JACK WILLIAMSON • R. Z. UALLUN . KENT CASEY
Rtc. u. s. r*T. omcc^ JULY 1938 —
Sensational Scientific
tests prove LISTERINE CURES DANDRUFF
First Science discovered the dandruff germ, , .then, that Listerine kills it. 76% got quick relief in New Jersey clinic.
If dandruff has you in its attacks and kills that queer, grip, if you have tried rem- bottle-shaped germ Pity- edy after remedy in vain, rosporum ovale, which here is the most welcome causes dandruff. news you could possibly Here is proof ovaie, me germ read: that causes dan- Science discovered druff, magnified Listerine has been scien- When the dandruff germ, an many limes, tifically proved a positive astounding series of experi- cure for dandruff. ments immediately fol- marked improvement in, the Once or twice a day, just lowed. Rabbits were in- symptoms within 30 days. douse full-strength Lister- fected with dandruff. When ine on your scalp; massage treated daily with Listerine Listerine treats dandruff vigorously persistently and Antiseptic, they were cured for what it really is until every hair is bathed within two weeks on the use old-fashioned rem- in soothing, health-promot- average. Why ing antiseptic. Listerine edies which merely wash In a great midwestem away the surface symptoms skin clinic, a group of dan- of dandruff temporarily? druff sufferers applied the Listerine Antiseptic actual- daily Listerine treatment. ly cures dandruff, by killing A substantial number of the germ itself. these Listerine users ob- Start ridding scalp tained marked relief within your of dandruff today. Stop the the first two weeks on the average. In many other gnawing, burning dandruff natural cases scalps were foimd to itch. Get back the health be free and clear of dandruff and vigor of your in from three to eight weeks. hair. Remember—only Lis- terine Antiseptic, so far as In another recent test, we know, has a clinical rec- 76% of the dandruff patients ord of such positive dan- of a New Jersey clinic who druff cure. used the Listerine treatment twice a day, showed com- Lambert Pharmacal Co. plete disappearance of, or St. Louis, Mo.
LISTERINE the PROVED treatment for DANDRUFF 1
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Volume XXI Number 5
JULY, 1938
SCIENCE-FICTION A Street & Smith Publication
TUIt R«|isUrW U. 8. Patent 0«t«
NOTICE—This magazine contains new stories only. No reprints are used. Complete Novelettes: RULE 18 Clifford D. Simak 32 Concerning the annual Earth-Mart football game—and the coach who pulled the prize bright play of all Timel THE MEN AND THE MIRROR Ross Rocklynne* 74 The Late and the Outlaw—trapped together by the Lawe of Phyeict Short Stories: VOYAGE 13 Ray Cummings 6 Politics and Death^loose on an interplanetary liner THE SECRET OF THE CANALI Clifton B. Kruse 20 The Martians were gone—yet Mars could provide lining for thousands. Where— Ao tc—why GOOD OLD BRIG! Kent Casey 52 Jt teas a navy of spaceships—but plain boresome to paint-scraper, bilge-cleaner Kelton. Kelton jumped ship—and found it wasn't the planet he thought! THE DANGEROUS DIMENSION L Ron Hubbard 100 Professor Mudge teas a philosopher— till he discovered how to ride the wings of Thought, but NOT how to get off again! HOTEL COSMOS Raymond Z. Gallun 140 In a hotel harboring the races—and the race hatreds—^of a hundred solar systems—wildfire trouble starts! Serial Novel: THE LEGION OF TIME (Conclusion) .... Jack Williomson 118 The hittory-changing, all-important little thing recoterrd, Denny Lanning flnit— a rutty Ford part! Science Feature Articles:
LANGUAGE FOR TIME-TRAVELERS . . . L Sprague deCamp 63 A «ci>«ce heretofore unconsidered in science-fiction—the future of language. GIANT STARS Arthur McCann 113 The recentlg measured Epsilon Aurigae is the largest star known^or The entire contents of this mscazloe are protected by copyrtaht, and must not be reprinted without the publishers’ penniulon. Single Copy, 20 Cents Yearly Subscription, $2.00 Monthly publlcallon Ijsued by Streot & Smith PubUcatloni, Ibr.. 79-89 .SevenUi Avenue, New -lork. N. Y. Allen I,, nrammer. Preeltlent; Henry W. Raliton, Vice Preeident and Treaaurer. Copyright. 1938, by Street & Smith Puhllcatlona. Inc.. New York. Copyright. 19:t8, by Street & Smith Publications. Inc., Great BriUln. Reentered as Second-class Matter. 1879. Subscriptions to Cuba, February 7, 1938, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y.. under Act of Congress of March 3. 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Almost every neighborhood needi a good spare time serviceman. The Please mention this magazine 'when answering advertisements — 6 RAY CUMMINGS tells of the politics and death that walked the corridors of the spaceship WANDERER on— VOYAGE 13 y the gods of the Starways, that’s mentarily. She spoke to him, and he a sweet-looking girl,” Green quickly took her arm. B said. “Fling her a look, Jon.” “She’s blind,” Green said. I peered with interest. Wavvy Green, “You know who she is?” young Helioinan of the Wanderer, and “Normal! Velah II, no less,” he ex- I were lounging under the dome near plained. “The young fellow with her the bridge outside the Control Room, is her brother, Roberoh. And if you watching the embarking passengers. The look closely you’ll see at least fourteen Wanderer was racked in the big landing men down there on the stage who have stage at Amberoh, Capital of the Venus bodyguarded them here. And now that Free State, ready now to start for Great they’re on board it’s up to Mac.” New York. The big glassite ports were Our little red-headed helioman always still rolled back from the deck dome, made a p>oint of knowing everything. I and Green and I had a vista down into had had no idea we were to liave such the blue-lit stage. distinguished passengers this voyage. “See her?” Green added. As a matter of fact, their embarkation had not been announced; Wavvy got it I saw her presently as she came up from our Purser. the little incline—a small, pale-blonde The girl and her tall, dark-haired girl, with a young man beside her. Both brother had disappeared on the side wore the long cloak-drapes characteristic now deck almost directly under us. of the upper caste of the Venus Free “Here’s Mac now,” Wavvy Green State. The girl’s drape was pale blue. added. As she boarded us, the incline tube- lights glared on her face. It was a face Mack Mackenzie, a big, rawboned, of delicate, exquisite beauty—lilylike six-foot Scotsman, was an Anglo-Alli- with the creamy complexion character- ance Shadow Man, detailed from Great- istic of the Venus nobility. London for duty on the Wanderer to represent the Interplanetary Police. He I was not unduly impressionable to always posed as a passenger. He came feminine beauty; certainly in my capac- lounging toward us. ity as Assistant Navigator of the Wan- “I see we’ve got distinguished guests,” derer I had seen girls of scores of races I murmured. and on many planets. But here was something that quickened my pulse “Ye’ll be forgettin’ it,” he retorted softly. “Eavesdroppin’ rays have keen an ethereal beauty—a purity—and a sort of helplessness. At the top of the in- ears.” cline she stopped suddenly. Her young “The girl knocked Jon dead,” Green man companion had turned away mo- chuckled. “You could see it on his A shadow stirred far down the deck—a Banning spat its sizzling spark of heat. Wawy Green slumped almost silently to the deck plates. face. So now he’s a star-crossed lover under way—a voyage ill-fated for us as —moon-struck. I’m a motor-oiler if the ancient superstition of the number he isn’t.” would indicate. “You go wrap up an electric spark,” I told him. I moved away from his I AM Jon Halory. I was age twenty- gibes and went into the Control Room, five at that tinje—Assistant Navigator to work on the trajectory charts. And of the Wanderer. With the Earth and a few minutes later Voyage 13 was Venus well past conjunction, this was 8 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION to be our last voyage of the Astronomi- daughter—had escaped from Govern- cal Season. By ship’s routine, it was ment House and taken refuge in the mklafternoon when we departed. I went living quarters of the Officials of the at my duties. But despite the necessity Landing Stage. It was under the flag of tossing long and intricate equations of the Interplanetary League—and not to calculate the elements of our forth- even the swaggering Talone and his coming course, I could not get that roistering fellows dared attack it. And Venus girl, Nonnah Velah II, out of now Roberoh and Normah were em- my mind. I had heard of her, of course. barking for Earth. All that afternoon The Wanderer, this voyage, had been and evening, I could not get the vision racked in the stage at Ambelah for of that ethereal-faced little blind girl out nearly a week. of my mind. It had been a tumultuous week in It was well after the evening meal be- the affairs of the Venus Free State. fore the Wanderer rose through the For nearly a year trouble had ^en brew- dense fogs of the Venus atmosphere and ing with the natives of the outlying, emerged into the sunlight of Interplan- mountainous districts. The hill people etary Space. Captain Jaquero was never were restless, eager for a governmental one to hurry his ascent; the comfort of change that would benefit their be- the passengers, to him, was beyond a nighted condition. It was largely the few hours of the voyage. Mrs. Re>'n- result of their own incapacity; the Lib- olds, our Matron, had few cases of pres- eral Government of the Free State was sure sickness. The Wanderer, of all the doing very well by them. But always Starway Fleet, had a reputation for under such circumstances, a leader will comfort. Despite the trying Venus at- arise to capitalize discontent for his own mosphere—with its weird changes and lust for power. its interminable moisture content—the Such a leader had arisen. He was Wanderer remained comfortable. We known as Talone, not even a native of maintained on board a gravity of Venus. Vaguely it was understood that Earth .9 ; temperature 72 F. ; interior he had come from Mars—ousted from air pressure 15.75 lbs. per square inch, Fcrrok-Shahn for similar activities. with the Erentz pressure equalizers But on Venus, among the ignorant, working perfectly. his bombastic talk gained him a huge It was nine p. m., ship’s time—mid- following. evening—when I finished calculating the I was not familiar with the details. elements of our trajectory. Captain ,But this week, when the Wanderer lay Jaquero and First Officer Peters ap- racked in Ambelah, open revolt broke proved them ; we set the electronic grav- out in the city. There was an attack ity plates and slowly turned, with the upon Government House, and President sunlight bathing our stern and the bow Velah was assassinated. The mob a glory of starlight, prismatic in the within a day was in control; and from black vault of Space. the hills, Talone came marching, possess- ing himself of the Government, pro- WITH MY JOB done, I went from claiming Interregnum Law until a new the Control Room for a stroll on the election could be held. star-gazer’s deck, as they call it—a sev- My fellow officers and I were not al- enty-foot little deck under the glassite lowed from the Wanderer. The city was dome. A few of the larger passenger in a turmoil. Vaguely, we were given cabins were here, and in the stern was to understand that Roberoh, and Nor- Green’s little helio-radio cubby. We had mah—the President’s young son and few passengers this voyage—no more VOYAGE 13 9 than six or eight, it seemed. One or ease, she sat back in her padded deck two were standing gazing through the chair, her poor blank eyes, blue with the bulls-eyes of tlie dome. starlight, gazing idly—seeing nothing Then to one side, I saw a little group but her own thoughts. She was even —Dr. Blake, our Ship’s Physician, more beautiful, here as I sat with her, seated with Roberoh and Normah Velah. than I had pictured. Small, slim as a I approached them with my heart ac- child, yet rounded with full maturity, celerated and a queerly asinine regret the lines of her figure obvious beneath within me that this blind girl could not her flilmy blue-gray dress with its gold see that I was a stalwart, fairly hand- cords crossed over her bosom, wound some fellow, sleek and efficient-looking around her slight waist and dangling in my white linen. Green would have with tassels almost to her sandaled feet. gibed at me, but there was no one to Perhaps, normally, there would have know how I felt as Dr. Blake introduced been nothing unduly pathetic in her me and I sat quietly in the group, smok- blindness. Certainly she did not seem ing and saying very little. to feel it morbidly. Roberoh spoke of I recall we talked of nothing in par- things she had read; sculptured works ticular. I saw this murdered Presi- of art she had seen with her fingertips. dent’s son as a youth no older than his And she was a musician, skilled with the sister. They were twins in fact, I lutelike vicahnah of Venus. learned now. Rpberoh was not yet of “My brother paints me with very age—which is twenty-two for a male in glorious colors,” she said once. She the Venus Free State. He could not laughed, musically as a lute itself. But have held office. at once, when her face went into re- Dr. Blake—always a blundering fel- pose, I could not miss that there was low—said something like that to Rob- upon it a queer look of uneasiness. A eroh. A flush came to the youth’s pa- sort of tense expectancy. As though trician face. her mind were not on what we were “We do not speak of such things saying, but on something else. Some- now,” he said. “All Venus people are thing—terrifying perhaps. intuitive linguists; Roberoh spoke Eng- lish with the soft, curiously limpid qual- QUITE SUDDENLY, as Roberoh ity characteristic of his race. “My sis- and I were talking some triviality, she ter and I—we are making a voyage to broke in upon us. Earth—to forget what we have been “Would you go to our cabin, Rob- through. Dr. Blake, perhaps, hardly eroh?” She had suddenly lowered her understands. But you do, Mr. Halory ?” voice. She leaned toward me. “I know “Yes,” I murmured. that we—we can trust you, Mr. Halory. Our bullet-headed doctor possibly was Could there—could there be any eaves- piqued at the rebuke. At all events he dropping ray upon us now?” presently left us. Always, in the offing, “Quiet, Normah,” Roberoh mur- ” the tall figure of Mac, our A. A. Shadow mured. “You want me to go visible. Man, was I saw him now, clad “Yes, please. Oh hurry—I just feel ” in a Venus cloak that looked absurd on frightened his burly figure as he stood alone by a It was as though some extra-normal bulls-eye with the starlight painting him. sense were warning her of danger, so Apparently he was engrossed in the glit- that she sat with hands gripping the tering dome of the Heavens; in reality sides of her chair, her bosom rising and I knew he was watching us. falling with her quickened breath, her Normah had said almost nothing. At delicate nostrils dilating. 10 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION Roberoli leaped to his feet with his a beautiful Moon, some of the nights cloak around him. on Earth? I have read about it.” Slie “I will go see. But it is nothing, was smiling quizzically. Normah.” “Yes,” I agreed. “The moonlight He moved forward along the starlit and a pretty girl—well you’re supposed deck, and disappeared down a little half- to talk about love. I guess it’s the same ” flight inclined to a balconied recess where on Venus his cabin and Normali’s were located I checked myself. Her hand had side by side almost under the control come out; her fingers lightly brushed turret. my face. She was still smiling. Normah and I were left alone. Mo- “Excuse me.” she said. “One likes to mentarily Mac had moved away. see to whom one is talking.” “What is it?” I murmured tensely. There was no pathos. Her smile was ” “That Dr. Blake who was here faintly quizzical, as she added, “Being She was leaning with her hand upon my blind is a little disadvantage in the moon- arm ; her voice was barely a whisper. light.” “What about him?” I prompted. “Not at all,” I said. And then im- “I —I’m afraid of him—I don’t like pulsively I quoted, '“Flinging back a ” him million starbeams, the vault of Space re- Well, the burly, bullet-headed Blake minds me of thine eyes.” had never been any great favorite of As her hands went to my shoulders, mine. But there had not seemed any- I stared into her eyes. The blankness thing terrifying about him. was, He seemed vanished, for they were, in truth, however, what they used to call a lady- filled with starlight. For that moment killer. our bantering was gone. Both of us “What did he do to annoy you?” I were breathless. But a little vestige of murmured. sanity clung to me. “Nothing. I just feel—that he’s an “A President’s daughter,” I mur- enemy. And others—the whole ship ” mured, “could never be interested in a maybe ” ship’s officer I tried to scoff, but she was so ear- “You think so? There is no differ- nest, so obviously terrified that it made ence—a ship’s officer, or a King me tense. Why had she sent her brother ‘If you were a King’—there is on -Earth so hastily to their cabins? a poem like that. You say it.” Her hand still gripped me. “We “ ‘If I were King’ ”, I murmured. must not talk of it,” she murmured, “but you, I know, we can trust. No ‘"Ah love, if I were King, ” more now, please What tributary planets I would bring To bow before your sceptre, and to swear I sat staring at her. And then she Allegiance to your lips and eyes and hair. smiled. The stars would be your pearls upon a string. “Shall we talk?” she murmured. Red Mars a ruby for your finger-ring. “What do young men—like you—on And you could have the Sun and Moon to wear— Earth talk about when they sit with a If I were King.'" young girl in the starlight?” That wouldn’t have been hard for IT WAS OUR moment, so suddenly me—under the circumstances she pic- come as I held her there in the star- tured. But it was hard now, so that light. And then it was dashed. A step I sat suddenly tongue-tied. sounded on the deck near us. I could “Well ” I said. feel Normah stiffen in my arms. Then “Of music? Of the stars? You have she drew away. A man was coming VOYAGE 13 11 toward us—one of the passengers. I But whom could we trust? Normah’s knew his name, Graeff III. He was an words rang through my startled mind: elderly fellow—a wealthy importer, I “He, of them all, terrifies me.” As understood, in Ambelah. His dark cloak though this little blind girl could feel shrouded him—a tall, but bent figure, the radiations of evil. And looking back bare-headed, with the starlight gleaming on it now, I have no doubt that she did. on his mass of gray-white hair, long But why should Talone’s spies be about his ears in the Venus fashion. His here? I knew that by Interplanetary vacuum-cupped sandals squished on the Law, tbis girl and youth—both under metal-grid of the deck as he walked. legal age—could have no bearing upon “That man Graeff ” Norniah was the governmental status of the Venus murmuring. Free State. They could not appear be- “You’ve met him, Normah?” fore the Interplanetary League of Great “Yes—this afternoon. Dr. Black in- London in protest at Talone’s usurpa- troduced him.” A shuddering terror was tion. Why then would he pursue them? upon her. Normah was clinging to me. “My He came past us. I saw that Mac was brother,” she murmured. “He has not lounging at a near-by bulls-eye port. come back from our cabin! Oh, please !” Graeff, as he came abreast of us, turned —take me there—hurry and came smilingly forward. What was there about her cabin that “Ah—it is the beautiful little Nor- was so terrifying? She clung to me as mah,” he said. His gray-white sagging we hurried forward on the starlit deck. face, with queerly heavy jowls, was At the little half-flight incline, Roberoh wrinkled into a smile. His eyes, deep- appeared from below. set under shaggy white brows, swept me “It is—all right?” Normah mur- a glance. “One of our young officers?” mured. he added. “Yes,” he said. He flung a glance at “This is Jon Halory,” Norman in- me as his arm went around his sister. troduced. He was smiling, but I could not mis- I was on my feet, but I did not offer take his agitated tenseness, the pallor of the chair. Graeff nodded, teetering on his handsome, boyish face, the look of his sandals, unsteady as though with terror in his eyes. senility. “It is all right, Normah,” he added “The starlight,” he said, “is very beau- gently. “Do not be frightened.” tiful. We will have the Earthlight glow I accompanied them to the mid-flight in a night or two.” He nodded to me, balcony catwalk upon which their com- and passed on ; vanished down a near-by municating cubbies opened. At Nor- incline to the cabin quarters below. mah’s door we paused. Roberoh ges- Mac again had gone. I sat down be- tured down the spiral to the main cabin side Normah. corridor close under us. “He—of them all—terrifies me,” she “That fellow Graeff,” he said softly, murmured. “There is evil in him. It “was standing down there. When he ” radiates saw me, he came and went on deck.” Wordlessly, I could only stare. Was It brought a little cry from Normah. the Wanderer, this voyage, bristling with Roberoh drew me aside. Talone’s spies? Suddenly I felt our “I follow my sister,” he said. “In helplessness—a little world here, poised English you call it intuition. She has ” seemingly motionless in the great abyss it. She knows we can trust you of Space. Captain Jaquero was armed; I nodded. “There is something you the Control Turret was a little arsenal. want to tell me ?” 12 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION “No—or at least not now. I thought fathom that Blake and Peters could be when we boarded your ship we would bribed. And Roberts, the purser? I be safe.” He was murmuring with swift knew nothing about him, save that he vehemence; his gaze again swept down had always seemed a very decent fel- the shadowed tube-lit spiral to the blue low. We had no more than five pas- corridor under us. “I know now that sengers. Who were they, beyond Graeff, we are not safe, Halory. You, we can Normah and Roberoh? I did not know. trust. And the Captain?” It was the trinight hour now—mid- “Of course,” I murmured. way between midnight and dawn. I “And there is your Shadow Man had prowled. Banning gun under my ” Mackenzie night cloak. But there was nothing. I So they knew about Mackenzie. had not seen Mac. Once I searched for “And your First Officer Peters—and him, with a sudden impulse to consult ” your crew him. But with the skill of years, Mac That startled me. Of our crew of was like a shadow himself—unseen when twelve, seven had been on shore leave he was prowling. when the trouble broke out in Ambelah. The little Trinight buzz from the They had vanished. Captain Jaquero Control Turret sounded through the si- had engaged others—seven new men lent interior. I knew that the Captain aboflt whom we knew nothing. would be at the controls now, with Col- “What do you want me to do?” I lins, our Chief Navigator, beside him. said. The other officers, like myself, were off “You are armed?” duty. ” “Not now. But in my cubby For another ten minutes I sat tense, “In the night—I want no prowlers pondering. Then again I started for ” here at our door Normah’s cabin. The eerie blue-lit cor- Normah’s cubby was dim behind them. ridors were empty. There was no one, “Goodnight,” she murmured. “Of ev- seemingly, on the star-gazer’s little deck. eryone—it seems perhaps there is only The glassite dome over it glowed with you.” starlight. Green’s cubby was dark. The door closed upon their tense, Silently, cloak around me, I moved white faces. forward, went down the half incline to the catwalk balcony. At Normah’s door THE RHYTHMIC HUM of the I listened. There was no sound from Erentz pressure equalizers sounded behind its metal panel. dimly through my silent cubby. Out- I am no professional prowler. I was side my latticed bulls-eye, facing stern- tense, jumpy. Was that a moving ward, the gigantic silver crescent which shadow in the corridor under me? I was Venus still nearly filled the quad- thought so. I started down, but if some- rant of the sky, with the Sun blocked thing had been there, it was gone. behind it now. Then, as again I paused at Normah’s “Of everyone—it seems there is only door, dimly from within I heard a mur- you.” Normah’s last words of terror muring voice. ” pounded in my head. Only these two “Normah fugitives, and myself to protect them? Then there was an answer in the But that was absurd, of course. There Venus tongue. It was Normah’s agi- was old Captain Jaquero ; and Mac tated voice, unmistakable. But whose But who else? Wavvy Green, perhaps. was the other? Not Roberoh’s! It was I could name no one else. If, indeed, blurred, throaty—almost a groan, ” Talone’s spies were here, I could easily “Normali—Normah ! — VOYAGE 13 13 And then I heard Roberoh’s voice. ing little whine sounded. There was a Three of them were in there distant scream from the crew’s quarters For that instant I was shocked into under me—the sizzling, muffled flash of confusion. But my wits came back, a Banning gun—the tramp of running steadied as I realized the existence of feet—men’s shouting voices a low hum—the tiny, microphonic, I turned and leaped up the incline to grinding hum of electronic interference. the catwalk balcony—pounded on Nor- heard the com- An eavesdropping ray ! You can hear mah’s door. They had them sometimes, when you are close to motion, of course. The door swung in- a metal obstruction through which they ward as Roberoh opened it to my im- are passing. An eavesdropping ray from perative voice. In the center of the dim some near-by point was focused upon cabin, Normah stood with her arms Normah’s door. It was picking up the around an elderly man. He was pallid, murmur of the three voices and hum- trembling; his head and one arm were ming a little with the door’s interference. bound with surgical bandages. Roberoh swung toward me. “My fa- FOR THAT SECOND I stiffened, ther,’’ he said swiftly. “He did not die. with my Banning gun pointing down the The surgeons—were loyal. We pre- spiral. Was the eavesdropper down tended he died, you see? Or the mob there? Abruptly I was aware that the would have come again and killed him ’’ hum was gone—as though he had surely learned what he wanted to know. I was barely aware of Roberoh’s tense ' I recall that I was part-way down the words. The interior of the Wanderer spiral. And then I heard a groan from resounded with the distant commotion. screams below—a ghastly, gurgling groan as Banning flashes—several now though from a throat and mouth choked and doors slamming. The aroused pas- with blood. sengers were screaming with terror And then came my name: “Halory screams that turned ghastly with agony ” —I’m here as the bandits struck them down. It was Mac. He had misjuggled his “They’ve killed Mac,’’ I said. “We’ve job, just for once in his life. But once got to get to the Control Turret.’’ was too much. I found him lying in Oncoming footsteps thudded in the a black recess of the lower corridor. A corridor under us as we went to the knife handle protruded from his chest. catwalk. A figure was coming up the spi- His hands were futilely plucking at it. ral. I turned sternward. We ran some “Halory—get them—all three of them thirty feet on the catwalk, then went to the Control Turret ’’ Blood was up another incline to the upper deck. grewsome in his throat. “Halory—I’m Forward on the turret bridge, I saw gone—you hurry—they know now he is Chief Navigator Collins. He had a on board—you get to the Turret—your Banning gun in each hand. only chance because all hell will break “Halory!” he shouted. “Halory ’’ loose Lord, what’s happening?” His words were lost in the blood that The aged President Velah stumbled gushed from his mouth. Then he as Roberoh and I gripped him, half twitched and the light went out of his carrying him. Obviously he was numbed eyes. by terror, and by the pain of his wounds. For a second I stood transfixed. And “What is this?” he muttered in Eng- in that second, as Mac had warned, all lish. “What is this going on ?” hell broke loose. From somewhere in “You’re all right,” I said. “Just a ” the ship, like a signal, a brief penetrat- little further—hurry — 14 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION My arm was around Normah, guid- handkerchief was slowly advancing. It ing her. From Green’s helio cubby, was Graeff. Wavvy came dashing at us. “I sent a “Do not fire,” he called. “Will you call for help,” he shouted. “Contacted have a truce so that we may talk? It the Interplanetary Patrol cruise ship. may save your lives.” It’ll in come a few hours.” Our microphone picked up his voice and amplified it in the Turret. The FROM ACROSS the starlit deck a bulls-eye sternward was partly open. shadow rose up. A Banning gun spat Chief Navigator Collins stood there and its sizzling heat-ray, drilled Green and raised a handkerchief. ended with a violet-red shower of sparks “Very good,” Graeff said. “I will up on the metal dome-casing. Wavvy trust you.” flung up his arms silently and went He had stopped, but again he ad- down. It was Dr. Blake who had drilled vanced, his long cloak swinging with his him. I saw the running figure heading aged, tottering step. In the center of sternward and didn’t miss. heat- — I My the deck, again he paused, and I saw stab went through him, so clean and him straighten from his bent, decrepit swift a drilled little hole that, though posture. It was a startling metamor- he was dead, his body of its own mo- phosis—the fellow was a skilled actor. mentum seemed to keep on running with His face had been altered by the dis- buckling legs. his Then head crashed guiser’s art. He was still old-looking against a metal ventilator. of countenance as he stood grinning at We shoved the numbed President into us in the starlight. But his bent body the slid its Turret and metal door-slide. had unlimbered ; his sagging shoulders Captain Jaquero had locked the controls were his legs squared ; straightened so and came running at me. “Halory,” be that here was a burly fellow as tall as gasped, “murder—death everywhere on myself. my ship—are we all who have sur- “By the Gods ” Collins muttered. ?” vived At the open bulls-eye, the angry Cap- Except the traitors. I could not doubt tain roared, “You damned murderer it. Ruthlessly, the passengers and all what do you want?” our loyal crew had Been killed. And “I am Talone,” the fellow said. “No here in the Turret there were only the murderer.” He grinned sardonically up Captain, Collins, and I the President, ; at us. “This is warfare, not murder. Roberoh, and Normah. I had taken There is a distinction, even if little of Normah and her father to a side couch difference. I come for President Velah.” across the circular little Control Room. “Well, you don’t get him,” I said. The bulls-eye windows gave us a vista Behind me I was aware of the wounded in every direction of the starlit ship. old President coming forward, cou- The forepeak—empty save for the crum- rageous despite his confusion and his pled figure of the lookout lying welter- pain. But I shoved him back. ing beside his electro-telescope—the nar- “Keep him away from the window,” row, empty side-decks between the Tur- I warned Roberoh. “Keep Normah over ret and the dome-sides—and sternward, there.” along the empty star-deck where the fig- “Oh, it is you, Halory,” Talone was ures of Green and Dr. Blake lay saying. “So you are yet alive? I speak sprawled. with Captain Jaquero.” Then from the dull glare of Venus- “Say what you wish and have done,” light at the stern, a figure with a raised the Captain shouted. VOYAGE 13 15 The Hash of my Banning gun died in a smother of sparks as the shadowy attacker ducked behind a metal bulkhead. “Thank you. I demand Velah, Do was true also that if he appeared alive you think I would permit him to reach in Great London before the League, by Great London and protest me at the treaty, all the Planetary Governments Interplanetary League?” would send an armed Interplanetary Pa- trol to Venus—to take over the minis- THEY HAD smuggled the wounded tration of the Free State, guaranteeing Velah on board to save his life. But it Velah’s government and his personal 16 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION safety. There could be no conquest by as they fell. I was close behind them. Talone, no crooked subsequent election Not directly hit—but the aura of the of ijiim later, as of course he planned. bolt stunned me. All the world seemed “Well that’s what we’ll do,” the Cap- bursting into a roaring glare of light tain roared. “And jail you and your which faded as I fell, with my senses murderers.” whirling off into the soundless, black "You jest with me. Captain,” Talone abyss of unconsciousness. retorted. “I have the ship. Your con- trols in the Turret—how can you shift HOW LONG I was out I do not the rocket jets when my men below are know. I recovered consciousness lying shifting them by the manual levers? upon the Turret couch, with Normah Don’t you see the heavens swinging al- bending over me. As I stirred, and my ready ?” eyelids fluttered up, her fingers felt them. “Oh,” she murmured. “You’re all I was aware of it. Over our stem Venus was slowly mounting; the great right now?” blazing black firmament was swinging. My head was roaring, but my strength “I offer you life,” Talone was sayixg. came rapidly. President Velah was in “I can starve you there in the Turret. a chair across the Turret. The white- ” I can shut off your air-renewers faced Roberoh helped me to my feet. "That’s a lie,” I murmured to Rob- On the Turret floor-grid. Captain eroh. "We have pressure equalizers and Jaquero and Collins lay with their emergency air renewers here in the Tur- clothes charred upon them. Both were ret. The whole system independent of dead. the rest of the ship.” “I bolted the bulls-eyes,” Roberoh was “We’ll drill any man who comes near saying. “No one has come to the deck. us,” the Captain roared. “Go back. Oh, I am so glad you did not die.” We’ve had enough of your talk.” He was grim with terror as he held the pallid Normah against him. In the "Then I will just say I can navigate chair his wounded old father seemed from below by disconnecting your con- dazed. Roberoh was only a boy really; trols,” Talone retorted. “Already I with me unconscious he had felt himself have done that. We are returning to here alone, so that now with a rush of Ambelah. But I offer you life. If you relief he clung to me. toss out your weapons now, I will put you on an asteroid. Little kings to rule The star-gazer’s deck outside our all you survey.” bolted bulls-eyes was empty. Through the glassite plates of the enclosing dome "By the Infernal go back from the — could see the black firmament. deck, you smidge,” the Captain roared. I We were still in the cone of Venus’ shadow. “I will parley no more with a murderer.” The great crescent of the planet lay now Still grinning, Talone raised his white in advance of our bow. Talone had handkerchief with a derisive flaunting turned us, shifted the rocket jets so that gesture and backed away. I barely saw with full drive and gravity added we his other hand go under his cloak. I were heading back. had no time to shout a warning, or even to move. From beneath Talone’s cloak, The audiphone in the Turret buzzed. a flash spat through the fabric—the flash I jumped for it. of an electronic spray gun. At our Tur- “This is Talone,” the microphonic ret window its lurid, blue-green bolt voice said. “Shall we talk again ? Will struck with a shower of sparks. Dimly you starve? Or shall I shut off your I was aware of the Captain and Collins air?” I VOYAGE 13 17 “You can’t,” I said. “We have emer- izing current circulating between the in- gencies here.” ner and the outer layer. With Roberoh Talone knew that he could not risk watching me—and Normah white and an assault now upon the Turret. The silent peering with her sightless eyes— aluminite walls and the bulls-eyes would donned the suit. From feet to neck it resist his weapons. If we fired out of encased me with its black baggy folds. the ports, some of his attacking party The mechanism pack was a great lump undoubtedly would be killed. on my back, with the goggled helmet But of what use for us to keep alive, hinged back behind my head. For imprisoned here until the Wanderer was weapons there was a hook with a length racked at Ambelah? Talone’s men of wire hung at my belt, and a knife would surround the ship and starve us stuck there. out. Or, with the ship abandoned, blow With gloved hand, I clapped Roberoh us into Eternity. on the back. “Good luck to us.” And He recognized my voice. “Oh—it is I touched Normah’s sleek, blonde head. you, Halory? Are you yet alive? Will Neither of them answered. Roberoh you stay there, or disarm and let me moved the door-slide a little. For a maroon you on an asteroid?” second I stood peering at the deck. It I slammed the connection, and turned was only a few feet from here to the to Roberoh. The beginnings of a plan incline opening leading below. With were in my mind, and as I told it to the feeling that a flash from some near-by Roberoh, he listened with dropped jaw. shadow would end all my problems, I It was so desperate a plan that Normah jumped the few feet and darted into the gasped, • companionway. There was no flash. “No—no, please!” The descending spiral seemed empty. I “You’ll never get down there,” Rob- passed the catwalk where Normah’s eroh murmured. “They’ll see you.” cabin door stood open—went down an- “Well I can try,” I said. I grinned other flight to the main corridor. at him. But in truth I was as desper- Still there was no encounter. A lit- ately tense as himself. “What else is tle further along I came upon a dead ” there to do? If tliey—seize me passenger; near the stern, the body of “ICill you,” Normah corrected. Mrs. Reynolds, the Matron, hung over “All right—if they kill me, you’ll be a catwalk rail, her head grewsomely dan- no worse off here.” gling with crimsoned slashed throat. As one of the ancient philosophers It seemed a ship of the dead; silent, said, “Desperation doth make heroes of with just the purring hum of the Erentz us all.” I felt like that. When one is current. I went down another little sure he is going to die it takes no cour- flight, knife in hand, silent as a cat on age to try and stay alive. Heaven knows, my rubberized soles. I was in the lower the in all my eight years flying the star- part of the hull now. The door to ways, never had I had occasion to jump lower Control Room, where the rocket- into Space from my vessel. But the jet controls were located, stood open. occasion was here now. As I stood silently peering I could hear the murmur of voices—Talone and his THE EMERGENCY air-suits were men who were gathered in there. hung in a closet of the chartroom. I I went down another half flight, into drew one out—a double-shell of fab- the dim little pressure chamber of the ricoid, with the Erentz pressure equal- lower keel-fin. Triumph was within me Save levenUcenU a pack! Try Avalon Cigarette*! Cellophane wrap. Union made. ; ! — 18 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION now. Nothing could stop me from my my helmet to be smashed and make an purpose. Talone and his men were rois- end of me. Then I was blown down tering in the sliifter-room, befuddled now through the center of the opening by alcohol so that they had left the upper hurled outward, down into Space part of the vessel unguarded, secure in My first sensation was a nauseous the belief that none of us would dare feeling of falling. But in a moment it venture from the Turret. was gone. In soundless emptiness, I The pressure chamber was almost felt nothing—saw myself poised, the wholly dark. The lower glassite trap great, black dome of the firmament a vast shell, everywhere gem- was closed. I peered down through it enclosing hundred at the vast starry abyss of the firmament. strewn. But close over me—a feet —^the hull of the IFan- It took me no more than a minute to away perhaps sleek, shining with star- adjust my helmet and start the suit derer loomed air pouring meclianisms. The suit bloated with air light. The torrent of was out of its lower port, but so instantly my little pressure current hummed in that already my ears. dissipating into the vacuum I was beyond its force. I had blown a Tlie pumps of the pressure chamber hundred feet, still moving with small were at the side of the wall. In ten momentum. I saw the ship drifting minutes, with the bulkhead door to the away, and desperately threw from me hull closed, I could have emptied the the heavy magneto shoes designed to little chamber of its air. But Heaven hold a man against the ship’s outer skin. knows I had no need to do that now. I still moved. But the gravity of the With the manual lever, cautiously, I vessel was checking my velocity. opened the lower trap about an inch. Within a minute I was poised. Then The ship’s air whined as it began going I began falling back, rising toward the out—the interior pressure forcing it out ship. I had had a sidewi.se, diagonal into the vacuum of Space. thrust when the mass of the heavy boots At the inch-wide slit I knelt, brac- left me. It balanced with the IVan- ing myself against the downward rush derer’s gravity pull so that my move- of air. I sucked, whined, then howled ment now was a curve—an elipse, with as I slid the port a little farther. I was the vessel at one of its foci. almost flattened now by the downward I was a tiny satellite—and the Wan- pressure. All the air in the ship) save — derer my greater world. It was a dizzy- only the hermetic, independent Turret ing experience, for slowly I was turn- had egress here. The pressure of it — ing upon an axis of my own, so that all had me almost pinned over the slit. I the firmament and the vessel seemed saw my danger, twisted and slid the big shifting. Within a minute I had swung port wide. up over the upper dome, where I could see the Turret and its upper little pres- THERE WAS a roar—a giant, tum- sure port at the dome-peak. Then my bling torrent of wind, like water surg- orbit took me down the other side, and ing under pressure in a pipe—a cata- again under the hull. The port I had clysm of outward rushing air. No doubt opened was a black rectangle, with the in every corner of the vessel the suck- air still an outpouring maelstrom. And ing draft and lowering pressure were at as I stared, a bloated figure like my once apparent. And here at the open own came hurtling out. It was Talone. port it was a maelstrom. There was a Of all his roistering fellows, only he second when I thought I would be hurled had had the knowledge and the pre.sence down against the casement of the port, of mind to seize an air-suit and don it. — VOYAGE 13 19 Doubtless he had intended to ding in our new, combined little orbit. within the ship, but had been blown out. At all events he was here. He, too, ALL THAT WAS five years ago. I broke the rush of velocity that would have little to add to my brief narrative of that ill-starred 13. I have carried him oflf into depths of Voyage was able to cast pull space. Now he was another little satel- my hook, myself down the like flat- lite like myself. He was closer to the to dome, and a fly crawl vessel, revolving slightly more swiftly, tened to the Turret’s upper pressure and with a more nearly circular orbit. port. Roberoh had pumped out the air I stared down at him as he swung past of the tiny upper chamber. I crawled some twenty feet under me. And doubt- in, closed the outer slide, and then he less he stared up. Then he was gone let in the air upon me. It was indeed a ship of death. But ahead of me, while still I was only pass- ing over the turret. in the turret, with emergency air re- newers working, we remained for that Within two rotations he had caught day until the Interplanetary Patrol me again. It chanced that I was at seeking us after poor Green’s helio call the perihelion of my little orbit here. for help—came and rescued us. Talone was no more than ten feet from Normah and I have been married for me. And suddenly I flung the heavy nearly five years now. Her father ap- metal hook which was at my belt. It peared before the League in protest at struck past his leg, and as I jerked the Talone’s Government. But he did not wire, the hook caught his ankle. My desire to renew his Presidency; he was pulls on the wire hauled us together. I shattered in health. The Venus Free saw the naked knife blade gleaming with State had a fair election, with the In- star-sheen as he clutched it in his gloved terplanetary League presiding, so that hand. But I had him at a disadvantage. no duplicate of Talone could come into He was coming at me feet first, floun- power. dering to twist himself around. The Venus Free State is talking now knife flashed; ripped his bloated My of a union with the great Anglo-Saxon suit. It deflated as his air puffed out; Alliance of Earth. Normah and I are then, suffocating, with bursting lung and interested in that, because in our own tissues and blood-vessels, he died. small way already we have accomplished The Wanderer had only one satellite it. Our little son seems to combine the now—Talone and I, the dead and the best of both his parent worlds. We are living, our bodies merged as we rotated very proud of him. For clean, smooth shaves that stand 9 spotlight inspection, try a package of Probak Jr. Razor Blades! Four blades for 10)i give you eight of the keenest edges you ever used. Try them next time. Learn how comfortable the world’s most econom- yT |r 5 SOPER- 1 ical shaves can be! KEEN SHAVHIfi kl EDGES FOR 20 THE SECRET by Clifton Two surveyors —stumble on GLOBE with its tricky star’s- eye view makes a world mighty compact, particularly that Inter- world Explorer’s replica of Mars. You thing in your lap, place a thumb on the dot labeled “Base City, American Mars’’ and your little finger is almost over to Point Departure, King George Province. There’s nothing in My lead buggaioo slipped suddenly, slid, and vanished nose-Srst into that tangle of canaH-vines, headed for the ground half a mile below 21 OF THE Canali B. Kruse mapping Mars* ancient secret—the Canali the Door through which the Martians fled. between but the usual crisscross canali; “Us and the English boys from Point although the map publishers very con- Departure,’’ I added. “Now, come scientiously drew an imaginary bound- along and let’s get out camping supplies !’’ ary several hundred miles long, dividing and a flock of buggaroo the territory with mathematical equality In a way the project ahead of us between the holdings of Great Britain looked monotonously pleasant. It would and the United States. It’s a pretty take us at least thirty days of slow crawl- sight—on the globe map! ing across endless red plains, measuring Sidney Berkowitz caught my eye, and and map making and so on, before we I thought the grin on his leatherish tan would meet the Englishmen and, accord- face meant that he felt the same as I ing to plans, be picked up by a rocket- about the commissioner’s orders. Then eer somewhere along Canali 17B. The we both turned back to face J. T. Sev- pay would be sufficient to bring us back erance, Commissioner-General of Amer- to Earth where the air is thick enough ican Mars, and nodded solemnly. Sure to carry planes and there is such a thing we would go. Weren’t we certified as as rain. Rain—that’s the thing we miss civil engineers? down here on Mars, where a bathtub of water (if there was such a thing!) Commissioner-General J. T. Seve- rance smiled with relief. “The English would be wortli its weight in illumium. engineers are setting out from Point De- Sidney stood for a minute scrutiniz- parture in exactly twelve hours. Their ing the four buggaroo I had obtained. routine will be identical with yours. Two were already loaded with supplies, You’ll map the route along Canali 219, and an attendant was strapping on the 408 and 17B, and somewhere along the sun-shaded seats of the others we were latter you will meet. That’s all there to ride. A buggaroo isn’t much for is to it. Except, of course, as you may looks, but it’s a native of Martiat^ des- record chance observations of unusual erts and can stand more heat and dry- mineral outcroppings, oases and the ness than any other living thing. About like.’-’ eight feet long, and half as high, their As simple as that to the officials. Or grub-shaped bodies completely covered as Sidney Berkowitz phrased it, “The with chitonous plates, they creep over bigwigs of American Mars and King the hot sands on their dozen stumpy George Province are bending over back- legs with the grace and speed of a cater- wards to fulfill every quiddity of the pillar. territorial treaty. Only we are elected The sun was moving up and across to be the backs that do the bending.’’ the purplish sky, making the smooth 22 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION steppes south and east glisten with dry, pers didn’t bore into your flesh before shimmering heat. Each hoof rasped the you died of thirst. soft, red-sand soil, and our canopied Naturally, at first I didn’t particularly chairs rocked gently upon long, humpy notice the way Sidney took pains to backs. Behind us. Base City hovered keep his mount well away from the bank. in a deep valley, its half-hundred air- Maybe he was a little ashamed of his and-moisture-conditioned low buildings fear. I don’t know. But anyhow it had gleaming a scrubbed white in the steady to come out. Some place or other along sun glare. the way we would have to cross over, safari along, For the first week we kept to the and as our dragged I kept an chance narrowing the right bank of Canali 219—which in real- eye for a of ity is a fifty-mile-wide depression filled gorge. It would, of course, depend upon with the waxy gorge-vine whose entan- what we should meet after reaching gling stems, tough as metal, are so Canali 408 which we were supposed to thickly massed that even a buggaroo follow. You see, we didn’t know for unhampered with freight could some- sure what was before us. This was un- times spend a couple of days twisting explored territory really. It had been and squirming from one bank to the photographed by rocket ships, to be sure, other. but since by necessity they had to fly so high in order to retain control against Martian gravity, the finer details could REALLY it’s these infernal canali not be ascertained. that worry the Martian explorer. The But I wasn’t worried myself. Except spiny leaves are so tough a man can for the insects. Mars is as peaceful a scarcely tear one in two, and the maze land as you could hope to find, and the of intertwining stems have transformed eternally clear skies assured wonderful these great cuts into dark, mysterious accuracies in our maps. The job was a labyrinths. Every now and then you cinch, I thought, and one night remarked can see a break in the foliage, which is as much to Sidney. rounded smooth, as if it were a tunnel- Right then I caught the first off-color way lx)ring its twisting, turning, course slant of the expedition. The flare of down and down into that river of gro- the fire made of old buggaroo bones tesque vegetation. This is where the — and dead vines from the last thaw was wild buggaroo, the shell-back rats and a — full on the young fellow’s face. His thousand crawling insect-things live. eyes were rounded strangely so that he When the polar thaws come, enough looked actually afraid. moisture seeps down along these ancient “Jack.” he said. “I sighted the junc- waterways to make the vines spring into tion in the telescope just before we made renewed life. Then long, snakelike ten- camp tonight. I I meant to say some- drils creep out over the desert. The — thing about it before. We’ve got to foliage becomes a bright, waxy green, cross a gorge pretty soon in order to and you can hear the sibilant wail of reach Canali 408.” millions of insect-things. “Well, what of it ?” I turned my at- But no man goes prowling down into tention to slicing the canned vita-meat those cavelike hollows, even when into our skillet. “Dry as it is, we can they’re brown and holding back to their certainly make headway with torches choked-up rivers. The canali are deep and rope. We’re hauling nearly a mile and filled with uncountable halls and of trail rope along, you know.” caverns. On foot you couldn’t hope to Sidney nodded nervously and then find you way out again, even if the nip- started in to lay out our map. We al- THE SECRET OF THE CANALI 23 ways spent an hour or so finishing them here in the unexplored wastes—and yet by lamplight every night. However, his something held me back. Maybe I’ve words, or rather the look on his face and been too long in the desolate places of the odd tilt to his voice, had started me the Solar System. In twenty years of to thinking. I didn’t know much about engineering service for the Department this rather queer, close-mouthed chap of Interplanetary Colonization, I’d spent except that he was a first-rate map man. less than two years altogether on fur- Yet why should he shy this way at the loughs back to Earth. Sidney Berko- canalif Sure, they were plenty danger- witz was still in his twenties, and the ous; full of dens and sometimes alive six months he’d spent on Mars was his with scaly, crawling, biting things. But only interplanetary experience save, of they could be crossed. The leader would course, the necessary training period at go ahead, dragging a rope behind him the Moon Caves Station. and holding a torch. The flames would At any rate, we broke camp early the sizzle some of the dry stuff and scare next morning and after a two hours’ off the worst of the insects. When a crawl came to a hump of a hill which big enough cavern down in the maze was afforded us clear telescopic views of located, the rest of camp would follow. hundreds of square miles of bleak sand- Then the leader would strike out again, duned territory, darkened by great feeling his way down and around. Of streaks of lesser catiali branching out course it was w'eird. The mass of metal- from the huge junction of 219 and 408. like vegetation shut out every vestige The thing to do was to chart a likely of light, and there was always a queer, route whicli would carry us across to musty stench. Too, when you stood the bank of Canali 408 with the least still and listened, the sounds of thou- amount of intervening vine-filled gorges. sands of scurrying claws would make Even Sidney couldn’t overlook the the stiff, wiry stuff rasp and whistle as impressive significance of the scene. though a wind were tearing through the Millions of years in the past, before the gorge. There were often sudden drops, manlike intelligent Martians had been and every foot of the way had to be wiped out, this had been a magnificent tested, lest a heavy mass suddenly give center of rich, moisture-retaining val- way, plunging the venturer into a dark leys. As an engineer I thrilled at the well filled with greedy vermin. Still, sight. Both 219 and 408 were well over with reasonable precaution, Sidney and four miles in depth, representing a proj- I with our four buggaroo ought to cross ect of inconceivable vastness. Those old in one day. Martians had built for eternity, and it’s always been a mystery what happened to WE COMPLETED our map work them. Now, of course, the thick, chok- that night in silence. Sidney was nerv- ing wax-vines fill every square incli. ous, and a couple of times got up to go “At the juncture over there,’’ I said, make sure our four buggaroo were rest- “who knows what lies at the bottom? ing peacefully. I don’t think my attitude Maybe the remains of an ancient city was anything to ease him, and it was evident that he was aShamed of his fears. Sidney shrugged impatiently, turning His lean, boyish face was set with a away to scan the terrain to the north. grim sort of determination, as though His tone was succinct. “Over that way he was fighting some terrific battle in- seems the best. Only three gorges, fairly side his own mind. My impulse was narrow ones too.” to cheer him up—maybe make light of I agreed with his choice. We could the ordeal of crossing a canali way out reach the first by midday. Night should — 24 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION find us camping on a narrow island of cret fear. He might have had a narrow sand between the first and second gorges. escape in one of these mazes near Base Within two days we should be safely City soon after his coming to Mars. along our way, plodding the desert be- The terror of that experience probably side magnificent, seventy-five-mile-wide gave him the willies when thinking about 408 . having to cross a gorge. That seemed Sidney, tight-lipped, grimly efficient, the rational explanation. However, now was frankly relieved when I insisted on that we had negotiated one without the breaking trail through the first gorge. slightest hitch, he had doubtless got back Nevertheless I could sense that he was his nerve. afraid—not the abject fear of a coward, I was dead wrong in this, as I was but rather the dread of one who know- shortly to find out. I should have ingly faces a horror which sometime in spoken my mind to Sidney, let him know the past had made its ugly mark upon that I liked his work and so on until his memory. I had won his confidence. It isn’t that We wound dovra, twisting and I’m hard, but on the other hand, twelve squirming, and with the imprisoning sea years of nosing into strange, lonely, of leathery, rope-stemmed plants fairly grewsome lands has made me forget to singing in our ears from the startled crack that shell which such a life just protests of the insects. A half mile naturally wraps around a man. down and the cavernous breaks in the The second canali was far wider vegetation bec^une pitch dark. The air and perhaps much deeper—than the first. was foul with the pollution of bony, It was a scant eighteen or twenty miles pincer-bearing things that somehow from bank to bank across the tops of managed to thrive in such a dismal the spinous leaves which made it look world. The flickering torch scattered like a mighty, though motionless, green- eerie shadows and was reflected by in- ish-brown river. numerable watchful eyes. At intervals, “My guess is that we can do it in Sidney would follow the rope I dragged eighteen hours,’’ I called to Sidney just after me, his own torch swinging over- before nosing my sluggish buggaroo into head as the ungainly buggaroo seemed what I hoped was a likely hole. to glide in and around and down, like “Be careful. Jack,” he yelled back, and giant worms threading through a mag- there was a queer ring to his voice. nificent network of underground tunnels. At that moment my slinking buggaroo W'e never touched ground, evert at took a nose drop for half the length of the bottom of these smaller canali. The her body, nearly pitching me into an- crazy growths were too thick for that. other yawning hole, so that it was all I It was like treading upon a constantly could do to pay out the trail rope and undulating matting, and frequently a keep my torch upright. We kept drop- lurching buggaroo would send one of us ping at close intervals, too—a point I sprawling into a snaky network of vines. didn’t like, because it suggested that this canali might be of more than average IT WAS DARK when we reached depth. For this reason, I cut down my the desert between the first two of the lead so that if anything should happen, lesser canali. Sidney made camp with Sidney would be near enough to effect more than his usual energy. Once I a rescue before the nippers could get to even fancied there was a grin of tri- me. Even a sure-footed buggaroo might umph on his thin, tight lips, and the plunge through the insecure matting and sight gave me hope for the young fel- down a precipice. Of course, the forest low. I decided I had found out his se- of rope-stems would break our fall, but THE SECRET OF THE CANALI 25 the loss of a torch could easily prove about us the smooth, hard vines, some fatal. of them a dozen feet in thickness so The noise of insects seemed unduly near the nourishing ground, rose in gi- loud. Several times, when he had caught gantic arcs to support the incredible mass up with me, Sidney remarked on this. high overhead. This far down, where However, I assured him that it was due never the slightest shaft of sunlight had to the unusual depth of the gorge. ever penetrated, the choking stuff was "But suppose the opposite bank is as as pale as opal and so polished with its steep as this?” Sidney questioned once. waxy excrescence that the reflection "The buggaroo might jiot be able to from the torches was almost dazzling. scale back up.” I watched Sidney’s face closely when I suggested we had better give the bug- "In that case we’d just have to work garoo a few hours’ rest. He merely our way along, letting the lead bugga- nodded gravely. roo nose out a trail. Eventually she’d “What do you think is ahead of us?” find some sort of tunnel that the wild he asked. of her kind had made.” “That’s why I’m calling a halt, Sid- “But we couldn't camp down here!” ney. Oh, we’ll find a trail all right. Sidney exclaimed. Only it’s better not to force the beasts.” I didn’t answer that one. I might “I understand, Jack,” he said and have told him of the time a party of us began immediately to adjust the packs had spent four days and nights feeling on our two freight carriers so that the our way out of one of tlie big caiiali. It buggaroo could flatten out on their wasn't pleasant story. Life a down here smooth undersides. is good for as long as the torches hold It was weird the way the insect sounds out. The nippers can see in the dark. clamored from the darkness beyond this You can’t. They’re afraid of fire, but cavernous hold. It was Sidney and me the fire is gone the billion insect when they smelled, not the buggaroo with their jaws are clamoring for moist, human armor-plated hulks. I didn’t blame the flesh. young fellow for standing there clench- Twelve hours had gone by when we ing his torch, and eyeing the splendid reached a level which seemed to indicate madness of great steel-strong vines that we had touched the bed of the an- which are like nothing which ever could cient waterway. I was b^inning to grow upon faraway Earth. feel a keener sympathy for poor Sid- Suddenly a queer ^sping cry from ney’s fears by this time. The worst half Sidney caused me to jump. He was of the crossing was still ahead of us, pointing to something over near the wall and even if we didn’t run up against an of vines. insurmountable precipice, there was only “It’s a machine,” he shouted. “Jack, a slim chance of getting out again with- look ! I see a wheel.” out having to give the buggaroo a rest. My first thought was that Sidney had The weird beasts had had a hard time started to crack under the strain. And of it. We had scrambled down well then I stared close and began to fear over a mile—maybe two—and the climb for my own sanity. We crossed to- ahead of us would tax their strength to gether, keeping our torches swinging the breaking point. defensively. It was not a wheel, and yet the sight WE H.