said Maxie "Sure was. Doin' a sweep through the party sourly._ "Fa chrissake, they been doing it Somewhat later, after the former garment-factory section. Pulled in these six down in LA since 76 or 78, somepin like secretary had been conveyed discreetly guys couldn't speak a word of English. No that, ten, fifteen years now." from the room and was snugly ensconced ID, so off they go, Next thing we know, the "They have?" en route to his cozy one-roomed birch wood sweatshop employer and all the rest ot the "Sure they have. They get the hospital cabin deep in the trackless evergreen clothing manufacturers, the ACLU, the staffs to run voter-education plans, and forests to the east of Lake Baykal, the for- League ot Mexican Voters—and get this, the League of Women Voters comes in eign minister cleared his throat author- the unions, 'cause they're losing member- and conducts workshops, and they got itatively: ship all over the place and the union bosses judges and shrinks to certify that this one "Actually comrades, a certain, er, former figure they won't have no one to boss and that one suchlike moderately or mildly person's project might well be construed to around much longer— all of these charac- retarded patient is now deemed able to contain certain elements of interest. Let us ters decide to make this a test case. So

there I in court listening to their million- form, if ya see what I mean, an appropriate be blunt," he snapped sharply. "The Soviet am opinidn." A didactic finger jabbed the Union has not been so poorly off in relation dollar shyster defending these six scared Judge's breastbone painfully. "An' ihat's all to the rest of the world since the years be- Mexes what don't even understand what's it takes." fore the Great Patriotic War. going on."

'And this is legal? Not like getting out the "Consider: The European Common Mar- "Laid it on pretty thick, I hear" prompted graveyard vote?" ket is now the single most powerful eco- Padillo. trowel, pal. "Of course it's legal. Ain't they got their nomic force in the world: Our Warsaw Pact O'Hara snorted. "With a own constitutional rights just like you and allies are being drawn inexorably into its 'What right,' says he, 'by what right does me and all the rest of the distinguished orbit. Our eastern flank is threatened mili- this uniformed and brutal Gestapo seize voters of this great district?" tarily by the revisionist traitors and capital- and humiliate these poor innocent honest The Judge fell into deep and somber ists ot the Sino-Nippo'iese conspiracy. Our hard-working migrants? Possibly, it isn't thought. At last he uttered uncertainly, policy in black Africa is a shambles, good- proven, they crossed the border unknow- intentionally illegal I of it, is ingly certainly not in any "Yeah, I suppose now that think ruble after bad poured into a bottomless they're no dumber than anyone else that's cesspool. The Arabs have squandered tashion. Does this deny them the right to voting these days." Charlie's tone of voice their oil and are bankrupt; the Moslem ir- work, the right to live peacefully among did not carry absolute conviction. Another redentists have declared holy war against their families, the right to be free from attack long moment's anguished thought and he the Communist infidel, a million of our by jackbooted authority?'" O'Hara's lips 55 " . —

pursed bitterly at the memory. cans, a little light background music, The Judge strikes the whole thing off the 'And then?" maestro, and the case is hereby dis- record," he added sadly, "my one chance "And then our guy, he says, 'But, Your missed.' Pah!" for fame.

Honor, all these fine INS boys is doing is "See, "here I am up on the stand and this trying to uphold the law of the land, what The first elements of the invasion force lawyer is going at me pretty good, 'ge-

1 says that illegal i:"m grants s just thai, i.e., crossed the Bering Strait in mid-afternoon stapoing here and 'jackbooiing' there and illegal, donqha know? And viz, by definition of August 1 7 in three dilapidated unmarked all that, and finally he says, 'So let me ask therefore aren't supposed to come into this ground-effect machines. Leaving behind you, Officer, just w'hat it is when you see country and work, and bring their children the choppy gray waters that form the fifty- these here innocent brown faces that and wives, and sslabiisn residences, and tour-mile gap between the eastern* point of makes you think, Officer, that you have the go to schools, and'a million other things, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and right, Officer, to make these outrageous and all these overworked upstanding no- Cape Prince of Wales, the western tip of the and unconstitutional demands, that's what blelike officers is doing is asking these continental United States, the six men and the Court would like to know. Officer.' guys who are plainly illegal is if they have women in each craft heaved a sigh of relief "And he draws himself up and cocks an any ID to identity themselves. Not a pass- as the ear-splitting whine of the turbines ear at me and his snoot at the judge, who's port with an entry visa, mind you. and not changed pitch and the GEMs moved slug- eating this up, and gets ready for his next even a green card, Your Honor, and maybe gishly up the spume-tossed shingle and speech, since obviously this isn't a ques- not even something in English, but just into the heartland of the Seward Peninsula, tion wants any answering by some dumb plain anything for chrissakesl' Bypassing ;-ic i ny serJc-rnenls of Wales INS officer, and a mickto boot.

"Hey! Easy, pal, easy! You'll pull all your and Lost River a few miles to the south, the "So just as he gets his yap open again

plumbing out." three specially equipped long-range Arctic ready to start shooting another line, I holds "Yeah, so after a bil more of this, the GEMs were off on the seven hundred-mile up my hand and says, 'Just a minute here,' judge, who knows which side his bread is haul to the capital of the North Slope oil and this Beverly Hills shyster is so sur- buttered on, comes to his decision—name- fields, Prudhoe Bay. One would disappear prised since no one in thirty years has ever ly, that 'since by the appearance of things, forever with all hands aboard into, the told him to do that, he actually does hold it a , the defendants were doing nothing illegal depths of a snow crevasse, but the other minute. And everyone in the courtroom is

or suspicious or immoral or fattening, no- two would successfully navigate the myri- looking at me now, I 'mean rea//y looking, body on God's green earth, except maybe ad hazards of overland travel within the even the Mexes. like they're. just seeing me

outside this court's jurisdiction, has any Arctic Circle to reach their goal. . . for the first time, right whatsoever to ask them for any iden- "And 1 reach behind me and pull out my

tification whatsoever, merely because they 'And that was Orinda, huh?" wallet and I start to leaf through it, all those happen to look i Ke Mexicans and not like "Yup, and that was O'Hara himself in the credit card holders and photo holders, you

this big dumb Irishman what is sitting here, full flower of his youth up there on the wit- know, and after a while I pull out these two

since it still isn't illegal in this here glorious ness stand what got that son-of-a-bitching pieces of paper, and I sort of squint at them slate ol Calitornia or even in these here million-dollar shyster so mad he could like I never seen them before, and everyone glorious United States to look like Mexi- hardly decide whether to poop or blind, in the courtroom is craning forward so that

they can see what the hell it is I'm waving

around, and I says real puzzled like;

'"Well, Counselor,' I says, 'I'm just a poor country boy and not much education, and

I'm just a plain ol' US citizen, nothing special or fancy-like like these gentlemen over

here,' and I wave a hand in the direction of the Mexes, 'and right here I've got these two pieces of paper, and the first one, which is called — lemrne see, yes. it's written right up on top here Selective Service

System Notice of Classification , it says right here on the back: "You are required to have this notice, in addition to your registration certificate, on your person at all times." And hereon this other piece of paper (you might have guessed, Counselor, this one says Selective Service Sysisrri Registration Cer-

tificate), it says: "The law requires you to have this certificate in your personal pos-

session at all times for identification and to notify your local board of any change of address."

"Now by this time the shyster is jumpin' up and jumpin' down and hootin' and holler- in' and rantin' and ravin', and the Judge is pounding his gavel and I'm ignoring the

low-born bastards like I can't hear any of

this hoohah at all and I'm saying: 'And it

seems to me, Counselor, that if a native- born US citizen, who's got all his parents native-born US citizens, and all his grand- parents native-born US citizens, and this here US citizen is peaceful and law-abiding and pays his taxes and ups in the army when they tell him to and goes oft to get his ' " " " .

ass shot ofi in some stinking hole like Viet- knowingly. For chrisss

law, Counselor,' I shout, of cute little of capitalists like that, 'to carry this ID huh?" new. You ain't gonna believe it, I mean like

if . . around by law, and he don't the lederal "Well . what about those trailers where you just not gonna believe it." marshals can come and take this guy and they're staying? We can't have any guys "For chrissake, we're at war? No? Well, into jail, living there who might susceptible throw his ass a federal Counselor, — be to what is it?" then it seems to me that the United States charges of "Like we already got like forty million il-

Immigraiion and Naturalization Service has "Forget it! How many guys do you think legal Mexicans and Latin Americans and a right to ask (or a Utile ID from a bunch of are breaking their contracts and scram- Hispanics in this country, at least, right?"

guys what can't even speak English and ming out of this hell-hole every week? "Hey, Padillo! I work for the INS, re- at least trailers are about two hundred yards from the Mex- There's twenty vacant at any member? I said; What's new?" ican border and there's— a great big hole given time." 'And I'm telling you, O'Hara. I'm telling under the fence and "Humph! I feel certain that this gross ir- you the reason we. only got forty million "By now the judge has broken his gavel regularity should be reported to the illegal aliens or undocumented workers or he's banging so hard, and he's- yelling, proper—" unsomethinged citizens whatever they are, !' 'Bailiff I Bailiff! Bailiff I and the lawyer is just "Authorities?" snee-ec MacKensie, "The instead of maybe one hundred million, is sort of pop-eyec ana m..jtte' ng, 'Objection, government, huh? All this talk about how that the other sixty million has been made objection, objection,' and about half the the government should leave the oil com- citizens by executive order some seven, courtroom has burst into applause, and the panies alone, and now just because an oil eight years ago, am I right?" other half is looking around tor rocks to company wants to hire a couple of Diversi- "Well, does a bear poop in the woods, for fied throw at me, and, and, and . . . and I guess Entertainment Engineers we've gotta chrissake?" that was it." ask permission from Uncle Saphead? 'And it doesn't really make much differ- "Jeez. So then what happened?" Thai'sthespiritthat made John D. Rockefel- ence whether the other forty million are citi- "So then the judge chewed my ass and ler rich, is it?" zens or not, since they can live here and threatened to send me to jail for contempl "Okay, okay! But what about these six work here and not get kicked out of here, but didn't, and the supervisor chewed my men? That's another kettle of borscht. Or right?" ass, and the district director chewed my are there enough roughnecks of, an, re- "Right.," echoed O'Hara wearily. ass, and the commissioner, he flew out from fined appetites to propose—" "And since that last Supreme Court ruling Washington, and he chewed my ass, and "Come on, be serious, will ya? Four of they can now also vote here, even though that's why I'm forty-six years old and been these guys are roughnecks themselves, they're not citizens, 'the burden of absolute : in the same fio ci grace or ¥teen years now one's a cold-weather engineer, and the proof of nonnationality being the onus of and am lying in a hospital with a belly full of other's a petroleum geologist. And they all the registering official, rather than positive buckshol instead of sitting behind some speak English, a little funny, sure, but still proof of nationality being the responsibility desk and calling in the reporters to tell them English." of the voter.' Remember that. O'Hara?" ..." things like: 'We must stop picking on un- "You're suggesting "Why do you think I stopped voting? Why documented workers and start working "I'll tell you one thing, Boss, you won't do you think we got two Mexican senators harder !o help them qe: settled in this coun- have to pay them no union wages or union and twenty-seven Mexican congressmen

1 try benefits. They'll work anywhere for any- from' this state alone, six of which can't

"So that's what happened, PadiPo. Noth- thing, just so long as it ain't Siberia where speak English, but that don't matter no ing much at all." they been working." — more neither, since the Congressional "But you're a union Record is printed up in two languages so

"Send them back?" exclaimed the fore- "So screw the union," said MacKensie they tell me, sd's that President Martinez man. "Listen, Bailey, you try to send them expansively. "We're gettin' a bonus based and Chief Justice Guerrero don't have to broads back and there'll be a mutiny." on production, ain't we? And we're sd un- get out their dictionaries to find out what the

I'll "But" they're Russians, you idiot," cried dermanned up here go the rest of my braceros are up to over on The Hill. Yeah, I the production manager. North Slope Divi- hitch without gettin' any of that bonus remember all right, Padillo. But like I said, ." sion, of Octopus Oil Organization. money. Anyone who can . . ya dumb wop, what's new?" '

"But they're Russian broads, you dried- "Yes, I take your point.'" Running his "If you'd shut up for a minute. I'd tell ya! up old dodo, and they also happen to be hands through his thinning hair, Bailey It's not wetbacks we're chasing now, but Russian wfrore-type broads, and the boys gazed through the triple-glazed window at ice backs'! have got them set up in a couple of trailers the flurries of snowflakes whirling about "Icepacks?" echoed O'Hara blankly down in the living quarters and there's a outside and made his decision. "So how "\cebacks, dummy.- Illegal Russian three-day waiting list already." can it hurt things? And if you think it'll, help icebacks." ." ?" "In the trailers?" gasped the production morale and production. . "Did you say — O'Hara stopped as manager. "You just watch that oil start to pump, Mr. Padillo rocked back and began to shake "Well, where else? It's twenty-nine de- Bailey!" with laughter. Finally, he wiped his eyes. grees and snowing, or hadn't you noticed? "Humph." Bailey leaned forward. "Off the leaned forward, and tapped O'Hara on tne Now look, Bailey, let's be reasonable, shall record, MacKensie. You don't think there's shoulder. we? Just because there hasn't been any something just aleetle funny about the way "What I'm looking forward to," said Women up here in the fifteen years you little these characters just happen to turn up Padillo, "is seeing just how these hundreds old ladies been running things doesn't here? A trillion miles from nowhere?" of millions of Hispanic -Americans is gonna mean there'd never be no broads, does it?" "So where else would they go— join an deal with all these new Russian- "But they could be spies," said Bailey Eskimo village to help them chew whale Americans." dubiously. blubber''" "But where, for chrissake? It don't make "Spies! All you have to do is— er, shake "Humph," Bailey stood up. "All right, sense." hands with one of them to know they ain't no MacKensie. all right." As the. .foreman "In Alaska, of course, where else? The spies. Hell, man, you never saw such a began to bundle himself up, he added, Bering Sea, it's just like the Rio Grande. bunch of broads who know more about "Did you say three-day waiting list?" ain't it, only a little wider and a little colder. supply and demand and cash and carry They're wading across on ground-effect and all the rest of the capitalist system." "Hey, Padillo. still got your arm attached, I machines and snowmobiles and dogsleds MacKensie leaned forward and winked see. Next time you come by, these tubes'll and on snowshoes and skis, and they even " " .

drove a couple of army-ruck ioads across "Iceback case?" Be unfair, no more mayor winter." now It's "Sure. The feds are asking for a court If we vote, we'll change your coat. "But. but, but—" ..' order allowing them to round up those Hey, hey . "An' if they get caught, they say two Russkies that are working all over the "You hear that, sir?" things; they're fleeing One, the oppression place, That's what they're asking for at any "Er, yes, Inspector Before I, er, call the of tyranny; two, in communist and any rate, but I think they'd settle for just the right National Guard, how many did you say case, they're just returning to their ances- to ID them." were, en demonstrating?" tral lands where their old grandpappies "Well, I should hope nod" exclaimed "Oh, I'd say a good titty thousand spread made time with the papooses before the Maxie. "You let them bastards 'round up' over a six-block area."

wicked czar gave it away illegally to the those two Russkie maids we got working at 'And they all seem of, er, voting age?" imperialists." home and the old lady'll kill ya! And so will I, "Oh, yes, sir, all of voting age." "But—" not for (hough the same reason," he added "I see, I see. Tell me, Inspector Houlihan,

'And get this, O'Hara, every one oi these with a leer. do you think that Russians can, er, vote.

clowns is big, brawny, and just dying to go "Well, gee, Maxie, I know, they're awfully Houlihan?" to work for the oil companies and Ihe log- useful and all that, but there's an awful lot of "Gee, sir," said Houlihan in what he ging companies and the mining com- them around now you know, like maybe— a hoped was a soothing tone. "I think these panies and the fishing companies, and all hundred, two hundred thousand, and are maybe Alaskan-type naturalized Rus- the broads are young and beautiful and "Two hundred thousand?" echoed Maxie sians, but 1 guess you'd have to ask the city descended from White Russian princesses in wonderment. attorney about that. ..." " and either they're trying to screw every —and they say there's an awful lot of red-blooded Alaskan male to death or these big Russkies carrying guns, you "Has anyone noticed," inquired the chief they're trying to find work as housemaids know, not like hunting rif— operation officer of the walnut-paneled for room and board and a dollar a week." "Charlie boy," said Maxie, eyes peering boardroom of Octopus Oil Organization, "But that's an invasion, forchrissake!" rapturously into the future, "isn't one of the "that our entire Prudhoe Bay operation, in- "Of course it's an invasion, but if nobody deed, the entire Morth Slope fields and cares, then it ain't an invasion no more, is Alaskan pipeline, are now, for all practical it?" purposes, being manned and maintained O'Hara shook his head numbly. "Well, by some twenty thousand Russian work- how many are there?" ers?" Padillo shrugged. "Maybe a thousand, iWhy do you think "Huh?" said the chairman of the board, a maybe twenty thousand. How can you tell? retired general straight from the Joint You noticed many border patrols up in we got 27 Mexican congressmen Chiefs of Sta ; ", awak-ng w'th a snort. Alaska to keep Canadian Eskimos from from this state alone, "Well, really," frowned the president of sneaking across the border?" Triple O, wondering how soon he could de- six of whom can't speak English? "So what are the politicians doing about cently ask the steward to fetch a martini. it?" It's so President "You don't think it might be possible to Padillo grinned broadly. "Well now, Agent Martinez don't have to get out view such a situation as a kniieblade held O'Hara." he said, puncfuating his reply with at the jugular vein of Triple O, the rest of Ihe his dictionary.^ taps on the other's shoulder, "That kinda oil industry, and by extension the United depends on the politician, don't it?'" States of America?" The chairman gaped blankly while the "It's election time already?" wailed president reviewed the ancient olive-onion Judge Charlie "The Fighting Eskimo" controversy. Rubenstein. "Jeez, ii seems like only yes- "Well, leaving all these emotional-type lerday we were counting up the retard vote duties of judges naturalizing immigrants? issues to one side," interjected the vice- i and—" Yes?Tell me, Judge Rubenstein, how would president for public relations, "what's the "We're gonna have to be doing more than you like to become a United States senator bottom line?"

just counting the 'tard vote," said Maxie. in one easy election?" "Production is up 26 percent," replied "That's a gimmick that only works once: the VP for accounting (internal, confiden-

Those guys have gotten smart—they could "Look, Commissioner, I don't care tial) instantly. vote for anyone." whether you think I been drinking or not. I'm "Profits?" "Oof, So what are the chances, old telling ya there's fifty thousand Russkoffs "Up 32 percent on gross, 47 percent on Maxie?" staging a sit-in on—yeah, you guessed it, net." "Lousy Charlie, just plain lousy. It's like I Commissioner, Russian Hill. So what are "There's your bottom line, gentlemen," tol' ya a couple years ago; A lotta people you gonna do? said Public Relations with finality stilt don't like ya." they're "Well, where do ya think gonna "Does lhat mean a bigger dividend?" in- , The Judge lowered his ample chins sit, except in the street? Sure the traffic's quired the chairman with that charming against his pouter-pigeon breast in token of jammed up. from the Civic Center to the naivete which had caused his election to

profound . . thought, but was interrupted by a Golden Gate. . the boards of forty-seven major industrial tap on the chamber door and the court "Naw, they're peaceful all right, singin' concerns. calling, o'clock, recorder "Two Judge, and chantin' and wavin' banners. . . . Hold "Yes, sir, a much larger dividend." they're waiting on you." on, lemme look Yeah, they're all about "Well, that's good, isn't it?" beamed the "Sure, sure, be right there." Judge how California and San Francisco useta. general, "and surely what's good for Triple

Rubenstein climbed ponderously to his belong to ihe Russkies, and Fair Play for is good for the country. Isn't it?" feet, "Think on it, Maxie, think on it." Russo-Americans, and Give Us Back Rus-

Charlie," complained Hill. . . it it's "Jeez, Maxie, "we sian . Hold a minute, oh, himself "Ya know, Charlie," mused Maxie, "I been got important stuff to talk about, you gotta Ihe Mayor I'm talking to now is it?.Hold it, Mr.- thinkin'. Thinkin' about you bein' president, go out there and try some jaywalking ticket Mayor, they're chanting, something, .. Charlie." or somepin?" Yeah, listen, I'll repeat it: "President?" gasped the junior senator

"Yeah, I know what you mean, Maxie, but 'Hey, hey, vote our way. from Alaska, Charlie "The Fighting Eskimo" there's lots of reporters and like that out Vote a bill, for our Hill. Rubenstein. there. That Russian iceback case." Just beware, Mr. Mayor, "So why not?" asked Maxie reasonably. " " "

tial aspirations of The Fig "Look, we already got some fifty, sixty mil- Sergeyevich glumly. lion so-called undocumented probationary "in just three days the World Series'" The Great Northwest, "v. citizens, most of 'em Mexes, voting in the cried Daniel Danielovich. vote. I say. this court hold federal elections, right?" "My bonus, trip to Hawaii!" moaned Ka- "Right, Maxie." trina Varvarana. 'And you got yourself a natural constit- "Just when we'd found a school for the uency of maybe, a million Russkie-Ameri- kids with none of those disgraceful Eskimos cans back home, and maybe another live cluttering it up!" complained Alexsey million in California and the Northwest, Ivanovich. right? They oughta yote for ya, you're the "I think we had better think thrs over." lighting judge what showed 'em the way to whispered MiknaN N -;o:ayeyvich. citizenship, aren't ya?" "Very carefully, " grated his wife between "Sure, Maxie." clenched teeth. "Oh shut up, you blithering vert their previous status o' legally an: "So the next step, and it's only logical. fathead!" she yelled at the speaker. KGB to of il'egal aliens, illega Charlie, is to get the vote extended to all Colonel Yevgeny Fyodorovich Zhukovsky, being, i.e. that be'ng prec them other undocumented probationary who instantly fell silent from sheer as- ly in this country. There are numerous

Russkie-American cilizens what ain't yet tonishment. edents for this judgment, among them . got the opportunity to visit this glorious vote .by "Ohdear, oh dear, oh dear, "bleated Pres- "Comrades! It just came over the radio country of theirs, and what has to " ol ci; 1 absentee ballot back there in the old Moth- ident Martinez piteously. We've been deprived our zensmg erland! Like maybe three hundred million of "Capitalist tool," rejoined Defense Secre- "My house'' "My washing machine'" them I" tary Haggleman. "But, Maxie—" "Pig" hissed Ms. Heliogabalus.

'All they'd haveta do is mail in an absen- "Knock it off, ya fuckin' broads," ad- tee ballot, like millions of other overseas Americans, right? So all you gotta do, Char- ..." lie, is introduce a bill that

"... is working perfectly," chortled the

"Comrades! The moment we have been paralyzed the country they'll simply invite in "They're what? I seem to have misun- waiting for has arrived! The orders have the Red Army and we will all be put up derstood you."" come trom Moscow! The workers' general against a wall!" President Martinez broke "The army, sir. They're flooding every recruit- oil-field strike will begin tomorrow at dawn, into sobs. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine of Rockies. The best the pipeline will be seized at noon, the "Speak for yaself. Jelly-Belly," snarled Mr. ing station west the million women housemaids and clerical workers shall re- Kowalski. "No Russkoff is sticking Mrs. estimate is three men and another three million volt in the afternoon, and by evening Alaska Kowalski's little boy up against no wall. Da already sworn in. and waiting their turn." will be ours! Five million fellow citizens on ioist t'ing ya do," jabbing a thick finger President Martinez looked peevishly at the West Coast will rise in sympathy and deep into the quivering breast of Defense They're immobilize half the country. Attacked by the Secretary Haggleman, "is ta send in da the director of the CIA. "But why? running-dog gestapo lackeys of fascist army against dese strikers —or revolters or supposed to be invading the country,— not capitalism, they shall appeal for fraternal whadever dey are. and den defending it, they don'i need to If you're a aid to their brothers-in-arms across the '"What army?" wailed President Mar- "But, sir, don'l you remember? waters, and within hours, millions of tinez. foreign-type alien and you join the armed of your enlistment you peacekeeping personnel of the glorious "Oh yeah, dat's right. I lorgot." Mr. Ko- forces, at the end — United States- citizen!" and fraternal Red Army shall " He went on walski nodded somberly. "What army?" become a strange," Presi- for some time. "You do? How mused " "Jeez," whispered Mikhail Nikolayeyvich — the issue is clear." read Chief Justice dent Martinez. "But why would anyone Guerrero "With one dissenting want to become a US citizen?" he inquired to his wife Natasha Petrovna, "whaddya Esteban : think this'll do to the interest rate on the vote," he paused lo glare briefly and un- of the room at large. mortgage?" — judiciously at Mr. Justice Rubenste'in, re- "Beats me, sir," replied the aide. "But I think I heard someone mention something 'And that new washing machine I cently appointed by President Martinez to ." "My new snowmobile." interjected Pietor preempt those strongly rumored presiden- about a bonus trip to Hawaii. . . DO VISIONS OF THE COSMOS

An exclusive gallery of Soviet space art offers revealing glimpses of Russian fact and fantasy

BY EC. DURANT III

Cosmonauts Romanenko and Grechko carried a special cargo with them into celestial orbit. Aboard Soyuz XXVII! were two paintings by Russia's foremost space artist. Andrei Sokolov. The paintings were gouache on nontolding cardboard, measured 47 centimeters by 36 centimeters, and weighed 130 grams each. They were transferred to the orbiting space laboratory Salyut, there to become the first orbiting art exhibition in history. )

Sokolov's paintings later returned to earth aboard Soyuz XXX in July 1978. Thrilled that his paintings had been sent aloft, the artist presented one of them to Polish cosmonaut Miroslaw Hermazewski , com- pilot mand of Soyuz XXX. Entitled Cosmic Morning (page it is « T a fanciful representation of Salyut VI with two Soyuz craft docked at both ends, lit by the morning sun, Sokolov is currently reworking the other. the Aral Over Sea , making corrections in color tones and geographical features from notes provided by the crew.

