FEBRUARY Including Venture Science Fiction

NOVELETS Against Authority MIRIAM ALLEN deFORD 20 Witness for the Persecution RANDALL GARRETT 55 The Mountains of Magnatz JACK VANCE 102

SHORT STORIES The Gadge System R. BRETNOR 5 An Afternoon In May RICHARD WINKLER 48 The New Men JOANNA RUSS 75 The Way Back D. K. FINDLAY 83 Girls Will Be Girls DORIS PITKIN BUCK 124

FEATURES Cartoon GAHAN WILSON 19 Books JUDITH MERRIL 41 Desynchronosis THEODORE L. THOMAS 73 Science: Up and Down the Earth ISAAC ASIMOV 91 Editorial 4 F&SF Marketplace 129 Cover by George Salter (illustrating "The Gadge System")

Joseph W. Ferman, PUBLISHER Ed~mrd L. Fcrma11, EDITOR Ted White, ASSISTANT EDITOR Isaac Asimov, SCIENCE EDITOR Judith Merril, BOOK EDITOR Robert P. llfil/s, CONSULTING EDITOR

The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Volnme 30, No. 2, Wlrolc No. 177, Feb. 1966. Plfblished monthly by Mercury Press, Inc., at 50¢ a copy. Aunual subscription $5.00; $5.50 in Canada and the Pan American Union, $6.00 in all other cormtries. Publication office, 10 Ferry Street, Concord, N.H. 03302. Editorial and ge11eral mail sholfld be sent to 3/7 East 53rd St., New York, N. Y. 10022. Second Class postage paid at Concord, N.H. Printed in U.S.A. © 1965 by Mercury Press, Inc. All riglrts inc/fl.ding translations iuto ot/rer la~>guages, resen•cd. Submissions must be accompanied by stamped, self-addressed ent•ciBPes; tire Publisher assumes no responsibility for retlfm of uusolicitcd ma1111scripts. BDITOBIAL The largest volume of mail which crosses our desk each day is that which is classified in the trade as "the slush pile." This blunt term is usually used in preference to the one y11u'll find at the very bottom of our contents page, where it says, ". • • the Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts," but in both cases what is referred to is that vast bulk of stories which any editor must read: stories submitted by unknown, and usually non-professional, writers. No fiction magazine can hope to survive solely upon the regular submis­ sions of established writers or their agents. Normal attrition among writers will assure that. In writers, as in all professions, there is a continual turnover. And implicit in this turnover is the emergence of new writers. They come from the slush pile. For that reason, we scan each day's batch eagerly, looking for the next Robert Heinlein, James Blish, or A. E. van Vogt. And periodically we hit a Live One-a submission which is not merely purchaseable, but bodes well for the author's future. We've watched several new writers come up this way, battling rejection slips to finally find their way into our pages. We rejected over a dozen stories by Larry Niven before we enthusiastically bought his "Becalmed in Hell" for our July issue last year. Tom Disch followed the same route-and rubbed our face in it when he pointed out that we'd bounced a story of his we later admired when it was published elsewhere. These authors we count among our successes, but they are only a few of the new authors whose careers we helped launch. It is a rare issue of this Magazine when we do not have a "first" story by an author new to print, or new to our field. That being the case, perhaps you'd like to know how you might join these ranks. There are certain essentials, of course. Any issue of Writer's Digest will point them out to you. We ask that your submission be typewritten, double­ spaced, and not typed so faintly that we must 'iitrain in strong light to make it out. More important, your submission must have enclosed with it a stamped, self-addressed envelope in which we may return your manuscript if it is un­ suitable for us. Beyond that, there is nothing to do but to post your manuscript (the cheap­ est way being to mark it, "Contents: Manuscript-Special 4th Class Rate," which entitles you to the special rates of 10¢ for the first pound, 5¢ for each additional pound), and sit back and wait. And next issue we'll tell you exactly what happens while you're wait- ing • • • -TED WHITE This story, and the cover painting which accompanies it, mark a reunion of sorts. The artist, George Salter, created the design for this magazine as well as many of its early covers. The stories of R. Bretnor appeared here often in the early 50s, less frequently than we would like in recent yoors. This story, about Joe Cadge's whirlwind trip to the Mysterious East, may awaken some pangs of nostalgia for older readers, and wiU be fun for all.