^D COME into a sort of clear- of that disk-shaped, translucent stone ing like a vast cathedral with a matted was nearly as shocking. Sidney in- ceiling a hundred feet overhead. All stantly recognized the material as being — 26 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION a specimen of that marvelous, glass-clear kind’s conquest of the planet, there’s steel which has been frequently found never been a live thing encountered save among the few ruins of the ancient Mar- buggaroo, shell-back rats, canali-vine tian civilization thus far discovered by and insects.” man. About the edges of the disk were the faint remnants of what must have SIDNEY smiled weakly and nodded been corrugations. his head, but the look in his eyes dis- “It is work of the ancient Martians,” turbed me. He was afraid now—really Sidney mumbled excitedly. “Wonder- afraid. That wheel-shaped thing had ” fully preserved and undone all the strengthening effect our “What of it?” I interruped sharply. trip had accomplished, and I fancy my “We’re not so many miles from the w’ords were not good to hear. Sidney junction of two main canali. Isn’t it probably thought I was angry with him. logical that somewhere hereabout there This was exactly what I wanted him to was once a vast city? Sidney, you’ve think, for the truth of it was, his queer got to steady your nerves. This isn’t antics had begun to work on my own anything to get excited about.” nerves. There was nothing to be afraid “I know,” he agreed hastily. “But of except the insect-things, I told my- just the same I —well, listen. Jack. You self, and yet I kept looking first here think I’m yellow ! You think these con- and there as if expecting a million-year- founded mazes get my goat, don’t you?” old Martian to pop into view. “You don’t need to yell at me,” I an- So I drove the lead buggaroo on, swered. “You’re all right, fellow. I’ve paying out the trailing rope a full quar- l)een through this sort of thing before. ter mile beyond the cavern and, as near I know how it gets under your skin as I could calculate, straight across the the darkness and lurking nippers and vine-infested gorge. It was there some- ” all. But I where near the middle of the cut that “No, I don’t mean that!” Sidney I ran into the smooth wall of granite. cried out. “Jack, I tell you it’s—it’s How high it was I had no way of something else. I didn’t intend telling determining at once, since it was pos- you. But now—well. I’ve got the feel- sible to see only ten or twelve feet above ing something’s going to happen. No, my head. The breaks in the vegetation wait! It isn’t nerves. I know what to either left or right were not particu- I’m talking about. There’s something larly promising. Even the buggaroo, down here besides rotting ruins and in- swinging her tiny head this way and !” sect hordes. I know that, seemed unable to pick out a suit- “Sidney”—I put an arm about his able passage, so I let Sidney have the shoulders and tried to make my voice signal to trail me on up. soothing—“it's time we should be on While waiting for him and the two our way. You won’t find any surviv-. pack buggaroo, I went up to the wall iiig tag-ends of the old Martians down in order to examine it closely. It was here—or anywhere else. Think about built of tightly fitted blocks of perfectly it calmly. Those scientist chaps have squared stone. dug into fourteen cities, haven’t they? Obviously we had stumbled upon some And every last one of them was buried ancient Martian structure in an unusual under layers of rock which has been state of preservation. At the time, my figured out as being more than a mil- chief interest was centered upon the best lion years old. Whatever it was that way to get beyond it. destroyed the Martians did so com- But if I’d expected Sidney to carry pletely, and in the seventy years of man- on again upon finding the wall I was ! — THE SECRET OF THE CANALI 27 mistaken. To be sure he eyed it nar- the torches was dead white, and his eyes rowly, but he kept his mouth closed. I rolled as he stared up and down the could see that he was still bitter at me fearful, dark tunnelway. for refusing to encourage whatever fan- “I’m all right,” I told him. “But how cies were torturing him. Very well, are we going to get this buggaroo back he’d have to get over it ! Once we were up ? That slope’s nearly perpendicular.” back no the desert trail there would be ample time to become friends again. So SIDNEY SHOOK his head in de- I headed my buggaroo to the left, urg- spair. “Jack, what is this? We’re in- ing him to plow through, although there side an ancient Martian structure.” was scarcely a break in the huge trunks “You’ve answered your question, but with their webs of smaller vines. not mine,” I grumbled. “But listen, The going was unusually slow be- young felllow, you got me wrong back cause, if possible, the entanglement be- there.” came increasingly confusing. The beast, “I understand. Jack,” he answered for some unaccountable reason, was be- humbly. “You said I was scared out of ginning to balk and protested my prods. my wits. Well, I am.” We were following the wall as nearly as “There’s nothing unnatural about we could. I had decided that if this was this, Sidney. If we were a pair of arche- an ancient building we could probably ologists instead of government map ” break through into what might have makers served as a street or public square. Per- “Jack,” he interrupted hurriedly. “I haps I had been keeping too close a see a light! Far down the tunnel. It watch on the wall. Anyway, when the isn’t a reflection of our torches either. tumble came, I was caught completely See?” off guard. “It’s a likely way out,” I suggested The buggaroo twisted, floundered and hurriedly. “There may be a break in squirmed like a worm trying to regain the vines and what we see is sunlight.” her footing. The matting of vine-re- “No,” Sidney’s voice rasped. “It’s mains which covered the ground had the eternal flame—you know, the in- suddenly given way. We were rolling scriptions on the ruins all refer to it I I down a sharp incline, the helpless bug- tell you. Jack, the ancient Martians garoo far ahead of me. didn’t die!” When I had scrambled to my feet “What do you think you’re talking fortunately still clutching the precious about, fellow? Sure, the Martians are torch—I saw that the fall had pitched dead. They’ve been dead for over a mil- us into a long, narrow cave. But a new lion years.” horror beset me. “I don’t mean their civilization on The walls and floor of this place were this planet. Listdn, Jack. I’ve studied of solid blocks of granite ! The maze of the archeological reports of the ruined canali-vine was visible through the hole Martian cities ever since I was old above. A dank, musty odor pervaded enough to read. We can’t interpret the the wretched blackness, and to my per- carvings, but all the scientists are agreed plexity the perspiration which formed that the Martians worshipped fire—not on my face did not instantly evaporate ordinary fire and not the Sun either.” —an almost unheard of phenomenon on “I know those stories, Sidney. It’s arid Mars still a mystery. But you can lay your Sidney reached the aperture -within bets that no matter what they believed, minutes, for I had advanced scarcely a they sure aren’t around any more. I ad- hundred feet. His face in the glow of mit that the facts all point to their 28 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION checking out at some pretty definite full hour we worked, shoving and pull- time. But nobody knows why or how. ing on the lead buggaroo and finally got ” So don’t be him out of the hole. The two pack “I’m not mad. I’ve studied those in- beasts and Sidney’s mount were waiting scriptions myself. Jack. And another patiently, their bodies crawling with the thing—you've got to admit the Mar- insect-thiiigs searching for a chance tians a million years ago were further break in the armor-plate hides. My advanced in engineering than Earthman torch scattered them quickly, and I is today, with the single exception of turned to call back down to Sidney to rocketry. A million years ago they catch the rope and scramble on up. achieved something—something that had to do with that sign which stands for the A KIND of cold, unbelieving horror eternal flame. Put all the facts together. gripped me. I was scared as I had never There had to be a reason for the simul- been before. The hole was no longer taneous exodus of every intelligent being visible. The incline had somehow on the globe. It wasn’t because Mars sprung back into place, and no amount was dead. We know that. Today the of stamping could affect it. I tried call- planet is supporting over ten thousand ing down through the matting of dead Earth immigrants and could easily sup- vine bits. Sidney either did not answer port ten times that number.’’ or else he could not. I tried to get him to forget his fan- I worked frantically, forcing the bug- tastic dreaming. Patiently, and with garoo to nose into the matting. We what information I possessed, I pointed worked a hole nearly three feet in depth out that the facts proved the ancient before coming to a smooth plate of trans- race did not survive. Those inscrip- parent steel. tions, admittedly but half deciphered, Never had the depths of the canali were undoubtedly but a part of their seemed so malignant. Their black and religious faith despite the prevalence of deathly gloom taunted me. I felt sick what was presumed to be mathematical for the young fellow trapped down in symlx)ls. that hideous tunnel. I’m not supersti- “Look at the canali,” I urged. tious, and yet I kept thinking of the “They’re choked up and barren of intel- fatal look of his eyes, of the fear which ligent life. We ought to know about had clamped down on him all along this that ourselves, Sidney—inscriptions or trip. What, really, did young Sidney no inscriptions. It’s this loneliness of Berkowitz think he knew about the an- the wastelands and the poisonous air of cient, long-dead Martians which even the canali that have got into your blood. our finest scientists hadn’t been able to Now pull yourself together and let’s get find out? this poor buggaroo back up out of this I berated myself plenty, though hole.’’ mainly to keep up my courage. It was I had it in mind to move along the not that I was fearful for myself. I’ve gorge toward that distant point of light, been in worse spots than the bottom of but certainly not through this narrow, an unexplored Martian canali before dank tunnelway. If it really was a break this. But Sidney Berkowitz w'asn’t in the vines permitting sunlight this far much more than a boy. Until now I down, then we could find it. Suddenly hadn’t known just how much he had I realized that the Sun wouldn’t be shin- come to mean to me. ing at this hour. It must be night up After three, or perhaps four, hours I there on the surface. Nevertheless, I gave up trying either to burrow down to didn’t let out a word to Sidney. For a him or get some sort of signal through THE SECRET OF THE CANALI 29 that buried plate of nearly transparent very junction of the two main canali. steel. I reasoned that Sidney should The thought was staggering, for nor- have been able to see my torch through mally I would declare that such a clam- that spot I had cleared of vine rubbish. bering could never be made through so Yet the plate remained dark and sound- many miles of gorge-vine. less. To me this now meant one thing. Yet I had accomplished the fear-in- The ancient trap had in some way killed spired venture, even to making an un- Sidney and dashed out his torch the sec- believable spiral climb from gorge bed ond it swung back up into place. to surface at the very junction of two There was nothing to do but go on. canali. I think I laughed a bit madly. I was dead tired, but the buggaroo Surely the sight of open sky was enough seemed sufficiently rested. I roped Sid- to unsteady any man. But what about ney’s mount and the pack beasts in line Sidney Berkowitz? What about that and led off. The ceaseless chorus of ancient tower? scampering insect-things seemed to The dome of transparent steel, half mock me. concealed by vine rubbish, was fully five Far overhead it was daylight again, hundred feet in diameter. It was like though of course I could not see it. a huge telescopic eye pointing skyward. Before me rose the smooth and slightly While the worn buggaroo slumped upon curved walls of a great building. As their undersides, I moved about the nearly as I could figure, I knew this queer circle, swinging my torch and must be approximately the location of prodding with my boots as if to make that curious light we had sighted down sure this was real and not a dream. there in the tunnel. How far up did this towerlike wall extend? Surely it I THINK I must have slept. Prob- was high enough to catch the rays of ably sheer exhaustion overcame me. At the Sun, or one of the tiny Martian any rate, I remember awakening and moons, otherwise there was no logical finding myself sprawled upon one of the explanation for that light. Maybe Sid- packs which was still strapped to one of ney’s alive, I thought. At any rate I the buggaroo. Also my torch was still couldn’t go on until I had found him flaming, although the ruddy Sun was either dead or alive. already shining down in the eternally That day I labored as I had never cloudless sky. labored before. The buggaroo snorted No slightest break was evident in the and moaned as I drove them up and great convex eye like a wonderful island around, taking foolhardly chances on in- of metal in an endless sea of treacher- secure footholds. Yet I never lost my ous vine. The supporting walls, a dozen bearings with regard to the incredible feet in thickness, had been perfectly tower. Somewhere I’d find a break in formed, though doubtless protected by the wall. There had to be one, I rea- the magnificent sea of vines. I marveled soned, for it was, of necessity, over a at the wonderful architectural achieve- million years old. ment which clearly surpassed any re- Then the buggaroo broke through into mains heretofore located. the open. Above me shown the velvet- But what should I do? If Sidney black and star-studded sky. Both moons Berkowitz were still alive it would be were shining, illumining the vast sprawl criminal to go off and leave him in that of vine-choked canali with eerie light and million-year-old dungeon. Be hanged to fearsome shadows. The desert sands the governments, I concluded. I’ll stay if is were beyond unaided vision ; thus I real- here until I find the boy Mars never ized I had come along the gorge to the to be officially mapped! Nevertheless, — 30 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION it was not pleasant to think of going though I had always scorned the many back down three—or more likely four mysteries men have assigned to these —miles to the bottom of that gorge monuments of the Solar System’s great- again. Yet there seemed no other est engineers. course, since the top of the strange shaft “Sidney!” I called out. “If you can was impervious to any tool I carried. hear my voice, then answer me. Sid- So I eyed the patient buggaroo com- ney. do you hear me?” passionately and nerved myself for the But only the stupid buggaroo were ordeal. disturbed by the beseeching cry of my “We’re going back down, fine, my voice. armor-plated slugs,” I said aloud. “Up “Jack!” That unreal voice of Sid- —up now!” ney’s rang through my head again. Then I stopped dead still. It was “You must hear me. I’ve discovered the Sidney’s voice ringing in my ears. No, secret of the living flame. Listen to it wasn’t his voice exactly, for the sound me. Jack, wherever you are, for I have of it seemed to come from within my faith that for yet a while I can contact own head. your mind. The Martians were wiser “Jack! Where are you. Jack?” he than men—far more advanced in science. seemed to be calling. Remember that. Jack. They sought to I was trembling with something worse live, to achieve the ultimate meaning of than fright, and staring wildly this way life, not the limited existence of a not- and that. Once I opened my mouth to yet-dead, but dying planet. They did call out, but not a sound could I force that. Jack—and they live on in a bet- through my throat. ter world than Mars, a better world “Don’t wait for me. Jack. I know than Earth. That’s how the race dis- what I’m doing. I’ve discovered the appeared—through the doorway of the secret of the eternal flame. The ancient Flame! It crosses to another world !” did Martians not die another Universe ! It’s pulling now, ” I did yell then! The startled bugga- pulling me I—cities roo eyed me in dumb perplexity, for I The voice faded to nothing. I stood was shouting up to the sky and out there rubbing my head as though a ter- across the maddening rivers of gorge- rific vibration had pounded every cell of vine. Surely I was mad. That was no my brain. The Sun was directly over- voice I heard! .\nd yet it was Sidney head now. Its shining rays fell straight calling out to me. I knew, and yet I down upon the wondrous dome. couldn’t jxjssibly explain how I knew. I fell back in awe before the ethereal “The ancient Martians conquered flame which seemed to leap up from the more than a dying planet. The secret of huge eyepiece. There was something the eternal flame is here in this tower. like a body there. I looked closely. Tliat’s why the archeologists were never With arms outstretched and his face able to grasp the meaning of the in- smiling with a burning eagerness was scriptions. To the Martians it was not Sidney. Only an instant I saw him and religion it was a ; pure mathematics.” then he vanished. I don’t know whether Sidney’s thoughts hammering through he vanished away in infinite distance, my own brain like a man’s low, yet ex- or in infinite smallness. His image citedly quickened, voice talking to him- dwindled and was gone. Either might self! Or was I cracking under the have given that effect. Something strain? The dread canali bred a kind “pinged” softly. Then only the scutter of madness in one, it is often whispered. of the vine insects remained. THE SECRET OF THE CANALI 31 A MONTH later I met the English foundedly mysterious about those silly engineers along Canali 17B. They were ditches. Awful lot of superstition crop- nice fellows and it was glorious to see ping up, too, since these scientists have a human being again. got so vociferous about the queer in- “But your companion,” they asked, scriptions they find on the ruins. Some- “what happened ?” where I heard or read something about “The canali,” I answered quietly. these old Martian chaps outwitting na- "Lost while crossing two weeks out of ture, you know. Devilish things, these Base City.” canali.” “Oh!” They were properly sympa- “There’s a lot,” I agreed, "those old thetic. Then one of them added. “You Martians knew that mankind doesn’t, know, friend, there’s something con- that’s true.” BEYOND THAT LIMIT ? THE great 200-inch telescope will, when completed, reveal no new facts concerning the planets, or the Moon. It cannot be used to observe the Sun; exposure to that heat would ruin it. That is not the field of that instrument. BUT today, out at the ultimate limit, where the greatest attainable power of the largest now-existant telescope, and the ultimate sensitivity of photographic plates is fading and blurred, there is a new effect building up. A new ratio that dwindles our Galaxy to tiny proportions. THE clear, crystalline sky of a winter night sparkles with an overwhelming number of stars. Yet in fact, that number is only some 3600, all that the human eye can see unaided. As a telescope of more and more power is used, the number of suns visible rises more and more swiftly, for we penetrate greater and greater volumes of space. BUT there is a limit. When our line of vision is long enough to include the whole galaxy, the number no longer increases so swiftly. But then, some thousand thousand thousand individual suns are visible! AND on those hyper-sensitive plates that catch those distant suns, other things appear. Globular clusters of thousands of suns in our Galaxy. And globular clusters of titanic galaxies, spinning round each other in a mighty system where 500 or 1000 whole universes form a single tiny dot at the far, faint edge of visibility. Out there, where definition fades away in blurr, the number of galaxies is mounting at an ever-accelerating ratio. Already, at the edge of vision galaxies outnumber the individual suns of our Gala.xy. BEYOND that limit, beyond the vision of the 100-inch ? "DICK“ MERRILL’S STAR PERFORMANCE Eastern Air Lines aec pilot made the first non-stop flight from Lon- don to Floyd Bennett Field in 24 hours, 20 minntes! Another Star Performance is the way whiskers fly with Star Single-edge Blades! Star Blade Division, Bklyn., N. Y. I 32 Rule ^ ' The Martians took over New York City i after the manner of football victors r| since time immemorial, parading ’ i through the streets with their gro- i tesque, ten-legged zimpa mascot. A rale defeated Earth teams in the annual Earth-Mars football game—till a coach palled the prize bright trick of—quite literally—all time! Rule XVII Each player on the approval of the players upon this point respective teams must be able to present shall be the duty of the Interplanetary documentary evidence that he is of pure Athletic Control Board. From the blood of the planet upon whose team he eligibility section of the Official Rule plays for an unbroken span of at least Book for the Annual Terrestrial-Martian ten generations. Verification of the Football Game. aforesaid documentary evidence and Year 2479 33 A Novelette by CLIFFORD D. SIMAK he mighty bowl resounded For the sixty-seventh consecutive year to the throaty war cry of the the Martians had defeated the Earth T Druzecs, ancient tribe of the team. And for the forty-second con- Martian Drylands. The cry seemed to secutive year the Terrestrial team had blast the very dome of the sky. The failed to score even a single T>o>nt. purple and red of the Martian stands There had been a time when an Earth heaved tumultuously as the Martian vis- eleven occasionally did defeat the Red itors waved their arms and screamed Warriors. But that had been years ago. their victory. The score was 19—0. It was something that oldsters, mum- 34 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION bling in their beards, told about as if IN THE editorial rooms of the Eve- it were a legendary tale from the an- ning Rocket Hap Folsworth, sports- cient past. Evil days had fallen upon writer extraordinary, explained it in a the Gold and Green squads. blur of submerged rage and admitted And again this year the pick of the futility. entire Earth, the Terrestrial crack foot- “They just don't grow them big ball machine, had been trampled under- enough or strong enough on Earth any- foot by the smashing forward wall of more,” he declared. “We are living too Martians, slashed to bits by the fero- damn easy. We’re getting soft. Each cious attack of the Red Planet back- generation is just a bit softer than the field. last. There’s no more hard work to be Not that the Earth had not tried. done. Machines do things for us. Ma- Every team member had fought a heart- chines mine ores, raise crops, manufac- rending game, had put forth every ounce ture everything from rocket ships to of strength, every shred of football sense, safety pins. All we got to do is push every last trickle of stout courage. Not levers and punch buttons. A hell of a that the Earth team was not good. It lot of muscle you can develop punching was good. It was the pick of the entire a button. world, an All-Terrestrial eleven, selected “Where did they get the famous play- on its merits of the preceding year and ers of the past? Of a couple, three hun- trained for an entire year under the men- dred years ago, or of a thousand years torship of August Snelling, one of the ago, if you like?” Hap blared. “I’ll tell canniest coaches the game had ever you where they got them! They got known. It was neither of these. It was them out of mines and lumber camps just that the Martian team was better. and off the farms—places where you Bands blared. The two teams were had to have guts and brawn to make a trailed off the field. The Martian vic- living. tory cry continued to rend the skies, “But we got smart. We fixed it so rolling in wave after successive wave nobody has to work anymore. There are from leathern throats. husky Earth lads, lots of them—in Mar- The Earth stands were emptied qui- tian mining camps and in Venus lum- etly. but the Martians remained, ber camps and out on the Ganymede en- trumpeting their prowess. When the gineering projects. But every damn Martians did leave the amphitheatre, one of them has got Martian or Venusian they took over the city of New York blood in his veins. And Rule Eighteen after the manner of football crowds since says you got to be lily-pure for ten gen- time immemorial. They paraded their erations. If you ask me, that’s a hell of mascot, the grotesque, ten-legged zimpa, a rule.” through the streets. Some of them got Hap looked around to see how his drunk on Martian bocca, a potent liquor audience was taking his talk. All of banned by law from sale on Earth, but them seemed to be in agreement and he always -available in hundreds of speak- went on. What he was saying wasn’t easies throughout the city. There were new. It had been said thousands of a few clashes between Martian and Earth times by thousands of sports-writers in delegations and some of the Martians thousands of different v'ays, but Hap re- were jailed. New York would be a bed- cited it after each game. He enjoyed lam until the Martian Special, huge doing it. He cliewed off the end of a space liner chartered for the game, yenus-weed cigar and w'ent on. roared out of its cradle at midnight for “The Martians aren’t soft. Their the return run to Mars, planet is too old and exhausted and na- 3 — RULE EIGHTEEN 35 ture-ornery for them to be soft. They intend to bring back that trophy if I got brawn and guts and their coaches have to steal it. And if I don’t. I’ll stop somehow manage to pound some foot- the ship midway and dump you all out. ball sense into their thick heads. Why, And then jump out myself.” football is just their meat—even if we But this didn’t mean much. For did teach them the game.” Coach Snelling, ace of the Earth He lit his cigar and puffed content- coaches, had said the same thing, in edly. substance, to Earth teams after each “Say,” he asked as the others stood Martian game for the last twenty years. in respectful silence, “has anyone seen Russell today ?” TANTALIZING shadows, queer, They shook their heads. alien shadows flitted in the ground glass The sports-writer considered the an- of the outre machine. Alexis Andro- swer and then said, without emotion, vitch held his breath and watched. The “When he does show up, I’m going to shadows took form, then faded, but they boot him right smack-dab into the had held tangible shape long enough for stratosphere. I sent him out two days Alexis to glimpse what he wished to see, ago to get an interview with Coach a glimpse that filled him with a supreme Snelling and he hasn’t showed up yet.” sense of triumph. “He’ll probably be around next week,” The first step was completed. The suggested a copy boy. “He’s probably second would be harder, but now that just sleeping one off somewhere.” the first was accomplished—now that he “Sure, I know,” mourned Hap, “and really had some proof of his theories when he does come in, he’ll drag in a progress would be faster. story so big the chief will kiss him for Alexis snapped off the machine and remembering us.” stepped to a bowl. There he washed his hands. Shrugging into a coat, he COACH August Snelling delivered opened the door and trudged up the his annual after-the-Martian-game ora- steps to the street above. tion to his team. On the avenue he was greeted by the “When you went out on the field to- raucous cries of the auto-newsstands, day,” he told them. “I praised you and “Earth loses 19—0. . . Read all pleaded with you to get out there and do about it. . . Extra. . . Extra. .” some of the tilings I taught you to do. . repeating over and over the words And what did you do? You went out recorded on the sound film within them. there and you laid down on me. You Customers placed coins in the slot, laid down on the Earth. You laid down shoved a lever, and out came a paper on five hundred thousand people in the with huge purple headlines and natural- stands who paid good hard cash to see a color photo reproductions of the game. football game. You let those big dumb- The vari-colored neon street lamps bells push you all over the lot. You flicked on. Smoothly operating street had a dozen good plays, everyone of machines slid swiftly down the broad, them good for ground. And did you glassy pavement. Overhead purred the use them? You did not! air-lane traffic. “You’re a bunch of lollipops. A good From somewhere came the muffled punch in the ribs and you roll over and sound of the Drylands war cry as the bark. Maybe there’ll be some of you Martians continued their celebration of on the team next year and maybe there victory. won’t. But if there are, I want you to Alexis Androvitch walked on, un- remember that when we go up to Mars I mindful of the war cries, of the blaring AST— 36 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION newsstands. He was not interested in you,” said Rush with feeling. “Almost athletics. He was on his way to a gar- three o’clock in the morning and me den to enjoy a glass of beer and a plate wrestling with math. Want to know if of cheese. I’m Rush Culver. Want my autograph, maybe ?” RUSH CULVER, Wisconsin ’45, The stranger smiled. “I hardly un- was struggling with calculus. Exams derstand,” he said. “I know nothing stared him in the face and Rush freely of autographs. But you are having trou- admitted that he was a fool for having ble. Maybe I can help.” chosen math instead of zoology. Some- “If you can, brother,” declared Rush, how or other he wasn't so bright at “I’ll lend you some clothes so you can figures. get home without being pinched. The It was late. The other fellows in the cops in this town are tough on students.” house were asleep hours ago. A white The stranger walked forward, picked moon painted the windows of the house up the book, glanced at it and threw it opposite in delicate silver squares and aside. “Simple,” he said. “Elementary. rectaftigles. A night wind sighed softly This problem.” in the elms outside. A car raced up He bent over and ran a finger down State Street and the old clock in the the work slieet. His words came softly, music hall tower tolled out the hour in measured cadence. with steady beat of bell. “It is this way. . . and this ” Rush mopped his brow and dug way. . . and this way deeper into his book. Rush stared. “Say, it’s simple,” he He failed to hear the door of his room chortled. “But it never was explained open softly and close again. He did not to me that way before. I can see how turn about until he heard the scuff of it goes now.” feet on the floor. He rose from the chair and confronted A tall stranger stood in the room. the stranger. Rush looked at him with something of “Who are you ?” he asked. disgust. He was dressed in purple II. shorts and a semi-metallic shirt that flashed and glinted in the soft rays of the HAP FOLSWORTH snarled desk lamp. His feet were shod in san- through his cigar at Jimmy Russell. dals. His head was verging on the “So you came back empty-handed,” bald and his face was pale, almost as if he growled. “You, the demon reporter he had resorted to face powder. for the Evening Rocket. In the name “Just home from a masquerade?’’ of double-dipped damnation, can’t you asked Rush. ever do anything? I send you out on a The stranger did not answer at once, simple errand. ‘Just run over to Coach but stood silently, looking at the stu- Snelling,’ says I, ‘and get the line-up dent. for the Earth team’. Any office boy When he did speak, his voice was soft could do that. And you come back and slurred and his English carried an without it. All you had to do was ask accent Rush could not place. the coach for it and he would hand it “You will pardon the intrusion,’’ the to you.” stranger said. “I did not wish to dis- Jimmy snarled back. “Why, you turb you. I merely wanted to know if space-locoed tramp,” he roared, “if it’s you are Rush Culver, fullback for the as simple as that, go down and get it Wisconsin football team.” yourself. If you ever lifted yourself out “I have a good mind to lay one on of that easy chair and found out what RULE EIGHTEEN 37 was happening, instead of sitting there in Hap’s eyes. thinking up wisecracks, you might call “Pay up,” lie demanded. yourself a newspaperman. I could have told you a week ago there was something THE COACH’S office was empty screwy about this Earth team. All sorts and Jimmy was glad of that. It fitted in of rumors floating around. How much with his plans. news have we printed about it? How He hadn’t liked the nasty light in the much has Morning Space-Ways and the chief’s eyes when he had been told to Evening Star printed about it ? But you get a list of the Earth’s new team. Noth- sit here and look wise and tell the world ing about how he was to get it. No sug- that Snelling is just using some high- gestions at all, although it was under- powered psychology to get the Mar- stood that it couldn’t be gotten directly tians’ goat. Making it appear he has from the coach. Presumably some other some new material or some new plays. means of obtaining it would have to be Say, that old buzzard hasn’t had a new worked out. play since the first spaceship blew up.” But while the chief had said nothing Hap snorted and rescued the cigar. He about how to get it, he had said plenty jabbed a vicious forefinger at the re- about what would happen if he returned porter. without it. That was the way with “Listen,” he yelled. “I was a news- editors, Jimmy reflected glumly. No man when you were still in diapers. I’ll gratitude. Just a hunk of ice for a lay you five to one I can call up Snelling heart. Who was it had given the Rocket and have him agree to give us a list of a scoop on the huge gambling syndicate players.” w'hich had tried to buy a victory for the Silently Jimmy picked up the visa- Earth team? Who was it had broken phone set and handed it to Hap. the yam about the famous jewel-ship The sports-writer set the dial for the robbery off the orbit of Callisto when a field-house wave lengtii. A face ap- governmental clique—which later went peared in the glass. to the Moon penal colony—had moved “Let me speak to the coach,” said Heaven and Earth to suppress the story ? Hap. Who had phoned the first flash and The glass went dead as the connec- later written an eye-witness story that tion was shifted. boosted circulation over 6,000 copies The face of Coach Snelling appeared. concerning the gang murder of Danny “Say, coach ” said Hap. But that Carsten? No one other than James was as far as he got. Russell, reporter for the Evening “Listen, Hap,” said the coach, “I’m a Rocket. And yet, here he was, chasing friend of yours. I like you. You’ve a team list with sulphurous threats said some nice things about me when the hanging over his head if he failed. wolves were out after my hide. If I Jimmy tiptoed into the coach’s office. had anything to tell anyone. I’d tell it to He wasn’t used to getting his news this the Evening Rocket. But I haven’t any- way and it made him nervous. thing to tell anyone. I want you fel- There were papers on the desk. Jimmy lows to understand that. And if you eyed them furtively. Maybe among send any more of those high-powered re- them was the list he sought. With a porters of yours around I’ll just natu- quick glance about the room, he slith- rally kick them out on their faces. That’s ered to the desk. Rapidly he pawed a promise.” through the papers. The phone went dead. A footstep sounded outside. Jimmy laughed at the bewildered stare Moving quickly, the reporter sought 38 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION refuge behind a steel locker that stood Momentarily he hesitated and then in one corner of the room. It was an plunged forward. instinctive move, born of surprise, but He stood gaping at the scene before Jimmy, chuckling to himself, realized he him. He stood in a wilderness and in had gained an advantageous position. this wilderness, directly in front of him, From his hiding place, he might learn was a football gridiron. Upon the field where the list was kept. were players, garbed in Gold and Green Coach Snelling strode into the room. uniforms, the mystery team of the Earth. Looking neither to right nor left, he On all sides of the field towered tall, w'alked straight ahead. gnarled oaks. Through a vista he could In the center of the room he disap- see a small river and beyond it blue hills peared. fading into an indistinct horizon. The reporter rubbed his eyes. Snelling At the farther end of the field stood had disappeared. There was no ques- several tents, apparently of skins, with tion about that, but where had he gone? rudely symbolic figures painted upon Jimmy looked about the room. There them in red and yellow. Pale smoke was no one there. curled up from fires in front of the tents Slowly he eased himself from behind and even where he stood Jimmy caught the locker. No one hailed him. the acrid scent of burning wood. He walked to the center of the room. Coach Snelling was striding across the The coach had disappeared at just about field toward him and behind him trailed that point. There seemed to be nothing several copper-colored men dressed in unusual in sight. Standing in one spot, fringed deerskin ornamented with claws Jimmy slowly wheeled in a circle. Then and tiny bones. One of them wore a he stopped, stock-still, frozen with aston- headdress of feathers. ishment. Jimmy had never seen an Indian. The Before him, materializing out of noth- race had died out years before. But he ing, was a faintly outlined circular open- had seen pictures of them in historical ing, large enough for a man to walk books dealing with the early American through. It looked like a tunnel, angling scene. There was no doubt in his mind slightly downward from the floor level. that he was looking upon members of the It was into this that Coach Snelling aboriginal tribes of North America. must have walked a few moments be- But the coach was close now. fore. Jimmy mustered a smile. “Nice hide- With misgivings as to the wiseness of out you have here, coach,” he said. “Nice his course, Jimmy stepped into the little place for the boys to practice with- mouth of the tunnel. Nothing hap- out being disturbed. That tunnel had pened. He walked a few steps and me fooled for a while.” stopped. Glancing back over his shoul- Coach Snelling did not return the der he could see nothing but the blurred smile. Jimmy could see the coach wasn't mouth of the tunnel behind him. He overjoyed at seeing him. reached out his hands and they encoun- “So you like the place?” asked the tered the walls of the tunnel, walls that coach. were hard and icy-cold. “Sure, it’s a fine place,” agreed Cautiously he moved down the tunnel, Jimmy, feeling he was getting nowhere half-crouched, on the alert for danger. with this line of talk. Within a few steps he saw another “How would you like to spend a few mouth to the tunnel ahead of him, only w'eeks here?” asked the coach, unsmil- faintly outlined, giving no hint into what ingly. it might open. “Couldn’t do it,” said Jimmy. “The RULE EIGHTEEN 39 chief expects me back in a little while.’^ its appearance. Two of the brawny Indians moved The game would have to start soon, forward, laid heavy hands on the re- for it must be finished by sundown. The porter’s shoulders. Terrestrial visitors, otherwise, would “You’re staying,” said the coach, “un- suffer severely from the sudden chill of til after the game.” Martian twilight, for although the great enclosed stadium held an atmosphere un- HAP FOLSWORTH stepped up to der a pressure which struck a happy me- the editor’s desk. dium between air density on Earth and “Say,” he demanded, “did you send Mars, thus affording no advantage to Russell out to get the team line-up?” either team, it was not equipped with The editor looked up. “Sure I did, heating units and the cold of the Mar- just as you asked me to. Isn’t that petri- tian night struck quickly and fiercely, fied newshound back yet?” A rumor ran through the crowd. The sports-writer almost foamed at “Something is wrong with the Earth the mouth. “Back yet!” he stormed. team. Rule Eighteen. The Board of “Don’t you know he never gets back on Control is holding a conference.” time? Maybe he won’t get back at all. A disgruntled fan grumbled. I hear the coach is out after his blood.” “I knew there was something wrong “What’s the matter with the coach?” when the members of the Earth team “Russell asked him if he was going were never announced. This stuff the to use the same three plays this year he newspapers have been writing about a has used for the last ten,” explained new mystery team must be right. I just Hap. thought it was some of Snelling’s work, “I don’t know what I can do,” said trying to scare the Martians.” the editor. “I might send one of the His neighbor grumbled back. other boys down.” “Snelling is smart all right. But psy- Hap snorted. “Mister,” he said, “if chology won’t win this ball game. He’d Russell can’t get the story, none of your better have something to show us today other men can. He’s the best damn re- after all that’s been written about the porter this sheet has ever had. But team.” someday I’m going to kick his ribs in The Martian stands shouted wild bat- just to ease my feelings.” tle cries of the olden days as the Red through their prelim- The editor rustled papers and grum- Warriors went inary practice on the gridiron. bled. About the stadium lay the colorful “So he’s at it again,” he mused. “Just Martian city with its weird architecture wait until I get hold of that booze-so^ed and its subtle color blending. Beyond genius. I’ll pickle him in a jar of bocca the city stretched the red plains, spotted and sell him to a museum. So help me, here and there with the purple of occa- Hannah, if I don’t.” sional desert groves. The sun shone but dimly, as it always shone on the fourth III. planet. SOMETHING was holding up the “Here they come,” someone shouted. game. The largest football crowd ever The crowd took up the roar as the to pack the stadium at the Martian city Earth team trotted out on the field, run- of Guja Tant rumbled and roared its ning in a long line, to swing into sep- displeasure. arate squads for the warming up period. The Martian team already was on the The roar rose and swelled, broke, field, but the Earth team had not made ebbed lower and lower, until silence ! 40 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION reigned over the stands. The ball went to the Gold and Green, A whistle shrilled. The officials The team shifted. The ball went back walked out on the field. The two teams from center. Again there was a swirl gathered. A coin flashed in the feeble of players—sudden confusion which sunlight. The Earth captain spoke to crystallized into an ordered pattern as the referee and jerked his thumb at the an Earth ball carrier swung around right north goal. The Earth team took the end, protected by a line of interference ball. The teams spread out. that mowed down the charging Martians. Earth was on the defensive. When the Terrestrial was brought down A toe smacked against the ball. The the ball rested on the Mars’ twenty-yard oval rose high into the air, spinning line. slowly. The Red Warriors thundered Signals. Shift. The ball was snapped. down the field. A Martian player Weaving like a destroyer in heavy seas, cupped his arms, snared the ball. a Green and Gold man, ball hugged to The teams met in a swirl of action. him, plowed into the center of the line. Players toppled, rolled on the ground. His team-mates opened the way for him, Like a streak of greased lightning, an and even when he struck the secondary Earth player cut in, flattened out in a he still kept moving, plowing ahead with low dive. His arms caught the ball car- pistonlike motion of his driving legs un- rier below the knees. The impact of the til he was hauled down by superior fall could be heard in the stands. strength. The teams lined up. The Martians The ball was only two yards from the thundered a bloodthirsty cry. The ball final stripe. For the first time in many was snapped. Like a steel wall the years the Red Warriors were backed Earth team rose up, smacked the Mar- against their own goal line. tian line flat. The backfield went The Druzec war cry thundered from around the ends like thundering rockets. the Martian stands, but the Earth fans The carrier was caught flat-footed. Mars sat dumbfounded. lost three yards on the play. No one could explain the next play. The Terrestrial fans leaped to their Maybe there was nothing to explain feet and screamed. about it. Perhaps the Terrestrials sim- ply charged in and by sheer force pushed THE TEAMS were ready again. The the entire Martian line back for the ball came back. It was an end play, a necessary two yards. That was the way twister, a puzzler. But the Earth team it looked. worked like a well-oiled machine. The An official raised his arms. The gi- runner was forced out of bounds. Mars gantic scoreboard clicked. Earth had made two yards. scored Third down and eleven to go. In two The Earth stands went insane. Men tries the Red Warriors advanced the and women jumped to their feet and oval but five yards. Sports-writers later howled their delight. The stadium shook devoted long columns to the peculiar to foot-stamping. psychology which prevented the Mar- And throughout the entire game the tians from kicking. Perhaps, as Hap Earth side of the stadium was a mad Folsworth pointed out, they were over- pandemonium as score after score was confident, figured that even on fourth piled up while the Terrestrial eleven sys- down they could advance the ball the tematically ripped the Martian team necessary yardage. Perhaps, as another apart for yard after consistent yard of said, they were too stunned by the Earth ground. defense. The final count was 65—0 and the RULE EIGHTEEN 41 Earth fans, weak with triumph, came way I’m all for him.” back to the realization that for four long He puffed on a Venus-weed cigar, quarters they had lived in a catapulting, “But you mark my word. It was the old rocketing, unreal world of delirious joy. psychology that turned the trick.” He For four long quarters they had made stopped and looked at his two fellow of the stadium a bedlam, a crazy, weav- sports-writers. ing, babbling, brass-tongued bedlam. “Say,” exploded Hap, “I don’t think In the Martian stands sounded the you fellows believe what I am saying.” long wail of lament, the death; dirge of They didn’t speak, but Hap looked at the ancient Druzecs, a lament that had their faces again and was certain they not been intoned over an Earth-Mars didn’t believe him. football game for more than three-score Arthur Hart, editor of the Evening years. Rocket, looked up as the door opened. That night the Terrestrials took Guja Framed in the doorway was Jimmy Tant apart, such as is the right and cus- Russell. Just behind him stood a cop- tom of every victorious football delega- per-colored man, naked except for a loin tion. And while the Martians may ac- cloth. cept defeat in a philosophical manner, The editor stared. those who participated in the kidnaping Men in the city room whirled around will tell one they objected forcefully from their desks and wondered what it when the mascot sinipa—which had was all about. paraded in honor of many a Martian vic- “I have returned,” said Jimmy and tory—was taken from his stable and the editor emitted a strangled yelp that placed on board the Earth liner char- knifed through the silence in the room. tered for the football run. The reporter walked into the room, dragging his companion after him. HAP FOLSWORTH, who had cov- “Tone down your voice,” he said, “or ered the game for the Evening Rocket, you’ll frighten my friend. He has seen explained it to Sims of the Stca^ and enough in the last hour to unnerve him Bradley of the Express. for a lifetime.” “It’s just a lot of star-dust,” he said. “Who the hell you got there ?” roared “Some of Snelling’s psychology. He Hart. got a bunch of big boys and he kept them “This gentleman,” said Jimmy, “is under cover, taught them a lot of new Chief Hiawatha. I can’t pronounce his tricks and built them up as a mystery name, so I call him Hiawatha, He lived team. Them Red Warriors were somewhere around here three, four thou- scared to death before they ever faced sand years ago.” our fellows. Psychology won that game, “This isn’t a masquerade,” snapped ” you mark my word the editor. “This is a newspaper office.” Sims of the Star interrupted. “Did “Sure and I work here and I’m bring- you get a good look at any of the boys ing you a story that will knock your hat on our team ?” he asked. off.” “Why, no, I didn’t,” admitted Hap. “You don’t mean to tell me you’re “Of course, I saw them out there on the bringing in the story I sent you out to field from where I was in the press sec- get two weeks ago ?” Hart purred, and tion, but I didn’t meet any of them face his purr had an edge on it. “You don’t to face. The coach barred us from the mean to tell me you’re back already with dressing rooms, even after the game. that story.” That’s a hell of a ways to go to win a “The very same story,” agreed ball game, but if he can win them that Jimmy. ! 42 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION “Too bad,” said the editor, "but the across his chest. The newsmen in the game’s over. It was over two hours room had left their desks and were ago. Earth won by a big score. I crowding about. suppose you were too drunk to find that “You see before you,” said Jimmy, “a out.” wild Indian, one of the aborigines of this “Nothing to drink where I come continent. He lived here before the from,” Jimmy told him. white men ever set foot on this land. I “How you must have hated it,” said brought him along to show you I got Hart. the right dope.” “Now listen,” said Jimmy, “do you “What’s all this got to do with the want to get the inside story on this game ?” persisted the editor. Earth team or don’t you ? I got it. And “Plenty. Now you listen. You don’t it’s a big story. No wonder Earth won. believe in Time travel. Neither did I Do you know that those Earth players until just a few days ago. There are were picked from the best football play- thousands like you. Ships bridging the ers Earth has produced during the last millions of miles of space between plan- 1800 years? Why, Mars didn’t have a ets are commonplace now. Transmuta- !” chance tion of metal is a matter of fact. Yet less than 1500 years ago people believed “OF COURSE, they didn’t have a these things were impossible. Still, you chance,” growled Hart. “Folsworth ex- —in this advanced age which has proven plained all that in his story. They were the impossible to be possible time and licked before they started. Psychology. time again—scout the theory of Time What’s this yap about the pick of Earth travel along a fourth dimension. You teams for the past 1800 years?” even doubt that Time is a fourth dimen- “Give me five minutes,” pleaded sion, or that there is such a thing pos- Jimmy, “and if you aren’t yelling your- sible as a fourth dimension. self hoarse at the end of that time. I’ll “Now, just keep your shirt on admit you’re a good editor.” “Nobody believes in Time travel. “All right,” snapped the editor, “sit Let’s state that as a fact. Nobody but a down and loosen up. And you better be few fool scientists who should be turn- good or I’ll fire you right out on your ing their time and effort toward some- ear. thing else. Something that will spell "Now, Hiawatha,” said Jimmy, ad- profit, or speed up production, or make dressing his companion, “you sit right the people happier, or send space liners down in this chair. It won’t hurt you. shooting along faster so that the Earth- It’s a thing you rest yourself in.” Mars run can be made in just a few less The Indian merely stared at him. minutes. “He don’t understand me very good “And let me tell you that one of those yet,” explained Jimmy, "but he thinks fool scientists succeeded and he built a I’m a god of some sort and he does the Time-tunnel. I don’t know what he best he can.” calls it, but that describes it pretty well. Hart snorted in disgust. I stumbled onto this thing and from “Don’t snort,” cautioned the reporter. what the coach told me, and what the “The poor misguided savage probably players told, and from what the Indians thinks you’re a god, too.” tried to tell me, and from my own ob- “Get going,” snarled Hart. servations, I’ve got the thing all doped Jimmy seated himself on the edge of out. Don’t ask me how the scientist the desk. The Indian drew himself up made the tunnel. I don’t have the least to his full height and folded his arms idea. I probably wouldn’t understand if RULE EIGHTEEN 43 I met the man who made it face to face your old desk and write that story,” he and he told me how he did it. said. “Here’s how the Earth team beat the “Why not ?” snarled Jimmy, ready for Martians. The coach knew he didn’t a battle. have a chance. He knew that he was in “And you would like me to put it on for another licking. The Earth is de- the front page, with big green head- generating. Its men are getting soft. lines, and put out an extra edition and They don’t measure up to the Martians. make a big name for the Rocket,” Hart The coach looked back at the Earth went on. players of former years and he wished Jimmy said nothing. He knew noth- he could get a few of them.” ing he could say would help. “So,” said the editor, “I suppose he “And you would like to make a damn got this Time-tunnel of yours and went fool out of me and a joke out of the back and handpicked them.” Rocket and set in motion an athletic in- vestigation that would have Earth and “THAT’S EXACTLY what he did,” Mars on their cars for the next couple declared Jimmy. “He went over the of years.” records and he picked out the men he 'The reporter turned to the Indian. wanted. Then he sent his scouts back “Hiawatha,” he said, “the big square- in Time and contracted them to play. head doesn’t believe us. He ought to be He collected the whole bunch as near as back burning witches at the stake. He I can make it out, and then he estab- thinks we just thought this one up.” lished a Time-tunnel leading from his The Indian remained unmoved. office into the past about 3,000 years and “Will you get the hell out of here,” took the whole gang back there. He snapped Hart, “and take your friend constructed a playing field there, and he along.” drilled men who had been dead for hun- IV. dreds of years in a wilderness which ex- isted hundreds of years before they were THE SOFT, but insistent whirring of born. The men who played out in the the night phone beside his bed brought Great Bowl at Guja Tant today were the editor of the Rocket out of a sound men who had played football before the sleep. He did not take kindly to night first spaceship took to the void. Some calls and when he saw the face of one of them have been dead for over a thou- of his reporters in the visaglass he sand years. growled savagely. “That’s what the squabble on the Con- “What are you waking me up for?” trol Board was about. That’s what held he asked. “You say there are fires out up the game—while the Board tried to in the Great Bowl Say, do you dig up something that would bar these have to call me out of bed every time a men out of Time. But they couldn’t, fire breaks out? Do you want me to for the only rules of eligibility are that a run down there and get the story ? man must be of unmixed Earth blood You want to know should we shoot out for the past ten generations and must be an extra in the morning? Say, do we a football player on some college or uni- put out extras every time somebody versity. And every one of those men builds a bonfire, even if it is in the Great were just that.” Bowl ? Probably just some drunks cele- Hart’s eyes were stony and the re- brating the victory while they’re wait- porter, looking at them, knew what to ing for the football special to come in.” expect. He listened as words tumbled out of “So you would like to sit down at the phone. 44 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION Jimmy leaned against the tree. So that, then, was the mysterious team the coach wouldn’t name. He began to understand why. They didn’t exist—yet! "What’s that," he shouted. “Indi- “Listen, Bob, you get hold of Jim. ans? . . . Holding a war dance! . . . Yes, I know he’s fired, but he’ll How many of them? . . . You say be glad to come back again. Maybe they are coming out of the administration there’s something to that yarn of his. building? . . . More coming all the Call all the speakies and gambling joints !’’ time, eh in town. Get him if you have to arrest Hart was out of bed now. him. I’m coming down right away.’’ “Listen, Bob, are you certain they are Hart hauled on his clothes, grabbed Indians ? . . . Bill says they are, a cloak and hurried to his garage, where huh? Would Bill know an Indian if he his small service plane was stored. saw one? . . . He wasn’t around A few minutes later he stamped into this afternoon when Jim was in, was he? the Rocket editorial rooms. He didn’t see that freak Jim hauled in, Bob was there. did he? . . . If he’s playing a joke, “Find Jim?” asked Hart. I’ll crack his neck. “Sure, I found him.’’ — RULE EIGHTEEN 45 “What dump is he holed up in?” of police, mounted on motor-bikes. As “He isn’t in any dump. He's out at the squad entered the Bowl they turned the Bowl with the Indians. He’s got on the shrill blasting of the police sirens hold of a half barrel of bocca someplace and charged full down upon the dancing and those savages are getting ripe to figures around the fire. tear up the place. How the Martians Pandemonium reigned. The crowd drink that bocca is beyond me. Imagine that had gathered to watch the Indian an Indian, who has never tasted cJcohol, dance scented new excitement and at- pouring it down his throat!” tempted to out-scream the sirens. ” “But what did Jim say The dance halted and Hart saw the “Bill got hold of him, but he won’t Indians draw together for a single in- do a thing for us. Said you insulted stant, then break and run, not away from him.” the police, but straight toward them. One “I can imagine what he said,” grated savage lifted his arm. There was a Hart. “You get Bill in here as fast as glint of polished stone in the firelight as you can. Have him write a story about he threw the war-axe. The weapon de- the Indians out at the Bowl. Call some scribed an arc, descended upon the head of the other boys. Send one of them of a mounted policeman. Policeman and to wait for the football special and nail bike went over in a flurry of arms, legs the coach as soon as it lands. Better and spinning wheels. have a bunch of the boys there and get Above the din rose the terrible cry of interviews from the Earth players. The the war whoop. life story of each one of them. Shoot Hart saw a white man leaping ahead the works. Photographers, too. Pic- of the Indians, shouting at them. It was tures—I want hundreds of them. Find Jimmy Russell. Mad with bocca, prob- out who’s been monkeying around with ably. 'rtme traveling and put them on the “Jimmy,” shrieked Hart. “Come back spot. Call somebody on the Control here, Jimmy. You fool, come back.” Board. See what they have to say. Get But Jimmy didn’t hear. He was hold of the Martian coach. I’m going shouting at the Indians, urging them out to the Bowl and drag Jim back to follow him, straight through the here.” charging police line, toward the admin- The door banged behind liim and Bob istration building. grabbed for the phone. They followed him. It was all over in a moment. A HUGE CROWD had gathered at The Indians and the police met, tlie the Bowl. In the center of the amphi- police swerving their machines to avoid theatre, on the carefully kept and running down the men they had been tended gridiron sod, a huge bonfire sent out to awe into submission. Then blazed. Hart saw that one of the goal the Indians were in the clear and run- posts had been torn down to feed it ning swiftly after the white man who and that piles of broken boxes were on was their friend. Before the police the ground beside the fire. About the squad could turn their charging bikes, blaze leaped barbaric figures, chanting the red-men had reached the administra- figures snatched out of the legendry of tion building, disappeared within it. the country’s beginnings, etched against Behind them ran Hart, his cloak whip- the leaping flames of the bonfire. ping in the wind. A murmur rose from the crowd. Hart “Jimmy,” he shrieked. “Jimmy, damn glanced behind him. you, come back here. Everything’s all Streaming into the Bowl came a squad right. I’ll raise your salary.” 46 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION He stumbled and fell, and as he fell “But if you did not care about foot- the police roared past him, headed for ball, why did you help out Coach the door through which the Indians and Snelling? Why turn over the facilities Jimmy had disappeared. of a great discovery to an athletic Hart picked himself up and stumbled coach ?” on. He was met at the door of the Androvitch leaned over the desk and building by a police lieutenant who knew leered at the editor. him. “So you would like to know that? “Can’t understand it,’’ he shouted. You would ask me that question. Well, “There isn’t a sign of them. They dis- I will tell you. Gentlemen came to me, appeared.’’ not the coach, but other gentlemen. A “They’re in the tunnel,’’ shouted Hart. gentleman by the name of Danny “They’ve gone back 3,000 years.” Carsten and others. Yes, the gangsters. The editor pushed the lieutenant to Danny Carsten was killed later, but I one side. But as he set foot in the build- do not care about that. I care for noth- ing there was a dull thud, like a far- ing but science.” away explosion. “Did you know who these men were When he reached the coach’s office he when they came to you ?” asked Hart. found it in ruins. The door had burst “Certainly I knew. They told me outward. The steel plates were buckled who they were. They were very busi- as if by a tremendous force. The fur- nesslike about it. They said they had niture was upset and twisted. heard about me working on Time travel Something had happened. and they asked when I thought I would Hart was right. Something had hap- have it finished. I told them I already pened to the Time-tunnel. It had been had solved the problem and then they wiped out of existence. spread money on the table—much money, more than I had ever seen before. ALEXIS ANDROVITCH spoke So I said to them: ‘Gentlemen, what with a queer quirk in his voice, a half- can I do for you?’ and they told me. stuttering guttural. They were frank about it. They said “But how was I to know that a fool- they wanted to win much money by bet- ish newspaper reporter would go down ting on the game. They said they the Time-tunnel ?” he demanded. “How wanted me to help them get a team which was I to know something would hap- would win the game. So I agreed.” pen? What do I care for newspapers? Hart leaped to his feet. What do I care for football games? I’ll “Great galloping Jupiter,” he yelled. !” tell you. I care nothing for them. I “Snelling mixed up with gangsters care only for science. I do not even Androvitch shook his head. want to use this Time traveling per- “Snelling did not know he was deal- sonally. It would be nice to see the ing with gangsters. Others went to him future, oh, yes, that would be nice—but and talked to him about using the Time I haven’t the time. I have more work travel method. Others he thought were to do. I have solved Time travel. Now his friends.” I care no more about it. Pouf! It is “But, man,” said Hart, “you aren’t something done and finished. Now I going to tell all this when you are called move on. I lose interest in the pos- before the athletic Board of Control? sible. It is always the impossible that There’ll be an investigation that will go challenges me. I do not rest until I through the whole thing with a fine eliminate the impossible.” tooth comb and you’ll knock Coach Arthur Hart thumped the desk. Snelling out of the football picture if RULE EIGHTEEN 47 you open your mouth about gangsters other person,” he said. “I do not con- being mixed up in this.” fide in others. Once a Time-tunnel has been established, it is easy to operate the THE SCIENTIST shook his head. machine—that is, projecting the Time “Why should I care one way or the element further away from the present other. Human fortunes mean little. or bringing it closer to the present. The Progress of the race is the only thing football players who have been brought worth white. I have nothing to hide. here to play the game were in the pres- I sold the use of my discovery for money ent time over six months. But they I needed to embark upon other re- will be returned to their own time searches. Why should I lie? If I tell at approximately the same hour the truth, maybe they will let me leave they left it. That merely calls for as soon as my story is told. I can’t a proper adjustment of the machine con- waste time at investigations. I have work trolling the tunnel back into Time. But to do, important work.” setting up a tunnel is something only I “Have it your way,” said Hart, “but can do. It requires considerable tech- the thing I came here for was to see nique, I assure you.” you about Jimmy Russell. Is there any Hart brought out a bill fold. He way I can reach him? Do you know counted out bank notes. yrhat happened?” “Tell me when to stop,” he said. “Something happened to the Time- Androvitch wet his lips and watched control machine which was in Coach the notes pile up on the table before Snelling’s office. It operated at all times him. to keep the tunnel open. It required a Finally he raised his hand. lot of power and we had it hooked on a “I will do it,” he said. “I will start high-voltage circuit. I would guess that jwork tomorrow.” one of the Indians, becoming frightened His hand reached out and clutched the in the office, probably even in a drunken notes. stupor, blundered into the machine. He “Thank you, Mr. Hart,” he said. more than likely tipped it over and Hart nodded and turned to the door. short-circuited it. I understand frag- Behind him the scientist greedily counted ments of human body were found in the and re-counted the bills. office. Just why the tunnel or the ma- chine should have exploded, I don’t know. Electricity—just plain old elec- tricity—was the key to the whole dis- RUSH CULVER shook hands with covery. But probably I had set up some Ash Anderson, football scout for Coach other type of force—let’s call it a Time- August Snelling. force if you want to be melodramatic “I’m glad I didn’t hang one on you about it—and this force might have been that night you came into my room, responsible. There’s still a lot to leam. Ash,” the fullback said. “This has been And a lot of times a man accomplishes the thrill of a lifetime. Any time you results which he does not suspect.” fellows need another good fullback just “But what about Jimmy?” come back and get me.” “I’m pretty busy right now,” replied Anderson smiled. Androvitch. “I couldn’t possibly do “Maybe we will if the Control Board ” anything for a few days doesn’t change the rules. They’ll prob- “Is there anyone else who could do ably rip Rule Eighteen all to hell now. the work?” asked Hart. And all because of a lousy newspaper- Androvitch shook his head. “No pian who had to spill the story. No — : 48 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION loyalty, that’s what’s the matter with ing to a machine, he snapped a button those guys. They’d cut their grand- and shut off the ringing bell. Opening mas’ throats for a good story.” the machine, he took from a receptacle The two stood awkwardly. within it a newspaper still wet with ink. “Hate to say good-by,” said Rush. He glared at the second of the three “One time I kind of thought I’d like to news-delivery machines. stay up ahead in your time. But there’s “If the Star beats the Rocket to an a girl back here. And this stuff you extra I’ll go down and take the place gave me will help us get settled soon as apart,” he snarled. “We been scooped I graduate. Right clever, the way you too often lately. Probably isn’t worth an fellows struck off old money.” extra, though. Just Space-Ways doing “They’ll never know the difference,” a little more promotion work.” said Ash. “They’ll accept it as coin of Sleepily he unfolded the sheet and the realm. The money we have up ahead glanced at the headline. wouldn’t help you any here. As long as It read we had agreed to pay you, we might as well give you something you can use.” “TIME MACHINE “Well, so long. Ash,” said Culver, SCIENTIST SLAIN “So long,” said Ash. BY GANGSTERS” Rush walked slowly down the street. Hart’s breath sobbed in his throat as clock The music hall tolled the hour. his eyes moved down to the second deck. Rush listened. Gone only an hour and in that time he had lived over six “ALEXIS ANDROVITCH TORCHED ON STREET FROM SPEEDING CAR. months in the future. He jingled the POLICE BELIEVE MARS-EARTH coins in the sack he held in his hand and GAME MAY BE CLUE.” struck up a tune. The Rocket news-delivery machine Then he wheeled suddenly. stormed into life. Another extra. “Ash—wait a minute! Ash!” he snatched the paper from the ma- shouted. Hart chine. But the man out of the future was gone. He read; Slowly Rush turned back down the “GANGSTERS SILENCE street, heading for the house he had SCIENTIST ON EVE quitted less than 60 minutes before. OF GAME HEARING” “Hell,” he said to himself, “I forgot to thank him for helping me with math.” Stunned, Hart sat down on the edge of the bed. A TINY BELL tinkled softly again Androvitch was dead ! The only and again. man in the world who could set up a Arthur Hart stirred uneasily in his Time-tunnel to reach Jimmy! sleep. The bell kept on insistently. The It was all plain—plain as day. The editor sat up in bed, ran his hands gambling syndicate, afraid of what An- through his hair and growled. The ring- drovitch might say, had effectively si- ing continued. lenced him. Dead men do not talk. “The Morning Space-Ways,” he said. Hart bowed his head in his hjmds. “Getting out an extra. Now just what “The best damn reporter I ever had,” in the doubled-dipped damnation would he moaned. they be getting out an extra for ?” He sprang to his feet as a thought He pressed a lever and stepped up the struck him and rushed to the visaphone. intensity of the light in the room. Walk- Hurriedly he set up a wave length. RULE EIGHTEEN 49 The face of Coach August Snelling PROF. EBNER WHITE was lec- appeared in the glass. turing to Elementary Astronomy, Sec- “Say, coach,” said Hart breathlessly, tion B. “have you sent all the boys back to the “While there is reason to believe that past ?” Mars has an atmosphere,” he was say- “Hart,” said Coach Snelling in an ing, “there is every reason to doubt that even voice filled with cold wrath, “after the planet has conditions which would the way the newspapers have crucified allow the existence of life forms. There me I have nothing to say.” is little oxygen in the atmosphere, if “But, coach,” pleaded Hart, “I’m not there is an atmosphere. The red color asking you for publication. What you of the planet would argue that much of can tell me will never be printed. I whatever oxygen may have been at one ” want your help.” time in the atmosphere “I needed your help the other day,” At this point Prof. White was rudely Snelling reminded him, “and you told interrupted. me news was news. You said you owed A young man had risen slowly to his it to your readers to publish every de- feet. tail of any news story.” “Professor,” he said, “I’ve listened to “But a man’s life depends on this,” you for the last half hour and have shouted Hart. “One of my reporters is reached a conclusion you know nothing back in the time where you trained the about what you are saying. I can tell team. If I could use one of the other you that Mars does have an atmosphere. tunnels—one of those you used to bring It also has plenty of oxygen and other the boys forward in Time—I could shoot conditions favorable to life. In fact, there ” it back to the correct time. Then I could is life there travel to where Jimmy is and bring him The young man stopped talking, re- ” back alizing what he had done. The class was “I’m telling you the truth when I say on the verge of breaking into boisterous that the boys have all been sent back gayety and gales of strangled guffaws and all the tunnels are closed,” Snelling swept the room. No one liked Prof. said. “The last player went back this White. afternoon.” The professor sputtered feebly and “Well,” said Hart slowly, “I guess tried to talk. Finally he did. ” that settles it “Perhaps, Mr. Culver,” he suggested, Snelling interrupted. “I heard about “you had better come up here while I Russell,” he said, “and if he’s trapped come down and occupy your seat.” back with those Indians it’s what I’d “I’m sorry, sir. I forgot myself. It call poetic justice.” won’t happen again. I publicly and sin- The glass went back as Snelling cut cerely apologize.” the connection. He sat down and Prof. White went The Star machine bell hammered. on with the lecture. Hart wearily shut off the extra signal Which incident explains why Rush and took out the paper. Culver became a tradition at the Uni- “Hell,” he said, “if we’d had Jimmy versity of Wisconsin. here we’d scooped even the Space-Ways Marvelous tales were told of him. He on this yarn.” was voted the man of the year in his He looked sadly at the three edi- senior year. He was elected a member tions. of outstanding campus organizations “Best damn reporter I ever knew,” the which even his great football prowess in editor said. his junior and sophomore years had 50 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION failed to obtain for him. where tlie enraged animal had struck From a mediocre student he became savagely at it with huge paws armed regarded as a brilliant mind. Students with four-inch talons. Low limbs had to whom he had formerly gone for help been ripped from the trunk as the beast with mathematics and other studies now reared to his full height, attempting to came to him. reach his quarry. At one time he took the floor in a In a gully a quarter of a mile away political science discussion hour and used lay the ripped and torn body of Chief up the entire hour explaining the func- Hiawatha. The bear had singled the tioning of a Utopian form of govern- Indian out in his first charge. Jimmy ment. Those who heard him later said had sent his last arrow winging deep that he sounded as if he might have seen into the animal’s throat as the beast had the government in actual operation. torn the life from his friend. Then, But his greatest glory came from the w’ithout means of defense and knowing credit which was accorded him for Wis- that his companion was dead, Jimmy had consin’s football triumphs. Rumor on run, madly, blindly. The tree saved the campus said that he had worked out him, at least temporarily. He still had and given to the coach a series of plays, hopes that that last arrow, inflicting a based upon gridiron principles then en- deep throat wound, from which the blood tirely new to the game. Rush, when ap- flowed freely, would eventually spell proached, denied he had given them to death to the maddened beast. the coach. But, however that may be, Sadly he reflected, as he perched on a Wisconsin did spring upon its opponents large branch, that if he ever did get that fall a devastating attack. Team down alive the rest of the trip would be after team fell before the onslaught of lonely. It was still a long way to Mex- the Badgers. The team traveled to Min- ico and the Aztec civilization, but the neapolis and there it marched through way would not have seemed long with the mighty Golden Gophers with appar- old Chief Hiawatha beside him. The ent ease, while fans and sports-writers chief had been his only friend in this grew faint with wonder and the football savage, prehistoric world and now he world trembled with amazement. lay dead and Jimmy faced another thou- Qamorous popular demand forced the sand miles alone, on foot, w^ithout ade- Big Ten to rescind its ruling against quate weapons. post-season games and at the Rose Bowl “Maybe I should have waited at the on January 1, 1945, the Badgers de- village,” Jimmy told himself. "Some- feated the Trojans 49 to 0 in what body might have gotten through to me. sports-writers termed the greatest game But maybe nobody wanted to get ever played in football, through. Funny, though, I always fig- ured Hart was my friend, even if he did JIMMY RUSSELL was up a tree. get hard-boiled every time he saw me. He had been lucky to find the tree, for Still—I waited three years and that there were few in that part of the coun- should have given him plenty of time.” try and at the moment he reached it, A lone buffalo bull wandered up the Jimmy was desperately in need of a gully and over the ridge where the tree. grizzly stood guard under the tree. The Below him patrolled an enormous bear, sighting the bull, rushed at him, grizzly bear, fighting mad, snarling and roaring with rage. For a moment it biting at the shafts of arrows which pro- appeared the bull might stand his truded from his shoulders. The bole ground, but before the bear covered half of the tree was scarred and splintered the distance to him, he wheeled about 4 RULE EIGHTEEN 51 and lumbered off. The grizzly came tance away. He shouted, but the ani- back to the tree. mal did not stir. Far out on the plain Jimmy located a skittering band of antelope and watched LATE AFTERNOON saw Jimmy them for a long time. A wolf slunk heading southwest across the plains. He through the long grass in a gully to the was clad in tattered buckskins. He was west of the tree. In the sl on the prairie came the roaring grunting them many things? But if he had been of a herd of awakening buffalo. a god to the Aztecs, why had he not With a realization of his position com- warned them against the Spaniards? ing to him, Jimmy looked about for the Jimmy chuckled again. bear. He did not locate the beast at "A newspaperman should make one first, but finally saw its great bulk hell of a good god for a bunch of red- stretched out on the ground some dis- skins,” he told himself. Ask for this quality Kob- lucky Straight Bourbon, n't assy on nil mdimtitnunt <• sot isnnM to cTor slooMio Umratm/tr ooto or dtUrerw m Iminr IU lut, sato or um Ikorosf it ssloq^ . AST— 52 Good Brig! Kent Casey discusses the joys of jumping ship on strange planets — and finds being caught the greatest! he target-hull at the end of the crew of the repair-boat, standing by in tow-ship’s tractor-ray swooped the tow-ship’s repeller-cradles, watched Tand dived in realistic fashion. It with professional boredom, would yaw, stall, loop, and change speed “They’ll never hit that baby,” re- and direction with a giddy abandon few marked Private Snell who was watching stunt-pilots could have equalled. The target practice for the first time. 53 54 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION Sergeant McQure, in charge of the target unless they’re clumsy—they just repair gang, sniffed. “Don’t fool your- strip and founder it. Look how logy the self. You’ll have plenty to do between target’s getting.” now and pipe-down. Here she comes. With a final blast from her guns, and Get into your space helmets, everybody. a flirt of her main rockets that sent the We’ll take off as soon as she’s halfway target surging to the limit of its tractor, down the range.” the cruiser spun on her heel and back- “Two bits she don’t hit this run,” tracked. spoke up Private Kelton, leisurely se- “Step on it, gang,” warned the ser- curing the neck-joint of his space armor geant. “She’ll be crowdin’ back here and wriggling his oxygen tank more for the first crew run in about half an comfortably between his shoulders. hour.” The sour-visaged sergeant turned a baleful stare. “Yeah? Well this is no THE REPAIR-BOAT drew along- county fair. It’s a workin’ party. Just side the target and the spacesuited re- for that, you can weld the hull-holes pair crew swarmed out and over her. she gets while Snell, here, sets up on Kelton’s face, as he lugged out his the target-shield.” welding outfit, was long. While the tar- “Aw, Sarge, have a heart!” Kelton get had not been destroyed, her hull was beginning, when the firing ship plates had been thoroughly peppered. flashed on a parallel course, opening Hardly a frame had been sprung, but fire on the target as soon as she had every plate was a honeycomb of fine cleared the tow-ship’s stern. holes where the glancing Morrell-rays “Let’s go,” was McQure’s grunted had struck at extreme bursting range. reply. “Get going on your two-bits’ worth,” ’The little repair-boat shot off the McClure grunted. ways and took a respectful course be- Snell entered the hull, hauled out the hind the whizzing cruiser. To Private spent neutron cartridge and installed a Snell’s wide eyes it looked as if every new one, replaced the riddled pipes to burst from the big ship’s guns had ob- the distributors and turned for further literated the target. But it emerged, orders. wriggling, from blast after blast. The “Come hold this dolly,” the sergeant bursts were ringing the little robot hull said, setting dovm his torch and pick- in a perfect salvo pattern, but still it ing up a force-hammer. “They damn continued to duck and dodge. “Makin’ near stove this frame in.” misses all over the atmosphere!” de- Snell pushed the heavy dolly against rided Kelton. the red-hot beam while McClure ex- ’The sergeant again glowered. “Offi- pertly played a tattoo on it. “That’s cers’ string,” he announced. “And a about straight,” he finally approved. sweet one. They don’t want to make “O. K. Drift in a couple rivets here the battery wait on the next run till we and she’ll be good as new. How you can put over another target. They’re cornin’, Kelton?” just ticklin’ her up. You’re seeing some “One more plate. Have to get some fancy shooting if you weren’t too dumb more flux for the next trip.” to know it!” “Naw, we got enough. They won’t “Officers’ string?” Snell asked. be pepperin’ her like this on crew runs. “Sure—officers’ string. First run in If they hit, they’ll smash her square and target practice, officers man the battery it’ll just mean new plates. All set? just to show you boots what you can Let’s scram before she comes again.” do with a gpm. They never blast the The sergeant rapidly, but method!- GOOD OLD BRIG! 55 cally, secured the target doors, snapped wouldn’t be so bad if a guy knew what the outboard switch which controlled the it was all about. If you could even look armor radiation and slid into the repair- around a bit and see what was happen- boat just as the bulging neutron screen ing on the instrument boards and the- slapped it away from the target’s side. track-charts, that would be something. The little craft had barely settled back But there’s no percentage just sitting into her cradles when the cruiser again with your eyes glued to a Fleury gauge, screamed down the range. holding your hands steady on the con- “Two direct hits,” McClure com- trols to keep the little blue spark cen- mented expertly. “Won’t be much to tered on the scale, while it got hotter do this time.” and hotter in spite of the air-condition- All through a long morning the game ers. Today it was worse than ever, for continued, run after run. It was a weary it wasn’t just ordinary drill, over in a trio who finally secured the repair-boat couple of hours. The guns were going, an hour late for pipe-down and fell wolf- and there were things to see. For the ishly on their delayed midday meal. first time, Snell felt uneasily that per- “What do we do this afternoon, haps it was just as well he hadn’t been Sarge?” asked Snell. old enough to join up before the Uranus “She tows. We shoot,” was the la- War ended. Think of being cooped up conic reply. down here in a battle without even a “Oh! Wish I was in a gun-crew. guess as to how things were going! It’ll lie fun to watch, though.” Gee ! I should think they’d go nuts. “Watch? You? When did you get The ship wasn’t making any too good to be a politician? When that general time about this practice anyhow. On alann gong goes off you better be on two runs they’d smeared the target so your job down in the plot-room if you badly proceedings had to halt for an hour don’t want to board with Jimmy Legs while the towing ship hoisted out an- for a while.” other hull and trailed it astern. Snell’s Kelton, still a private after eight years head was aching and he wanted a smoke. of war service,, sighed reminiscently. Between runs he slapped his hands and “Good old brig!” he said. “This ship rubbed his tingling fingers trying to get has the coolest one I was ever in. And the growing numbness out of them. The I’ve been in plenty.” air was stale with the tart odor of “Why don’t you keep your nose clean sparks, and his hair was creeping and and stay out of ’em, then ?” growled the crackling with electricity. Wonder how sergeant. old Kelton’s doing down in the dynamo “Oh, it’s peaceful in the brig. Think room? of all the drills you miss.” A run finished and the ship turned “Well, don’t miss this one if you lazily and appeared to drift. “Just one don’t want the engine-room gang to more run, bullies!” announced the plot- work on you. They’re shorthanded room officer cheerily. “Then we’ll be enough down there already.” through for the day.” Snell straightened himself and wrig- THE ALARM-GONG broke into gled to take the crick from his back. the conversation and the three men, “How’re we doing, Mr. Parks?” cramming the last of the food into their “So-so,” answered the officer. “We’ve mouths, trotted to their battle-stations. beat the Orion anyhow—^but not good New as he was, Snell had been in the enough to have much hope of the fleet Patrol long enough to have acquired a trophy. Hey, watch your gauge ! Want healthy distaste for the plot-room. It to bum out every visor in the ship?” — 56 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION Snell slumped sulkily and brought the skipper! You’d have to blow the whole spark back to its proper position. Do end off the ship before he’d ask for a they think a guy’s made of sheet metal ? shipyard job. ‘Repairs within the ca- Got to stretch some time. Maybe old pacity of the ship’s force.’ He’s got a Kelton hasn’t any gold hashmarks nor rubber stamp for that to save writing a buzzard on his cuff, but he’s got some- it so often, so his writer says. Naw thing at that, missing drills and so forth. we’ll go around here somewhere and Wonder what you get to eat in the brig? hang up. Some planet with air around Swing a dolly all morning and sit like it so we can work over the side without a giddy robot all afternoon a caisson and he can open up the ship.” “Well, that’ll maybe mean some shore THE STEADY scream of the rockets liberty,” answered the optimist. whined into a low purr as a heavy con- When the temporary patch had been cussion shook the ship. The little blue made solid and as streamlined as possi- spark leaped and crackled as every tele- ble outboard, the ship gathered headway phone and risor in the ship went into and was snoring along a new course by use. Snell wrestled with his controls to the time the evening meal was piped. keep the overloaded communications Speculation was rife as to her destina- from burning out. “What the heck?’’ tion. “Way outside the Solar System he demanded breathlessly. this way, the Skipper won’t be heading “Qiarge burst in Ae outboard vent in there. Hope he don’t pick on Cal- of Number Nine Morrell gun!’’ cried liope to land. That’s a lousy planet.” the man at the televisor board. “Shucks, Calliope’s way to heck and Clang! Urrrk! Clang! The alarm- gone the other side of the Sun from gong went into action again and bugles where we are. Maybe he’ll hit that little trilled fire call. Lieutenant Parks cut place we went last year for liberty out all the plot-room power switches. when we all went fishing.” “Fire stations!’’ he yelped. “Huh!” this was Kelton speaking. The fire was almost immediately out, “All the fishing you’ll do will be on but it was a good five minutes before busted frames! Liberty with a hole in “Secure’’ was sounded and Snell could the side of his ship? Not if the Skip- leave his grenade rack and go forward per knows it!” to see the damage. The outboard end of a heavy Morrell tube was ripped into THE CAPTAIN’S yeoman entered curling strings, and a gaping hole over the mess-room late and began to help six feet in diameter was blown out of his plate. “Where we goin’, Quills?” the ship’s side. An air-curtain bulk- “Some dump called Ophidia where head had been hastily thrown over the they got air. (Dught to be there in about aperture and a crowd of engineers were twenty-four hours.” securing it. As Snell stared, one of “What’s it like? Will we get lib- them raised his head. It was Kelton. erty?” “Look,” he said gloomily, nodding at “Don’t ask me—never heard of the the twisted metal. “Who wouldn’t be place. Maybe there’ll be liberty after a welder? All that extra work for me the repairs are done. I don’t know.” just so some dumb flatfoot can play “Ophidia?” mused Kelton. “Seems again with his little gun.” to me I was there once. Funny-lookin’ “Looks like a back-to-Base job to people with feelers on their heads, like me,” said another. “What are you crab- big cockroaches. But they had good bing about?” beer.” ’* “Base nothing! You don’t know our “Ought to see their sun by now — GOOD OLD BRIG! 57 As the hours sped by, the little planet see why”. His gloom was thickened by of Ophidia, in the Polaris System, be- Kelton’s reply. “He’s just in a hurry came plainly visible. “Nice and green to get home and we can take it and like like the ^rth. Don’t look stormy it. I know this place. I’m sure this is either—that ocean looks flat as a table. where I was. Right over that hill there, This the place where you were, Kel- about two miles, there’s a town in the ton?” middle of the forest—a swell liberty “Yeah, looks like it. But I can’t tell town.” !’ yet. Wait till we can see some towns.’’ “The old sun-downer w’as Snell’s The ship arrived and settled slowly to despairing comment. her repulsion anchors about fifty feet in Kelton, seeing the boy’s face harden, the air, just as the Ophidian sun was suddenly had an idea. “Say, Kid, what setting, and a warm, brigiit night began. do you say we go ‘over the hill’ tonight ? The announcers twittered overhead. Let the good boys patch plates and shine “Morning orders! All hands at four brightwork tomorrow. It’ll be just a o’clock! Repair gangs turn to at five week in the brig for ship-jumping when in the morning. General field-day clean- we get back.” ing ship. Captain’s inspection at one- “Wouldn’t that cut us out of liberty thirty!” in ’Frisco?” The executive officer made his eve- “Naw, the Skipper isn’t that tough. ning reports. “Do you expect to land He’d just keep us in chokey all the way liberty parties here. Sir?” he asked. home. The chow isn’t so good, but no Captain Carroll smiled slightly, then drills for a week.” grimaced. “Not here,” he replied. “How could we?” Snell’s conscience “The men haven’t been off the ship was fighting a losing battle with his curi- for nearly three weeks. Sir.” osity and his gloom. “We’ll be home in one more week,” “Easy—slip through the air-valve un- tlie Captain said. der the general issue-room with a rope The executive stuck to his guns. and slide down.” “This is a new planet to everybody. Sir. “How could you get back without It’d maybe be good for their morale to getting caught?” get a chance at it.” “You couldn’t. But you’ll get back Again a faint grimace, almost a shud- all right. The M. P.’s will be looking der, flashed over Captain Carroll’s face. for us and we’ll be hoisted back in style. “No!” he said curtly and finally. Maybe we can bring back a bottle. The There was some mild grumbling when master-at-arms is nearsighted. Come this news got about, but the majority on, let’s go!” opinion was voiced by Sergeant Mc- When the executive entered the cabin Clure. “The Skipper knows what he’s to make his morning reports, his face doing. Maybe the water ain’t good, or was annoyed. “Privates Kelton and maybe the people are tough. Why do Snell jumped ship last night. Sir. you suppose he anchored way up here if Snell’s first offense, but Kelton’s a hard- this was a good place to land? Any- boiled egg. His record looks like it had how, the Skipper says no, so there’s no measles from the red ink spotted over ?” use beefing. We’ll be in San Francisco it. Shall I send a patrol after them next week at that.” Captain Carroll’s face was stem. “Not yet,” he said. “We’re shorthanded SNELL, however, who had not yet enough for these repairs as it is, and set foot on any planet other than Earth, I do not want any more absentees was vastly disappointed and “couldn’t even official ones—until the hull is 58 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION patched fit for the run home. I do not Silently, Snell, who as assistant store- want to be late for crew liberty in San keeper had a key to the issue-room, Francisco, especially after their disap- opened the storeroom and the two crept pointment here.” below. Snell was abashed to find the The executive looked at the ceiling air-lock hatch padlocked. and rubbed his chin. “Maybe they Kelton, commenting only “You are wouldn’t mind a day or so late in San new to this business, aren’t you?” took Francisco if they could explore here for a tablefork from his pocket, bent one of a day. I hate to let those two ship- the tines at right angles, and expertly jumpers get away with a liberty.” began to prod the padlock. In a short The Captain laughed a short, barking time, it fell to pieces in his hand and he note. “They won’t enjoy it. I was ma- opened the door. “O. K. Bend your rooned here for a week once, and only line to the door-hinge here and let her necessity made me come here again. fall. Let’s go.” They will find that they have made a The air on the beach was warm and serious mistake. Send the patrol, say, soft and the forest rustled invitingly. tomorrow noon after the repairs are Leaving their dangling lines, the two complete. When they are back on board, runaways were soon deep among the they need not stay in the brig any longer trees, laboriously feeling their way over than is necessary to let them get rested. tree-roots and clinging, low underbrush. I imagine you can find enough extra “There ought to be a road over this duty to keep them busy on the run home, way,” Kelton said finally, stumbling a just so they won’t think they escaped little as he walked into a tangle of vines. anything by dodging the repair work?” “Hope we find it soon,” was Snell’s “I’ll keep them busy all right. Sir ! Is panting answer. His excitement over this planet so tough, then?” the adventure was beginning to die out “It is. They are in no danger except as he realized that he was already tired from hunger and thirst, but they don’t and hungry. “This feeling your way know that. They are probably scared in strange woods is—^hey! What the silly by now.” ” He tripped over something large and alive and fell sprawling. There was CAPTAIN CARROLL overesti- a crashing in the underbrush and a mated by very little. The two privates startled, mooing animal cry. were at that time not quite “silly”, but “Aw, just a stray cow,” Kelton they were not far removed from it. They soothed. had waited until after the master-at- “Cow nothing! I fell all over it and arms had made his routine night inspec- it felt like a big snake, all hard and cold tion, slipped from their bunks and crept and slick!” down to the main issue-room. “Every- “Huh! Who ever heard of a snake thing’ll be shut up this time of night, with four legs that mooed? Didn’t you won’t it? Hadn’t we better wait until hear him?” just before daylight?” “It wasn’t a cow, anyhow. Not even “Can’t tell how long night lasts on a wet one. Who ever heard of a cold, these little planets. Hate to have the hairless cow ?” sun come up- just as we were landing “Lots of funny things on these stray on the beach,” Kelton replied. “We planets, buddy. You ain’t hurt. Come can take it easy through the woods until on. daybreak, and get into town early. Daybreak came soon after, greatly to Then we’ll have two or three hours be- their relief. They had not found a road fore the patrol comes, anyhow.” as yet, nor could they find any trace ! — GOOD OLD BRIG! 59 of a town. “Sure this is the place you Dumb now with misery, the two thought, Kelton?” stared at each other. “Enough’s enough. “Sure, it must be. We just got lost Let’s go home and take our medicine,” in the woods. Now it’s daylight we’ll Snell said at last. be all right.’’ Kelton nodded sadly, and the two “I hope there’s a restaurant open when turned back. After an hour's tramp we get there. I could eat a whole dog- they realized that they did not know wagon.’’ where they were nor w’hich way was “Well, just to show’ you that old Pri- “home”. vate Kelton is a pretty good guide, cast Snell scrambled into a treetop, but your eyes on that apple tree. Let’s eat.’’ could see no sign of the ship. “We’re down between hills. We’ll have to get AT THE FIRST vigorous shake of on top of one to see her,” he reported. the trunk, big, rosy apples fell in show- Ugh ! Even the trees are phony ers to the ground, and the two hungry clammy and stinkin’.” men took enormous bites. “Arrrrgh! The nearest hill proved deceptively Pooh! What ’’ The luscious-look- far away, and the going was hard. Not ing fruit, bitterly astringent, puckered onl}’ was the forest here a veritable jun- !” their mouths cruelly, and the pulp bore gle. “but the vines feel cold like snakes no resemblance to any apples they had Kelton mourned. And the ascent proved ever seen. “Ugh! Damn gray slime! to be fair mountaineering. It was more Smells like a hole full of rattlesnakes! than two hours later that they scram- Do you reckon it’s poison?’’ bled to the hilltop and stared about them. “Well, the beer will taste all the bet- “There she is!” Snell cried excitedly ter,” Kelton answered bravely; but it and pointed. Far across the valley, the was apparent that he was worried. ship, a tiny glistening speck, hung above “What did Quills call this dump?” he the trees. “Gosh, she must be ten or finally asked dubiously. twelve miles away!” “Ophidia,” Snell grunted through They took bearings as well as they puckered lips. could. “We’ll head for that knoll with Kelton stopped and turned toward his the white rock on top of it first. It’s companion. “Buddy, I’m sorry. It right on the line. Then we can get an- wasn’t Ophidia where I was. I just re- other bearing from there.” membered it was Euclidia. Gosh Maybe there isn’t any town, after all!” FINDING the knoll, once down the “Well, Private Kelton, ‘good old steep hill, proved to be a difficult task, guide’, you better find something quick. and the Ophidian day was well past its And water first. That doggoned apple noon by the time they succeeded in has just about set my gizzard afire.” reaching it. The ship again was visible, Kelton made one more attempt at but was still discouragingly far away. bravado. “O. K. Just mention what “Don’t look like we’d made more than you want. There’s your water, right two or three miles good for all that hik- behind that fern-clump. Hear it trick- ing,” Kelton mumbled. ling?” Snell almost snarled through parched A clear little spring bubbled out of lips. “Good old guide Kelton! What ground, and ran chuckling across its a swell way you picked to get out of !” tiny gravel bed. The two flung them- work selves flat to the turf and buried their “Yeah,” Kelton answered miserably. faces in its icy depths. They rose with “I pulled a dumb one this time. What’s !” sputtering howls. “Kerosene, by golly that by your foot, buddy?” — 60 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION Snell looked down at a mottled, parch- jaw, a long forked tongue flashed in the mentlikc flake of torn skin. “Piece of sunlight. Then, with a low hiss, the old snakeskin,” he answered, picking it beast vanished into the jimgle. up. “Golly, what a snake it must be big around as my body!’’ “THAT’S ENOUGH for me,” Snell “We better watch our step,” Kelton said after his breath returned. “It’s answered. “Maybe it’s poison.” about sundown, and I’m not walking “There's another piece,” Snell said these crazy woods at night again. I’m pointing, “and there’s another. It must going up that big tree and hang up there be right near here, shedding. It must till daylight.” be big as that phony cow I fell over “You and me both,” Kelton assented. last night.” Together the runaways clambered They picked out a Jiigh, gray cliff for wearily into a large tree in the center of their second landmark, and, giddy with the little clearing, and had barely suc- hunger, thirst and fatigue, started to- ceeded in matting prehensile vines into ward it. Again among the trees, they a sort of safety harness to hold them if stumbled along, now both watching fear- they fell asleep, when the sudden Ophid- fully for evidence of the “snake as big ian night was again upon them. as a cow”. Suddenly ahead of them “Ugh !” Snell grunted again. “Every sounded the barking of a dog. dam thing on this goofy planet feels and “Where there’s a dog there’s apt to smells like snakes! Even the bark on ” be men,” Kelton said hopefully. “Maybe this tree. And as for these vines he can lead us to where there’s some- Kelton shuddered. “Snakes—I hate thing to eat and drink. Here, Pooch! ’em ! But who ever would have thought Hyah, hyah!” that cows and dogs could be snaky? I The barking stopped with a low rum- wonder if the men are snakes too? If ble of growling. Kelton kept calling, there are any men.” “Good old Pooch! Hyah, Pooch! If “Ssh!” Snell warned. “There’s it’s a dog I’ll make friends with him.” something down below.” They turned the rocky shoulder of a Vague, swift figures flitted across the little hill and the trees opened into a shadowy glade and clustered in the black narrow gl2ule. In the sunlight, on the gloom under the tree. “They’re climb- other side of the open space, a great, ing up to us!” shrieked Kelton. “Break gray-green beast rubbed itself against a yourself off a club!” tree, peeling off huge flakes of dead Hysterical with fright and weak from skin. It was about the size and shape hunger and thirst, they tore frantically of a St. Bernard dog, but its body, en- at the branches, but were able only to tirely liairless, ended in a long ratlike break off small switches of the tough, tail and its head was like a great blunt flexible wood. Where they broke the arrowhead. It stared at the men with mottled, hidelike bark, cold, slimy sap unwinking beady eyes and again barked. ran out spreading a fetid odor. The noc- “Geeze! Look what you been call- turnal intruders could be heard scram- ing! You better make friends with him bling from branch to branch toward the quick!” and Snell stooped to pick up as two men, chirping and hissing as they big and jagged a stone as he could find. came. Kelton slashed viciously with his Kelton, with a gasp, also grasped a stone. switch at two prehensile, shadov The two terrified men stood waiting for that reached up through the da; the beast to charge, but after a brief blow hit something solid and tl . ...s stare, the horror opened its mouth. Two the crash of a falling body and low enormous fangs shot out from its upper whimpering, “Snake men or snake ! GOOD OLD BRIG! 61 monkeys !” he gasped. “Look out, going to get some of that dead brush up Snell, there’s one on your limbi’’ here, so we can start a fire to see by “There’s two,’’ Snell groaned. “One’s and can throw if they come again.” got me by the leg—oof! Take that, you brute!’’ His fists and feet flew THE EXECUTIVE officer again en- wildly and two of the Ophidians were tered the cabin to make his morning re- knocked back to the lower branches. ports. "Repairs completed early this “Arrgh! The breath on ’em!’’ morning. Sir. The men have done a Kelton was moaning like a frightened good job. With your permission. I’d child. “Light a match so we can see like to have a ‘Ropeyarn Sunday’ for ’em. Remember the fangs on that damn them—no drills at all today. They’ve dog-thing! Maybe these apes are poi- earned it.” . son too!” “Fine!” Captain Carroll agreed. “Tell Tremblingly Snell took a box of the steward to serve a good bang-up matches from his pocket and scratched holiday dinner too, if he can. Any news one. He tried to hold it so the glare of Kelton and Snell?” would strike downward, and in reach- “No, Sir. The patrol’s ready to look ing, he brushed a branch which had for them whenever you say.” been bruised. Instantly the sap caught “Better start them now. It may take fire with a sizzling yellow glare. “The some time to find them in this jungle. sap’s keroseney too, like ^hat water in By the way, warn the patrol not to be the spring! Get down! The whole alarmed at any dangerous-looking beasts dam’ tree’s afire!” Sobbing, they tum- they may see. Ophidia gets its name bled downward from branch to branch from the fact that both the fauna and as the treetop turned into a roaring yel- flora are reptilian—cold-blooded—^and low blaze, lighting the woods in all di- are equipped remarkably like our snakes. rections. “Look out for the apes, we’ll However, I know that they are not ven- !” !” have to run from ’em omous, at least to humans. Look “Run for that heap of rocks! We The captain held out his left hand, can get on top of that and maybe fight showing two round white scars on its ’em off!” Kelton panted. back. “A thing like a man with a snake’s The blue apes had scattered in alarm head struck his fangs in there when I at the sudden flare of light and made hit him. I thought I was done for, but no attempt to pursue. They stared, hiss- I’ve had worse bites from my own Chow ing and chirping excitedly, at the flam- dog. I discovered afterward the poor ing tree until the two frantic men had beast wanted only to crowd up against reached the top of a pile of broken rock- me and get warm.” shale under a high cliff. “There’s The patrol in charge of Sergeant Mc- enough damicks here to fight ’em off Clure landed and struck into the bush. as long as we got light to see ’em. Wish “I saw fire over this way last night,” it was morning!” said the sergeant taking careful bearings Kelton began to laugh hysterically. with his pocket compass. “The Skip- “What’s so doggoned funny?” Snell per says it must have been them, so we’ll demanded. look that way first. And remember this, What an egg I laid this time! you mugs : no rough stuff when we find • "y, Kid. First time I ever wished ’em. The Skipper says they’re probably ‘jol would get me quick. Hey sick and that they’ve had nothing to eat W net c you goin’?” for Snell was climb- or drink since they jumped. Fools ! A ing down the cairn again. man’s cracked to jump ship on a planet !” “Ssh! The apes ain’t looking. I’m he ain’t seen before 62 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION “Treat ’em soft, eh?” grumbled Cor- tention had been to read the two errant poral Mellor. “When they ran out on privates a lecture on the wages of sin. the heavy work yesterday and let their One look at their ragged clothing and shipmates hold the bag?” pallid faces was enough. “Put them in Sergeant McQure grinned. “Don’t the brig until they’re rested,” he ordered. ?” worry,” he answered. “The exec, was “Brig ration ? Bread and water. Sir asking me about any special jobs of Captain Carroll looked at the two extra duty I could think of. Those two frightened, famished faces. “No,” he are going to chip and red-lead the for- said. “They have been undergoing some ward trimmin’ tank on the way to hardship already. Full ration,” and he ’Frisco all by their little lonesomes. turned on his heel. They haven’t got away with a thing. I’ll News of the predicament from which see to that!” they had been rescued spread rapidly over the ship and even the heart of the When the patrol finally found the ; commissary steward was softened. It wanderers, they stopped short staring, wasn’t regular meal hours, but some- and even the hard-boiled sergeant whis- times you can’t be too tough. The stew- tled through his teeth. Haggard and ard himself entered the brig where Kel- sobbing, the two were back to back on ton and Snell were slumped wearily qii the summit of a little stone mound, fee- their bunks. “Chow, shipmates ! They bly striking about them with burning do tell me you’ve been missing pipe- branches, while around them crowded a down lately.” score of slate-blue, snake-headed, man- Not until the last smear of gravy had like things, chirping and hissing. been wiped up by the last crumb of bread “Geeze I” yelled Corporal Mellor, his and the last drop of coffee almost animosity forgotten. “What a jam to !” squeezed from the pot did Kelton and find a shipmate in ! Sock ’em, bullies Snell' find words. “Wheee-ew!” sighed Snell gustily. !” WITH DRAWN truncheons, the pa- “Never again trol charged, scattering the Ophidians Kelton wiped his lips with the back picking fainting and up the men. “Wa- of his hand and stretched himself out !” all Kelton could ter was that Snell and on his bunk. “Extra duty tomorrow, say. but tonight it’s all night in and beans for Back on board, revived a little by the breakfast,” he murmured drowsily as he canteens of the patrol, the two faced pulled his blanket over his shoulders. Captain Carroll. The captain’s first in- “Good old brig!” fJl/UUuHJLs F0RM1RL^5«^ NOW. — 63 Language for Time-Travelers by L. Sprague de Camp All things change, end language is by no means the slowest. They may both be speaking English— and neither one know It! radually, the rainbow "At first, he saw nothing but fields flicker of light died away, and and woods. He was evidently in a farm- G Morgan Jones felt the tingle ing country. Nobody was in sight leave his body. The dial read 2438. no, here came a rustic along the road, Five hundred years! He opened the trudging through the dust with his eyes door of the compartment and climbed on the ground in front of him. out. ‘“Hey there!’ Jones called. ‘Could — — : 64 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION you give me some information ?’ and German to predict their future evo- it “The man looked up ; his eyes widened lution, and, in the second, would have with astonishment at the sight of the ma- made the rustic’s explanation utterly un- chine. ‘Wozza ya seh?’ he asked. intelligible. It might be interesting to “Jones repeated his question. consider in detail just what changes may “ ‘Sy; daw geh,’ said the man, shak- occur. To do this thing right we shall ing his head. have to first take a brief took at the lan- “Now Jones looked puzzled. T don’t guage’s present state and its past history. seem to understand you. What language English is a Teutonic Language, like are you speaking ?’ German, Dutch, and Swedish, with a “ ‘Wah lenksh? Inksh lenksh, coss. large infusion—perhaps a majority—of Wall you speak? Said, sah-y, daw French words. Its parent tongue, geh-ih. Daw, neitha. You fresh? Anglo-Saxon, was more highly inflected Jumm ?’ than its descendant—less so than Latin, “Jones had an impulse to shake his but about as much so as modern Ger- head violently, the same feeling he al- man.* Anglo-Saxon would sound to a ways had when the last word of a cross- modern hearer as much tike a foreign W'ord puzzle eluded him. The man had language as German ; English didn’t be- understood him, partly, and the noises come what would be intelligible to us he made were somehow vaguely like until about the 16th Century. English English, but no English such as Jones of the 1500’s would sound to us like had ever heard. Tnksh lenksh’ must be some sort of Scotch dialect, because it ‘English language;’ ‘sah-y daw geh-ih’ had the the rolled “r” and the fricative was evidently ‘sorry, don’t get it.’ consonants heard in German: ich, ach “ ‘What,’ he asked, ‘is a fresh jumm?’ (that’s what all those silent git’s in mod- “ ‘Nevva huddum?’ said the rustic, em English spelling mean—or rather, scorn in his tone. ‘Fresh people, go Out, used to mean) which have been retained out, perlez-vous Francois, va t’en, sale in Scottish English, but lost or trans- betel’ He did this with gestures. Then formed in most other kinds of English. he stiffened. ‘Jumms go’—he clicked his We have a fair idea of the pronunciation heels together ‘Achtung! Vorwdrts, of Shakespeare’s time because about then ntarsch! Guten Tag, tneine Herren! people began writing books on the sub- Verstehen Sie Deutsch? Fresh from ject. It’s amusing to reflect that if Fress; Jumms from Jummy. Geh ih?’ Shakespeare returned to Earth, he’d get “ ‘Yes, I suppose so,’ said Jones. His along passably in Edinburgh; he could ’’ mind was reeling slightly manage, with some difficulty, in Chicago Thus might almost any novel on the —but he’d be hopelessly lost in London, time-travel theme or the Rip Van Win- whose dialect would differ most radically kle theme begin. The author, having from his ! So much for the “language of !’’ landed his hero in the far future, may Shakespeare either ascribe telepathy to the people of the time, or remark on how the English AUTHORS are fairly safe in having language will have changed. The fore- the people of the future speak English going selection shows—in somewhat —which is very convenient for the more detail than do most of the stories authors. Aside from the fact that no- a few of the actual changes that might take place. To be strictly consistent, I *For Instance, the noun end in Anglo-SaxoK had these forma should have changed the French and Singular Plural Nominative ende endas German selections also, but, in the first Oenetive endea enda Dative ende endum place, I don’t know enough about French Accusative ende endas : :; LANGUAGE FOR TIME-TRAVELERS 65 body can prove them wrong, English is, Speech sounds can be analyzed into today, well on the way to becoming the fundamental units called phonemes; world’s international language. It is these move around like protozoa in a probably taught in the schools of more drop of water, and, like protozoa, join countries than any other. In number of together and ^lit up. For instance, a speakers it is exceeded only by Can- few centuries ago person and parson tonese and Mandarin, the chief lan- were one word, spelled person and pro- guages of China, each of which is di- nounced “pairson”. But the “air” group vided into a myriad of mutually unintel- of words split, some like jerk joining the ligible dialects; its nearest rivals, Span- words like turn, and some like heart join- ish and German, are far behind it in ing the words like march. In this process number of speakers. It’s a concise lan- person acquired two pronunciations with guage,* and the simplicity of its grammar different meanings. makes it easy to learn, though its fear- Much commoner is leveling, wherein some spelling is an obstacle to the stu- two phonemes merge. For instance, dent. It’s a safe bet that another cen- vain, vein, and vane were once all pro- tury will see it the second language of nounced differently; so were right: every passably educated person on wright-.rite:write. We can see the Earth, and in another millenium it may process at work in the leveling, by many well be the only living language. Americans, of due:do and Mary.merry: Like all living languages, English is marry. The British, with their loss of changing slowly but constantly in pro- “r” except when a vowel follows, do nunciation, vocabulary, and syntax. The worse, leveling over.ova, sort:sought, first would probably cause our hero the and paw:pour -.poor. most trouble. It changes pretty rapidly, and is responsible for the fantastic irreg- IF THE PROCESS goes far enough ularity of English spelling, the spelling —as it has in those concise Chinese lan- usually being a few centuries behind the guages—language becomes a guessing- pronunciation. The spelling of caught game between sjieaker and hearer, and was reeisonable when the word was pro- speech is one long pun. In some forms nounced “kowcht”, with the “ch” as in of Chinese a single spoken word may German acit. But consider the number have as many as 69 distinct meanings. of sounds a single letter may represent French is worse than English in this today, as in odd, off, come, worry, old, respect, but neither is anything like as zvolf, do, women, lemon. Shades of terrible as Chinese. In English a hearer sound can’t be represented exactly by can usually tell, upon hearing such an ordinary spelling, because all readers ambiguous sound, which meaning is wcai’t interpret the letters the same way meant from the context. If, as some and some sounds simply can’t be spelled people do, you pronounce whale like for instance, the ir part of first as often wail, nobody will think, hearing you pronounced in New York City and parts speaking of harpooning a whale, that you of the South—a sound halfway between really meant harpooning a wail. But if, “oi” and “ay”. as some do, you pronounce oral like aural, you’re very likely to confuse your •The same passage translated into various hearer if doesn’t BoderD languages has the following numbers of he know in advance syllables what is coming. Canlonese 80 Annamese 100 If we add together all the leveling English 146 Spanish 157 tendencies of modern English, we can Ulcrainian 189 Hungarian 196 synthesize a dialect in which cud, card, Greek 234 Japanese 242 cowed, coward are all pronounced like ! 66 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION cod; tarred, torrid, tied, tired, towered Cop:Hanh? Didjue sy samtheng? are all pronounced like Todd; Shaw, Hero: Yes, you see shore, sure are pronounced like show, Cop : Speak ap ; kent mike it aht. and so forth. This is a reasonable spec- Hero: Well ulation : some Southerners pronounce Cop: Woss thowse fanny dowse? shore, sure like show; some Londoners P’ride ? use an “ah” sound in cud, etc. I hope Hero : I’m sorry, but it : never happens, but it might, and we Cop Downt annersten ja ; kentcha speak should probably manage to communicate English ? —though with more misunderstandings, Hero : Yes, of course especially over the telephone. Leveling Cop: Woy downtcha, thane? Luck loik seems a spicious kerracter bayter cam to be an inevitable linguistic de- ; velopment, though literacy—a relatively ’lohng to the stytion. Jile for you, new thing for the masses—may have a me led countereffect. Boil and bile were once pronounced alike, but were pried apart ANOTHER factor in linguistic evolu- by the influence of spelling. tion is the influence of sounds on those The thing that would most completely preceding and following them. We tend bewilder our hero would be another to take short-cuts in getting from one Great Vowel Shift. The last occurred sound to another. The “k” sounds in differ slightly in the years 1400-1800, and resulted in cool and cube ; the second changing time, teem, team, tame from is nearer “t” than the first, because of “y” “teem”, “tame”, “tehm”, “t^m” to their the influence of the following sound. present pronunciations. All the front If this process goes far enough (as it did vowels except those in bit, bet moved in Latin), the “ky” combination may up. Tire top one, “ee”, being unable to become “ty”, and finally “ty” may be- go higher, became a diphthong.