Since Sputnik I, Andrei Sokolov has dedicated his professional life to artistic concepts of the cosmos. His art now numbers more than 150 works. These paintings vary; some are rough impressions, others are precise and meticulous. He illustrates contemporary space activities of the USSR and US, as well as future encounters with planets of far-off stellar systems. Sokolov is big physically, over six leet. a burly and pow-

6 My greatest challenge in life is to visualize and depict future cosmic voyages. •> • Cosmic exploration," opines Andrei Sokoiov, "staggers the human imagination. 9

erful former motorcycle racer whose boldness is reflected in his art. Sokoiov was born in Leningrad 48 years ago and grew up in Moscow His lather was a construction engineer prominent in building the Mos- cow metro in the 1930s. Trained as an architect. Sokoiov was capti- vated by Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 more than 20 years ago. Visualizing scenes from the book, he created a numberof paintings, his

first in this genre. The artist has presented one ol these to Bradbury. Since 1965, Sokoiov has collaborated with cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, An amateur artist, Leonov sketched views of space white in orbit and upon return rendered Ihem in watercolor and oils. Works of Sokoiov and Leonov have been published in four art books in the Soviet Union; the most recent is Man in the Universe (1975). Moreover, collections of postcards and some 20 Soviet postage stamps carry their art. Through his close relationship with Leonov and other cosmonauts. Sokoiov is

Counterc tookwis e from right: Lunar Cosmodrome; To. tfie Crab Nebula. Cosmic Morning, which orbited the earth in Salyut: Shuttle to Orbit. fanciful rendering o'< Russian shuttle. able to keep abreast of advances in space technology. Today, they In 1975, the Soviet space artist married Nina F Lapinowa. in downtown Moscow live and work in an attractive sludio apartment Several years ago, the Soviet Artists Union sponsored a touring Soviet exhibil of US space art throughout Russia. In exchange, a space National Air arl show was displayed at the Smithsonian insiiiuiion's and Sokolov and Space Museum in 1976. Included were 14 works by Leonov. Under the auspices of the Smithsonian, the show toured in the US for 18 months. Both arlisis have donated works to the National Air and Space Museum. DO counterclockwise Much of Sokolov's art has never been published in the US; Soyuk XXVI: Entering ham above: Apollo Soyuz Rendezvous in Orbit Launch of the Atmosphere of Mars, early vintage communications satellite Molniya XIV.

* Sokolov describes the immensity of the cosmos as "awesomely unknowable: ;

IN IT

I t's not easy to keep exactly one-eighth inch of beard on your face. For a writer, though, it's good protec- coforation. With a suit

a gentleman who's { beard. With rumpled old Salvation Army clothes, you look like a down-and-out ~~ rummy. It depends on the c'~ int to listen lo, study. " ny outfit when I met Bill -Jible story. At ***¥wS*f*» business. He was for real, tho There's (his wonderful s

is in the window, has a busted laser that flutters cally. You don't want to sit toe dow. It's a good bar for priv

tions it's r because a . laner that sweeps out over the wmm of traffic, all day light. The bartender is missing ;

ten front teeth and smiles frequen..,. . booze is cheap; they make most of their

I sat down at the bar, and the bartender polished glasses while one of the whores, a

pretty boy-girl, sidled in for the kill. When I she pleaded mechanically, saying «. .o ..«,* saving for a real pair of tits and The

Operation. I hesitated— I string for the Bad M Wire Service sometimes, and they

PAINTING BY GOTTFRIED HELNWEIN : : like sexy bathos but turned her down gulp and s ghed. "T;iures radiating rom eve'y instant. If I were

more finally. Bad News doesn't pay that "My name's Bill Caddis; Doclor William to drop this glass on the floor and it broke, well. Caddis, it used to be." we would shift into a tuture where this bar When she left, the bartender came over "Medical doctor?'" owned one less glass."

and I ordered a Meyers with a beer chaser, "I detect a note of reproof. As if no medi- 'And the futures where Ihe glass wasn't ."

I a suitably hard-core combination. I'd taken co ever Well, no, was an academic, broken . .

two Flame-outs before I came, though, so I newly tenured at Florida State. History de- "They would be.^ And we would be in could drink a dozen or so without too much partment. Modern American history." them; we are now."

ill effect. Until morning. "Hard to get a job then as it is now?" "Doesn't it get sort of crowded up there? early in * "Little the day tor that, isn't it?" "Just about. I was a teal whiz." Billions of new futures every second?" '83." The man next to me chuckled hoarsely. "But you got fired in "You can't crowd infinity."

"Not to criticize." He was nursing a double "That's right. And it's not easy to fire a I was trying to think of an angle, a gbof- bourbon or scotch, neat. tenured professor" ball feature. "How does this time travel

"Dusty." I said. The man was dressed a "What, bolting the little girls?" work?"

I, little more neatly than in faded work That was the only lime he laughed that "How the hell should I know? I'm just a clothes. He looked too old to be a laborer, day, a kind of wheeze. "Undergraduates tourist. It has something to do with chro- shock of white hair with a yellowish cast. were made for boffing. No, I was dismissed nons. Temporal uncertainly principle. Con- But he did have the deep tan and perma- on grounds of mental instability; with my servation of coincidence. I'm no engineer." nent squint of one who's spent decades in wife's help, my then-wife, they almost had "Are there lots of these tourists?"

the Florida sun. I tossed back the jigger of me institutionalized." "Probably not here and now. You get quite rum and sipped the beer. "Come here of- a crowd clustered around historically im- ten?" portant events. You can't see them, of "Pretty often," he said. "When my check

comes in I out a few bucks on a number "I can see you." Otherwise ..." He shrugged. "Gheap He shrugged. "Something went wrong.

I Oh boy, thought, a fortune-teller. Might here, I wasn't in my own past anymore. moved thousands of miles. if be a story he actual .y oolicves in it. I held See?" out my hands. But it's still here. You're "So you can kill your own grandfather," I He glanced at them and stared at my said. on the same track, that's all."? face. "Yeah, I could tell by the eyes," he "Why would I want to do that? He's a nice said softly. "You're no alcoholic. You're not old bird." old look, either. as as you Cop?" "No, I mean, there's no paradox in-

"No. Used to be a teacher." Which was volved? If you killed him before you were true. "Every now and then I go on these born, you wouldn't cease to exist?" binges." "Strong stuff." "Of course not. I'd have to be there to kill

He nodded slowly "Used to be a teacher, "Strong." He stared into his drink and him." He sipped. "For that matter, I could go '83. too. Until I the swirled it "I start If Then worked sponge around. never know how' to back and kill mysef. as a boy I could boats twenty years." When he picked up this. I've told dozens of people, and they all afford it. Travel gets more expensive the his glass, his hand had the regular, slow think I'm crazy before I get halfway into it. closer you get to the present. Like com- shake of a confirmed alky. "It was good You'll think I'm crazy too." pressing an imintely tough spring." work." "Just in feet-first. Like "I'll jump you say, I'm a "Hold it." I had him. buy another

I reached in my pocket and turned on the writer, I can believe in six impossible things round if you can talk your way out of this tape recorder. "What was it made you stop before my firs! drink in the morning." one. The earth is moving all the time, spin-

teaching? Booze?" 'All right. I'm not from . . . here." ning around, going around the sun; the

"No. Who drank in the eighties?" I didn't, A loony, I thought; there goes the price of sun's moving through space. How Ihe hell

I but wasn't old enough. "It's an interesting a double. 'Another planet," I said, seriously. do you aim this time machine?" sort of pancake. You want to hear a story?" "See? Now you want me to say some- He bleared at me. "Don't they teach you

"Sure." I signaled the bartender for two thing about UFOs and how I'm bringing the anything about relativity? Look, if you get drinks. secret of eternal peace to mankind." He up from the bar, go to the John, and come "Now, you don't have to buy me anything. raised the glass to me. "Thanks for the back in a couple of minutes, the bar's Yo.u won't believe the story, anyhow." drink." moved thousands of miles. But it's still here.

"Try me." I caught his arm before he could slug the You're on the same track, that's all." "You a social worker? Undercover social drink clown. "Wait. I'm sorry. Go on." "But I'm talking about time, and you're

worker?" He smiled wryly. "Am I wrong?" talking about space!" "Is there such a thing?" "You're right, but go on. You don't act "There a difference?" He drained his

"Should be. I know—you're a writer," crazy" glass and slid it toward me with one finger

"When I get work, yeah. How could you He' set the drink down. "Layman's "error. I decided I'd stay cng enough to find out tell, Sherlock?" Some of the most reasonable people you what his con was. Maybe do a one-pager

"You've got two pens in your pocket, and meet are strictly Almond Joy." for a crime magazine. I ordered him you want to hear a story." He smiled. "Steal "If you're not from 'here,' where are you another double. "You folks from the future a story maybe. But you'll never get if pub- from?" can sure hold your liquor." lished. It's too fantastic." "Miami." He smiled and took a sip. "I'm a "Couple of centuries of medicine," he "But true." time traveller. I'm from a future." said. "I'm ninety-two years old." He looked

"It's true, all right. Thank you kindly." He I just nodded, about seventy.

his to it touched new drink see whether was "That usually fakes some explaining. Looked like I was going to have to push real, then drained off the old one in-one There's no the future. There's a myriad of him for the gaff. "Seems to me you could be 70 "I really was a ms'ory processor special-

izing in the history of tecrmOi jyy. i saved up my money to go back and see the first flight to the Moon." "That was in 70?" '69. sed to drin "No, It was during the launch when belle-' me noticed "Yeah. I liked our way Anyway, Peooe ir\ = time, there s no law the accident happened. Nobody

out. I had to tell my wife I dropped materializing: I didn't even notice until bottom ainst it. Bu jrsel" n tl-s position me

tried to walk throuyn someone afterwards. that we were broke and in debt; I had to tell

I I I her. he past. What do. you "Fortunately Uial was a time when ev- her everything thought knew The rest is pret- ?Buyo d money from colloc thought she would believe.

"You could take golci ana uiamonds." "Right." He took a long drink and stared "Sure. But it you can afford that—and moodily into the cloudy mirror behind the time travel isn't cheap either why not in- vest it in your own present? Remember, ThatS':?"Noscam? once you materialize, you aren't in your own mat s t. Write it up. You'll never sell ft." past anymore. You can never tell what just the I checked my wafch. Could make might have changed. People do try it, in half-day at the though. Usually Ihey take gadgets." 1:35 to Atlanta, get a

typewriter. "Well, I gotta run. Thanks for the "Does it work?" "Who knows? They can't come back to story. Bill." on his shoul- i.My e didn't agre I stood up and put my hand tell about it." ^ der. "Take it easy on the sauce, okay? Ye.. tell I "Couldn't they build their own time ma- no way I could her why was so su'e. no spring chicken anymore." chine; go back to the future?" "I went ahead and invested heavily in "Sure." He never looked at me. "Aren't you hearing me? There's no such space industries — really heavily, buying on On toe way to the subway terminal it oc- thing asfne future. Even if you could travel the margin, wheeling, dealing -but my

I shouldn't try to sell the forward, there's no way you could find the wife thought n was all going into a conser- curred .to me that thing human-interest feature. Just right one." vative portfolio of municipals. I even as a stationery from our accoun- write it up as fiction, and I could hawk it to Somebody came into the bar; I waited snitched some Planet Stories or one of those rags. until the door eased shut, muting the traffic tant and wrote up annual reports to show machine gave me an argu- noise. "So what happened to you? You her." The ticket

"I ment about changing a hundred-ruble made some bad investments?" think I see what's coming." Not a bad find conductor. Then note, I had to go a "In spades. Seemed like a sure thing. Let story. and "Yeah. Soviet-American Orbital there were repairs going on, and it took us me explain. Where I come from, almost no- The twenty minutes to get to Atlanta; I had to body lives on Earth, just caretakers and the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the goddamned sprint to" make my Seattle connection. time-travel people. It's like a big park, a big Proxmire Bill." .' settlements. Time travel. Nobody museum, Most of us live in orbital settle- "Well, killer satellites . . Space bull in '924.00 ments, some on other planets. "That's the kicker. That's really the kicker. would swallow that kind nl . . .

GALATEA GALANTE

.. He created the Perfect Woman, .*-#* with one little flaw designed into her

BY ALFRED BESTER

was wearing a prefaded jump suit, beautifully tailored, you can't graft snake scales onto hound hide. They look like crudl the dernier cri in ihe nostalgic 21 really all He 00s, but too youth- but at least three heads are barking. . . ful for his thirty -odd years. Set square on his head was a "Well, well, well, here's the maladroit who claims he's my rival vintage (circa I950) English motoring cap with the peak the Berlin butcher with his zoo castoffs. His latest spectaculail leveled on a line with his brows, masking the light' of lunacy in his the Rigel gritiin . Ta-daaa! Do him justice, its classic. Eagle hearJJ eyes. and wings, but it's molting. Lion bod implanted with feathers. AnJ Dead on a slab, he might be called distinguished, even hand- he's used ostrich claws for the feet. / would have generates some, but alive and active? That would depend on how much authentic dragon's feet. . . demented dedication one could stomach. He was shouldering "Now Martian monoceros; horse bod, elephant legs. stagJ .'•l his way through the crowded aisles of tail. Yes. convincing, but why isn't it howling as it should, ai 0" ing to legend? Mizar manUcora. Kosher. Kosher Three rows o THE SATURN CIRCUS teeth. Look like implanted shark's. Lion bod. Scorpion tail. WonH 50 PHANTASTIK PHREAKS 50 der how they produced fhat red-eyed effect. The Ares assidaV itlALLAUENSfll Dull. Dull. Dullsville Just an ostrich with camel feet, and stumj bling all over them, too. No creative imagination! He was carrying a mini that looked sound-camera like a "Ah, but I call that poster over the Sirius sphinx brilliant theatefl chrome-and-ebony mill, pepper and he was filming the living, My compliments to the management It's got to be recorded fol crawling, spasming, gibbering monstrosities exhibited in the posterity: the public is respectfully requested not to give thJ large showcases and small vitrines, with a murmured running CORRECT ANSWER TO THE ENIGMA POSED BY THE SPHINX. commentary. voice His was pleasant; his remarks were not. "Because if you do give the correct answer, as Oedipus founrJ "Ah. yes, the Betlatrix basilisk, so the sign assures us. Black- out. she'll destroy herself out of chagrin. A sore loser. I ought tfj and-yellow bod ot a serpent. like Looks a Gila-monster head answer the riddle, just to see how they stage it. but no. TheateB attached. Work of that Tejas tailor who's so nitzy isn't with surgical my shlick; my business is strictly creative genesis. . needle and thread. Peacock coronet on head. Good theater to "The Berlin butcher again, Castor chimera. Lion head Goal'^ blindfold its eyes. Conveys Ihe conviction that its glance will kill. bod. Looks like an anaconda tail. How the hell did he surgify t(

Hmrnm, Ought to gag the mouth, too. According to myth the get it to vomit those flames? Some sort of catalytic gimmick in basilisk's breath also kills .... throat. I suppose. It's only a cold corposant fire, quite harmless! And the Hyades hydra. Like wow Nine heads, as per revered but very dramatic — and those fire extinguishers around thrJ tradition. Looks like a converted iguana. The Mexican again. are lovely showcase a touch. Damn good theater Again, i That seamstress has access to every damn snake and lizard in compliments to the management Central America. She's done a nice join of necks to trunk -got to "Aha! Beefcake on the hoof. Zosma centaur. Good-looking] admit that but stitching — her shows to my eye. . . . Greek joined to that Shetland pony Blood must have been a *^* "Canopus cerberus. Three dog heads. Look like oversized problem They probably drained both and substituted a neutral Mastiff Chihuahuas. bod. Rattlesnake tail. Ring of rattlers around surrogate. The Greek looks happy enough; in fact, damn smugM the waist. Authentic but clumsy That Tejas woman ought to know Anyone wondering why has only to see how the pony's hung,

PAINTING BY H.R, GIGER . . . "

"What have we here? Antares unicorn, fered it to Sandra, "You must be cold, "Setting up a circus show takes time. complete with graited narwhal tusk but not I?" madame. May Dominie. I haven't had a moment to spare."

with the virgin who captured it, virgin girls "Thank you," Manwright growled. "Put it "This monstrous takery is really yours?"

being the only types that can subdue union, Sandy. Cover yourself. And thank the "It is."

corns, legend saith. 1 thought narwhals were man." "You? The celebrated Corque? The extinct. They may have bought the tusk greatest researcher into alien life forms that from a walking-stick maker I know virgins "I don't give a damn whether you're cold science has ever known? Revered by all are / not extinct. make 'em every month; or not. Cover yourself. I won't have you your colleagues," including myself, and

purity or . . guaranteed your money back. parading that beautiful body I created. And swindling the turkeys with a phony freak 'And a Spica siren. Lovely girl. Beautiful. give me back my cap." show? Incredible, Corque! Unbelievable!" She— But damn my eyes, she's no man- "But understandable. Manwright. Have ufactured freak! That's Sandra, my Siren! I "Women!" Manwright grumbled. "This is you any idea of the cost of ETM research?

can recognize my genesis anywhere. What the last time I ever generate one. You slave And the reluctance of the grants commit- the hell is Sandy doing in this damn dis- over them. You use all your expertise to tees to allocate an adequate amount of gusting circus? Naked in showcase! This create implant a beauty and sense and sen- funds? No, I suppose not. You're in private is an outrage!" sibility, and they all turn out the same. Irra- practice and can charge gigantic fees to He charged the showcase in his rage. He tional! Women! A race apartl And where support your research, but I'm forced to was given to flashes of fury that punctuated the hell's 50 Phantastik Phreaks 50?" moonlighf and operate this circus to raise his habitual exasperated calm. {His deep "At your service, Dominie," the gentle- the money I need." conviction was that it was a damned in- man smiled. ."Nonsense, Corque. You could have pat- transigent world because it wasn't run his "What? You? The management?" ented one of your brilliant discoveries- - J way, which was the right way.) "Indeed yes." that fantastic Jupiter III methophyte. for in- J

He beat and clawed at the supple walls, "In that ridiculous white tie and tails?" stance. Gourmets call it The Ganymede which gave but did not break. He cast "So sorry, Dominie. The costume is tradi- Truffle.' D'you know what an ounce sells around wildly for anything destructive, then tional for the role. And by day I'm required for?" darted to the chimera exhibit, grabbed a "I know, and there are discovery rights fire extinguisher, and dashed back to the and royalties. Enormous. But you don't Siren. Three demoniac blows cracked the know -university contracts, my dear plastic, and three more shattered an es- Dominie. By contract, the royalties go to cape hatch. His fury outdrew the freaks, 6 He beat and clawed Syrtus, where"—Professor Corque's smile and a fascinated — crowd gathered. at the supple walls, which gave soured "where they are spent on such He reached in and seized the smiling studies as Remedial Table Tennis, De- but did not break. Siren. "Sandy, get the hell out. What were monia Orientation, and The Light Verse of you doing there in the first place?" He cast around wildly for Leopold von Sacher-Masoch." Manwright shook his head in exaspera- anything destructive, then. . "Where's your husband?" tion. "Those damned faculty clowns! I've grabbed a fire turned down a dozen university offers, and "For God's sake!" He pulled off his cap. extinguisher and dashed back no wonder. It's an outrage that you should revealing pale, streaky hair. "Here, cover be forced to humiliate yourself and Lis- to the Siren.V yourself with this. No, no, girl, downstairs. ten. Corque. I've been dying to get the de- Use an arm for upstairs, and hide your rear tails on how you discovered that elevation against my back." Ganymede methophyte. When will you

have some time? I thought — Where are you

"No, I am not prudish, I simply will not to wear hunting dress. It is grotesque, but Staying on Terra?" have my beautiful creation on public dis- the public expects it of the ringmaster." "The Borealls." J — play. D you think I " He turned fiercely on "Hmph! What's your name? I'd like to "What? That fleabag?" three security guards closing in him on and know the name of the man I skin alive." "I have to economize for my research." brandished the heavy brass cylinder "One "Corque." "Well, you can economize by moving in more step, and I let you have it with this. In "Cork? As in Ireland?" with me. It won't cost you a cent. I've got the eyes. Ever had frozen eyeballs?" "But with a QUE." plenty of room, and I'll put you up for the They halted. "Now look, mister, you got "Corque? Cor-kew-ee?" Manwright's duration, with pleasure. I've generated a no—" eyes kindled. "Would you by any chance housekeeper who'll take good care of

"I not called 'mister' degree is am My be related to Charles Russell Corque. Syr- you—and rather startle you, I think. Now do

Dominie, which means master professor. I tus professor of ETM biology? I'll hold that say yes, Corque. We've got a hell of a lot of am addressed as Dominie, Dominie Man- in your favor." discussing to do and I've got a lot to learn wright. and I want to see the owner at once. "Thank you, Dominie. I am Charles Rus- from you."

Immediately. Here and now. Sofort! Im- sell Corque, professor of extraterrestrial "I think it will be the other way around, my mediatamente! Mr. Saturn or Mr Phreak and mutation biology at Syrtus University." dear Dominie." or whatever! "What!" "Don't argue! Just pack— up, get the hell "Tell him that Dominie Regis Manwright "Yes." out of the Borealls, and wants him here now. He'll know my name, or "In that preposterous costume?" he'd better, by God! Now be off with you. 'Alas, yes." "What, Sandy?" Split. Cut." Manwright glared around at the "Here?0nTerra7' enthralled spectators. "You turkeys get lost, "In person." "Where?" of too. All you. Go eyeball the other sights. "What a crazy coincidence. D'you know, I Siren The show is kaput." was going to make that damned tedious "Oh, yes. I see the rat-fink." As the crowd shuffled back from Man- trip to Mars just to rap with you." "What now, Manwright?" wright's fury, an amused gentleman in "And I brought my circus to terra hoping "Her husband. I'll trouble you to use re- highly unlikely twentieth-century evening to meet and consult with' you." straint on me, or he'll become her late hus- dress stepped forward. "I see you under- "How long have you been here?" band." stand Siren, sir. Most impressive." He slung "Two days." An epicene hove into view — tall, slender, the opera cape off his shoulders and of- "Then why haven't you called?" elegant, in flesh-colored SkinAII —with " " —

doesn't excuse your selling her. Why, How do you direct the RNA to aelive r soe-

did you do it, dammit? Why?" cific Commands from DNA to embryo? And namented codp.ece. Manwright juggled "She was tearing my sheets." how do you select the commands?" the extinguisher angrily, as though groping "What?" "Penthouse." for the firing pin of a grenade. He was so "Your beautiful, enchanting Pearl of Per- "Wh-what?" penthouse. I'll show intent on the encounter that Corque was fection was tearing my monogrammed silk "Come up to the able to slip the cylinder out of his hands as sheets, woven at incredible cost by brain- you." the epicene approached, surveyed thern, damaged nuns. She was tearing them with Manwright led Corque out of the enor- which and at last spoke. her mythologically authentic feet. Look at mous crimson-lit cellar laboratory ruby-colored 'Ah, Manwright." them." was softly glowing with "Jessamy!" Manwright turned the name There was no need to look. It was unde- glassware and liquids ("My babies must be into a denunciation. niable that the beautiful, enchanting Siren insulated from light and noise") and up to "Sandra." was feathered Irom the knees down and the main floor of the house. It was deco- had delicate pheasant feet. rated in the Dominie's demented style: a Greek. 'And our impresario." "So?" Manwright demanded impatiently hodgepodge of Regency, classic There was even "Good evening, Mr. Jessamy." "She was also scratching my ankles." African, and Renaissance. "Damn you!" Manwright burst out. "You a marble pool inhabited by iridescent "Manwright, I have a bone to pick with fish, which gazed up a! the two men you." asked for a Siren. You paid for a Siren. You manic "You? Pick? A bone? With me? Why, you 'oceved a Siren." eagerly. "Hoping we'll fall'in," Manwright laughed. damned pimp, putting your own wife, my "With bird feet?" cross piranha and golden carp. magnificent creation, into a damned freak "Of course with bird feet. Sirens are part "A between show!" He turned angrily on Professor bird. Haven't you read your Bulfinch? Aris- One of my follies." 7 second floor, twenty-five Corque, "And you bought her, eh?" totle? Sir Thomas Browne Matter of fact, Thence to the you're lucky Sandy didn't turn out bird from by a hundred, Manwright's library and "Not guilty, Dominie. I can't supervise everything. The Freak Foreman made the the waist down. Ha!" study: four walls shelved and crammed software; a purchase." "Very funny." Jessamy muttered. with tapes, publications, and on. rolling ladder leaning against each wall, a "He did, did he?" Manwright returned to "But it wasn't luck," Manwright went biodroid for gigantic carpenter's workbench center, Jessamy. "And how much did you get for "No, it was genius. My genius piled with clutter. her?" creative genesis, and my deep under- used as a desk and Third floor divided between dining room "That is not germane." standing o! the sexual appetites." (front), kitchen and pantry (center), and servants' quarters (rear overlooking gar- "That little? Why, you padded procurer? "Don't be impudent, girl. I have sexual Why? God knows, you don't need the appetites, too, but when I guarantee a vir- den). maximum sky and money. gin. I— No matter. Take her home, Jes- Fourth floor, enjoying air, There were four, each with its "Dr. Manwright--" samy. Don't argue, or I'll kill you, if I can find bedrooms. rather I dressing bath, all se- "Don't you 'Doctor' me. it's Dominie." that damned brass thing I thought had. own room and — Manwright regarded "Dominie Take Sandra home. I'll refund Professor vere and monastic. which to "Speak." Corque in full. Got to support his brilliant sleep as a damned necessity had should never be "You sold me a lemon." research. Sandy, trim your talons, for God's be endured but which "What!" sake! Sense and sensibility, girl! Corque, turned into a luxury. during nine "You heard me. You sold me a lemon." go pack up and move in with me. Here's my "We all gel enough sleep our growled to "How dare you!" card with the address. What the devil are months in the womb," he had that silly-looking fire extin- Corque, "and we'll get more than we'll ever "I admit I'm a jillionaire." you doing with need after we die. But I'm working on re- "Admit it? You broadcast it." guisher?" generative immortality, off and on. Trouble "But nevertheless I resent a rip-off." the lull shmeer. Charles. I'm is, tissues just don't want to play ball." He "Rip! I'll kill the man. Don't restrain me. I'll 'And that's led the professor up a narrow stair to the I in kill! Look, you damned minty macho, you sorry haven'tany work progress to show came to me and contracted for the perfect you, but you can see I'm no tailor or penthouse.