THE GADGE SYSTEM

by R. Bretnor

WHEN MR. BuLsTRODE HEARD SUPER-EXECUTIVE WIDE­ that Joe Gadge was going to Bur­ STRIDE in chrome on the hood, ma, he sent for him right away. like this year it says CLASSY­ He offered him a seat, and passed FLEX only twice as big, and you'll him a cigar out of the box on his only have to use two rivets on it desk. "What's this I hear, Joe?" he instead of three. Too bad you'll be said. "The boys tell me you're missing out on it, Joe. You've leaving us." been on Assembly Station 32-A a "Uh-huh," said Joe, biting the longtime." end off the cigar and feeling to see "Eleven years straight," said if his copy of Slithery Jungle Sto­ Joe, "not countin' Korea-and ries was still in the pocket of his then the army only got me as far coveralls. as St. Paul. I wasn't lucky like "I sure hate to see you go-" Herman Slotterbeck. He went ev­ Mr. Bulstrode sounded really dis­ erywhere." appointed. "-especially now, 'Well, travel while you can, I with the new Eight all ready to always say. I suppose you've land­ come out. It'll say 5 50-H.P. ed a good job in Burma?" 5 6 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION "Job?" Joe looked puzzled. for dacoits all the time. Boy, are 'What job?" they mean! Once they know you Mr. Bulstrode looked puzzled got a ruby, they climb right in too. "Your job in Burma. I guess your bedroom window. Before you you'll make pretty good money know it, you're strangled with a there?" silken cord-phht! like that!" He Joe ran a big hand over his stuck his tongue out and rolled his crewcut. "I got money. I got eight­ eyes, and Mr. Bulstrode swallow­ een hundred bucks. Uncle Morton ing hard, began to inch his hand to­ died." ward the button that called his Mr. Bulstrode frowned. ":But if secretary. you haven't a job in Burma, why "Well," said Joe, starting to get are you going there?" up. "I got lots to do. If I was to "To get me a ruby," said Joe. tell Daisy goodbye, she'd likely "A what?" nix the whole thing. So I'm goin' "A great big ruby," Joe ex­ to write her a letter. I better get plained. "Out of an idol's eye. It's start-" this way, Mr. Bulstrode. I been go­ Mr. Bulstrode was out from be­ in' with Daisy two years now, and hind his desk in no time at all. she won't say yes, or no, or nothin'. "Too bad, too bad! Sorry you can't I figure I got to put up some real stay longer. But I mustn't keep competition-buy her a swell you." Reaching an arm around television set, and a mink coat, Joe's shoulders, he began walking and-" He blushed. "-and one him to the door. 'We'll be pulling of them new SUPER-EXECU­ for you, Joe. You just get out there TIVE WIDE-STRIDE Eights. So and find yourself an idol with a I'm goin' to find me a ruby I can million-dollar eye. That'll fix old sell for maybe a million dollars. Herman Slotterbeck, ha-ha! Yes, Because if I don't, Mr. Bulstrode, indeed." Mr. Bulstrode opened Herman Slotterbeck is goin' to the door with his free hand. "If beat my time sure. He owns a du­ there's ever anything I can do for plex and rents half of it." you, just let me know." Mr. Bulstrode ran his finger "Gosh, !VIr. Bulstrode, could around inside his collar. "Sure, you get the foreman to give Her­ sure," he agreed nervously. "You've man lots of overtime so he won't got to do something. And Burma's see too much of Daisy?" just the place to do it. Nice place "Glad to, glad to." Mr. Bul­ to live, they tell me. Fine eli-" strode pumped Joe's hand up and "Oh, I don't figure on livin' down. "Have a nice trip. Take care there!" Joe broke in. "It's mostly of yourself. Goodbye." jungle, and you gotta watch out Almost before Joe could say, THE. GADGF. SYSTEM 7 "Gee, thank you, Mr. Bulstrode," he tried several times to start a con­ the door snapped closed, and he versation by whistling "On The was on his way to the time-keep­ Road To Mandalay." But the Eng­ er's office to draw his pay. lishman didn't recognize it, so he Naturally, he didn't realize that gave it up and went on with the Mr. Bulstrode thought he was third installment of "Doctor Krish­ plain nuts. If he had, he could na's Last Try" in Slithery Jungle have explained that he had a real, Stories. In his secret laboratory, sure-fire system. Because Joe knew the Doctor was preparing to oper­ just about all there was to know ate on the Governor-General's love­ about jungles, especially in Bur­ ly, green-eyed daughter, whom he ma, and about dacoits, and finding had obligingly disrobed. Pukka rubies in idols' eyes. Every lunch Sahib O'Toole, after throttling a hour, and every evening except brace of leopards with his bare Tuesdays and Saturdays, when he hands, had reached the granite took Daisy to the movies, he door, only to find the Mad Maha­ slipped off into the Mysterious rajah of ... East. He'd been doing it for years. For a few thousand words, the His room was simply stacked with plane hummed steadily on its books by Sax Rohmer and Talbot course. Then it landed at Calcutta. Mundy, and with copies of Slith­ The door opened. The Englishman ery Jungle Stories. and the other passengers went out. Joe and the turbanned native were Three days later, when a tall, left alone. And suddenly-just as middle-aged Englishman and a Doctor Krishna raised his septic sallow native boarded Joe'S' plane scalpel over Lady Patricia's tempt­ at Benares, his Oriental experience ingly displayed anatomy-Joe re­ began to come in handy. The Eng­ alized that the native was up to lishman wore tweeds and a beau­ something. tifully brushed-up Guards mous­ Carefully, he edged around to tache, and carried a briefcase. The catch the man's reflection in a native wore a white turban and a window. The fellow had opened long black coat buttoned all the the top of his umbrella. He had way, and carried an untidy um­ taken a thermos bottle from its brella. The Englishman sat down baggy folds. From the bottle, he directly across the aisle. The na­ had extracted a chilled cobra­ tive slithered into the seat behind which he was slipping stealthily him. And Joe sensed instantly that into the Englishman's briefcase. there was semething odd about It was a familiar situation; Puk­ them. ka Sahib O'Toole had encountered During the next couple of hours, it on at least two occasions. The 8 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION torpid serpent, thawing out, would "First trip out?" asked the Eng­ soon be ready for its unwitting lishman. victim. "Yup!" replied Joe. "I'm after a But Joe didn't make a move. The ruby. I'm goin' to find me an idol native gathered up his umbrella with a big one in his eye." and bustled out; then the English­ "My word! Are you really? Glad man and the other passengers re­ to hear it-so few doing it nowa­ turned; then the engines were days. Getting harder. Commercial­ warmed up. And Joe kept right on ization - independence - dacoits pretending to read. -all that sort of nonsense." The instant the wheels left the He snorted. "Where d'you plan to ground, however, he grabbed the try?" Englishman's arm breathlessly. Joe said he'd ask his way around "Pardon me, Mac-" after he got there-and then he ex­ The Englishman gave Joe a plained all about Uncle Morton, cold, grey look. "We have not been and Daisy, and Slithery Jungle introduced," he said. Stories. "Gadge is the name," blurted The Englishman listened very Joe, "and there's a cobra in your politely, and when Joe had fin­ briefcase!" ished he gave him some valuable The Englishman raised an eye­ advice about watching out for da­ brow. "Indeed?" coits. After that, the conversation "Gosh, yes! That native back ef lapsed until they left the plane at you-" Rangoon. There, just as they were The Englishman seemed vague­ parting company, he hurriedly ly irritated. "Ghat Singh, the silly pressed a visiting card into Joe's ass!" he grumbled. "Been trying to hand. "Old saying-one good turn do me in for years. Cobras, cobras, -all that, \'OU know. Ah-best cobras-they get dreadfully tire­ place to try_:on back of card. Lots some!" of idols. Any difficulty, just men­ He removed the cobra, which tion my name. May help a bit, was beginning to squirm and hiss, what?" and carried it off to the washroom With that, he vanished into a to dispose of it. On the way back, waiting limousine. he apologized to an elderly Turkish Joe glanced down at the piece lady, who had become alarmed. of pasteboard. Lieutenant-Genenzl Resuming his seat, he remarked Sir Hartwell Kelpie-Herringbone, that it had been jolly decent of Joe he read, K.C.M.G., K.C.I.E., to tell him about the beast. K.C.S.l., etc. Chief of the Impe­ Flushing, Joe told him to think rial Secret Service. (Only Impe­ nothing of it. rial had been neatly crossed out THE GADGB· SYSTEM 9 and Commonwealth written in.) big hom-rimmed spectacles and a "Gee/" he whispered. Turning straw hat with a frayed red and the car over, he found a pencilled blue band. note: Mr. Cadge, the bearer, is a "Howdy, Reverend. Mind if I pukka sahib. Extend him every join you?'' Joe seated himseH on a courtesy-Herringbone. five-gallon can. "You couldn't tell And up in a comer, a single me where I could find me an idol word was written: M rauk-nat. with a ruby in its eye, could you?" The native lowered his paper, Joe was delighted to discover gave Joe the once-over, and said, that Mrauk-nat was a village bare­ "Bloody tourist!" ly thirty miles up the river from Joe turned red, and felt very un­ Rangoon, and that a bus ran two­ comfortable. He wished the Eng­ thirds of the way. The first thing lishman was there-and suddenly next morning, he set out, carrying he remembered the card tucked a box lunch and a neat little pry­ away in his billfold. Fumbling it bar he had bought in a surplus out, he handed it to the native, shop back in Scranton. The bus who was smirking unpleasantly. jiggled and joggled, and monkeys The native took the card. He threw things at it from the sur­ read it. His smirk dissolved. "My rounding jungle, but Joe enjoyed dear sir," he said very respectfully, the ride anyhow. He got off at a "I am U Kaw. In the Affair Of The side road, saw a sign saying Gaekwar's Ears, the General-sahib MRAUK-NAT-9 MI., and start­ saved my life. I am afraid that I ed walking. must be of service to you." He reached the village shortly Joe wasn't surprised, because after eleven o'clock, and found it such things were always happen· very poorly gotten up. A few prim­ ing in Slithery Jungle Stories. He itive huts, a couple of moth-eaten told U Kaw that he was pleased to pagodas, a broken-down service meet him, and passed him a dev­ station-and that was all. He tried illed-egg sandwich out of the box asking some of the natives about lunch. When all the sandwiches idols, but all they did was grin and were gone, he repeated his original point to the station. So he wan­ question. dered over, and, sure enough, in "How large a ruby did you have the shady spot behind the grease­ in mind?" asked U Kaw. rack, he found an aged native read­ Joe indicated something about ing the Rangoon Gazette. the size of a pingpong ball. This native, who was obviously "Tsk-tsk. Everybody wants the a monk, wore a yellow robe like pocket size nowadays." U Kaw Joe had read about. He also wore sighed. "Commercialization, you 10 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION know. You couldn't use a bigger Chatterjee & Co., Credit Jewelers, one, could you?" Bombay. Once or twice, some­ Joe gave him to understand thing screamed dismally in the that there'd be no objection. rank foliage, but nobody came 'Well, that makes it simpler. around to bother him. Finally, Walk on up the road till you come stowing the ruby in the empty to the third ruin on the left. lunch box, he started back. There's a bit of a path there. Fol­ Joe walked briskly. He stopped low it through the jungle until at Mrauk-nat to show U Kaw the you see a big deserted temple. The ruby, but the service station was idol's right in back." closed and he couldn't find him Joe thanked the native for anywhere. So he took to. the road these directions, and shook hands again, and everything went well with him; and U Kaw said, "It for about five miles. was nice knowing you," rather Then he caught sight o£ the sadly. Then Joe started off again, first dacoit. and presently he found the tem­ There wasn't much to see-a ple right where it was supposed to patch of sleek brown skin, a bit of be. loincloth-but a shiver ran up Doctor Krishna would have Joe's spine. Holding to the middle liked that temple. It was quite of the road, he put on speed, and overgrown by the steaming jun­ soon he became aware of quite a gle, and serpents hissed in its number of the nasty fellows fol­ dank crevices. But Joe didn't let lowing him. All the rest of the that stop him. Carefully avoiding way, he heard them signalling the cobras, kraits, centipedes, and each other with their low, pene­ scorpions, he made his way to the trating cries. But he wasn't too rear entrance-and there stood an alarmed, because he knew of their enormous idol with dozens of decided preference for getting at squirming arms, a horrid frown, their victims through a bedroom and one huge red eye. window. Joe was pleased to see that the eye was a magnificent ruby about On the bus, Joe felt of the ruby the size of a medium grapefruit. every few minutes, wishing that Taking the pry-bar out of his Daisy was there to see it. He had pocket, he scrambled up the arms, left a full page letter, with her climbed out on a protruding low­ landlady, explaining his system er lip, and set to work. It took and that he was leaving. So, even him until around two o'clock to though he hadn't said goodbye, loosen the ruby, extract it, and maybe she'd meet him at the air­ scrape off a label that said, J. port when he got back. Gee! He THE GADGE SYSTEM 11 could just see her now, with a for what was left of the British fresh new Perma-Bleach making Raj. He'd .•. her look like a real blonde! He'd Trying to forget, Joe spent the cable her before he left, that's evening taking in an embarrassing what he'd do. French movie with Burmese sub­ By the time he reached his ho­ titles. And somehow, while he tel, he had the words of the cable was watching it, his despair flick­ all made up-and the last thing ered out, leaving him defiant and he expected to find was a cable determined. He'd show them! wafting for him. He'd drive around in a SUPER­ The Eurasian desk clerk gave it EXECUTIVE convertible with to him with his room key and an white side-wall tires, and take oily smile. "The Consulate sent it glamor artists' models out to all over this P.M.," he explained. "I the topless night-spots. He would­ hope, sir, that it will be good n't even look at Daisy. He'd ••• news, yes?" When Joe returned to his room, "Sure," grinned Joe, opening he was going to the dogs with a the message. "Guess it's from my mad laugh on his lips, whiskey by girl." the gallon, wild women by the It was, too. At least, it was bedfull, and a repentant Daisy from Daisy. And Joe read it at a sobbing bitterly in her half of a gulp: I GOT YOUR NOTE duplex background. He was doing YOU SCREWBALL. DON'T it so intensely that he absent­ COME BACK. (SIGNED) MRS. mindedly went to bed, and good­ HERMAN SLOTTERBECK. ness only knows what might have The clerk rubbed his hands to­ happened if the low cry of a gether. "It is happy good news, dacoit hadn't snapped him back to yes?" reality just as he was dozing off. "Drop dead!" snarled Joe, and In a flash, he was out of bed, re­ headed for the stairs. membering how Pukka Sahib Sitting on the edge of his bed, O'Toole had handled several sim· he felt as if his world had burned ilar crises. out all its bearings. Various more The cry came again, blood­ or less practical ideas came to him curdling nearer. In a minute or -He'd send the ruby back to two, Joe knew, a dacoit would Daisy express collect, and become come creeping silently along the a Buddhist monk like Pukka Sahib wide veranda, silken noose in OToole's brother Algernon had hand. There was no time to lose. done. He'd hunt up Lieutenant­ Swiftly, in the mysterious moon­ General Kelpie-Herringbone, join light, he wadded up a blanket and the service, and perish obscurely some towels, fixed them to resem- 12 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION· ble a sleeping figure, rearranged knowledge of the language. "Look, the