* The come “tch”, as statue has changed from back vowds underwent a similar change. “stat-yue” to “stat-chue”. Hence our There are signs that another vowel descendants may pronounce cube as shift, a little different from the last, im- “chube”. weakness for short-cuts ^plus pends. In London Cockney it has prac- Our — tically taken place: punt has become plain laziness—results in the complete something like pant, pant like pent, pent dropping of sounds. Hence we often like paint, paint like pint, and pint like hear “prob’ly”, “partic’lar”, and “com- point. Call has become like coal, and f’table”. The contracted forms “in- coal something like cowl. t’rest”, “gen’ral” have become more or less standard the others may follow in Imagine our hero’s predicament if this ; sort of thing becomes general. He due course. Most of the “silent” letters crawls out of his time-machine in 2438 in our spelling, as in askEd, WrotE, A. D., as stated at the beginning of the KniGHt, once stood for real sounds. The article, and promptly runs afoul of the British outdo us in this respect, with law. their Whitehall “wittle” and military “miltry”. Her#: Beg pardon, but could you tell me The British have slaughtered a large fraction of their r’s ; some of them have •If you can watch your tongue In a mirror dropped “h” from their speech. The while saying the rowels of beet, bit, bait, bet, bat “1” without the “b” and the "t", you’U see why we Scotch have dealt similarly with and say that beet has a high rowel and bat a low one. Front and back refer to the part of the “v”, so that in Broad Scottish gave is tongue that is highest when the rowel is while “gay”. The story is told of an Aber- sounded ; hence beet, etc. hare front rowels odd, go, good, do hare bach rowels those aU, ; deenian in a dry-goods store who held in above are Intermediate. 5 LANGUAGE FOR TIME-TRAVELERS 67 up a piece of cloth and asked the clerk, IT SEEMS our time-traveling hero “Oo?” may be reduced to the device adopted by “Ay, 00 .” a man I once knew who made a trip “Ah 00?” to Germany. Entering a hotel with a “Ay, ah oo.” companion, he asked, in what he thoughf “Ah ae oo?” was German, for two rooms and bath. “Ay, ah ae oo.” The clerk looked blank, then replied in Not to keep the reader in suspense any something that was evidently intended longer, “Ay, ah ae oo” means “Yes, all to be English, but which conveyed no one wool.” (In repeating this story, re- sense whatever to the Anlerican. After member that “Ay” is pronounced like some more futile vocalization of this sort, eye.) tjie clerk had an inspiration: he got out Our chief victim seems to have been a pad and wrote in the plainest of Eng- “t”, whence we often hear posts, tests, lish, “What do you gentlemen want?” loft, wanted as “poce”, “less”, “loff”, The American took the pad and wrote “wanned”. Sometimes we drop “in”, “Two rooms and bath”, after which there nasalizing the preceding vowel to make w'as no more difficulty. up for it, as in don’t, sometimes pro- However, it’s unsafe to say that Eng- nounced “dote” or “doh” with a lish as a whole will take any particular nasal “o”. course, merely because one b£ its many dialects shows signs of doing so. A LET’S SUPPOSE that our hero has phoneme may reverse its direction of been hailed before a magistrate. To change repeatedly : in King Alfred’s time change the^assumptions a little, suppose the first vowel in after was about that that the vowels are still recognizable, of modern cat; by 1400 it had moved hut that dropping and assimilation have down and back to the vowel of modern been going full blast. calm; by 1600 it had moved back to the Magistrate : Wahya, pridna ? cat position, where it still is with the Hero : Huh ? great majority of Americans (don’t let Mag: Said, wahya? the dictionaries fool you with their “in- Hero : You mean, what’s my name? termediate ‘a’”). Finally in modern Mag: Coss ass way I mee. Ass wah I Southern British it has moved back said, in ih ? down into the calm position again. This Hero: I’m sorry. It’s Jones, j-o-n-e-s, sort of thing can go on indefinitely. Morgan Jones. Sounds that have been dropped can Mag: Orrigh. Now, weya from? be restored by the influence of spelling. Hero: You mean, where am I from? An example is the “t” in often, which Mag: Doh like ya attude, pridna. Try was dropped long ago along with the to be fell, bull woh today dispecfa “t’s” in soften, listen, castle, but which attude. Iss a majrace coh, ya know. has been revived by/ a few speakers, in- Hero: You mean, this is a magistrate’s cluding the President of the U. S. Such court? I don’t mean to be disre- an addition of a sound to a word is called spectful, but a spelling pronunciation and is consid- Mag: Well, maybe in yooh faw. Eeah ered incorrect when first introduced. But ya fahna, aw nah righ nielly. Sodge, sometimes one takes hold and becomes lock im up. Gall geh mel zannas universal, after which it is “correct”. dow ih, to zani is satty. Examples are the “h” in hospital and Hero: But look here, I don’t need a the “1” in fault, which originally (when mental examiner to examine my san- the words were taken over from French) ity—I’m all right mentally weren’t sounded at all. AST— 68 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION We might here dispose of the illusion a much bigger variety; that of London that there is an absolute standard of and vicinity has, by virtue of London’s "correctness” to which we can refer. being the capital and the commercial There are no tablets of stone stating metropolis of Great Britain, acquired the once and for all what is and isn’t cor- prestige of a standard. Hence London- rect, and dictionaries are compiled by ers are wont to say that they speak true fallible human beings and often disagree. English, and anything else is a ‘‘bah- The only real standard, aside from in- b’rous dahlect”. Often they argue that dividual prejudices, is the actual usage their form of speech is the “most beau- of educated people. The fact is not that tiful”, but that merely means that they're we "use pronunciations because they’re accustomed to it and so like it best. One correct, but that they’re correct because feature of Southren British (the speech we—or a large number of us—use them. of educated Londoners and ruling-class If a hundred million people pronounce Englishmen generally), the loss of “r” after with the vowal of cat, that’s correct sounds except when a vowel follows, is by definition, even though not the only also heard in New England, New York correct form, dictionaries to the con- City and the the South ; others, such as trary notwithstanding. use of “ah” in half, last, dance, and about 150 similar words, occur in New Eng- THE RATE of change of pronuncia- land but are rare elsewhere in North tion is probably dependent, to some ex- America. tent, on the state of a civilization, and These dialects tend to evolve in dif- changes should take place more rapidly ferent directions, like species. Unlike in periods when illiteracy is high, and species, they also merge into intermediate schools and spelling have less braking forms. Right now, the forces tending effect. A collapse of civilization in the to merge and homogenize them (radio, English-speal LANGUAGE FOR TIME-TRAVELERS 69 olis and its cultural center. The latter Another change that may cause him has the adrantage of numbers : about as difficulty is the dropping of understood many people speak it (90 or 100 million) words from sentences, as when we say as speak all the other kinds of English “the man I saw” for “the man whom I combined. It conforms more closely to saw”, or “Going?” for “Are you go- the spelling, so that it is easier for for- ing ?” That’s ellipsis, if you want a five- eigners to learn. My money would go dollar word. We practice it when we on General American—but then, like write telegrams or newspaper heads. As most people. I’m probably prejudiced in with leveling and compression of words, favor of my native tongue. Very likely we gain in speed at the expense of the final result will combine features of clarity. I recall once being puzzled by both dialects. a headline reading “Little British Golf Victor”. Did it mean that a horse OUR GRAMMAR has been simpli- named “Little British Golf” had won a fied about as. much as it can be, so that race? No, it transpired that a man only limited changes are to be looked named Little had won a golf tourna- for therein. We still have some irreg- ment in England. Another read “Gold ular plurals, such as child: children, Hunt Started by Skeletons”. Alas, a reading of the article dispelled my first mouse . mice, deer .deer; these are hang- overs from Anglo-Saxon, which had cheerful picture of a crew of skeletons several declensions of nouns forming the slogging off to the gold country with plural differently.* Given enough time, pick, pan, and pack-mule. All that had they will probably be cleaned up happened was that somebody had dug bretheren, for instance, has been dis- up some skeletons, quite inanimate, and placed by the regular brothers. Our ir- this discovery had caused local gossip regular verbs, such as take:took, drink: about the possible existence of a buried drank, put.put are more numerous and cache or hoard of gold. Of course, the will be harder to get rid of. head-writer had meant “The Starting Idiomatic word-combinations such as of a Hunt for Gold Has Been Caused make at, make away with, make bold, by the Discovery of Skeletons”. He make good, make light of, make off, simply assumed that the reader would with, out, make off make make sure, fill in all the missing words. make sure make up, ‘make up to, of, Again, the Chinese languages are a make up with are the despair of foreign- horrible example: one may say that the ers learning English, as their meanings Chinese talk in headlines. The table cannot be derived from a consideration showing the comparative conciseness of of their component words separately. languages, in the early part of this The making of these combinations goes article, indicates the extraordinary terse- on all the time, and they are likely to ness of Cantonese; Annamese, another cause our hero plenty of headaches. Indo-Chinese language, is second on the list. Pitkin’s “History of Human *For this undiluted blessing—the loss of a multitude of cases, forms, and rules—we are, Stupidity” cites the Chinese proverb probably, indebted to the fact that ,Engli8h was, for some centuries, the poor-man's tongue. The “Shi ju pu ju shi ch’u”—literally “Miss Normans invaded England, and made their lan- enter not like miss go-out”. Even a guage the tongue of all educated, refined people. For centuries, all who could write, wrote any- Chinese would be baffled by this unless thing but English—usually I 70 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION SUPPOSE that as a result of a pro- sad state. Their influence is probably longed diet of headlines, English is re- confined to popularizing a few uncom- duced to a terseness like that of Can- mon words, such as laud, flay, which are tonese. Our hefo is being examined by preferred to praise and denounce because the experts for whom the magistrate has of their shortness. sent. We’ll neglect changes in pro- Changes in vocabulary are difficult to nunciation—I think you’ll have had foresee, though we can classify, if we enough of my quasi-phonetic spelling can’t prophesy, them. When we have and concentrate on changes in syntax. a new' meaning to express, we can do Hero: Welcome to my cell, gentlemen. any of several things: We can invent a Your names please? new word out of whole cloth, like gas, 1st Expert: I Mack. hooey. We can combine Latin or Greek 2nd Ditto: I Sutton. roots to make a word, like Ornithorhyn- Hero : Delighted you know my naipe of ; chus, telephone. We can combine parts course. What do you want me to of existing English words, as in brunch do? (Hollywood slang for an eleven o’clock Mack: From? meal). We can borrow a word from Hero : What ? another modern language, either in Mack: No what, from. something like its original form, as with Hero : Now, let’s get this straight. You knout (Russian), khaki (Hindustani), want to know where I’m from? or corrupted, as with crazvfish (Old That’s easy ; Philadelphia. French crevice), dunk (German tun- Sutton: No hear. ken). Most often, we pile the new mean- Hero: PHILADELPHIA. ing on some unfortunate existing Eng- Sutton : No mean no hear you ; hear lish word, which thereafter does dou- plenty. No hear Philadelphia. ble, triple, etc., duty. Thus short has Mack : Such place ? acquired the meanings of a short circuit, Sutton : Maybe. Ask more. Continent ? a short story, a short movie such as Hero: No, it’s a city. ' newsreel, a short shot in artillery fire, a Sutton: No mean no. Philadelphia no type of defect in iron castings, etc. Next continent, Philadelphia on continent. to pronunciation changes, vocabulary Six continent. Which? changes will be the most baffling of our Hero: I see—North America. hero’s troubles with Twenty-Fifth-Cen- Mack : No North America Philadelphia. tury English. Perhaps he’d better take Sutton: Crazy. Too bad. a course in sketching before starting his Mack: Yes. W’ord-crazy. Too much spoken word. time-joumey: when words, both and written, fail, he can fall back on pic- Hero: Say, what is this? You two sit there like a couple of wooden Indi- tures ! ans, and expect me to understand Words also become obsolete and dis- you from one or two words that you appear. Sometimes we adopt another drop, and then you say I’ve got a way of saying the same thing, because of verbal psychosis convenience, fads, or reasons unknown. Mack: Proof. Escape. Fingerprint. Where we once said “I height Brown”, Check, sanitarium. we now say “I am called Brown” or Sutton: Right. Interest. Health. Too “My name is Brown”. (Germans still bad. (They go out.) say “Ich heisse Braun.”) The old sec- ond-person singular pronoun thou has But actually, I doubt whether head- become obsolete, the plural you being lines will ever bring the language to this used instead. ! LANGUAGE FOR TIME-TRAVELERS 71 AGAIN, words may disappear be- ity with the prevailing rules.” I’ll cause the things they refer to disappear. try to avoid terms like that. I have Thus hacqueton is obsolete, because no- a surprise for you : another man from body has used a hacqueton (a padded the Early Industrial Period—about shirt worn under armor) for some cen- 1600. Ah, here he is—come in, God- turies. Buggy and frigate, to name a win. This is Morgan Jones, w'ho I couple, will probably follow hacqueton was telling you of. Mr. Jones, God- in all vocabularies save those of histori- win Hill. ans and specialists, unless somebody Hill : Verily, ’tis a great pleasure. Sir. finds new meanings for them. Thus Mobray; Mr. Hill haved a most mark- clipper has been saved by a transfer of worthy accident, whichby he was its meaning to a modern object. preserved from his time to ourn. It’s not strictly correct to say that He’ll tell you of it, some day. today’s is slang tomorrow’s standard Hill : Faith, when I awoke I thought I English, if we can judge from history. had truly gone mad. And when they Of our vast “floating population’’ of told me the date, I said “Faugh! slang terms, only the most useful few ’Tis a likely tale!” But they were (like mob, originally a slang word) will right, it seems. Pray, how goes your be admitted to the company of words trouble with authority, Einstein ? used in serious speech and writing. Our Mobray : The cachet’s still good, but I’ll hero will find that most of the slang of get up with the narrs yet. What his time has gone without a trace, and happened, Mr. Jones, was that I w'as that the people of have a whole 2438 gulling my belcher new set of slang terms wherewith to be- Hero: Your wdiat? wilder him. (I’m reminded of a time Mobray: Oh very well, my aerial ve- I had occasion to explain to a South hicle propelled by expanding gasses, African that by “the grub is fierce’’ I like a rocket. I was coasting it, and meant, not “the larva is ferocious”, but getted into the wrong layer, and they “the food is unpalatable.”) redded me down. The cachet means an upcotigh and thirty days’ hanging. LET’S SUPPOSE that our hero has Hill : ’Sblood, do they hang you for been let out of the psychopathic ward, that ? and has convinced the authorities of his Mobray : Not me, my silk. I mean, my true origin. He’s turned over to a local operating permit will be suspended savant who is to act as his guide and for thirty days, and I’ll have to pay interpreter. This time we’ll concentrate a fine. But I hope to get up with on changes in vocabulary and idiom. them. Savant : Morning, Mr. Jones. I’m Ein- Hero; You’ll get up with them? Do stein Mobray, who is to symbiose you mean you’ll arise at the same you for a few days until you hoylize time they do? yourself. Mobray; No, no, no! I mean I expect Hero: I’m sorry—you’re going to what to exert influence to have the cachet me until I what myself? rubbered. Moltray : I mean, you’re going to reside Hill: You your??? with me until you adapt yourself. — “Symbiose” is from “symbiosis”, Mobray: I mean, to have the summons cancelled. meaning “living together” ; “hoylize” is from “Hoyle”, as in the old term Hero: Oh, I see! Just like fixing a “according to Hoyle”, “in conform- ticket ! 72 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION Hill: What, Mr, Jones? Does that not Moore, “Historical Outlines of English mean “attaching an admission card” ? Phonology and Morphology” Mobray : I’d have neured that he meant, Stanley, “The Speech of East Texas” “repairing a public conveyance”. Ward, “The Phonetics of English” What did you mean, Mr. Jones? (British dialects) Hero: Well, in my time, when a cop James, “Historical Introduction to pinched you French Phonectics” Hill: Cop? Pinched? Greenough & Kittredge, “Words and Mobray: (dials the portable telephone Their Ways in English Speech” on his wrist) Quick, send up six dic- tionaries and a box of aspirin Mencken, “The American Language” Hill: Aspirin? You mean “aspen”? Bloomfield, “Language” There grows a tree by that name Fowler, “Modern English Usage” (Curtain) Columbia Univ. Press, “American Speech” (Periodical) BIBLIOGRAPHY Columbia Univ. Press, “Phonetic Tran- scriptions” Kenyon, “American Pronunciation” Webster's New International Diction- (The best for beginners) ary, 2nd Ed. TOPS IN DETECTIVE- MYSTERY Magazines. FEATURING THE AVENGER OF justice,TH£ SHADOWI TWICE A MONTH 128 PAGES IN EVERY ISSUE; COMPLETE BOOK LENOTH MYS. IN EVERY ISSUE TERY NOVEL OF THE SHADOW’S EXPLOITS AGAINST CRIME. BIGGEST AND DETECTIVE-MYSTERY STORIES BY LEADING WRITERS. CODES AND SECRET WRITING. 73 CONTEST Six months ago, I said Astounding was looking for new writers with new ideas. We have been getting a number of letters suggesting that we should organize a contest to stimulate new writers. That contest idea seems to me to be a good one, so let's look into the possibilities for a moment. First, we'll have to formulate the rules. For legibility, the manuscripts must be typewritten on one side of white paper—preferably standard typewriter size. They must be double-spaced to allow room for editing and proof-reader's markings. Entering and closing dates ? We'll let that go for the moment, and consider prizes. A longer manuscript means more work, more research, more polishing. We ought to allow higher prizes for that. Suppose we offered $450.00 for a three-part novel, $200.00 for a novelette, and $60.00 for a short story. Those seem like pretty sound prizes. They certainly should stimulate some new writers. Now as to eligibles. There are two possibilities; an "open" contest, free to professional and amateur alike. Or we could have an amateur-only con- test. Would it make any red difference? The winning manuscripts, to be winners, must be as good as any professional's work, v/hether an amateur or professional does it. Since every manuscript must compete with the winner, then, it makes no real difference whether it be "open" or not. But since the thing we primarily want is good material—perhaps from professionals in other fields—we ought to make it open. Judges? The editors usually get that job. The readers will determine whether a given contestant appears again. Now that is shaping up remarkably like a contest we have run—run for considerable time. Every month we hold that contest, judging several hun- dred amateur and professional submissions. We pay those prizes to the winners—and pay several winning prizes for novelettes and short stories every month! Not just one winner, but several. Further, there is neither opening: nor closing date; there is no limit to the number of submissions one entrant! can make, and no waiting for months while the judging takes place. It is, in fact, our regular buying practice. Winners? Amateurs? Kent Casey—Lester Del Rey—M. Schere—John Victor Peterson—and, less recently, a dozen others. L. Ron Hubbard, this month, represents an "amateur" in this field, well-known though he is in other fields. L. Sprague de Camp was an amateur not so long ago. And Kent Casey, L. Sprague de Camp, Lester Del Rey, and M. Schere have all won first or near-first places in reader approval. Kent Casey and M. Schere have already won several "first prizes", too, a thing no limited contest could offer. So Astounding can announce a contest—a contest for new, good authors, a contest that has neither entry nor closing date, nor is it limited to one prize apiece nor one entry per contestant. We've all gained by those past win- ners; we'll gain, I know, on new winners. Better stories—new ideas. The contest is on—and goes on. The Editor 74 The MEN MiE men were plunging down Concerning the Law and the gently curving surface of the the Outlaw—trapped to- t:mirror. gether by the Laws of Above them were the stars of the universe, whose light was caught by the Physics. mirror, radiated and reradiated by its 7S There was a diiHcuIty. He demanded entrance as an I. F. officer—^but another man had ap- peared claiming to be that same officer! “le MIRROR concave surface, and, unimpaired, was By flung back into space as a conglomerate glow. There were two of these men. One ROSS was Edward Deverel, a worldly wise, carefree giant of a man whose profession ROCKLYNNE 76 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION —up until the recent past—had been of Earth. There was not a breathable that of pirating canal boats on the planet drop of oxygen in the atmosphere, and Mars. The other, a hard, powerful man, not a ray of light ever penetrated the was Lieutenant John Colbie, whose as- vast cloud layer to the planet’s surtace. signment it was to apprehend this cor- But man had built the city, and it sair of the canals. would remain forever, so solidly and ef- Theirs was a real predicament, for ficiently was it constnicted. they were unable to produce, at present, When Colbie came before the dome any means of escape from the prison commander, that individual listened to this smooth, shining, deep bowl of a his story, eyeing him keenly in the mean- mirror presented. while. As to how it all came about “So you’re Lieutenant John Colbie, of the Interplanetary Police Force,’’ he WHEN Colbie, after his twelve hour mused. “Yet, not less than thirty-six Irek along the ammonia river which hours ago, another man stood before ran from the lake into which the Foun- me and presented proof that he was tain poured its noxious ammonia liquids, John Colbie. One of you is wrong. I’d finally reached Jupiter City, he was in say, and no mistake about it.” a state of fatigue under which his “I’ve told you my story—that other muscles every one of them, seemed to man was a criminal, Edward Deverel scream out a protest. He pressed the by name, and I was put on his trail. I buzzer that let those within the air-lock caught up with him on Vulcan, near understand that he was demanding ad- the Sun, and we found it was hollow mittance, and was decidedly relieved to by the simple expedient of falling see the huge valve swing open, throw- through a cavity on its surface. I had ing a glow of luminescence on the Deverel prisoner then, but he proved a wildly swirling gases that raced across bit too smart for me. We were trapped the surface of that mighty, poisonous there, well enough, at the center of planet Jupiter. Two men came for gravity. But he figured that the gases ward. They covered him w’ith hand filling the planet’s interior would ex- weapons, and urged him inside the lock. pand as the planet came to perihelion, The keeper of the lock desired to know thus forming currents which Deverel Colbic’s business, and Colbie demanded used to his advantage in escaping the that he be taken before the commander trap and eluding me at the same time.* of the garrison—who was also mayor of I found him again, but we were wrecked the city—as things had, of necessity, to above Jupiter, fell into a pit with a be run on a military basis. liquid ammonia lake at the bottom. And Riding through the streets of the city, Deverel, using. I'll have to admit, re- he was both thrilled and awed, after that markably astute powers of deduction, tortuous ordeal in the wilds of Jupiter, figured that the lake drained by means by the consciousness of the great genius of a siphon of some height. He eluded of the human race—that it was able, in me that way, and I was left in the pit. I the face of so many killing difficulties, finally caught on—from some deliberate to erect this domed city, so well hints he had let drop—and followed him equipped with the luxuries of Earthly through the siphon. But he was waiting life. For outside the city there was for me at the other end, demanded my a pressure of fifteen thousand pounds credentials, and extracted from me a t* the square inch. There was • gravitation A.t The Center Of Gravity, A>toundiDg a two and a half times that Storlea, June, 193U. — THE MEN AND THE MIRROR 77 promise that I’d stay where I was for Must be a sore point. How come you twenty-four hours.”* Colbie grinned in aren’t in any especial hurry ?” he slight mirth. “So after twenty-four deftly changed the subject. hours I came on. And now he’s gone.” “I should say I’m not hi a hurry!” Colbie exclaimed feelingly. “I’ve been space-tied for a few months now, and I "’FRAID HE IS,” admitted the have to stuff a few of the civilized other. “I had no reason to suspect he benefits into my life now and then. was an impostor, so I gave him a ship. There’s no need for haste, anyway. Come to think of it, he seemed in a Only way I can find Deverel is by de- mighty hurry. Hm-m-m. How can I ducing his destination, then going there.” identify you as Lieutenant John Col- bie?” “Where do you think he went?” queried the other man interestedly. “Easy,” snapped Colbie. “I’m not unknown. There must be a few IPF “The new planet. I notice there’s quite a lot about it in the papers. It’s men in the city. Let some of them been its into the solar sys- identify me.” making way tem for the past five or six months, I “Good idea.” The man grimaced. understand. It’s a real wanderer “Something I should have done with probably been zipping through interstel- the other man. However, that’s past. lar space for ages. There’s a good No use replotting an orbit you’ve swung. chance that’s where Deverel’s gone. He’s I’ll hunt up an IPF man or two.” curious, insanely curious about all things And this he did. Within the space bizarre, and he won’t be able to resist it of a few hours, the commander had no —I hope,” he added. doubt that the man who stood before “Good lead, anyway. It’ll be a worth- him was one Lieutenant John Colbie, a while experience, too. No exploring native of Earth, and in the service of the parties have set foot on it. You two Interplanetary Police Force, if Deverel is there—will be the first to “Well, we’ll outfit you again. Lieuten- set foot on it. Hope you have good luck, ant,” he assured Colbie. “What’s your this time,” he added sincerely. course of action after that?” Colbie drew smoke into lungs that Colbie, lolling in a deep chair, bathed, had not known cigarette smoke for a full resplendent in borrowed clothing and half-year. “If there’s any doubt in your refreshingly combed hair, cigarette mind, commander, let me assure you drooping from a corner of his square that Deverel’s already up for trial, as far lips, said, “My assignment was to ap- as my capturing him is concerned. Yes, prehend a certain criminal those are ; I feel it in my bones. He’s going back my orders. I just have to keep on try- with me, this time.” ing.” The two men then looked up statistics “Not if things go as they have,” said on the new planet. It was a large the other, smiling in such a manner sphere of celestial flotsam, somewhere that his sarcasm should have been with- near five thousand miles in diameter, of out edge but he saw immediately that ; extremely low density for its bulk. It he had said the wrong thing, for Col- was travelling at the good clip of eighty- bie’s eyes narrowed half angrily. two miles per second toward the Sun, “Sorry,” he added quickly. And then but it was estimated that that speed apologetically, “Don’t blame you a bit. would be cut in half by a near passage by Jupiter. Finally it would take up • Jupiter Trap, Astounding Stories, August, an orbit that would be located some- 78 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION where between those of Jupiter and lived at least thousands, perhaps mil- Neptune. lions of years ago. Who could tell how far Cyclops had travelled, plunging at II, steady pace across the void that sep- SHOOTING through space at furi-^ arates our solar system from the nearest ous velocity in his new cruiser, Colbie’s star? Who could tell the manner of lips were set and grim. His nerves were people who had constructed it? One on edge. There was a flame in his could only say that they had been en- brain. Truth to tell, he was so furious gineers on a scale which human beings at Deverel’s repeated escapes that the could not at present comprehend. more he thought about it, the less he The mirror was perfect. Colbie took found himself able to think straight. various readings on it, after the first He could see the new planet as a mighty upsurge of awe had ebbed away. small, gray dot against the ubiquitous He found the diameter, about two miles veil of stars. It was not yet named, but less than a thousand ; the depth, an was destined to be called Cyclops, for a approximate three-hundred ; and the reason to be seen. And with the pass- shape, perfectly circular, perfectly ing hours it grew in apparent size, un- curved. The albedo was so close to 1 til, seven days after Colbie had shot that his instruments could not measure upward into space, fighting Jupiter’s the infinitesimal fraction that it lacked! gravitational fingers, it was a vast bulk in the heavens less than ten thousand AND THEREAT, Colbie sat down miles distant. Colbie dived for it. He and whistled loud and long. Man knew still had enormous speed, and was check- of no perfect reflector; it was deemed ing it with the greatest deceleration he impossible, in fact. All materials will could stand. When he came near reflect light in some small degree, but enough to the planet, he used its gravi- more often the greater amount is ab- tation as a further check. He started sorbed. But the material of this co- to circle it—and forthwith saw the lossus amongst reflectors reflected all “eye” of Cyclops staring up at him. light save an absolutely negligible It was a mirror—a concave reflector, amount of that which impinged on its rather. But it looked like the eye of surface. For Colbie knew that some the planet, an eye that reflected star- of it was certainly absorbed—he did not light. Starlight, yes, because it was a believe in impossibilities. It was im- reflector that caught the rays of the possible that that mirror didn’t absorb stars and threw them back to space. In- some light. His instruments had been deed, Colbie, gazing on it awestruck, unable to measure it, but of course there could see no slightest difference between were instruments on Earth that would the brilliance of the stars and the bril- measure that absorption when the time liance of that colossal mirror. came for it. But they would have to be “Lord !” he whispered to himself, delicate indeed. Even at that, however, feeling half-reverent. He suddenly had the albedo of this mirror was a thing al- a sensation of smallness, and realized in most beyond belief, and certainly be- that second what an infinitesimal part yond comprehension. of the universe he was. He lived for only the fraction of a second and surely The mirror disappeared around the was no larger than a sub-electron. For curve of the planet as Colbie’s ship that mirror was artificial, had been plunged on, decreasing its velocity fabricated by the powerful tools and in- slowly but surely. Colbie forced his telligence of a race which had certainly thoughts once more to the issue para- — THE MEN AND THE MIRROR 79 mount in his mind—that of locating HE PUT OUT a vial to draw in a Deverel. But liis exciting discovery of sample of the planet’s atmosphere, but the mirror stayed in the back of his as he had with good reason suspected, mind, and he was determined to know that atmosphere was non-existent. The more about it. And he did ; more thor- undistorted brightness of the stars had oughly, in fact, than he liked at the almost made him sure of it. He strug- time. gled into a space suit, buckled on his He now had his velocity under con- weapons, attached oxygen tank, screwed trol. Hoping that Deverel had not de- down his helmet, opened the air-lock tected his presence above the new planet, and jumped down to the planet’s surface. he gave himself up to the one problem It was hard. Examining it, he found that was perplexing him—where would that it consisted of ores in a frozen, Deverel have landed? Near the mir- earthy state. Whether this was true of ror; that was a certainty. Somewhere the entire planet he did not know. near the rim of the giant reflector—but He started around the curved base of that was anywhere on a circle three and the mountain, and, after the first mile, a half thousand miles in circumference. discovered that travelling across the sur- He finally resolved to scour the area face of Cyclops was a terrific task. The in which Deverel would have landed. planet was seamed and cracked in Training his single telescope downward dozens of places; great gaping cracks so that it would sweep the entire area, which presented definite handicaps to a he applied his photo-amplifiers to the safe journey of any length. He found light received, and then, keeping at a that he had to take precautions indeed, distance of about fifty miles from the and often searched extensively for crev- surface of the planet so that Deverel ices narrow enough to leap with safety. could not possibly sight him with the He worried along, taking his time, but naked eye, he darted around that circle he was beginning to realize that he at low speed, eye glued to the eyepiece might not have as much of that at his of the telescope. He hoped thus to see disposal as he had indicated to the the outlaw’s ship. dome commander back on Jupiter. And he did. It lay at the base of one So that, after a good many hours, he of those mountains of Cyclops that rounded the breast of the mountain and flaunted a sharp peak thousands of feet caught the black shine of Deverel’s up into the sky. That mountain swept falsely acquired ship. down to foothills that terminated But he saw nothing of Deverel. abruptly in a level plain scarcely more He threw himself to the ground. Sud- than seven or eight miles from the rim denly he was painfully conscious that of the great mirror. his heart was thumping. The thought Colbie sighed in lusty relief, entirely of physical danger in no way caused glad that his assumption of Deverel’s this condition—he was simply afraid destination had now been proven abso- that Deverel might elude capture again lutely correct. by putting his tricky mentality to work. Shooting the ship upward, and then, The competition between these two keeping that single landmark—the law and disorder personified—had be- mountain—in view, he came up behind come a personal contest. Truth to tell, it, and, by dint of much use of forward, the IP man respected and rather ad- stern, and under jets, jockeyed the mired Deverel’s uncanny ability to es- cruiser to rest far enough around the cape him, not the fact that he had es- curve of the mountain so that the out- caped. Colbie had to bring him back, law should not note his*«dvent. but respected Deverel’s unusual genius — 80 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION at escaping tight spots. But—he had noted positive and negative decelera- to bring the man in, or admit the out- tion, a missing vital element in syn- law a better man than he. thetic air, and the lack of gravitation. In this uneasy state of mind, he lay Its only cure is absolute rest under a there, projector out. It could shoot ex- decent gravitation. And—such a cure plosive missiles at thousands of feet per was impossible for a man who was de- second, and wasj in this, the twenty- pendent on no one but himself. third century, the ultimate in destruc- Colbie squirmed uncomfortably. “The tive hand weapons. fool might be dying!’’ he snapped Now, as he lay there, his eyes con- angrily to himself. “While I’m lying stantly on the ship and the area about, here. But I can’t give myself away.’’ he turned his thoughts in a new direc- But his nerves grew more and more tion. In the name of all that was holy, tense. He dreaded the thought of Dev- why had Deverel come here? Hadn’t erel sick in there while he was able to he realized it was the first place Colbie give him help. And in the end he sprang would look? Certainly he must have to his feet, determined he wouldn’t let known it. Then why had he come ? the uncertainty of the situation wear on him any longer. COLBIE THOUGHT he saw the an- And then his radio receiver w'oke to swer. Deverel had planned on leaving life, and screeched calmly though waver- this planet long before the space police- ingly, “You’re out there, Colbie. You man had arrived. He had had a full would be there. Listen ’’ The voice thirty-six hours start on Colbie, and he dwindled away, and then came back in decided that would give him enough renewed strength. “I’m sick, Colbie, time for the opportunity he so craved rottenly sick. I think I’m going to do to visit this new planet, and determine the death act. It’s the stomach that to his own satisfaction whether or not really hurts, though there’s the ears, there was anything about it which too. They hurt, too, and they send the would satisfy that love he had for the blind staggers right through the brain. bizarre. I’m sweating ’’ The voice ebbed, He had had sufficient time. Sufficient rushed back. “If you want to—come time to satisfy himself as to the nature in and give me a hand—wall you? Then ’’ of the mirror; sufficient time to leave you can take me back The voice again, and break up his trail in the groaned off, and sliding sounds came trackless wastes of space. through the receiver. But he hadn’t left. But already Colbie was tearing out Why? into the open, racing acrt)ss the space separating him from the ship, a wave And then Colbie began to feel acute of pity for the helpless man breaking mental discomfort. And the longer he over him. lay there, the worse it became. He be- came conscience stricken. And why? The outer valve w'as open. Colbie Because Deverel might be lying in there climbed in, drew it shut, manipulated the sick, and Colbie could not risk coming controls of the inner valve, and de- out into the open until he knew abso- bouched into the ship proper. lutely Deverel’s whereabouts. And per- He was now amidships, standing op- haps Deverel lay in there dying. Space posite the lazarette. Forward was the sickness is a recognized malady, and it control cabin and vital machinery, abaft, is not infrequent. It is ascribed to any in the stern compartments, were sleeping number of causes, among which are and living quarters. THE MEN AND THE MIRROR 81 COLBIE bounded aft, swung through and vegetables from the refrigerator, a door, and saw a pitiable sight in- where they had doubtless reposed for deed. The room was incredibly littered months perfectly frozen, and started a with such items as soiled clothing, and pot of soup. dishes with the scum of meals dried And that was all he could do for a onto them. In the middle of the room while. was a table, and on that table an electric He sat down and waited, taking many fan was whirling full blast, flinging a readings on the thermometer. steady current of air upon a man who And Deverel’s temperature went lay stark naked on a bunk which seemed down. His breathing became even, and the ultimate in human filth. then he slept. Thirteen hours later he Deverel lay there, twisting, squirm- awoke. ing, panting, moaning, his eyes rolling, “Hi, Lieutenant,” he said. and rivulets of sweat bubbling up from “Hi, yourself !” Colbie put down the his queerly yellow skin, and flowing magazine with which he had been realty down to encounter a plain, stained mat- enjoying himself for the first time in tress. months. “How’s the temperature?” he The first thing Colbie did was to snap enquired. off that venomous, killing fan. In fact, “Gone. Thanks a lot,” he added care- to sweep it from the table with one blow lessly, but he was serious. “You know of his open palm. The next was to take I mean it, too.” Deverel’s pulse. It was quick, danger- “Sure.” Colbie waved it aside. “A ously high, but certainly none predicting pleasure—I was glad to do it, y’ know.” the close approach of death. In an- He fingered the pages of the magazine otlier day it might have ceased alto- abstractedly. He jerked a thumb. gether, but at present there was plenty “How’d you know I was out there ?” of chance. “Didn’t know it.” Deverel laughed. Deverel’s eyes lolled over to Colbie’s, “It’s a cinch if you weren’t out there and his lips dreW back painfully over you wouldn’t have heard me say I knew handsome white teeth. you were.” “Glad you came,” he whispered, and “That’s right.” Colbie laughed, too, then his head dropped back and his eyes and blue eyes and gray met each other closed. He was not asleep; the knowl- in mutual amusement. “Like some edge that he was now in the hands of a soup ?” competent person sent him into a dead Deverel said enthusiastically that he faint. did. So that these two men, mutually Colbie knew what to do in cases like respecting enemies of each other, sat this. He went forward to the control down and ate for all the world as if room, manipulated oxygen tank valves, each was an affectionate friend of the and increased the quantity of oxygen in other. the air. He got all the clean linen he HI. could find, and bathed Deverel from head to foot in luke-warm water. He FOR MANY DAYS life was easy. turned the mattress over, put on clean No grueling flights through harsh space. sheets, and then lifted Deverel lightly as No anxieties. No dread of death to a baby back onto it. Then he stuck a come. No fear of insanely impersonal thermometer into the outlaw’s mouth. meteors. Here on Cyclops, the planet He cleaned the room, occupying a full of the great mirror, living was a hour in washing dishes with a minimum pleasure. of valuable water. Then he took meats Deverel regained his health. He was 82 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION finally able to get out of bed and walk The stars looked down at them unwink- around. With that done, it was not long ingly through the vacuum separating before Deverel was considered a well them from Cyclops’ harsh terrain. Be- man once more. Of course, the old hind the men loomed the sharp, high life then had to be recognized. There peaks of the mountain in whose prox- had been a tacit understanding between imity Deverel had put down his stolen the two men—for a little while their cruiser. personal relationships did not stand. They were decked out as completely That was fair. as they deemed advisable. They had But that understanding had to be oxygen, water, and food for at least a sundered eventually, and Deverel did day. Colbie had decided not to carry not put the time off. The moment he his projector. It was a clumsy weapon, felt his strength had returned in full and he saw no possible use for it. Thus, measure, he said; “Well, it’s been fun attached by a two-hundred-foot hank of while it lasted. But it’s time for us to rope, which was suited in composition sort of assume our natural antagonisms. to the demands the cold and vacuum So you put me in irons—right away. Or of space might make upon it, they I’ll give you a swift, underhanded poke wended their starlit way across Cyclops. to the jaw.” When they were not using the rope ford- Colbie regarded him judicially. “Fair ing dangerous chasms, they wound it up enough,” he conceded. “You wouldn’t about them. They progressed steadily mind getting me about the heaviest pair toward the rim of the reflector which of leg and arm irons from the lazarette, probably had been constructed long be- would you ?” he enquired quizzically. fore man had made the first full stride “Not at all,” murmured Deverel po- toward harmonized society. litely. Twice, Colbie slipped at the termina- “Wait a minute,” Colbie said uneasily. tion of a leap which taxed all his phys- He leaned forward. “Now look. Did ical powers, and twice w'ould have you notice the mirror?” plunged into the apparently bottomless braced “Certainly. And damned curious gorges below ; and twice Deverel about it, too.” himself against the rims of the pits, and “And I. Now suppose we let this un- pulled the Interplanetary man back to written pact of mutual non-interference safety. In both cases they made ex- drag on for a while, just enough to al- tended searches for narrower crevices. low us to explore? Y’know, I haven’t Slowly but surely they worked their ” got a time limit on me way to the rim, and finally struck level “Oh,” Deverel waved a scornful hand, country. The last mile was a true plain, “neither have I. Let’s let it drag on, so unmarred that they suspected it must shall we?” he said in the unconscious have been smothed over artificially at manner of a youngster excited over the some long-gone period. It struck Col- prospect of a pleasing new toy. “You've bie that this would have been a much got my promise, Colbie—I won’t try to better place for Deverel to have put his get away.” ship down. Deverel explained that at They saluted each other with a grin, the moment the first spasm of sickness and forthwith made ready for their ad- had hit him, he was not in a frame of venture in exploration. mind to care where he landed. They came, then, to the rim. SLEEP WAS THE first prepara- They regarded with awe the black tion. After a good many hours, they set wall. It was composed of some dully off across the gouged, forbidding plain. hued metal. It stretched away from 6 — THE MEN AND THE MIRROR 83 them in a slow curve that lost itself to their eyes many miles to either side them. It was perfectly formed and unmarred in the slightest particular, about twice as tall as a man. Deverel struck a pose, and said vi- brantly, “The mirror!” But certainly he was not unshaken by the anciently constructed reflector. Colbie put in wonderingly, “Some things a man can’t believe. I wonder how old this thing is—wonder who made it—how they made it! Lord, what en- gineers they must have been! What job!” “What a contract for the firm landed the bid!” Deverel put in, “It’s not only a mir- ror, ” the outlaw pointed out, “it’s worse—it’s friction- less, We can’t stop falling.’’ “What do you say we top it? got an itch to see it first hand touch it.” COLBIE nodded, and Deverel braced himself against the wall, forming a cup with his heavily gloved hands. “Up you go! But once you get up,” he warned, “careful you don’t topple. That’d mean trouble in large doses.” “Don’t worry about that,” Colbie said grimly. “If any one falls, it’s going to be you, not me.” He put one foot in the outlaw’s hands. Deverel heaved. Colbie shot up and caught both hands around the rim, which sloped inward. That done, he drew AST— ! — 84 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION himself upward so that he was sitting that were extremely concerned. carefully on the rim, facing Deverel. “And I said be careful,” he snapped With much effort and care, he drew angrily. Colbie started to open his lips Deverel beside him, and then, as if with with hot words, but Deverel waved a mutual consent, they twisted their heads hand disgustedly. “I know, I know. and sent their eyes out over the great My fault, too.” He drew a long breath, mirror. and occupied himself putting his head At once, all sense of perspective and where his feet were. balance left them. Light from all di- Colbie did the same, and then very rections smote them, blinded them, sent gingerly tried to stay his fall, by press- a haze into their minds. Downward and ing his hand and feet on the surface of to all sides and above, there was light. the mirror. This had not the slightest In fact, the light of the stars and the effect on his position or his velocity. He light of the mirror were indistinguish- found that it was extremely difficult to able in the split second when that be- twist his body except by flinging his wildering sensation of instability struck arms around, but he accomplished this them. Colbie thought fleetingly and in not by any aid the mirror gave him. His panic that he was poised upside down hands in no slightest degree rubbed on the most insecure foothold in the uni- against the mirror’s surface. In fact, he verse. He could not decide, in that split felt no sensation which told him that his second, which was the true sky. hands might have touched a surface. It So—he clutched at the wrong sky, was as if he had run a finger over a vat and toppled over the rim. of some viscous slime, as if the slime Deverel, feeling precisely the same had imparted no heat, no cold, had not sensations, would have recovered in time adhered to his finger, had not impeded had not the rope attaching him to Colbie its motion in any way, had merely forcefully jerked at him a second before guided it along a path determined by its he had fully decided which way was up. own surface So they both fell down the angle of the mirror, and were, in a second, shooting HE CLOSED his eyes painfully. The haphazardly, horridly, through an inter- trend of his thoughts hinted of insanity. minable pressing mist of light and noth- He tried to analyze his sensations. He ing but light. was falling. Falling straight down, at They they plunging downward so the acceleration the gravity of this planet swiftly, and yet so lightly, that they gave his body. But he knew he was might have been wafted along on an merely gliding along at a downward intangible beam of force. For they felt angle. He was Simply being guided by nothing. Not the slightest sensation of a substance which in no degree impeded sliding—only a sense of acceleration the action of gravity. That must dcnvnward. mean After that first moment of heart-stop- No friction! ping horror, after the first panic, the The words exploded in his brain first moment of unutterable vertigo had and exploded crazily from his mouth. passed, Colbie’s nerves started quiver- “No friction!” ing violently. Deliberately he quieted Deverel stared at him, and then fran- them by closing his eyes and clenching tically made tests. He tried to rub that his fists. Then he opened fists and eyes surface. He felt nothing, nothing that both, and looked around for Deverel. held his hand back—as if it had slid Deverel was about five feet behind him. along infinitely smooth ice. Deverel was looking at him from eyes “You’re right,” he said, staring stu- —I THE MEN AND THE MIRROR 85 pidly. “That’s what it must be. Hell bie, “let’s talk this over.” His voice was —it’s frictionless!’’ And then he cried, slightly metallic as it came through Col- "But that can’t be!’’ and his lips bie’s earphones. “Before I landed on twitched. “There can’t be anything this planet I took some readings on that that’s frictionless. You know that. It mirror same as you, and I guess I came !’’ can’t be done to the same conclusions.” Colbie shook his head as one speaking to a child. “No, Deverel,” he found IV. himself saying in a kindly voice, an in- sistent but pitying voice, “it has no rub. “LONG AGO, maybe a million years, You put your hand on it and push. there was a race of men—or beings And does it hold your hand back? No,’’ who lived on a planet that circled a sun he shook his head sadly. “They made just like ours, perhaps. They had a this stuff frictionless.” satellite, this planet, we’re on. They And as they shot downward into the were engineers on a monster scale. I sea of light, they held each other with have no doubt they could have remade their dumfounded eyes. their planet, and even their solar sys- The outlaw sharply shook his head. tem, exactly to suit themselves—and “We’re making fools of ourselves. Let’s maybe they did. But they made this face it. There isn’t any friction. Now satellite over to suit themselves, that’s —now we’re up against something.” certain. They gouged out—how I wouldn’t know a section of this planet “I know it.” — that corresponded to the bottom part of Colbie almost drunkenly squirmed a sphere. The radius of that sphere— around, and finally maneuvered until he figured it—is about 1600 miles out in was sitting, his feet crossed under him, space. Then, so help me—I wouldn’t his eyes trained hypnotically into the know this, either—^they coated that downward distance. Or was there any gouged-out surface with some substance distance? There was no horizon. The which, when it hardened, formed an ab- stars, and the conglomerate glow of the solutely smooth surface. You came to mirror that was the absolute reflection the same conclusions I did, didn’t you? of the stars, merged with each other. That it was such a perfect reflector you “We’ve got to pull ourselves to- couldn’t measure the amount it didn’t gether,” he said stubbornly. “Let’s reflect ?” think this out. We’ve got to get used Colbie, listening with interest, nodded. to it.” “And we should have seen that such a “Right.” And Deverel did the first good reflector would be frictionless, too. sensible thing by twisting and looking Couldn’t be any other way. And say!” behind him. They had toppled over the he exclaimed. “This stuff can’t be fric- rim of the mirror almost exactly two tionless. We knew it couldn’t reflect all minutes ago, and though their velocity light. It simply reflects all but a negligi- had steadily been mounting, there was a ble amount of light, and it’s got a neg- horizon back there which could be seen. ligible amount of friction, too!” It was mainly indicated by that lofty, “That’s right !” Deverel was gen- slowly rising mountain which loomed uinely relieved. “That idea of no fric- up against the rim of the mirror. He tion at all had me going cuckoo. ’Course felt that it was a good landmark—some- not—there can’t be any surface that’s how, that was the place they had to get got no friction at all. The molecular back to. state of matter forbids it. No matter “Now look,” he said seriously to Col- how close you crowd the molecules, they — 86 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION still make an infinitesimally bumpy sur- bottom now—notice how the angle’s face. been straightening out? It’s almost “Now why did they make the mirror? 