It clear plastic dome, firmly an- wife. A Siren, you said. The kind that a man seamstress, cutting up mature animals, was a weather. In the would have to lash himself to the mast to human or otherwise, and piecing parts to- chored against wind and show-biz glimmering Rube Goldberg, resist, a la Ulysses. Well? Didn't you?" gether, like you see with those center stood a Vinci mechanical monsters in your circus. No, I macrogener- Heath-Robinson. Da "Yes, I did." it would 'em, whole, out of the basic construct. If it resembled anything I pure "Yes, you did. And did I or did not gen- ate and collapsing robot waiting for a erate a biodroid miracle of beauty, en- DNA broth. Mine are all test-tube babies. be a giant chantment, and mythological authenticity. Florence-flask babies, as a matter of fact, handyman to put it together again. Corque Biodroids stared at the gallimaufry ana then at Man- guaranteed or your money back?" which is where I start 'em. need "Yes, you did." womb space like any other animal." wright dear Reg, quite "Neutnnoscope." the Dominie explained. 'And one week after delivery I discover "Fascinating, my and extrapolation of the electron micro- Pearl of Perfection sold to the distin- overwhelming. But what I cant fathom is "My my ' guished Charles Russell Corque's your RNA process." scope ~- ' --.-' .*.-=:" .- _ cers-decay pro- obscene freak show and displayed naked "Ah! The RNA messenger service, en?" -z in a bizarre showcase. My beautiful face "Exactly Now we aJI know thai DNA is the cessr :""" '. -_-:.:.' ;:::-: . ned with 3 and neck! My beautiful back and buttocks! life reservoir—"

__.._.. ., r .. , . ^.. Ti selection - - --. ,. -- : c _ ;g ;je My beautiful breasts! My beautiful mons :.e -:' -a : : :;.. acceleration up to ten Mev. veneris! My—" Some time I'll show you the abuse I get from that way and Charles. genetic "That's what she wanted." the Scripture freaks." Selection's the crux. Each specific "Did you, Sandy?" "And we know that RNA is tiys messenger molecule m the RNA coil has a service delivering commands to the devel- response to a specific particle bombard- oping tissues." ment. That way I've been able to identify "Shame oh you, girl. I know you're vain. in the neighbor- that was a glitch in my programming— but "Right on, Charles. That's where the con- and isolate somewhere of ten thousand messenger com- you don't have to flaunt it. You're a damned trol lies." hood exhibitionist." Back to Jessamy; "But that '.'But how do you control the controls? "But-bul — My dear Reg, this is positively generate life; I don't destroy it. Anyway, Blue eyes. Clear skin. Slender hands. fantastic!" Igor's an ideal housekeeper. He does have Slender neck. Auburn hair." Manwright nodded again, "Uh-huh. Took this brain-stealing hang-up that was part "Mmm. Got any particular example ol the ten years." me of the original model- and I have to lock type in mind?"

"But I had no idea that— Why haven't you him in a closet when there's thunder and "Yes. Botticelli's Birth ol Venus." published?" lightning, but he cooks like an absolute "Ha! Venus on the Half-shell. Lovely "What?" Manwright snorted in disgust. genius." model. Character?" "Publish? And have every damned quack "I hadn't known that Baron Franken- "What one would expect of a secretary; and campus cretin clowning around with stein's henchman was a chef." sterling, faithful, devoted ... to my work, of the most sacred and miraculous phenom- "To be quite honest, Charles, he wasn't. course." enon ever generated on our universe? Pah! That "To your work, of course." was an error in programming — I do Mo way!" glitch now and then— with a happy ending. 'And clever," "You're into it. Reg." When Igor's cooking, he thinks he's making "D'you mean clever or intelligent?" Manwright drew himself up with hauteur. monsters." 'Aren't they the same?" "I. sir, do not clown." The card came in on the same tray with "No. Cleverness requires humor. Intelli- "Bui Reg-" the Tomato-Onion Tart (ripe tomatoes, gence does not."

"But me no buts, professor. By heaven, if sliced onions, parsley basil, Gruyere, bake "Then clever. I'll provide the intelligence. Christ, in whom I've never believed, ever in pastry shell forty minutes at 375T), and She must be able to learn quickly and re- returned to Terra and this house, I'd keep it Manwright snatched the embossed foil off member. She must be able to acquire any a secret. You know damn well the hell that the salver. skill necessary for my work. She must be

would break loose it I. published. It'd be "What's this, Igor? Anthony Valera, perceptive and understand the stresses Golgotha all over again." Chairman, Vortex Syndicate, 69 Old Slip, and conflicts that make a chairman's life ' While Corque was wondering whether CB: 0210-0012-036-216291'?" one constant battle." Manwright meant his biodroid techniques, "In the waiting room, mahth-ter." "So far you could hire such a girl," Man- Christ's epiphany, or both, there was a "By God. Charles, a potential client. Now wright objected. "Why come to me?" sound of a large object slowly falling up- you may have your chance to watch my "I haven't finished, Dominie. She must stairs. Manwright's scowl was transformed genesis from start to linish. Come on!" have no private life and be willing to i into a grin. housekeeper." he "My chuck- "Oh, have a heart, Reg. Let the chairman everything and be instantly available ; led. "You didn't get the chance to see him wait. Igor's monster looks delicious." limes." when you moved in last night. A treasure." "Thank you, thelebrated Profethor 'Available for what?" An imbecile face, attached toapinhead, Charlth Corque." "Business luncheons, dinners, last-

poked through the penthouse door. It was "No, no, Igor. The thanks go from me to minute parties, client entertainment, and followed by a skewed hunchback body you." so forth. She must be chic and fashionable with gigantic hands and feet. The mouth, "Pigs, both of you," Manwright snorted and able to dazzle men. You would not which seemed to wander at will around the and dashed for the stairs. Corque rolled his believe how many tough tycoons have face, opened and spoke in a hoarse voice. eyes to heaven, grabbed a slice ot tart, been charmed into dubious deals by a ..." "Mahth-ter winked at Igor, and followed, chewing ec- seductive secretary." "Yes, Igor?" statically. "You've left out an important point. On

"Should I thteal you a brain today, One would expect the chairman of a what salary will she be seducting?" mahth-ter?" syndicate with a seventeen-figure CB tele- "Oh, I'll provide the money for the ward- "Thank you, Igor Not today." phone number to look like Attila the Hun. robe, the maquillage, and so forth, She "Then breakfahtht ith therved, mahth- Anthony Valera looked and dressed like a must provide the taste, the charm, the wit, ter." suave Spanish grandee; he was black and the entertaining conversation." "Thank you, Igor. This is our distin- silver, including ribboned peruke. He was "Then you want a talker?" guished guest, the Proiessor very courant, celebrated much au for as Corque en- "But only when I want her to talk. Other- Charles Corque. You will make him com- tered he smiled, bowed, and murmured, wise, mum." fortable and obey him in everything." "What a happy surprise, Professor Corque. Corque whistled softly. "But you're de- thervithe, thele- Delighted. "Yetri, mahth-ter. At your I had the pleasure of hearing scribing a paragon, my dear sir." brated Profethor "I Charlth Corque. Should I you speak at the Trivium Charontis conven- would say a miracle, Professor Corque, thteal you a brain todayT tion." And Mr. Valera considerately offered but Dominie Manwright is celebrated for his "Not today, thank you." his left palm, Corque's right hand being miraculous creations." Igor bobbed his head, turned, disap- busy with the tan. "You married?" Manwright shot. peared, and there was a sound of a large "He wants an ideal executive secretary." "Five times." object rapidly falling downstairs. Corque's Manwright refused to waste time on cour- "Then you're a chaser." face was convulsed with suppressed tesies. "And I told him that my biodroid tal- "Dominie!" laughter "What in the world -V ents are damned expensive." 'And easily landed."

'A reject." Manwright grinned. "Only one "To which I was about to respond when "Really, you're extraordinarily blunt. A in if my career No. the first of two. we count you mosf happily entered, Professor chaser? Well . . . let's say that I'm attracted,

Sandy but I do think Jessamy will keep his Corque, that Vortex is criminally solvent." occasionally." Siren. Anyway," he continued, leading "Then it's to be a company contract?" "Would you want your executive secre-

Corque downstairs, "this client was abso- "No, Dominie, personal." Mr. Valera tary to be responsive— occasionally? Is " lutely hypnotized by the Frankenstein smiled. "I, also, am criminally solvent." that to be programmed 7 legend. to contracted for "Good. I hate doing and I Came me a business with com : "Only unilaterally. If should happen to faithful servitor, like the Baron's ac- mittees. You must know the old saw about desire, I would want a beautiful response. complice. Returned five months later, paid camels. Let's discuss the specs and see But she is not to make demands. Neverthe- like a gent, but said he'd changed his mind. whether we understand each other. Sex?" less she will, of course, be faithful to me." He was now on a Robinson Crusoe kick and "Female, of course." "These parameters are preposterous," 9 " wanted a Friday, I made him his Friday, but I "Of course. Physical appearance Corque exclaimed indignantly. was stuck with Igor." "You don't lake notes?" "Not at all, Charles, not at all," Manwright "Couldn't you have dissolved him back "Total recall." soothed. "Mr. Valera is merely describing into the DNA broth?" "You are lucky. Well, then. Fair. Medium what all men desire in a woman: an As-

"Good God, Charles! No way Never. I tail. Endowed with soft grace. Soft voice. pasia. the beautiful femme galanle who

was the ador ng mis-ress and adviser to ities and drawn to you alone." Charles, or, to use an antique expression Pericles ol ancient Greece. It's wishful fan- "Surely not all, Dominie. I have no delu- that's just become a new vogue word, our tasy, but my business is turning fantasy into sions of perfection." perfect Popsy."

reality, and I welcome the challenge. This "Then perhaps tq your defects, and that gir! may be opus." Again he will your my magnum be charming drop of acid. Come The Dominie's program for a devastating lired a shot at Valera. "And you'll become back in twenty-one weeks." Popsy who was ;o be o rich an ling, trustwor- very bored." "Why twenty-one specifically?" thy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, "What?" "She'll be of age. My biodroids average obedient, cheerful, clever, chic, soft- "Within six months this adoring, talented, out at a of week genesis for every physical spoken, beautiful, busty, eloquent on de- dedicated slave will bore you to tears." of creation's year the maturity. One week for mand, and always available to entertain, "But how? Why?" a dog; twenty-one weeks for an Aspasia. began as follows: "Because you've left out the crux of a Good day. Mr. Valera." kept woman's hold over a man. Donl pro- After the chairman had leff, Manwright test. Valera. We know damn well you're or- cocked an eye at Corque and grinned. dering a mistress, and I make no moral "This is going to be a magnificent experi- judgment, but you've forgotten the drop ol ment, Charles. I've never generated a truly acid." contemporary biodroid before. You'll pitch

"Dominie. I do protest. I—" in and help, I hope?"

"Just listen. You're contracting for an en- "I'll be honored, Reg." Suddenly, Corque chanting mistress, and it's my job to make returned the grin. "But there's one abstruse sure that she remains enchanting, always. reference I can't understand." Mow there are many sweet confections that "Fear not, you'll learn to decipher me as require a drop of acid to bring out the full we go along. Whaf don't you understand?" flavor and keep them enjoyable. Your As- "The old saw about the camel." pasia will need a drop of acid for the same reason. Otherwise, her perpetual perfection will cloy you in a matter of months." "You know," Valera said slowly, "thai's rather astute. Dominie. What would you ad- 4 The usual biodroid vise? all anticipation!" I'm accommodations weren't good "The acid in any woman who can hold a man: the unexpected, the quality lhaf enough for Manwright's makes it impossible to live wifh them or magnum opus. . . . The red without them." 7 % 0-8-4 -{MSG) infant was the floor, 'And what would fhat be in my ... my on secretary?" flat on her belly, propped on

"How the devil can I tell you?" Manwright a pillow, and deep shouted. "If you knew in advance, it in wouldn't be unexpected; and anyway / a book. She looked up and 0-8-3 won't know I can't guarantee surprise and crawled. 9 adventure with a woman. All I can do is 12-8-3 program a deliberate error into the genesis of your perfect Aspasia. and the discovery Undso welter for 147 pages. Und good of that kink will be the charming drop of luck to the computer software for creative acid. Understood?" Manwright burst out laughing. "What? biogenesis, which couldn't possibly inter-

"You. it sound like gamble." make a Never heard it? Penalty of spending too est anyone. "The irrational is always a gamble." much time on the outer planets. Question: "Anyway, there's no point in reading the After 1 Valera said. you're a pause "Then What is a camel? Answer A camel is a program, Charles. Numbers cant paint Ihc challenging me, Dominie?" horse made by a committee." He sobered. picture. I'll just describe the sources I've both challenged. "We're being You want "But by God, our gallant girl won't be any used for the generation of our Popsy. You the ideal mistress created to your specs; camel. She'll be devastating." may not recognize some of the names, but I I've got to meet them to your complete "Forgive the question, Reg: Too devastat- assure you that most ol them were very real satisfaction." ing for you to resist?" and famous celebrities in their time." your mur- "And own, Reg?" Corque "What? That? No way! Never! I've "What was your lecture to Igor the other mured guaranteed and delivered too many virgin day, Reg? A chef is no better than his male- I'm "Certainly my own. a professional. myths, deities, naiads, dryads, undso wel- rials."'" The job is the boss. Well. Valera? Agreed?" ter. I'm seasoned, Charles; tough and hard "Right on. And I'm using the best. After another thoughtful pause, Valera and impervious to all their lures. But the Beauty -Botticelli's Venus of course, but nodded. "Agreed. Dominie." breasts are going to be a problem," he with Egyptian breasts. I thought of using "Splendid. I'll need your Persona Profile addoc absently. Pauline Borghese. but there's a queen in a from the syndicate." "My dear Reg! Please decipher." limestone relief from the Ptolemaic period "Out of the question. Dominie! Persona "Her breasts, Charles. Botticelli made who's the ideal rr.udo. Callipygian rear ele-

Profiles are Inviolable Secret. How can I ask enrtoo small in his Venus. I think f should vation. Maidenhair frontispiece, delicate Voriex to make an exception?" program 'em fuller, bul what size and and fritillary. Did you say something, "Damn it, can't you understand?" Man- shape? Like pears? Pomegranates? Mel- Charles?" infuriated this wright was by intransigence ons? It's an aesthetic perplexity." "Not I, Reg." but controlled himself and tried to speak "Perhaps your deliberate error will solve "I've decided not to use Aspasia tor the reasonably. "My dear chairman, I'm shap- it." virtues." ing and conditioning this Aspasia for your "Perhaps, but only the Good Lord, in "But you said that was what Valera exclusive use. She will be the cynosure 'of whom I've never believed, can know what wanted." all I sure men, must make she'll I so that be her mystery kink will turn out to be. Selah! "So did, but I was wrong. The real As- implanted with an attraction for your qual- Let's get to work on our perfect misfress, pasia was a damned premature Women's " " "

Rights activist, Too strong for the chair- ot wonder and amusement. "Confound tone that he obeyed and looked up per- man's taste." you, Reg! That's the solution to the famous plexedly "Don't think she'll do, Charles?" "And yours?" 'Drunkard's Walk' problem from The Law o! "That old hag? Out of the question." 'Any man's. So I'm using Egeria instead." Diso'rder. And this is the deliberate uncer- ."She isn't old," Manwright protested.

I like that "Egeria? I haven't had an education in tainty that you're programming? You're "She's under thirty. made her took the classics, Reg." either a madman or a genius." according to specs: Sevenly-year-old Irish

"Egeria, the legendary fountain nymph 'A little of both, Charles. A little of both. gypsy They call 'em 'tinkers' in Ireland. who was the devotee acviser to King Nurna Our Popsy will walk straight lines within my Speaks Irish and can handle kid actors of ancient Rome. She also possessed the parameters, but we'll never know when or who are a pain in the ass. And I delivered, gift of prophecy, which might come in how she'll hang a right or a left." . by God." handy for Valera. Let's see. Fashion and "Surely she'll be aiming for Valera?" "As you always do; but still out of the chic— a famous couturiere named Coco "Of course. He's the lamppost. But she'll question. Please try someone else." Chanel. Subtle perceptions —the one and do some unexpeclec staggering on the "Charles, has that damn infant got you only Jane Austen. Voice and theater way." Manwright chuckled and sang in an enthralled?" sense— Sarah Bernhardt. And she'll add a odd, husky voice. "There's a lamp on a "No." soupcon of lovely Jew." post, There's a lamp on a post, And it sets "Her first conquest, and she's just out of "What on earth for?" the night aglowin'. Boy girl boy girl, Boy boy the flask! Can you imagine what she'll do to "It's obvious you haven'l met many on the girl girl. But best when flakes is snowin'." men in another twenty weeks? Be at each outer planets or you wouldn't ask. Remark- other's throats. Fighting duels. Ha! I am a

it." able race, Jews; freeth inking, original, cre- Regis Manwright's laboratory notes pro- genius, and I don't deny ative, obstinate', impossible to live with or vide a less-than-dramatic description (to "We need a nurse for Gaily, Reg." without" put it politely) oi the genesis and em- "Nac. nag, nag." "That's how you described Ihe ideal mis- bryological development of Galatea "Someone warm and comforting after press, wasn't it?" Galante. the Perfect Popsy. the child has endured a session with you."

"I did." GERMINAL "I can't think what the man is implying. All

Day 1 : One hundred milliliter Florence flask. "But if your Popsy is obstinate, how can right, cradle-snatcher, all right. I'll call Day 2 Fi-,o .--.ncrfid rr-lliiiiK' Hcrence (lank. she respond to Valera's desires?" = Claudia." Manwright punched the CB. Bgy3 One thousand m liluc n:c-cu ias< protective. "Oh, I'm using Lola Montez for that. Ap- Day 4: Five thousand milliMer Florence flask "She's warm and maternal and parently, she was a tigress in the sex de- Day 5: Decanted. Wish she'd been my nanny. Hello? partment. Hrnmrn. Next? Victoria Woodhull (E & A charging too damn much for Claudia? It's Regis. Switch on. darling." lor business acumen. La Pasionaria for flasks!!!} The screen sparkled and cleared. The courage. Hester Bateman—she was the (Baby nominal. Charles enchanted with magnificent head and face of a black first woman silversmith —for skills. Dorothy her. Too red for my lasie Poured out of Ihe mountain gorilla appeared. "!!" Parker for wit. Florence Nightingale for sac- amnion blowing bubbles and talking. she grunted. rifice. Mata Hari for mystery. What else?" Couldn't shut her up. Just another fresh kid "I'm sorry, love. Been too busy to call. "Conversation." with a damn big mouth.) You're looking well. How's that no-good "Quite right. Oscar Wilde." "Reg, Gaily must have a nurse." husband' of yours?" "Oscar Wilde!" "For heaven's sake, Charles! She'll be a "Why not? He was a brilliant talker; held year old next week." "And the kids?" dinner parties spellbound. I'm giving her "She must have someone to look after dancer's hands, neck, and legs, Dolly her. "Splendid. Now don't forget. You prom-

Madison hostessing, and — I've omitted "All right. All right. Igor. She can sleep in ised to send them to me so I can surgify ." his room." into understanding our kind of something. . . them "Your deliberate mistake." "No, no, no. He's a dear creature, but speech. Same like you, love, and no charge, And speaking of kids, I've got a "Of course. The mystery kink which will hardly my idea of a nursemaid." — catch us all by surprise." Manwright flipped "I can convince him he made her. He'll be new one, a girl, thai I'd like you to fhrough.the software. "It's programmed devoted." At this point the stunned Corque col- somewhere around here. No, that's Valera's "No good. Reg; he isn't child oriented." lected himself enough to press ihe cutoff Persona Profile. Charles, you won't believe "You want someone child oriented? stud. Claudia faded. the damned intransigent, stubborn, know- Hmmm. Ah, yes. Got just the right number "Are you mad?" he demanded. rt-all, conceited egomania concealed be- for you. I generated The Old Woman Who Manwright was bewildered. 'Whats neath that polished veneer. It's going to be Lived in a Shoe for the Positively Peerless wrong. Charles?" hell imprinting our girl wifh an attraction Imitation Plastic company to use in their "You suggest that terrifying beas! (or the engram lor such an impossible man. Oh. genuine plastics sales promotion." child's nurse?" love. here's ihe unexpected in black and white." "'She had so many children she didn't "Beast! She's an angel of mother Manwrighljoointed to: know what to do*?" She'll have the kid climbing all over her. R-LU'N "The same." Manwright punched the CB hugging and kissing her. It's interesting." "Wail a minute," Corque said slowly. keyboard. "Seanbhean? This is Regis." he reflected, "I can manipulate Hie cogni-

"That equation looks familiar." The screen sparkled and cleared, A tion centers, bui I can't overcome muscular college-level "Aha." gypsy crone appeared with begging hand limitations. I gave Claudia

"I think I remember it from one of my outstretched for alrns. comprehension of spoken and whiten boyhood texts." "How's everything going, Seanbhean?" communications, but I couldn't give her "Oh-ho." "Scanruil adualar. Regis." human speech. She's still forced to use ." hardly of "The ... the most probable distance . . "Why''" Mountain, which Is a language Corque was dredging up the words "... "Briseadh ina ghno e." ideas. Damn frustraiing. For both of us." from the lamppost after a certain number of "What! PPIP gone bankrupt? That's 'And you actually want her io mother ...of- irregular turns is equal to the average shocking. So you're out of a job?", Gaily?" length of each track that is—" "Deanlaidh sin!" "Of course. Why not?" "Your will frighten the daylights "Straight track, Charles." "Well perhaps I have something tor you, Claudia '«;' "Right. Each straight track that is walked, Se.v"il:ihean. I |js; generated— out of the infant." times the square root of their number." "Cut off, Reg" Corque broke in sharply. "Ridiculous." Corque ooken a: Mariwnqnt with a mixture Msnwrighl was so startled by Corque's "She's hideous." ,

"Are you mad? She's beautiful. Pure. "Can you say the. same for your tongue?" wright's wardrobe. The construct assumed Majestic, And a hell of a lot brighter than "Guh!" And Manwright withdrew with a ludicrous resemblance to the Dominie your Remedial Table Tennis bums at Syrtus what he hoped was impressive dignity. himself. University." '& Ot course, she -shot up like a young . The innocent child fast-talked E A "But she can't talk. She only grunts." bamboo plant and filled the house with joy Chemical delivery— "My Daddy forgot to "Talk? Talk? For God's sake, Charles! she as entertained them with her es- order it. So absent-minded, you know" That damn red Popsy was poured out talk- capades. She taught herself to play Man- into an extra gallon of ethyl alcohol which ing sixteen to the dozen. can't shut her We wright's Regency harpsichord, which was she poured into th'e marble pool and got the up. She's tilling the house with enough ot sadly out of repair She convinced Igor that piranhas disgustingly drunk. Then she her il jabber as is. Be grateiul for some it was a monster in the making, and to- jumped in and was discovered floating with silence." gether they refinished and tuned it. The her plastered pals. Claudia, So the black mountain gorilla, sound of concert-A on the tuning fork "Doesn't know the meaning oifear. Reg." moved into the Manwright menage, and droned through the house with agonizing "Pahi Just the Pasionaria 1 Igor was furiously jealous. penetration. The others were forced to eat programmed." out because she gave Igor no time for cook- She stole two hundred meters of mag- The first morning that Claudia joined ing. netic tape from the library and fashioned a Manwright and Corque at breaktast (while 'She studied linear shorthand with scarecrow mobile. The gardener was en- Igor glowered at his massive rival), she Claudia and then translated it into finger raptured- Manwright was infuriated, par- printed a message on a pad and handed il language. They had glorious raps, silently ticularly because a r t-dealer f.'.onds otfered to the Dominie: R DO vu gv g tlt trg in vr talking to each other until Manwright huge amounts for the creation. FRGRM? banned the constant finger waggling, "But thal's her charming unexpected,

if "Let's see I remember your abbrevia- which he denounced as a damned inva- Reg Gaily 's a born artist."

tions, darling. . . . Did you that's . . . give me sion of vision, They simply held hands and "Like hell she is, That's onlyjhe Hesler

Galatea , . . yes, toilet training in your pro- talked info other's in their secret each palm Bateman I gave her. No L x V N yet. And I

gram? My God, Claudial I gave her the best code, and Manwright was too proud to ask the nightmares are continuing in se- of 47 women. Surely al least one of them quence. Those damned Red Indians have i must have toilet trained." been cut me off at the pass." BY DPRS "By what, Claudia?" Claudia took Galatea to her home, where I "Buy diapers. Reg." 6 Corque took her to his Saturn the girl got on famously with Claudia's two "Oh. Ah. Of course. Thank you, Charles. Circus, where she sons and 'brought them to Manwright's Thank you, Ciauc' a Mora coffee, love? It's house to demonstrafe a new dance which | frustrating, Charles. Muscular dyspraxia mesmerized him into letting her she'd devised called: "The Anthro Hustle." 1 again. Claudia can manage caps in her try riding bareback It was performed to a song she'd com- writing but she can't hack lower case. How posed entitled: "Who Put the Snatch on diapers, Claudia?" and leaping through burning many Gorilla Baby?" which she banged out for-

hoops. . .and tissimou'sly on the harpsichord. "Right. One doz. Zu Befehl. Did you bring "Bring back the tuning fork," Manwright thrusting her auburn head into your kids to play with the baby?" muttered. TOOD a lion's mouth. 9 Corque was apijlai.d ng enthusiastically. "Too odd for what?" "Music's her surprise kink, Reg." TOO OLD "Call that music?" 'Your kids'''" Corque took her to his Saturn Circus, G where she mesmerized him into letting her 'What? Galatea? Too old for your boys'? what they were gossiping about. try riding bareback and leaping through

And still in-diapers? I'd for if I'd best see myself." "As get an answer anyway," he burning hoops, acting as target for a knife I Ohe.o.f the lop-floor bedrooms nad been growled to Corque. thrower trapeze aerobatics, and thrusting ] converfed into a nursery The usual bio- "D'you think that's her mystery surprise. her auburn head into a lion's mouth. He droid cellar accommodations weren't good Reg?" couldn't understand how she'd persuaded

enough for Manwright's magnum opus. "Damned if I know. She's unexpected him to let her take such horrifying risks.