mosquito netting. Then, drop­ bud," he complained, "you could­ ping the ruby into a convenient n't let up on these cords a bit, sock, he opened the big window could you?" that led to the veranda and Joe said he couldn't. crouched behind it. "You might as well," groaned He wasn't scared; he knew the dacoit. "You're stuck with me perfectly well that no dacoit ever for a long time. You haven't killed got the better of a sahib who was me, so I'm your slave for life." ready for him. Tensing his mus­ ''What is this?" demanded Joe. cles, he hefted the ruby-weighted "' don't want no slave!" sock. He heard the dacoit's hissing "You think I like it any better breath as the fellow paused to size than you do?" sneered the dacoit. things up. He saw a hand appear "It's in the rules, that's all." -a coiling noose-a round "What rules?" black head-and- "The rules of being a dacoit. And, with a short, sharp swing, It's just like this fool bedroom Joe brought the ruby down on the window business, and making dacoit's noggin-smack/ like that! low, penetrating cries, and all the rest of it." The dacoit went limp. Joe Then Joe recalled the dacoit pulled him in and locked the win­ Pukka Sahib O'Toole had caught dow. Switching on the light, he when he was chasing The Name­ quickly deprived him of a big less Fakir With The Ivory Hand. sharp knife, trussed him with his He was called Ba Tin Taw, and own noose, and dragged up a he ltad been faithful to the death. chair so he could watch him till "Would you be faithful to the he woke up. death?" asked Joe. He was an ugly little man about "Sure," said the dacoit glumly. ten years older than Joe. Presently "Well, okay then." Joe leaned he stirred, opened an eye, closed over and began untying the silken it again, and said, "Where am cord. "What's your name?" I?" in a headachey voice. Then he ''Just call me Hubert, boss." looked at Joe and muttered, "Oh, The dacoit sat up, rubbing his it's you!" rather sullenly. head ruefully. He bummed a ciga­ "Hey!" Joe was taken aback. rette off Joe, and said, "What's "You speak English!" next on the agenda? Where do we "Sure," said the dacoit. "I go from here?" worked for OWl in the Tojo "Me, I'm goin' back to Scran­ war." And he let loose a string of ton," Joe told him. "You-gosh, I cuss words which proved his don't know." THE GADGE SYSTEM 13 Hubert looked troubled. run around Scranton dressed like "There's a GI I'd sure hate to run that." into. I lost a lot of dough to him Hubert promised to pick him­ playing poker, and he'd try to col­ self up a couple of suits while it lect. I don't recollect where he was still dark. And Joe, though he came from, except it began with didn't exactly approve, thought it an S. Could've been Scranton." better not to interfere. "When11 I Joe laughed. "Or Schenectady see you?" he asked, giving Hubert or Seattle or St. Louis! It's a big back his noose and knife. country. You don't need to worry. Hubert got up to go. "How Anyhow, it's a cinch you can't about New York? Out in front of come along. Not without any pass­ Carnegie Hall? Say a couple of port." hours after the plane gets in? I'll "Don't worry about me, boss. give you back the ruby then." I'll get in. I'll fix up like a Fili­ HWhat you mean-give me pino." Hubert grinned. "Fructuoso back the ruby?" Pambid-that's me. Valet, chauf­ "Boss," said Hubert patiently, feur, general factotum. Say, I "you couldn't sneak that rock think I'll get a real bang out of through Customs in a month of it!" Sundays." He looked hurt. "What's Joe thought it over a minute, the use of being your slave if you and then he said it would be all don't trust me?" right if Hubert could manage it. So Joe handed over the ruby in So they shook hands on the deal. its sock. Joe decided that Hubert was a pretty good guy, for a native, and It didn't astonish Joe to di&cov­ he let him in on his plans for gG­ er that the Filipino steward ing to the dogs in a big way. aboard the plane was really Hu­ Hubert took kindly to the idea, bert in disguise. Nor did it sur­ hinting that he could be pretty prise him to find his servitor wait­ helpful when it came to arranging ing for him with the ruby out in little details. "And if you want to front of Carnegie Hall. He thanked fix that Herman Slotterbeck, but him very nicely for doing such a good," he told Joe, "you just shew good job, and then they set off to­ me his bedroom window." gether tG sell it. Joe hastily assured him that he Against Hubert's advice, Jee didn't want any rough stuff. "Any­ tried two or three large stores on bow," he said, "we got more im­ Fifth Avenue, and he couldn't un­ portant things to work on. derstand why the clerks seemed F'rrst-" He pointed at his new scared of him. Finally, though, he servant's loincloth. "-you can't let Hubert take the lead, and they 14 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION went up to the seventh Boor of -a held out for it, but Hubert told musty old building, where they him not to fret, that two was found a door that said: Lizardo quite all right. So, as soon as they Freres. Paris, London, Geneva, reached Scranton, he headed Rome. Crown Jewels Our Spe­ straight for the First National ciality. and opened a checking account, It didn't look like much of a saving out a few thousands for in­ place. There were two large cidentals such as a lemon-yellow vaults, and several steel doors SUPER-EXECUTIVE convertible which had to be unlocked to let sedan and a uniform for Hubert. you through. And there were three Luckily, the first store they men in morning coats and striped tried had a snazzy green outfit al­ trousers, with very polished man­ most in Hubert's size, and the car ners and hard, expressionless rental joint down the street had a eyes. big Classyflex which would do "I want to sell a ruby," said Joe. fine for driving up to the factory The three men looked at each in. other. "Down the street," said the "Boy-oh-boy!" chuckled Joe, as tallest. "We buy only the best." Hubert held the back door open Joe gestured at Hubert to un­ for him. "Mr. Bulstrode'll be phm­ wrap the ruby, and the three faces ty surprised when I pay him cash became even more expressionless on the line for that bus." He sat at the sight of it. back, lit a six-bit cigar, and waited "How much?" asked the next while Hubert turned out onto the tallest. boulevard. "And on the way back "Gee, Mr. Freres, I don't know," we'll find me a real wicked wom­ said Joe. an. How about a platinum There was another exchange of blonde? Sort of like Daisy, only hard glances. Then the smallest with them big eyelashes theJ spoke. "Two million," he snapped. fasten on special, and a little "Not a penny more." smaller around-" He patted hiS "0-okay," gulped Joe. hip pocket. "-down here?" The three men became very "Sure," said Hubert. "Why friendly. They wrote Joe out a not?" check, and invited him to drop by "Well, Daisy's a blonde too, anytime he was in town, and all most of the time. Maybe a bru­ three of them bowed him to the nette'd be better. With awful red door. lips and black lace watchamacal­ All the way to the airport, Joe lums and-" wondered if maybe he mightn't "Whee-wheeewf" said Hubert. have gotten another million if he'd "Or a redhead. A hot little half- THE GADGE SYSTEM 15 pint. You know, kind of Frencby." O'Toole the time he was turned Joe shook his head. "It sure is .town by Doctor Krishna's mys­ hard to decide." terious half-sister. "I just want to "With two million bucks?" -er-gloat." snorted Hubert. "Why not all Hubert said that was better, three? Shoot the works, boss! Then and stepped on the gas, and soon she'll really be sorry!" they were rolling past Ed's Lunch­ Joe blushed-but he had to ad­ ette, with its big sign saying Pig mit that Hubert was right. All of a On A Bun. sudden, he could see Daisy. She "Go 'round the corner and was reading a tabloid on the park," ordered Joe. "I'll wait in the Lunchette counter-there were car while you check on if she's great big red headlines with his there." picture right undert hem-RICH Hubert obeyed. He took a goed PLAYBOY JILTS ACTRESS, squint at Joe's photo of Daisy, and Says 'Women Are Nothing But took off. And Joe settled back to Toys!' Daisy was crying. And out­ think of the redhead, and of side, drunk as a skunk, with a slick whether to get each one a sepa­ cover-girl on his lap and one on rate apartment, and of little mat­ each side, he was riding along ters like that. He'd just about with Hubert blowing the hom like made up his mind to set them all anything- up in a house right across from the "Why, the dirty smt of a 1unl" Slotterbeck duplex when Hubert Joe sat up sharply. returned. 'Who?" Hubert was startled. "She's there, all right." The "Come again, boss?" dacoit looked pretty glum. "Herman! Makin' her work, '1 thought so!" crowed Joe. even though she's married! The Hubert shuffled his feet. "Boss," cheapskate! I'll bet you she's still he said slowly, "I don't know that got her job down to Ed's Lunch­ I ought to be telling you this. ette! Turn off to the right three I've a hunch it'll foul everything blGcks down. It's about half a mile. up. But-but that guy's really We'll go take a look!" cheap. He-he didn't even buy Uneasily, Hubert mumbled her a ring." something about their not having "A ring?" much time, that they had to go buy "A wedding ring, boss." a car and pick up three women, "Hey, wait/" shouted Joe. "No and was Joe going soft on the woman would-" deal? "That's right." Miserably, Hu­ "Me? Ha-ha-ha!" Joe laughed a bert nodded. "I guess she just isn't real bitter laugh, like Pukka Sahib married." 16 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION Because it had been a similar "You heard me!" Joe shouted, incident that had sent Pukka Sa­ dropping into a crouch and cock­ hib O'Toole's brother Algernon ing his right. "Stand up and fight packing off to his Buddhist mon­ like a man!" · astery, Joe soon figured out that Herman blinked. Herman had faked the cablegram "You're scared!" snarled Joe. to get him out of the way. "Come on and-" He thought about it and got Abruptly, Herman's big jaw madder and madder. He forgot thrust forward. His small eyes about the pin-up artists' models. bugged out. And- He paid no attention when Hu­ "YOU!" he roared. "SO IT'S bert suggested that maybe he ought YOU!" to try going to the dogs for a week But he wasn't even looking at or so anyway just to see how he Joe. He was looking over Joe's liked it. He wouldn't even stop to shoulder. see Daisy. "Hey! Wh-what is this?" stut­ There was only one thing Joe tered Joe. wanted right then, and that was to Herman brushed him aside. push Herman Slotterbeck's face in. "You keep out of this, nitwit! I'm He shoved Hubert out of the driv­ going to collect from . that mon­ er's seat, climbed over, and made a key!" He strode down to the car, U-tum on two wheels. Then he and reached in for Hubert. tromped the throttle clean down "COME OUT HERE, YOU!" to the floorboard. Hubert came out, looking It was quite a ride. Whenever sheepish. "Gee, boss," he told Joe, he .came to a red light or a tangle "I said we shouldn't come to this of traffic, Joe just bit the cigar and town. This is that guy I was tell­ went barreling on through, mut­ ing you of." tering. In no time at all, there "WHERE'S MY DOUGH?" they were at the duplex. bellowed Herman. "I'LL TAKE Herman Slotterbeck was out in YOU APART!" front with his shirt off, watering Joe was pretty confused, but he the lawn. At the screech of the remembered one thing. In such brakes, he looked up sort of sur­ situations, it was important to prised, and stood there squinting keep cool as ice. That was how and scratching. Pukka Sahib O'Toole always won Joe leaped out of the car, squar­ out in the end. ing off as he came. "Steal my girl, Herman was shouting more huh?" he growled. "You big ape!" threats, and Hubert was protest­ Herman backed off, looking stu­ ing that he had only eight bucks pid. and some chicken feed. And Joe THE GADGE SYSTEM 17 saw that he couldn't settle with '1 been thinkin' it over," he Herman till things cleared up. said, smiling a hard, thin-lipped "I'll pay it," he said, cool as ice. smile. "If I pay you this dough, "You?" sneered Herman. "You will you promise to go to Australia couldn't pay peanuts!" and never come back?" "Boss, don't you do it!" Hubert "It's okay by me, Joey-boy," was suddenly frantic. "I thought leered Herman. ''They got swell we were playing for fun! Honest, women there." boss, please-" "In Australia," Joe went on, "Silence, slave!" ordered Joe; "you won't be needin' your duplex. and the dacoit subsided, making You can deed it to me." the funniest faces but not saying a "Sure, sure," agreed Herman, word. Then Joe took out his check­ licking his chops and keeping an book, and showed it to Herman, eye on the check-book. who was very impressed. "How "You got a phone?" asked Joe. much does he owe you?" Joe asked. "Yeah? All right, you sit down Herman fished in his billfold. while I make some calls." "I got his old IOU," he grunted, Herman sat down. "right here. Three hundred and First, Joe phoned a lawyer to ninety-two thousand, four hun­ come over and fix up the deed. dred and seventeen dollars, twelve Then he made reservations for cents. He kept losing and losing, Herman clear through to Austral­ and me-I'm a sport-I give him ia. After that, he told Hubert to a chance to get even." stop making faces and help Her­ Joe gulped. But he knew that man pack. But he didn't give Her­ no sahib ever went back on his man the ch~k for three hundred word, to a native especially-and and ninety-two thousand, four that he'd still have a lot of cash hundred and seventeen dollars, left. twelve cents till an hour or two Herman was rubbing his hands later, when the deed was all together, and explaining how the signed, and Herman's bags were cable was only a practical joke, stowed in a cab at the door. and asking them into the house. As the cab pulled away, Joe So Joe ignored Hubert's grimaces, couldn't resist the temptation to and followed him in. Looking yell, "Don't come back, screw­ around, he saw that it wasn't such ball!" And, even though Herman's a bad little place after all. feelings didn't seem a bit hurt, he Right then, he got an idea. He felt pretty good when he went winked at his servant, and pulled back into the house. out his pen. He was cooler than Hubert was blubbering away in ever. a living room chair. 18 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION 'Well, for Pete's sake!" said had made. "-eighteen hundred Joe, slapping him on the back. and twenty-two bucks." 'What's wrong with you? My sys­ "And the duplex," said Hubert. tem worked swell. We got rid of "Yeah," muttered Joe. that guy; this duplex is worth 'Well, it could be lots worse, twelve-thirteen thousand; and we boss," Hubert said, trying hard to got plenty besides." seem cheerful. "At least you've got "Boss," Hubert groaned, "I've me. Do you want I should drive been trying to tell you! You-you you down to the lunch joint?" just wouldn't let me! You forgot Joe thought for a minute. Then, something!" "Yeah, sure," he said. "But first "Wh-what?" asked Joe, some­ maybe you'd better change back to what taken aback. your clothes. If Daisy was to see "Income tax," moaned Hubert. you like that, she'd maybe get For a long minute, Joe simply funny ideas." stood there. He didn't need to keep cool as ice. He felt much too shivery. Then, very slowly indeed, Joe and Daisy are married, and he went back to the phone. He Joe has his job back again, on closed the door behind him. He Station 32-A. They live in the called up a number downtown. duplex, and every night, after And when he came back, he sat supper, Daisy reads aloud for a down without looking at Hubert. couple of hours out of Slithery "After I pay all I've got to them Jungle Stories. And each Christ­ both," he said in a dead sort of mas they get a swell card from voice, "both Federal and State, I'll Sir Hartwell, only it's usually in still owe 'em money." code. Hubert choked slightly. But they aren't doing too badly. "Unless," Joe continued, "I got Hubert has Herman's old job on married right away quick. Then Station 32-:B, and he rents the I'll still have some left. I'll have other half of the duplex. Pays his -" He looked down at a note he rent, too. "Your only worry is the bill, Jack!'