180® now. Let’s see. Phew !” He had Only reason I can see—power. They looked at his chronometer. “We’ve must have had a heat engine. It gen- fallen three hundred miles in something erated power in huge amounts, undoubt- like eight or nine minutes.” Colbie edly, and perhaps the power they took started to protest, but the outlaw said, in that way was broadcast back to their “Sure, to all intents and purposes we’ve planet. Or perhaps it was a weapon simply fallen three hundred miles—the another mirror, plane this time, which depth of the mirror. Remember, there could rotate and train a searing beam isn’t any friction that’d hold us back, of heat on an enemy ship. Would that and the inclined surface we came down sliip blister ! And they might Jiave on just guided us. And that means been able to rotate this satellite at will, we’re going to bounce right back to the too other rim—see?” “Then something happened. Those “Ye gods, yes!” yelled Colbie, then people lost their satellite. Maybe their grimaced. “But we won’t quite reach own planet exploded. Maybe their sun the rim. Just that damnably small exploded, and this planet went shooting amount of friction will hold us back fifty away, and finally our Sun grabbed it. or some feet. If there w'eren’t any fric- “And that’s a fair explanation—the tion things would be simple—we’d reach only one, as far as I see. Unless, of the other rim exactly.” course, it was meant to be something “Sure. And climb over. Gravity that was in the experimental stage and gave us the momentum going down, but was never completed.” she’ll occupy herself taking it away at “The magical mirror,” Colbie inter- the same rate going up.” spersed softly. But neither of them then While they had been talking, they knew exactly what magical character- had passed bottom—quite definitely. istics it did possess. They were going up, for the angle was slowly but surely increasing. FOR A MOMENT they were silent. “We won’t make it,” Colbie said dis- “Well,” Deverel had a shrug in his consolately. “There’s the rub.” voice, “we can’t do anything nOw—can In the thoughtfully melancholy voice we ? Shall we eat ?” of the Danish prince, Deverel muttered, “Why not?” “Aye, there's the rub; for in that sleep They ate in the strange manner neces- of death, what dreams may come, when sitated by spacesuits. By buttons in a we have shuffled off this mortal coil, niche outside their suits they manip- must give us pause.” !” ulated levers which reached into a com- “And that’s appropriate, isn’t it Col- plicated mechanism, pulling out food bie sneered. pills—tasteless things—and water, which “I played Hamlet once. Long time they sucked through a tube, ago, of course, but I was pretty good. “Now,” said Deverel, smacking his You know that second act scene where ” lips as if he had just eaten a square he meal, “this is just another situation, and “Skip it! Forget it—I don't want to not a fairy tale. Proved it by eating, hear it. Let’s get on. There is this which is so mortal- it’s disgusting. friction—infinitesimal. It doesn’t help Where we bound?” at all when you try to change or retard ” “For the bottom your motion; but in the long run, it’ll “Ho—not at all! W&’re almost at build up a total resistance great enough THE MEN AND THE MIRROR 87 to keep us from the rim.” low. I admit it. But you haven’t got “Check, check, and check,” agreed the instinct to help make an organized the outlaw, touching the fingers of his unit of society—you’re a gear out ol left hand with the index finger of his mesh. ’Course, there’s others like you right. —but it’s you I have to take in. I sup- “That’s our situation. Looks hope- pose I’ll do it, too.” less.” “Forgetting the mix-up we’re in?” “Maybe,” Deverel declared. “Let me “No. Just trying to match your own add some further facts. We’re drop- superb confidence in crises like this ping down at an acceleration of twelve one.” feet a second per second. At bottom, “Touche.” The outlaw grinned. “Any 300 miles down, we had a terrific final ideas to match your confidence?” velocity. Don’t know exactly what it “Not a shard.” is, but there’s a formula for it. Going “Me either—yet. By the way”—and up, gravity will be right on our tails, here —Deverel regarded Colbie thought- lopping off twelve feet of speed for fully “I’m keeping anything I learn to every second. Notice I say up and myself—anything that might get us out, down. I mean it. Our angular speed I mean.” is something else again, and is certainly “Meaning?” Colbie’s eyes hardened. much greater.” “I’ll sell wliat I know for a price.” !” Then, as he saw Colbie’s impatient “Ho ! Freedom, I guess Colbie said look, “I don’t know how we get out. sardonically. Normally, when you get in some place, “Well—not that, exactly. I’ll tell you you go out the same way—but they what it is, if I ever get anything to closed the door on us. And, of course, I sell.” don’t see how we can change direction.” Colbie studied him, shrugged his shoulders carelessly. He looked over THE IP MAN crossed his legs under his shoulder, but he didn’t yet see the him the other way for a change. He approaching rim. squinted upward. “Getting near top “Our angle’s much steeper,” Deverel again. Damn that light. After a while. followed his thought. “The rim isn’t far I’ll go blind.” away. Couple minutes yet.” “Shut your eyes,” Deverel told him “We won’t make it though,” Colbie callously, then, “Lord,” he remarked said regretfully, “unless there’s some- whimsically, his cynical, yet friendly, thing else we don’t know anything eyes crinkling, “I’m glad we’re what we about.” are, Colbie. You have to chase me and In a few minutes, they saw the rim I always feel obliged to run. Then we outlined against the black sides of an un- run into the most interesting experi- even mountain range which might have ences. I’ve had plenty of good times been set back from the rim anywhere looting canal boats on Mars—did I ever from ten to twenty miles. They re- tell you how hard it was squeezing the garded its stubborn approach with rings off the Empress’ fingers? I used anxiety. plenty of soap and water—and she was horrified at the way I wasted the water SO SLOWLY it came toward them —but somehow I’m glad they got after —and so rapidly their velocity was being me. And you are, too,” he added as if decreased to the zero point! Nerves in self-defense'. tensed, fists clenched, eyes strained. But "Sure,” Colbie remarked. “But in a intuitively, rather than from any delib- way I’m not. You’re a likable fel- erate mental calculation, they felt that — 88 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION they would not reach it. Their ve- gone plunging down the curve of the locity was simply not enough. mirror. And it wasn’t. Slowly compared to — V. their earlier enormous velocities—they rose toward the rim which was so pain- WHILE DEVEREL lay there on his fully near, yet so infinitely difficult to back, his brow wrinkled in thought, Col- reach. One moment, then, they wea^e bie watched him, watched him for a good rising; the next, falling. There had many minutes, while they plummeted been no pause, or if there had been it into the depths of the shining bowl. In was nestled close to that infinitesimal an incredibly short time, they reached space of time which man wdll never bottom—and Colbie grew tired of try- measure. They began to fall. ing to read the outlaw’s thoughts. He tried In a voice that held worlds of chagrin to rise to his feet. He went through number of gyrations, which —true to human nature, he had not a left him lying face down, looking at his given up hope—Colbie said. “Missed own reflection. it—by about ten vertical feet, as a close guess. Next time we swing across this Deverel had come out of his brown study, and was watching amusedly. “If damned mirror we’ll miss it by twenty there feet.’’ were a large enough area on the soles of your feet, m’lad, you could “Something like that,’’ Deverel agreed stand easily enough. But when you sit abstratedly. At the moment they had down, the center of gravity of your body fallen, he had noted the time down to the is considerably lowered, and it’s easy. exact fraction of a second. And he kept So you’ll never stand up unless by some it in mind. Not lliat he had any idea miracle of balance.” of its ultimate benefit then, but he felt This bit of wisdom was apparent. Col- it might be a good thing to know. bie sat down, drew the water tube into “Let’s see,” he was muttering to him- his mouth, and sucked wdth abandon. self, and using Colbie’s phrase, went on, ” Then he regarded Deverel knowingly. “the time for one swing across “Been thinking, eh? What about?” And he didn’t finish the sentence. For “The mirror,” Deverel replied sol- an idea, a conception so alluring, so ut- emnly. “I have to keep it to myself, terly startling, leaped into his mind, !” though—sorry that he drew his breath inward through “Likely !” There was a tigerish snarl his suddenly meeting teeth. “Lord !” he implied in Colbie’s voice overtones. whispered, and almost as if he were Deverel’s worldly wise eyes grew sar- stunned, he dropped back, lying full donic. “Sure—I’ve been doing a lot of length, his head cupped in the palms of figuring, and I’ve found out a lot of his joined hands. And he saw the stars. stuff. Interesting, unusual. But there’s The two men were zooming along at something missing, Colbie—something a good fast clip that was building on I can’t put my finger on. If I had it itself. the fric- They were guided by and I will get it—I could get us out of tionless stuff of the mirror, and pulled here. Any suggestions?” he concluded, by the force of gravity. regarding Colbie sidewise out of a And above were the stars. So cold, laughing eye. so remote, so harshly, quietly beautiful. “If I had them,” pointedly, “I’d keep Deverel was looking at them, hard. They ’em. By the way, are you being fair? were exciting stars. They never changed Withholding imformation ? I’m re- their position as a whole. They looked ferring to your promise—that you the same as when they—the men—had wouldn’t try to get away.” THE MEN AND THE MIRROR 89 "I did make a promise, just as you nut to crack! So Deverel finally said, said—that I wouldn’t try to get away. “You’re going to out-bluff me, you said.” And I haven’t. And I won’t until you “Sure. Now, ever, and always. tell me it’s all right if I try. Get it?” Something else, my dear mental marvel He fixed Colbie with a rigidly extended —it’s you that’s going to do the think- index finger, and went on in tight tones ing.” His voice was contemptuous. ©f significance. “Let’s be ourselves from “Now, go ahead and use that so su- now on, Colbie—outlaw and cop ! Right perior gray matter you’re claiming.” now, we’re just partners in adventure. Deverel’s lips twitched. He said, But you, just by saying so, can make us shrugging, “If that’s the way you want what we really are—and I’d be your it. But you’re crazy.” prisoner. D’you see? Do that, Colbie, Colbie refused to answer. !” and I’ll get us out of here “Well,” the outlaw laughed lightly,’ Colbie felt a slow flush rising to his “Now we’ve got our own personal feud face. Suddenly he felt utterly humili- mapped out. We won’t be on speaking ated felt as if his intelligence had been terms for maybe two or three hours. In- ; insulted and mocked at. Colbie’s voice cidentally, we'll be bored to death. We exploded, an eruption of searing wrath. won’t even enjoy ourselves the least “No! Listen,” he went on in a low, bit. That’s the way people do when deadly, flat voice, “the answer is no. No they’re mad at each other. If I were from now on. I don’t give a damn. I a kid, or if we were medium-close rela- don’t give a damn if we slide back and tives, I’d say all right—but we’re two forth here for eternity—that’s what we’ll grown men.” do if you wait for me to give in to you “I get it.” Colbie put a grin on his and your damned insulting demand. face. You’ve got the brass ” Colbie “Good!” Deverel exclaimed. “Now choked apoplectically, and stopped. He where are we, Colbie? Near the top !” waved his arms helplessly, glaring at the again. There’s the rim, too other man. After a while he went on, It was true. The rim was there—but his voice now even, “You suggest I it was not the same section of the rim haven’t got the mentality or the resource from which they had dropped. Deverel to find my—our—way out of here. realized it. That mountain, that land- Maybe I haven’t. Maybe I’m a damned mark, did not show up against the rim. dummy. But I’ll tell you something They had gone across the mirror twice. that’s going to make you squirm you’re By common sense, they should have re- ; going to see tne out-bluff you! And turned to their starting point. But had you’re going to give in to me! Remem- they returned, Deverel would have been ber it.” .startled indeed. He sank back, glaring. They came to the apex of the second trip across—and dropped back, once DEVEREL’S eyes were popping. more missing it by an additional ten ver- “Well !” he exclaimed in astonishment. tical feet. Once more they plunged “Phew! Glad you got that off your downward into the depths of the shining chest—^you sure take the fits!” bowl. A lot of thought went on under Dev- On the way down, Colbie was silent. erel’s helmet, and in a way they amused Unable to help himself, his thoughts be- him. But they were all directed toward gan to revolve. How could they get one end—escape. This was a new Col- out ? But his thoughts revolved futilely. bic, an undreamed-of Colbie, he saw He was unable to look at the matter ob- here, and he was going to be a tough jectively. Had he been solving a puz- 90 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION zle on paper, the answer would have solutions would help if Deverel didn’t come soon enough. He was well enough give in. equipped on the laws of motion to have They discussed the color of the strange solved it. But, being a part of the brain- substance. Did it have one? No, cer- teaser himself, he was helpless. tainly not; it absorbed no light, hence But undoubtedly he should have no- was the color of any light it reflected. ticed that the position of the stars in Could they, as a single system of two the heavens never changed. bodies, change their direction of motion ? No. They were a closed system, and THEY PASSED bottom, went slop- as such had a single center of gravity ing upward again, in a monotony of which would continue on its present evenly decreasing speed that was mad- course forever, unless some outside force dening, at least to Colbie. intervened. They could jerk, they could Deverel was not silent. He occupied squirm, but for every action in one di- himself in a frivolous manner, talking, rection, there would be equal reaction laughing, cracking- jokes. He enjoyed in the other. Was this substance either himself thoroughly. He could make hot or cold as determined by human himself at home anywhere, and in the senses? No. For it could absorb no strangest circumstances. It was one of heat, nor could it, therefore, transmit his admirable qualities. heat. The first would convey the im- pression of coldness, the that Finally he called, “How about it. second of Lieutenant? Making any headway?’’ warmth Colbie came out of it. “Know less IT WAS AN amusing subject, and than I did before,” he admitted sadly. exhaustless. But Deverel plucked no The light of the stars, and the light fruit from its many branches. They which the mirror so faithfully threw were still hopelessly marooned within back into space, were beginning to ir- the bowl of the incredible mirror. ritate him, too. They hit the apex of the third swing “Damn shame.” Deverel sounded re- across the great mirror—and fell down- gretful. “I’ve got a lot of dope on this ward again. They bounced back up strange vale o’ paradise,” he added from the bottom, zoomed upward sadly, “but I can’t find the missing link through the sea of luminescence, fell that’d put it to some advantage. And downward again the fifth time. to be frank, the time to put it to the And Deverel said, “It’s coming. It’s best advantage will be in less than an here. The first Crucial Moment. But hour. A crucial moment, I mean.” He we have to pass it up.” was staring intently at Colbie. The sixth apex dwindled away, found “Damn the crucial moment,” Colbie Deverel looking longingly at the sharply said coldly. rising mountain which he had placed in “Well, there’ll be several crucial mo- his head as a landmark, “the place they ments,” Deverel said, laughing softly. had to get back to”. “The best possible times for — us to get “I know when we have to get out,” out ^but I don’t know yet how we’ll he told Colbie anxiously, “but the how get out. You say I have to do the of it knocks me ! Every trip across we thinking? But it won’t hurt if we talk take, w'e fall nearer the bottom by ten things over a little, will it?” feet. Right now we’re about sixty feet Colbie said it was all right with him. below the plane of the rim of the mir- After all, the whole thing was up to ror. How are we going to rise that Deverel from now on. No number of sixty feet?” — THE MEN AND THE MIRROR 91 “You have me there,” said Colbie We’re a hundred feet below the rim nonchalantly. now. You could help me, Colbie Deverel regarded him seriously. Col- you’ve the brains for it, I know you bie was an uncaring idiot—didn’t seem have. But you’re lazy, damn it. You to give a damn whether they got out or insist on sitting back there and letting not. But Deverel was beginning to feel me do all the thinking. Suggest some- whole new quantities of respect for the thing, won’t you?” IP man. There was certainly more to Colbie answered seriously, “Deverel, him than he had hitherto suspected. He I have been thinking. But it’s no good. smiled. “Still holding out?” What is it you know? What strange Colbie said he was. characteristics has the mirror got that “Well, you know I won’t give in.” both you and I don’t already know?” Deverel said harshly, “I’m supposed to He paused, shaking his head, “I can't be damned fool enough to think my way see the trees for the forest— I’ll admit back to Earth with you, back to jail. it.” He was genuinely sorry he couldn’t I’ve out-bluffed better men than you, help, and was more than a little touched Colbie, and I’ll stick this one out, too. by the outlaw’s desperate search for the Are we going to be damned fools? You final link in the chain he had evidently know, if this was off my mind, I could fabricated. “Why not tell me what it’s devote myself a lot better to the one all about?” he suggested. “Maybe I problem that fuddles me up.” can go on from what you’ve found out.” But Colbie said that he was sorry he “No sale!” Deverel snorted angrily. couldn’t help the outlaw get the suspense “What I know is my trump card off his niihd. And Deverel’s teeth closed you’d know as much as I do. Wouldn’t with a snap. Colbie, looking at the hard do me any good.” sardonic features, wondered vaguely, “Won’t do you any good, anyway perhaps with a slight inward shudder, unless you give in.” Colbie grinned what would be the outcome of it all. easily. “And you can bet everything you’ve got I won’t!” Deverel snapped. And VI. then looked queerly at Colbie. “You THEN ENSUED utter weariness. really have made up your mind, haven’t For interminable minute after inter- you?” he demanded. He shrugged his minable minute, they swept dizzyingly shoulders sulkily. “But maybe you'll down and up through the pressing, ach- change it. That’s what I’m banking on, ing mist of light. Their eyes became anyway. You’re not the type that can tortured, their brains became inflamed, hold out forever.” their muscles stiffened, their nerves jan- Colbie shrugged his own shoulders in gled. They became irritable and touchy. indifference, and then crossed his legs a The monotony was man-killing, espe- different way. Thinking better of it, he cially in view of the fact that the man- lay flat on his back, and by virtue of ner of their salvation was yet a thing swinging his arms one way and his of the future—or perhaps a thing of no legs the other, started to whirl about. solution. Elsewhere, the action might have seemed Deverel was up against a blank wall, childish, but here it was one of a strictly and his every word had a snarl in it. limited number of amusements. “There's some way it can be done,” he While this aimless gyration, which, insisted, as they were dropping down once started, continued unabated, may after the tenth plunge across the great have amused Colbie at first, it very soon mirror. “And I have to find it soon. had a much different effect. Abruptly —I 92 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION he sat up—still spinning lazily—and “You’re going to let a principle kill you! stared at Deverel. A slow grin ap- Well, I’m going to let it kill me, too peared on his lips, went into temporary and I’m not as scared of death as you eclipse as he turned around, and ap- are. In fact, it’d be better if I did peared again as the rope holding them die; I’ve got too much hell in store together wound up about him. “Your for me, one way and another. So I difficulty,” he asked judiciously, “lies in don’t really care. How do you like being unable to make up for that 100 that?” he ripped out savagely. feet or so we’ve lost to friction, I take “It’s all right with me—I always it?” knew you didn’t give much of a damn Deverel looked at him keenly and about anything, Deverel.” He smiled nodded. disarmingly. Deverel regarded him in blank amaze- IE’S split COLB FACE in a slow, ment, an amazement that swiftly turned broad grin. “I haven’t got it all fig- into sheer, obvious admiration. Until ured out. I said I’d let you do that. that moment, Deverel had doubted that But I know how to make up for that Colbie was sure of his intentions; now difference. It takes cooperation, and he knew it, and the knowledge gave him maybe if you know how to do it, you’ll a new picture of Colbie. give me the rest of that information Colbie yawned ; and then Deverel’s sooner. Because I won’t cooperate till rage apparently broke all bounds. He you do. You think what I was doing, called Colbie every foul name under the and you’ll get it.” Sun, reviled him with the unprintable Deverel looked at him blankly. Then verbal scum of innumerable space ports —“I’ve got it!” he gurgled. “I knew it —and then stopped short. could be done—and it’s easy!” “Hell, I didn’t mean that,” he mut- He was talking rapidly, excitedly. tered. He waved a hand. “Sorry— “I’ve got the whole thing worked out, mean it. It’s just that”—he summoned now. Everything I need! It’s only a a grin—“there went the second Crucial question of waiting. Two or three more Moment. Rather, the minute we drop times across the mirror Now down from the eleventh apex—there it listen,” he went rapidly. on “You have goes. It’s about a minute away. We’re to tell me it’s all right. This’ll get us now, to all intents and purposes, a mean out, both of us. You will, won’t you?” one hundred ten feet below the rim. he demanded anxiously. Phew!” Then he saw Colbie’s mask of a face “What are these crucial moments?” and shouted furiously, “Don’t be a Colbie enquired in genuine bewilder- damned fool, Colbie! You don’t want ment. to die, do you? You know you won’t Deverel laughed in amused disgust. be able to stand death from lack of “There are several of them—I think. water and food ^you know it! Now’s — And the more of them we pass up, the the time to make up your mind.” He more crucial the next one is. Get it? was feverish. At last we come to the Final Crucial “I made up my mind quite a while Moment! And after we pass that up ago,” Colbie pointed out. “If I hadn’t, ” Deverel shook his head. “After I wouldn’t have contributed your clinch- that, there’s no more hope. No more ing link just now.” Crucial Moments.” After a while, he Deverel laughed harshly. “You’re said listlessly, “I’ll tell you when they going to stick with it,” he jeered. come around.” THE MEN AND THE MIRROR 93 THEY SWEPT DOWN and they —or I go free, and you live, too, and swept lip. Angles decreased and angles we’re just as if we never came to this increased. The rim loomed up through planet. Just think of that—life again!” the gloom of light, and dropped away. Deverel watched Colbie intently, but Constant acceleration, followed by just the IP man was absolutely unaffected. as constant deceleration. And light and The outlaw had been hoping against still more light and nothing else but hope that Colbie would, in the last vital light. moments, give in. He had determined Two men against the magical mirror! to wait that long, just on the chance. Seventeen times the rim dropped Now that chance was definitely out, and away, and each time they approached Deverel had to play a card he had long it was farther away—ten feet higher ago decided to use if worst came to than before. And then Deverel re- worst. It might win—and it might lose. marked wearily, “The third Crucial Mo- So in the next few moments—with the ment—one hundred seventy feet below verve and ability of a natural actor (he the rim.” He cocked an eye—a bleary had played Hamlet when he was a eye—at Colbie, who was so exhausted younger man) —he increased his nerv- and blinded by the incessant play of light ousness, the desperation of his manner, from the mirror that he was apathetic. the snarl fn his voice. "What are you thinking about?” “Twenty-five minutes, Colbie. Give “Just waiting,” Colbie returned us plenty of time.” Colbie was ob- tiredly, “for you to give the word I” durate. They were on the twenty-sec- Deverel laughed harshly. “And I’ll ond trip across. Deverel’s rasping never give it. Listen. In less than voice went on later, “Twenty minutes. ” an hour comes the And here comes the rim.” “The fourth Crudal Moment,” put in Colbie acidly. THE RIM CAME toward them, “Wrong. The final.” He waited for slowly. More and more slowly, and this to take effect, but it had none at all. then gently started dropping away. The Then he snarled, “You’re going to hold twenty-third trip. •ut—good Lord!” For a moment he “Fifteen minutes, Colbie.” Deverel’s was speechless, glaring at the other vojce had the rasp of a buzz saw in it. man. Then unaccountably, he laughed. He was actually nervous now. The "We’re two of a kind—two stubborn amount of time was pretty small. So fools. I didn’t know you had it in that suddenly he said in a tone of voice you,” he remarked frankly. “I really that was deprived of every trace of believe you’re going to ” and he moisture, “Colbie.” broke off. Colbie met his eyes, and what he saw “That I’m going to hold out past the there made his own open wider. time that really means something to “You guessed it, Colbie.” The out- us?” Colbie asked him quizzically. He law’s tone was dull. He spread his nodded slowly. hands. “I’m done. I’ve cracked. Good Deverel sank back in disgust. Lord!” he burst out. “You don’t give They topped the eighteenth, the nine- a damn ! That’s what gets me—I can’t teenth, the twentieth apex. Deverel was understand it. Listen—you may think jumpy, irritated. “About half an hour,” I’m scared to die, that I’m not the kind he said nervously. “That’s all we’ve of fellow I’ve painted myself to be—but got. I mean it. When that time goes, I am. I’m careless with my life. I then we kiss life good-by. I wish you’d won’t care at all when my number’s see reason, Colbie. Either we both die due. What I can’t stand is the fact that — 94 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION it isn’t due! There’s a way out. And tion. Time after time he came back, it’s only your stubborn refusal that’s whirled away again. Deverel manip- blocking the way. But I guess when ulated Colbie in the same way a small ” you come down to it, it’s me boy does a certain toy called the jo-jo. “It’s I ’’ Colbie corrected mildly. Swiftly, each was swinging around “It’s I that’s blocking the way. So I the other in an ellipse with a shifting give up. You win. You’re the world- axis. beater of this crowd. You’re the cham- pion holder-outer, the prince of don’t- “GET IT?” panted Deverel. “We’ve give-a-damners ! Colbie, you’ve got me got a circular motion started. It isn’t in tears. Honest, I feel like blubbering affecting our course in the slightest, like a kid. I can’t understand you though. We’re a closed system. For sitting there ’’ he groped. every action a reaction. I’m swinging The IP man regarded Deverel stead- around you, too. Now, you stop spin- ily. “You’re funny,” he muttered. “I ning—it isn’t necessary now.” Colbie knew you’d give in, just because of that. flailed «bout with his arms and, in the You have dash—impulsiveness—a quick course of two revolutions, swung around love of life. I'm just a stolid space- Deverel in a true circle. And all the cop.” while they w’ere hurtling up the slope And Deverel suddenly thrust out his of the mirror, at a rate dictated by no jaw angrily. “I gave in, didn’t I. And other force than the retarding power of don't think I haven’t got half a no- gravity. tion to take it back. I’m capable of it.” Deverel was gasping. “Now—draw up His eyes challenged the other’s. on the rope. Pulls us nearer the center Colbie said slowly, “No. Don’t do it of the circle we’re making and we go —forget it. We were fools—^you de- faster—our angular velocity increases. cided not to be one. That’s all there is Now we’re going.” to it.” Once more he met the eyes of And they were. By dint of prodigious the other man, this time thoughtfully, exertions, they worked their angular then he nodded his head in slow de- velocity up to such a point that the termination. His head came up, and a centrifugal force was putting a terrific sparkle entered his eyes. strain on their laboring lungs. “What do we do?” he demanded. And finally the outlaw gasped, “Spill it—let’s get out of this forsaken “Enough! We’re going plenty fast. If place. I don’t like the lighting arrange- we go any faster, we'll split wide open. !” ments! Come on We’d keep on whirling like this until the Deverel went into action. slight bit of friction wore it down—that “Wind yourself up on this rope,” his is, if we didn’t use it to escape this trap. voice cracked out, full of the energy of And we’re going to use it, too! The real desperation now. “Closer—come rim should be along in—two minutes, on! All right.” He braced his feet seventeen seconds flat. Oh, yes, I fig- against Colbie, and pushed. Colbie went ured that out to the hair’s breadth.” whirling dizzily away, the rope uncoil- Suddenly he was shouting out loud, ing. He came to the end of the rope. “And there it is—the rim! Now, look, Deverel then pulled in such a manner honest to God, I don’t know which of that he utilized to the fullest extent us is going over.” His eyes feverishly Colbie’s rotatory motion. Colbie came watched the approach of the rim, when- spinning back, winding up. Deverel ever it swung into his line of vision. It lashed out with his feet. Colbie un- was etched against the mountains. wound again, this time in a new direc- Throbbing seconds beat away into the THE MEN AND THE MIRROR 95 past. Colbie’s pulses were hammering. VII. How often afterward he thought of the COLBIE experienced no change of snapping suspense the looming mirror pace—simply a sudden release of pres- engendered in him then ! It was like a sure. The operation had been smoothly monster—mysterious and brutal. Dev- performed. At the exact moment when erel’s voice came again, “I think it’s go- they, as a single system, had no upward ing to be you. It has to be you! Yes! and no downward motion, Deverel had “We’re a closed system, remember. severed the rope. Colbie simply shot Now say we have an explosion. You straight toward the rim at the velocity fly that way, I fly the other. But we he had been rotating at that particular retain kinetic energy given us each the moment. by centrifugal force.” He plummeted up the slope of the Cocking a wild, red-rimmed, bleary mirror, gravity now definitely fighting eye on the approaching rim, he coiled him. He lost twelve feet in upward himself up two feet nearer Colbie. They velocity every second. Would the gyrated more swiftly. Colbie shouted kinetic energy his body now contained in protest. be sufficient to stave off that deadly de- Deverel snarled, “Can’t help it. The celeration? Would gravity whittle it rope has to be parallel to the rim the down to zero, somewhere below the rim. minute we hit the apex.” He blinked “Colbie,” he gritted, speaking softly his eyes to get the sweat out, looked at to himself, “if you’ve never prayed be- !” the chronometer above his eyes. Seven fore, try it now seconds to go. Deverel was shudder- And perhaps tlie prayers did the trick, ing—he had so damned many things to or it might have been the computations do at once. He had to regulate their Deverel’s keen brain worked out. Using angular velocity—^liis timing sense—the the factors of their individual weights sense which tells us how many whole on this planet, and the two-hundred- steps we can make to reach a curb ex- foot-length of rope, and the time for one actly—was telling him how many gyra- revolution, he had known the approx- tions they would make in order to hang imate kinetic energy each man would poised, for an infinitesimal second, paral- develop, had known that Colbie would lel to the rim. With one hand, he had to go over the rim with a liberal margin extract a razor-sharp knife from an out- to spare. side space kit. And he had to keep an Up past the rim Colbie shot. Over eye on his chronometer, for he had to the rim—and up into space. And there, know exactly when they reached the fifty feet above the planet, he stopped of this, the trip across apex twenty-third rising. The moment of falling was the great mirror. heart-stopping. His space suit was And perhaps the greatest miracle of tough—but would it stand the strain? that whole insane adventure was that He didn’t have much time to theorize everything worked itself out just as about it. He hit, and he hit hard. He Deverel was planning. The rope, its felt as if every bone in his body was human weights swinging dizzily at its crushed in the moment before his con- ends, came parallel to the mirror’s rim sciousness faded away. on the exact, non-existing moment they When he came back to consciousness, reached the climb’s apex. And in that he knew a sharp, agonizing pain below exact moment, Deverel slashed at the the knee of his right leg. “Broken,” he rope close to where it was fastened about thought dismally, and grimaced as he him. almost involuntarily tried to move the ! 96 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION injured member. He couldn’t move it sweetly. “I’m headed right for a point at all. on the mirror a sixth of its rim removed Then the thought of Deverel came from you in the direction the planet ro- back. Good Lord, he was still on the tates. Now quit gasping like a fish, and mirror! - listen to the most gorgeous and unbe- “Deverel !’’ he shouted. lievable part of this whole adventure. A cheery voice came back. “All here Do you think we went straight across and right as rain.” Then the voice the mirror?” became anxious. “What’s wrong? I “Certainly!” was trying to get in touch with you.” “We didn’t! Now here’s the bomb- “Broken leg, I guess.” shell ” He paused, and then said, “Hurt?” '‘We were the bob of a pendulum!” “Damnably !” Colbie gritted his teeth. “What?” Colbie shouted it in dis- “I was afraid something like that may. “Lord, Deverel, you’re crazy, would happen,” the outlaw answered crazy as a loom! A pendulum! We with sympathy. “I’m sorry it had to weren’t hanging from anything, from a be you—I would have taken the rap if !” string, or cable or—Lord we’d have swung around right. But “Getting it ?” we didn’t. That was my gamble for The voice was sympa- escape.” thetic. “Don’t you see? We were a “How are you getting out?” Colbie pendulum. And the beautiful part was demanded. Then in sudden panic, that we didn’t need to hang from any- thing so could vibrate. string, or “And what if you break a leg?” we A something like that, have ruined “Ho! I’ll get out, and I won’t break would the effect entirely. it is, were a a leg either. I have to travel across the As we perfect, simple pendulum, the which that mirror you know, and I’ll lose ten ver- tical feet. How far did you fall?” he has, so far, existed only in theory ! See, asked anxiously. Colbie told him. there wasn’t any friction, and there was “Fine! Not bad at all for a rough a perfect vacuum. There was just calc.” gravity. It pulled us down and up and “You did a fine job all around,” Col down and up and down and up. And bie told him feelingly. “That’s right, there was a force which wouldn’t let us you’ll go over the rim, too. You’ve got travel in any path except a perfect curve, gravitational and centrifugal force act- the path a pendulum takes ing on you.” “And what is so characteristic of the pendulum? Why, the periods of vibra- “NOW LISTEN, Colbie, you’re on tion are the same! Do you think that the wrong part of the rim, d’you know knowledge didn’t come in handy when I that ?” wanted to know to the dot, exactly when No, Colbie hadn’t known it. So their we’d reach the apex? You bet it did! ships were on the other side? And then there’s something else about a “No, not on the other side. About pendulum—I’m surprised you didn’t no- a sixth of the circle of the rim around tice. At the Earth’s pole the plane of from where you are.” vibration of a pendulum turns around “Well, then, where are you bound?” once every twenty-four hours, in a di- “For the ships.” rection opposite to that at which the Colbie gasped. “You’re crazy! Earth rotates. Rather, it appears that You’re headed directly opposite from way. Actually, it is the Earth that turns where I am.” around under the pendulum ! And that’s “Oh, no. I’m not,” Deverel sang what happened to us. Didn’t you notice ) THE MEN AND THE MIRROR 97 that the stars as a whole never changed our starting point—our original start- positions all during the time we were ing point. And finally I got this: One on the mirror? They didn’t. We were swing from rim to rim ends at that a pendulum. The plane of our vibration point on the rim which is opposite its was fixed in relation to space. This starting point at end of swing. Get it? crazy planet revolved around under us Well, if you don’t, draw a diagram of because there wasn’t any friction to say a circle divided into six sixty-degree ‘no’ ! So I figured it out diagramatically wedges—and follow the law out.” And —right ! In my head ! And if you think Colbie actually did draw such a dia- that wasn’t a brain-twister ! gram later. “In other words, it took “I timed the first two or three vibra- us six swings from rim to rim to bring tions after this pendulum stuff came us back to our starting point. Those up and hit me. I found each trip across were the Crucial Moments. If we’d took 17 minutes, 45 4/10 seconds. And have got out at the wrong places. Colbie, I knew the period of rotation of this we’d have starved before we travelled planet—52 minutes, 25 and a fraction the distance back to the ships^—if we seconds. Notice anything about those knew where they were. Then, too, there figures, any general relation?” was a chance one of us would end up pretty badly of us did ‘T get it,” Colbie replied. He was hurt! And one than I’ll sweating. His leg felt numb from the —you had to drop back further hip down. “One vibration took about have to. one-third as long as the planet takes to “And that’s all there is to it. I let make a revolution.” you out at the end of the twenty-third trip to rim. getting out "Exactly! I’ll keep talking, Colbie, from rim I’m twenty-fourth I help you forget the leg. And not only at the end of the —what really believe the Final that, but the bottom of the mirror is a would have been Crucial Moment. We couldn’t have pole of the planet ! So we were a true pendulum, vibrating at a planet’s pole. developed enough centrifugal force to And the length of our ‘string’, the ra- send us over the rim if we’d gone around dius of the sphere, of which the mirror the mirror six more times, and fallen, sixty additional feet is a part, was out in space about 1600 as a consequence, ?” miles farther away from it. How’s your leg he inquired. Colbie muffled a groan. “NOW IN OUR vibrations, we al- “Rotten!” ways went through the center of the “Keep your chin up !” Deverel mirror, but we never went across to the snapped. “Seven minutes and I’ll be other side. That is, one swing always over the rim, and I’ll hot-foot it back to began and ended in one-half the mirror. the ships. It may take several hours In relation to space, our plane of vi- before I get back here,” he added in anxiety. bration was always the same ; in relation to the mirror, it was a curve which crept “I’ll be all right,” Colbie mumbled. around the mirror, touching the rim six In the next few hours they kept in times. constant touch. Deverel made the rim, “I had the devil of a time!” Deverel landed unharmed. He set off across the exclaimed. “I had to formulate a law gouged plateau with both speed and which would tell me absolutely where care. He made the ships unharmed; each vibration would end, on the mir- and less than fifteen minutes later, the ror, and thus how many times we’d have most beautiful sight in the world for to swing across before we got back to Colbie was the sight of that slim, black a 96 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION IPF cruiser as it came zooming above sitting, and limped back and forth ip the Cyclops straight toward him. close confines of the cabin. His teeth It landed. Deverel stepped out. He were set, his eyes frowning, his fists picked Colbie up in his strong arms, opening and closing. He sat down carried him inside the ship, took off his agjun and got up. The look on his face space suit, and bared his broken leg. was almost savage. It was a simple fracture, and %vas still Suddenly he waved a hand violently, in a healthy condition. Deverel went and a snarl contorted his features. He to work on it, put it in splints after hav- swung around, looking at the outlaw !” ing given it a wrench which accom- with hot, gray eyes. “I can’t do it he plished the dual purpose of sending Col- snapped. He shoved out his jaw. “Not bie into a faint and setting the broken after what we’ve been through. Damn bone. Deverel put it in splints, and then it, Deverel,” he panted, “I don’t like bundled the IP man into bed. this job. I feel too friendly for you. I like you too damn much. You’re a SIX WEEKS LATER, when Colbie real guy. Hell, you could have run out was able to hobble around on a make- any time you wanted to in the past six shift crutch, Deverel was still there. weeks. “You make a nice nurse,” Colbie told “No. No. —I can’t do it. It’d be like” him over a meal one day. “Thanks— —he groped “like taking unfair ad- lot.” vantage. somehow. So,” he said bit- “Skip it!” the outlaw grinned. “You terly, “you’re free.” He forced a smile weren’t such a bad nurse yourself. I’d onto his face.— “I’ll write it in my re- have been gone before now if you hadn’t port like this ‘Captured outlaw, but he ” stepped in.” He gulped a cup of coffee. put one over on me and escaped.’ “You’re well enough, I figure,” he said “Right,” Deverel agreed steadily. “ unea.'iily. ?” ’Bout time to go “So I’ll be going. I’ll be here for, Thoughtfully, uneasily, Colbie said, oh, about twenty-four hours. You go- “Sure— I guess it is.” ing any place in particular?” he en- So that the next day Deverel sat down quired politely. at the controls and touched them lightly. “No-o-o,” Deverel replied thought- The ship shot upward into the eternal fully. “Don’t know as I have any par- night of Cyclops, zoomed feather-light ticular destination. Drop you a post- out over the strangest, most magical card ? I will, if you think you need me mirror ever to exist. And Colbie, look- for anything.” ing at it, knew that he would always “Don’t bother. I never have much think of it with more affection than fear. trouble finding you,” Colbie said airily. He would always think of it as a child’s Then he put on a space suit. Deverel colossal toy. It had so many amusing worked the valves, and a moment later characteristics that he half-way felt it’d Colbie stood in the air-lock. For a mo- be a pleasure to go zooming down its in- ment the two men stood there, saluting finitely smooth surface once again. each other with grave eyes. Then the A dream world, he thought, if there inner door closed and the outer opened. ever was one. Deverel watched Colbie enter his ship. Once landed near Colbie’s ship, the Then he sat down and, incandescent outlaw said sardonically, “I guess we gases flaring from her stern jets, the ?” transfer from this ship to yours slim cruiser accelerated until it \yas Colbie met his eyes seriously for a swallowed up in the trackless, illimita- moment, then got up from where he was ble wastes of space. 7 — 99 IN TIMES TO COME THE Analyfieal Laboratory requires a little comment this time. The Legion of Time was an easy first place. Three Thousand Years! was second. Then the fight began. Furthermore, Catastrophe was not listed, since it was not a story but an article. But—it just barely nosed out Island of the Individualists in actual comments! The first time an article has rated anything like that. BUT equally interesting was the reaction on R4 for the Rajah. That was printed experimentally, to find how readers liked that genuinely unusual method of treatment. Actually, Legion of Time alone got more comment—but the comment —on RA for the Rajah was neatly and exactly divided between a row of O's and '$ and a row of and \/’s. It was definitely a mixed reaction—but it was noticed and commented on. Thank you! AND for August. Burks is back—but with a completely new kind of story-treat- ment. Hell Ship concerns a spaceship—operating, incidentally, on a wholly new type of driving theory—but more particularly, a man. Meet Josh McNab, Scotch engineer of the good ship S.S. Arachne. You'll see the engineroom of the Araehne on the cover, incidentally. DON A. STUART has a long novelette. It's placed in Antarctica—for a reason. It had to be there for that is the only place on the face of the Earth where there is no animal life whatever—and Stuart discusses a thing that must be isolated. A deadly imitation. The story's problem lies in the title—Who Goes There? FOR one of the high places on a coming Analytical Laboratory, I nominate A. B. L. Macfadyen's Jason Comes Heme, also in the August issue. You'll find it unusuol and good. Warner Van Lome's Resilient Planet will appear in August, and an exceedingly interesting article on rocketry by Willy Ley Orbits, Take-offs and Landings. Rockets are based on Newton's Second Law, but I can't remember any writer who has pointed out and stressed the First Law of Rockets, brought out in this article. FINALLY, there will be a new author with os next month. Royal S. Heckman starts with Asteroid Pirates and the bullet-proof, highly intelligent Saturnian Apes. THE ANALYTICAL LABORATORY 1. The Legion of Time Jack Williamson 2. Three Thousand Years! Thomas Calvert McClary 3. Static Kent Casey 4. The Brainstorm Vibration M. Schere 5. Island of the Individualists Nat Schachner AST— ) 100 The Dangerous By L. Ron A name well-known to adventure in ASTOUNDING— with a tale to move bodily on the wings of (Author^s Note: For reasons perti- bright. His thin hands gripped book nent to the happiness of Mankind, by re- and pen as every atom of his being was quest from the United States Philosophic concentrated upon his work. Society and the refusal of Dr. Henry Once he glanced up at the clock with Mudge, Ph. D., of Yamouth University, a worried scowl. It was six-thirty and the philosophic equation mentioned he must be done in half an hour. He herein is presented only as Equation C had to be done in half an hour. That without further expansion. LRH would give him just time enough to rush down to the University and address the he room was neither mean nor United States Philosophic Society. dingy. It was only cluttered. He had not counted on this abrupt TThe great bookcases had gaps in stab of mental lightning. He had thought their ranks and the fallen members lay to deliver a calm address on the subject, limp-leaved on floor and table. The car- “Was Spinoza Right in Turning Down .” pet was a snowdrift of wasted paper. the Professorship of. . . But The stuffed owl on the mantel was awry when he had begun to delve for a key to because the lined books there had fallen Spinoza, a truly wonderful idea had sideways, knocking the owl around and struck him and out he had sailed, at two over to peck dismally at China on the that day, to dwell wholly in thought. He globe of the world. The writing desk did not even know that he was cramped was heaped with tottering paper towers. from sitting so long in one place. And still Dr. Mudge worked on. “Hen-r-r-r-e-e-e-e !” came the clarion His spectacles worried him because call. they kept falling down in front of his Henry failed to hear it. eyes; a spot of ink was on his nose and “HEN-r-r-r-ry!” his right hand was stained blue-black. Again he did not look up. The world could have exploded with- “HENRY MUDGE! Are you going out in the least disturbing Yamouth’s to come in here and eat your dinner or philosophic professor. In his head not ? I” whirled a maelstrom of philosophy, He heard that time, but with less than physics and higher mathematics and, half an ear. He did not come fully back if examined from within, he w'ould have to the world of beefsteak and mashed seemed a very brave man. potatoes until Mrs. Doolin,- his house- Examined from without it was a dif- keeper, stood like a thundercloud in the ferent matter. For one thing. Dr. study door. She was a big woman with Mudge w'as thin. For another, he was what might be described as a forceful bald. He was a small man and his head personality. She was' very righteous, was far too big for his body. His nose and when she saw the state of that study was long and his eyes were unusually she drew herself up something on the 101 Dimension Hubbard readers makes its first appearance of a philosopher who learned thought—and couldn *t stop moving. Blinded by the brilliant sheen of the door—numbed by the bombarding thought-waves of the Martians, Mudge stumbled and fell to his knees. 102 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION order of a general about to order an ex- can think you are in Paris. Zip, your ecution. mind has mentally taken you to Paris! “Henry ! What have you been doing ? You can imagine yourself swimming in And look at you! A smudge on your -a river and zip! you are mentally swim- nose—and on ink spot on your coat!" ming in a river. But the body stays where it is. And why, Lizzie? Why?" HENRY MIGHT fight the universe, “Henry Mudge !” but Mrs. Doolin was tlie bogey-man of “But there is a negative dimension. I Henry’s life. Ten years before she had am sure there is. I have almost for- ” descended upon him and since that time mulated it and if I can succeed there had b^n for him “Henry Mudge, your dinner is get- ” "Yes, Lizzie,” said Henry, aware for ting cold. Stop this nonsense the first time of his stiffness and sud- But he had not heard her. Suddenly denly very tired. he gripped his pen and wrote. And on “Are you coming to dinner or aren’t that blotted piece of paper was set down you? I called you a half hour ago and Equation C. the beefsteak will be ruined. And you He was not even aware of any change must dress. What on earth’s gotten into in him. But half his brain began to stir you, Henry Mudge?” like an uneasy beast. And then the other “Yes, Lizzie,” said the doctor placat- half began to stir and mutter. ingly. He came slowly to his feet and And on the sheet before him was his joints cracked loudly. Equation C. “What have you done to this place?” “Henry Mudge !” said Lizzie with of his Some of the fire enthusiasm great asperity, “if you don’t come in here swept into Henry. “Lizzie, I think I and eat your dinner this very minute !” have it And that thought swept even ” She advanced upon him as the Lizzie Doolin out of the room as far as elephant moves upon the dog. he was concerned. He took a few ex- Henry knew in that instant that he cited steps around the table, raised his had gone too far with her. .^nd half glasses up on his forehead and gleamed. his brain recognized the danger in her. “I think I’ve got it!” For years he had been in deadly terror “What?” demanded Lizzie Doolin. of her “The equation. Oh, this is wonderful. “I wish I was in Paris,” Henry shiv- This is marvelous ! Lizzie, if I am ered to himself, starting to back up. right, there is a condition without di- Whup! mension. A negative dimenson, Lzzie. Think of it! And all these years they “Cognac, m’sieu?” said the waiter. have been trying to find the fourth posi- “Eh ?” gaped Henry, glancing up from tive dimension and now by working ” the sidewalk table. He could not take backwards it in. People were hurrying along the “Henry Mudge, what are you talking Rue de la Paix, going home as the hour about ?” was very late. Some of the cafes were But Henry had dived into the abstract already closed. again and the lightning was flashing in- side his head. “The negative dimen- "Cognac o vin blanc, m’sieu?" in- !” sisted the waiter. sion ! Epistemology “What?” “Really,” said Henry. “I don’t drink. He scarcely knew she was there. I—is this Paris?” “Look, think of it ! You know what you “Of a certainty, m’sieu. Perhaps one can do with your mind. Mentally you has already had a sip too much ?” ! THE DANGEROUS DIMENSION 103 “No, no! I don’t drink,” said Henry, bed. He started to remove one carpet frightened to be in such a position. slipper and then scowled in deep thought The waiter began to count the saucers at the floor. on the table. “Tlien, m’sieu has done Twenty minute later Lizzie knocked well for one who does not drink. Forty at his door. “Henry,, you’re late al- francs, m’sieu.” ready I” Henry guiltily reached into his pocket. He started guiltily.. He had not even But his ink-stained jacket was not his taken that slipper off.. If Lizzie found street coat. He had carpet slippers on him in here She was starting to his feet. His glasses fell down over his open the door. eyes. And his searching hands told him “I ought to be there this very min- that he possessed not a dime. ute,” thought Henry,, envisioning the “Please,” said Henry, “I am out of lecture hall. ” funds. If you would let me Whup! “So!” cried the waiter, suavity van- ishing. “Then you will pay just the It startled him to see them filing same! Gendarme GENDARME!” in. He stood nervously on the plat- “Oh.” shivered Henry and imagined form, suddenly aware of his carpet slip- himself in the peaceful security of his pers and ink-stained working jacket, the study spot on his nose and his almost black W'hupl hand. Nervously, he tried to edge back. The dean was there. “Why—why Dr. LIZZIE WAS gaping at him. “Why Mudge. I didn’t see you come in.” The —why wherc—where did you go? Oh, dean looked him up and down and it must be my eyes. I know it must be frowned. “I hardly think that your ” my eyes. These fainting spells did mean present attire something then. Yes, I am sure of it.” Henry visualized the clothes laid-out She glanced at the clock. “Look, you on his bed and started to cough an liavcn’t eaten dinner yet! You come apology. !” right into the dining room this instant “I—er Meekly, but inwardly aghast, Henry IVhup! tagged her into the dining room. She set a plate before him. He was not very “What’s that, Henry?” said Lizzie. liungry, but he managed to eat. He “My heavens, where are you?” was greatly perplexed and upset. The “In here, Lizzie,” said Henr}' on the negative dimension had been there after edge of his bed. all. And there was certainly no diffi- She bustled into the room. “Why, culty stepping into it and out of it. Mind you’re not dressed ! Henry Mudge. I was everything, then, and body nothing. don’t know what is happening to ‘your Or mind could control lx)dy Oh, wits. You will keep everybody waiting ” it was very puzzling, he decided at at the University length. “O-h-h-h,” groaned Henry. But it “What are you dreaming about?” was too late. challenged Lizzie. “Get upstairs and get dressed. It’s seven this very minute!” “My dear fellow,” said the dean, star- Henry plodded out into the hall and tled. “Wliat—er—what happened to up the stairs. He got to his room and you? I was saying that I scarcely ” saw that all his things were laid out. thought it proper ” Oh, it was very puzzling, he told him- “Please. I But that was as self as he sat down on the edge of the far as Henry got. 104 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION “I KNOW it’s my eyes,” said Lizzie. tweed jacket, ink stains, carpet slippers “Stop!” wailed Henry. “Don’t say and all. Beads of perspiration were anything! Please don’t say anything. standing out on Henry’s bulging fore- Please, please, please don’t say any- head. thing !” “Go right ahead,” whispered the dean. She was suddenly all concern. “Why, “I do not approve of your attire, but you’re pale, Henry. Don’t you feel it is too late now.” well?” Henry stood up, fiery red and choked “No—I mean yes. I’m all right. But with stage fright. He looked down don’t suggest anything. I ” But how across the amused sea of faces and could he state it? He was frightened cleared his throat. The hall quieted half to death by the sudden possibilities slowly. which presented themselves to him. All “Gentlemen,” said Henry, “I have he had to do was visualize anything and made a most alarming discovery. For- that scene was the scene in which he give me for so appearing before you, but found himself. All anybody had to do it could not be helped. Mankind has was suggest something and zip! there long expected the existence of a state of he was. mind wherein it might be possible to fol- At first it had been a little difficult, low thought. However ” His lec- but the gigantic beast Thought had risen ture presence broke as he recalled his into full power. carpet slippers. Voice nervous and key- “Your dress,” said Lizzie. jumpy, he rushed on. “However, the But he was afraid to start disrobing. arrival at actual transposition of person What if he thought by thought alone was never attained, be- No, he must learn to control this. cause mankind has been searching for- Somehow he had missed something. If ward instead of backward. That is, he could get the entire equation straight mankind has been looking for the ex- and its solution, he would have the full istence of nothing in the fourth dimen- answer. But Thought was drunk with sion instead of the existence ” He power and would not be denied. tried to make his mind clear. Stage Henry rushed past Mrs. Doolin and fright was making him become involved. down the steps to his study. He quickly “I mean to say, the negative dimension sat in his chair and gripped his pen with is not the fourth dimension, but no di- determination. There was Equation C. mension. The existence of nothing as ” Now if he could solve the rest of it he something would be all right. He only had to sub- Some- of the staid gentlemen in the stitute certain values front row were not so staid. They were Lizzie had followed him up. “Henry, trying not to laugh because the rest of I think you must be going crazy. Ima- the hall was silent. gine keeping all those men waiting in the “What idiocy is that man babbling?” ” lecture hall said the dean to the University president IVhup! behind his hand. Henry groaned and heard the dean DR. MUDGE’S knees were shaking. say, “It was to be our pleasure this eve- Somebody tittered openly in the fourth ning that we hear from Dr. Mudge on row. ” the subject “I mean.” plunged Mudge, des- SomebcKly twitched at the dean’s perately, “that when a man imagines sleeve. “He’s right beside you.” himself elsewhere, his mind seems really The dean looked and there was Henry, to be elsewhere for the moment. The ! THE DANGEROUS DIMENSION 105 Yogi takes several means of accomplish- He examined the sandy wastes ing this, evidently long practiced in the which stretched limitlessly to all the negative dimension. Several great think- clear horizons. Air whooshed out of his ers such as Buddah have been able to lungs and he gasped painfully. Be- appear bodily at a distance when they wildered, he took a few steps and the weren’t there but ” He swallowed sand got into his carpet slippers. A- again. “But elsewhere when they were thin, cold wind cut through the tweed there. The metaphysicist has attributed jacket and rustled his tie. supernatural qualities to the phenom- “Oh, dear,’’ thought Mudge. “Now enon known as an ‘apport’, in which peo- I’ve done it!’’ ple and such appear in one room with- A high, whining sound filled the sky out going through a door when they and he glanced up to see a pear-shaped ’’ were in the other room ship streaking flame across the sky. It Dear me, he thought to himself, this was gone almost before it had started. is a dreadful muddle. could feel the He Dr. Mudge felt very much alone. He truth his too behind words, but he was had no faith in his mental behavior now. acutely aware of a stained jacket and It might fail him. He might never get carpet slippers and he kept propping up away. He might imagine himself in an his glasses. emperor’s palace with sentries “If a man should wish to be in some Whup other place, it is entirely possible for him to imagine himself in that place and, THE DIAMOND floor was hard on diving through the negative dimen- back his eyes and lights blazed all around him. sion, to emerge of it in that place out A golden throne reared before him and with instantaneous rapidity. To imagine on top of it sat a small man with a very oneself ’’ large head, swathed in material which swallowed hard. awful He An glowed all of itself. thought had hit him, big enough to make Mudge couldn’t understand a word him forget his clothes and audience. A that was being said because no words man could Imagine himself anyplace and were being said, and yet they all hit his then be in that place zip! But how brain in a bewildering disarray. could a man exert enough will power to Instantly he guessed what was hap- keep from imagining himself in a posi- pening. As a man’s intention can be tion of imminent destruction? If he telepathed to a dog, these superior be- thought Mudge gritted his teeth. ings battered him mentally as he had He must not think any such thing. He no brain wave selectivity. He had must not! He knew instinctively that guessed the human mind would so there was one place he could not imagine evolve, and he pleased for an instant himself without dying instantly before he was to find he had been right. But not for could recover and retreat. He did not long. know the name of that place at the in- stant, would not allow himself to think He began to feel sick in the midst of of it this bombardment. All eyes were upon A ribald young associate professor him in frozen surprise. said hoarsely to a friend, loud enough The emperor shouted and pointed a for Dr. Mudge to hear, “He ought to small wand. Two guards leaped up and imagine himself on Mars.’’ fastened themselves upon Mudge. He Mudge didn’t even hear the laugh knew vaguely that they thought he was which started to greet that sally. an inferior being—something like a Whup! chimpanzee, or maybe a gorilla, and, in- ! 