When the Dominie entered with Claudia, enough as it is. Rotten kid!" "Perhaps cajolery's her mystery quality," the red infant was on the floor, flat on her She stole liquid licorice from Igor's he suggested. "But she did miraculously belly, propped on a pillow, and deep in a sacred pantry and tarred herself; phos- well, Reg. My heart was in my moulh. Gaily book. She looked up and crawled en- phorous from Manwright's sacred labora- never turned a hair. Pure aplomb. She's a njsiasiically to Claudia. tory and irradiated herself. She burst into magnificent creation. You've generated a "Manny dear, I've found the answer, the Corque's dark bedroom at three in the Super-Popsy tor Valera." old linear shorthand. Just slashes, dots, morning, howling, "ME methophyte mother "Guh." and dashes, and you won't have to worry FROM GANNYMEEDY! YOU KILL ALL MY CHILDERS. "Could her unexpected kink be psy- your hand and head over cursive abbrevia- chic?"

: ; cms H':-; ; s:-npie style, and we can prac- "The redskins have got me surrounded," tice together." She climbed up on Claudia Manwright fretted. He seemed strangely and kissed her lovingly. "One would think disoriented. this might have occurred to that egotistical What disturbed him most were the daily know-it-all whose name escapes me," The tutoring sessions with the young lady. Invar- infant turned her auburn head. "Why. good iably they degenerated into bickering and morning, Dominie Manwright. What an un- bitching, with the Dominie usually getting

pleasant surprise." the worst of it,

"You're right. Claudia," Manwright "When our last session ended in another growled. "She's too damned old for your bitch we both steamed for the library door," kids. Diaper her." She sneaked up into the sacred pent- he told Corque, "I said. Age before beauty, "My sphincter will be under control by house and decorated the robotlike neu- my dear,' which you must admit was gra- tomorrow. Dominie," Galatea said sweetly. trinpscope with items stolen from Man- cious, and started out, That red Popsy snip "

Selbsisjchr. Teil Eitel- said, 'Pearls before swine,' and swaggered fantascienza, magia-orrore, umorismo, keit, zwei Teile emen keit, einen Teil Esel, mische kraftig, pasl me like a gladiator who's wiped an narrativa, attualita, filosofia, sociologia, e und entire arena." cattjvo. putrido Regis Manwright." fuge etwas Geheirnnis hinzu, und man "She's wonderful!" Corque -laughed. erhalt Dominie Regis Manwright."

"Oh, you're insanely biased. She's been "Charles, this is the last literary talk-in I twisting you around her fingers since the ever attend." "Especially my private parts." moment she was poured." "Did you see how Gaily handled those "And Igor and Claudia and her two boys Italian publishers?" "Dominie Manwights biodroid esta al . neologis- and the CB repair and the plumber and the "Yes, gibes at my expense. She put iron dia en su manera de tratar los electronics and :he garcener and the laun- claws on her hands." mos, palabras coloquiales, giro y modis- Senor. Yo dry and E & A Chemical and half my Gir- "My dear Reg, Gaily did no such thing." mos. cliches y terminos de argot. Galante. la biodroid." cus?AII insanely biased?" "I was referring to that sexy squaw." soy Galatea

Spanish; I madame. I not "Evidently I'm the only sanity she can't "Thank you, am merely respect the old Castilian snow. You know the simple psychological "Entao agora sabes danger?" admire and truth, Charles; we're always accusing "Sim. Dango, falo miseravelmente style." me, chorley guy You toller- others of our own faults. That saucebox has muchas linguas; estudo ciencia e filosofia, "Oh, Souse the impudence to call me intransigent, escrevo uma lamentaval poesia, estoiro- day donsk?" burst out laughing. "I see you re very stubborn, know-it-all, conceited. Me! Out of mecomexperienciasidiotas, egrimocomo He with the classics, madame. Let me her own mouth. QED," un louco, jogo so boxe como up palhaco. much think. Yes. The proper response in that "Mightn't it be the other way around, Em suma, son a celebra bioroid, Galatea Reg?" Galante, de Dominie Manwright." James Joyce litany is 'N.' "You talkatitf scowegian?" "Do iry to make sense. Charles. And now that the Grand Teton breastworks are mak- "She was magnificent dancing with that "You spigolty ing her top-heavy (I think maybe I was a Portuguese prince, Reg." "Nnn." little too generous with my Egyptian pro- "Portuguese ponce, you mean." "You phonio saxo?" gramming) there'll be no living with her van- "Don't be jealous." "Nnnn." ity. Women take the damned dumbest "She's heating the claws in a damned "Clear all so. "Its a Jute. Let us swop hats pride in the thrust of their boozalums." campfire, Charles." strong verbs weak oach "Now Reg, you exaggerate. Gaily knows and excheck a few eather yapyazzard." we'd all adore her even if she were flat- "Didn't you ever fight back, Sandy?" "Brava, madame! Bravissima!" chested." r-3-i She tilted her auburn head and looked at "I know I'm doing a professional job, and said her him strangely. "Against my will," she I know she has too much ego in cos- compelled to invite you to a mos. But next week we start schlepping slowly, "I'm dinner party tonight." her to parties, openings, talk-ins, routs, Beatrice bully. But all bullies "More classics, madame? The and such to train herforValera. That ought "Yes, I know, he's a and Benedict scene from Much Ado About to take her down a peg. The Red Indians .are cowards at heart. You should have Nothing?" have got me tied to a stake," he added. iought him to a standstill, like me. Did he

the Galatea and— I don't know ever make a pass at you?" "No, it's "Canapes?" your name." '"Vaiera. Antony Valera.'' "Taevahso.Lahvelypahty Ms. Galante." Galatea Valera scene. Can "Thank you. Lady Agatha. Canapes?" Its the and J #*?;r-^ you come?" "Grazie, Signofina." 9 "Prego, Canapes?" "With delight. Commendatore. "Un-huh. Me neither. He's an arrogant "When this bash is finished HI give you leb'n zolt ir." 'A dank, meyd'l. Lang egomaniac, too much m love with himseli to General. Hot canapes, the address." "Nitb far vus, love anyone else." "I know' it. Galatea." - dear Professor Corque?" "My friends call me Gaily. How do you "Thank you, adorable hostess. Igor's?" " know my address? We've never me! "Mine." "I contracted with —I'm acquainted with "And perfection. Don't be afraid of the Dominie Manwright, Gaily. Tonight"? Eight won't bite." Martian counsul. He Give the to "What Sandy'? Me? come-on o'clock?" "Canapes, M'sieur Consul?" 7 that dreadful man? Never! Did you "Eight tonight." 'Ah! Mais oui! Merci, Mademoiselle Gal- "D^ess party?" lee. Que pensez-vous du lumineux "Optional," She shook her head *Z2 - Dominie Manwhghl?" don't know what's got- into me. Vaiera. The "C'est un type tres competent."

1 i moment I saw you at this clambake knew "Oui. Romanesque, rnais formidable- had to see you again, intimately i m pos- ment competent." " sessed 1 "Quoi? Manwright? Romanesque? Vous "Uh-huh. And he didn't even have to lash dining me genez, mon cher consul." himself to the mast. Iceberg City. Ah, Mr The rest of the household was m Gastrologue, and their moods were not "Ma toi. oui, romanesque. Mademoiselle Jessamy. So sweet of you to give us your The Gallee. C'est jusiement son cote roman- box tor the concert. I've just been compar- compatible. with wife our "Thrown out." Corque keot repeating. esque qui lui cause du ma) a se trouver une ing notes your adorable on common enemy, whose name escapes me. "Thrown out without a moments notice by femme." " He's the gentleman on my right, who slept that ungrateful tyrant 1 wants be alone with "These damn do's are a drag, Charles." through the Mozart." "Naturally. She to Valera. Charles. Instant, devoted attraction, "But isn't she wonderful?" "And they're making my nightmares 'And dreamed that snes toruring me as per my brilliant programming. I tell you,

worse. A sexy Indian squaw tore my clothes with her burning claws. Charier a I over my I'm a genius." month-terth for otf last night." "She athed me to make her to therve, mahih-ter." pitch in "Mi intemsso pa'ticolarmonte ai libri di cilo Selbsto^talli;::- "Quite right. Igor. We must all and " " "

Valera's abet romance. He was so turned 'I copied it from a Magda.'' 'That's right." on meeting her at that bash this afternoon or is ?" "Who what a Magda? Oh, thank You mean I'm . . . that he sent his check by messenger. Pay- you. 'That's right." ment in full ... to protect his claim on my "I'm afraid I filled it too high, but boys like "But you said a dinner parly, Gaily." Perfect Popsy, no doubt." big sandwiches and big drinks. She's the "It's ready any time you are." "Thrown out! Thrown out by that tyrant!" vogue designer of the year. Down with "The party is us? Just us?" 'And good riddance to her very soon, countertenors." "I can call some more people if you're Charles. will The house be back to normal." "May they be heard only in Siberia. Why bored with me." " "But didn't order brain, she a mahlh-ter." must I keep it a secret about your copy?" "You know that's not what I meant." "Not to worry, Igor. Tell you what; we'll "Good Lord! They hang, draw and quar- "No? What did you mean?" order cervelles noir, de veau au beurre and ter you if you pinch a designer original." "I—" He stopped himself. if Gastrologue doesn't have any calves' did "How you manage?" "Go ahead," she bullied. "Say it. I dare brains you can go out and steal some." He "I fell in love with it at one of her openings you." beamed and his pale, streaky bobbed and memorized it." He capitulated. For perhaps the first time head. 'And made it yourself? From memory? in his suave life he was overpowered. In a "Thank you, mahth-ter." You're remarkable!" low voice he said. "I was remembering a "Evicted!" "You're exaggerating. Don't you re- tune from twenty years ago. Hey, diddle- silent Claudia The printed: plantains fr member complicated stock manip- dee-dee/I've found the girl for me/With ME PLS RENELLOS DE AMARILLO. ulations?" raunchy style/And virgin guile/She's just "Well, yes." Ihe girl for me." At one minute past eight Valera said, "It's "So with me it's the same damn thing. flushed She and began to tremble. Then I

fashionable late, I Is to be a half-hour but — Oops! That's the tag of a dirty joke. she took refuge in the hostess role. "Din- it all right to come in?" Apologies to the chairman." ner." she said briskly. "Beef Strogsnoff, "Oh please! I've been biting my nails for "The chairman needs all the dirty jokes potatoes baked with mushrooms, salad, a whole minute." he can get for client entertainment. What's lemon pie. and coffee. Mouton Rothschild. "Thank tell you. To the truth. I tried to be this one?" No. not upstairs. Tony. I've made special

Chic, but it didn't take long I it as as thought "Maybe someday, if you coax me nicely." arrangements for you. Help me with the would to walk up from Old Slip." "Where do you get them? Surely not from table.". "Old Slip? Isn't that ofiice where your is? Dominie Manwrighl." Together, in a sort of domestic intimacy, Were you working late, poor soul?" "From Claudia's naughty boys. Another they arranged a gaming table alongside "Hive there too, Gaily. A penthouse on top shot to the damnation of Blue Laws, and the marble pool with !wo painted Venetian of the tower." then the guided tour." chairs. She had already set the table wrth 'Ah, a la Alexander Eiffel?" Valera was bewildered and delighted by Spode china and Danish silver, so it "Somewhat, but the Syndicate complex the madness of Manwright's house, and needed some careful balancing. Before is no Tour Eiffel. What a fantastic place this enchanted by the high style with which she began serving, she drew the cork from is. I've never'done more than peep beyond Galatea flowed through it with equally mad Ihe Bordeaux bottle and poured a few the waiting room." comments. An old song lyric haunted him: drops into Valera's goblet. "D'you want the full tour?" "Try it, Tony," she said. "I've never been "I'd like nothing better" Hey. diddle-dee-dee. able to decide whether the concept of 'let- "You've got it. but drink first. What would I've found the girl for me. ting a wine breathe' is fact br show-offey. I you like?" With raunchy style appeal to your sophistication. Give me your "What are you serving?"— And virgin guile opinion." "My dear Valera, I She's just the girl for me. He tasted and rolled his eyes to heaven. "Tony "Superb! You're magnificent with your

"Thank you. My dear Tony, I share this "Never mind the polite compliments, compliments, Gaily. Sit down and try it house with two and a half men Tony," and a moun- she said, pulling him down on a yourself. I insist." And he filled her glass. tain gorilla. We have everything in stock." couch beside her and refilling his glass. "I'll "Wait," she laughed. "The floor show first. "Stolichnaya, please. Half?" give the acid you test, O'f all things in this I snowed electronics into bootlegging ul- "Igor, our housekeeper," Galatea ex- house, which would likely to you be most tralight into the pool. That's why I wanted plained as she brought tray with a a bucket steal''" our table here. Wait till you see 20 Perform- of ice, a bottle, and shot glasses. She "You." ing Piranhas 20." She ran to a wall, extin- opened the vodka deftly and began revolv- "I didn't say kidnap. Come on, man, steal guished the living room lights, and flipped ing the bottle In the ice. 'A biodroid replica something." a switch. The pool glowed like lava, and the of Baron Frankenstein's accomplice." "I think I spilled my drink." excited fish became a ballet of darting em- yes. I've him. lisping "It's "Oh met The hunch- my fault; I joggled your arm. Don't bers. Galatea returned to the table, sat op- back." mop. So?" posite Valera. and raised her goblet to him,

"A dear, dear soul, but only half it." "You're with so sudden, Gaily. Well . . . don't He smiled back into her face. 'And a gorilla?" laugh.... scarecrow The mobile in the "Hey, diddle-dee— " he began and then "That's Claudia, my beloved nanny. She's garden." froze. He stared . Then he started to his feet beautiful. This vodka really isn't chilled "Oh. I love for / it. you that! made when I so violently that he overturned the table. enough yet, but let's start anyway." She was a little kid months ago." She gave him a "Tony!" She was appalled. tilled the glasses. "Russian style, eh? smacking kiss on the cheek and jumped "You goddamn bitch," he shouted. His Knock it back, Tony. Death to the fascist, up. ""Like some music?" She turned' on the face was black. "Where's the CB?" imperialist invaders from outer space." hi-fi and a soft murmuring drifted through "Tony!" their 'And Conestoga star-wagons," the house. "Where's the goddamn CB? Tell me be- They knocked their shots back. Valera glanced at his watch. "Your fore I break your goddamn neck!" "Gaily, what miracle are you wearing?" guests must be frightfully chic." "Th-that table." She pointed. "B-but I "La. sir!" She did a quick kick-turn. "Like "Oh?" don't understand. What's — it?" "You said eight. That was an hour ago. "You'll understand soon enough." He "I'm dazzled." Where's everybody?" punched buttons. "By God, you and this

"If I tell you, promise not lo turn .me in?" "As a matter of fact, they came early," whole damn lying house will understand, "I promise." "I'm the only one who was early." Rip me? Play me for a patsy?" His rage was "

"It's one goddam thing after another. " " " .

a terrilying echo of Manwright at his worst. "Must I stay here with him? Does he own outside?

"Hello. Larson? Valera. Don't waste time me? Am I bought and paid lor?" NO with visual. Crash mission. Call lull Security "No, love. Come to us." "How can you ask such questions!' the city from Valera's side and comb for a son of a bitch She dashed away and . "Has Gaiatea occn alone wi:h a man m a named Regis Manwright. Yes, that's the then hesitated. Claudia held out her arms, possibly intimate sifuation?"

pig. I give you a half hour to find him and—" but Galatea surprised everybody by going "You're hateful!"

"B-but I know where he is," Galatea fal- to Manwright, who took her gently. NO

tered. "All right. Valera," he said. "Go now and "Reg. we all Know that We've chap- "Hold it, Larson. You do? Where?" take your army with you. Your check will be eroned Gaily every moment outside; you. "The Gastrologue." returned first thing in the morning." me. Claudia."

until I "The bastard's in The Gastrologue Club, "Not know who it was." "Not every moment. Charles. It could Larson. Go get him and bring him to his "Not until who what was?" have happened with this innocent in five

house, which is where I am now. And if you "The goddamn lover-boy who knocked minutes."

want to get rough with him I'll pay all legals her up." "But nothing ever happened with a man! and add a bonus. I'm going to teach thai "What?" Nothing! Ever!" lying pimp and his bitch a lesson they'll "She's pregnant, you goddamn pimp, "Dear love, you are pregnant."

remember for the rest of their lives." The bitch has been sleeping around, and I "I can't be." wantto know the stud who knocked her up. "You are, undeniably. Charles?" The four were herded into the main floor He's got plenty coming." "Gaily, I adore you, no matter what, but of Manwright's house at the point of a After a long pause, Manwright asked, Reg is right. The pregnancy band is unde- 9 '' " naked laser which Larson thougni advis- "Are you under a psychiains- s care niable able in view of the threat of Claudia's mass. "Don't be ridiculous." "But I'm a virgin." They saw a grotesque: Valera and Galatea "No more ridiculous lhan your slander, "Claudia?" silhouetted before the glowing pool in the Galatea pregnant? My lovely, tasteful HR MNS HV STOPT dark room. Valera was holding the weeping young lady sleeping around with studs? "Her whaf have stopped?" girl by her hair, for all the world like a chattel You're obviously quite mad, Go." Corque sighed. "Her menses. Reg." in a slave market. "Mad, am I? Ridiculous? You can't see All s

In this ominous arise Manwright dis- thaf she's pregnant? Turn her around and "I m. a virg .vicked. ue^su.ibl.-, played an aspect ot his character which look at her face in this ultralight. Look at men. A virgin!" none had ever seen: a tone of quiet com- her!" Manwright took her frantic tace in his

mand that took obedience for granted, as if "I'll go through the motions only to get rid hands. "Sweetheart, no recriminations, no

it its of by divine right, and won through as- you." punishments, no Coventry but I must know

surance. Manwright smiled at Galatea as he where I slipped up. how it happened. Who "Mr. Larson, you may pocket lhal laser turned the girl around. "Just a gesture, were you with, where and when?" now. It was never needed. Valera, you will love. You'll have your dignity back in a mo-— "I've never been with any man. anywhere let Galatea go," he said softly. "No, dear, ment, and I swear you'll never lose it ag or anywhen."

don't move. Stay alongside him. You belong His words were cut off. as if by a guil- "Never?" to him, unless he's his changed mind. lotine. In ultralight the . . Have the from glowing pool "Never . except in my dreams." you, Valera?" there was no mistaking the dark pregnancy "Dreams?" Manwright smiled. 'All girls

"You're right I the similar goddamn have," band across Galatea's face, to the have them. That's not what I mean, dear" chairman stormed. "I want no part of this banded mask of a raccoon. He took a slow R MAB U SHD MN

cheap secondhand trash. Larson, keep deep breath and answered the confusion in "Maybe I should mean what, Claudia?"

that gun handy and get on the CB'. I want her eyes by placing a hand over her mouth. LTHRTLUHRDRM3 my check stopped." "Go, Valera. This is now a family affair," "Let her tell me her dreams? Why?"

"Don't bother, Mr. Larson. The check has "I demand an answer. I won't leave until I JST LSW

not been deposited and will be returned. know who it was. Your half-wit hunchback, "All right, I'll listen. Tell me about your Why, Valera? Doesn't Galatea meet your Igor, probably. I can-picture—them in bed; dreams, love." exalted standards?" the slobbering idiot and the "No. They're private property." ' "Of course she does," Corque burst out. Manwright's interruption was an explo- "Claudia wants me to hear them." "She's brilliant!— She's beautifull She's per- sion. He hurled Galatea into Claudia's "She's the only one I've ever told. I'm fection! She arms, drove a knee into Larson's groin, tore ashamed of them."

"I'm handling this, Charles. I repeal: Why, the laser away from the convulsed man, Claudia fingerwagged. "Tell him. Gaily, Valera?" whipped Valera across the neck with the You don't know how important they are." "I don't buy whores at your prices." barrel, and held the staggering chairman "No!" "You think Galatea's a whore?" over the edge of the pool. "Galatea Galante. are you going to dis-

"Think? I know." "The piranhas are starving," he mur- obey your nanny? I am ordering you lo tell "You contracted for the perfect mistress mured. "Do you go in or get out?" your dreams." who would be faithful and loving and de- "Please, nanny. No, They're erotic." voted to you." After the syndicate had left, not without "I know, dear. That's, why they're impor- Galatea let out a moan. dire promises, Manwright turned up the tant. You musi tell." "I'm sorry, my love, you never knew. I'd house lights and extinguished the pool ul- At length", Galatea whispered. "Put out tell planned to you, but only after I was sure tralight and, with that, the pregnancy the lights, please."

you were genuinely attracied to him. I never stigma banding Galatea's fade. In' a The fascinated Corque obliged. had any intention of forcing him on you." strange way they were all relieved. - In the darkness, she began, "They're "You wicked men!" she cried. "You're all "Not to play the district attorney" he said, erotic. They're disgust.ng. I'm so ashamed. hateful!" it "but I must know how happened." They're always the same . . . and I'm always 'And now, Valera, think of mistress you a "How what happened?" Galatea de- ashamed ... but I can't stop. . . " as a whore? Why this sudden eruption of manded. "There's a man, a pale man, a moonlight

archaic morality?" I "Sweethearl. are pregnant." . . . I I you man, and want him, want him to . . .to "It isn't a question of morality, damn you. "No, no, no!" handle me and ravish me into ecstasy

It's a question of I secondhand goods. want "I know it can't be anyone in this house. b-but he doesn't want me, so he runs, and I part of no a shopworn woman." Claudia, has she been at all promiscuous chase him. And I catch him. Th-there are some sort of friends who help me catch him "Did she know about my dreams?" Galatea turns out to be a succubus who

and tie him up. And then they go away and "No." doesn't know it and has her will of me in our

leave me alone with the- moonlight man, "Djd I know about hers?" sleep every night."

I . I no! Dreams!" and . . and do to him what I wanted him "No." 'No, They were dreams. ." they? they?" Manwright was to do to me. . . "Coincidence?" "Were Were They could hear her trembling and rus- "Possibly." having difficulty controlling his impatience tling in her chair. "Would you care to .bet on that possibil- with her damned obtuseness. "How else Very carefully, Manwright asked, "Who is ity?" did you get yourself pregnant, eh: en- " this moonlight man, Galatea 7 "No." ceinte, gravida, knocked up? Don't you with red "I don't know." "And there you have it. Those 'dreams' dare argue me, you impudent "But you're drawn lo him?" were sleep versions or distortions ot what saucebox! You know," he reflected, "there of "Oh yes. Yes! I always want him," was really happening; something which should have been a smidgen Margaret "Just him alone, or are there other moon- neither of us could face awake. Galatea's Sanger in the programming. Never oc- light men?" been coming into my bed every night, and curred to me." his familiar "Only him. He's all I ever want." we've been making love." He was back to impossible

"But you don't know who he is. In the "Impossible!" ' self, and everybody relaxed. dreams do you know who you are?" "Is she pregnant?" "What now. Reg?"

"Me. Just me." "Yes." "Oh, I'll marry the snip, of course. Can't 'As you are in real life?" 'And I'm Valera's lover-boy. the stud re- letadangerouscreai.L/olikc Galatea out of "Yes, except that I'm dressed different." sponsible. My God! My God!" the house." "Different? How?" "Reg, this is outlandish. Claudia, has "Out of your life, you mean." "Never!" "Never! Marry . Galatea shouted. . left "Beads and . and buckskin with Gaily ever her bed nights?" fringe." NO you. you dreadful, impossible, conceited,

They all heard Manwright gasp. bullying, know-it-all, wicked man? Never! If are Come. . . I'm demon, what you? "Perhaps like . like a Red Indian, a Galatea?" Claudia."

"I never thought of that. Yes. I'm an In- The two women went very quickly up- dian, an Indian squaw up in the mountains, stairs. 'Are you serious about marrying Gaily. and I make love to the paleface every *His words were cut off, as if night." Reg?"

' "Oh. My. God. The words were by a guillotine. "Certainly, Charles. I'm no Valera. I don't squeezed out of Manwright. "They're no want a relationship with a popsy, no matter -In the ultralight from the dreams." Suddenly he roared. "Light! Give how perfect." glowing pool there me light, Charles! Igor! Light!" "But do you love her?" The brilliant lights revealed him standing was no mistaking the dark "I love all my creations." "Answer the question. Do you love Gaily and shaking, moonlight pale in shock. "Oh pregnancy band my God, my God, my God!" He was almost as a man" loves a woman?" across Galatea's face He "That sexy succubus? That naive de- I incoherent. "Dear God. what have I cre-

mon? Love her? Absurd I No, all I want is the i aied?" took a slow breath.3 "Mahth-ter!" legal right to tie her to a stake every night, "Beg!" when I'm awake. Ha!"

Corque laughed. "I see you do, and I'm "Don't you understand? I know Claudia very for you both. But, you know, I SiSpected; that's why she made Galatea happy nine her dreams." you'll have to court her." impertinent "B-but they're only dirty dreams," "Damn it, I'm not talking about a conven- "What! Court? That red brat?" iiatea wailed. "What could possibly be tional, human woman. I didn't generate s harm?" one, I'm talking about' an otherworld crea- "My dear Reg, can't you grasp that she "Damn you and damn me! They were not ture whose psyche is as physically real as isn't a child anymore? She's a grown young pride." Streams. They were reality in disguise. her body, can materialize out of it, ac- woman with character and s the harm, That's how your dreams complish its desires, and amalgamate "Yes, she's had you in thrall since the n with my nightmares, which were real- again. An emotional double as real as the moment she was poured," Manwright flesh. You've pestered about the delib- growled. Then he sighed and accepted It too. Christ! I've generated a monster!" me

"Now calm yourself, Reg, and do try to erate unexpected in my programming. defeat. "But I suppose you're right. My dear Igor!" ike sense." Well, here's the R = L x VN . Galatea's a 'Here, mahth-ter." I can't. There's no sense in it. There's succubus." "Please set up thai table again. Fresh I nothing but that lunatic drop of acid I prom- "A what?" ed Valera." 'A succubus. A sexy female demon. Per- service, candles, (lowers, and see if you for "The mystery surprise in her?" fectly human by day. Completely conform- can salvage the monsters you created

"You kept wondering what it was. ist. But with the spectral power to come, like the dinner White gloves." brainth, mahth-ter?" I Charles. Well, now you know, if you can a carnal cloud, to men in their sleep, nights, "No

them." "Not this evening. I see the Mouton \ siterpret the evidence." and seduce "What evidence?" "Not" Galatea cried in despair. "I'm not Rothschild's been smashed. Another bottle, please. And then my compliments to Manwright forced himself into a sort of that." I can't be." will she have the I control. "I "And she doesn't even know it. She's an Ms. Galatea Galante, and Ihunderous dreamed I was pur- Isued and caught by Red Indians, tied up, unconscious demon. The laugh's on me, forgiveness to dine, a deux, with a most ruefully. suitor. Present her with a corsage I and ravished by a sexy squaw. I told you. Charles," Manwghisaid "By God, contrite This will from . . . something orchidy. be es?" when I do glitch it's a beauty knock myself me "Yes. Interminably," cut programming the Perfect Popsy with an a fun necromance, Charles." he mused. "Galatea dreams she's a Red Indian engram for Valera, and she ruins every- "Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme, -iiii.aw. pursuing, capturing, and ravishing thing by switching her passion to me." alevai. Man and Demon. Our boys will be paleface she desires. You heard-her?" "No surprise. You're very much alike." devils, sorcery says, and the girls witches.