19 The plot to assusinate Authority was intricate, but Dorn, Ezve aflld the other conspirators were loyal and well trained. What they did not realize was that Ezve held in her genes a secret which threatened them all.

AGAINST AUTHORITY

by Miriam Allen deFord

As HE SLIPPED INTO THE ROOM, "Was I all right?" she asked. she gazed at him in dismay. "\Vonderful. You couldn't have "What are you doing here, done it better." Dorn ?" she gasped. "Go away!" The Beam was off now, and the "You mean you're through with recorders had stopped humming. me, Ezve?" His voice shook. "Now they'll be sure you're not 'What do you think?" she asked one of us, and if we're caught you coldly. "I've found out you're a can say I kidnapped you." rebel-a criminal. I never want to "I won't! I never would!" see you again. If you don't go at "Oh, yes, you will, my girl, or once I'll call the lOS." else I really will go away without "Oh, Ezve!" But he made no you. I refuse to take you along un­ attempt to persist. As quietly as he less I'm sure you'll be protected. had come he left. Ezve kept her own council. All He stood silently outside the she said was: "What's next?" door until she scratched lightly on 'We wait here for Galef." its inner surface. Then for the "How do we hide till he comes? second time he applied her finger­ They might turn on the Beam." print pass she had lent him and 'Tve worked that out. Follow came in again. me-quietly, darling." 20 AGAINST AUTHORITY 21 In their soft-soled sandals they he helped Ezve out of the disposal slithered across the room and into chute and followed her. They both the kitchen. Beside the food-order staggered a bit as they hurried to­ panels stood the gaping mouth of ward the copter hovering outside the disposal unit. Lithe as a pan­ in the darkness. For a moment ther, he slid into it and held out Dorn had the shocked sensation his arms for her. She shrank back. that the pilot was not Gale£; then "Oh, no!" she cried. "\Ve can't he realized that the strange face -we'll fall!" peering at them as they opened the "No, we won't. There's a plat­ window was only one of the masks form at each story for the repair they all wore, for what they were robots." worth, during meetings, to evade Reluctantly she let him pull her stray intrusions of the Beam. Galef in and hold her close against him. helped them in and the copter It was cramped and uncomforta­ darted away at once. ble. He braced himself on the nar­ Gale£ was in a vile temper. He row ledge against the side of the spoke to neither of them and kept chute. If they slipped, they would glancing in a surly way at Ezve as fall straight into the macerator be­ she and Dorn adjusted their masks. low; Dorn tried not to think of it He and Dorn had almost come to and hoped Ezve had forgotten it. blows already over Dorn's insist­ Several times waste from above ence that he would not join the her 40th-story compartment project without her. Under the brushed them in its downward circumstances, Dom would have fall; when they heard it coming ignored him, but Ezve's nerves they hid their heads on each oth­ were rasped by the long frightened er's shoulders. wait. She turned to him angrily. They kept listening alertly. It "What's eating you, Gale£?" she was impossible to tell from their snapped. "Are you afraid I'm going position whether night had come to betray us?" or not. The waiting seemed end­ Gale£ only grunted. Dom less, though actually it could not touched her arm but she was not be more than two hours; their mus­ to be stopped. cles ached and they could shift "Because I'm one of Authority's only a little to ease the strain. thousand or so children, I assume. At last Calef's signal sounded Well, I'm only a test-tube daugh­ on the rear window, they dared not ter, and my mother never saw Au­ risk the heliport on the roof. Cau­ thority in her life. I hate him as tiously Dorn lifted himself up and much as you do. More-if you'd glanced around. Sure that the ever studied ancient history as I Beam and the recorders were off, have you'd know that 500 years 22 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION ago there was a psychologist named he would have wished for another Froud or Fried or something like duty. But of course circumstances that who demonstrated clearly could never leave him to himseH, that daughters always hate their and continuance of the System fathers!" _ (which involved continuance of Gale£ laughed unpleasantly. his own life) was vital if the Civi­ "I have studied ancient his­ lization Plan was to succeed. tory," he said sourly, "and you've Forty-eight years ago the Pela­ got it all wrong. It's sons who hate gerians had arrived from their un­ their fathers and daughters who known planet, proffered gifts of hate their mothers. Anyway, that superior knowledge, met with pan­ stuff all belongs back in the Bar­ icky aggression, and after two baric Age when children were years of effort and struggle had left born unselectedly." their dead behind them and de­ Ezve, piqued, was silent. After parted again. Their legacy had a long pause Gale£ growled, "And been planet-wide civil war be­ that's not my reason, either," and tween the panicked and the per­ would say no more. suaded, until every government save one had gone down in an­ The man universally known as archy, and Earth seemed doomed Authority suffered from only one to retrogression into the fabled limitation of his supreme power­ Dark Ages of the old pre-atomic there was no one on Earth who days. was his equal, with whom he That one government that sur­ could consult on even terms or ask vived was, by an odd concatena­ for advice. His only mode of com­ tion of circumstances, the Repnh­ munication with his fellow-beings lic of New Turkey. And the man was for him to give orders and for now known as Authority had been them to obey. His was the absolute the leader, sprung up from ob­ loneliness of the dictator. scurity, who had kept it firm and As a person he was not very im­ slowly, gradually, brought tile pressive. He was rather short, frightened rulers of all the rest slight, and bald; he wore perma­ into what was at first a mere skele­ nent contact lenses and an im­ ton league to try to restore order. planted hearing aid. He had been Only a dictator had been able to young when he came to power; exercise that power; and a dictator now he was probably in his sixties who still must for a while longer -nobody knew any exact person­ by his sole command keep a con­ al facts about him. valescent civilization going until He had not asked or wanted to the next step in the Plan. Then at become Authority. Left to himself, last he might be relieved. AGAINST AUTHORITY 23 To be born of the seed of Au­ personally or through Galef. The thority had become the world's only identity unknown to him was highest honor. Authority was in­ Ezve's. But when it came to the deed in some sense the father of point of action, an elderly profes­ the New Era. He had no idea of sor or Classic Existentialism at the identity or even the number of the University of Ankara was out his test-tube children. of his element. What was re­ He sat now in the insulated of­ quired was someone young, intel­ fice connected by a secret door to ligent, devoted, and physically his personal compartment above it. skilled, with experience of a kind He lived as austerely as any of his professors do not have. After long people. The communicator search, that meant Dorn. It was clicked, and he switched it on, Gale£, Darn's lifelong friend and non-visually, because the click Arcil's own nephew, who had sug­ had been in a signal for a report gested him. from an agent. The tape ran out When Darn, Ezve, and Gale£ smoothly: arrived at Arcil's compartment, "Subjects 397X, 7842X, un­ they found no one else there. The known girl coptering my compart­ rest of the top-level conspirators ment, thence prime headquarters. were waiting, he told them, at 22A45." their secret headquarters-ArcH's Authority opened a safe to own lecture hall at the university, which only he had the combina­ to the use of which outside of tion, took out two code books, one class hours he was legitimately en­ for subjects, the other for agents. titled. Because most of them were 397X, Galef; 7852X, Darn: full students, he had pointed out, in information concerning each. He case of inquiry he could always say frowned; there should be no such that this was a seminar he was thing as an "unknown girl"; no­ conducting for the benefit of those body was or could be unknown. unable to attend his regular He consulted the other book: courses because of their political 22A45, First Rank Agent Arcil. duties: every citizen of the world­ Authority returned the books to wide community had such duties the safe and alerted the Internal assigned to him or her, the equiva­ Order Squad. lent of army service in pre-Pela­ gerian days-though of course Arcil was their natural leader. there were no opposition parties in The plot to assassinate Authority the old sense. ArcH's lecture hall was intricate, and it took a trained was the one place where they felt mind to detail and implement it. safe aDd were able to relax; they Besides, he had recruited them all, could rely on Arcil's protection. 24 PANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION As the three of them entered his "On one side," Ezve said compartment now, Arcil raised smoothly, "and a test-tube child his eyebrows at the sight of Ezve, only. On the other side-my and glanced meaningly at Galef, mother was half Pelagerian. Yet I who shrugged. Under the profes­ am completely with you." sor's benevolent white beard, his There was a shocked silence. jaws snapped shut in annoyance. Only Dorn had known that. There 'Why are we meeting here had been rumors enough that be­ first?" Dorn accosted him. fore the Pelagerians left they had "Beeause I have things to tell planted their seed. But they were you that I want only you and Ga­ only rumors, for the general opin­ lef to hear," Arcil replied blandly. ion was that, humanlike as the "Don't we know everything al­ Pelagerians were, they could not readv?" Dorn's voice was stiff. interbreed with humans. Even Ar­ "Certainly not. There are de­ cil, usually impassive, seemed tak­ tails that could not be told until en back. Then he took command the last minute, for fear the wrong again. person might hear about them." "And what does your heredity "Meaning that I might talk too signify?" he inquired icily. much?" "It is a great advant:~ge to us,'' "Young man, why are you so Dom said eagerly. "The capacity touchy? You have known me since and complexity of her brain are you were a child; Galef has by scientific analysis three times vouched for you as the most suita­ as great as ours. In every emer­ ble instrument for our great deliv­ gency in the four years since we erance. You would never have . first met, I have found Ezve's ad­ heen recruited otherwise." vice invaluable; it has saved my "I'll tell you why he's so life more than once. . . . And be­ touchy," Ezve burst out. "It's be­ sides," he added with a sheepish cause you're ignoring me." smile. "she's my girl." Arcil turned his keen eyes upon "Very well," Arcil said briskly her. after a moment of meditation, "It "And just who are you," he said, may even help to have two instead "and why has he brought you here? of one of you to carry out our plan. Dorn knows very well that this, "Now here are the final instruc­ like all our meetings, is secret." tion." "Ezve and I are not to be sepa­ They listened intently, for no rated," Dorn answered for her. "I notes could be taken-they must will do nothing without her." remember every perilous move. "She is a child of Authority!" "De you understand fully?" Galef blurted out. "Yes," they both said. AGAINST .AUTHOIUTY 25 "Can you do it-together, since together, now I do everything that's the way you want it'?" with you." "Yes." "I didn't mean to come be­ Arcil rose. "AD right then, we'll tween you, H she said, distressed. copter to my lecture hall and alert "Don't fret, darling. He'll get the others." over it. We have more important He led the way to the heliport, things to think of now." where his own three-man copter The masked conspirators wait­ waited beside Galefs. Then he ed, talking nervously in low tones paused suddenly. among themselves. Time went on. "I hadn't known that we would Gale£ did not return, with or have-Ezve, is it?