106 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION fleed, so he was on their scale of evolu- dangerous place and that will be the tion. end of me before I can escape. There’s The ruler shouted again and the one place in particular guards breathed hard and looked angrily “NO!” he screamed into the African at Mudge. Another man came sprinting night. over the diamond floor, a flare-barreled The thought had not formed. One gun gripped in his hand. place he must never, never think about. Mudge Ijegan to struggle. He knocked NEVER the guards aside with surprising ease. From this high peak, he could sec all Wildly he turned about, seeking a way Africa spread before him. Glowing far out, too confused by light, thought off in the brilliant moonlight was Lake waves and sound to think clearly and Tanganyika. remember. Mudge was a little pleased with him- The man with the lethal-looking self just the same. Tlie people back at weapon braced his feet and leveled the the lecture muzzle at Mudge’s chest. He was go- Whup! ing to shoot and Mudge knew that he faced a death-dealing ray. He was get- “I AM SORRY and very puzzled,” ting no more consideration than a mad the dean was saying, watch in hand. ape like that one in the Central Park “Why Dr. Mudge should see fit to use Zoo The guard was squeezing the a magician’s tricks, to appear in .such trigger strange attire and generally disport him- ” IVhup! self “I can’t help it!” wailed Mudge at Weakly Dr. Mudge leaned on the rail- his side. ing of the Central Park Zoo in New The dean almost jumped out of his York. He took out his handkerchief shoes. He was annoyed to be startled and dabbed at his forehead. Dully he out of his dignity, and he scowled gazed up, knowing he would see an harshly at Mudge. “Doctor, I advise orangutan in the cage. It was late, and you strongly that such conduct will no the beast slumbered in his covered hut. longer be tolerated. If you are trying Mudge could only see a tuft of fur. to prove anything by this, an explana- “Thanks,” he whispered. tion will be most welcome. The subject The night air was soothing. He took is philosophy and not Houdinr’s vanish- a deep, refreshing breath. He was ex- ing tricks.” hausted with all the cross-currents which “O-h-h-h,” moaned IMudge, “don’t had battered his poor, human mind, and say anything. Please don’t say anything the thin air of Mars. more. Just keep quiet. I mean,” he He moved slowly along the rail. said hastily, “I mean, don’t say any- !” There was a sign there which said, “Go- thing else. Please rilla. Brought from the Mountains of The young man who had suggested ” the Moon by Martin Mars was not quite so sure of himself, IVhup! but the dean’s handy ex])lanation of magic without paraphernalia restored his “O-h-h-h,” groaned Mudge pitifully buoyancy. as he sank down on a rock in the freezing “It was just ” began Mudge. “No, night. “This can’t keep up. I would I can’t say where I was or I’ll go back, no more than start to eat when some- and I won’t go back. This is very ter- thing would yank me away. I’d starve. rifying to me, gentlemen. There is one And sooner or later I’ll think of a very certain place I must not think about. ! THE DANGEROUS DIMENSION 107 The mind is an unruly thing. It seems the house? The doors are all locked to have no great love for the material and Oh-h-h-h-h, it’s my eyes.. Doc- body as it willfully, so it seems, insists tor, you know very well that you should in this great emergency on playing me be at that lecture ” She started at ” tricks him. “Dr. Mudge,” said the dean, sternly. He barely had time to cram the pa- “I know not what you mean by all this pers in his pocket. ” cheap pretension to impossibilities Whup! “Oh, no,” cried Mudge. “I am pre- tending nothing. If I could only stop THE DEAN was fuming. “Such this I would be a very happy man ! It is tricks are known Oh, there you terribly hard on the nerves. Out of are! Doctor, I am getting very sick of Spinoza I wandered into Force equa- this. We are too well versed in what tions, and at two today I caught a glim- can be done by trickery to be at all star- mer of truth in the fact that there was a tled by these comings and goings of negative dimension—a dimension which yours.” had no dimensions. I know for certain “It’s not a trick!” stated Mudge. ” that mind is capable of anything.” “Look, I have my notes. I “It certainly is,” said the dean. “Even “And I suppose you’ve brought back ” chicanery.” some vacuum from the Moon this “No, no,” begged Mudge, pushing his Whup! glasses high on his forehead and fishing in his pockets. “In my notes ” He It was so cold that Mudge was in- looked squarely at the dean. “Here ! I stantly blue all over. He could feel him- have proof of where I have been, sir.” self starting to blow up as the internal He stooped over and took off a carpet pressure fought for release., His lungs slipper. He turned it upside down on began to collapse, but his mind raced, the lecture table and a peculiar, glowing torn between two thoughts. sand streamed out. Here he was on the Moon. Here he “That is Martian sand,” said Mudge. was, the first man ever to be on the “Bosh!” cried the dean. He turned Moon to the audience. “Gentlemen, I wish you And all the great volcanoes reared to excuse this display. Dr. Mudge has chilly before him, and an empty Sea of not been well, and his mind seems to be Dreams fell away behind him. Barren ” unbalanced. A few hours’ rest rock was harsh beneath his feet and his “I’ll show you my notes,” said Mudge, weight seemed nothing pleading. “I'll show you the equation. All in an instant he glimpsed it be- ” I left them home in my study cause he knew that he would be dead in Whup! another second, exploded like a penny balloon. He visualized the thing best Lizzie Doolin was muttering to her- known to him—his studio. self as she picked up the papers from the Whup! floor and stacked them. The professor was certainly a madman this evening. Lizzie was going out the door when Poor little man She was turning she heard the chair creak. She forgot and she almost fainted. about the necessity for aspirin as she Dr. Mudge was sitting in his chair faced about. getting his notes together. Mudge was in again. “Doctor!” cried Lizzie. “What are “Doctor,” stormed Lizzie, an Amazon you doing there? How did you get in of fury, “if you don’t stop that, I don’t a 108 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION know what will happen to me ! Here a ning that this was the only explanation minute, gone again, here and gone, here which she could fit. and gone! What is the world coming Mudge looked tired. “But I’m afraid, to 1 It is not my eyes. It can’t be my Lizzie. I’m terribly afraid. If I don’t eyes. I felt over the whole room for watch myself, I might imagine I was in you and not so much as a hair of your some horrible place such as head was here. What kind of heathen “NO !” shouted Mudge. magic have you been stirring up ? “I might imagine I was some place ” You’ve sold your soul where I “STOP !’’ screamed Mudge. He sank “NO !” he yelled again. back, panting. That had been close. Those shouts were like bullets to Liz- But then, that had not been as close as zie Doolin. But she was still awed— that other THING which he dared not little. envision. He chopped the thought off Mudge held his head in his hands. and started back on another. “And I’m in trouble. The dean will “Maybe,” said Mudge, thoughtfully, not believe what is happening to me. He “maybe there isn’t Oh, I’ve got the calls me a cheat !” test right here. Can I throw myself “NO he cried. ?” back and forth between life and death ?” “What do you keep yelling for com- He had said the word. plained Lizzie. “So I won’t go sailing off. If I can “Death,” he said again, more dis- tinctly. catch a thought before it forms I can stay put.” He groaned and lowered his And still nothing occurred. He head into his hands. “But I am not breathed easier. He could not go back believed. They think me a cheat. Oh, and forth through Time, as he had no Lizzie, I’ll lose my professorship. We’ll disconnection with the Time stream. He starve I” could whisk himself about the universe She was touched and advanced slowly at will—or against his will—but he was to touch his shoulder, “Never you mind still carrying on in the same hours and what they say about you. I’ll beat their minutes. It had been dark in Africa, heads in, Henry, that I will.” almost morning in P He glanced up in astonishment at her. “NO I” he yelled. She had never shown any feeling for him Lizzie jumped a foot and stared to in all these ten years. She had bullied see if Mudge was still in his chair. him and driven him and terrified him ?” “Whatever are you up to demanded for years Lizzie, angrily. “You frighten a body She was conscious of her tenderness out of her wits I” and brushed it away on the instant. “But “Something awful is going on,” said don’t go jumping off like that again! Mudge, darkly. “I tried to tell you be- Drive over to the University in your fore dinner, but you wouldn’t listen. I car like a decent man should.” can imagine I am some place and then be “Yes, Lizzie.” in that som^lace. This very instant I He got up and walked toward the could imagine something and zip! I’d door. Her jaw was set again. be someplace else without walking “Mind what I tell you,” she snapped. through !” doors or anything.” “Your car, now ! And nothing fancy .” “Yes, Lizzie. They’re waiting. . . LIZZIE almost broke forth anew. But He didn’t, couldn’t stop that thought it awed her, a little. She had seen Mudge and the hall was clearly envisioned and appear and disappeared so often this eve- there he was, whup. ! THE DANGEROUS DIMENSION 109 The dean had his hands on both hips I can’t think to think about but which I as he saw that Mudge was here again. Look. Here, see?” The dean wagged his head from side to The dean scowled at the sheets of side and was very angry, almost speech- scribbled figures and symbols. Mudge less. Tlie audience tittered. talked to him in a low voice, growing “Have you no respect?” cried the more and more excited. dean. “How dare you do such things The dean was still austere. when I am talking to you. I was say- “And there,” said Mudge, “right there ing that the next time you’ll probably is Equation C. Read it.” ” say “SHUT UP!” shouted Mudge in THE DEAN thought Mudge might desperation. He was still cold from his as well be humored as long as he would trip to the Moon. be leaving in the morning for good. He The dean recoiled. Mudge was a very adjusted his glasses and looked at mild little fellow, with never anything Mudge’s reports. His glance fastened but groveling respect for everybody. And on Equation C. these words from him The dean was startled. He stood up “I’m sorry,” said Mudge. “You straight, his logical mind turning over mustn’t say things or you’ll send me at an amazing pace. “That’s very off somewhere again. Now don’t speak.” strange,” said the dean, bewildered. “My ” “Mudge, you can be assured that this head feels performance this evening will terminate “Oh, what have I done?” cried ” your Mudge, too late. Mudge was desperate. “Don’t. You The assistant professor in the front might say something.” row, a man of little wit but many jokes, The audience was delighted and chortled, “I suppose he will go to Mars laughter rolled through the hall. Mudge now.” had not realized how his remark would Whup sound. The dean had never been anything but Mudge was almost in control by now. overbearing and now, with his dignity He knew that a part of Equation C was flouted, he turned white. He stepped missing which would make it completely stiffly to the president of the University workable and useable at all times with- and said a few words in a low voice. out any danger. And he also knew that Grimly the president nodded. being here on this sandy plain was not “Here and now,” said the dean, step- very dangerous unless one happened to ping back, “I am requesting your resig- think nation, Mudge. This Houdini buf- “NO!” he screamed into the Martian ” foonery night. “Wait,” pleaded Mudge, hauling his It was easy. He was even used to notes from his pocket. “First look at Martian air now. All he had to do was ” these and maybe you will see visualize the classroom “I care to look at nothing,” stated the Whup! dean frostily. “You are a disgrace. To ” employ common stage magic Mudge took off his glasses and wiped “Look,” pleaded Mudge, putting the them. Then he bent over and emptied papers on the lecture stand. “Just give the sand from his slippers. The hall be- me one minute. I am beside myself. I fore him was silent as death and men don't mean what I say. But there is one were staring in disbelief at the little man think I must not think about—one thing on the platform. 110 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION Mudge replaced the slipper. He took pool. The woman was staring at him. up a pencil and bent eagerly over his She was a beautiful thing, and Mudge’s notes. He had to work this thing out heart beat swiftly. She spoke in sibilant before he imagined tones. “NO!” he roared. He bowed to her. “No, I haven’t time It would be awful if he dreamed it. for a visit or tea or anything,” said Dreaming he would have no real control Mudge. “I am sorry, but I am busy at and things would happen to him. a lect No !—I am busy on Ea The president rose cautiously and NO! I am busy.” tapped Mudge’s shoulder. “W-w-w-w- Oddly enough he knew that he could where is the dean ?” not speak her language, and yet he un- Mudge glanced around. True enough, derstood her perfectly as she placed her the dean was not there. Mudge chewed hand on his arm. It must be more at the end of his pencil in amazed con- telepathy, lie thought. templation. “Yes, it is telepathy,” said her mind. “Do you mean,” ventured the presi- “Of course. But I am astonished to see ” dent, “that that statement about you. For years—ever since the great “SHUT UP!” cried Mudge. “The purge—no humans of our breed have dean may find out how to get back unless been here. Alone with these yellow men he thinks of something he ” He as servants I am safe enough. My swallowed hard. parole was given because of certain fa- “Dr. Mudge, I resent such a tone,” began the president. “Excuse me,” said Mudge. “I have “I am sorry,” said Mudge, “but you an appointment. Don’t be alarmed if I might have said it, and the next time I vanish. I’ll be back someday.” He ” might fall in a Martian canal looked around to fix the spot in his mind, IFhup! feeling devilish for an instant. ” He bowed to her. “I must leave HE W.\S strangling as he fought “But you’ll take cold,” she said, pick- through the depths. He broke the sur- ing up a shawl of glowing material and face like a porpoise and swam as hard throwing it about his shoulders. as he could, terror surging within him “Thank you,” said Mudge, “and now as these dark waters lapped over him. I really must go.” Ahead he could see a houseboat with Again he bowed, and envisioned the a beautiful lady sitting at the rail. He classroom deliberately this time. swam breast stroke, raising himself up IVhup! to shout for help. The cold suddenness of the accident had dulled his brain and The water dripped to the lecture he could not know what monsters lurked platform and Mudge was really getting in these Martian depths. cold by now. He hauled the shawl more The woman was strangely like an tightly about his arms and was aware Earth-woman for all that. Perhaps of protruding eyes all through the hall. there were colonies of these people much The water dripped and dripped, and as there were colonies of chimpanzees on Mudge shivered again. He sneezed. It Earth. But the houseboat was silvery would be good and the woman dressed in luminous “NO!” he shouted and everybody in cloth. the hall almost jumped out of their Strong hands yanked Mudge from the chairs. water and he stood blowing upon the Mudge turned to the president, “You deck, water forming about his feet in a see what you did?” he said plaintively. THE DANGEROUS DIMENSION 111 The president was cowed. But he handed it to the dean. “Read that be- picked up in a moment. “Did—did you fore you get any ideas,” said Mudge. ?” see the dean The dean read it. “No,” said Mudge. The warm room “Mars,” said Mudge. was drying his clothes rapidly, and he Nothing happened. rolled up his sleeve so that he wouldn’t The dean began to breathe more blot the paper. Feverishly, he began to easily. evolve Equation D. “Moon,” said Mudge. He almost knew why he was working And still nothing happened. so fast. He was wholly oblivious of the Mudge faced the audience. “Gentle- audience. Very well he knew that his men, I regret the excitement here to- life depended upon his solving Equa- night. It has quite exhausted me. I tion D and thus putting the negative di- can either give you Equation C and D mension wholly in his control. His pen- cil flew. “No,” said the dean. The thought Ijegan to seep into his “No!” chorused the crowd. mind in spite of all he could do. “I’m frightened of it,” said the dean. “NO!” he yelled. “I could never, never, never prevail upon A’gain pedple jumped. myself to use it under any circumstances There was a grunt at his elbow and less than a falling building. Destroy there stood the dean. He had sand in it.” his gray hair and he looked mussed up. Mudge looked around and everybody “So you got back,” said Mudge. nodded. “It—it was terrible,” moaned the dean “I know this,” said Mudge, “but I ” in a broken voice. “The will never write it again.” And so say- “Don’t say it,” said Mudge. ing, he tore it up into little bits, his wet • coat making it possible for him to “Doctor,” said the dean, “I apologize wad the scraps to nothingness, never again to for all I said to you.” He faced the be read by mortal man. crowd. “I can verify amply everything that has happened here tonight. Dr. “Gentlemen,” said Mudge, “I am Mudge is absolutely correct” he paused chilly. And so if you will excuse me, I — ” to swab— his face and spit sand out of his will envision my study and teeth “about the negative dimension. I Whup! have the uneasy feeling, however, that it is a very dangerous dimension. A man Lizzie was crying. Her big shoul- ” might ders shook as she hunched over in the “Stop,” said Mudge, loudly. doctor’s chair. “Oh, I just know some- thing will happen to him. Something HE WAS WORKING at a terrific awful,” said Lizzie. “Poor little man.” pace now, and the paper shot off the “I am not a poor little man,” said stand to the floor as he swept it aside. Mudge. He grabbed a new sheet. She gasped as she stared up at him. He knew he was working against “My chair, please,” said Mudge. death. Knew it with all his heart. That She started to her feet. “Why, Henry thought would not long be stayed. At Mudge, you are soaking wet ! What do any minute he might find out where he you mean ?” was that he dared never go He cut her short. “I don’t mean any- Equation D was suddenly before him. thing by it except that I fell in a Mar- He copied it with a weary sigh and tian canal, Lizzie. Now be quick and 112 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION get me some dry clothes and a drink of “Yes, Henry,” she said meekly. But something.” even so she did not feel badly about it. She hesitated. “You know you don’t In fact, she felt very good. She whisked drink,” she snapped—for a test. herself upstairs and trotted down again “I don’t drink because I knew you in a moment. didn’t like it. Bring me some of that She placed the whiskey and water be- medicinal whiskey, Lizzie. Tomor- side his hand. row ni make it a point to get some good Henry dug up a forbidden cigar. She Scotch.” did not protest. “Henry!” “Get me a light,” said Henry. “Don’t talk like said that,” Henry She got him a light. “If you want Mudge commandingly. “I am warning anything, dear, just call.” you that you had better be pretty good “That I will, Lizzie,” said Henry from now on.” Mudge. “Henry,” said Lizzie. He put his feet upon the desk, feeling “Stop that,” he said. “I won’t have it. wicked about it, but enjoying it just the I refuse to be bullied in my own home, same. His clothes were almost dry. I tell you. And unless you are very, He sank back, puffing his cigar, and very good I am liable to vanish like ” then took a sip of the drink. He chuckled that and stay to hfmself. “Don’t,” she begged. “Don’t do that, Henry. Please don’t do that. Any- His mind had quieted down. He thing you say, Henry. Anything. But grinned at the upset owl. The thought don’t pop off like that anymore.” which had almost hit him before came to him now. It jarred him for an in- But he HENRY BEAMED upon her. stant, even made him sweat. “That’s better. Now go get me some shook it off and was very brave. clothes and a drink. And be quick about “Sun,” said Henry Mudge, coolly tak- it.” ing another drink. “How To Spot Counterfeit Money.” This is an authoritative article on the various types of counterfeit money which may be presented to you at any time. You are always the loser if you hold counterfeit money, even though you come by it innocently. Learning how to tell the good from the bad will save you possible loss and a lot of trouble. Don't miss this article in the August issue of CRIME BUSTERS on sale now at your newsstands for only ten cents. Besides this informative article, the August issue of CRIME BUSTERS is packed with regular detective features. Don't miss the August issue of CRIME BUSTERS. I : GIANT STARS BV Arthur McCann A discussion of the newly-measured Epsilon Aurigae that goes beyond the surface facts. Is it the largest star known —and what is a star? he recently measured (not re- sents a new member of a spectacular class cently discovered, however) —the giant suns. Antares, Mira, Betel- T Companion of Epsilon Aurigae geux—they’ve been the familiar mem- brings up an old astronomical problem bers of the class. Notice that they rep- more sharply than ever before, because resent no great differences in size, those it is more on the borderline than any greatest hitherto-known suns. The Sun other star ever discovered. When is a we know is about one million miles in star not a star but—something else? diameter. There is, however, a steady In 1937 the greatest stars known were, series of stars that are known, progress- in order ing from tiny things 1/ 100th the Sun’s size on in steady increase to these fa- Star Diameter la milee Antares 400,(X)0,0()0 miliar giants 200 to 400 million miles Alpha Herculis 350,000,000 in diameter. -(Actually, Epsilon Aurigae Beta Pegasi 350,000,000 itself, the main star of the binauy to Mira Ceti . 200,000,000 which the new giant is a companion, is Betelgeux 200,000,000 120,000,000 miles in diameter—^a true Then the Companion of Epsilon giant in its own right, dwarfed only by Aurigae was measured. It appears to the new discovery.) The important thing is this there is be approximately 3,000,000,000 miles in ; a diameter. That makes it nearly ten steady, traceable curve oj increasing sizes times greater in diameter than the other up to Antares. Then, abruptly, we giant stars. But the more important jump to a star immensely, spectacularly point is that it has, in consequence, bigger—the new Companion. nearly 100 times the surface area. No star closely approaching it in size That immensity is totally beyond con- has ever before been discovered. ception. The Sun we know is too vast No star hitherto discovered wais spec- for any honest mental comprehension, tacularly out of line with other known so astronomers cease entirely any use- stellar sizes. less efforts to actually understand it, and The Companion, then, is unique, use it merely as a unit. The Compan- unique at least in our knowledge. Why ? ion of Epsilon Aurigae, then, is 3100 times as great in diameter as our Sun. ANTAREIS is, technically, a Spectral Considerable newspaper and popular Type cMO. The M-type designation material has appeared on that giant star means that it is a red, comparatively cool already ; we are not interested at present star with a surface temperature quite in the star itself, but only as it repre- low for stars—about 3000° C., or slightly . 114 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION hotter than an incandescent tungsten measured by direct optical means. The light filament. The c-designation is the stellar interferometer, one of the innu- hall-mark of the super-giant sun. “Su- merable attachments that may be applied per-giant” in this sense refers not to the to a large telescope, served to special- bulk, but the energy-output. Antares is ize the 100" Mt. Wilson telescope into an enormously brilliant sun, more than a trick optical instrument that did not 10.000 times as luminous as our Sun. form clear images of the stars, but Any star carrying that “c” in its desig- blurry, concentric circles of interference nation is a super-giant and about 10,000 patterns. By the number of blur-rings ^ more times brighter than Sol, so far and the optical constants of the instru- as energy-output goes. ment, it was possible to calculate the The “0” of “MO” in the designation actual diameter, when the distance to means that Antares is a perfectly t>T)i- that sun was calculated. cal Type M. If it were a little cooler Three things were necessary ; that the than average for M-type suns, it would star observed give visible light enough be Ml, or M2. Still cooler, and it might to operate the interferometer. That it have been an M8 star. be reasonably (relative to interstellar All of those hitherto-known giants distances) near. And that the star origi- were type cM suns. Anything that huge nally had been detected, or, rather, no- is bound to be a c-type star; that enor- ticed. mous surface area, if it is hot enough The Companion of Epsilon Aurigae to be luminous, is bound to pour out did not julfUl any owe oj these three con- stupendous floods of energy. All those ditions. It was too dim to be detected. stars are extremely tenuous—^no more Epsilon Aurigas, its companion, is a than a higli-grade vacuum from an super-giant sun in its own right, a Earthly viewpoint. Their immense Class cF8 star somewhat hotter than our bulks are made up almost entirely of an own Sun, and 120 times as large. That exceedingly tenuous atmosphere sur- was sufficiently brilliant—enormously so rounding a core of immensely dense and —that even at the immense distance furiously active stellar material. That from us that it now stands it was defi- core is virulently, coruscantly radiant. nitely noticeable. It is a third-magni- All stars, whatever the surface appear- tude star, and the naked eye can detect ance may be, must contain at the heart a sixth-magnitude sun. We did not an esscntially-similar mechanism of notice the Companion at all. It was heat-shattered atoms under unendurable much too dim. pressure where the atomic energy may Therefore, it was too dim to operate be released. In the type-M stars, that the stellar interferometer. Had we core is buried under vast layers of ot)- somehow discovered it, we could not scuring, hindering, throttling atmos- have measured it even then. phere that reduces the energy and dilutes Finally, it is immensely distant. Were it to a red color. Even the energy of it bright—even if it gave enough light ten thousand Sols, released deep in a —the distance is too great for the in- 400,000,000-mile gas-cloud, would serve terferometer to operate with any satis- only to warm it to a reddish-white glow. factory accuracy. It is understandable, then, that those known giant-size stars have been red, THEN, by all that’s good and holy, and suj>er-giant class cM suns. They we had no right to find out about that had to be to be that large and still be star at all. How did they ? By a series visible. of freak coincidences that is fantasti- Antares, Mira, Betelgeux were all cally improbable. 8 GIANT STARS ns Tvro possible types of eclipse involving Epsilon Aurigae and its giant Companion, The double-ended arrow represents the known distance the stars move during the period of the eclipse. (Naturally, both starts move in orbits; only that of the Com- panion is indicated for simplicity.) The central eclipse, as at left, is improbable, fot Epsilon remains visible, though dimmed, throughout. ..The stellar core would totally obscure it. The right-hand cut represents the actual state. Notice that, in conse- quence, the Companion must be larger than the central eclipse would require. The cuts are not strictly proportional. Taking the right-hand Companion as in scale. Epsilon Aurigae on the same scale should be .05 inches in diameter. The Sun on that scale would be .0004 inches in diameter. First, being so immensely distant, to Those conditions were fulfilled. Ep- attract attention, a companion sun. Epsi- silon’s Companion w'as detected because lon Aurigae itself, was provided. It was the brilliant cF8 star varied in apparent no mean provision, for, over 100,000,0(X) brilliance in a regular manner. Plotting miles in diameter (enough to fill the the apparent luminosity against time Solar System out beyond Earth’s orbit), showed a light-curve with a period of it is so furiously energetic in its radia- 27 years, and of such a character as to tion that all the stupendous surface is prove that the variation was caused by kept at a temperature hotter than our an unseen Companion. own Sun’s “little” surface maintains. Since the eclipses did occur, that Second, since we can’t see the Com- proved that Epsilon Aurigje was, at cer- panion, we have to be able to detect it tain times, moving directly away from against a lighted background. The only Earth, and, at the opposite end of its way that would be possible would be orbit, directly toward Earth. The spec- to have the invisible star move across troscope is ideally adapted to measuring the face of a visible star—an eclipsing velocities toward and away from it in binary. Epsilon Aurigae system is. the line of sight. That gave us the or- But that means that the plane of the bital velocity and the period of the orbit. orbits of this system must lie in exactly It was not too difficult to work out the such a position that Earth, billions of complete orbit data for the twin stars. millions of miles distant, hundreds of Then, knowing how fast the stars light years aw'ay, shall lie precisely in the moved round each other, the length of same plane. If we do not see that sys- the eclipse gave the distance Epsilon had tem exactly edge on, we won’t see the to move to pass completely past the un- eclipse. We’ll see over or under the seen Companion. That gave us a chord obscuring dark star. The range of per- of the new star’s bulk. Not necessarily, missible variation, if we are to see that however, a diameter. eclipse, is, obviously, small. Calculation showed which it was. In AST— ) 116 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION the two cuts, if the visible star passes One of the most important things the behind the Companion through a diam- Epsilon Aurigae system has taught us eter, the distance we have determined lies in this: the main star is diminished represents the actual maximum dimen- in intensity when it has to shine through sion of the new star. If it is a chord, the outer layers of the Companion’s stu- that means the Companion is much pendous atmosphere, but it remains visi- larger. Every Star must have an im- ble. Since the Companion is a c-type mensely dense core to generate its atomic super-giant, it must have one of those power. No star could shine through the enormously radiant cores buried there core of another—and Epsilon Aurigse somewhere—but we can not see that did shine through. It was only par- core. The atmosphere of cold, non- tially, not totally, obscured. Therefore radiant gas obscures it, but does not cut the distance was a chord. off entirely the light of Epsilon. It The calculations required to show merely diniinshes its apparent intensity. what chord it was—whether a mere graze on a super-super-super-giant or a com- NOW ; why haven’t we detected stars paratively deep slice of a super-super- like the Companion before, elsewhere in giant—were no pleasure. They were space ? made, and the results interpreted. They First, stars so huge must be rare, showed the Companion to be something naturally. Super-giant suns are rare. like this: Those stupendously bulky super-giants It is a star about 3,000,000,000 miles are rarities among rare stars. in diameter, with a surface temperature Then, suppose there were .another of 850° C. (That would just about melt Epsilon Aurigse Companion. Charac- aluminum. It is a temperature consid- teristically, the hot nucleus is shielded, erably lower than that of a gas flame, its blue-white luminosity diluted in about that of an electric toaster, in fact. warming that immense atmosphere to a It is about the lowest stellar surface- mere dull glow, an electric toaster temperature on record. Naturally, it 3,000,000,000 miles across. Between the would be almost impossible to detect any dull-red of Antares and the toaster-glow such cool star, and it would, despite its of the Companion, we lost track. We enormous total energy-output, be unno- couldn’t find them. ticed against the Milky Way. It has a It may well be that the Companion mass about 21 times that of Sol—and is will be unique for ages to come, an ac- the lesser of the two stars of Epsilon cidentally discovered rare type that was Aurigse system. The main star is 25 discovered by a yet-rarer freak of hap- times as massive as Sol. penstance. An eclipsing binary, both of which were c-type super- But it, is a c-type super-giant. Down components there, deep in the heart of that stu- giants, one of which was a gas-ball of super-red-giant. pendous, tenuous atmosphere is one of the new, Aurigae-type those furiously incandescent 10,000-sun- But here enters the astronomer’s prob- power super-giant stellar cores function- lem, mentioned in the first paragraphs. ing as wildly as in any other super- When is a star a star—and when is it giant c-type star.* that something else? Suppose we expanded that already- The c-type super-giants all have an absolute expanded Aurigae-type of super-giant. xnagnitude of about -5. Mauy exceed that very considerably (S Doradi has an absolute The core we cannot expand. That must magnitude approaching —10.) The average Nova at the peak of its wild explosion reaches remain dense, generating the frightful -5 a temporary absolute magnitude of about stupendous temperatures —equal only to the day-after-day. millennium- pressures and “normal” c-type after-millennium output of a that release atomic power. But we can super-giant. — — GIANT STARS 117 expand the gaseous envelope even more. intensely hot core—perhaps a type-cO We can put it in rotation about the star core, for instance, the hottest super-giant —stars usually rotate anyway—so that type known. The outer atmosphere gravity has even less effect on it. Lord we’ve diluted so much that it shows no knows, with only 21 times Sol’s mass, real heat, now, but merely the effects of that star must have a pretty feeble grip re-radiated light picked up from that by the time its atmosphere gets even inner core. The layers of different light- 3,000,0(X),(XX3 miles out. We’ll put our supported atoms will, from a great dis- imaginary star’s atmosphere out to 100 tance, appear as rings of light, rather times as great a distance—out 300,000,- than layers. 000,000 miles. In a telescope, it would look just like We’re getting pretty far out, and a “planetary nebula’’ in fact, this in- pretty tenuous now. Maybe we would comparably vast star of ours. Like them do better with about twice as much mass, —like the observed Ring Nebula in distributing it in that super-super at- Lyra, for instance—it would, alone of mosphere. Three hundred billion miles stars, be vast enough to show as an ©f it ! It’s unstable as blazes. It can’t actual circular object in a telescope here rotate really uniformly, because of or- on Earth. bital-period differences. But if we di- That would be a star incomparably vide it into layers and use light- pressure vaster even than the Companion of Ep- to help, we may get somewhere. For silon Aurigae. fieside it, Mira Ceti, instance, we can help matters a little by Betelgeux, the greatest of the red giants, putting hydrogen and calcium, which are would shrink to—the pinpoints they ap- easily affected by light pressure, well out, pear. in an orbit slower than gravity would But not, perhaps, Antares. .\ntares, normally allow. by infra-red light photography, shows But now—well, the Companion in evidences of a ring-nebula about it. An- Aurigae, you remember, didn’t shut off tares may, in fact, be a sort half-way all the light of Epsilon. The outer at- step between the Companion and the it super-collossal-gi- mosphere was too tenuous ; just grayed well, Hollywoodian it, like a dull, gray haze. Our central ants of the planetary nebula order. core that we could not disperse, in this But, asks the astronomer, when is a imaginary star, is going to show through star a star, and when is it something our final structure I fear. Looking at else—a planetary nebula 100,000,000,000 it from a distance we’ll probably see an miles in diameter? Introducing Chief Engineer Josh McNab, of the Spaceship Arachne! A good Scots engineer finds his ship a “HELL SHIP” In the August Astounding The Legion of Time By Jac k Williamson Synopsis: Parts I and II. Jonbar and Gyronchi are tzvo conflict- EADLY antagonists, two women ing possible zvorlds of future probability. Either them be real, haunted Dennis Lanning’s life. of may made by the He was eighteen, in 1927, when fifth-dimensional progression. But not both. Lethonee first appeared to hint in the They are fighting for survival. the apartment at Harvard that he shared And “lamp of reality’’, Lethonee with three others: Wil McLan, the says, is in Lanning’s hands. She and mathematician; Lao Meng Shan, the Sorainya are each beckoning him to Chinese engineer; and Barry Halloran, carry it into her own hall of possible fu- all-American tackle and his dearest turity. The choice is his—the outcome friend. veiled in unresolved probability. Tragic zvith dread, and beautiful, Haunted, Lanning walked bezvildered Lethonee’s intangible image came to him through the years. Lethonee guarded alone, holding the great jezvel of time his life. Sorainya tried again to lure him that she called the chronotron. In it, to death. He became war correspondent, she. showed him zvondrous Jonbar, her pilot, soldier—fighting always the right city, lying far-off in possible futurity. of might. In 1938, flying zvith Lao Jonbar s destiny, she told him, and even Meng Shan to defend Hankozv from air her ozvn, zvas in his hands. raiders, he was shot down. “Don’t fly tomorrow,’’ she zvarned Plunging toward death, they were him. “Or Jonbar will be slain!’’ taken aboard a strange ghost-ship, re- Lanning obeyed, giving up his oppor- vived by doctors from Jonbar. Barry tunity for his first solo flight because he Halloran is there, alive again, amid a had fallen in love zvith her vanishing dozen fighting men—all snatched from image. And Barry Halloran was killed death by the mysterious dynat. in his stead. Captain of the Chronion is Wil Mc- Grief-stricken, Lanning left America. Lan. Now queerly aged, tzvisted from And Sorainya appeared to him, floating torture, he tells in a voiceless whisper beside the rail of his ship in the tropics, how he mastered Time with the geodesic on her golden shell of Time. Red-mailed analyzer. Lie sazv Sorainya, loved her, zvarrior queen of Gyronchi, splendid and built the ship to cruise Time to reach her alluring, she called to him to leap to the in Gyronchi. But she imprisoned him shell and return zvith her to share her ti-eacherously, tortured him for the se- throne. cret of Time, and let Glarath, high priest He zvas about to leap, when Lethonee of the strange gyrane, study the Chro- came back to zvarn him. For the shell ion. zvas but an hnmaterial image. He would Lethonee helped him escape, guided have fallen to die in the shark-infested him to Jonbar. Unzvittingly. his experi- sea. Sorainya vanished, angered. And ment has altered the trend of probability Lethonee e.rplained. from Jonbar toward Gyronchi. To de- 119 Concluding a great novel of Time and conflicting Futures, In the air of Sorainya’s great hall, the dim shape of the Chronion appeared— and snapped to solidity as the mist of Time dissolved from it. ]cnd menaced Jonbar, IVil McLan Ims cover the object, and so restore the pos- come back to gather the Legion oj Time. sibility of Jonbar's existence. Lanning He makes Lanning commander. They leads seven men into Sorainya’s citadel. return to Jonbar. But sotne triumph of All save he and Barry Halloran are dyronchi extitiguishes the probability of killed fighting her huge, guardian ants. Jonbar, and it disappears about them. They break into her strong room, find Lethonee dissolves from Lanning's arms. the mysterious object sealed in a brick Aboard the Chronion, they find that of black cement, and start back to the the enemy, now with a time ship of their Clironion. own, have used the gj-rane’s power to But Sorainya appears suddenly be- drag some vital object from the past. It fore them, in her vast throne hall, lead- VMS the resulting zvarp of probability ing another horde of the gigantic ants. that obliterated Jonbar. “She has cut us off!” Lanning gasps. The Chronion raids Gyronchi to re- “There’s no zvay out " 120 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION XII, Halloran flung it down, folded his crim- soned arms, stood waiting grimly. Lan- ut one weapon now re- ning bent to pick up the gun, gasping: mained to the two men standing “Mustn’t give up, alive! That prison B alone beside the diamond throne ” of horror before Sorainya and her charging horde But Sorainya had paused, leveled the of giant ants: Barry Halloran’s blood- yellow needle of her sword. A hot blue stained Mauser. spark hissed to the rifle. Tanning’s hand “Quick !” urged Lanning. His red fin- jerked away from the half-fused weapon, gers closed hard on the precious black seared, nerveless. Too late. She had brick that was very cornerstone of the them menaced Jonbar. “Fire ! There’s time The golden bugle of her voice pealed enough to get—her!” down the hall, triumphant: “Well, Yet, as soon as Barry raised the rifle, Denny Lanning! So you prefer Gy- he was sorry he had spoken. For the ronchi ? And the dungeon, to my throne queen of Gyrohchi, in her black-plumed ” here panoply, was too splendid to slain. be Lanning blinked. Sorainya and her All the mocking, glorious beauty of So- charging horde were already halfway rainya returned, as when she had come down the hall. Beneath her crested hel- to him on the golden shell. Demon- met, he could see that clear-cut face still queen ! He bit his lip, and fought down white with vengeful anger ; those long, a frantic impulse to snatch Barry’s level green eyes cold as ice and cruel with a rifle. pitiless mockery. But something was The gun crashed, and Lanning waited, coming between—a shadow, a thickening with a stricken heart, to see Sorainya silver veil. fall. But it was one of the great ants The shadow grew abruptly real. that stumbled and clutched with four Breathless, Lanning rubbed at his eyes, queer limbs at its armor shell. shuddering to the shock of incredulous “I had it on her,” muttered Halloran. hope. For it was the Chronion! “But they’d get us just the same. And The green glow fading slowly from !” she’s a woman. Sort of—beautiful her polar disks, the time ship’s silver Lanning reeled, and the anvil of agony hull dropped to the floor before the rang louder in his brain. His taut fin- throne. The small figure of Lao Meng gers grasped the brick, and his dulled Shan, on the foredeck, turned the Maxim mind groped foggily for any possible mounted there toward Sorainya and the way back to the ship, however desperate. kothrin—and then fell desperately to tak- But there was none. ing the gun apart, for it was jammed. And the voiceless question of Wil The thin, twisted figure of Wil Mc- McLan was rasping in his ears : “Could Lan, under his crystal dome, was beck- any man kill Sorainya?” oning urgently. After that first stunned But there was something His instant, Lanning caught at Barry’s arm, dazed brain spun. Sorainya must be and they ran frantically to climb aboard. destroyed, so Wil McLan had said. And Lethonee had told him, long ago, that SORAINYA screamed a wild battle he must choose one of the twain, and so cry. With a flashing sweep of her doom the other. His heart came up in golden sword, she led the great ants on his throat, and he reached out a trem- at an unchecked run. A scattering vol- bling hand. ley from their heavy guns peppered the ” “Give me Chronion. But the rifle had snapped, empty. The turret revolved beneath the dome. LEGION OF TIME 121 and t)ie yellow ray flamed upon Lanning Lanning reeled through the turret, and Halloran from the crystal gun, to where Duflfy Clark was on duty behind pull them into the field of the ship. the crystal gun, and up to join Wil Lanning had glimpsed the blind, be- McLan below the dome. The old man wildered figure of the navy airman, Wil- seiaed his arm, eagerly. lie Rand, stark and alone on the deck. “Well, Denny! You got it?’’ But, when he and Halloran tumbled “Yes.” And Lanning demanded: breathless over the rail, finding Shan “But how’d you come to meet us in the still busy with the useless Maxim, Rand hall? That’s all that saved us! And was gone. where’s Barinin?” “Look, Denny !” Barry Halloran was “There was an alarm,” husked the hoarse with an awed admiration. “The voiceless man. “They discovered us on !’ damn blind fool the ledge, and turned down one of the He pointed toward Sorainya’s horde, gyrqne rays from the battlements. Ba- and Lanning saw Willie Rand, going to rinin was caught at the gun. Crisped ” tneet them. Bandaged head bent low, black he moved at a blind, stumbling run. He shuddered. The broken Mauser was level in his “We had to take off; and I drove hands, the whetted bayonet gleaming. down into the future, to avoid meeting The giant ants paused before that soli- their time ship. I hadn’t wanted to en- tary charge as if bewildered. Sorainya’s ter the fortress with the ship—when we fierce shout urged them on. Their guns couldn’t explore it with the chronoscope. rattled, and the sailor’s body jerked to There was too much danger of collision the smacking impacts of the bullets. with some solid object—with very dis- But he ran on. astrous results. Lanning staggered to the deck speak- “But that was the only course possi- ing tube, gasping: “Wil, can we help ble. We had to take the risk—and we him ?’’ won.” He sighed wearily, mopped Wil McLan, under the dome, shook sweat from his scar-seamed face. “That his white head. hall was the largest room. From my “No,’’ the whisper came. “But it’s plans, and a study of the ruins in fu- what he wanted. Useless—but terrible. turity, I approximated its position. And !’’ Grand we came back to where I guessed it had Even Sorainya halted. Her golden been. That’s all. But where is—it?” needle leveled and spat blue fire. Wil- lie Rand lurched, and his clothing be- LANNING handed him the glazed, gan to smoke. But he staggered on, black brick from Sorainya’s strong room. to meet the yellow axes lifted. His hollow, blue eyes lit with an eager Lanning had dropped on his knees, gleam. to help the Chinese with the jammed “What could it be?” gun. But he saw Rand come to the “Let’s open it up,” the old man rank of ants. He saw the flashing bayo- rasped, “and find out !” The brick trem- net, as if guided by an extra-sensory bled in his hands. “We've got to dis- vision, drive deep into a black thorax. cover where Glarath and Sorainya took • Then the golden axes fell it from—^in Time and Space—and put it But Wil McLan, on his bridge, had back there. If we can.” spun his shining wheel, closed a key. Lanning lifted his eyes from the black And the Chronion was gone from So- fascination of the little block that was rainya’s hall, back into the blue, shim- the foundation of all Jonbar. Anxiously, mering gulf of her own timeless track. he caught at McLan’s twisted arm. — — 122 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION “Do you think ” he gasped. “Will of the past, to deflect the whole direc- they follow ?” tion of probability—to destroy even the McLan’s hollow eyes dulled. “Of possibility of Jonbar. course they’ll follow,’’ he whispered. “It “Now, with the chronoscope, I must means life and death to Gyronchi, as try to find its place. .And then we must well as to Jonbar. And they liave the put it back—if Sorainya will let us!” time sliip— if only one. If they fail to He looked suddenly up at lanning. overtake us on the way, tliey will surely “But you’re tired, Denny, And you’ve be waiting where the object must be been hurt.” placed. They know the spot.’’ Lanning had hardly been conscious of He repressed a little sigh of grim fore- fatigue. Even the ring and throb of brnling. pain in the back of his brain Irtul become “And now we are only five.” a tolerable thing, a vague and distant But the white head came erect, and phenomenon that did not greally mat- the haggard eyes flashed again, with a ter. And he felt a great surprise, now, bleak bitterness of hate. when the dome went black and he knew “But you saw Sorainya’s dungeons,” that he was falling on the floor. he rasped. “Now you know why Gy- ronchi must be destroyed.” He handed XIII. the brick to Lanning. “See if you can break it open.” LANNING woke with his head band- “I know,” I^anning was whispering aged, lying in the little green-walled grmily. “For I’ve seen Jonbar, and hospital. Barry Halloran grinned at Lethonce.” him from the opposite bed. The little The block was glass-hard. He tapped cockney, Duffy Clark, came presently at it vainly,, broke his pocket knife on with a covered tray. it. then carried it down to the deck. It “Cap’n McLan?” he drawled. “W’hy yielded at last to hack saw, chisel, and ’e’s on ’is bridge, sor, with hall ’is sledge. It proved to be a thick-walled bloomin’ gadgets. ’E’s tryin’ to find bo.x. packed with white fiber. where that bloody she-devil and ’er Breathless, with quivering fingers, blarsted ants got ’old of that magnet.” Lanning drew out the packing, and un- “Any luck?” demanded Lanning. covered—a thick, V’-shaped piece of He shook a tousled head. rusty iron. “Don’t look it, sor. Wot with hall His vague, wild expectations had been Spayce and Time to search for the spot. all of something spectacular. Perhaps And the woman and the blarsted priest some impressive document of State upon is arfter us, sor. in a black ship full of which history should have turned. Or the bloomin’ hants! We’ve seen it the martyr’s weapon that might have twice, sor. A blinkin’ ’ell-ship!” slain some enemy of progress. And dis- “But we can outrun them!” broke in appointment drove a leaden pain through Barry Halloran. “The Chronion can liis heart. With heavy feet, he carried give ’em all they want.” it back to Wil McLan. “Ayn’t easy, sor!” Clark shook his “Just a piece of scrap iron,” he said head. “Cap’n McLan’s running the wearily. “Just an old magnet, out of fields at full potential, with the bloomin’ the magneto of a Model T. And we converters overloaded. And still they’re spent all those lives to find it!” 'olding us, neck and neck. Lor, the !” “That doesn’t matter, what it is,” the bloody swine old luati whispered. “It was important An overwhelming lethargy was still enough, when Gyronchi wrenched it out in Lanning. He ate, and slept again. — LEGION OF TIME 123 And many hours of the ship’s time must field. The sloping cow pasture, above, have passed when he suddenly awoke, was scantily covered with brush and aware of another sound above the accel- gnarled little trees. erated throb of the atomic converters the hammering of the Maxim! A SMABB, freckled boy, in faded He tumbled out of bed, with Barry overalls and a big ragged straw hat, was Halloran after him, and ran to the deck. trudging slowly barefoot down the slope, The firing had stopped, however, when accompanied by a gaunt, yellow dog, they reached it. The Chronion was driving two lean red-spotted cows home once more thrumming alone through the to the milking pen. flickering blue abyss. “Watch him,” whispered Wil McBan. Butalittle Duffy Clark lay beside the And Banning followed the idle path of Maxim, smoking and still, his body half of the boy. He stopped to encourage the consumed by the gyrane ray. dog digging furiously after a rabbit. He .Shuddering, Banning climbed up into squatted to watch the activities of a the dome. colony of ants. He ran to catch a gaudy “They caught us,” sobbed voiceless butterfly, and carefully dissected it. He Wil McLan. “They'll catch us again. rose unwillingly to answer the halloo of The converters are overdriven. As the a slatternly woman from the house be- grids are consumed, they lose efficiency. low, and followed the cows. They got poor Clark. That leaves four.” Wil McBan’s gnarled fingers closed The question burning in his eyes. Ban- on Banning’s arm, urgently. ning whispered: “Did you find—any- “Now!” thing?” Idly w’hittling with a battered knife, Solemnly, the old man nodded, and the boy spied something beside a sumac Banning listened breathlessly. bush, and stooped to pick it up. The “The time is an aftemobn in August object blurred oddly in the crystal of the year 1921,” whispered Wil Mc- screen, so that Banning could not dis- Ban. “The broken geodesics of Jonbar tinguish it. And vision faded, as Wil had already given us a clue to that. McBan snapped oft' the mechanism. And I have found the place, with the “Well?” demanded Banning, bewil- chronoscope.” dered. “What has that to do with Jon- Banning gripped his arm. “Where?” bar?” “It’s a little valley in the Ozarks of “That is John Barr,” rasped the voice- Arkansas. But I'll show you the de- less man. “For that metropolis of fu- cisive scene.” ture possibility is—or might.be—named The little man limped to the metal in honor of the boy, barefoot son of a cabinet of the geodesic analyzer, and his tenant farmer. He is twelve years old broken fingers carefully set Its dials. A in 1921. You saw him at the turning greenish luminescence filled the crystal point of his life—and the life of the block, and cleared. I^nning bent for- world.” ward eagerly, to peer into that pellucid “But I don't understand!” window of probability. “The bifurcation of possibility is in An impoverished farm lay before his the thing he stoops to pick up,” whis- eyes, folded in the low and ancient hills. pered Wil McBan. “It is either the A sagging shack of gray, paintless pine, magnet that we recovered from Sorain- a broken window gaping black and the ya’s citadel—or an oddly colored pebble roof inadequately patched with rusty tin, which lies beside it. leanetl crazily beside an eroded rocky “And that choice—which Sorainya 124 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION sought to decide by removing the mag- making possible the release of atomic net—determines which of two possible energy under control of the human will. John Barrs is ultimately fixed in the real “Given freely to the world, the dymt universe by fifth dimensional progres- will soon solve many problems of power, sion.” communication, and food—although “But how?” said Lanning. “From John Barr, not waiting for material suc- !” such a small thing cess, that same year will be quietly buried by his neighbors beside a little church “If he picks up the discarded mag- in the Ozarks. And presently the illim- net, he will discover the mysterious at- itable power of the dynat will be the traction it has for the blade of his knife, lifeblood of the splendid new metropolis and the mysterious north-seeking power of Jonbar, christened after him. of its poles. He will wonder, experi- “Nor is that all. Ennobled humanity ment, theorize. Curiosity will deepen. will soar on the wings of this most mag- The scientist will be bom in him. nificent slave. For the dynat will bring “He will study, borrow books on sci- a new contact of mind and matter, new ence from the teacher of the one-room senses, new capabilities. Gradually, as school in the hollow. He will pres- time goes on, mankind will become ently leave the farm, run away from a adapted to the full use of the dynat." domineering father who sneers at ‘book The whisper was hoarse with a breath- lamin’,’ to work his way through col- less awe. lege. And then he will become a teacher “And at last a new race will arise, of science in country schools, an ama- calling themselves the dymn. The splen- teur experimenter. did children of John Barr’s old discov- will low “Sometimes the flame bum ery, they will possess faculties and pow- in the ” in him, inspiration be forgotten ers that we can hardly dream of marry, raise drudgery of life. He will “Wait!” cried Lanning. “I’ve seen children, absorbed for years in the two the dynon! When Lethonee first came, life. But the old thirst cares of family so long ago, to my room in Cambridge, die. The march of to know will never she showed me New Jonbar, in the jewel the flame. Finally, science will rekindle of the chronotron. A city of majestic, will run at the age of fifty-five, he away shining pylons. And, flying above them, again this time from a domineering — a glorious people, robed, it seemed, in son-in-law to wife and an obnoxious — pure fire!” carry on his research. Hollow eyes shining, Wil McLan nod- “A bald, plump little man, mild-man- ded solemnly. nered, dreamy, impractical, he will work “I, too, have looked into New Jon- for years alone in a little cottage in the bar,” he whispered. “I have seen the Ozarks. Every possible cent will go promised glory beyond—the triumphant for the makeshift apparatus powered flight of the dynon, from star to star, from a crude homemade hydro-electric forever! In that direction, there was plant. He will go often hungry. Once, no ending to the story of mankind. ” a kindly neighbor will find him starving, “But in the other nearly dead of influenza. His white head shook. There was si- lence under the dome. Lanning could “BUT AT LAST, in 1980, a tired but hear the swiftened throb of the convert- triumphant little man of seventy-one, ers, driving them back through the blue he will publish his great discovery. The shimmer of possibility toward the quiet dynatomic tensors—shortened to dynat. scene in the Ozarks they had watched in A radically new principle in physics. the crystal block. He saw Lao Meng LEGION OF TIME 125 Shan cleaning the Maxim on the deck a precious spark. It will remain curi- below. Barry Halloran, rifle ready, was ously similar, yet significantly different. peering alertly into the flickering abyss. Duffy Clark was already consigned to “JOHN BARR, in this outcome also, the gulf of Time. will run away from his father’s home, “If we fail to replace the magnet,” the but now to become a shiftless migratory grave whisper at last resumed, “so that worker. He will marry the same woman, Against the Hickering mist of the abyss of Time, the vast black ship from Cyronchi loomed, her decks swarming with Sorainya’s huge fighting-ants. the boy John Barr picks up the pebble raise the same two children, and leave instead, the tide of probability will be them in the same way. The same me- turned—as, indeed, it is turned—toward chanical ingenuity, that might have dis- Gyronchi. covered the dymt, will lead to the in- "The boy will toss the pebble in his vention of a new gambling device, on hand, then throw it in his sling to kill a which he will make and lose a fortune. singing bird. And all his life will want He will die—equally penniless—in the 126 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION same year, and be buried in the same He flung his broken body toward the graveyard in the Ozarks. controls. “The secret of atomic power will now But already, Lanning saw, the decks be discovered nine years later, but with had touched. In the face of the ham- a control far less complete than that at- mering Maxim, a horde of the gigantic tained through the perfection of the ants, monstrous spawn of atomic radia- dynat. The discoverer will be one Ivor tion, was pouring over the rail. Lead- Gyros, an exiled Russian-Greek, work- ing them with the flame of her golden ing with a renegade Buddhist priest in sword, magnificent in her crimson pano- an abandoned monastery in Burma. ply, came Sorainyal Calling the secret the gyrane, the two will guard it selfishly, use it to destroy XIV. their enemies and impress the supersti- tious. They will found a new fanatical “SORAINYA!” Lahning gasped. religion that will sweep the world, and “She’s aboard!” a new despotic empire.” “Sorainya!” It was a stricken, husk- The whisper paused again, gravely. ing echo from old Wil McLan. His “That is the way of the cult of the broken hands came up, automatically, gyrane, and of Sorainya’s dark dynasty,” to the odd little tube of bright-worn sil- rasped Wil McLan, at last. “A way of ver that Lanning had wondered about so often, hanging at his throat. That evil ! You have seen the end of it.” “I have!” ancient, smouldering hate glazed his sunken eyes again. Yet a strange agony A little shudder touched Banning, at racked his whisper. “Sorainya memory of that desolate scene in the —must she die?” crystal block : mankind annihilated in “The ants!” warned Lanning. “Pour- the final war of the priests and the kings, ?” ing aboard ! get by the gyrane and the monstrous muta- Can we away Wil McLan started, and his hands fell tions it had bred. The jungle returning to the controls again. across a devastated planet, to cover the “Can try!” he rasped. “But that con- rusting pile Sorainya’s citadel of and ” verter the shattered ruins of the vast, black • score of the great ants rush- temple. A were ing the Maxim on the foredeck. Lao Quivering, then, his hands grasped at Men Shan was crouched behind the tlie rusty V of the magnet, lying beside rattling machine gun. And Barry Hal- the controls of the chronoscope. loran stood beside it, a sturdy, smiling “And so And so all we have to giant of battle, waiting with his bayonet do is to put it back, where the boy John for. the ants. Barr will pick it up?” “Fight ’em!” his great voice was !” “All,” nodded Wil McLan. “If we booming out cheerfully. “Fight ’em !” can Grinning blandly, the little Chinese Lanning started, then, and shivered made no sound at all. to the rattle of the Maxim. His scarred With a ringing war cry, Sorainya had face stiff with startled dread, Wil Mc- turned toward the turret, followed by a Lan was pointing. Lanning turned. dozen ants. The needle of her golden Close beyond the dome, he saw the sword flashed up, pointing at Wil Mc- square, black mass of the time ship from Lan in the dome. And her green-eyed Gyronchi. face was suddenly terrible with such a “Mankind !” cried McLan. “The con- blazing passion of hate that Lanning !” verters—^failing shuddered from its fury. — LEGION OF TIME 127 “She’s coming here !’’ sobbed the dry, back a murderous avalanche of ants. hoarse whisper of Wil McLan. “After He caught Barry’s gasping, “Fight! !” me!’’ Terror flared red beside the an- Fight I Fight ’em, team cient hatred and the puzzling agony in his eyes. “Ever since I refused to aid HE SAW BRIEFLY the high, black her conquest—— ’’ side of the other ship, beyond. He Lanning was already running down glimpsed the gaunt, cadaverous, bjack- the turret stair. robed priest, Glarath, safe on his quar- !’’ “Fll try to stop her ter-deck. H saw a second company of And the whisper rasped after him: ants, aglitter with gold and crimson "And I’ll pull away—if the converters weapons, gathered by the rail, ready to will stand it.’’ leap after the first. In the little turret, beside the crystal Panic gripped his heart. It was an helix-gun that projected the temporal overwhelming horde field, Lanning belted on a Luger. He But suddenly the black ship was gone, snatched the last Mauser from the rack, with Glarath and the rank of ants. loaded it. His eye caught one hand There was only the flicker of the blue grenade left in the box. He scooped it abyss. The throb of the over-driven up, gripped the safety pin. conveVters was heavier beneath the deck. The little door was groaning and ring- Wil McLan had driven the Chronion ing to a furious assault from without ahead once more in the race toward the for the Chronion had not been designed past. for a figliting ship. It yielded suddenly, But Sorainya and her boarding party and a great black ant pitched through. remained upon the deck. The Maxim Lanning tossed the last grenade suddenly ceased to fire. Shan and Barry through the doorway, and ripped at the were surrounded. Then the eight at- ant with his bayonet. He reeled to the tacking ants converged upon Lanning in burning stench of formic acid. A sav- the doorway, urged on by Sorainya’s age mandible ripped trousers and skin pealing shouts, and he had attention for from his leg. But the third thrust stilled nothing beyond them. the monster, and he leapt into the door- The bayonet had proved more effective way. than bullets against the great ants. And Outside, the grenade had cleared a now, defending the doorway, Lanning little space. Three of the monsters lay fought with the same deadly technique where it had tossed them, crushed and he had mastered in Sorainya’s citadel. dying. But the warrior queen stood un- A ripping lunge, a twist, a savage harmed in the crimson mail, with eight thrust. One ant fell. Another. A more ants about her. A savage light of third. Fallen black bodies made an acrid battle flamed in her long green eyes, and reek. Spilled vital fluids were slippery she flung the ants forward with her on the deck. golden sword. The bullet from a crimson gun raked “Denny Lanning,” her voice cut cold Lanning’s side. A golden axe touched as steel. “You were warned. You de- his head with searing pain, where a ten- fied Gyronchi, and chose her of Tonbar. derness remained from the other battle. So—die!” A heavy gun, flung spinning like a club, Yet Lanning, waiting grim and silant knocked out his breath, sent him stag- in the turret’s doorway, had a moment’s gering back for a dangerous instant. respite. He had time for a glimpse of But he recovered himself, lunged again. Barry and Shan, now engaged in a Sorainya ran back and forth behind furious battle about the Maxim, holding the ants, shrilling her battle cry. A 128 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION ” cruel, smiling elation lit her beauteous “My God. I can’t face, and her narrowed green eyes were The bayonet wavered in his slacken- cold and bright with the lust of blood. ing grasp. And the queen of war, with Once, when the ants fell back and a brilliant smile and a mocking flirt of gave her an opening, she leveled the her sable plume, darted quickly forward. needle of her sword at Lanning. Know- The golden needle flickered out in a ing the deadly fire it held, he ducked, lightning thrust, drove his body through and whipped a shot at her red-mailed and through. body with the Luger. Lanning’s reeling lunge caught one His bullet whined harmless from her of the attacking ants. He ripped, twisted, armor. And blue flame jetted past his recovered. He staggered back from a shoulder. A jolting shock hurled him flashing yellow blade, lurched forward aside against the wall. Half blind, dazed, again to engage the survivor. he slapped at his burning shirt, and But his eyes went, again and again, reeled back to meet the remaining ants. to that other tableau, so that he saw it as Four were left. His staggering lunge a continuous picture. He saw the prac- caught one. And another fell, queerly, ticed twist that withdrew Sorainya’s when he had not touched it. And a blade. He saw her draw it through her hearty voice came roaring to his ears, naked hand, and then blow Barry a ma- “Fight, gang! Fight!” licious kiss, from fingers red with his And he saw that the battle on the own lifeblood. foredeck was ended. A great pile of the A dark fountain burst and - foamed dead, black ants lay about the Maxim. from Barry Halloran’s heart. -The ad- Lao Meng Shan was looking over the miration on his face gave way to a hard, barricade, with a curiously cheerful grin grim hate. His hands tried to lift the fading from his still, yellow face. rifle, but it slipped away from them and And Barry Halloran, crimson and fell. And his stained face became ter- terrible with the marks of battle, came rible with a bewildered, helpless baffle- chanting down the deck. It was a burst ment. from his Luger that had dropped the “Denny ” It was a soft, bubbling monster beside Lanning. He flung the sob. “Kill ” empty pistol aside, and leveled his drip- And he slipped down, beyond So- ping bayonet. rainya. Lanning was swaying, gasping for Lanning brought his staggered mind breath, fighting a descending Windness back to the one remaining ant. It was as he fought the two remaining ants. too late to avoid the descending golden He feinted, lunged, recovered, parried, axe. But his weary muscles had time still defending the turret door. to complete the lunge. A little deflected, But he saw Sorainya turn to meet the flat of the blade crashed against his Barry Halloran, and heard her low, head, drowned him in a black flood of mocking laugh. He saw the rifle shift pain. in Barry’s crimson hands, ready for the Automatically, the run-down machine lunge that might pierce the queen’s of his body finished that familiar rhythm woven mail. —rip, twist, slash. And then, slowly, it ” “Fight toppled down beside the dying ant. Still, for an instant, some atom of BARRY’S chanting stopped on a low, awareness lingered. Don’t quit now! breathless cry, astonished. The grim it shrieked. Or Sorainya will kill Wil smile of battle was driven from his face McLan. She will take the magnet back. by a sudden, involuntary admiration. And Jonbar will be lost. LEGION OF TIME 129 Btrt that despairing scream was to the bridge. The caressing mockery drowned in dark oblivion. of Sorain>'a’s golden tones came down to him again, boasting. “You were a fool, Wil McLan, to seek XV. my doom. For, since you brought us AGONY WAS still a rush and a the secret of Time, the gyrane can con- dniniming beat through all of Lanning’s quer death also. I may be the last of head. But a frantic purpose that had my line—but I shall reign forever ! For lived even through unconsciousness I searched the future for the hour of ” lifted him reeling to his feet. my death. And it is not The throbbing deck lurched and Reeling up the turret stair. Banning wheeled beneath him. And the black came into the bridge beneath the dome. mist in his eyes veiled the flickering blue. Wil McLan was lying on the floor, be- But he saw Lao Mcng Shan and Barry neath the shining wheel. His broken Halloran lying dead in the midst of the hands were set down in a great dark slaughtered ants. pool of his own blood, to lift his shoul- He saw that Sorainya was gone from ders. His white head was thrown back, the deck, and the malicious triumph of so that his scarred, thin face could look her golden voice floated down to him. up at Sorainya. The dark, deep-sunken “You have led me a long pursuit, Wil eyes were fixed on the woman, blazing Lan. I thank you for the pleasure of with a beaten, hopeless hate. the chase. Remember, once I promised Hung by its thin white chain from his ” you my sword neck, the little silver tube touched the A terrible scream, because it was spreading pool of blood. voiceless, whispered, came rasping down Lithe and tall in the red splendor of from the dome. And then Banning her black-plumed mail. Sorainya stood heard Sorainya’s low, throaty laugh, facing him, crimson drops still falling" pleased and pitiless. from her thin, yellow sword. But she “Perhaps you had the means to de- heard Lanning’s unsteady step, and stroy me, Wil McLan. But never the turned swiftly to meet him as he came will—for I know why you first came to to the top of the stair. Gyronchi! Other men have sought to A bright, fierce exultation lit the slay me, as silly moths might seek with smooth, white beauty of her face. A their wings to beat out the flame. They deadly, smiling eagerness flashed in her failed.” long emerald eyes, at sight of Banning. “We'll see, Sorainya,” Banning mut- And her blade cut an arc of golden fire tered under his gasping breath. “For before him. !” Barry’s sake “Well, Denny Banning!” her suave His body moved stiffly, like a rusted voice greeted him. “So you would try, machine. It staggered and reeled. Pain where the others failed? The champion rushed like a river in his brain. A mist of her! Then carry her my message, to !” of darkness veiled his sight, shot with Jonbar, in—Nothingness Winding wheels of red. All his body Her ringing blade struck sparks from was a throbbing ache, his garments glued his bayonet, to it with drying blood. His whole being revolted from eflfort. SHE WAS beautiful. Tall almost as But he found the Mauser, picked it up Banning, and strong with the lithe, in numbed, fumbling hands, and stag- quick strength of a tigress. The woven gered into the turret that he had tried red mail followed every flowing curve to guard where the metal stair led up of her. Wide nostrils flared, and high — 130 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION breasts rose to her quickened breathing. gasping breath, and shook his ringing ’’ One red hand clutched the magnet. head to clear it. “For Barry Bright yellow hair was bursting from With the last atom of his ebbing under the black-crested helmet. A wild, strength, he gripped the rifle hard and fierce smile was fixed on her face, and rushed across the tiny room under the she attacked with the speed of a panther dome. He thrust the gleaming bayonet, leaping. with every ounce of muscle, up under the Banning parried with the bayonet, curve of her breast, toward her heart. thrust warily at her gleaming body. “Denny!" She swayed aside. The blade slid harm- It was a choking sob of warning from less by her breast. And the yellow nee- Wil McBan. And the golden needle dle flicked Banning’s shoulder with a flashed up to touch the rifle. Blue fire whip of pain. hissed from its point. The rifle fell out His weapon was the longer, the heav- of Banning’s hands. He staggered back- ier. And it made no difference, he tried ward, stunned and blinded by the shock, to tell himself, that she was beautiful smelling his seared hands and the burn- for Barry’s death was still a dark agony ing pungence of ozone. writhing in him, and he could see Wil He caught his weight against the curve McBan on the floor behind her, gasping of the dome, and leaned there, shudder- terribly for breath and following the ing. It took all his will to keep his knees battle with hate-lit, glazing eyes. from buckling. He caught a deep, rasp- But he fought a fatigue more deadly ing breath, and blinked his eyes. than Sorainya’s blade. All his strength He could see again. He saw Sorainya had been poured out in the battle with gliding forward, light as a dancer. Be- the ants. Sorainya was fresh, and she neath stray wisps of golden hair, her had a tireless energy. The rifle grew white face was dazzling with a smile. leaden heavy in Banning’s hands. His And her lazy voice chimed, gayly, “Now, vision dulled to a blurry monochrome, Denny Banning! Who is immortal?’’ and Sorainya was but a fatal shadow that could not die. HER ARM flashed up as she spoke, He was glad she blurred, for he could slim and red in its sleeve of mail. A no longer see her lissome loveliness. terrible, tigerish joy flashed in her long He tried to see, in her place, the black- green eyes. And the sword, like a liv- armored horror of one of her ants. He ing thing, leapt at Banning’s heart. lunged into the rhythm of the old at- He struck at the blade, a stiff and tack—rip, twist, slash. awkward blow, with his empty hand. It But the blade slithered again, harm- slashed his wrist. Deflected a little, it less, from the gleaming curve of her drove through his shoulder', a cold, thin body. And the flash of her sword drew needle of numbing pain, and rang against a red line of pain down his arm. She the hard crystal behind him. leapt back, with a pantherine grace Sorainya whipped out the sword, and and then stood, as if to mock him, with wiped its thin length on her fingers. the yellow needle down at her side. She blew him another red kiss, and stood “No, Denny Banning!’’ She gave a waiting for him to fall. Her white smite little breathless laugh. “Strike if you was breathless, thirsty. will—for I shall never die. I scanned “Well?” Her voice was a liquid ca- ?” all the future for the hour of my death, ress. “Another and found no danger. I cannot be Then Banning’s failing eyes went be- slain!’’ yond her. The tiny dome swam. It “I’ll see!’’ Banning caught a long took a desperate effort to focus Wil 9 LEGION OF TIME 131 McLan. But he saw the jerky little ing was deafening in his head. A shud- movement that broke the thin, white dering numbness, from the wound in his chain, tossed the tiny silver tube across shoulder, spread to all his being. And the floor. He heard the voiceless, feeble his knees at last gave way. gasp: “Break it, Denny! And her! For I—can’t!” XVI. Sorainya had sensed the movement behind her. Her breath caught sharply. LANNING lay still on the floor of And the yellow sword darted again, the dome, when awareness came back. swift as a flash of light, straight for The throb of the atomic converters came Lanning’s heart. Even the tigerish loud through the metal beneath his head. grace of that last thrust, he thought, was The anvil of agony still rang in his skull, beautiful and all his body was an aching, blood- But the silver cylinder had rolled to clotted stiffness. But, queerly, the cold his foot. Desperately^—and shuddering pain had ebbed from the sword-thrust in with a cold, incredulous awareness that, his shoulder. somehow, he was so crushing Sorainya’s “Denny?” victorious beauty—he drove his heel It was a voiceless sob, from Wil Mc- down upon the tube. Lan, husky with an urgent pleading. It made a tiny crunching sound. Lanning was surprised that the old man But Lanning didn’t look down. For still survived Sorainya’s stab. Despite his eyes were fixed, in a trembling, the screaming protests of exhaustion and breathless dread, upon Sorainya. No pain, he swayed once more to his feet, visible hand had touched her. But, from leaning against the curve of the dome. tile instant his heel came down, she was He blinked his clearing eyes, and found —stricken. McLan still lying in the dark pool on the The bright blade slipped out of her floor. hand, rang against the dome, and fell at “Wil! What can I do?” Lanning’s feet. The smile was some- A broken hand pointed. how frozen on her face, forgotten, life- “The needle in the drawer,” gasped ” less. Then, in a fractional second, her McLan. “Four c.c. Intravenous beauty was—erased. Lanning stumbled to the control Her altered face was blind, hideous, board, found, in the drawer beneath it, pocked with queerly bluish ulcerations. a bright hypodermic and a small bottle Her features dissolved—frightfully—in of heavy lead, marked : Dymtomic for- blue corruption. And Lanning had an mula L 648. Filled, New York City, instant’s impression of a naked skull August, 1985. grinning fearfully out of the armor. The liquid in the needle shone with And then Sorainya was gone. a greenish luminescence. He pushed up The woven red mail, for a weird frac- McLan’s sleeve, thrust the point into the tional second, still held the curves of her radial vein at the elbow, pushed home form. It slumped grotesquely, and fell the little plunger. with a dull little thud on the floor. The He examined the wound in the old plumed helmet clattered down beside it, man’s breast. It had already ceased to rolled, and looked back at Lanning with bleed. It looked—^puzzlingly—as if it an empty, enigmatic stare. had been healing for days instead of L.anning tried to look back at Wil Mc- minutes. Lan, seeking an explanation of this ap- “Thanks,” whispered McLan, “Now !” palling victory. But a thickening dark- yourself—but only two c.c. ness shut out his vision, and the ring- He lay back on the floor, with his AST— 132 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION eyes closed. Lanning made the injec- gone from his sunken, eyes, and they tion into his own arm. It seemed that were dark with an agony of grief. a quick tide of strength and power “I loved Sorainya,” came his whisper. flowed through his veins. His dulled “That tube held her life. I took it be- senses cleared, the aching stiflness ebbed cause I thought I hated her ” He away. Still he was dead-tired, still his caught a sighing breath. “I did hate battered head ached. But he felt some- her. for all she had done to me! But thing of the same almost-mystical well- still I could never break the tuljc.” - being that be had known when first “But what was it?” Horror rough- aboard the Chronion, after the surgeons ened Lanning’s voice. “I didn’t touch of Jonbar had brought him back from her. But she changed—dreadfully ! As death. if she had some terrible disease. She He picked up the rusty little magnet died. And then even her skeleton was !” lying on the floor beside Sorainya’s gone empty armor. Was there still a cliance Wil McLan’s hollow eyes were dry, to put it back, and save Jonbar? He glazed with pain. peered apprehensively out into the gulf “Sorainya failed to discover the hour of shimmering blue. What if Glarath of her death when she searched her fu- overtook them again? ture,” came the tortured rasping. “For it year The rhythmic beat of the converters was in her past! In the that the beneath the deck suddenly wavered, Sorainya mounted her throne, Blue slowed. Trouble, again. But Wil Mc- Death swept Gyronchi—a plague born of the poverty and squalor in which op- Lan, still white and trembling, pulled pression held the peasants. It was that himself up behind the wheel, began to that killed Sorainya.” adjust the controls. pandemic “But ?” Lanning stared. “I “Do you think ?” demanded Lan- don’t understand!” ning, an.xiously. “Can we put it back?” “^^’hen Lethonee helped me escape “If the converters hold out,” the old from Sorainya’s dungeons and recover man whispered, “we can try! Glarath — the Chronion,” the whisper answered, will guard the spot, no doubt, witli his “I determined to destroy Sorainya. I ship and the kothrhi. And you must searched her past—^with the chronoscope fight this time alone. But I’ll be able to -^for a node of probability. I found it, take you there. old body is about My in the year of the Blue Death. finished, anyway, and ill-adapted to the “For the priests of the gyrane man- dynat. But it gave me life enough for aged to prepare a few shots of effective that.” antitoxin. When Sorainya contracted The thrumming was becoming swifter the disease, Glarath rushed to her castle again, steadier, as his broken hands with the last tube of the serum, and touched keys and dials. saved her life. “But if the tube had been broken be- ?” “SORAINYA The question fore it reached her, the geodesic analyzer burst from Lanning’s lips. “That tube revealed, she would have died. Discov- ?” I broke His hand touched the twisted ering that, I drove the Chronion back shoulder. “Wil, what happened to So- through the temple to the plague year. rainya?” I carried aw^ay the tube.” The old man turned from the con- Lanning nodded slowly. “I see!” he trols. Supporting his weight with both murmured, awed. “It was like the carry- gnarled hands on the bright wheel, he ing away of the magnet, to destroy Jon- looked at Lanning. The old hatred was bar.” — — LEGION OF TIME 133 “Not quite,” pointed out Wil McLan. match our probability to hers. You will “The magnet was carried into the fu- notice, however, that they are disappear- ture. Its geodesics skipped over the vital ing now with a remarkable rapidity.” node. Therefore Jonbar was immedi- The bright eyes lifted to Lanning. ately blotted from the fifth-dimensional “Just keep in mind, Denny, that the sequence. logical laws of causation are still rigid “But I carried the tube back into the but removed to a higher dimension. The past of Gyronchi. It was possible for absolute sequence of events, in the fifth its geodesics to make a loop and return dimension, is not parallel with time to the node. Therefore—so long as the although our three-dimensional minds tube was intact—she was not essentially commonly perceive it so. But that in- affected. But, when you broke the tube, violable progression is the unalterable the possibility of her survival was blot- frame of all the universe.” ted out.” His gnarled hand reached out to touch Lanning was staring at him, numbed the rusty magnet in Lanning’s hand. with a bewildering paradox. “But if” “The march of that progression, —the incredulous question burst out higher than Time,” his hushed whisper “if Sorainya died as a girl, what about ran on solemnly, “has now forever ob- Sorainya the queen? The woman that literated Sorainya, the queen. The se- imprisoned you, and haunted me, and quence of events has not yet settled the fought the legion. She didn’t exist!” fates of Jonbar and Gyronchi. But still The white, bleak face smiled a littler, the odds are all with Gyronchi.” at his bewilderment, and a thin, shak- The thin hand gripped Lanning’s arm. ing hand touched his arm. “The last play is near,” he breathed. “Remember,” McLan whispered “The hope—the probability—of Jonbar softly, “we are dealing with probabili- is all in you, Denny. And the outcome ties alone. The new physics has banished will soon be engraved forever in the absolute certainty from the world. Jon- fifth dimension.” bar and Gyronchi, and the two Sorain- He turned to grasp the Wheel of Time. yas, living and dead, are but conflicting branches of possibility, as yet unfixed XVII. by the inexorable progression of the fifth dimension. The crushing of the WIL McLAN lived to nurse his fail- tube merely altered the probability fac- ing converters, although Lanning was tors of Sorainya’s possible life.” stricken to see his pallor and his ebbing A soft gleam of tears was in his hol- strength. He drove the Chronion, still low eyes. They looked down at the lit- ahead of pursuit in her shimmering tle glistening heap of woven mail, the abyss, back down her geodesic track empty helmet and the golden sword. until the dials stood at 5 :49 P. M., “But the queen Sorainya was real, to August 12, 1921. He raised his hand me,” he breathed. “And, to me, she is in a warning signal, and his whisper dead.” rasped down through the speaking tube. Lanning broke in with a final ques- “Ready, Denny! They’ll be waiting to tion: “These wounds? Were they guard the spot.” made by a woman who didn’t exist Lanning was standing on the fore- in reality ?” deck, peering alertly into the flickering “When they were made, her proba- blue. As a desperate ruse that might bility did exist,” whispered Wil McLan. win a precious moment, he had donned “And a lot of atomic power had been Sorainya’s armor. It fitted without dis- spent—through the temporal field—to comfort. Her black plume waved above 134 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION The Warrior Queen of Gyronchi was gone! For an instant a grinning skeleton draped in crimson mail stood—then dropped to rotting dust! his head. One hand clutched her golden ship. He gripped the sword, at the sword—the device in the hilt which warning from McLan, and his body made it also an electron gun was either went tense in the borrowed mail. broken or exhausted. The other moistly And the Chronion flashed out of the gripped the rusty magnet—which must blue again, into the lonely hush of that be returned to the path of a barefoot valley in the age-worn Ozarks. Every- boy, to save his namesake world. thing was exactly as Lanning had seen His weary brain, as he waited, dully it in the shining block of the clirono- pondered a last paradox : that, while the scope: the idle, tattered boy, indiligenily Chronion had outrun the black ship of driving the two lean cows down the Glarath in the long race backward rocky slope toward the dilapidated farm, through Time, no possible speed could with the gaunt, yellow dog roving be- bring her to the goal ahead of the other side him. LEGION OF TIME 135 Ever}’thing—except that the great, marked the change. A great hoarse squarish, black mass of the time ship voice croaked a command. The wall of from Gyronchi lay beside the trail, like giant ants came to attention, bristling a battleship aground. Glarath was a with the crimson and yellow of arms. haggard, black pillar on his lofty deck. And a thick, black tube swung down in Ugly projectors of the gyrane’s blasting its port. atomic energy beam frowned from their ports. And scores of the great ants had THE FIRST BL-^ST of the atomic Iwen disembarked, to make a bristling, ray struck a rock beside Lanning. It hideous wall alrout the spot where the exploded in a blaze of white. Molten magnet must l)e placed. stone spattered the red mail. A hot Wliistling, the dawdling boy had come fragment slapped his cheek with white within twenty yards of the spot. But agony, and blinded him with the smoke he gave no evidence that he saw either of his own flesh burning. ship or monsters. One of the red-spot- The boy, meantime, had already ted cows, ahead, plodded calmly through walked into the unsuspected ranks of a giant black ant. ants. A cold desp>eration clutched at Back to Banning, already tensed to Lanning’s heart. In a few moments leap from the deck, came a whispered more, John Barr would have picked up explanation of McLan. “No, the boy the pebble instead of the magnet, and John Barr won’t be aware of us at all the fate of two worlds settled forever —unless we should turn the temporal —unless he broke through. field upon him. For his life i^ already Strangled wtih bitter white smoke, almost completely fixed by the advanc- Lanning caught a sobbing breath, and ing progression in fifth the dimension. sprinted. Twin blinding lances of . the In terms of his experience, we are no gyrane’s fire fused the soil to a smok- more than phantoms of probability. ing pool of lava, close behind him. He Travelers backward into time can affect was now safe beneath their maximum the past only at carefully selected nodes, depression. But the ants were waiting and then only at the expense of the ter- ahead. rific power required to deflect the proba- Thick crimson guns were leveled, and bility-inertia of the whole continuum. a volley battered Lanning. The bullets It required the utmost power of the failed to pierce the woven mail. But gyrane merely to lift the magnet from the impacts were bruising, staggering John Barr’s path.” blows. And one raked his unprotected Gripping the magnet and the sword, jaw and neck, beneath the helmet. A Lanning flung himself to the ground. sickening pain loosened his muscles. He stumbled on a rock, fell to his knees, Red gouts splashed down on the crim- staggered back to his feet, and ran des- son mail. He gritted broken teeth, spat perately toward the great black ship and fragments and blood, stumbled on. the horde of ants ahead of the loitering Yellow axes flamed above the ebon boy. ranks. He whirled the yellow sword, He waved the golden sword, as he and leapt to meet them. For an jnstant ran, in Sorainya’s familiar gesture. And he thought the ants would yield, in awe Glarath, on his bridge, waved a black- of Sorainya’s very armor. But Glarath swathed arm to answer—and then, as croaked another command from above, Lanning’s tired feet tripped again, he and they fell upon him furiously. went rigid with alarm. Golden blades ripped and battered at For Lanning’s weary gait lacked all his mail. He drove Sorainya’s sword Sorainya’s grace, and the black priest into an armored, jet thorax.* And a 136 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION clubbed red gun smashed against his terious new strength, cleared the red extended arm. The bone gave with a mist from his head. And the visitation brittle snap, and his arm fell useless in meant, Lanning knew dimly, that Jonbar the sleeve of mail. He clutched the pre- still was—possible! cious magnet close to his body, and leapt Glarath had bellowed another com- ahead. mand, and an avalanche of ants was Blows rained on him. The helmet was falling on his body. And the aimless battered stunningly against his head. A boy was already stooping for the pebble. cleaving axe half severed his neck, at Lanning hurled himself forward, his the juncture of helmet and mail, and hot good arm thrust out with the magnet. blood gushed down in the shirt. A yellow blade of pain slashed down at Yet some old terror of their queen his sleeve. The horde crushed him to repelled the ants from any actual con- the earth. But the magnet, flung with tact with her mail. So Lanning, even the last effort of his fingers, dropped wounded and beaten down, pushed into the triangular print. through their close ranks to the hollow A bright curiosity—the very light of square they guarded. science—was born in the eyes of the He saw the ragged boy John Barr stooping boy. His inquisitive fingers stroll unawares through the farther closed on the V of steel. And then the ranks, the hungry dog at his heels. He warrior ants, piling themselves upon saw the gleam of the pebble, the tri- Lanning’s body, were suddenly gone. angular print where the magnet had The black ship flickered like a wing lain, but two paces from the boy. An- of shadow, and vanished. other second John Barr picked up the magnet, But he was falling. His strength was wonderingly discovered a clinging rusty rushing out in the foaming red stream nail that it had drawn from the dust, from his neck. Another merciless blow and went on down the slope, driving his smashed his shoulder, numbed the arm two spotted cows through the imseen that held the magnet, crushed him down. hull of the Chronion. Lanning's eyes were dim with weak- Dennis Lanning was left alone beside ness and pain. But, as he fell, he saw the trail. He knew that he was dying. beside him, or thought he did, a splen- But the slowing, fading throb of his did figure. The grave, majestic head pain was a triumphant drum. For he and mighty shoulders of a towering man knew that Jonbar had won. rose above a mantle of shimmering opal- His failing eyes looked down toward escence. Deep and wide and clear, the the Chronion. He wondered if Wil Mc- eyes of the stranger struck Lanning with Lan had been hurt again, in the battle. a power that was unforgettable, supernal. Puzzled dimly, he saw the little time A bare, magnificent arm reached out ship flicker also, and vanish, .^nd he of the flaming veil and touched his shoul- lay quite alone in the sunset on the slope der. That cold touch tensed Lanning’s of that Ozark hill. bo Her white face, under her coronal of incredulously, and stared across at Wil- shimmering mahogany, was beautiful, lie Rand. and in her violet eyes shone a tender, “What’s happened ?” he demanded. “I joyous light. thought you were—were killed 1 And I ” “I thank you, Denny Lanning!” her was cashing out breaking silver voice had whispered. ‘T Rand exhaled a white cloud, grinned bring you the thanks of all Jonbar, for through it. a thing that no other could have done.” “That’s right, cap’n,” he drawled Lanning struggled against a terrible cheerfully. “I reckon we’ve all died inertia, to speak to her. But all his twice. And I reckon we’ll all get an- desperate effort could utter not even other stack of chips—all but poor Cap’n one word of his love. For he was held McLan.” in the leaden hands of death. “But ?” gasped Lanning. “How But he saw the violet eyes turn soft ” with tears, and he heard her trembling “Well, cap’n, you see breath, “Live, Denny Lanning! Get But then there was a clatter on the well again. And come back to me 1” stair. Barry Halloran and bull-like Her full lips quivered, and the tears Emil Schorn came down from the deck, sprang glistening into the jewel’s soft carrying a stretcher. It bore a sheeted glow. “For I’ll be waiting, Denny Lan- form, and behind came two of the sur- ning, whenever you come to Jonbar.” geons from Jonbar, in their tunics of green. third rolled in a He fought again the rigor of death, gray and A table of instruments. They laid the but in vain. And darkness blotted out bed. Lan- the jewel and Lethonee. bandaged figure gently on a ning caught the gleam of a hypodermic, As if all his life swirled in brief re- glimpsed the little shining needles that view, through the last hallucination of gave off a healing radiation of the dynat. death, he thought that he was once again “That’s the little limey, Duffy Clark,” lying in a clean bed in the little green- Willie Rand was informing him. “He walled hospital aboard the Chronion. was the last one. He was put over- The brisk, efficient surgeons of Jonbar board on the flight back from Gyronchi, had been attending him for a long time and sort of lost in probability and time. in the dim, drowsy intervals of sleep. Took days to untangle the geo geo- The wondrous agencies of the dynat, — desics. But they found him! He was he dreamed, had made his body whole burned with the gyrane—the same again. cussed ray that put my lights out. But It had to be a dream. For Willie I reckon that dynat will tune him up in Rand was sitting up on the opposite bed, good shape again, now that Gyronchi grinning at him with clear, eyes. seeing never was.” Willie Rand who had been slain—blind and alone in that fantastic, hopeless — LANNING was sitting up on the side charge against the ants before Sorainya’s of his bed, a little shakily at first. And throne. blew an expand- diamond He now Barry Halloran discovered him. ing silver ring, watched it happily. The rugged, freckled face lit with a joy- “Howdy, Cap’n Lanning. Smoke?” ous grin. He strode swiftly to grip Tan- Numbed with bewilderment, Lanning ning’s hand. reached automatically to catch the ciga- “Denny, old man! I knew you’d be !” rette he tossed. There was no pain in coming round the arm that the great ant’s clubbed gun “Tell me, Barry!” Lanning clung to had broken. He' tried the fingers again. the powerful hand. He shuddered to — 138 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION a sud again : Schorn and Rand and Duffy “Ach!” It was a Ijellow greeting from and grave-eyed Emil Schorn. He smashed Canning’s Clark, swarthy Cresto Barinin and grinning t.ao Meng Shan. fingers in a great ham of a hand. “Ja, The two lean Canadians, Isaac and Herr Canning! Jonbar is der Valhalla Israel Enders, standing silently side by der old sagas promised us, where men side. Tall Courtney- Pharr, and grim fight and die and are restored to fight ” again. Und Sorainya Von .\rneth, and Barry Halloran. And An awed admiration deepened the dapper little Jean Querard, perched per- bellow. ilously on the rail, making a speech of “Der red queen of war! Ach, So- thanks into space. rainya was a Valkyrie—one of Odin’s But it was one of the scientists from maids of battle, terrible and beautiful. Jonbar who held the bright wheel un- There will be none like her in Jonbar, der the dome. And the Chronwn floated nein! Though the maiden waiting for over a slim, new shaft of pure white you there is fair enough, and kind.” that soared alone from a wooded hill. “Jonbar? Are we going back?” Standing on its crown,' Ixjth arms reach- — LEGION OF TIME 139 ing skyward, Lanning saw the statue in that now bore the tower of Lethonee. hard white metal of a small weary man His hands gripped hard on the railing, —W'il McLan. and he looked down at the little table All the legion saluted, as they passed, where he had dined with Lethonee, on and a silence stilled the humming of the dreadful night of Jonbar’s dissolu- the multitudes below. tion. A wide valve had opened ahead ih And Sorainya, glorious on her golden the argent wall of a familiar tower on a shell, rose again to mock him, as she hill. The Chronion nosed through, had done that night. Tears dimmed his dropped gently upon the same platform eyes, and a haunting, sudden ache in the great hangar, where a smiling gripped his pausing heart. . crowd was waiting, cheering noisily. Oh, jair Sorainya—slain! Jean Querard strutted and inflated his A light step raced through the sliding chest. Teetering on the rail, he waved door behind the shrubs, and a breathless for silence. voice panted his name, joyously. Lan- ning looked up, slowly. And a numb- “C’est bon,” his high voice began. ” ing wonder shook him. "C’est tres bon “Denny Lanning!” Trembling with a still incredulous eagerness, Lanning leapt past him, over Lethonee came running toward him, violet the rail. He pushed his way through through the flowers. Her eyes the crowd, and found the elevator. It were bright with tears, and her face was flung him upward, and he stepped out a white smile of incredulous delight. into that same terrace garden of his Lanning turned shuddering to meet her, most poignant memory. speechless. Amid its fragrant, white-fltfwered For the golden voice of the warrior greenery, he paused for a moment to queen had mocked him in her cry. And catch his breath. His eyes fell to the the ghost of Sorainya’s glance glinted wide, verdant parklands that spread green in her shining eyes. She had smiling to the placid river, a full mile even donned a close-fitting velvet gown l)eneath. And he saw a thing that probed of shimmering crimson, tliat shone like his heart with a queer little needle of Sorainya’s mail. pain. She came into his open, trembling For this great river, he saw, was the arms. same river that had curved through “Denny ” she sobbed happily. Gyronchi ! Great pylons soared where “At last we are—one.” miserable villages had stood. The lofty The world was spinning. This same monument to Wil McLan, he saw, leapt hill had borne Sorainya’s citadel. Jon- u]) from the very hill that had been bar and Gyronchi—conflicting possible crowned by the squat, black temple of worlds, stemming from the same begin- the gyrane, beneath the awful funnel of ning—were now fused into the same black. reality. Lethonee and Sorainya, also But where was the other hill, where ? Eagerly, he drew her against his Sorainya’s red citadel had been? racing heart. And he murmured, hap- His breath shuddered and caught, pily when he saw that it was this same hill. “One!” THE END 140 Hotel Cosmos By Raymond Z. Gallun A political assassin loose —in a hotel harboring savage race-hatred of a dozen alien, antagonistic worlds! The proxy-robots darted angrily to- ward him. Methodically, angrily, “Easy Coin’" Ledrack shot them down. Somehow, somewhere. Hell was loose in Hotel Cosmos tonight! IEWED casually, the building brilliant lights at night, was Hotel Cos- wasn’t very remarkable. Just a mos. Within its walls lay a haven for Vbeautiful, skyward sweep of glit- every kind of intelligent extra-terrestrial tering chromium, like many of the other creature who dared to cross the inter- structures of Twenty-third Century Chi- planetary and interstellar distances to cago. the alien Earth. Few of those beings It wasn’t till you discovered its na- could have survived raw Earthly con- ture that you received a kind of icy, ditions for much more than a minute. majesttc thrill. Its name, flashing in Old Dave Ledrack, known as “Easy 142 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION Coin’ ” to his friends, paced quiet, Each door displa}'ed a number, wrought green-lit corridors with the silence of a in black onyx inlay, and mounted on passing ghost. His round, red face re- each were several small valve-wheels vealed nothing of his thoughts ; his foot- for regulating and adjusting the tem- steps on the thick carpets were steady perature, pressure, and gaseous compo- and unhurried. His heart, beneath his sition of the atmosphere of the room neat, white uniform, betrayed not a trace within. The twilight was eerie and soft, of quickening in its beat, even though and the sweeping sameness of the halls there now existed around him excep- suggested the interminable distances tional potentialities for trouble. seen in opposed mirrors. There always were potentialities for trouble here in Hotel Cosmos, as old SUCH WAS the interior of Hotel Dave knew from eighteen years of in- Cosmos, which was operated and laid timate experience. When you banded out in a manner not markedly dissimi- together in one building beings of hun- lar from that of any hotel for humans. dreds of diverse forms and backgrounds, But the fact that it was meant for beings and of as many widely separated con- far from human, even in an intellectual ceptions of what is just and what is not, sense, made one think of the vast gulfs automatically you formed a brew that between stars of the ; dark steamy had most of the ticklish danger of a worlds, where slimy horrors sported and charge of hyp>er-dynamium explosive. thought and toiled; of great, stark, un- And now, tonight, circumstances held Earthly mountains and deserts ; and of a a much greater threat than was usual. thousand other fearful and near unim- This was the beginning of the great aginable things. Galactic Conference, a gathering dedi- Old Dave, however, never allowed his cated to the readjustment of thousands imagination to trouble him. of petty and major differences accumu- Concealed in his right ear was a tiny lated over many years of commercial etherphone receiver, part of the etjuip- relations. ment of every member of the Terrestrial It would not have been surprising, Guard Police, to which he Ijelonged as then, had Dave Ledrack felt cold twinges a requirement of his position as Chief of uneasiness lancing through him. But of Watch in the greatest other-world his remarkable coolness was proved by hostelry in the Americas. the fact that such was not the case. He listened now, to low’, ticking mes- Easy Coin’ Ledrack’s placidity re- sages, presented in intricate code, as he mained unruffled. With possible hell walked on through the quiet Martian and damnation all around him, he never section of the hotel. turned a hair. Perhaps he only dreamed, “Space Liner Ardis coming in from half amusedly, of some of the fantastic Planet Five of Antares. Landing at upsets of his interesting career. But let 10:19 p. m. in fourth cradle of Civic it not be said that he was not alert, too. Space Docks. 4-2-5 on board ! 4-2-5 The aspect of all the corridors of the on board! Caution! Caution! This building was much the same. Their is Holman signalling. Attention, Led- ” floors were heavily carpeted; the walls, rack! Attention, Ledrack of tooled metal, were dully shining in Old Dave grinned with faint benig- the subdued green glow of the lights. nance. John Holman, his capable, con- Their uniformity was broken at regular scientious little boss, was worrying intervals by airtight circular doors, again, he could tell, from the tone of the which resembled in a somewhat less message. But of course Holman had massive form the portals of bank vaults. good and sufficient reason. ; HOTEL COSMOS 143 4-2-5—the code number assigned by spections. By eleven o’clock the black the Space Travel Bureau to a visiting transfer cars would come, bringing new entity who must otherwise remain for- guests for Hotel Cosmos. Among them ever nameless on Earth. Dave had been 4-2-5. warned before of 4-2-S’s possible sinis- ter purposes. D.WE THRUST his right hand 4-2-5 was reputed to be the greatest within his coat, contacting a tiny trans- trouble-maker, and one of the most bril- mitting instrument strapped under his liant scientists, in the galaxy. But never armpit. Rapidly and silently he worked once had his cold, inhuman cleverness its key, coding out a brief message ac- |)crmitted his numerous suspected dep- knowledging Chief Holman’s warning to redations against law and order to be be on his toes. definitely pinned ' on him. Hence, he After that there was nothing for Dave could not legally be denied entrance to to do but pace his beat and wait. He Earth. passed several times through the ex- Planet Five of Antares was a hellish, tensive and standardized Martian and hot, reeking place with an atmosphere Venusian sections of the hostelry, ignor- so lethal that one breath of it would ing, during this interval, except for one swiftly have killed a man. But 4-2-5 ’s routine tour of inspection, the rows of kind were not men. Their flesh was more adaptable cubicles, the interiors of of a porous, silicous composition, breath- which could be adjusted and conditioned ing and living in a different way than to suit almost any form of living thing. any flesh native to Earth. Hideous, Dave paused briefly beside first the hard-shelled things, 4-2-5’s kind crept Venusian and then the Martian recrea- through the shadowy jungles of their tion halt. The interiors of both, sealed world, and dwelt there in a strange lux- away from all intrusion of Earth’s at- ury, incomprehensible to a man in its mosphere, were screened with frosted repellent needs, but evidently satisfac- glass. But from them there issued, faint tory to them. and disquieting, odd vocal noises remi- Slavery, piracy, and the brutal con- niscent humorously of those of a zoo, quest of several neighboring planets of but suggestive also of dim, nameless hor- Atitares had been attributed to them. ror to the uninitiated. But at their vast distance from Earth, casket- all this information was vague indeed Promptly at eleven o’clock the to the terrestrial populace in general. like transfer refuges, used while mov- The one great threat to the successful ing the visiting entities from ship to continuation of 4-2-5’s various wrongs hostelry, were wheeled out of the ele- was the stupendous fleet of the .Inter- vators and along the corridors to the stellar League, headed by its Earthly entrances of the various rooms, each of unit. Earth had extensive commercial the latter having been specially prepared interests on Planet Seven, interests for the individual for which it was re- which she meant to protect if she could served. Each refuge was supported on and Seven was now dangerously in- a bierlike carriage, and was tagged with volved with 4-2-5’s purposes. the number of the occupant it protected Old Dave Ledrack glanced at his from the hostile environmental condi- wrisj,watch. 10:17 p. m. In another tions of Earth. tw^l^inutes the Ardis, bearing its sin- Dave Ledrack found the refuge ister passenger, would settle gently on marked 4-2-5, Planet Five, Antares, it# flaming retard-jets, and into its cra- without more than what must seem a l^e. There would be brief customs in- casual glance. Guardedly he watched 4 — 144 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION while white-dad attendants lifted it him. It was about half after eleven through a circular door and into the air o’clock then. lock of the cubicle selected for its oc- Dave Ledrack had thought himself to cupant. the door was closed and Now be one person without nerves; it was sealed behind it. There had been no annoying now to find himself the victim sound or other evidence to betray the of an unfathomable worry. He had no nature of the unhuman monster it con- faith in the idea that anyone could really cealed. But now 4-2-5 was free to sense danger approaching, unless there emerge within the privacy of his care- was tangible though perhaps not easily fully conditioned quarters, and proceed discoverable evidence of it working on with whatever business was his. him from some quarter. Visitors from across space seldom Qiecking up on himself, Dave found emerged from their rooms, other than to no such evidence, except the brooding go to the recreation halls, if such were quiet of green-lit halls, which was quite provided for the particular type of crea- the normal thing here. The youthful ture they happened to be. The most im- attendants he met in his rounds looked portant reason was simply that direct strained and worried. When he greeted exposure to Earthly conditions usually them they returned only surly no HOTEL COSMOS 145 rible, sullen, expressionless eyes, im- means of living vocal cords. Few extra- bedded in deep folds of loose skin! terrestrial creatures possessed the natu- But unlike the rays, the Venusians ral capacity to reproduce the sounds of had four short legs resembling those of human speech. a turtle, by means of which they could “There is death,” it said quietly. “I crawl out of the shallowly sunken cities am X-4-3, Conference Ambassador from of their planet and onto the dry land Mars. The Venusians, I think, remem- where most of the machines which their ber the old war, in which our ether fleets science had provided for them were lo- destroyed theirs. Someone has tried to cated. And they had tapered, flexible destroy me. The door of my quarters. organs around their mouths, serving Someone attempted to burn through the them in lieu of hands. metal. Had I not heard a sound, and The Martians. Gray, spongy mon- frightened the intruder away, heavy strosities with great brooding orbs. Earth-air would have rushed in and They were even more repellent than smothered me!” the folk of Venus. As for those other Something maddening and irritable 4-2-5 beings from other solar systems— and mysterious in Dave’s nerves, made and his kind, for instance—there was him want to call the entity controlling something too nameless about them for this proxy robot a fool. But instead he people a man ever to grasp. 4-2-5’s enquired politely: “Room 18, isn’t it?” breathed corrosive fluorine instead of It wasn’t far to room 18. Dave hur- oxygen, for one thing, and deadly cy- ried there, with the proxy gliding along anogen gas was a normal part of the beside him. In the metal door was a atmosphere of the world they inhabited deep, still-glowing scar, made evidently by a small atom-blast. now, more DAVE REALIZED Ledrack nodded with unaccustomed clearly than ever before, that within a grimness. “Withdraw your robot,” he few yards of him in every direction ordered. “Ever)n;hing will be taken were horrors eternally beyond the ken care of.” of humankind, yet deeply involved in “It is best that such should be true. the same mesh of a vast space commerce. Earth creature,” the voice returned, with Dave was pacing through the Martian dark, murderous insults lurking just be- section, when a low buzz sounded be- neath its placid, artificial tones. hind him. He did not look back, for he knew that the sound originated from Dave saw the airtight outer valve of a small proxy robot. the room’s air lock open to receive the But when the mechanism began to proxy. Beyond, through the transpar- valve, circle his head excitedly, the situation ent inner he glimpsed the dim-lit, was different at once. The robot was metal room, where the great Martian ambassador himself sprawled an ab- a little flying sphere, about eight inches — in diameter. It had a single mechanical horrent, spongy elipsoid—on a rug of eye, and one flexible metal arm. More dark, heavy fabric. But when the auto- than that, besides its propulsion, radio matically operated door closed, no op- direction, and auditory receiver units, portunity was given Dave to report the attempted assassination, either to Karen, it possessed only the capacity to speak, of the hotel, or to Holman, as its unseen guide, hidden in one of the manager rooms here, directed. chief of the Terrestrial Guard Police. It spoke now in clear, clipped Eng- Echoing from down the hall was a lish, originating in the manipulation of jarring concussion, followed by a rag- some artificial device, rather than by ged, slurring scream. ! 146 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION DAVE RUSHED toward the source now to think out possible causes for this of the disturbance at once. It was just treacherous phenomenon. beyond the end of the Martian section, He was cool enough to remember his where there were great sliding doors, duty first. As an officer of the law it and where the Venusian section began. was his duty to attack trouble and try And here a part of the metal wall was —at least try—to control it blasted out. There was a sickening There seemed to be many scenes of stench of fetid Venus jungles in the air, trouble here in the hostelry, but the a few fragments of a Venusian bath tank one far down the corridor of the Venu- scattered on the floor, and a torn body, sian section was the nearest. Four smeared with thick, dark blood and now white-clad youths were down, scream- bereft of life. R-2-3, Venus ambassa- ing on the floor, while proxy rolx)ts dor, destroyed! wheeled and darted over them like angry hornets of gigantic size. weapons Dave, ordinarily so cool, felt a sharp No in evidence proxies, wave of fury at that moment. He were here, but the by hurling their own bulks swiftly, could wanted to hurt someone—he didn’t know strike furious blows against their hu- whom—since the identity of the mur- derer was hidden from him. man adversaries. Old Dave—Easy Coin’—Ledrack, What had thus far occurred, how- rushed forward, the pistollike device in ever, was only the beginning of pande- his hand flaming vengefully. Ragged monium, which now seemed to break all bolts of energy lanced from it blindingly, around him. From distant and near in and with each blast a proxy robot clat- the great building he heard human tered to the floor in glowing, superheated shouts of anger and terror, mixing with fragments. At least Dave couldn’t cause the buzz of proxy robots, and the occa- any real inter-world complications here. sional low hiss of blast weapons. The These were only robots. The entities effects of what was taking place could that ruled them couldn’t be injured by be unguessably far-reaching. Many of their destruction. the entities now in the hotel were galac- The voices of the robots—all of them tic celebrities. Titanic war hovered doubtless the proxies of Venusians— darkly in the background, as Dave real- made no human sounds, but only hissed ized at once. And since this was Earth, a kind of animal defiance, born of a his people would be held largely respon- thousand real and fancied wrongs of a sible. petty nature inflicted in the past by In his little etherphone, Karen, the Earthmen. Revenge now! Revenge! manager, was shouting wildly for Dave, The remaining proxies hurtled toward while at the same time police code was Dave, like wickedly glittering projectiles, coming in, trilling Holman’s message of their camera eyes agleam, their metal waniing: “Calling Ledrack! Calling arms extended like spearpoints. Ledrack! Karen reports trouble! In- The four youths who were in the em- vestigate ! at once We are coming ! We ploy of Hotel Cosmos, and who had been are coming!’’ knocked over, were now scrambling Dave reached into his coat to tap out weakly to their feet, their faces and a brief phrase of acknowledgment. Fur- shoulders streaming blood. But they ther than that he didn’t know quite what were not too stunned to scream curses to do. A screaming fury was in his and exhortations, their faces twisted nerves—something that was like mur- with fury and terror. der madness, urging him to kill and kill “Get ’em, Dave ! Get ’em ! Dirty, and kill! But no time was given him stinking Venus folk We ought to —! HOTEL COSMOS 147 open all the valves of the rooms, and ets out there at the spaceport, and that !’’ let ’em die in the Earth air ! And those real hell can blow up at any minute Martians, too! Damn ’em! And all The attendants looked at him sheep- the rest! By glory, let’s do it! Let’s! ishly then, and he knew that his words ” We will had had at least some effect. But he Dave, armed as was no one else pres- could not linger here longer. And so ent, smashed the last of the small at- he hurried on along the corridors, beat- tacking mechanisms with a series of daz- ing down proxy robots, exhorting his zling bursts of energy. But matters were own kind to caution, each time with getting rapidly out of hand. waning success. His own nerves, ex- Mingled with the other sounds of dis- cited and irritated in some hidden man- order and chaos, throbbing and dinning ner, and in a progressive way, seemed throughout the hostelry, now came omi- to be approaching the breaking point. nous hisses. Attendants were opening A terrific hubbub issued from the valves—putting a madness bom of mur- Martian recreation hall. Somehow der impulses into effect—preparing to Dave got into a lightweight vacuum drown alien beings in Earth atmosphere armor, secured from an emergency sup- unsuited to their needs. ply closet. Thus attired, he traversed And Dave, gripped by the same the air lock which led into what was, in strange power, found himself wanting to effect, a fragment of old Mars. Low, take part in the massacre too. Those sweeping arches, Cyclopean in the dim filthy, unhuman demons! Down with illumination of radioactive lamps sup- them ! Down ! Easy Coin’ Ledrack ported in quaintly wrought sconces. seemed to have been transformed. Deep, zigzag carvings in gray stone. Dave knew that the air now around him BUT ALWAYS some part of him was cold and dry and thin, but protected must remain the same. Tact! Never as he was he could not feel this differ- before had he needed the capacity for ence. soothing speech so much as now ! War His attention could scarcely have been —sweeping the galaxy—wiping out directed toward such otherwise-intrigu- races—shattering planets themselves! ing details now. With sluggish haste, “For Heaven’s sake, hold yourselves spongy, ovoid bodies were creeping to- down, fellas!’’ he shouted to the attend- ward the shelter of massive pillars and ants. “Put those valves back where they low exits, the while they uttered low l>elong! Don’t you understand what it’ll moaning, rasping cries of terror. For mean if all this goes on—if a lot of proxy robots, probably controlled by these ambassadors and so forth are Venusians, had come through the air killed—especially on Earth and by lock. That the Martians were not smoth- Earthmen ? We’re up against something ering in an influx of dense terrestrial —some kind of science, it must be atmosphere was due only to the fact that that’s stirring up our blood this way. the air lock was massive in construc- And it’s the same with the other crea- tion, and though it could be operated tures in the hotel. If you want to prove easily enough in its intended manner, it that you’re real men, here’s your chance was difficult to destroy or tamper with. Get control of yourselvbs ! And go Automatic safety devices prevented both around and see what you can do about of its doors being opened at once, ren- quieting poor chumps who are going off dering a free inward flow of Earth air the deep end. Remember there are impossible as long as the lock was in- cruisers and battleships from other plan- tact. AST—10 ! 