"I heard her." "J'm in no mood lor jokes. And then But aren't theyall?"DQ 85 ALIEN LANDSCAPES

Science-fiction classics, as envisioned by talented visual artists, show four worlds of imagination

THE TIME MACHINE

"The Time Traveler ... led the way down (he long, draughty corridor to his laboratory. ... We beheld a larger edition of the

: . little mechanism we had seen vanish before our eyes. . Cut by the horizon lay the huge hull of the sun, red and motionless. The

sky overhead was no longer blue. ... I cannot convey the sense of abominable desolation that hung over the world."— H. G. Wells .

4 Paul looked down and saw sand spewing out of the metal and plastic beneath them

. . . like a . . .tan and blue beetle. V

DUNE

"Flecks ol dust shadowed Ihe sand around the crawler now. The big machine began to tip A gigantic sand whirlpool began

forming Then they saw it! A wide hole emerged tram the sand. Sunlight Mashed from glistening white spokes within it. The

hole's diameter was at (east twice the length of the crawler. . . 'Gods, what a monster!' muttered a man beside Paul — The Frank Herbert men crowded around him . . ..staring fearfully." — . .

MISSION OF ORAVITY

"The world [Mesklyn] is ralher surprising in several ways. Us equatorial diameter is forty-eight thousand miles. From pole to

... it pole measures nineteen thousand It rotates on its axis

. . . making the day some seventeen and three quarter minutes long. At the equator I would weigh about four hundred eighty pounds ... at the poles I'd be carrying something like sixty tons — A large part of the southern hemisphere will receive no sunlight tor fully three quarters of the year and' should in conse-

develop . . quence . frozen methane at the expense of the oceans— Tremendous storms rage across the equator, carry-

ing methane vapor . . . while the southern regions warm up . . for creatures with liquid methane in their tissues."- Hal Clement

£The Earthman began to realize just what the winds of Mesklyn could do even in this gravity. £From an embankment of the railroad, Chris sat silently watching the city of

Scranton . . . preparing to take off. 9

CITIES IN FLIGHT

"There was no longer any reason why a vehicle to cross space small, needed to be cramped. . . . The most massive and awkward object could be lifted and hurled off the earth and carried almost any distance once antigravity was an engineer- " ing reality. . . cities . Whole could be moved."— James Blish DO

.'. Pijrjlisr.*a in h.,.M;iylliV,.,,-.!'. . v n* U S ,k : ;N. : ,

The astronaut trainees had to be taken down a peg — or so their officers thought KINSMAN BY BEN BOVA

Kinsman is a young keep us after school," Colt ChetAir Force iieutenant, said, "for being naughty training to be an yesterday." astronaut. His first mis- "Pierce'll find a way to take

sion in orbit, aboard a you guys down a notch," Jill space shuttle, teams him with said. "He's got that kind of Lieutenant Frank Colt: black, mind." brilliant, quick-tempered. "Democracy in action," Since Kinsman and Colt have Kinsman said. "Reduce scored highest among the everybody to the same low astronaut trainees so far. the level." older officers in charge of the "Hey!" Art Douglas shuttle have decided to take snapped, from across the them down a peg Colt sees compartment, where he was this as discrimination against helping Colt inlo his suit. "Your him. And Kinsman realizes scores weren't that much that his own chances to be an higher than ours, you know" Air Force astronaut are "Tell you what," Colt said. 'A inextricably linked with Colt's. couple of you guys black your From the enthralling novel Kinsman, published by Dial Press. When he finally slid out of his bunk, Kinsman felt too keyed up to be tired. Colt seemed tensed like a coiled spring, too, as they pulled on their pressure suits. "So the Golddust Twins finally get their chance to go EVA," Smitty kidded them as he helped Kinsman with the zippers and seals of his suit.

"I thought _ they were gonna

PAINTING BY JOHN SCHOENHERR faces and see how you get treated." netized soles of his boots in contact with "In a polar orbit?" laughed, there They but was a nervous the steel strips set into the deck plates. "Oh. No. I guess not. We've changed or- ," to it. undertone . Colt tapped Howard on the shoulder and bital planes so often that I didn't realize . Kinsman raised his helmet over his head pointed to Kinsman. Like scuba divers in an "Start with that one." Howard pointed to and slid it down into place. "Still fits okay," underwater movie, Kinsman said to him- the largest antenna, in the center of the he said through the open visor. "Guess my self. Howard turned, tapped the keyboard 1 drumhead. head hasn't swollen too much." on his left wrist, and held up four fingers. Kinsman hung head-down over the satel- Captain Howard slid down the ladder Kinsman touched the button marked lite and read the assembly instruction railing, already suited up, but with his hel- four on his own wrist keyboard. printed on it by the light of his helmet lamp. met visor open. The pouches under his Howard's voice immediately came The antenna support arms swung up easily eyes looked darker than usual; his face had through his earphones. "We're using chan- and locked into place. Then he opened the a gray prison pallor. nel four for suit-to-suit chatter. Ship's fre- parasol-folded parabolic dish that was the "You both checked out?" quency is three; don't use it unless you antenna itself. Mr. Personality, thought Kinsman. have to talk to the flight deck." "Now the waveguide," Howard com- j , Howard wasn't satisfied with the "Yes, sir," said Kinsman. manded laconically. trainees' check of their suits. He went over "Okay. Let's get to work." "It's not an observation satellit them personally. Finally, with a sour nod, he Under Howard's direction, Colt and Kinsman said as he worked. "No ports for waved Colt to the airlock. The lock cycled. Kinsman peeled away the protective and then Howard himself went through, aluminized sheeting from [he third and final "Keep your mind on your work."

closing the metal hatch behind him. satellite in the bay. It was a large, fat drum, "But what the hell's it for?" Kinsman Kinsman slid his visor down and sealed tall as a man and so wide thai Kinsman blurted.

it, turned to wave a halfhearted "so long" to knew he and Colt could not girdle it with With an exasperated sigh, Howard said,

the others, then clumped into the airlock. their outstretched arms. The outer surface "Strategic Command didn't bother to tell J heavy hatch shut, could The swung and he of the satellite was covered with dead black me. kid. So I don't know. Except that it's top hear, faintly, the clatter of the pump sucking solar cells. secret and none of our damned business." the air out of the phone booth-sized "Kinsman, you come up top here with me "Ohh ... a ferret." chamber. The red light went on, signaling to unfold the antennas," Howard ordered. "A what?" vacuum. He opened the other hatch and "Colt, get back to the main bulkhead and "Scuttlebutt that we heard back at the stepped out into the payload bay. open the doors." academy" Kinsman explained. "Satellites : -;"" Colt and Howard seemed to be deep in Floating up to the top of the satellite with that gather electronic intel inence

conversation, back beside the only remain- the captain beside him, Kinsman asked, other satellites. This bi'ci s going into a : " v

ing satellite in the bay. Kinsman shuffled "What kind of a satellite is this? Communi- orbit, right?" toward them, keeping the lightly mag- cations?" Howard hesitated before answer "Yes," he replied. Nodding inside his helmet, Kinsr wenl on: "She'll hang up there and listen on a wide band of frequencies, mostly the freaks the Soviets use. Maybe some Chinese and European bands, too. She

just sits in orbit and passively collects all

their chatter, recording it. Then when she passes over a command station in

States, they send up an order and she spits I out everything she's recorded over the course of a day or a week. All data-com- pressed so they can get the whole wad of poop in a few seconds." "Really" Howard's voice was as flat and cold as an ice tray.

"Yes, sir. The Russians have knocked a few of ours down, or so they told us at the academy." Howard's response was unintelligible. "Sir?" Kinsman asked.

"I said," he snapped, "that I never went to

the academy. I came up the hard way. So I don't have as much inside information as you bright boys." Touchy! "Colt, when the hell are you going to get them doors open?"

"I'm ready anytime, sir." Colt's voice came through the earphones. "Been waiting for your order."

"Well, open 'em up, damn it, and get back here." Soundlessly the big clamshell doors began to swing open. Kinsman started to return his attention to the satellite, but as the doors swung farther and farther back, he saw more and more stars staring at him; hard, unwinking points of light, not like .

excited !o notice," Howard ewels sel in black velvet, as he had ex- thou hast ordained . . "You were too pected, not like anything he had ever seen 'All right, all right," Howard's voice broke was explaining, "but we haven't detached on. before in his life. through to them. "Time to get back to work. the booster fuel tank that we rode up ." the orbiter's belly." . still to "Glory to God in the highest . Kinsman You'il get plenty of chances to see more, It's strapped with that thing hanging heard himself whisper the words as he soon enough. Come on. Hurry it up." "Can't reenter Colt said. rose, work lorgotten, drifting up toward the Reluctantly Kinsman turned away from onto us," "Right. have no intention of doing infinitely beautiful stars. the stars and back to the dark interior of the We for a rendezvous "Get your ass back here, Kinsman!" payload bay. Colt trailed behind him. Work- that. We're heading now ihey set the satel- point where the last six missions have sep- Howard shouted. It was like ice picks jab- ing with Caplain Howard, arated their booster tanks and left them in bing at his eardrums. lite on the shuttle's payload-deployment ." that swung ihe orbit. One of these days, when the Air Force . . found arm, a long metal boom "Bui I never thought Kinsman astronauts and enough himself drifting halfway down the payload squat drumlike mechanism up and com- gets enough money, we're going to convert all those bay, high enough so that his head and pletely outside the emptied cargo bay. permanent, full-sized shoulders were out in the open. He "Good work," Howard said. He touched empty tanks into a grabbed a hinge of the open door to steady his keyboard and reported back to the space station." "I'll Kinsman said, grinning himself. flight deck. be damned," Colt was beside him. "Fantastic!" "Now we wait," he said to Colt and to himself. went on, "is to Kinsman realized his mouth was hang- Kinsman, "You guys were so good, we "Your mission," Howard tank attach it to the as- ing open. But he didn't care. Inside the finished eight minutes ahead of schedule." separate our and already there." helmet, ir>the utter privacy of his impervi- Kinsman felt himself smiling at the cap- sembly that's "Simple enough," Colt said. "We did ous personal suit, he stared at the universe, tain, Not that they could see each other's tinted visors. But some- somelhing like that at the neutral-buoyancy seeing it for the first time. It was endless, faces through the tank in Alabama." shining, hypnotically beautiful. thing had softened Howard. He's just as all are. "It sounds easy," Howard said. "But I "All right, all right." Howard's voice was wiped Qui by this grandeur as we won't be there to help you. You're going to softer, gentler. "Sometimes I forget how it be on your own with this one." hits some people the firs! time. You've got "Okay," Kinsman said. "We can handle it five minutes to see the show. Then we've without. any trouble." got to get back to work or we'll miss the Howard said nothing for a long moment. orbit-injection time. Here"— and Kinsman Kinsman saw him floating before them, his felt a hand on his shoulder— "don't go drift-

: ted themselves back and forlh along the ing blue decked with bri:. .an; white clouds. length of the empty payload bay. did Hardly any land to be seen, just unbeliev- planted their feet at precise ably blue seas and the pure white of the Only he won't let his emotions show. pirouettes, radios the spots that the captain called out to clouds". They switched their suit to the flight deck's frequency and listened to the them— all on puffs of cold gas from It was- huge, filling the sky, spreading as pistollike thruster units, far as he could see: serene blue and spar- final orbital maneuvering that placed "There'll be no umbilicals or tethers on kling white, warm, alive, glowing, a beckon- the shuttle in the right spot for launching the confrol at rear of this task," Howard warned them. "Too ing, beautiful world, the ancient mother of satellite, Twice the jets the hanging around to foul up mankind. The earth looked untroubled the ship, near the root of the big tail fin, much tankage puffs of light that they your lines. You'll be operating indepen- from this distance. No divisions marred her flared— such quick registered dently, your own. Do you understand?" face; not the slightest trace of the frantic were gone before they had truly On "Sure." works of her children soiled the eternal on Kinsman's eyes. When the moment sightseeing. You to release Ihe satellite, it was utterly "No funny stuff and no beauty of the planet. It took a wrenching came won't have time for stargazing. Now fill your effort of will for Kinsman to turn his face unspectacular. ". Jakes's propellant and air tanks. I'm going inside to . Major away from her. . three, two, one," said check with the flight deck." By turning his body, Kinsman could see heavy voice. the sun shining so fiercely that even his There was no sound, just a brief puff of "Yes, sir." - --_ pretty edgy," Kins-ma- := : heavily tinted photochromic visor wasn't escaping gas as the tiny Ihrusier built into "He's after Howard had enough protection. He squeezed his tear- the bottom end of the satellite pushed Ihe suit-to-suit frequency disappeared through the airlocK. ing eyes shut and spun away.'angry yellow drum away from the boom arm. The satellite man." splotches flecking his vision. quickly dwindled into the distance and dis- "Just puttin' us on, "I know. said this is the most "Can't see the moon," he heard Colt say. appeared among the stars. don't He whole mission.* "Must be on the other side of the earth," As the boom swung back inside the difficult task of ihe they saved it for us. huh?" he a -ered. payload bay and folded itself into place "That's why the Howard said, "Maybe." "Look! That red star. I think it's Mars." along deck, Captain sense Coll shaking his head, "No," Kinsman said. "It's Antares ... in "Now for the final chore. It's a b'g one;' we've He could "Don't let 'em get to you. He had Scorpius." been saving it for you boys." frowning. inspecting thai Russian other jobs , . . like "Christ, it's beautiful." Kinsman Iried to glance over at Colt, but turned his head, all he saw was satellite. That was tougher than what we're When I consider thy heavens, the work of when he thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Ihe inside lining of his helmet. gonna be doing." . .

"That was a one-man task," Kinsman "Just go on and on forever" "You've got three hours," Howard told said. "He didn't need a couple of rookies "You'd need a damned big air tank." them. "The booster-tank linkages that hold getting in his way. And the Reds probably "Not a bad way to die. if you've got to go, it to the orbiter are buill to come apart and ." al! sorts of detection Drifting silent, sleep have alarm and sys- alone, going to among reattach to the other tanks . . tems on their birds." the stars , "Yeah, yeah, we know," Colt said impa- ,"

"Yeah, maybe . . "That's okay for you, maybe, but I intend tiently. "He's a strange little guy." to be shot by a jealous husband when I'm Kinsman was thinking, This shouldn't

"You'd think he'd have made major by in my nineties." Colt said. "That's how I take more than an hour. Why give us three? now," Colt said. wanna go: bare-assed and humpin'." "Working in zero-g on a task like this ain't

"Or light colonel. He's as old as Murdock. "White or black?" easy," Howard said, as if in answer to older," Maybe "The husband or the wife? Both of 'em. . Kinsman's unspoken question. "It's differ- "Yeah, but he's got no wings. Flunked out honkies, man, Screwin' white folks is the ent from the water tank. You'll be floating of flight training when he was a kid." best part of life." free — no resistance at all. Every move you "Really?" Kinsman could hear his partner's happy make will make you keep on moving until "That's what Art was telling me. He's chuckling, you make a countermove to cancel the mo- nothing more than a glorified tech special- "Frank," he asked, "have you ever tion." ist. No academy. Lucky he made captain. thought that by the time you're ninety there "We learned all that in training," Colt in- He was almost passed over." might not be any race problems anymore?" sisted. 'And how we shouldn't overheat "No wonder he looks pissed off most of Colt's laughter deepened. "Sure. Just ourselves inside the suits."

all the time." like we won't have any wars and God's "Yeah, sure you did. Pardon me. I

"Most of the time?" chillun got shoes. That's just how it'll be." should've remembered you guys know ev-

Kinsman said, "I got the feeling he en- "All right, there it is," Captain Howard told erything already." Howard's voice was acid joyed watching us go bananas over the them. again. "All right, you're on your own. Just stars." The three men were hovering just above don't panic if anything goes wrong.'

"Hey, yeah, I forgot all about that." the open clamshell doors of the payload Kinsman turned and rose slightly off the bay, looking out at what seemed to Almost an hour later, as they were attach- deck plates so that he could look out at the Kinsman to be a giant stac; of beer bottles. ing the empty propellant :ank to the six sky again. How quickly She miraculous be- Except that they're aluminum, not glass. others, Colt asked, "How many times we comes ordinary! Six empty propellant tanks, each of them practice this stunt in training?" "Sure is some sight," Colt said from be- nearly twice the size of the orbiler itself, "This particular business?"

side him. were arranged in two neat rows. From this "Naw . . just taking pieces apart and "Makes me want to just drift out of here distance they could not see the connecting reassembling them." and never come back." said Kinsman. rods that held the assembly together Kinsman looked up from the bolt-

"Did you hear someone say, 'Eureka'? tightening job he was doing. Colt was float- gonna leave us here!" "We're safe enough. We've got four don't ing some forty meters away, up at the nose "Caplain Howard!" Kinsman said into his hours' worth of air. As long as we end of the fat propGllant tank. He looked helmet mike, trying to keep the tremble out panic, we'll be okay. That's what Howara tiny next to the huge stack of tanks, gleam- of his voice. "Major Podolski, Major Pierce was trying to toll us." some- I are "But why the hell would they do ing brightly in the strong sunlight. But his . , . come in! This is Kinsman. Colt and voice sounded voice in Kinsman's earphones sounded as still outside the spacecraft! Answer, thing like this?" Colt's calmer, if he wanted to believe Kinsman, if he was inside the helmet with him. please!" as "Hell," Kinsman answered, "we did so Nothing but the crackling hum of the as if he needed to believe. carrier Your paranoia's deserted you just when much of this monkey work I thought they radio's wave. an- were training us to open a garage." 'Those sons of bitches are stranding us!" you need it most, Kinsman thought. He the shuttle getting swered, "How many times have they called "Yeah. That's what I was thinking. Then Kinsman watched Golddust Twins'? We're the why was Howard so shaky about us doing smaller and smaller. It seemed to be hur- us hotshots, the list. want to rub this? You fiavin' any troubles?" tling madly away from them, although the top two men on the They just

little . , Kinsman shrugged inside his suit, and rational part of his mind told him that the our noses in the dirt a . just like the to at the academy." 'the motion made him drift slightly away spacecraft was only drifting; it hadn't fired upperciassmen used do from the strut he was working on. He its main engines at all. But the difference in "You think so?" either that or we're dead. Kinsman reached out and grabbed it to steady him- relative velocities befween the tankage as- Its his self. sembly and the shuttle was enough to glanced at the digital watch set into three "I've spun myself around a couple make the two fly apart from each other. wrist keyboard. "They allowed hours They'll be before that time times," he admitted. "It gets a little confus- Colt was moving. Kinsman saw that he for our task. back hours." ing, with no up or down. Takes some gelling was aiming his thruster gun. is up. Less than two used to." Grabbing Colt's arm to stop him, "And if they're not?" Colt's answer was a soft grunt. Kinsman snapped, "Noi" Then he realized "Then we can panic."

it'll then." "The suit heats up, too," Kinsman went that his suit radio was still tuned to the flight "Lotta good do much good for us now, either. on. "I've had fo stop and let it cool down a "Won't do couple times." We're stranded here until they come back "Yeah. Me, too. But no trouble." for us." "Maybe Howard's worried about us "Basfards," Colt muttered. Now he was being so far from the ship without telhers." convinced. have they "Yeah, "Maybe." But Colt didn't sound con- m'How many times With a sudden grin, Kinsman said, vinced. called us hotshots, the but maybe we can turn the tables on them." "How's your end going?" Kinsman "How?" Golddusl Twins'7 We're the top asked. "I'm almost finished here." "Follow me, my man." list. his thruster gun. Kinsman "I oughtta be done in another ten min- two men on the They just Without using job's a clambered up the side of "their" propellant utes. Three, hours! This damned want to rub our noses in the dirt tank and then drifted slowly into the nest piece of cake if ever . . . Holy shit!"

little . . .just like the Kinsman's whole body jerked at the a created by the six other tanks. skin divers floating in the urgency in Colt's voice. "What? What is it?" upperciassmen used to do at Like a pair of "Lookit the shuttle!" midst of a pod of whales, Colt and Kinsman the academy."?1 Turning so rapidiy that he bounced his hung in emptiness, surrounded by the big, shoulder into the tank. Kinsman peered out curving, hollow tanks, toward the spacecraft, some seventy-five "Now when they come back, they won't meters away from them. be able to see us on radar," Kinsman ex- "They've closed the payload bay doors. plained. "And the tanks ought to block our suit-to-suit chatter. they won't hear us, Why the hell would they do that?" deck's frequency. So Colt jetted down the length of the tank, Banging the stud on his wrist, Kinsman either. That should throw a scare into them." stopping himself as neatly as an ice skater said, "Don't panic. Remember? That's what "They'll think we panicked and jetted with a countering puff of cold gas from the Howard warned us about." away." thruster gun. Kinsman reached out and "We gotta get back to the shuttle, man! "Right." touched his arm. We can't hang here!" "Maybe that's what they want." think of the explaining "What the hell are they doing?" he asked, "You'll never reach the shuttle with the "Maybe. But bewildered. maneuvering gun," Kinsman said. "Not they'd have to do' back at Vandenberg if careers it." range." they lost the two of us. Four officers' Colt said, "Whatever it is, I don't like enough ." Suddenly a cloud of white gas jetted "But something's gone wrong . . down the drain." from the shuttle's nose. The spacecraft Kinsman looked out toward the dwin- Colt giggled. "Almost worth dyin' for." let know we're here," dipped down and away from them. Another dling speck (hat was trie shuttle. It was hard "We'll them r "after worked up soundless gasp \

ing flesh-colored il "I some Band-Aids you was going to let stay here . . if you you tered. I watched my brother playin' cops cosmopolitan wanna see how everybody wanted to quit the Air Force." and robbers. Didn't look like much fun to is." He started to answer, but his mouth was me. So I decided I ain't gonna fight the

"Guess I really don't know much aboul suddenly dry. He thought of the Academy. Man. I'm gonna be the Man." il," Kinsman admitted. "Must've been pret- The cold, gray mountains and ranks of uni- ." "If you can't beat 'em . ty rough on you." forms marching mechanically across the "Looks like I'm joinin' 'em, yeah," Colt

"Yeah, but now I think il, thai back on we frozen parade ground. The starkly func- said, with real pas'sion building in his voice. were having our troubles in Colorado, too. tional classrooms, the remorselessly effi- "Butl'mjustworkin'myway up the ladder to I'm not an easy man to live with." cient architecture devoid of all individual get to the top, Then /'// start givtn' the or- "Who the hell is?" expression. ders. And there are others like me, too. Colt chuckled. "You are, You're thought man. And he of his father: cold, im- We're gonna have a black president one of supercool. Never saw anybody so much in placable. Was it pride and anger that these days, you know,"

charge of himself. it Like a big bucket of ice moved him. or was fear? 'And you'll be his chief of staff." water." Then he turned back, looked past the "Could be." Ice water? Me? "You're mistaking slow woman across the table from him, and saw "Where does that leave us?" reflexes for self-control." the sky once again. A pale ghost of a moon A small, sharp, beeping sound shrilled in "Yeah, I bet. Is it true you're a Quaker?" was grinning lopsidedly at him. Kinsman's earphones. Emergency signal! "Used to be," he said' automatically, try- "I can't stay with you," he said quietly Automatically both he and Colt switched to ing shut to out the image of his father. finally. the shuttle's flight-deck frequency

"When I was kid." Change "I :;' a the subject! That was probably the b:gqssi '^rn^.v "Kinsman! Colt! Canyouhearme?Thisis was when that damned shuttle started yourlife, he said to himself. Major Jakes. Do you read me?" moving away from A real us. Quaker." Frank Colt's sharp-edged voice brought The major's voice sounded distant, dis- With a laugh, Colt asked, "How come him back to reality, to the world he had torted by ragged static, and very con- ." you're not married? Good-looking, rich. . cerned. "Too having fun, training for busy Flying, Kinsman held up a hand to keep Colt

this. I've for I go! no time marriage. Besides. silent. Then, switching to their suit-to-suit Irfce girls too much to marry one of them." frequency, he whispered, "They can't see "You laid, wanna get but you don't wanna us in here among the tanks. And they get screwed." haven't picked up our suit-to-suit talk. The "Something like that. Like you said, •Switching back to the tanks are blocking it." there's lots of chicks in the world." "We're getting their freak scattered off "Yeah. Can't concentrate on a career and flight deck's frequency, the two the tanks?" It was a rhetorical question.

a marriage at the time. I same Leastways, lieutenants heard; "Pierce, "Kinsman! Colt! Do you read me? This is can't." Major Jakes." goddammit, if those two kids "Not if you 'want to be really good at either Their. two helmeted heads were close have lost, I'll for one." Kinsman agreed. Oh, we are being been put you up enough for Kinsman to see the grin glitter- so wise. And not looking at our watches. a murder charge."^ ing on Colt's dark face. Cool. Supercool. man. But out beyond the "Let 'em eat shit for a coupla minutes, curving bulk of the propellant tanks the sky huh?" was empty except for the solemn stars, "Right." talked, They so that the sound of their The shuttle pulled into view and seemed voices could steady their nerves, each of to hover about a hundred meters away from them staying calm and brave in the pres- the tanks. Switching back to the flight ence of the other. chosen for himself. deck's frequency, the two lieutenants Kinsman's rnind'drifted as he hung sus- "I don't just wanna be good," Colt was heard: "Pierce, goddammit, if those two pended in space, talking and listening with saying, "I got to be the best. 1 got to show kids have been lost, I'll put you up for a only the reflexive frontmost part of his mind. these honkies that a black man is better murder charge." He watched the earth sliding like by some than they are." "Now you were in on it, too, Harry." huge diorama, and his thoughts wandered "You're not going to win many friends that Howard's voice cut in. "I'm suited up. back to Diane, to the first night he had met way." Going out the airlock," her, that first to lovemaking in the misty, "Don't give a shit. I'm gonna be a general "Should we get one of the trainees out to dreaming light of earliest dawn back in her someday. Then you'll see how many friends help search for them?" Pierce's voice. in Berkeley. room I get." "You've got two of them missing now," He remembered coming out of the tiny Kinsman shook his head, chuckling, "A Jakes snarled. "Isn't that enough? How bathroom later that morning, to see that she general. Jeez, you've sure got some long- about you getting your ass outside to had set up toast and a jar of Smucker's range plans in your head." help?" grape jelly on the table by the window. The "Damn right! brother, .," My he's all hot and "Me? But I'm , teakettle was on the two-burner stove, and fired up to be a revolutionary, Goin' around "I think it would be a good idea," said a a pair of chipped mugs and a jar of instant the world looking for wars to fight against new voice, with such weighty authority that coffee stood alongside. colonialists and injustice. Wanted metojoin Kinsman knew it had to be the mission They sal facing each other, washing the underground here in the States and commander, Major Podolski. Among the the down crunchy toast with hot. bitter cof- fight for justice against the Man." three majors he was the longest in Air Force fee. Diane watched the people moving "Why doesn't he stay in the States?" service and therefore as senior as God, along the street below them. Kinsman Kinsman asked. "Eh, yes, sir," Pierce answered quickly. stared at the clean, bright sky. "The FBI damn near grabbed him a year 'And you, too, Jakes. You were all in on "How long can stay?'' or you she- asked so back, last time he came home." this, and it hasn't turned out very funny."