-with us. I'd without Arcil. They began to be counted on having Galef pilot us uneasy. -I don't drive any more, but I What arrived at last was not prefer my own car. You go ahead, Arcil. It was the lOS-the Inter­ Galef, take them in and then come nal Order Squad. back for me." Ezve, with her sharp ears, heard He re-entered his comparbnent, the characteristic hum of their a rather grim smile on his face as copters first. She caught Dorn's he pressed the communicator but­ eye, and moved her hand in their ton. He had been worried about private warning. It was too late to how to get them away without him. hope to save the others. Very quietly they slipped out of the door At Arcil's lecture hall a dozen and into the hall outside, just as young men and women awaited­ the heliport door opened. them. Gale£ knew them all; he in­ "Where to?" Dom whispered. troduced Dom to the few he had "Remember?" she whispered not met, and Ezve to all of them. back. "As soon as Arcil gets here, She pointed down the deserted we'll get started to our posts," he hallway tp the utility room at the said. I'll take my copter and go end. It would have a disposal unit back for him now. We had to in it. Neither of them dared to make two tries of it because of think of the others left behind­ her." or, for the moment, of how their He glared at Ezve as he passed betrayal had come about. her. Once more they clung together "Why does he hate me- so, on the inside ledge, straining Dorn?" she murmured. their eyes and ears. "He's just jealous," Dom said The sounds, when they came, lightly. "We've been pals all our were ominous. All their group lives-we used to do everything were trained to be silent in the 26 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION face of· disaster; but the Squad "They'll have guards posted, up­ members were noisy enough. Dorn stairs and down," she reminded and Ezve could hear them hus­ him. tling the prisoners up the ramp to He nodded. "There's just one the heliport. There were shouts place they won't be looking for us and the thud of blows. Once there -ArcH's lecture hall. Thank was a scream, quickly suppressed. goodness he and Galef hadn't got Dorn gritted his teeth. back yet. We can hide there till He was waiting for names, and we're sure they've given up, and at last he heard them. decide what to do next." "There were others here!" a "If it's not Beamed." Squad officer yelled. He stopped It wasn't. They reconnoitred as if consulting a memorandum. and made it safely. ''Dorn? Some girl?" Why not Ga­ "No lights," Ezve warned. lef? Dorn glanced at the time signal, There was no answer. "We'll shining dimly on this as on every get them!" the lOS man taunted. ceiling. "Almost 21 o'clock. It's Dorn started to climb out. Ezve been a long day." held him back. "And it's not over." She sank "No!" she whispered urgently. into a chair. "Don't talk for a min­ "We can't help them, and this is ute. I want to think." our only chance to go on with the Dorn, too exhausted to speak, plan." dropped down beside her and "How can we, now?" he caught her hand in his. In the growled. "We needed the others." darkness and silence, he almost fell But he stayed. asleep. At last all the sounds died Her ears were keener than his. away. It was after class hours in Suddenly she grasped his shoul­ the university; the building der. Then he too heard the soft seemed vacant. The robot cleaners footsteps outside. would be along soon, but they did­ "If it were Arcil and Galef, n't matter. Any human having they'd be flying," he whispered ap­ business there would have been prehensively. frightened off long ago by the "That door there-" raid. Stiffly Dorn hefted himself "It's a supply closet, I think. out of the unit and pulled Ezve up Perhaps we can-" after him. But before they could reach it "Give me your mask," he said. the outer door opened and the "They'll be watching for those." lights went on. He threw hers and his down to the It was Arcil, alone. macerator. "Ah, I thought this would be AGAINST AUTHORITY l7 whece I'd find you-1 told them There were six of them, their so," he smiled. "It seemed the logi­ paralysis guns ready. Arcil cal place." watched the two being led unre­ Dorn's expression changed from sistingly away. welcome and relief to sudden real­ He sighed deeply, and pressed ization. He turned on Arcil fierce­ the communication button. ly. "You-you betrayed us!" he Galef sat alone in the compart­ cried. "You-our leader!" ment he shared with his uncle. He "Of course. That is the only was badly shaken. When he had way to ferret out subversion-in­ arrived to take Arcil to the meet­ vite it and see who accepts." ing, the professor had curtly told "Galef too?" Dorn's voice was him the brutal truth, and before hoarse. he could make any response had "No, poor Galef was shocked by departed-presumably to find a news of the raid. I left him too taxiplane, since he would not pi­ stricken to think of piloting me lot his own. Galef felt that his back here. Naturally, he doesn't faith and innocence had been suspect me, his uncle and foster cruelly betrayed. He had recruited father. In fact, young lady, I im­ all those young men and women, agine he's inclined to blame you." including his dearest friend, trust­ "Me!" ing in Arcil. Wasn't it Arcil who "Well, the first word he uttered had first indoctrinated him, con­ after the tridimens newscast was verted him to the cause, confided 'Ezve.' " Arcil's smile widened in him all the most secret details above the grey beard. "He tried to of the plot? And now Arcil was keep me from leaving, for fear I'd self-revealed as an agent provoca­ be caught too.'' teur, a traitor. Yet it was Arcil who Dorn's voice quivered with con­ had taken the place of a father tempt. when his own parents died when ''I'm surprised you'd bother to he was little more than a baby, come and capture us yourself! Arcil whom he had revered and How could you tear yourself away adulated and modeled himself on from watching them torture the from boyhood. All he was spared rest of us? That's what's happen­ was the knowledge of ArcH's lie ing to them, isn't it?" about his accusation of Ezve. "They're being disposed of. But Ezve! How little either she or the-occasion won't be complete Dorn guessed the real reason for without you, my dears." his opposition to their joining He raised his voice. "Come in, them! The thought of what she, boys," he called. what all of them, must be endur- 28 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION ing now turned him sick. If giving with a great locking and unlock­ himself up to the lOS could have ing of heavy doors and a long helped any of them, he would swift ascent in a suction-shaft, to have done so at once. But now an office in which sat a small only he was left to go on with the tired-looking man. plot. The man made a gesture, and Suddenly he remembered the the Squad bullies withdrew. Dom day Ezve had shown him and was alone with the stranger. Dorn her clever hiding-place for "Dorn," the man said. Dorn the paper she laughingly called braced himself. He could not even her "only legacy." He didn't know acknowledge his name until he what it meant, but she valued it, knew what all this was about. In­ and so he must try to rescue it be­ voluntarily he looked about him fore the lOS got hold of it. It for instruments of torture. There might even have some real value, was nothing in the room except a and so help to save her life and desk, bearing a multi-communica­ Dorn's. tor, and the chair in which the Gale£ ran up the ramp to the man sat. He shook himself men­ heliport. tally; this was childish. People of importance, as this insignificant­ In the bare cell into which he looking person must be, did not had been throw, Dorn was trying have to do their own dirty work. to think. As a rather recent re­ First the session to try to worm in­ cruit, many of the conspirators formation out of him, then he were little known to him. How would be thrown to the murderers. many of them would break and be­ He kept obstinately silent, stand­ tray their comrades under torture? ing stiffiy before the desk. How many were already traitors, To his astonishment, the man as their leader had been? Above burst out laughing. all, where was Ezve? What were "You look like an intelligent they doing to her? She, he knew, young fellow," he said. "Do you would never break. Bitterly he re­ really believe all those monstrous pented the need which had made stories about what happens when him insist that without her he the lOS gets hold of prisoners?" would take no part in the plot, to Dorn made no reply. The man so vital a part of which he-they went on. "You know who I am, -had been assigned. don't you?" The cell door swung open. Two No reply. Squadmen entered, and without a The little man said, almost word hustled him between them apologetically: "I believe they call out into the corridor and down it, me Authority." AGAINST AUTHORITY 29 For an instant Dorn was petri­ assassinate me-" fied with terror. All his life he had Dom started. Authority smiled. been kept in awe of the very name. "Who do you think works out He had meant to kill this man, the details of each plot? Not the but he had never anticipated hear­ so-called authors of it, who are one ing him speak. No one he had ever and all my agents-not Arcil in heard of had ever seen Authority this case-but I myself." face to face or heard his voice. "But why?" Dorn gasped. The shock overcame his obstinate "Because young men and wom­ refusal to talk. en of this sort are what 1-what "If you really are Authority," he our society-most needs. Because said hoarsely, "then tell me why we are not yet ready for democratic your System keeps us in slavery? government of this torn and deci­ Tell me why, when your Squad­ mated planet, and only through men have taken anyone a·way, no such people shall we be made one ever sees him again? Where readv. do they go, what do you do te "Every member of the lOS was them, if they are not tortured to once just such a revolutionist as death? you." "Sir, "he added involuntarily, "You mean-" to his own surprise, as over the lit­ "Yes. Those captured in a raid tle man's face there struck sud­ are screened scientifically. The denly a look of awesome dignity. ones who are found to be best fit­ "Yes, I will tell you, Dorn. But ted, like you, are brought before me I warn you, when I am through and given their chance to enlist in telling you your own future will the lOS. Squadmen do not spend be in your hands." all their time tracking and captur­ Dorn w.aited. Authority gazed at ing subversives, you know-fortu­ him in silence until Dorn against nately we are not in such a state of his will nodded acquiescence. revolt as that. They are the elite of "Very well then. Yes, your rebel­ a tested and secret order which is lious group was deliberately being trained to take over as soon trapped. Yes, I have agents, and as society is ready to govern itself Arcil is one of. them. Their func­ again. I hope very much that will tion is to foment rebellion, since it be in my own lifetime-for my seems impossible to avoid it. Then own sake as well as our world's. It when young leaders of the rebel­ is no light burden, I am weary." lion appear-young men and "But then why is everyone-not women eager and able to over­ just those you suspect, but every­ throw our System, and usually to body everywhere-hounded and implement their revolt by trying to spied upon all the time? Why are 30 FANTASY AND SCIF.NCE FICTION there recorders and the Beam, so and not selected to come before that no one is ever sure of privacy?" you and be given their choice? "Because we are not omniscient, What happens to them?" and must be able to check on ev~ A look of distaste swept across eryone. \Ve cannot use and do not Authority's lined face. want blowhards or malcontents "Every movement has its fringe," who merely grumble. We want he said. "They are not tortured, those brave enough to defy our sur~ Dorn; that is just wild speculation veillance and smart enough to out~ and surmise. They are-put to wit it." sleep. Painlessly. There is no place Dorn's head was whirling. He for them in the Colony, and they tried to sort out his thoughts. cannot be trusted ever to return to "All right, say I accept all this. their homes. It is harsh, but the life But what becomes of those who re~ or death of our future is at stake. fuse to enter the lOS?" "I must put the question to you "We can't let them go back to now, Dorn. Will you join us as a talk about what they have learned, dedicated member of the lOS, or can we? Why do you suppose that shall I send you back into custody immense tract in Brazil is off lim~ until tl1e next planeload