148 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION Nevertheless the intruding proxies, mind’s eye—things to which what was though they were unarmed, were capa- taking place here was like a spark com- ble of serious damage inflicted with their pared to a great conflagration. And the own hurtling forms. Hissing sibilantly, savage resentment and fear and loyalty they were hurling themselves against which those hellish visions aroused the Martians, smashing into homy, within him stirred up in his mind a dim fibrous flesh. glow of hope. If he could act cleverly Once more Dave raised his blast, and quickly enough, perhaps graver shooting several of them down in quick trouble could be averted—or maybe he succession to protect the seemingly help- w'ould just be committing another inter- less Martians. But two of the latter world atrocity. presently produced blast weapons them- 4-2-5 of Planet Five, Antares! Old seles. Nor were these deadly devices Dave had no conclusive reason to accuse now directed only against proxy robots, this individual of responsibility for the but at Dave too hell that had broken loose. But Dave was sure that this chaos had not blos- DISGUSTED, and furious with rage, somed out of nothing. Someone, in he retreated to save his life. Back some subtle way, had caused it for pur- through the air lock he went, muttering poses of his own. And Dave had been savage imprecations. warned about 4-2-5. Hence, though Events for a brief spell after that there was no proof, wasn’t 4-2-5 most were blurred in his mind. The green- likely to be the wrongdoer? To say lit halls echoed with crescendoing sound. that he was, was a gamble, of course; Human figures and more proxies rushed but now there was no time for anything past him. Soon he found his way to the but a gamble. section intended for interstellar visitors. Dave began to run toward the corri- Here, somehow, he got into difficulties dor where 4-2-5’s quarters were located. w’ith a powerful young man, provoked As he approached the room, a dim in- to the point of insanity. Dave fought timation of how the Antarean was pro- the youth with bare fists that ached to tecting himself from possible attack came use the blast gun on anything that to him, and with it a clearer belief in chanced to oppose him. The air reeked 4-2-5’s guilt. For Dave’s nerves grew with noisome odors belonging to a dozen more and more taut and strained as he varied worlds. Victorious at last in his advanced closer to where the Antarean battle, but dazed, Dave slipped on some- lay concealed. It w'as as though old thing slimy and cold on the carpeted Ledrack was pushing his way deeper floor—the shattered shreds of a name- and deeper into a subtle aura of evil; less entity from out in the interstellar unseen, yet no less powerful because of reaches—a great scientist, doubtless, that. The invisible radiations beat though of a nightmarish, octopoid shape. stronger and stronger upon his nerves Dave fell, and whacked his head and brain until the murderous fury against the wall. Half stunned, he got within him seemed to destroy most of up, cursing and discouraged. the coordination of his bodily move- The sounds of chaos were still louder ments, and to sear his brain with the now. At dawn, worlds would probably fire of insanity. Whatever it was that be at war, provoked by the spell of fury 4-2-5 was using to stir up hell in Hotel that had suddenly seized their intellectual Cosmos was also, by its disruptive effect leaders, supposedly attending a peaceful on nerve tissue, an excellent safeguard conference on Earth! against attack by living creatures when Old Dave saw things then in his it was sufficiently strong. . MME THIS TEST WITH YOUR PIPE TOBICCO! 1 Do you think that you enjoy the flaror n Now let go. Immediately the flavor returns ^' '* . . proving that enjoy of of tobacco chiefly through your sense of . you the flavor taste? Then make this astonishing test. Pinch tobacco chiefly through your sense of smell. your nostrils together while smoking. 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Taste for HALFissHALF c yourself why FLAVOROMA is switch- ing so many pipe-smokers to this FOB FIFE OB CIGABETTE finer-flavored tobacco. Th» Aoi«rMM T*batc<-«> Please mention this magazine when answering advertisements ! — a 150 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION JOHN HOLMAN’S code buzzed to the probable source of the aura— once more in Dave’s etherphone. It was matter of a few yards—^they could only blurred and scratchy with static—some twitch and stare and scream, as if sort of short-range radio-barrage, doubt- gripped by epileptic seizures. less,, to keep inimical proxy robots away Nevertheless Dave kept going some- from 4-2-5’s refuge. how, surging nearer and nearer to the Dave was scarcely able to make out focus of the weird spell that had thrust the message. “In the—Lord, what’s the invisible fingers throughout the great matter, Ledrack? We’ve got the hotel other-world hostelry. Making those last surrounded with men. I’ll be with you few yards was like the final efiort of a !’’ —minute racer to reach his goal ahead of his com- Holman. Dave wouldn’t have asked petitors. for a better chief than the capable, en- The door of 4-2-5’s quarters. Old ergetic little man. Only Holman was Dave didn’t try to use his key to open it. high-strung. Here in the grip of the He was sure that it was fastened on the sinister aura that pervaded this build- inside. Instead, he took a little cylin- ing. he would be a hopeless, homicidal der from the pouch of the vacuum armor maniac he had put on, and drew its primer pin. His teeth gritted, Dave leaned against One end of the cylinder began to blaze the wall of the corridor for support, with the blue-white heat of atomic en- meanwhile struggling to tap out a mes- ergy being unleashed. He touched this sage in the hope that at least an intel- end to the upper rim of the door. ligible portion of it would get through Swiftly the cylinder melted its way into the barrage of static that must completely the metal, and sank out of sight. Dave distort the finer waves on which the stepped back, tensed, waiting for the proxy robots depended for guidance time fuse to do its final work. A mo- at least within the immediate vicinity of ment later there was a violent explosion, 4-2-5’s quarters. Anyway there were and the outer portal of the room’s air no proxies flying in this corridor. lock was blasted to fragments. “No! Don’t come in here. Chief!’’ Dave held his weapon, and now, with Dave signalled. “Stay outside and keep clumsy haste, he stumbled forward watch ! Give me five minutes to work again, leaping into position. His pistol !’’ alone flamed, its muzzle directed through the The need for hurry did not allow him inner glass valve of the air lock at the to communicate further. Instead he thin, disclike thing that sprawled on the started forward again along the passage, floor of the room beyond. fighting to control his twitching muscles and to think clearly through the murk IN THE INSTANT before the blast of madness that was striving to disrupt of energy took effect, Dave Ledrack his reason. It wasn’t only courage that faced 4-2-5. The Antarean, believing kept him grimly to his task. He did not that his defenses were insurmountable, realize that he was one man in a mil- must have been taken almost entirely lion, as far as emotional make-up went. unawares. Dave saw that his hard shell But he could see what had happened was covered with a second shell of a here, to other, lesser humans. The pas- black material, obviously artificial, and sage rang with thick cries from a few doubtless intended as a protection men who writhed on the floor, their faces against the subtle emanations he was livid with emotions too strong to allow using. them coordinated action. Here, so close The inner door of the air lock, light HOTEL COSMOS 151 in construction, shattered and crumpled ing in the shadows of jagged hills that at once. And^assassination was accom- were at once hideous and beautiful. plished with the same withering stream Such had l)een the efforts of Earthmen ' of energy. to make their guests feel at home. But the small globe, supported on a tripod in the center of the room, still DAVE LEDRACK’S eyes were blazed out the invisible radiations of clo.sed now. But his weariness seemed madness, as Dave knew from his own to help him to understand the recent feelings. Otherwise there was only a past, and to realize that a safe ending flicker of sparks about the tripod to be- of what had taken place had been tray the activity of the apparatus. reached. With a final surge of will power, Dave 4-2-5’s objective was easy to guess. scrambled and staggered into the metal The Antarean had wanted to stir up chamber, from which was pouring a trouble throughout the galaxy so that he reeking, hot wave of cyanogen and and his people could continue their law- fluorine gases. But his vacuum armor less activities unmolested. With many protected him from these poisons. His peoples at each other’s throats, there hands clutched a lever to which shreds would be no strength in reserve to halt of gray, alien flesh still clung grasping — his piracy, and his conquest of lesser, organs which had been untouched by neighboring worlds. the destroying blast from his weapon. As to the means 4-2-5 had employed They were the grasping organs of a to create disruption—that was not be- creature born in the region of another yond explanation either. Dave knew star, but in whose fathomless mind un- about the influence of the weather, and holy ambitions, like those which come other natural conditions, upon intelli- to some men, had surged restlessly, pro- gent temperaments. Excessive sunspot voking sinister action. radiations had been blamed on Earth for Dave pulled the^ever. The activity various savage outbreaks among his own of the apparatus died out. And the vet- people. Perhaps 4-2-5 had only man- eran guardian of Hotel Cosmos crum- aged to isolate, and to generate in much pled to the floor, rela.xed at last, that stronger form, the particular radiation awful straining tension gone from his that excited living brain and nerve tissue. body. Slimy, murky, dim-lit—this place was more repellent from the human But he was destroyed now. Tomor- viewpoint than a crocodile’s Stygian, row, in the vast Cofiference Auditorium, fetid den. But Dave Ledrack was too his plot would be laid bare and proven. utterly spent to care. Weariness and Entities from many worlds would sit in seeing through the eyes of relaxation made him feel almost—well, judgment, robots. they were, —luxurious. It was almost as though their proxy Cruel he could understand Antarean concep- and unhuman—but they were reason- tions of luxury at last. able, and few of them had any desire for And human cleverness had contrib- war. Earth could not be blamed for the uted its bit to that luxury. All around, disruption and death that had taken on the walls of the chamber, projected place. Customs officials had doubtless seen 4-2-5’s apparatus but they had not there in the same manner that a magic ; lantern projects a picture on a screen, known what-it was, and at all confer- were colored scenes which made this ences, according to inter-world law', dele- compartment look like a landscape of gates were allowed much of the freedom the dead 4-2-5’s homeland. Haze. A of honor. great red sun. Bizarre vegetation coil- But now the guilty had been found 152 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION out, and the huge fleet of the Interstel- Dave knew that he had accomplished lar I^gue could work vengeance upon a task for which he was eminently suited. 4-2-5’s people. Had it not been for his placid nature, Dave was satisfied. There had always cool far above the average, he would resist subtle been danger in his strange job ; but there have been unable to 4-2-5’s was romance too—the thrilling romance attack well enough to do what he had of glittering stars, of limitless abysses, done. and of time marching on to greater and “Easy Coin',” he muttered happily. ’’ greater glory. “Easy Coin’ Ledrack RELATIVITY IN METALLURGY FOR centuries now, the tale of the Lost Art of hardening copper has lured men to experiment, to attempt to reach that goal of copper hard as steel. Sadly, it begins to appear that it is a case of relativity in metallurgy—plus a little psychology of “them were the good old days” order. Let us picture a scene in ancient days, some 30 years after the first introduction of iron. We have on the left the Old Warrior, the fountainhead of knowledge and information. (The literacy rate being so low as to be out of sight, grand-daddy was the local library, perforce.) The oldster contemplates sadly the wreckage of a bronze helmet, neatly bisected in a fashion that suggests that its late occupant was also bisected. The white-crowned head shakes slowly, lugubriously. “They don’t make good bronze these days. It’s all cheap workmanship. When I was a young- ster they knew how to harden copper so a sword wouldn’t open it. Them were the good old days.” Grandfather, in the rosy mists of memories, neglected to state that the sword that wouldn’t open the good bronze helmet was a bronze sword. They “lost” the art of hardening copper when they found the art of extracting iron and making it into steel. Copper, surprisingly, was suddenly very soft. Some such situation may well have started the idea that, once-upon-a-time, men could harden copper. Our civilization is the first in the history of the world that consciously looks jonvard to better things instead of backward. In the Middle Ages it was well and truly known that Greece had known more and done things better. Therefore it was reasonable enough to believe that they had had copper harder than steel. The rumor became a “well-known fact.” Till recent times, hardened copper would have been advantageous. A steel- hard metal resistant to corrosion was what was really needed. Hard copper would supply that. But stainless steel does the job today, and does it far more cheaply, for copper is one of the rare elements, actually. Today, we can harden copper till it equals the strength of ordinary steel. (The ancients did not use the modem method ; it requires metallic beryllium which can be obtained only by high-powered electrical means.) Because of its cost, however, it is used only in special applica- tions, where non-sparking tools (as in powder plants) or non-magnetic metals are required. : : ; 153 Rocket mathemetics. point that the differences lie wholly in the in- terpretation of the Second I.*w. Vernon’s gen- eralization or it is Editor: may may not be iustiied. but certainly not to be lightly dismissed as “balony”. ('fin it be that the Honourable Treasurer of Willy I^y's article, to which Mr. Clarke refers the British Interplanetary Society was so un- us. was descriptire rather than explanatory and nenred by Leo Vernon's equations and iqiare quite non-mathematical in treatment. If Vernon's *‘kv 8”. that he entirely missed the main point math, he wrong, then let Clarke point out the of the “Kocket Flight** article? Stripped of its error. astronautical foliage, the question (at least as But there is another bone of contention 1 I see it) is simply one of hard-boiled mechan- must pick with Mr. C. After giaocing not two ics. or. to be speciflc, the interpretation of but many times at his exponential equation. Newton’s “Lex II”. Mr. Clarke starts off his mathematical bar« rage with that old standby of the physics texts X r=Ma. m e = Now. as Mr. Vernon explained in quite some m-kt detail, this formula is suitable for all- mechani- I quite fail to see he deduces therefrom cal discussions wherein the mass remains con- how the odd fact that a rocket must burn “e** times stant. And this coTers practically all con- its final mass of fuel in order to attain its ex- siderations of classical mechanics with the ex- haust velocity. Substituting for the exhaust ception of the two R’s— Rockets and Relatlrity, , For rocket mechanics, wherein the mass does velocity X, we have continuously rary, Mr. Vernon chooses a more m general formula e = d m-kt (Mv). But here we find e as the ratio of the orifinal F=— mast to the final mass, not of the dt and furl mass to the final mass, as Clarke infers. To Here, Mv is the momentum or “amount of mo- make this point clearer, let mi equal the final tion’ and its r derivatire is the rate of change mass. Then mi=m—kt m=:mi-|-kt. The thereof. Such a formula bolds true for either and ratio then becomes constant or variable mass. Where the mass is constant, it reduces to the formula mi+kt. dT e = F=M— mi dt which is, of course, synonymous with Clarke*s Whence kt=(e—l)mi, r=Ma. or the weight of the fuel (kt) is equal to, not e. For variable mass, the formula becomes but (e— 1) times the final weight of the rockei dv dM at exhaust velocity. F=M . And now, having done with mathematical un- dt dt pleasantries, may I offer my belated apprecia- New if Mr. Clarke will substitute his Xfc for tion of McKay’s “Radiation in Uniform”? 1 F, and m*kt for M in this latter formula, he can only say that it is the most usefully in- should have little difBculty in tracing the an- formative article 1 have ever read in Astound- cestry of the elusive “kv”. in|t. It is a favorable reflection on the average The material above is simply to Illustrate my science-fiction reader that articles like this and : ; : 154 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION th€ r^ent one on positrons—the They tried adding the green-blue rich mercury Amrrivan would call them “Ktiff”—can be used to the red-rich tungsten filament bulb, each— successfully in a magazine of scientitic fiction. they hoped—making up for the other’s lack. I>id .Tou notice the way the ware and the In the first place, the combination still dis- corpuscular theories of light were harmonized? torted colors weirdly. In the secoml place, a Must be something wrong, there; it can’t be as tungsten bulb wastes most of its energy in tbe infrared. But mercury light wastes more than simple as that ! I have some ideas of my own half its on this subject that I hope to air at some energy in the ultraviolet, which is just useless, infrared. future date: that is if I survive the squelching as so far as sight goes, as I expect to receive at the hands of Clarke. The combination, then, simply leaked energy at both ends of the spectrum, and didn’t work 1 have a question that about polarization well in the middle. perhaps Mr. will straighten McKay out. When Now they’ve got a new method of attack. a ray of unpolarized light enters of a rhomb More than half the energy of that mercury vapor Spar from above is and doubly refracted into light spilled out at the top end of the spec- ordinary and extraordinary rays, which ray is trum ultraviolet. Now light energy is some- polarized in the vertical plane which is — and thing like rocks, in one way. You can make polarized in the lateral plane? Or, to put It little ones out of big one.s, but you can’t make crudely, which ray “knifes” through the crys- Mg ones out of little ones, l^traviolct light tal and which “plows” through If anyone represents the “big ones”“the high-power con- knows the this one. 1 appre- answer to would centrated quanta. A number of substances will ciate having it. Textbooks which I have con- split tho.^e “big ones" into two or more “little sulted all seem to be a trifle vague on this ones”. The fluorescent compounds. They act I>oint. as step-down transformers, taking in ultraviolet Afterthought : Don't you think that Mr. light and transforming it to visible. McKay’s article merits n “sequel”? A discus- The new lights depend on that. That waste sion of optical, magnetic, and electrostatic ro- ultraviolet energy of the mercury arc falls on a tation would^ not be at all amiss.—Norman F. layer of powdered fluorescent compound lining Stanley, 43A Broad St., Uockland, Me. the tube in which the low-pressure mercury arc works. The ultraviolet energy strikes the pow- der (they don’t have to use an uUraviolet-traiiH- parent glass, because the pow'der is Inside with the arc) and Is converted to visible. Zinc, cadmium and calcium tungstates fluoresce in the A+B=C Q.E,D. green-blue region of the spectrum. Phosphate salts of the metals fluoresce in the red-orange- Dear Mr. Campbell yellow region. Silicates in the red-orange. A. hot gas, or an electrically-excited gas (for Just two days after seeing the manuscript for instance the mercury vapor) gives a spectrtiin the Juno lOditorial. “Fantastic Fiction”, at your coDsistiug of separate bright lines. Hut ftiiores- office. I attended a presentation lecture which , oeut compounds give a streak, a smudged, introduced an item which surely belonged as au blended streak of light along a whole region of addenda to that list of fictional predictions come the spectrum. They look, to a spectroscope, true. The new fluorescent tube lumaline lamps. much as a hot solid does—a conllmioiis spectrum For a goodly number of years, our fietloueers in a given region. Then by judiciously combin- have been predicting the “cold white light” lamp. ing those metal .tungstates for blue, phosphates They’ve had them accomplish it by biologic for yellow-orange, and silicates for red. an«i means. Imitating the firefiy. and by mysterious playing ultraviolet light on them, we get any electric means. They’ve used an unspecified color or combination of color we want. type of atomic power, and “radium lamps” to But behold ! The ultraviolet energy doesn’t accomplish the purpose. Hut it was generally escape—It's used. There is no infrared energy agree THE WARNER BROS.-UNIVEX "HOME SCREEN TEST" CONTEST SPONSORED BY = PICTURE PLAY MAGAZINE OFFERS YOU A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY This new exciting contest offers ants in the current issue of PIC- you a chance to win one of three TURE PLAY. WARNER BROS. SCREEN Four special folders have been pre- TESTS with FREE trips to HOL- pared especially for you. They tell LYWOOD as guests of the fashion- you how to act before a camera, how able BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL to use and apply stage cosmetics, or any one of 75 other valuable the art of dress and camera tech- prizes. nique, etc. These folders are yours All you have to do is make your for the asking. Fill in the entry own screen test in your own home blank below and send it with a self- with your own, borrowed or rented addressed, stamped -envelope to movie camera. Anybody can enter. PICTURE PLAY MAGAZINE, 79 All you need is a face and a movie Seventh Avenue, New York, N. Y., camera. There’s no age limit! and these folders will be sent to you Films will be judged by Bette immediately, absolutely free. Davis, Errol Flynn, the editor of Don’t delay! Reserve your issue of PICTURE PLAY MAGAZINE and PICTURE PLAY MAGAZINE at two WARNER BROS, executives your newsstand now. Enter the to be announced at a later date. greatest of all contests today—the Be sure and read all contest rules, WARNER BROS.-UNIVEX instructions and suggestions for “HOME SCREEN TEST’’. It of- HOME SCREEN TEST contest- fers you fame, fortune and fun! HPKKY! Mail this EntraiKs- lilank to-day to PICTDKB PLAY, Box SS. 7!)—7tli Av?., N. Y. t'. Eiioioso a stamped, self-add rossod enrelopo and four (4) folders giving valuable iostructions will be mailed to you Imni^iately ! N'AMB ADDRESS CITY STATE AGE HEIGHT AVKIGHT COIAIR OE EYlhS COLOR OF HAIR COMPLEXION. a 156 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION TRAIN FOR I have heretofore maintained that the cim- ventional gasoline internal combustion engine will develop some 25,000,000 foot poundals of ELECTRICITY energy for every pouud of fuel consumed (the correct ration 1 wish to I N IX WEE KS of gas and oxygen). **L9mrm ky Ooiog** change that to 25,(H^,000 poundal sec's of I’LL FINANCE YOUR TRAINING I i energy. Poundal sec l^lng of course the Ft of •hr •»ok U<;»yo«Sawir«tftByoql»12 to Bto wk> | the momentum equation. The change is neces- -i tb* sr«wicx of EloetricitT. octml abopwork i Ma bf sitated ~l or—i etoetrteol w»chtnfy piHbybooka because foot poundals are intrinsically wound up with the KE equation. The foot mr to rot[M traiaiiiK firat . . . tfaaa tak* I Mwitti* poundals of the above poundal sec’s of course depends on the rate of acceleration and the time CKstiofi Dot naodod. Many Earn WbUa I during which it was accelerated—a thousand Laamtns* Froo lifeCinM employmont | and one different all are as right oervko. DIaool Efttfnos, CtoctHc quantities and ••frtcaratlon and Air CendltleninK , as the next. And by that I don’t mean to infer iMtrDcttoo forladod. MAIL COUPON that any of them are wrong. Because of this I for FHEC BOON and afl Facts. renew my stand that the KE equation Is funda- H. C. LCWIsrprdsMent, COYNE CLECmiCAL SCHOOL i mentally the wrong equation to use in rocketry. SOO $4 Pau»na St., D«pt. A8-4S. Chicaso, III. To state a simple reason simply I’ll quote from Sond Bi|r Fr«e Book with farU on Coyne trsininc and toll . me about your ^*Pay«Tultion For Instance : given, 10 lbs. accelerated at 4 ft/sec 2 for 2 sec. KE= W=mas=10x4x8=320 ft. poundals By the above quotation we should be able to get the same results by reducing the mass by half and doubling the acceleration. W=mas=:5x8xl6=640 ft. poundals In other words, ft. poundals don’t mean a Stops L , thing wiicn it to measuring energy con- Tones up scalp. New hair often In 90 days. comes Fully sumed (Ft) and that’s what happens when a I Easy to use this amazing machine at home. Guarantsed Only SO. 05 complete. Write quick for FBEE rocket leaves the ground, isn’t it? TBIAL OFFEB. RAND, Dept, i-1677. Newport. Ky. But this is not by any means the only ex- ample that can be brought to bear on tbe case but it is enough I hope to cause a little hit of Is Rupture “research” on the subject by those who unwit- Your tingly use the KE equation for their calculations. Too, as I have once before inferred. I still believe internal combustion, motor driven rocket is a near-future project. Why? Because most HERE? of tbe materials and the ways and means have already been found by researchers. Which is Why continue to suffer with rupture? something that can hardly be said of the air- Stop your worries and fears. Stnd for plane, steam engine, and vacuum tube radio the facets about my perfected in ventkm ten years before their Invention. For instance, «->the Brooks Appliance for reducible one course of development might lie in this rupture — with the automatic AIR-{ plane. Ions are attracted by magnetic fields. CUSHION support that gives Natim And magnetic fields can be created by elec- a chance to dose the openrng. Thou- tricity. To properly influence an ion to jump sands bought by doctors for tbem-| from a O V. to some 2500 mi/sec does not selves and patients. require a tremendously strong field if it is done in something like ten Inches. Extremely high SOfVf TrlaL-Made-tO'ineAscrre, fnifi vfdnal fitting for man. woman Oft current or child. Low>priced, aanitary. durable. Ko otooziooa springs or hard can be used In this. But didn’t Mr. pads; no metal girdle to mat. Safe and comfortable. Helps Nature get Campbell state that at near absolute zero tem- results. Not sold through stores-^beware of imitations. Write today peratures, lead was resistanceless? What would for full information sent free in plain sealed envelope. happen If an electrical generator w’as wound with this kind of conductor? If it were shorted, BROOKS APPLIANCE CO. tbe voltage would remain the same but the cur- rent would go simpiv sky high—keep climbing until the infinitismal resistance of the circuit BE A created enough friction with tbe stupendous current to account for the energy driving the generator. But there we have the current— Traffic Manager bit in tbe abstract I’U admit but there just the same. And the weight is not a serious problem. C»«d Pay—CMd Opportanity Just remember that 1 hp can lift 5.50 lbs off Bie business needs trained traffic men and pays them the Earth’s surface and snould only half the bp w^. Train in yom spare time for this hignly profit- of the motor be effectively used on tbe rockets able. growing profession. Low cost; easy terms. the loading could still be over 250 Ibs/hp. for a Write now for valuable 64-page iMok^FREB. possible lift. And at only 2.5 lbs of fuel, all told, per hp.hr. Think it over. LaSalle Extension, Dept. 66S-T, Chicago Another brace of figures and I’ll quit. Con- sidering the poundal see. of energy produced by the lot. comb, motor (this will vary of course with the type of motor used and whether or not Start a POTATO CHIP tbe brake horse-power of said motors agree with the type of hp Watt concocted), taking BUSINESS for granted that one bhp equals 33,000 lbs IN YOUR KITCHEN and lifted one ft every minute, the figures are close enough for estimates. Here’s something, too. MAKE MONEY I A late airplane engine weighing some 1200 lbs, developed 1000 bp over a period of 150 hrs irr potatoes for 2e a lb. Make aen* adjustments. tatlooal new *'Oreaselssa" Potato without any but minor In other B developed some 9,500.000.000.000 Chips and aeU for 35c a lb. Ideal words It buflneM for men or women in o>are or poundal sec. of energy from somewhere's around full time. Small tareftoent buya com* 35 tons of gas—a bit less than n gallon and a ptete equipment. Ko experience needed. half a minute. Those 9,500.000.000,000 poundal 1 show you how to get atoreg to tell all you make; tell you bow to sec. would push a fifty ton object—as large as make profit flrit day. All Information, pictures, prices and terms our largest airplane, mind you— to a velocity sent free. Rend a postal card for Free Facta on this big "Home of nearly 2000 ml/sec in free space. Tet, some Builaeaa’* Opportunity. say space travel is far in the future due to the Wm4 Display MaehlN CBrp. 325 W. Hsrss. Oapt D-SM. Chlatis lack of suitable power. Please mention this magazine when answering advertisements : SCIENCE DISCUSSIONS 157 •f course, my request is to place in Science Discussions If you can find room and deem such action advisable the aforementioned “following paragraphs ’. I've checked over the figures 3 or 4 times and although the views are no doubt a bit radical I’m of the opinion there is good basis for them. Too, they might stir things up a bit in general. But enough !—C. K. Auvil, Box 166, Mineral, Washington. Maybe it*s done with mirrors instead oi Math? Dear Editor My “Vanishing Hydrometer” experiment of some months back elicited more of a response than I believe it would. Now I am faced with Strange & Secret Photographs brain-teaser, solution just seems another whose OW yeu CM trarel reund the werld with the meet dsrist ad- eternally lie outside my grasp. I hereby eyes, the wefrdeet to N fentureri. Teu cm ••• with yeur own warn the readers that this is no problem for people* Oft earth. Tou wltneee the atraageit customs of the people with soft brains. 1 make no promise of red. white, brown, black and yellew races. You attend their itartUag They all assembled for yeu la pensions to widows. rites, their mysterieus practices. are of the SECRET MUSEUM OF MANKIND^ Tht Information: A railroad track (or a these fire great voIubm stone wall or a row of trees etc.) gives the illu- 600 LARGE PAGES sion of shrinking in the distance. Though we Greatest Collection of Btrance and Beeret offset this Here la the World’s know this is not so—how can we Phetegrapbs. Here are Exotic Phetes from Europe, Harem Phetoi optical illusion V from Africa. Torture Fhetos, Female Photos. .Marriaie Photos from Thft Actual Problem: A pair of track rails Asia. O^nta. and America, and hundreds of others. There are almost are live feet apart at the observation point (A). 6M LARGE PAGES OF PHOTOGRAPHS. each pac*«:2 square incbesl How far apart will they have to be at a point (B) one mile away so that they will appear 1,000 REVEALING PHOTOS to the eye normally, with apparently the same see actual courtship prae* the starting point? In other words tlced in avery quarter of the world. Cwitentf sf 5'VaIame Set size as at Tou see macie and mystery in how can we dispense with the optical illusion VOLUME I — queer lands where the foot of a Tho Soertt Album of Afrloa meeting in the distance? of the tracks white man has rsrelj trod. Tou VOLUME 2 of aid. The modes of marriato Perhaps this illustration will be see Oriental Tho SMret Alban of Europo and female slavery in China, answer can be figured out, either by geometry, VOLUME 3 Japan, India, etc. Tbrouch the trigonometry, calculus or most of the more ad- rloos'np the eoaiera you witneee the Tht Socret Album of Asia vanced forms of mathematics. But I’m not the exetie hahtta ef avery ceatiaeat and fe> VOLUME d Bale caateae to Aaariea. gorope, etc. ! Gerry Turner, Alpha Tho Sesrot Album sf Amsrlta one who can do It — Yen are hewflUeredhewflaered by #NEONL THOUSAND... VOLUME 6 Kpsiloii Pi, Ohio State University, Columbus, LAROe PHOTOCRAPHS, ineludiaa 130 foll-paqa abotoe. and thrifleS by the nan Tho Sesrot Album of Osooala Ohio. drade of ahert atertee Chat daacribe then 5 PICTURC-PACKED VOLUMES The SECRET MUSEUM OF MAN- Siiocimefi Photos KIND consists of five picture-packed Dress A l^ndress Round volumes (solidly bound together for the World convenient readingl. Dip into shy Tarious Secret Socloties one of these voiusaes, and as you Civilized Love vs. Savate turn its daring pages, you find it Btranae rrimes. Criminals dlMcutt to tear yourself away. Here, Flasellation and Slavery in sto^ and imcensored phnto, it Omens, Totems A Taboos the WORLD’S CRCATCST COLLCCflON Hysterious Customs OF STRANCe AND SECRET PHOTO- GRAPHS, coacaiainc avarytbias fraa Fa> Feoulo Slav* Hunters mala Baaaty Raane tha World to tho akoaS l.tM Stranis A Sserot Myatorioaa Calta aad Caatoaaa. Tbaaofaoa- Phetss droda and hondroda of largo pagoo will gWa yoa days Md oirhta ef UmlliM iaelroclMa. SEND NO MONEY Simply sign & mail the coupon. Remember, osch of the 5 Tolumet is 9^ inches high, and, opened, over a foot wide! Remember also that this 5-Volume Set formerly sold for $10. And it is bound in expenslvo *'llfo-ttm*’* cloth. Don't put this off. Fill out the cou- pon, drop It ia the next mail. And receive this huge work at once. METRO PUBLICATIONS 70 Sth Ays., Dept. 400. New York, Send me '“nis Secret Museum of Mankind’* (5 ffreat vol- umes bound together). I will pay postman $1.9$, plus postage on arrivsl. If not delighted, I wilt return book in 5 days for full refund of $1.98. (No foreign orders accepted at this low price!) Nano * Addross Stato CHECK HERE if you art enclosing $1.9$, thus saving mailing costs. Same Money-Back (Guarantee. Please mention this magazine when answering advertisements : * 158 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION fnw^ or/MMfc Urf HEAVYxDUT BRASS TACKS INDUSTRIAL WELDER WORKS ON UO.VOLT'^ Attot &tduQ^mu Electric LishtLieht CIRCUIT^^'|Q7^CIRCUIT -S We changed the story title as the maga- AtthisQnh«»rdofpriee.youcaniret ^ zine title—for greater clarity of this marveloof DYNAMIC Super* ^ RETAU meaning. Charred Welder— thia welder ia a radical departure from accepted weldinf prac* ticca. Itwilldotheworkofmuch hirherpriced Dear Mr. Campbell. typea—'efficiently cooled— lirht of weirhi— 1 don't care whether thia letter la printed or easily portable. Will solder and braze on t' not as I'm writiOK it primurilj in order to make lichtcat material. Works on iron* ataeU t myself heard when you make up your new de- brass, copper and all other netala. partment. **T’he Analytical L4iburutory". You will get a letter like this from me each month and WELDS Cyladv Wieln. laaipwt. Eaadwf, as 1 i>ay it does not mutter whether you go f<> Twhs, Farm Madwianr... the length of printing it. Just so's you read It. with this Super* I I^smic I catalogue each story of each issue and have AGENTS Charrtd WCLOEK.a man prerious experi* done so since the August. 1936 issue. Therefore Mike birproftts without •nco esn make as much as the following stories are listed according to selHne ta fa* It. SO oo a repair job my catalogue rutiugs based on a Hve-star rafts. fMtones, * Janitors and thsteanbedoneinless maxim um. than one hour. Msny mschine shops. For hrst place, I consider it a tie between Write TODAY weidinseperstorsmslcc „ as muen as tlS.OS* ^.00 ^ two stories: Nat Schachner's “island of the and ask for our Wil- ia*DAYTRlAL a dsy—‘Go into bnotneot— Individualists” and the tirst part of Jack OFPCR. Open a Weldinc Sh^ NOW. liamson's “Legion of Time” (which was an- DYNAMIC WElOEfI COMFANT'' nouncetl beforehand, by the way as “I.»egion of ^CU AUroftoe NosiSe CMaagOt IHleala Probability”. Why the change'/!. I have giv»‘n both Hve stars but think the edge goes to the Schachuer yarn." For one thing you can never tell how a serial will turn out. and for an- other 1 sirougly like the whole “Past. Pre?*- OLD LEG TROUBLE ent. F'uture" series, having given each of the three stories printed so far tlve stars. And ~b^ala Easy to use "Viaebae'Home Method let roe tell you that 1 don’t hand out five-star many okl log aoros caused by log congea* ratings right and left either. Since August. bon, variooao voina. awoUao logs and in* 1936 when 1 began my ratings, only “(inlactic re- juxiM cc no cost fee trial ii it laila to show Patrol" and your own series “.Accuracy" results In 10 days. Describe the causo ceived five stars, aside from these three men- tioned above. of your troubU and get a FEEE BOOK. . In second place. I put E. E. Smith's article B. S. VISCOSE METHOD COMPANY “Catastrophe” which I gave four and a half articles are favorlle.s. 140 N. Dssrbsrn Strost. Chiesis. llliasis stars. Astronomical my Let's have more of them. And please, let’s have less of Mr. Willy Ley whom 1 do not like. Clifton B. Kruse's tale. “The Incredible Visitor” is in third place with three and a half stars—but ina.v 1 point out that the Idea of having super-dense beings frdm super-dense Oft fms bsoklst shout Zo*sk Tsbtstt—tbo fomuls of wstl-koown planets Is Incoming Just the slightest hit played New Tort phytieiso crested essecislly fer nea. Zo*sk contslos out. And so. by ihe way. is the negative space Suick-setiHf receuble stinulsati plus essential Titsailn eooceo* idea. Schachner's “Negative Space" is the trstes in sdeeuste amounts to build up hetUb and streogth. Ask twin of John I). Clark's “.Minus Planet”. (But for Ko-ak (blue box) at any good druggist, and writs for fros Schachner is still my favorite author. Aod booklet by registered physician. Sent In seslsd eorelope by what has happened to Clark?) Zo-nk Company* 50 Wost 4S St.* Dopt. A* Now York •In fourth and fifth place respectively are “Procession of Suns” by R. R. Winteri>otliain (the idea behind which Is Just a hit on the fantastic side) and Spencer Lane’s “Nledbalski'a Mutant”—both with three stars. And now for stories which I think ought to be "panned consistently and hard”. What la the world Induced you to print "Ua for the Diesel realize it has no plot Rajah". Do vou that For sereral years, Diesel eotlnee have been replaetPC outside of one that would fit U for some future power plants, motor trucks fltam and fasoUne engrlnee In "gcieiiti-love magazine". The only good point and busses, locomotives, ships, tractors, dredges, pumps, it gave It the one and a half stars sic. And now the flrsl Dlesd-powered passenger car to on about —whh-h tbs market. Our home-study course offers you a real op- it rated —is the aerial polo game Peterson has portunity to prepare for a worth-while pontton In this invented. •«w field. Writ* TODAT f«r foN tofcnMCiM. Me And as for "Three Thousand Years*. Tow Asmsriaaw tilwsi, Dpt. DA-7, DrsasIstNth, ChissgO I mav be crazy about it but I’m not. I read it because I always read .Astounding from cover to cover hut it Is only a sense of duty that impels me on.— Isaac .Asimov, 174 Wlnds<»e New York Doctor Lowers Place, Brooklyn, New York. HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE Analytical Lab rated high in reader ap- In 22 out of 26 cases proval itself—second only to “Le- Dr. Frederic Danrsu. eminent phyalcisn of New Terk City, recently gion of Time’’. lowered Uie blood pressure in 23 out of 34 esses with ALLIMIN Ksieore o( Gsrlic-Ptrsley Tablets. Not only did the blood preuure Dear Editor come down and stay down with tho use ef ALLlkllN. but dlxaiaese ohtaiaing the i«»ue of Astounding and headaches were completely rcllered in slmost every esse. Te After May I compared the cover by get the selfsame tablets used by Dr. Damrsu. ask your druggist fer Science-Fiction. those of Ihe March anil -\pril ALUM IN Kssenre of Garlic-Parsley Tablets end take do substitutes Schneeman with re.ipw-lively. ' It or imltsUoni. For FRFF umple and Tsluable booklet by doelor, issues by Wesso and Brown, Schnee- address. Van Patten Co.. 54 W. lUlnols, Chicago. could not compare with the other two. Please mention this magaziiie when answering advertisements : —! BRASS TACKS 159 the profession that pays- Accountants command good in* ing knowledm unnecessary — we come. Thousands needed. About prepare you from ground pp. Our 16,000 Certified Public Account- training is personally given by ants in U. S. Many earn 22,000 to staflF of experienced C. P. A.’s. 215,000. We train you thoroughly at Low cost — easy terms. Write home in your sparespare time for C. P. A. now for valuable 64-page book examinations or executive account- free, “Accounting, the Professioo ing positions. Previous bookkeep- Tliat Pays.” LASALLE EXTENSION, Dept.6ss.H. Oiic«io ID8II Ir jouc best interior artist by far, but keep Wesso ami Brown on tbe covers* Tbe cover iin the March issue, by Weaso, was tbe best 1 have seen in a Jong time. Big cash profltst Full or w>aro tUo*. Congratulations on tbe new department— Orer 250 household nececsitiet—thlnsa people must buy. ProTeu fast eellert: The Analytical Laboratory. It is certainly a - NpV POBO SEDAN OR $500 CASH BONUS fine addition to our magazine. I was pleased to BESIDES YOUR WEEKLY EARNINGS. see that the ideas of tbe other readers checked Ill MOW yoe bow to start oarnino rory f^t day; po^ r*o orsrytblait—Blr Display Oomt with mine well, 1 sec qeick csoh piano pretty though could net -wo Bionoy risk. Dotajls FRKK. Just nail poatonrd. why “Something from Jupiter’* W'as net up atacar mills, SUS Moamootti Av., CINCINNATI, o. among the leaders. 1 found it different, very interesting, and well written. “The Legion of Time” by Williamson is off to a great start. It is truly a matant story ; the plot is utterly different in Its basic principles Help Kidneys from any story I bare ever come across In the realms of acience-fietion. If the remaining in- stallments of “The Legion of Time” keep up to Don’t Take Drastic Drugs tbe standard set by the first part, Williamson's Your Kidnrrs contain 9 million tiny tubes or filtcra serial will be remembered as one of the great vhich may be endangered by neglect or drastic, irri- stories of science-fiction. tating drags. Be carerul. If functional disorders of As to the rest of the stories in tbe May issue, the Kidneys or Bladder make you suffer from Getting “The Island of tbe Individualists” was by far Up Nights, Nervousness. Leg Pains, Circles Under the best. Scbachner seems to be up to par Eyes, Dizzine.ss, Backache, Swollen Joints, Eicess again. For awhile there his stories were very Acidity, or Burning Passages, don't rely on ordinary poor, far below his usual standard. “Tbe Brain- medicines. Fight such troubles with the doctor's Storm Vibration” and “Static” were both very prescription Cystax. Cystax starts working in 3 good, giving tbe former a alight edge. 1 am hours and must prove entirely satisfactory in 1 week, somewhat disappointed in “Three Thousand and be exactly the medicine you need or monev back Tears". So far it has dragged considerably is giuranteeo. Yelepbone your druggist for Cystax and the plot itself does not seem to be any- (Slss-tex) today. The guarantee protects you. Copr. fhing great or different. I cannot class tbe 1937 The Knox Co. seicDce article. “Catastrophe’*, with the rest of the stories, nor can I give it enough praise. Only Dr. Smith could write such a masterpiece. The article gives one a true concept of tbe tre- High School Course: mendous forces which held sway during the at Home f birth of our Solar System, and it leaves a clear Many FinishI in 2 Yeors impression in tbe mind, not soon to be erased Go aa rapidly as yoor time and abUitica permit. Couns IVter R. Rawn, 215 15tb Ave., No., Seattle, •Qulvaleat to reaidest echool work ~ prepares you for Wash. entrance to ooUece. Standard H. 8. texta aup^ied — piplw— . Crvdit for R. 9. oabio^ otroody eeapiotod. Haclo Joeto if doalrod. Biffb school odoeotJon l« Toty impoftPBt for VaooocBOflt (a bMiooooaad ladwtry oiid oodiily. Doa'k bo basdl- oappod all yoor Hfo. 6o a Bl«rb School ar^oato. Stait yaor trmtolaa dow. Froa BollaCto an raqoaat. No wl%atlM. I American School, Dpt. HA-7, Droxol at SSttif CMcago 'Con" oi l^st month now •pro*^ Miss Evans, Dear Mr. Campbell Someone once remarked that a science-fiction fan’s mind changes with the weather—and be- lieve me I'm no exception. Since my last let- ter (withering methinks) to you, I have changed my views and opinions of your policy consider- ably. Or maybe I was more grouchy than usual the night 1 typed that missive. At any rate, please except my apology for that ergor of my better judgment. Despite its shortcomings, Astounding Is still the leading science-fiction $1260 to $2100 Year magazine—and may always continue to be so Cct ready iBUhedlately. / FRANKLIN INSTITUTE, In issue, I noticed in particular Oept. $194. Rse h—tf , N. Y. the May the Mra--Womes. . / letter of Miss Kvans. In fact, that is the sec- ^ Sirs: Ruth to nltheut rharz« (1) Common . took with 8. Gortra- ond reason for my writing this. It so happens ^ 32-MCe lift of U. eOncation Brat (2) Tell at bow to ouallff that 1 am one of the “back-biters” of whom she ^ fiitially ^ for ooo of thoM jobs. s|>eaks. It seems in mv March letter 1 criti- aufflcleat. cised “Whispering HateUite”. saying that it was Mall ConpoD / Ktar. a ixior imitation of Weiiibaum. 1 still tbiak it today taro. / AddrHi. Please mention this magazine when answering advertisements , ; : ; : ! ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION Is—but that Is beside the point. What I’m trying to get across is that to the best of my knowledge. SGW originated the “intelligent ani- mal” type of yarn. And although I fully realise that be never held all rights to this type, I maintain that unless an author can do a tale of this kind within some degree of Woinbaum’s mastery, he should not attempt It. l‘ve read some very good stories of this sort that weren’t by Weinbaum—and still found them enjoyable But the above mentioned is the only type of Stanley Weinbaum tale that I would consider as being an imitation. His other works were no more unusual than anyone else's—though you’ll have to admit every one had that cer- tain touch. To sum it all up. I agree whole- heartedly with Miss Evans except In that one oint mentioned—James S. Avery, 50 Middle St., Skowhegao, Me. Thrilling, speedy, economical and § stylishly smartl Best—and Worst! Scoot here, there tn4 ererTwhere at 35 mile* per hour, mUea Mr. Campbell on a fsllon of lawline. New 193$ Dear line just out—all the latest festuret. Flashy new sport modal# The April Astounding was the 13th which I and sturdy commercial and dellTery jobs. have read, so I decided to tell you what I year. doUeered and op. thought of the magaaine during the * low in 69-50 Write for ratstoa and It declined gradually to an all-year aama sf aearest dealer. December, then rose rapidly In quality to a high point in February, then declined slightly. 218 S. W—torn Ava. MOTO SCOOT MFG. CO. Your best authors are Wellman, Ayre, Smith, Sluart, and. until recently, Schachner. Binder and Schachner need a rest—especially Binder. Your best cover illustrator is. of course. Wesso Is best If I I Brown. For interior illustratioDS Send YOU next, the latter because of his choice and Dold THIS FINE SUIT- j of subjects. I didn’t like the change of title from Astound- vTl!^«r^SrTP5l!^!IowTnr^rfenSS ing Stories, which is catchy, to Astounding 1 need a reliable man in your town to wear a Science-Fiction, which sounds flat. Besides, your fine, made-to-raeantre. all-wool DKMONST£l.\T> Science-Fiction is not more astounding than INQ SUIT—advertise my famous Union clothtna Mid take orders. Yoo can make op Co $12.00 In a day. Uy any other. Ibie contains ever laOqoalitr woolena.all senaatkioairaBes, The renewal of Brass Tacks would have been an 10.improvement if It hadn’t taken space from «wr r T\mri w^u*. rv* 9. i&kw wwvv-.. l»00W.HTr*sewatret.0owt.r«9S2.Chic«ao.lBiaa«a. Science Discussions. . The mntant covers are a great improvement. The ten best stories of the year, as well as I Classified Advertising can remember, were 1. “Seeker of Tomorrow" One of the great- est time travel stories ever written, be- Detectives—Instructions cause of the Impossibility of return to the DETEmVES EARN BIO MONEY. Work homo or tr*Trl. present. DETECTIVE partieulan free. Experience unnecemry. Write 2. “The Great Ones" 9040-A Broadway. New Tork^ GEORGE WAGONER, 3. “Galactic Patrol" DETECTIVES^—SECRET INVtJSTIGATIONR—TRAINING. Home 4. “Past. Present, and Future” —Travel. Particulars free. Chief Mullica. 14-S Journal Square, 5. “A Surgical Error” City. ISSiS^ 0. “Space Signals” Patents Secured 7. “Whispering Satellite" “Anachronistic Optics” PATENTS—Reascmable terms. Book and advice free. L. r. 8. Bandolph. Dept. 513, Washington, D. C. 9. “Win.gs of the Storm” HAVE YOU a sound, practical Invention for sale, patented or “Flareback” onpatentedr If so. write Chariared Institute of American In- ventori. Dept. 19-A. Waihinirton. D. C. The ten worst stories were 1. "Martyrs Don't Mind Dying” !" Photo Finishing 2. “Three Thousand Years KNAI’SHOTS IN COLORS—Roll developed. 8 Natural Color 3. “Thunder Voice” Prints—25c. Natural Color reprinta—3c. Amazingly BeautifuL 4. “The Fatal Quadrant” Natural Color Photo. C-95. Janesville. Wlaeonsin. .I. “Dark Eternity” Fireproof Cleaning Fluid 6 . ‘Mana” 7. •The Mind Master” FEW CENTS MAKES casoline safe, fireproof, cheap: better dry 8. ‘.Angel In the Dust Bowl” leaner; compare with any cleaning fluid; bo safe. Formula. S5e ‘Stardust Gods” (coincoin i _ Gcmhart. Box 822. Chadron. Nebr. 9. 10. “Air Space” Help Wanted—Instructions Here’s for more “Seekers of Tomorrow and rOBEST JOBS AVAIL-ABLE ti:s-tl7S MONTH. Ctbta. Hunt. fewer “Dark Eternities”—I.s*w Cunningham, tnu>, patrol, tiu.llly immedUtMy. Writ. Rayaon Serric* C-59, Box 253, San Ysidro, California. Denver, Colo. NEED RELIEF From A60NY of The Ph.D. was attached by the Srst STOMACH ULCERS story— Editor to print a Dr. Smith Caused by Gastric Hyperacidity it is now part of bis trade name. It If you are one of those men or women bis choice, though it is his who have “tried everything'* and given up was not hope of relief we urge you to try this effec- right. tive, yet simple Inexpensive way at home. Pain and distress relieved from the start. Numbers report they were saved from Dear Sir expensive operations. If after meals and A present controversy prompts me to write „ at night you have pain and distress from again after a lapse of several years. If too Gas. Acid. Sour Stomach, or Dicers due much already Is being said of "Galactic Patrol” hyperacidity write for valuable booklet with and “E. E. Smith. Ph.D,” I’m regretful but CDCr offer. are great. rnCb laformatlon as to guaranteed trial yet highly Insistent : they both When TWIN CITY VON COMPANY, DEPT, tn, St. Paul, Minn an author shows the divine sparks of ecnius, we Please mention this magazine when answering advertisements — BRASS TACKS who appreciate must rally to his cause—and this is, undoubtedly, one of the times. • There may be those who desire everything YOUR YOUTHFUL SKIN in terms of symbols, formulae, and numbers. VVe nil know persons who become indignant when a writer ceases to take his theme from lt>93 ideas and Imagines upon present accepted A MASS OF PIMPLES? theerie.'f something a little more advanced. This is true, not alone in science fiction, but in every field of writing under the Sun. it must be admitted that “Galactic Patrol** to help your blood departs from the purely material and quests Take steps now keep into the relatively unkuown field of mentality. Yet who is qualified to say what mysteries in free of skin-defiling poisons the subconscious or conscious may or may not be unraveled tomorrow? More than that, who Stop being an object of shame and scorn among your can tell what exists beyond these tiny dabs of friends. Find out what often causes those repulsive- mud and rock circling our insignificant Sun? looking pimples . . • and get rid of them. You need only stand under a night sky, sur* udsing. on the million probabilities of its thou- Between the ages of 13 and 25 your body is chang- sandfold stars, to be thankful for a Smith who ing rapidly. Important glands develop. There gland can take us there and make those probabilities changes upset your system. Waste poisons from the real. Moreover, what is science-fiction at all, if intestines are often thrown into the blood stream not a partial release from things known? and are carried to your skin, where they may Thus 1 am forced to come to the cause of “(ialactic Patrol” and its brilliant author. bubble out in ugly, shameful hickies. Tliougli I cared little for much of the “Skylark You must help keep your blood free of these skin- Wandrei’s promised a story. Dfar Mr. Campbell: TRAFFIC TIPS Tbp May Isaiie of Astounding Scloncc-Fiction ia good throughout with the exception of “Ca- is perfect. taalrophe" and, possibly, “Procession of Suns”. No driver Williamson’s tale "The Legion of Time” starts off well. This is the first time that I have read Proceed with caution. an Inslallment of a serial before I have the whole thing, but I am not sorry that I didn’t Courtesy prevents crashes. wait—it's truly a mutant and a darned good one. Too fast may be your last. Let’s have more of Dr. von Theil and Lieu- Also some more tenant West by Kent Casey. courtesy the of Hauilyman Joshua and Dr. Meadow by of M. Sehere. National Safety Comull, Inc. I think that the pages taken up by the Hcienee articles are just wasted space that Khould be used for stories, but I realixe that ma«K readers like the articles and would kick if ^1 cut them out—so I’ll just grin and bear it. It will take more than a few wasted pages to make me quit Astounding. For Kidney And WhatJias happened to Donald Wandrei? He is one of my favorite authors and we haven’t had anything from him slnee October 193C, with "infinity Zero”; See if you can’t get Bladder Trouble idjn going again — Willard Dewey, 1005 Charles Kverett, Wash. Stop (getting Up Nights Here’s one good way to flush harniftd waste Minneapolis fans ? from kidneys and stop bladder irritation that often causes scanty, burning and smarting Dear Mr. Campbell: passage. Ask your druggist for a 35-cent box Being the only seienee-fiction fana in the of Gold Medal Haarlem Oil Capsules—a splen- city of Minneapolis (far as we know) we have did safe harmless diuretic and stimulant for got logetUer to give you our composite opinion and of the latest Astounding. weak Udneys and irritated bladder. Besides "The Legion of Time”, we agree, is excel- getting up nights, some symptoms of kidney lent- hut why change the word "thought-vari- trouble are backaches, puffy eyes, leg cramps, anl” to "mutant” ( The words seem to he and moist palms, but be sure to get GOLD synonymous. • Procession., of Suns” started well. MEDAL—It’s the genuine medicine for weak Xiving' some promise of originality, but then right from Haarlem in Holland, i disappa^jud us. "Niedbalski’s Mutant” was kidneys— Please mention this magazine when answering advertisements ! : : ! : — 162 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION good. More by Spacer Lane plizz. The In the last six or seven publications females rest of the stories rangon from fair to worse, have been dragged into the narratives and aa a with “Ra for the Rajah" ^‘oppiag booby prize. result the stories have become those of love On iSchneeman’s first cover for Astounding which have no place in science-fiction. Those we disagree rather violentlj^ OKS, still preju- who read this magazine do so for the Hcience diced In favor of Wesso, has no use for it, while in it or for the good wholesome free-from- A UR gives it bis benign approval. At least women stories which stretch jhelr imagination^. we agree that the ‘new Street & Smith emblem A w'oman'.s ptiuv is not in apythlng scientific. in the upper left hand corner is purty. The Of course the odd female now and then invents back cover is excellent. something iirtoTuI in the way that every now ‘The Analytical Laboratory" is a swell idea, and then amoivg^t the millions of black crows though we can't see how “Flareback” and a white one is found. "Wlng.M of the Storm" rated so high. "Mas- I believe, and I, iliiuk many others are with ter Shall Not Die", however, deserved all the me, that s»Mitimeiitality nod sex should be dis- praise it got and more. regarded in scientific stories. Yours for more We should like to get in touch with other science and Jess fcnmics—Donald G. Turnh'iill, sci»*nce-||ctlou fans living in the Twin Cities. 91 Oriole Pa^way. Toronto, Out., Canada^ We hat^ to think that we may be the only two of that select society In these parts.” So let's i»i*ar from you, fans I—Arden Hens^m and Oliver K. Sanri. 4U11 Emerson Avenue North, Minne- apolis, Minn> There is this—every previous civilizatioa has {alien. Dear Editor*^: Note divergence of opinion on ”RajaK\ What has happened? I thought last mouth’s miracle issue was a mi.>5lako—Imt now it's be- Dear Mr. Campbell ginning to be u habit ! Astounding has itud- (lenly adrenalin cocktail ia mov- "The Squeaking Wheel Gets the Most taken an and ing along at a furious rate. G revise.'’ Therefore—May reader’s report. Typically I.et me make an outline i»efore I faiat. "The Legion of Time"—So-So. catching. Williamson. The- Cover; is startling and eye This is the third time I have been able to s^le "Catastrophe" excellent. With two ray guns — such a fact. And nil three times have l>ecrt^n and a spaceship it would have made a good rapid succession. story. Most interesting article, because of itB "Hyperpilosity” : was a very unusual and style. perfectly logical tale. It reads like an item in "Ra for the Rajah" superb! Fast-moving. — any newspaper. No greater complimeiit can one I detect a Renaissance in science-fiction. Don't offer. full us, Mr. Cumpboll. ^ is nnother "different" short "The Braln-.storm Vibration" good. "The Faithful”: — is logical. This is too much "Three Thousand Years!" good. story. And it. too. — for rtuttering heart. At last someone’s real- "Static" fair. Rest of the magazine So-so. my — the ant is not the only organism capa- Let's have no more of Schachner's Three Mus- ized that ble of taking man’s place after bis departure. keteers. first story was all right. After The Downfall become the most that— no Civilization’s ha% familiar plot in the pot-boiler’s category. No The May issue is one of the best w'e've had. less than of this yawnable type in the tile I. Benson. S. S. four Keep up . good work. A. U. — April issue. It’s almost as bad as the time C'aliforuia. travel plague of last year. "Galactic Ihitrol" : appears to have concluded bad taste in everyone’H^mouth. I **RajaK* again. by leaving a don’t know how it ended myself, having washed mv hands of the "epic" after part two. Dr. Dear Mr. CamjBcU : Smith’s old fault of. making the ludicrous com- The new'ly inaugurated Analytical Laboratory monplace was mainly responsible for its blow-up. certainly proved that a new writer can take After all, when space ships "crawl” along at ten top honors for the best story of an issue. Nor times the speed of light and the hero can push was the March issue an e.xception. John Vic- over an impregnable fortress 8iugle-hande»l tor Peterson’s "Ra for the Rajah" is so far what are we to consider as ‘‘astounding?*’ Stop out in front this issue, there’s no competition choking the horse with candy, doctor. Schneeman sort of slipped on the cover. It’s You may be interested to know that I now a bit drab and indistinct, ns covers go, but I include Greenland among my science-fiction slnreroly believe that with a little practice writing ports. Letters have also come along along that line, he'd be as good as Brown. from China, South .Africa and Egypt. Astound- Kent Casey Is as good as ever with “Static", ing seems universal. —Gerry Turner, Ohio State alihtuigh M. Schere. patterning basically, as Ifniverslty, Culumlm.s. Ohio. did Casey, after his previous excellent story, lacked the punch to put his story over. Some- times this sequel stuff doesn't work out so well. He’s good, partly because he does take- Thousand Years" is "Rebirth" all "Three time. over again. "Rebirth" was, and is. my favorite story. McClary seems to be relying on the Dear Mr. Campbrll success that the novely written "Rebirth’’ ha'd, ineaulng of the saying, to put "Three Thousand Years" across. So now'. I know, the things come to him who watts." Even Mc- I wonder if it would be in good taste to "All Science-Fic- sort of vaguely hint that Virgil Finlay would Clary comes back into Astounding be a wonderful artist to get for Astounding? tion if yhu just wait long enough. But why In* us'wait for his swell stories? - A. I.,eadabraDd, Route Box 2ri4A, a meanie and make — RiiMeli 2, "Rebirth" Dinuba, California. Mi^ too much time elapsed between ana "Three Thousand Years !" I was afraid that I might be disappointed in this new story of Mr. McClary’s, but if the rest Misogynistf Bet you bear from Miss is as good as the first installment I think tbfit Evans! he has topped himself. It is a good cover on your April Issue. In fact, I like everything about vour magazine and Pear Editor even if we are in a depression you can count For the past five years I have been an un- on my twenty cents being on the line each complaining and completely satisfied reader of month for .Astounding Stories. —Mary C. 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