"I've got ... I leave tonight," "What for?" Colt and Kinsman, holding on to one of "Oh." "Hit a bank ... to raise money for the the struts that connected the empty tanks, "Got to report back to the Academy to- Peoples Liberation Army." could barely suppress their laughter as morning." morrow "He's one of those?" they watched the shuttle's cargo doors "You have to." "Not anymore. There ain't no PLA any- swing slowly open and three spacesuited " :;jres emerge. Kinsman glanced at Colt, and the two of her back through 'Gentry ano landing." "Maybe we oughtta play dead," Colt them glided over to the ladder and swam Podolski looked as if he had just swal- whispered. up to the flight deck, leaving absolute si- lowed a lemon, whole. "Oh, you do? And L "Mo. Enough is too much. Let's go out lence behind them. maybe you want to take over the controls, now and greet our rescuers." Major Podolski was a big, florid-faced too." They worked their way clear of the tanks man with an old-style RAF mustache. His Colt bobbed his head vigorously "Yes. and drifted into the open. bulk barely fitted into the commander's "There they are!" The voice sounded so left-hand seat. He was half-turned in it, one "Don't make melaugh."

the seat's back, it jubilant in Kinsman's earphones that he heavy arm draped across "Sir . . I meant about the judge advo- ," couldn't tell who said it. as Kinsman rose through the hatch. cate general. And [have another uncle. . "Are you all right?" "I've been listening to what you had to "Never mind!" Podolski snapped. "You ." say down there, Lieutenant, and if you sit reentry and landing. "Is everything . . can up here during ..." "We're fine, sir," Kinsman said calmly. think And that's all! You sit and watch and be

"But we were beginning to wonder if the But Kinsman put a finger to his lips. quiet and forget this whole stupid incident. spacecraft malfunctioned." Podolski frowned. That's an order!" Dead silence tor several moments. Sitting lightly on the payload specialist's "That's all we want, sir," Kinsman said- ." chair, behind the commander, Kinsman let Colt, beaming. "Uh, no . . Jakes said as he jetted up to He turned toward who was himself grin. far Air Force," . . guys'll in Colt and Kinsman. "We . uh, well, we sort "You go the of played a little prank on you two fellas." "Sir," he whispered, "I thought one good Podolski grumbled. "A pair of smart asses "Nothing personal," Pierce added. joke deserved another My uncle was voted with the guts of burglars. Just what the fuck Sure, Kinsman thought. Nothing per- out of the Senate years ago." this outfit needs." But there was a trace of a sonal in getting bitten by a snake, either. He could see a srugg e of emotions play grin flitting around his mustache. They were great buddies now as they across Podolski's face. Finally a curious "Glad you think so, sir," said Kinsman.

. . "I . to want . . jetted back to the shuffle. Kinsman played it smile won out. see you them "Okay . we're due to break orbit in two straight, keeping himself very formal and stew in their own juices, eh?" hours. You guys might as well sil up here correct. Coit followed Kinsman's lead, Glancing up at Colt. Kinsman answered, through the whole routine and watch how

if we were a couple of hysterical, gibber- "Not exactly, sir. I want reparations." it's done." ing, scared tenderfeet, they'd be laughing "Repa— What're you talking about, Mis- "Thank you, sir." their heads off at us. But now the shaft has ter?" The major's expression sobered. "Only

. . . tell turned. "This is the first time Frank and I have who's going to Pierce and Howard Once through the airlock and into the been allowed up on the flight deck." that they've got to sit with the trainees?"

passenger compartment, Coit and Kins- "So?" "Oh. I will," Colt said, with the biggest man were grabbed by the four trainees. "So we want to sit up here while you fly smile of all, "I'll be glad to!" DO Chattering, laughing with them, they helped the two lieutenants out of their helmets and suits. Pierce, Jakes, and Howard unsuited without help. Finally Kinsman turned to Major Pierce

and said, tightlipped, "Sir, I must make a report to the commanding officer." ."

"Podolski knows all about . . Looking Pierce in the eye. Kinsman said,

"1 don't mean Major Podolski, sir. I mean

Colonel Murdock. Or, if necessary, the judge advocate general."

Everything stopped. Jill Meyers, who had somehow wound up with Kinsman's hel-

met, let it slip from her fingers. It simply hung Ihere in midair as she watched, wide-eyed and open-mouthed. The only sound in the compartment was the taint hum of electrical equipment.

"The . . . judge advocate general?" Pierce looked slightly green.

"Yes, sir. Or I could telephone my uncle, the senior senator from Pennsylvania." Now even the trainees looked scared. "Now see here, Kinsman," Jakes started. Turning to face the major, close enough to smell the fear on him, Kinsman said, "This may have seemed like a joke to you,

sir, but it has the look of racial discrimina-

tion about it. And it was a damned dangerous stunt. And a waste of the taxpayers' money, too." ." "You can't . . Pierce somehow lost his voice as Kinsman turned back toward him.

"The first thing I must do is see Major Podolski," Kinsman said evenly. "He's involved in this, too." With a resigned shrug. Jakes..pointed toward the ladder. 7~ne urban landscape of the future —fully automatic and utterly fantastic SPACE CITIES BY HARRY HARRISON

Science fiction has presented bigger, better and more exciting cities :«# than any others ever seen on the tace of the Earth. Only recently have writers begun to see cities as places of oppression for mankind: after

all. there have been more rural hells than urban ones in our history. Memory is fleeting, so we should keep reminding ourselves that right up to the end of the twentieth century,

all the real action —intellectual, artistic, social, linancial — took place in Ihe cities. The creative people left their bucolic backgrounds and made their way to London or New York or the major city of their choice. Emily Dickinson wrote that she never saw a train, going anywhere, that she did not want to board. This is meaningless to a happily ensconced city dweller but elicits a depth ol response trom someone of intellectual ambitions who is buried in Booniesville. So, writers who loved cities designed bigger and better ones for the future. Wells in The Steeper Awakes had the sleeper wake up in a city full of gadgets and transportation and communication wonders- Aimost all the book-lengih Utopias have been cmfied Utopias. Then, when the pulps began churning along, cities grew in complexity and design. Just as with the a universal *ew ^4 m-« stations, war supercity came satellites— allot into existence, a them have to be concept shared built in space. by writers and with the illustrators. A exception ot writer could set James Blish's a story in this Cities in Flight. city without Here, great going into too much an tig rarity machines called background or spindizziesare detail. The put into position reader around accepted Manhattan eagerly and Island -and lift read on the entire heart But city growth of New York City has its limits, into space. A reached in dazzling Asimov's concept indeed Foundation —New York series with the followed by planet-wide city other cities that of Tranter leave the tired (transformed to economies of Helior and Earth for the examined in excitement of some depth in the stars. For Harrison's Bill, many years, the the Galactic biggest city in Hem). There is a space was in natural limit to Clifford Simak's this kind of Limiting Factor, growth; once where the you have the spacemen supercity built, discover an you can either artificial metal keep it running world that is so or destroy it. Or big that when move it to a new they explore it dimension. they can make Factories, no sense of it at power-generat- all. Howe.T" s ing satellites, world, and an spaceship single band in the others, are space rather small-time when than to a sphere. compared with For every the concept of inhabited alien physicist city we find in SF Freeman Dyson. there must be a He speculated dozen ruined that it all of the ones. Exploring planets of the them is fun— as solar system well as being were ground up dangerous— and melted and rarely so down, there well done as by would be Beam Piper in enough material Omnihngual, available to form where our a thin sphere scientists learn about the sun, a to translate the giant shell thai records of a could be vanished alien inhabited on its race. Sounds inner surface. impossible — This design was until the author first used by explains Bob Shaw in logically just OrbitsvMe. how I can be which, though accomplished written earlier. was not arger scale is published until Arthur C 1975. Here the Clarke's Earth explorers wandering zip into the sphere and planet in Rendezvous must spend with Rama. years getting where an entire back to the abandoned entrance they world-city originally came comes whistling in through through our Dyson's design solar system. was also used Now. tnner-city by Larry Niven in violence seems Ringworld to have put an (1970). though end to the he limited day of the himself to a really "super" city. Authors )r of their ancestors' ways. are now returning to nature, SF is basically a literature of the village, and the entertainment, The limitations isolated house in. the hills. are only those of the author If The great cities are either you think big you write big. dismembered or allowed The open-minded philosophy to lall into ruins, of SF is a reflection of warnings to the youth the best thinking in social of the future of the and scientific man. OO " "

HALFJACK

Half-man, half-machine, he roamed among the stars, seeking fulfillment

BY ROGER ZELAZNY

walked barefoot along ihe beach. Above the city "Jack''" "Yes. Gcoo morning Heseveral of Ihe bnghter slars held for a few final moments against the wash of light from the east. He "Come back." "All right." lingered a stone, then hurled it in Ihe direction from which the He moved to the bedroom door and entered the room. She sun wou'd come. He watched for a long while until it had was lying fhere. smiling. She raised her arms slightly. vanished from sight. Eventually if wou.d begin skipping. Be- "I've thought of a wonderful way to begin t'ne day'' fore then, he had Turned and was headed back, to the city, the himself on the edge of the oed and embraced apartment, the girl He seated sleep-wa'm sleep-sof: against Somewhere oeyord the s'vNne a vehicle fted bum-rig its her For a moment she was and

of night with it him, but only for a moment way into the heavens It took Ihe remainder the ccunryside as well as "You've got foo much on." she said, unfastening his shift as it faded, Walking on. he smelled the his trousers pleasant city— He peeled it off and dropped it. He removed the ocean It was a pleasant world, and this a held her again, spaceport as well as seaport— here in this backwater limb of Then he tracing the long fine scar that ran down as ts galaxy. A good place in which to res: and immerse the "More." she said alongside his nose, traversing his chin, his nee* me -leg acted oohion of himself in ihe flow of humanity, the colors forehead, nghl side of h'S ches:and abdomen, passing to one side of his and sounds of the city the constant tugging of gravity, But it had been three months now: He fingered ihe scar on his brow, groin, where it stopped. "Come on." Hs had let two offers pass hi" by lo 'inger There was another "You didn't know aoout it until a few nights ago pending his consideration. even his with her lips. Kami's street, ne saw that her apartment She kissed him, brushing cheek As he walked up " "it really does something for me was still dark. Good, she would not even have missed nim. months — agam. He pushed past the oig front door still not repaired "For almost fhree of fire, no. "Take it off. Please." smce he had kicked if open the evening the two— ano gave half-smiie. He rose to his feet. three— nights ago. He used the stairs He let himself in ouietly. He signec a heard All right." He was in the kitchen preparing oreakfast when he and put a hand to his long black hair He her stirring He reached up

PAINTING BY MICHEL HENRICOT ,

c-oppo- :n^nai top hi£

The rigor s.de of his head was : "Yes." pletely bald: the left had a begin He-entered the bathroom, emerged with : growth of dark hair. The two areas v ;wo istfuls ot persona, items, and dropped precisely divided by a continuation o1 them into the bag. faHscarcnhisfceoeac. "Why?" HKOaceclh^Vcer'ioslnop-ne' or He rounded the oed, picked up his bcdygleve and hairpiece, rolled them into a sh.p uo that parcel, and out them inside the oag. il field. Jack "It's not what you may think," he said dihen broxe then, "or even what I thought until jus; a few world half a HO'-enrs age." She sat up.

Then. aca. .1*3* [fr] m I" c'he edge of the bee oe ro. ed it down hs eg over rhe thigh Knee, calf heel, He treated his foot as he had his hand, pnehmg each toe free separately before pulling off the body-

glove. He shook it out and placed it with v Standing, he turned his clothing. toward Kathi. whose eyes Standing, he turned toward Kathi, whose teft , , 1 had not him. eyes had not let; him during al this time, Again, the half-smile. Tne uncovered por- Again, the half-smile. The tions ot his face and body were dark metal uncovered portions and plastic, precision-machined, with various openings and protuberances, some of his face and body gleaming, some dusky, were dark metal and "Halfjack," she said as he came to her.

. . plastic . machined. , , , "Now I know what that man in rhe cafe ? meant when he called you that." "He was ucky you wee wirn ^e. There are places where that's an L.rnono y -.er~ "You're beauti'ul," she said vok :: "I .;,-,_, once knew a girl whose body was al- nor it at all. Y most entirely pros:he!ic. She wanted me ro and used that for met tfe ..< keep the glove on — at all times. It was the here and lea p flesh and the semblance of flesh that she to be hones- with found attractive." to you That' no "What do you call that kind of operation?" He drew o ihlF "Lateral hemicorporectomy." "Whs! the ?" s After a time she said, "Could you be re- "It's just th anal hanc paired? you replace it way?" Can some call it, I'vesta dark Iqu; He laughed. gravity we . "Either way," he said. "My genes cou'd going agar befractioneo, and the proper replacement realized this VI'P parts could be grown. I could be made ro your feenn QS-

whole with grafts of my cwViesh. 0- 1 col. Id have -uch of rhe -est r emovec and replaced with biomechanical analogues. But

I need a stomach and bails and lungs, because I have to eat and screw and breathe beiieve me c not you- reactiors to my bet- to feel _ human." i rer half don't matte' s what 1 =aid tnoLgh She ran her hands his back, one an i down Nothing else, And row I've gofn s feeing -"ov^c out >r =ncompas=i the e fascia- metal, one on flesh. won* be much fun anvmore if really vol i clann " "I don't understand she said -when "rev like me, you'll let me go wimou* a lot of finally drew apart. "What sort of accident fuss." aneousv to decisions areat and it?" was He finished dressina She got out of the _;', ,* n'VTi 7.". n,= -,,- ;. 'Accident? There was no accidenv he bed and faced htm, Jack. said. "I paid a lot of money for this work, : so "If tha:s the wav i has :o be, she saic. —I'd say that I could pilot of I a special sort ship. am "Okay." Morgana held m'" ligntlv. Thei

I a cyborg. hook myself directly into each of 1 d better just go, then. Now" ojicDO " -Qwi'J-s nv-; ens o- !f.e ':<:,! Ojcomskers ever bu:i:. SANDKINGS

His interest piqued when told of the creatures' proficiency for warfare and worship

BY GEORGE R. R. MARTIN

^^imon Kress lived aione in a 3 among dry, rocky hills fifty kilometers

1 he was called away unexpectedly on ghbors he could conveniently impose on

no problem; t roosted n

' fed it

t to tent

iha. posed a diffi- nto the huge tank.

';- - me nexta.=)y hctlo-.v niSi-Kirvr.s- .".sqr-irc. .--, loumoy o sens two hund'ed kilometers Asgard was Baicurs largest city ana boasted the oldest a~c -argesi s:arpor: as well, < r ess liked lo imoiess 'us (Mends with a* na's ma: .vers um,sL.-.l. ente-'tamirg and expensive; Asga'c was the place :o C-jy mem, This rime, though, he had poor luck Xencpets hac c^osed Is oocs t'Emerane the Pe:sel er :nec :o foist ano:her ca r rion haw* off on h n. and Strange Waters offered nothing more exotic than pi-anna glowsharks andspioersouids Kress hac had all :nose;

PAINTING BY ERNST FUCHS ' "

so'-othire ' ne wanted new. so'-etnirg that could rot recognize — but he could nol get "Are you Wo o' Shade'7 Kress asked. "Or would stand out a good look at any of them, The mists only saes help?"

r Nea dusk .he found himself walking foweo sensuous y around them,, display- "Jala Wo, ready to serve you " she re- : r down Rainbow Boulevard, looking for ng a bi: cf i st ere thing anc then another. p ec. 'Shade does net see customers We

places he hao not patronized before So ;ner c-cakinc a i It was intngu.ng. have no sales help." close to the stanoort. the street was nee by As he watched, -.he mis: began to 'orm "You have quite a ,rge establishment." r importers' ma ts. The big corporate em- letters. time. : One word at a Kress stood and Kress said. 'Odd that I "have never heard o poriums had impressive long windows, in read. you before. which rare and costy alien artifacts re- WO AND SHADE 'MFORTERS. AFT RAG'S ART. "We have only just opened this shop on posea on felt cushions agamst aarkdraoes Baldur," the woman saic. "We have fran- that rriede the interic-s of the stores a mys- The ette-s stopoed. "trough the fog chises on a numbe' of other welds, how- tery. the .unk 7 Setween them we-e shops- Kress saw something moving That was ever. What can I se.i you Art, perhaps? You nasty little narrow places wncsK- c solay enough fc him. :nat and the lifeforms in have the look of a collectc We have some areas were cammed with all manner of their adve",:sement. He swept h s walk ng 'ine No" T a!ush cysta; carv res." oTworid oric-a-brac. Kress :< both k ed nos cloak-over nis shcLider and entered the 'No," Kress said. "I own all the crysta Of with equal cissatisfacion shops, carvings I desire. I came to see about a Then he ca-^e across a store that was de. <>ess feh. disoriented. The interior pet." Different. seemed vast muci args r ihan he would 'A lifeform?"

r It was very near the port K ess had never have guessec fro"" the 'elativey mooest "Yes."

"':. been there before The snop occupied a frontage. It was dimly peacefu . Thecerl- -AlisnT small. single-story building c' moderate ;rjmpie"e witn spi'al "Of course." size 1 se: oetweei a euphoria ttia and a "We have a mimic in stocK. From Ceiia's temple nrothel of the Secret Sisterhood World. A clever .ittle simian. Mot only w I i; :his far, Down Rainbow Bcuevard grew learn to speak, but eventually it will mimic tacky. The shop itself was unusual. A-rest- yo:j r voice inflections gestures, even fa- ng. cia expressions

r ; The w noows we e ull ; '"" st row a c — "Cute, said Kress. "And common I have pale r ed. new the gray of true fog now no use -or eilhet Wo I want something exot- spark'ing anogooer. The mist swirled and ic. Unusual And not cute. I detest cute ; eddied and owed aintly ''orr, witnin g animals. At the moment I own a shamoler K'ess g mpsed co.iects n the wroow— Imported from Cotho. at no mean expense. machines peces of art, other things he From time to time I feed him a litter of un- " . '

warned kittens. Tnat is what I tnmk of cuie. In a tank this size, i: won'".." She look Kress "The mooiles oat oao. orecyos:od -ocd

it Do I make myself understood?" oy the elbow and led him around the tank to ootained insice me caste. T'ney get from " Wo smiled enigmatic^ y '-ave you eve' the next caste. "Look at the colors here the maw after sne lias worked on it for- sev T owned an animal thai wcsh ped you?" sne He did. They we-e oi'fe-ent Here the e-'aldays heir stomachs can I handle any-

r asked. sandkmgs had b ght reca'mor antennae. thing else. I* the maw dies, tney soon die as

Kress grinned. 'On. now and again. But I mandib:es. eyes. well. The maw ... the maw eats anything,

acre II Table dor I reoi. re worsh.p Wo. Just entertam- K'ess c anced Ybi. have no special expense- the'e

i.vi off-v 1 ment zens 0: the third a castle were scraps -,v . 1 do excellently. " :i "You misunderstand me," Wo said, still with -ed mm. "Hmrr lm he saic L,ve food? K'ess askec. wearing her strange smile. "I meant wor- "They war, as 1 mid, Wo told him. Wo shrugged. "Each maw oats -obi es " ship literally." even have truces a no alliances It w. I'd.m Ihe otner castles, yes

What are you talking about?' a arce tna" oest'o /ed the fourth ca; "I an- infigueo." he admitted. "If only " "I think I have jus' the thing for you Wc this tank. The blac ks were becomin they weren't so small!" sa>d. "Follow me.' numerous ana so 1 he others iomedf "Yours can be larger Tnese sandk ngs

She led him between the radiant count- I;-, ne=t-nv he'- a'S s">i because Ine r tank s s—a They ers and down a long foo-sn-nudec a sic- Kress remamedi. nconvi need. 'Ami seem to limit their growth to fit available

If beneatn false starlight Ttisy passed no coub:. But insec ;ts fight wars. too. space. I mevee these to a larger tank, " th'ougn a war ot must mo an-mer sectior o f "Insects do not « orship," Wo said they d sta't growing again "Hmrnm My piranha tark is twice this

size and vacant It coulc be ceaned out.

filled with sand . "Wc arid Shade wen d take ca'o of tna " msiallaiion It woulc be ou-' pleasure meters square. Pae sane tinted scar:et by "Of cou'se." Kress said. "I wou d expect .van 'ed light. Rocks, basalt and quar-z four intact castles." and granite. In each corner of the tank "Certainly," Wo said. stood a castle. ' ne-y oegan to hagg e about tne price. K-css bunked and peered and corseted himself: actually [here were only three cas- Three days later Jaia Wo ar- ved a: Simon mThe black castle tles stanoing The feu'th leaned, a crum- Kress's estate, with dormant sandkmgs bled broken ruin. The three others were was the first completed, and a wc/- crew to take cha-ge of the in- stallation Wos assistants were aliens un- crude but intact, carvec of stone and sand. followed by the Ove' their battlements and th'cugh their like any Kress was familiar with— saua: rounded porticoes tmy creatures climbed white and red fortresses. oroad bipeds with four arms and bu-ging mu eyes. Their sk n was thick ana and sca'-bco K'ess pressed t -: l.-ioe Uaceteo Kress . . . sat against the plastic, "Insects'^" he asked. leathery and twisted into horns and spines on the couch, so he could "No," Wo replied. 'A much more complex and protrusions at odd places upon their lifsform More intelligent as well, Smarter watch. He expected bodies. But they were very strong, ana workers. Wo crcerec tnem ahoui in a than your shambler by a considerable *, good " . . , . , war to break out now. amount. They a's cai.se sandkings musical tongue that Kress has neve' Insects." Kress said, drawing back from heard before. in the tank. "I don't care how complex they a day it was done Tney moved hs " r piranha center of his spacious are He '"-owned. And Kindly don't f y tc tank fo the gull me with this la* of inte gence Toese vine room, arranged couches on either things are fa r loo small :o have anytning but side of it fc better viewing, scrubbed it the most rudimentary brains." c can. and fi led '. two thirds of the way up "They share hivemmds," Wo sad. "Cas- with sand and rock Then they instai so a special lighting system, both to r ovice the : e minds .n th s case There are only three p r organisms in the tank, actually. The fourth dim red illumination the sancKings p e- " died vou see how her castle- has fallen ng my iacc to ceccrate then ouildmgs fe'red and to proiect holographic images " Kress looked oack at the lank ; have [her'- Tney mtc the tank On too they mountce a stu'dy "Hivemmds, eh? Interesting." He frowned On me castle the face of Jaa Wo was plastic cover, with a feeder mechanism peaceful, very ifelike. Kress bu.lt in. This way you can 'eed your sana- again "Sti it is on y an oversized ant farm serene, and removing the of the ta.-- I'd hoped for something better," marveled at the workmanship "How oo kings without too "They fight wars." they do if" Wo explained "You would net want to ;a-=e

" - "Wa r s" Hmm.iTi K

"Note the colors, if vol. will, Wo said. Sns even have "incers of a sen th-ee small The cover also mc uced sfenate-COWO -gir pointed to the creaturesthat swarmed over texibie tenor ils And they cooperate well. devices, toconoerse .ust *ne a-:.":

it out the nearest castle. One was scrabbling at Poth in building and in battle. Remember, of moisture from the air You want a-, dry," said the rank wa . Kress studee it. To hs eyes, i: all the mob les of one color sna'e a s ngle not too Wo sti : ookec ike an .nsect. Barely as long as mind." Finally one of the four-armed workers " his fingernail. six-lim,oed. with six tiny eyes Tell -'p "-:j-e K'ess requested climbed into the tank and dug deep pits in ,_ companions set ai around its oody. A wicked set of Wo sin led. ne --aw lives in the castle. the tour corners. One of his r him re- mandibles clac-tec v.sibiy. wh e :wo cno Maw is my name for her- a pun. if you w I. handed the dormant maws ove to

; fire antennae wove patterns in the air An- The thing is mother and stomach both. moving them., one by ens 'cm thei'-rosted tennae, mandibies, eyes, and legs were Female, large as your fist, immobile. Actu- cryonic traveling cases. sooty black, cut the dominant color was the ally, sandking '3 a bit of a misnomer. The They were nothing to 'oox at Kress de- burn; orange of its armor plating "It's an ~ob os are oeasants and warriors. The cided they resembled nothing so much as insect." Kress repeated real ruler is a queen. But that analogy is mottled, haf-spoied cm.-iks c" raw meat

"I: is not an nsect. Wc insisted ca:miy faulty as well. Ccnside'ed as a whole, each Each with a mouth. in "~he armored c-xcsteietoi" is sheo when castle is a sinele hermaphroditic creature." The alien buried them, one each ''' corner of the tank. Then the work party no sand", no grows large" it grows larger '-.What do they eat?" :ea:eci ! a. up and lock then leave The heat will b-mg ihe ™aws ojt

nancy." Wo said "In less Shan t ~ob les will oegir, to ha:ch and by the sur'ace Be cedain to aiv,

enty of food. Tney wi I need a

; Ar:o rly acc'' Wncn a II 'ne:

/id be patient, in:-,

nease oa . Wo the a. SheGov.ec Th

; ho thought. Humming hacpiy to r« he osgan drawing jp a guest si.