leaves for its and forbidden territory? We Brazil?" have a flourishing colony there, Dorn looked Authority in the made up of people who, except for eye and said boldly: never being able to go home again, "I don't altogether agree, but J lead useful and contented lives. understand your viewpoint. I am Many of those potential leaders, I willing to concede that perhaps our am glad to say, are my own test~ attitude was rash and unthinking, tube offspring. Some day they or and that, hard as it is, yours may their descendants will form the nu~ be the best hope for the future. deus of a new self-governing so­ "But when I joined the conspir~ ciety. acy I told them that I do nothing "You are not by any chance one and go nowhere without a girl of my sons, are you?" named Ezve. I got her into this and "No, but my-" I have to get her out of it. She was Authority interrupted him. captured with me. Bring Ezve be­ "Well, you will say, what of the fore you as you have brought me. If misfits and weaklings who cannot she consents .to join the lOS, so face jungle hardships? They are wiD I. If she refuses or if-" for a weeded out; some commit suicide moment he was unable to go on­ some succumb to the ordeal." "if she is among those you have al­ "And the others-the ones who ready disposed of-" He could say are taken in raids and screened no more; he felt strangled. AGAINST AUTHORITY 31 Authority leaned back in his "My uncle sent me to see if you chair, relaxed. He smiled broadly needed any help, since by chance I as he touched a button. "A]] right, know the conspirator whose com­ Ezve," he said to the communica­ partment this is," he said smoothly. tor, "You may come in now." "We don't need any help." That The door opened and a girl came was the testy first Squadman. in. Dorn stared at her dumfound­ Again he was contradicted. ed. She was a complete stran~er. "If this gentleman knows where He had never seen her before in his this person hid something we are life. looking for-" Galef managed to look both puz­ Galef landed on Ezve's heliport. zled and obliging. If he could find But of course it would be impes­ an opportunity while they were sible for him to enter without her elsewhere, he might just possibly fingerprint pass, or unless she her­ be able to abstract that paper from self was there to let him in-which its hiding-place and escape with it. under the circumstances was most He became officiously helpful, unlikely. However, almost without making all sorts of suggestions and thought, he knocked in the group's useless investigations. He was secret signal. Immediately the door careful never once to let his eyes opened. or even his mind stray in the right He hardly had time to realize direction. All he needed was three what a fool he had been when the minutes alone in Ezve's dressing­ Squadman caught hold of him and room. But not for a minute did puJJed him into the room. The they leave him to himself. Beam was on and the recorders The outer door must have been were humming. If he had used his deactivated when the Squadmen brain at an, he should have known took over. It opened quietly to let that after a raid the captives' com­ Arcil in. partments would be searched and "It's no use, my boy," he said occupied. gently to his nephew. "We'll do our There were two of them. The own searching-for Authority, other Squadman ran to help his not for your treasonable friends." companion, then did a double take and puJJed his captor's arm away. Ezve stood quietly in the cell "Uh-uh," he said. "That's the old into which she had been thrown man's boy. We're to let him go." after the long confusing flight, es­ "What's he doing here, then?" timating its possibilities. No fur­ the first Squadman growled. Galef niture whatever, so they couldn't had had a second in which to col­ expect her to be here very long. lect his thoughts. The usual service buttons were on 32 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION the back wall. She tried them one long she had been in the cell when by one to see if they worked. Food: at last two Squadmen entered and a lighted sign saying, "Next meal dragged her out between them. She 8 o'clock." The toilet facilities had had time enough: she had a emerged promptly. Drinking wa­ pretty fair notion by now how to ter: the tube came out and squirt­ cope with any situation she might ed, withdrew when she pressed the logically be expected to face. "off" button; so thirst was not-or The one thing she had not anti­ at least not yet-one of the tor­ cipated was what happened. Her tures. News: The panel did notre­ guards pushed her between them, spond. at a brisk pace, through what The cell was air-conditioned, of seemed miles of corridors and course, and equally of course it had around a series of turns and an­ no window; light came from lumi­ gles, until they reached a huge nescent panels embedded in the door equipped with a multitude of ceiling. It was the first ceiling she electronic locks and bars. Swiftly had ever seen without a time-indi­ they applied fingerprint passes to cator. Obviously, time was of no each, and the heavy door creaked interest to prisoners. open. They thrust her roughly The important thing was to keep through it, but they did not follow. her wits about her, estimate the Instead, she heard the door re-clos­ situation coolly, and not let her­ ing behind her, and to her utter self be panicked. There was no pos­ amazement found herself outside sibility of escape from the cell, so the prison with no guard anywhere she must not waste energy in fu­ in sight. tile schemes. Above all, she must Her first impulse was to run, to consciously drag her thoughts find a place where she could get away from Dom and what might her bearings and make sense of this be happening to him; emotional astounding release. Caution turmoil would be a disservice to slowed her down; quite possibly them both. that was what they wanted her to Presumably someone would do, and at her first step she would come sometime to take her away for be shot for "trying to escape." She interrogation. In the time she had could almost feel the ray-bullet in to prepare, she must concentrate on her quivering back. that. She let herself down on the For long minutes she stood mo­ floor in a corner, leaning against tionless where they had left her. the wall, and shut her eyes to· rest Nothing happened. Then very and think. carefully she began to edge herself Time plays tricks when it is into a patch of shadow cast by an hidden, so Ezve had no idea how overhanging ledge, then, hugging AGAINST AUTHORITY 33 the bordering wall, down the wide coming. What she needed was ei­ walkway that seemed to be the only ther a printed sign or the sound of way out. conversation, to tell her if the local She found herself at last, after language was her own, or if not, the walkway made an abrupt an­ what it was. In the latter case, she gle, in the Service Center of an un­ could only hope it was one of the known city that might be anywhere dozen she understood; she thought on Earth. People crowded the mov­ regretfully of her portable transla­ ing sidewalks, there were official­ tor, doubtless confiscated now with looking buildings on either side, all her other belongings. The one the sky above was lined with traf­ thing she was sure of was that fic lanes of speeding superjets and they would not have found that private copters. It was broad day­ paper. light. Within five minutes she knew, Ezve thought back to the mo­ or at least knew something. She ment when she and Dorn had been was in an English-speaking city, surprised by Arcil and he had and she understood and spoke Eng­ called in the Squadmen. She was lish in all its contemporary dia­ sure it was a government copter lects; but she could not be cettain into which they had been pushed, which was which, and this city but from then on the journey was might be anywhere from England impossible to trace. For one thing, itself to Australia. their captors had blindfolded and At least there was nothing in handcuffed them. They certainly her appearance to attract attention; had made a transfer to another nowadays, though the old lan­ plane before they had landed. Had guages clung on, everybody all Dorn been taken away before the over the world dressed alike, and journey ended? She had no idea, populations had been so thoroughly nor had she any idea where she was mingled that it was no longer pos­ now. sible, as it had been in the past, to She was certainly not in her tell one's whereabouts from the own city, but if she was anywhere color of the inhabitants' skin. In within reaching distance of it, it any event, no one noticed her, and might be possible to find some of she saw plenty of others of her own their comrades who had not been coloring. caught and with whom she could The building turned out to be a take refuge. She was on the slow public library, and she soon found walkway; she stepped off at the she was in the city called New next stopping-place and entered York. She settled herself in the the lobby of a building into and reading room, a tape chosen at from which people were going and random before her, to pull 34 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION her thoughts together. Principal ing the whole bizarre affair from among them were questions. Why the time Dorn had first told her had she been released in a strange about the plot to assassinate Au­ city in a strange country, without thority. money to return to her own? Why And slowly, concentrating on had Arcil betrayed the conspiracy, the thread that led from one epi­ and, when she and Dorn had elud­ sode to another, that part-Pela­ ed him, returned to trap them? gerian brain of hers caught a glim­ What had happened to Dorn?­ mering of the startling truth. . . . but from that she pulled her mind Ezve took a deep breath and away; if she was to be of any use, rose from the table. She knew now she must not let emotion master what she must do. The first prob­ her. lem was to find a means of trans­ What did interfere was the real­ portation back home. She had been ization that she was weak from deliberately deported to a place hunger; it must be 24 hours since they thought too far away to be a she had eaten. When the Squad­ danger to them in time, but she men threw her out of the prison must and would outwit them. they had hurled after her what be­ How does one travel for thou­ longings she had had on her when sands of miles without fare? She she was captured, including her had no time to try to earn or beg wallet. She searched it and found the money. It was too risky to try at least enough international cred­ to stow away in a superjet. \Vhere it notes to insure a decent meal. in this city could she find a place Ezve had seldom eaten except by where copters were parked that dialing for food in her own or were capable of crossing oceans somebody else's compartment, but and continents and yet manage­ she knew that in every city there able by an ordinary pilot like her­ were public eating places for trav­ self? elers. She left the library and went For Dorn's sake she would be­ in search of one. In the busiest come a criminal if she could. She part of a big city it was not hard to could only hope fervently that she find. would not be too late. She changed a note for local currency, dialed for a satisfying It was just before dawn when dinner, and took her tray to a table the stolen copter slid into the An­ where she could be alone. Deliber­ kara airport, where no plane was ately she kept her mind on triviali­ expected at that hour, on its last ties until she had finished her meal. ounce of fuel. Its pilot had hov­ Then, rested and revived, she set ered above, seeking the minute herself to thinking again, review- when nobody would be on watch. AGAINST AUTHORITY 35 The dark-cloaked figure slipped already at his desk. Sometimes he out quietly and was lost in the was there all night. When Ezve en­ shadows. tered, he waved her to a second There were guards enough out­ chair he had had brought in. He side the massive building where had the guard search her for weap­ Authority had his headquarters. ons, then dismissed him. Her let­ One of them challenged the in­ ter, she saw, was lying before him. truder at once. When they were alone, he gazed He lowered his paralysis-gun silently and intently at her for a when he realized that the masked minute, then he smiled. figure was a woman. She went up "Well, daughter," he said al­ to him boldly and drew a letter most casually, "tell me first how from her cloak. you knew." The guard was only a guard, but "It had to be," she answered he was a picked Squadman, one of calmly. "There was no other pos­ the elite. He knew enough not to sible answer." shoot first and think afterwards. "Spoken like one of us. And He kept his gun steady, but he let how did you arrive at that conclu­ her approach. sion?" "Call someone trustworthy and "Because, as you must have have him take this at once to Au­ guessed by now, I am far more of thority," she said, in a tone of com­ your blood than you knew. When I mand which he recognized. "I reasoned from that viewpoint, I shall wait here with you until he realized that you and all your returns." agents must be disguised full Pela­ He hesitated a second, then sig­ gerians." naled for one of his fellow-guards. "My mistake," murmured Au­ Certainly there could be nothing to thority meditatively, "was in not harm Authority in a piece of coiled finding and recruiting you before tape, and he would keep her safe you became too closely affiliated under his gunsight until he got his with our-subjects. I have to orders. Better that than to make a laugh when I think the Earthmen mistake the other way, with all the believe our races can't interbreed danger to him that might involve. -and yet every one of my thou­ The second guard was back sands of test-tube children is not within five minutes. He actually half-Turkish, as they think, but saluted, and the first guard low­ half-Pelagerian. I should have re­ ered his gun. alized that ours are the dominant "I am to take her to Authority genes and that the recessive quar­ himself," he announced with awe. ter you received from your mother Early as it was, Authority was was negligible." 