On rr,e fourtn day Kress though: ne /hen he put food ntc:ne:ankthcfo-ow- ghmpsed motion benealh the sand— aay. a ;.nree-cc-nercd ba::e brc

On the fifth day he saw bs I rsi mobile a lone white. On ;he iX lh day ne counted a dozen cf

:nem. v . The orange: :ayed"tabe scraps. The mThe attacking guGS[ :. rtobt es sensed ii at once, rushed ro and sandkings Washed Over the On °^e^°^Y^%'o^lo^^Sm spider. Mandibles JJ^ snapped shut on iegs and He' " on disappoiniad. but he decided to give abdomen, andclung. suf '

of found . ®ne them . . The.oranges made their apoea-ance on an eye &e \f'\ ;irgs you a ripped it ioose. , . . e ' -^ ^ss smiled and pointed* e^ting^ud^nt nm j^iidld A^

3-i,=de s. :!.." K-essM"iOjgnl :hc.y -,-v :.'''

yCe 10 ', .-ewest oetS ' Cj'-'V'iC In-:

, he conducted them nto his iving

Tne castes were a bit plainer thar

fecwed oy ne white and rod stresses His face er-e-t

The oranges we-e las:, as usua. Kress took At V 5 t a.i fear" his meas into ine vmg 'oom ano ate nim Cu: as tne •« seated on the couch so ho could wa;cn. ~

He was disaopomted Days passed, ine us/ig tiny f.akes castles grew taller an.d more grana, and his ha.r. The whits Kress seldom ieT Ihe :an.< except tc a::enu m sch evous :c m full of ques- inio h( final, Where did me sanding; come frorn^ faces.

'"Ths Even the

will o:ies oar licnf Den ! .".'O-ry. fhe'e oe

ot insects." Jala Wo about a f was c f arc. runnirq. week y nes.ghtes: attention ga-es.

A'irh ihe idea. An an m about rules and odds ens almost an hour F.nany the take tneir leave. Ja.a Wo was ihe last

::.: •J:-. K-ess 3d, af-er al

noulses? i j a to suit me

=itir

=,' said Wo. I win dis uss me mater

none of vou c oncer , or lis." K'ess

| m.jsl o.d vcj aoco-niGiv.. then' Wc sad -.v.n -escna:on 3j'. as sne slipped ' :

hao o:ner concern? and -.no

UaoK, I'll bet a thousand stanoards. sand soioer against sardkings."

Kress stLdieo the soice- in is plast c prison. His sandkings hao grown— they were twice as large as Wos. as she'e predicted— but they were sii : dwarfed by this thing. It was venomed, and they were >gs, the spider

net I Si :.nere wsre an av-.tjl lol ol '.hem )egan to move toward the o the darkness Besides, the endless sanding wars lately i the gate. From tne tower Press's countenance stared

i was a flurry of activity. The ooiles formed themselves 3S and streamed over the he spider, Mare warriors side the castle and assem- bed r ne :c guard the app'oach lo ,nd crevcos, ana— weii. watch— the underg-ojne chamber where the maw siraight into those castles and e 'iyed. Sccu:s came scuttling over the dunes, reca led to fight. Batfle was oinoc. The attacking sardk ngs washoc over

ice at the other castles, if you

Rakkis did =,-,c r--- swore Teams

ip the gates %

ice at the have brp.ught foi

"St II. won. My spider new easing your damned maw,' Kress die not 'epiv He waited. There was motion in the shadows. A at once r ed mobi es Oooa-i not.'

out of the gate. They took the r positions on the castle ana began -epa ring ihe damage that the spicei nad wro.jgnt "neothe- armies dissolved and began to retreat tc Ihe.r respect vo corners.

" Jad K'ess saio. I think you are a o confused aoout whe is eating whom.

The to ow ng week Rakkis brcught fo- r slim silver snakes. Tne sandkings dis- -ry^^vYM patched fhem without much trouble. r Next ne tried a la'ge bar.* bi d. t ate f^fihH^kdi more than thi'ty while mobiles, and its thrashing and blundering virtually de-

stroyed that castle, but ultimately : fs wings grew tired, and the sandkings atlac-eo -

r fece whereve it landed.

After that it was a case of insects, ar- mc r ed beetles not loo unhke the sandk'ng- themselves But stupid, stupid. An allied ent for one of my friends." jabbed the sword at the white casus be cw

1 hi -. He waveo it oact and forth, smashing them. The night after they made the recording, towers and ramparts and walls. Sand anc RakKis began giving Kress p r cm ssory Kress stayed lo ate. He absorbed a con- stone collapsed, burying the scrambling notes. troversial new drama n his sensorium. mooiles. A flick of his wrist obliterated the

It was around that time that Kress met fixed himself a small snack, smoked a features of the insoient. insulting caricature Cath m Lane agam. one evening when he couple of joy sticks, and broke out a bottle that the sandkings had made of his face, was dining ir Asgard a: his tavcr !e 'estau- of wine Feeling ve'yhapoywtn m—seL he Then he poised the point of the sword

r rant. He stopped at her table briefly and wande eo into the living room, glass in above the darn mouth that opened down told her about the war games, inviting ne' hand. mto the maw's cnamber he thrust with a" to join them. She flushed, then regained The lights were out. The red glow of the his strength, meeting with -esstance He control ot herself anc grew icy. Someone tcna' urn made the shadows '00k flushed heard a soft, squishing souno. All the has to put a stop to you. Simon I guess i s and fevensh. Kress walked ever to survey mobiles trembled and collapsed, Satisfied. going to oe me," she said. h s domain, curious as to how the olaeks Kress pulled back. Kress shrugged anc enjoyed a cvely were doing in the repairs on their castle.. He watched for a moment, wondering meal and thought no more about her threat. The puppy had ieft it in ruins. whether he had tilled the maw. The poini of Until a week later, when a small, stout the restoration wen; we,. But as Kress the throwing sword was wet anc sli^y But woman arrived at his door and showed him inspected the work through his magnifiers, finally the white sandkings oegan tc move a poi ce wisiband We've had com- he chanced tec ance c osely at the face. on aga.n — feeb y. siowty— but they moved plaints." she said. Do you Keep a tank tull the sand-caste wall. I; staniec him.. He was oreparing to slide the cover bacK

' of dange r cus insects, Kress 7 He drew back, blinked, took a healthy- into place and move on to a second castie

r I'll when he felt someth ng crawling on h s "Not insects, ' he said, tu ious. "Come, gulp Of wine, and looked again. show you." The face on the wall was sti h's. But t hand. When she had seen -ne sandkings, she was ail w'ong. a. twisted His cneeks were He screamed oropp ng Ihe swed, and shook her head, "This will neve' do. What brushed the sandking fro^ his flesh. It fell do you know about these creatures any- to the carpet, and heg'ounc it beneath nis

9 9 : it way Oc you

Have they seen cleared oy the Ecological dead It had crunched when he stepped on

r ; Board? Do you have a license fc these it After that trembling, he hurriedly sea ed th ngs? We nave a reoort that they' r e carni- the tank up again. He msnod of' to showe- his vores and possiby dangerous. We also i/-/e smiled and lowered and inspected himself care'uuy. He boiled have a repor: that they are semisentient. firing hand. "Cath was always his clothing Where aid you get these creatures any- Later, after d'inking severa. glasses of hard to swallow, " he. said, way?" wine, he returned to the -'ving -qo^ Me was at his wit. "Especially a bit of the "From Wo and Shade. ' ^ress replied delighted ashamed way he had been Never hea'd of them," the woman said. ter-fiec Oy the sandk.ng But he was net for one your size. Here, let me -- 1 " "Probably smuggled them in. knowing our about to open the tanK again, mm tne- you help. What are sec cgists wou d never approve them. No. give some the cove' would stay sealed permanently r >~ K ess this won'i do. I going to confiscate gods for, alter ail?"3 Stik he had to punish the others. mis tank anc have it oesfoyed. And you re He decided to lubricate his menial pro- going to have to exoect a tew 'mesas wen." cesses with another glass of wine. As he

Kress offered her a hundred standards finished : t, an inspiration came to him.. He to forget all about mm, anc hs sandkings went to the tank ana made a few adjust-

She isked. "Now I'l have to add attempt- ments tc the humidity controls ed bribery to the cha'ces agamst vo.i bloated and piggish; his smile was a By tne time ho fell as eeo on the couch, Not until he raised tne figure to two crooked eer He'ookec impossibly malevo- his wine glass still in nis nanc. the sano

r thousand standards was sne willing to be lent. castles were melting in the ain. persuaded. "It's not going to be easy, you Uneasy, he moved around the tank to know," she said. "There are forms to be nsoec; the otner cast es. Tney were each a Kress woke tc angry pouncing on his altered, records to be wiped. And getting a bit different, DUt ultimately all the same. door. icged cense from the scolog sts w ce The oranges had left out most of the fine He sat up. groggy, his head throbbing, time-consuming. Not to mention dealing detail, but tne result sti'H seemed rnon- Wine hangove-'s were always the worst, he with the complainant. What if she calls sfous, cruce: a brutal mouth and mindless thought. He lurched to the entry chamber. again?" eyes. Cath m'Lane was outside "You monster," "Leave her to me," Kress said. "Leave The reds gave him a satanic, twitching she said, her face swollen and puify and her to me." sort of smile. His mouth crd odd, unlovely streaked with tea's. "I cried all night, damn

things at its corners. you. But no more, Simon, no more."

He thought about t for a while. That night The whites. h,s favorites nad carved a "Easy,'' he said, holding h.s head. "Ive he made some calls. cruel idiot goo. got a hangover."

r First he got t'Ltne'ane the Petseller, "I K ess -lung nis wine acoss the room in She swore and shoved hum- aside and want to buy a dog, he said. "A puppy." -age "You ctars. he said unoer h s b r eatn pushed her way into his hduse. The sham- The round-faced me r chant gawked al "Now you won't eat for a week, you bier came peering rdund a corner to see

9 "I'll spat at t him. "A puppy That is not like you, Simon. damneo , .''His voice was Shrill teach what the nose was. She ft 9 " ng Why oont you come in I have a lovely- you stalked into the living room, Kress tra z choice." He had an idea. He strode out of the ineffectually after her. 'Hold on, ' he sa

"I wan: a very specific kmd of puppy'' room, then returnee a moment later with an "where do you ... you can't . -e

K'ess said. "Take notes. I" ; describe to you antique iron throwing sword .n his hand. U stopped, suddenly horro'-stmc- ~r- : =

" ~- - what it must look like." was a meter long, and the point was still carrying a heavy sledgef-am'---- Afierwards he punched (or Idi Nored- sharp. Kress smiled climDed up and hand. "No." he said. lan* dian. "Ici," he said. "I want you out here moved the tanK cover aside just enough to Sne went directly to tne sandkmgs mjch Si- 'onighl wiih you' nolo equipment. I have a give him work ng room exposmg one "You like the little charmers so

1 notion to record a sandking battle. A pres- comer o the desert. He leaned down and mon 9 Then you can live with them o

1 aa criminating skimmo oulsiae his horn aco 1 ie- He resolved to try later,

: ila Some seven:y ki cms-era re th o Kress s nd estate was a range o ! aows vo canoes. He oe ' ew ~.ne:a Calh $ skimmer in tow, Above the mace a low oluboenng sound of despair, iha; Cath nad not tola anvore ner plars fc g cwerinc core of Ihe largest vocaro ne But the plastic held. the day. It was very umkey she nad. She released the magnaiock and watched the She swung aga n Th s tune !is-s was a could only have goiter -me gift late las: skimmer plummet- down and vanish ir the

: '->: s r, c a r:eiwc-; -h- res aopeared n ghc She said tna: sne hac ced a nignt lava below. n the wall of the tans, 5r-c she was alone wncn she ami.-ed Vorv It was desk when he returnee :o his Kress threw himse f at her as she drew we' he had one bcuy ann one s-.i'-imer to nouse. 'his gave i>m cause. Brief'y he oae;< her hammer to take a thru swirg. dispose of. considerec flying oack ;c '.he sty ana

' i&; ''-er" Oovvr fla r 0l . she -: rtQ ano ed ove' That e't "he sanoMros Tney rn -t| p,',"ye spending the nigh-. there. He our the lost her grip or the na~me' ana -ed to ~orc olacfl culty Mo ccuot thev nao a thought aside. There was work to do. He th'-o-oe hirn. hi.: Ives #ran hecSftaesncI aseacsd o-. mm The -loiK-hi of mem wasr t sate ye:. He scattareo the poison pellets a r ounc the exterior of hs house. No one wou'c thr> this susoicious. He had always had a rockjoCK p'oblem. When this task was : comp.etea, he orimec '.he- canister o pes- '.iciue and ventu'ed oacK ns go the hcuse K'css went through the house, room by room, turning on lights eve'yv.here he wer;

r ,nd Kill ;hem. He until he was surroundec oy a blaze of a hfi- cia jm. nation Ho paused to clean uo - the living r oom shove ing sane and plastic fragments hack irtc tne oro*;en tank. The sandkings were all gone, as he'd feared. imWhen he shoved The castles were shrunken and distorted, slagged by the watery bombardment

her, she looked briefly Kress had visited upon them and what little startled. She of them remained was cjmblina as it dried. screamed as she tumbled He frowned ana searched further, the down the stairs. canister of pest sp'ay s; r aooed across his -ishxcc. oleedng. shoulders,

. "I'm hurt," she called . . Down in the w-ne ceila' he could see and shortly afterward Cath m'Lane's corpse.

It sprawled at the foot of a steeo flight of . . . the screaming started* stars, the mbs :w sted as if oy a lall While

Tiobi es were swarm ng a ever i;. arc: as Kress' watched, the body moved jerkily across the hard-packed dirt fioor, He laughed and "w-sted the illumination row ne woulc he (her oesmoyer up to maximum, -n ;he far come' a squat little earthen caste and a oark hole were He wen: snooping oefce ne ' ew bac visible between two wine racks. Kress They were ca could make out a -ouoh outline of his face Mew of them ven on the ceila' wa..

the carpet. . 3 Moi he bocy shifted orce again mcv ng ;;

; ew cent —sters towa'c the castle. Kress had a sudden vision of the white maw wait-

ing hungrily. It might oe able to get Ca.ths

foot in its mouth, but no more, It was too absurd. He laughed again arc sra.rtec down nto me cellar. tnge r poisea on the t'gger of the hose that srak.ee dowr his when Kress broke • ght arm. The sandmngs — buncrec-s of them moving as one—deserted the body so oa: e skimmers were ready he o h'S skmtnins and went n- Sudcen Saih's body „ He smnec Calh was

i -h'ojgn the "ast-clrying sand de aimed-

a there was ro douot of it, the s.ze. Here,

:g"l\ C-ouid sne nave dragged are cocs f /"Unlikely o.it K -ess searched He ret re

spection of his hcuse turned up wth a eli oody nor any sign of the sand- wa lee an; ings. He lid noi have time for a more Cath m'U lo'ough 'vestigatior not win me in- pieces. i.oht.the cams did not evenu h need it. The w ed in the with cellar and he no -.nisnea the cleanup of 'nana the living rosy-'. When he was through, nc -nenti remsinsc excop! for ded : -'ace ot inc st-uaale" -e broken :ank. 83. Qi

z< cut a good ke<

a be::er oaiate He

n ot nis balke ich had opens

"ha: 'sfl only ihe burnt-orange sand- wns ;:-;,: nc jp "he M the swimming po ;e:iied in a pit. sl.i ;oncrete anc battle

oy eating :ns pcson penets. as :no red

His -evene was uronupted vvhen ni-

viewscreen began to b'nk at nirr. It was Jad Rakkis. ca'.ng to brag aoout some cannibal worms he would bring to the wa ga-es tomgh:.

Kress nad forgone r, about mat out he

^a^is was incicnant Bl: ,vha:

sc-acne nac answa-od at the other e

; K-ess fiic

Idi an vcd on sonedu e ap nou' ater She was surprised :o find "he party had oeen them off and stamped them to death, but le back. K-ess acvanced. intent on cutting rose in a great c-cud from between his- erne's wee approaching rapidly. They through them to their maws. shoulders c caking him choking hi- 1 ~a<- were larger than he -emembered. Some All at once the retreat stopped. A mg his eyes burn anc bur He felt for the were amost as big as his :hu"b. ino.jsano sandk.ngs surgeo loward him hose, and his hand came away covered He ran. K-esshac beer ejecting the courtera:- with oying sandkings. The hose was sev- ; the r By the time he reachec the safety o tack. He stood his ground, sweeping his e ed. they'd eaten it through. He was sur- house his hear: was racing and he was --isty swco oefo-e h - n great Icopmc 'cj'"_L'. '_. ash.'cuc o- pesticide, blinded. short of breath He c osed the door behind He stump ec and sc-earr.ec and oegan to him and hurned to lock it. His nouse was run back to the house, pu lino sandkinos supposed to be oestprcof. He'd be safe in from his body here edo.. onaossn A stiff orin< steadied his nerve. So i-the'e.r-vcedoiasi.c of ms s

l,:<; 'm . He took Kress tremblec ana spun and looKed up

, donned ibovenim,. The f'cnt o' h'S nouse was aive jith sandk ngs places ai'c reos. hundreds

if them Ihey were lajnch'ng themselves

ttothe a r. ram rig dcwr on him Tneyfei all .round him One lanoeo on h,s facepate. them out nervously "Damn, he Kept mut- S mandibles scraoing at ms eyes fo r a tering, 'damn' H.s throat was dry After

smo'e seconc oetce ne oucked >: away. search ng tne entry nan thoroughly to make

He swung jp h-s hose and sorayeo tne certain it was clean, he a owed himself :o

r ..n';,'.." 'f noose sp'ayec until tne s t and pour a drin< "Damn. ' ne repeated .irbc-nesand^mgs were all deader dying, His hand shook as ne poured, soppng he mist se::ed bac< on him. making him liquor on the carpet. ougn But he keot sp-ay re Only when The aleoho. settled mm but * oo net

r hand from side tDssde. ne mi ' c' : .'.. " ..•_ cc-an cic Kress wash away the fea Ho had a seconc drm*. Where the mist fell, the sano*ir arc! went ic the window "unvely Sandkings twitched vio-enrly and died in sudc Tn< num. dozens were moving across the thick p ast c oare. spas'-?,. K-esssmilec They we -e no ng :y, nund'eds He shuddered ant nsweeisd *c n.s corn- for him He sprayed in a wice arc bef ] He turned r h - ai"ds:eooeo orwardooiiidei . ;v; went dead. iller e- nsek and rec: nodies lne ani- ? deadly fog

He t . He ^ uld tell -.hem. about the whites in his cellar, and they'd find the oodles there. Perhaps the maw m-gr: nave n'nished Cath m Lane by now. but cs'tainly no: idi Nored- o:ar He hadn't ever cut her up. Besides, there would be bones. No, the police could be called in on'y as a last reset. He sat at the console, trewn'ng. His

: communications equipment fi ed a whole wah. From he - e he cou c 'each anyone on Baiour. He had plenty of money and his cunning: no had always p r ded ni'^seil on ms cunning. Ho wcu'c handle this somehow: 3rietiy ne cons dered ca mg Wo but he soon dismissed the idea. Wo knew too much, and she would ask questions, and he did not trus: ner. No, ne needed someone who would do as he asked withoux questions. His frown slowly turned into a smi e. Kress had contacts. He put through a ca" to a number he had not used in a long time. A woman s face took shape on his view'screen. — wnite-haired. olank of expression, with a long, hooded nose. He' voice was brisk anc eff cienc "Simon." she

'' sad. "How is business 9

"Business s "ine i.issandra

' pied. "I nave a ob fcr you "These continued rumors that I don't exist are ; A remeva' 7 My pries has gone up since making it very difficult for me to obtain credit!" lasttime Simon. It has oeen ten years after al."

,'. i 'You be well pa'd. ' Kress said. "You ' be covered with pulling hurriedly know I'm gererous. want ycu for a oil of seemeo to erup;. anc was but the reds were pack flame- re-torm'ing. stood unce r - pest control." scarlet sandkmgs He drooped the ano He' Operate :c e wi ciiy at his own :air. men reached down anc pul ! ed out She smiled a tnin smile. "No need to use thrower and began aw His were homble to hear anothe- explosive ball. He :cok one s;ep euphemisms. Simon. The ca'l is shielded." bodv. sce-ams His companion hesitated, then swung forward, but Lissancra called him. anc he No. I'm se'icjs. i have a pest p'oblem. r f fired bias: of swal di ection. Dangerous pests ~a-

f t ve signteo with tne aseroanncn anc red 'ived in a lean, black summer with thme ooe relive s Kress watched them from the sa'ety of a second -story window. They were all faceless in dark plastic sk nthins. Two of them wore per tab e ferret brewers; a third carried lase^carnon and exolosives. Lis- • The heavy door sandra carrieo nothing; Kress recognized her oy me way she gave oras's. was still nailed shut, as he skimmer passed low ov= r head h'rst, Their had left it. But cellar" checKing out the situaiion. The sandkings iuI my wme slightly, went mad. Scarlet and c-oon mob es rap it bulged outward There's ai icther castle down :do it without exp.o- everywhere, frenetic. Kress cou d see the as if warped by ' want m.y h ouse commg oown castle in the rocK garden from his vantage some tremendous pressure. point U stood ta as a man Its r amparts motioned he r operative. were crawling with black d.efenoers. and a That made Kress Lissandra to r r .' 1: outside and get R; i k'sflameth cwe st'earn of mooiles flowed down into "Go : steady . uneasy, as did the silence. . shouid be ir itact." its depths. return,- ready, snent. Kress Lissandra's shimmer cam.e down next to He ad armed. K-ess's and tne opera; ves vaulted out and ed them to heav- stni nailed shut, as un mbered their weapons. They looked in- The outward snghtly. human deadly. he had ef: n :ed The biacK army drew up between !hem The boa"" th-oboec across ;nc grounds as if wa'pe tremendous p-'es- Kress as dio the and the castle: The reds — Kress suddenly and sliced off the top of the castle. He sure. That n aae- uneasy. reiqned ac- out them. He stooc realized that he cou d no; see :he reds. He brought the cannon down sharply, hacking silence that fell, while Lissanc-as blinked. Where had they gone? at the sand and stone parapets. Towers well away frorn the doc r Lissandra pointed and shouted, and ne' Kress's face disintegrate. The laser bit operative re -ails and pianks Is two flamethrowers sp r eac out ano openeo ntc the grounc. searching rounc and that safe in 1 und nimselfmutte'- uo on the b'ack sandKings. Their weapons about. The eastlc- crumbed. Now it was ing, pomtim only of sand, But the black mobiles want a fire : coughed dully and began to roar, i ng a heap ". n r ouried have tn a laser" L.s ;ssndra sac Ne tongues of blue-ano-sca et f-re licking out continued tc move. The maw was r before them Sandkings crisped and too deep y "ne beams hacn't touched t. use that ton.hekir. The flamethrower s oD-

'_ want shriveled and died The operatives began ssandra gave another crcer Hc--coera- ably won't b a needed. Bull a' r 3re are wot things tnar f re to play the fire back and forth in an efficient riye oisca dee the lase". primed an explo- in case. Tim se " intcocking pattern. They advanced wim sive, and darted forward. He leapeo ove' Simon o. careful, measured steps. the s™ck ng corose of the first flamer. He nodds ; free : the cellar The black army burned and disinte- ardeo on solid g/ound within, Kress's 'ock The last ; s grated, the mobiles fleeing in a tnousanc garden, and heavec. "he exoosve ba different direcliors. seme back toward tne landec soua-e atop me -uins of the olac- cas;ia. others toward ;he enemy None castle, White-hot ight seared Kress's eyes, ihere tremendous gout of sand reached the operatives wth the f ame- anc was a tn-owers Lissancra's people were very anc rocK and mco,les. Fc a mo—enl cast professional. obscured everything. It was raining sand- Then one of tnem stumbled.