36 FANTASY AND SCIENCE fiCTION "Perhaps. But not so negligible "Tell me about Dorn." Ezve's that it prevented me from finding voice rose. out." "Tell me where the paper is. "Ah, yes. That was when I sus­ You knew we hadn't ~ound it, or pected that your mother too must instead of sending for you just be part Pelagerian. But even before now, I'd have had you killed. You that, when to my amazement that should never have had it. It was a -paper was traced to her and great shock to me when I learned thence to you, and my men could­ from Home on our secret transmit­ n't find it, I decided the safest way ter that one copy was missing­ was to deposit you where you the copy that was your grandfa­ couldn't get back till they did. ther's. That was when we discov­ "Again, I should have guessed. ered that he must have lowered Only one of us would have had the himself to mate directly with an nerve and adroitness to steal a Earthwoman. And when I realized plane in New York and pilot it you were their grandchild, I sus­ back to Ankara. And frankly, the pected the paper had come down to paper is still missing. Even I, you you and you still had it. I ordered see, am not infallible." Arcil to get you into the conspiracy "You may have it, if you will for that very reason, though I did­ give me Dorn." n't dare trust even him with your "Ah, Dorn. Why couldn't you identity. So if you want to put it have fallen in love instead with that way, you are responsible for one of your own kind-say Gale£?" his recruiting Dorn, as a way to "I consider myself an Earth­ you. woman. You should have seen to it "Gale£ made an attempt to find that a half-Pelagerian couldn't be­ it and use it to rescue you, but he come the mother of one of your was prevented. He.is a very mixed­ own children." up young man. I told Arcil it was Authority shrugged. a mistake to keep Gale£ in ignor­ "I didn't know. It is 48 years ance of his true ancestry, but he since they left a few of us behind to never trusted the boy. The conse­ avenge their deaths at the hands of quence is that he fell in love with that stupid, recalcitrant breed you you." claim you belong to. Eventually, Ezve was startled. thanks to my parentage, there will "So that's it!" she murmured. "I be so many partly of our blood that always thought he hated me. the conquest will be easy when we Tell me aboutDorn." are re~dy to invade. But at the time Authority laughed. your mother was born there should "You should have seen Dorn's have been no such possibility." face when I said, 'Come in, Ezve,' AGAINST AtnniORITY 37 and an entirely strange girl walked do anything about them now. Let up to him! He must have thought him believe it is the idyllic colony he had lost his mind. I was testing we pretend it is." his reaction to mental shock." He laughed. Then he looked "I admire your sense of humor. sternly at the implacable girl who . . . \Vhere is Dorn ?" was staring Authority down. For the first time the dictator "But I warn you, Ezve, you are lost his composure. not going to injure our plans. If "Don't be a fool, daughter. you ever tell Dorn or anyone else There are more important matters who we are, I shall know it, never facing us than the welfare of a fear, and you will both die in­ young aborigine." stantly. "Not to me. I shall not give you "And if you ever divulge to any· the paper except in exchange for one on Earth what is in that paper, him, alive and well." whether you yourself understand it "Such nonsense! Girl, be sensi­ or not, you will die far from in­ ble! We are almost ready. We have stantly, and very horribly." most of the poor idiots reduced to "I promise you I shall never tell apathy; the few who rebel we elim­ anyone. Now bring Dorn here and inate by death or exile, or the best I shall tell you where you can find of their leaders we assimilate into it." our loyal guard, the lOS-delud­ Authority gazed at her keenly. ing them into thinking they are "Have you ever told anyone in proponents of future democracy. the past?" In only a few years more we shall "No one has ever seen that paper be able to signal for the Great In­ since I got it but me," Ezve said· vasion and take o:ver this planet firmly, "and I have never told any· and really civilize it. Would you one what the figures in it are." pit all this against the fate of a "Have you any idea what that wretched Earthman ?" formula means? How did you ever "Dorn." come into possession of it?" Authority sighed. "My mother gave it to me when "Very well. I must have the pa­ she was dying. She didn't know per. Tell me where to find it and what it meant, but her father-her I'll give you your Dorn." Pelagerian father-had given it to "Dorn first." her mother on his deathbed, and "You're as badias he is. He is told her it was of enormous value sulking in his cell, refusing to ac­ and must be kept safely and hand­ cept my offer of a place in the lOS ed down in the family, that some until I produce you. The rest of day it might be the most important his lot are off to Brazil, and I can't possession anyone ever had." 38 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FIC"riON "He was a dog of a traitor," Au­ door, made transparent on their thority said curtly. "It's lucky for side by the Beam. For ten minutes him that he's dead. Your grand­ they both sat in tense silence. Then mother must have been a fascinat­ she let out a little gasp and jumped ing woman. But he's a traitor, just to her feet, her face radiant. the same." "Oh, yes, the paper," she said He paused an instant, his hand hurriedly. "I once read, in the hovering over the communicator. university, a very ancient book, "You haven't answered my other made before the days of tape. It question. Do you understand the was called 'The Purloined Letter.' paper?" It told how a hidden letter was "I didn't, for a long time. Yes, never found because it was in full now I do. I worked it out after I sight of the searchers. realized that you and your agents ''Your paper, carelessly folded must be disguised Pelagerians." and with a shopping list scribbled "You would-you're almost all on the back of it, is stuck in the Pelagerian yourself. By rights, I dressing-room mirror of my com­ should have you destroyed, my partment." girl, to eliminate that knowledge. But you can't do us any harm by "And so," Ezve said to Dorn two yourself, and I've given you my months after they were married, "I word, and you've given me yours, am not breaking my word to Au­ and no Pelagerian has ever gone thority. I never promised not to tell back on that. Besides, I confess I you the truth about him and Arcil have a weakness for my own prog­ and the rest of his agents. He eny, even though I've never seen threatened to have us both killed if the mothers by whom I begot I divulged that to you-but who is them. to know you know it if you never "Very well." He pushed the but­ tell anyone else while he is still in ton. "Bring the prisoner Dorn power?" here," he said. He turned to Ezve - "And of course I never shall­ again. "He will be here in a few not even to Gale£." minutes. Now where is the paper?" "Above all not to poor Gale£. It "Turn the Beam on the door, if would be a terrible shock to him. you have a Beam here," she an­ Do you know, Dorn, Authority swered. "When I see Dorn ap­ told me Galef was in love with mel proaching, alive and well, I shall I can't believe it-he's always tell you." been so unpleasant to me." "You are truly my child," Au­ ''Yes, I've suspected that right thority said wryly. along, though I didn't like to sug­ Ezve's eyes were riveted on the gest it. I think he didn't want you AGAINST AUTHORITY 39 with us because of the danger to rulers forever, and we will be their you. " slaves. I'm almost all Pelagerian "But to get back to Authority," myself, Dorn, but I'm just enough Ezve went on, "All I promised him a human to want our planet for its was that I would never tell the own inhabitants." contents of that paper. And I'll "Great Space, Ezve, so do we keep my word. Of course the all! But how can we fight them? Squadmen turned it over to him as Even if we could train a whole soon as they found it. But I mem­ army of combatants, they could orized it long ago, before I even bring hordes and hordes more from figured out what it meant. He is Pelageria and overwhelm us. Don't sure I know it, but he thinks I can't forget-they knew how to find us, injure them. but we have never been able to dis­ "So-Dorn, there are still a few cover where they came from." of our group left, and they can be­ Ezve's voice was taut. come the nucleus of a larger one, "If we could forestall them-if planet-wide, to create and train an we had our own army, in our own army of-oh, call them mission­ spaceliners, to invade them, I be­ aries, or advance troops. Authority lieve, even if it were defeated, that would call them spies." would be enough. I know how their "But why? Since our experience, minds work. They are a very logical Authority has apparently told his and reasonable people, and they agents to lay off. There hasn't been aren't really warlike. a serious revolt since. And they are "They left Authority and the a civilizing force, and we are bene­ rest behind them for vengeance. fitting by their superior knowledge. But in half a century their sense of I've come reluctantly to the con­ outrage has surely cooled. If we clusion that we were rash as well could show them that we are no as gullible. If they just want the primitives to be subdued and en­ satisfaction of thinking they rule slaved, but a race potentially equal Earth-" to their own, to be met on equal "They want a lot more than terms, I am convinced that they that. Remember, Authority told me would call back their representa­ they had been left behind to avenge tives, give the whole thing up, and the Pelagerians we killed. Their wait until mankind had recovered ultimate objective has been the from its setback and progressed complete takeover of Earth. again to the point where our two They've found their first method planets could co-operate in peace. didn't work, but don't think they And a trained invading force, pre­ aren't plotting another one. Then pared to debate and persuade un­ the Pelagerians will be truly our less it is driven to fighting, would 40 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION be the one way to show them. And reach us, but we haven't the slight­ I believe, thanks largely to their est knowledge of where they came own efforts-you're right about from." that-we have reached that point "Dorn, Dorn, my darling!" of recovery by now." Ezve's eyes shone. "Haven't you Dorn sighed. guessed yet? "A beautiful dream, dearest, and "I know the formula on that pa­ I'd be with you entirely, except for per, I can guide our army. one unanswerable thing. As I said, "It's the formula for the space­ they know only too well how to co-ordinates to Pelageria!"