: . blacks. quite and sudden y the ground around h m ground was tterec wi:n motionless steep ' —' . .

through. He dragged the body across the Keep g'cw ng Arc it nao leamec to like the

f cor and roleo it down the Cellar stairs. The taste of human fiesh, he thought, noises were louder — chin nous clacking? He began to shake, Out he took coniro' of

and'scrapings and echoes that were thick himself again and stopoed It wouldn't hurt and cuid Kress na led uo the door once him: he was god. the whites had always again. oeen his favorites. fled, As he he was filled with a deep He remembered how he had stabbed it sense of contentment that coated his fear with his throwing sword Tna: was before

like a layer of syrup. He suspecteo it was Catn came. Damn her. anyway. not his own. He coudn't stay here, The maw would

grow hungry again. Large as it was. it Heplri-inecto eave nis home, to fly 1c the wojIc'Yt take long. Its appetite would be : city anc take a room or a nignt or perhaps ternole What wou.d t dc then? He had to for a year. Instead he started drinking. He get away, back to the sa'ety c ; the city wh ie was no; qui:e sure why. He drank steadily the maw was still contained in his wine cel-

for hours ano retcheo it all up violently on lar It was only plaster and hard-packed whimpered and tell to her knees. his liv-ng-room carpet. At some point he fen earth down there, and the mobiles couic

"I think my lingers are broken,' said asleep he ii pitch-dark dig she When woke, was in and tunnel When they got free . softly. still -".owirc The b.ood was freely. Sns the house. K-ess C'dn't want 10 think aoout it. haa dropped the laser near the cellar door. He cowered against the couch. Hecou:d He went to his bedroom ano packed. He "I'm not going down there." her operative hear noises. Things were moving in the took three bags. Just a single change of announced in clear firm tones. walls, "hey were a: arouno him. His hear- clothing, that was a he needed; the rest of

Lissandra looked up at him. "No," she ing was extraordinarily acute. Every little the space he h'lled with his valuables, with said. "Stand in the door and flame it all. creak was the footstep of a sandking. He jewelry and art and other things he could C.noer it. Do you understand?" not dear to lose. He did not expect to return He nodded. to this place ever again. K'c-ss moanec. "My house." he said, His His shambler foi oweo him down the stomach churned, The white sandking had stairs, staring at nim from its baleful, glow- large, beer so How many more were down ing eyes. It was gaum. Kress reaized that it r ? •Something moved the "Don't." it e' he continued. 'Leave had been ages since ne hac fee it. Nor- I've alone. changed my mind. from shadow into light. mally it coud take care of itself, but no Lissandra misunderstood. She held out A pale shape on ooubt tne pekirgs hac g'owr ; ear of late net hand. It was covered with blood and When it tried to c utch at his leg. he snarled greenish-black ichor 'Your ittle friend bit the seat. . . . It was as long at it anc kic

r it took to get it off. I don't care about your Car ymg h s oags awkward-/ Kres; Its mandibles clacked house. Simon, Whatever s cown :here s s loosd outs de arc snut the doo r bsh no going to die," together softly. . . him Kress hardly He heard her: thought he Kress slowly backed away* For a moment ne stood p-essed against cou'd see movement n the shadows be- the house, his neart thudding ir nis chest the cellar yond door. He imagined a white Or y a few meters oetween fr\-- arc hi; army bursting out. each soldier as big as summer He was af r aid to take those -ev, the sandking that had attacked Lissandra. stops "no mcenhgnt ^as iright. and f-: He saw himself oeir.g ifted oy a hundred grouncs in front of his house were a scene into tmy arms and being dragged down the c csed r s c-yet, and wa tec exceeding to of carnage. The oodies of _issardra's two darkness, where the maw waited hungrily. feel their teriote touch, afraid to move lest ramers ay where they had fallen, one He was afraid. "Don't," he saio. he brush agains; one. twisted and ourned, the otne' swC'.en be-

They ignored him. Kress sobbed and then wasvery still. neath a mass c' cead sanc-^rcs And the K'ess da'ted fcwaro, ano his shoulder Time passed, but nothing happened, mobiles, the back ana reo mobiles, rhey slammed into the back of Lissandra's He opened his eyes again. He trembled, ,nd i-ii.-T operative just as the man was bracing to Slowly the shadows oegan re soften and ml:-:' tnai was a : r i e. ~ne coerahve cs: his crurteo ba dissolve. Moonlight was I Iterirq through ance, and pitched forward into the black. the high wincows. His eyes acjjst.ee. Kress listened to him, [all cown the stairs, The livmg room was empty. Nothing Afterwards there were other noises there, nothing nothing. Only his drunken scuttlings and snaps and sett, squishing fears. sounds. Kress sieelsc; himself and rose ana w^r.; Kress swung around to face Lissandra. to a light. He was drencheo in cole sweat, but a Nothing there. The room was desehed. sck y < nd of exc tement possessed him. It He listened. Nothing. No sound. Nothing was almost sexual. in the walls. It had all been nis imagination, Lissandra's calm, coid eyes regarded hs tea' him through her mask. "What are you do- I'remerric'ieso' Lissandra and the thing ing?" she Demanded as Kress picked up in. the cellar returned to him unbidaen the aser she had dropped, "Simon!" Shame and anger washed ovc him. Why "Making a peace," he said, giggling. had ne done that? He could nave helped He id and "Threywon'thurtgod. nc not so cngasgod her burn it out. kill it. Why ... he knew why is ano generous. I cruel. good was Starved ~he maw had core it to nim. had put fear in So-- Gil-rig moved from shacow into

I for : Ihem have to make uo now. you see. him, vVo nao said it was ps;onc even wnc-n light, A pale shaoe en the seat cf his sk m-

"Yoj'-a insare." _ ssardra said t it was it was s.Tia' . And now was la'ge. so largo, mer. It was as long as, his forearm, its mar- the last thing snesaid. K-ess burned hole a it had feasted on Cath and Idi. and now it di~ e-t- :; ac-.ed together soft y and it looked n he r cnest big pur ! enough to his arm had two more bodies oown there, It would up a- him -or si* small eyes set a arouro the city. jao. Get out of hsret" its body. me to Humy, Kress wet his oants anc backet: BLt Rakkis only stared at him and would

wrong, Simon? I s owly. not move. "Why whats r There was more motion from msii oon't understand. What about you' pa ty?" the sKimmer. He had 'eft the door ope And then it was too late, because stirring, sandking ei loose sand all arouno them was and caul Oii-e and the -ec eyes wee staring at tnem. lac -nog s '"ads hiding bene; the mandibles wee c Rakk a choking scuna and -wed to got back in upholstery. I pair of mandibles formed a rac ing arouhd the shimmer, his skimmer, but a his lips, turned, arc moved -is callcc Jac: Ra-

, over, he cleaned out what towaro the house. Near the front door, he ked almost as When it was a ex- ooked up. —and walked remained in his liquor cabinet and got He counted a dozen long white shapes nt door. He let hem enter first. tremely drunk. It woulc be the last time he only creeping oack and form across the walls of would emoy that uxury he knew, The stored the building. Four of the" -ve-e c jste^eo of them had gone tnrough alcohoi re-aih ng in the house was close together near the top of the unjsec mdsm up hi courage He down in the wine cellar did not touch a b'te of fooc the belfry, where the cardan hawk had once osed the o oor behind h i latest guest, Kress r entire but lei eep feeing f oosted. They were carving something. A sta tleo exc amations that aay, he as at last aw'u hunger ;i-jc. A vs'v rycognizrfbv.- face. into Shn" g bbering, and bloated, sated the Kress shrieked ana -an back inside. He s man had ar- vanquished. His ast tnougnts oefore the r neadea for his liquor cabinet. tbumbed the nightmares 'cck h.m we e aooi.,' w.ncrn he- A sufficient quantity of tiring brought him programmed could ask out tomorrow, the easy obiivon ne sought But he woke. o its owner s

r Despite everyth ng, he woke He hac a te>r - umbprmt o Mcning was nor and cry K ess oosned 'ific headache, anc he stank, anc he was R a -Biswas me next to am e. Kress ran to h s eyes to see the white sancUmg or h s hungry. Oh. so very hungry! He had never sit set oown a id seized Rak- d'esser again He shut nis eyes again oeer so hungry sbythearn ashewascin bing out. "Get quickly, noping tns cream wouic leave him,

Kress knew t was net his own stomach KK in quic kly.'nesaid, ushing, "Take It dio not, and he could not go back id hurting. Awhile sandking watched him from atop the dresse' in his bedroom, its antennae r-cv ng fsirily. It was as big as the one in the skimmer the night oefce. He tried not to

I'll shrink away. "I'll . , feed you,' hesaip to

1 ; "I ii . esd you." His mouth was horribly dry, sandpaper-dry He icked his lips and fled from the foom,

The house was full of sandkmgs; he had to be careful where he put his -eet They ai 1 seem.ed busy on erranos of their own They were making modifications n his house, burrowing into or out of his wa : is. carving things. Tw ce he saw his own xeress sta'- mg out at him from unexpected places, The faces were wa'oec. twisted, livic with fear -e -.vent outsice to get the bodies that had been rotting in the ya'o. hoping to ap- oease :ne whi:e ~aw's hunger. They we'.e gone, ooth rj -.hem. K r ess -e-membered how easily the mobiles could ca"y things many times their own weight.

It was terrible to thnk mat the maw was stil! hungry afte r all of that. When Kress reentered the house, a col- umn of sanbkings was wending its way aewn [ho stairs. Each carrieci a piece of his shambler. The- heac seeir-ec :o ook a' him reproachfully as it went by. Kress emptied n, sneezers, o s cab'nets, everything, piling an the food in the house n the center of his kroner hoc A cozen

whites wa led to lake I away They avodeo the frozen fooc. leav ng it to thaw in a great puddle, but carried o'f everyrh ng e:se Whenai the fooc: was gone. Kress re this i

sleep, and soon he found himself staring al K-ess backed a/vay ana ran tc Ihe doc strange half-formed cgans. a viscous red- the thing. Three more white mobi es lay n r-s i-.-:h oish coze tnat coked almost like njmar He stared for almost five minutes before They were all like the one in his bedroom. booa, and the yeiow .chor.

r the strangeness of it dawned on him; the He ran down rhe staks. jumping over K ess oestroyeci twenty of them- before sanaking was not moving. sandkjngs. None of them moved. The he realizec the futility of what he was doing. Tne mob les could be oreternatura:ly house was full of them, all dead, dying, The mobiles were nothing, really. Besides, still, to be sure. He had seen :hem wait and comatose, whatever. Kress tftd not care there were so many of them, He could work watch a thousand times, But always there what was wrong with them. Just so they for a day and night and still rot kill tnem all. was some motion about them: The mandi- could not move. He: had to go down into the wine cellar bles clacked. ;ne legs tw tehee. tie long, He found tour of them inside his skimmer. and use the ax on the maw. fine antennae stirred and swayed. He picked them up, one by one. and threw Resolute, no sta-lec toward the cellar He But the sandking on his dresser was them as far as he could. Damned got within sight of the door, tner stopped

s:i : completely monsters. He slid back in, on the ruined it was not a door anymore. The walls had Kress rose, holding his breath, not daring half-eaten seats, and :humbed the been eaten away, so that the hole was twice

:c nope Col. o it bo csad? Could some- startpiate. the size it had been and round A oil that thing have killed it? He walked across the Nothing happened. was all. The-e was no sign that the-e had room. Kress tried again .and again. Nothing. It ever been a door naiie.d shut over that black

The eyes were giassy and black. The wasn't fair. This was his shimmer, i: ought to abyss. creature seeme-o swollen, somehow, as if is sfart. Why wouldn't it lift? He didn't under- A ghastly, cnoking. tetic occ seemed to were soit anc 'otting inside fin-rig up with stand. come from beow. gas that pushed outward at the plates of Finally he got out and checked, expect- And the walls we'e wel and bloody and white armor. ing the worst. He iound it. Jite sandkings covered win patches of white fungus.

Kress reached out a trembling hano and had torn apart his gravity grid. He was And worst, it was breathing.

r touched it trapped. He was still trapped, K ess stood ac-css 'ho -oom ana 'e * Te

It was warm; hot even, and growing hot- G'imy K'ess marched back into the warm wire wash over him. as it exnaiec

it did h ter, But not move. house. He went to his galls- y ana iound the and he trieo not to choke ard wher \ T He pulled his Hand back, and as he did antique ax that had hung next to the throw- wind reversed erection he fed. a segment of the cricking'; white exo- ing sword he had used on Cathm'Lane He Back in the liv ng room he desi r oye: T skeleton fell away from it. he flesh beneath set to work. The sandkings dio not stir even three "to'e mobiles ard co lapsed Wir/ was the same color, but softer-looking, as he chopped them to pieces. But they was happening? He didn't understand. swollen and feverish, And it aimost seemed splattered when he made the first cut, the Then he rememberec the only person to throb, bodies almost bursting. Inside was awful; Who might understand. Kress went to his p-ayec fervently that

ered hebwadown

hoLt interruption, no

. slignt frown on ner

-i Kress had -ifsnec

h- due east, as Wo had suggested 3n he had been running for several with no sign a' rescue. Kress begar lank— " equip- w cer;ain that he had miscalculated

j gave it : is O'coao

ing him .and -ibis hu nqe r j mo led now

e -is fell . Ihft

; hand on a He ,-^n mKress stopped suddenly. v. su -orried about "No," he said, "oh, no. Oh, no." He backpedaied, slipped on benir.c him. up, tried to the sand, got and oed to walk

run again. They were ghastly for the i ugh'..

little things with bulging eyes and dusky orange skin*

ndHmgs nad split open, coverea w,:h p.ptisn-

ie uo out of the gap and e dead s

n tn. He had no! d The h 3 KM ~then:x,se s- s -Snaoe s-.s sa.d.

' hace = a sarcoma K-ess rerj;;a:ed socn ^ of agan numoly. "And you so d me a tan* of . . . nfants. ah .. W«l*® Do not oe absuro." Wo said. "A first- fierce, wishei stace sarc-.mg is more like a soerm than :.e an nfam. Tne wars :empe' and cor.ro *a:er. them .n nature. Only one m a nuncrec seemc reaches the second siaoe Or , one -, a -e . -'"-. '-'•' thousand achieves tne -. • -- PLANET STORY

How an army of lizards missed the train

Ai new pictorial novel by Harry Harrison and Jim Burns dramatizes the sense of experimentation publishers are now bringing to science fiction. Planet Story opens with an ec- centric space commander who decides that the fragile planet Sabmus is an ideal spot io pursue his hobby: driving antique ocomotives. A monstrous machine is dispatched to lay track indiscriminately over the tiny planet's surtace. The mothership descends on Sabinus to oft-load a gold-plated locomotive. The commander's entourage boards the train and roars off down computer-built tracks. It becomes immediately clear to everyone on board that

Sabinus is not uninhabited. Liza'dlike aliens appear everywhere. Thei r outrage a! the earth- ing assault is a call to battle, but their puny spears are no match for the speeding train. Having 'eve led one alien en- clave, the train stops on the far side of a simulated London Bridge. The commander asserts that nc manner of lizardoid "greenie" will disrupt his pen- chant for rodding and railing. * Lasers burned to the accompaniment of shrill alien screams. Depressed by their newest failure, the lizards withdrew. 9

The

squadron of :-zar~- :- rs a;rer:o::~-g ae'ctfac; ,::?£ r :-;-.': : T - armament ::• e-/e'ycne s asionshmenr 'e;es "f.

-"' - , dtvecrappmg us''"ye/- s ;fce cd.';1 '™.id's,' c.-- Se^: "i" "f 3 ate harmless Theirair- :u'cnes iry.varciine r^e»: :.: = * = :s o wa!: built across ehind ,': ite ;

The train miir, on to the ours-ov's tit :v!\n appear? !e os the capital j.'

lizardoidom Awaking trie tocomot^e i.-; ti gtani 'pine se! on the tracks, there !o intpato the cncamir.q eatihimgs. The time has come to party wit.n those aliens. Talking through a translator, the two siaes reach an agreement- The train win go tree Hthe humans heip the Hzarooids defeat the iatter's mortal enemy, a gaggle of crustaceans The lizaraoias prepare to scout enemy lines in a spy bailed': Several humans go along. • As soon as those lizardoids grab us.

they'll nationalize your railroad and you'll follow us through the kitchen*

The oai'oor. vee.'s :oo c'cso :•; crustacean AA bauenes ano is shot own m ;ne mpss 'r-n' i:-"'c.vs out nurr-an r-e-o:r.e -s capr-jred and earned away to ~M icc-sier king Fir toe smart f& the

ftrrr.pr-sciner. He offers todea: His 'peep's" are in '.rouble The lizardoids nan:

Humans, he assw~~ ;r.->. cr.r.rr-.-inder, v/iii te nex;. Convinced, the commander agrees !o dupe tie

itzaraoios :r-K ia : 07."!g n-i ;ram a#ay from the defenses-; icons- i. Av.-sfeonry a: ine :as; minute of

19^5. a young Eng.'Sh Technical oi"ice r who nad soert 'A'o'-ci couraged scienlsts arc engineers :o cok at :*e -ea z :== c ss

IrWar II helomg to oevelop radar systems for the Royal Air Force of space :'avel. -His invem.cn of hecomm.un cat : ; sste re .-.as a : published a 'emar^ab'y prescient article in the Br'tish journal natural outgrowln ol nis ceaseless search o--re car := -eai^es

; : WirBl&ss World. The article showed m detail how artificia satellites that wouic bring tne Oream of space "light mio ,=r - e could os used 1c relay electronic communications around the In his science-fiction stories and novels. *~e ca'tec "utjre world. Tie writer was Arthur C. Clarke. scenarios in which space travel was an imeg'a 3"c -ecaceaoe zPkt'.- ; - Tnus Oegan :he mcsl "ema r >

§ Hs books are wdd 'enowned. and his writing has esrnec the Sky and The Promise m Space . H s sc ence-'" etion novels are s ntenational awards, Less well known is the fact that he helped to 4 anything, even bette'-known arounc the wor a Perhaps Clarke's | pusn a doubling scientific community nto serious consideration of most stunning contribution was his screenplay (with Stanley Ku- ; e space flight, back in. the days when 'Shooting or the moon" was brick) and novel, 200?. A Scacs Odyssey § synonymous with attempting the imoossib e Clarke now resides in Sr Lanka, wnere he was interviewed £ As charman of the British Interplanetary Society. Clarke en- exclusively for Omni by .ournalist-photograoher iValcolm K.rk. .

SRI LANKA, MARCH 1979

Omni: I .jpce'star.d you have giv-

yoj kn tossv at :n s

Omni:f\rei is re am that you n light be inte- on—unde r yvy. h Clarke: Op V-'': -

Omni: Clarke: A parr

Then we did a two-hOL- Ceylonese epic ihat was a smash h t ard s still ore of tne nest films ever mane or *he ocal ma-kef— in oo or cgmal sound, eg nai -use. a re- ; ally first-rale film. We reissued : a ter morc- thap ten years, and it is packipg themjn.

And :he next thng ' did was 2001 Omni: Have you ever intended. af:e' 200* 3 0'en:| ; F ana | ac;hc and "' :o ge: ir-.ovoc in arylh ng else'^'ap cocktai pa't:es, dinners they re so tn-e-corsurr ng. the class c c; Omni: No rno'e bast' ng away * the "yoe- Baoylcn " T".

Omni': Sot Clarke: I haven't been act ve n :hat way tor

:-. :orc:l--e : became TC'J .- OSra /--;::: r The O'-ily :v

(no, whch i fm

l jsec tc be aoe to stay uncerwate' for tr the world. Omni: was just go r [ha:, nea y tojr -iinutes. ever :nougn I didn't r 1976, the Ino-ans had This very mnor-

men;. brcad:;asiina s'n f take up c v ng ml I was reany (Flirty :s.rt exoer eeucanor-al Clarke: dv net Omni: Hyoervenr atirg? programs TOm a satel He banco by NASA fere I've see- Srar _. Clarke: Ybs. wh:cn s daugccus. s st..o:c cugh y hkec H I fee ^^^^ ^^^"^~ Omn/: A-e you active.y involved .n any oro- ^ " veous". n-, A- ts e,

J n : '" "-- brought me to ., - . •Space 'ip^o l f J p;

centers yoj i see hjnd-eds ot oeoo e Sri Lanka. I was interested in sn smasn'ng uo^he^oeajt^tjl ree*s. ngh: be- C#W/7£ /lere Simply ''^

..... i.,.. i ,»!.,! . . ,,.,,,..., because it is the only way of e s: 3r: sure to oo it tna: no one is able to stop it. I m reproducing the condition of weightlessness, omnrco^v)^- tineId waSrferrtsin ^ -a tjti,.-c' ol ccoarocraoh c explora: or w/7/'c/7 /S Characteristic of CIs work^wtth dolpnins-tnings along Those spaceflight.? JJ Clarke: Well I've a ways oeen tascmatea rati

It was callec [he Satel :te Insrucuona "'e c- rrysolf

vision Expe'mer:. Ard :o my delight ano Omni: 'v' surprise, tne re an Soacc Ressa-cn Or- Omn," ganizaton dew n a comp BIS crojrc s'a- Clarke:

don. set t up on -y -oot. anc cave it lo me trea-mer

ve'-y ire th ser- coselo and Omni: Do you tnmk curen^ rSSfSS n people, because I do UkS s .e';,

k :c ale-.oeooleto think i: mc cates a « .- * resJanonglha a ~ost -possible tc ge: an -po-tant sJb-

Ttone :"at several oopulation at ia-ao m :ne near hMM? ,ect taKen as seriously as It snoula oe. I

Lis I rr very mucn Clarke: H-eres always oeen a oaokg-curd hcoe Omni can cc someth.ng aoouT this,

i teacn people. Ac- ot interest ir science nctior Its awa Y s Of course, tiers s nothing you can co \ It ycu gotames- beer popu a r w-.eTe' ts beer oa ec eg- aocu: :ne ccmoeto r..ts. tne relig o js main ' But that a one ence Noon c net =>;g--it oac.< tc Verne and niacs whe believe m -ymg saucers .andmg

it purpose, tc make Wells and then tc the -coern era w ih me all :ne time I mean. :ney -e just mad. and

r :he mal sower. But science-ficticn '-agazmes Almost any that s all there is to i:. Omni: What are ycu r feelings about th ngs JFOs? 1 v2 teleoatny ar'C UFOs arc 'a tn nea -ng? Clarke: When I'm

Clarke: Wall, you've put a ounch o-dhfe-'ent Which I have been hundred thbusand

Oovicuslv we dc universe. As far as bending, and that scr oeside Geller wnen

I and think I know ho\ Randi are quite sure it.

Omni: how do you rr Clarke: Frs: of a.-

4We should only be concerned with close encounters. Either they exist or they don't.

If anyone reported a Tyrannosaurus rex loose in Central Park

Omni; Y I'd verify it quite quickly; same with flying saucers*- Carke:

you would -lake?

Clarke: What I have dor

found out nis Clarke: Then

this. Yet, it's h t.on. You iorg the hits. Schc hits are stg.ni matter how [antaslic. can Omni: TTn :^ comcicence. And t' icul: to quantify dism.ss

this. Clarke; i get on. to s Pro-

; esso' Lou s Alvares. opel Laureate in around !h

physics a* Berkeley i s a man who when one

invented ground-cor approach raoar about it, T this has prcvec :o oe :ne Louis then-assemb led 1 he first atonic Changes. Arc

bomo. Tnen he aoi tfffi Nobe Prize for probaoo f physics a few years a nd he's pemaps even nis'u Omni: So tne uxre doesn t appear :c you

r : one of f hp most a s ished American any dif'e ent now than t did ar :ne : me :hat 7 p:nvsicis:s .'.-II, 1= ^ erj this problem you wroie those J of co ncidences and paranormal and Clarke: Not m genera; Of course, a lot o has wrrten a numbe' ireresting letters Omni: Dc hings have tu-ned cut different. The of ai the at to science abcj'. t receded biggest su'prise was speed Omni: Whats your own opmon about of cjrren; when we got to tie mean. Seconc-o.ggest t

peneci today, these project; and ending inflaf l.andthedolla

. ; ally the Ic -J. '.;v:. Omni co vol. nink we QLtj.nl ;o com-

Cla;Ke: ~ i... -i'ca:e with cession civi zanons ojI n

cj.aco'' I was reading an interesting little root' callec Lives of a Ceii har suggestec music be our form o J communication

Clarke: That „vas:re idea r C'oss E"ccun-

"org, because I don't

n of commun : caticn. "icu ti; s to make any

> c for Western ears, turn out to oe a very

iThe biggest surprise was the speed at which we got to the moon. Second- biggest surprise was the speed at which we left

1 the moon, ng =ar:nassnaxrai widemess^ probably

Clarke; I think tnat perhaps many of the not to be back until the end heavy indJstr.es and p'ocicton systems of the century. • may go "o space, or I suggest the planet V'ercjry whe'e you have all ;he power you neec from :he sun and probacy all the

heavy metals as well I don : want :o mess

up the moon. I want to preserve the lunar wiloerness. Omni: But you think that human beings can 'es!nc:eci thing. '-a-ie ll-a'. psyciolog ca- orea* wth Earth Omni: How would you do ic yourself?

! a-o i ve !- hose k'nds of ar hca env ron- Clarke: By ogic and mathematics, which must be universal, Cla-xe: luman beings can go Omni; What k nd c~ informa: en dc you :h nk 'thing as long as hey we ought to send out?

nc anc pcnaps nave Clarke: 'Wei . t's too late. We've sent ou: so

= -ior.— ! ".~ey need t much new -hat hat's at been sculee years : o do: : see-- :c ago. Umorr.Lnareiy. th nx o; a he super-

c v canons icok ng ai '' Love L.:cy b.iological mathoc have about trying Omni: What son o* rc-oe-cussions do yc.i succeed m gettin think the re would be n we were lo lea r n we ganisn, tha: wil N are a:cns in the universe? fertilizer problems. Clarke: Well, we can neve; learn that, of World will be enom course because the universe is so enc- possibilities. A'so

mous that if we go on icr the next hundred People are worrie

I ng i ndmg r nanr-DNA work, t

body, we c t be c tha: eve' exaggerated, thou

next hill there isn't someone I ac~i: ma:

after he next hundred mi! ton years or so r. will look more and more like there's nobody

though we've on'y oox.ed at two andmg sights, we found no face C" any:h ng anc

so il see-s p'ooab e :nat there's noire on Mars But we can't be sure, oy any means,

Omni: What cc you see as the mes: mteres:- have a .5.1 percent chance o — IOOK THROUGH THE WINDOWS OF TOMORROW onnrui

C Cla-ke. isoac Asimoy Rober Hemlein and Ray- ays Bradbury prophesy the philosoohncal, ernotonai,

: the and structural realities ct the world to be

"fin te Omni is the world's fi'st major publication to come combine scenes fiction enc science fact,

me first publication to afford paranormal phenomena the Simple dignry of c prcoe-

ongoing scientific ingu ry Cmms aim is to s the lotest heighten ano e" ver the wee we Ive h hnologyano to discover, clarify ora inform Omm's -cnge. e future. The editorially and graphically s as broad os the

i oking universe, os i f n te os time. -vty like Carl

Sagan. Alvn Tcffler Buckmrster Fu ler, Stephen

Hawking, Robert Jastrow and i J Good have their work featured or are profilea ond inter- onnrui viewed "op science 'iction wrirers such os Arthur The magazine of tomorrow. Subscribe today! THEBESTOF onnrui SCIENCE FICTION A NONPAREIL ANTHOLOGY OF STOR'IS AND PICTORIALS. TEN FANTASTIC FICTION FEATURES

, BY SUCH OLD PROS AS HARLAN ELLISON AND ROBERT SHECKLEY AS\WELL AS SUCH NEWER STARS AS GEORGE R. R. MARTIN AND ORSON SCOTT CARD. GREAT ARTISTS CONTRIBUTING TO THE MIND-EXPANDING PICTORIALS INCLUDE H. R. GIGER, SAMUEL BAK, AND ERNST FUCHS. THERE IS ALSO AN -EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH WORLD-RENOWNED SCIENCE-FICTION AUTHOR ARTHUR C. CLARKE. 144 PAGES, 76 IN FULL COLOR. BECAUSE THIS LUXURIOUSLY BOUND VOLUME IS THE QUINTESSENCE OF OMNI, it DESERVES PRIDE OF PLACE IN YOUk LIBRARY