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P. 5. will examine what we've been through and, by means of humor· ous articles, unabashed nostalgia and indignant diatribes, try to figure out what it's done to us, and what we're likely to be up to next.

Isaac Asimov I Jean Shepherd I Avram Davidson I Ron Goulart I Nat Hentof] I Ray Bradbury I Alfred Bester are all featured in the first issue-

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SoMETHING IS RADICALLY would have enjoyed them missed wrong when, in a stack of two doz­ them completely.) en assorted review books, more Oddly enough, the jacket is than half the novels-and all the right. Twelve of the eighteen sto­ best of them-are reprints or re­ ries are set in the here-and-now, issues, and most of the "new" short with no significant departure from story collections-those that are things-as-they-are, on the surface not reprints or reissues-are either at least. Yet I do not think Beau­ re-collections or cross-collections mont has ever written anything from earlier collections, or barrel­ without the extra element of imag­ bottom scrapings from ten and fif­ inative speculation that consti­ teen years ago. tutes the essence of s-f. You might This month, three books bright­ say he has been more of a writer en the picture: a satirical novel by about fantasies than a writer of a pseudonymous Soviet writer; a them. He makes use of the typical new collection of Zenna Hender­ forms of science fiction or conven­ son's short stories; and one fully tional fantasy fiction sometimes, justified, warmly welcome cross­ to externalize one of his insights collection, culled from Charles into the seeking soul of modern Beaumont's three earlier volumes man-or, again, to project (and of short stories (YONDER, THE thus exaggerate to humorous pro­ HUNGER, NIGHT RIDE). portions) some aspect of inner Refreshingly enough, the pub­ fantasy. But he is usually at his lishers have pulled a switch on the best working in the literary border­ standard disclaimers; the front land of such stories as "The Magic cover of THE MAGIC MAN"' carries Man," or "Black Country," "A the subtitle, "and other science­ Classic Affair" or "Miss Gentil· fantasy stories," although neither belle." the title story, nor most of the rest, 1nhe themes are the themes of are-technically-s-f at all. (The science-fantasy; the style and con­ earlier collections were not mar­ struction are Beaumont's and keted as s-f, and many readers who uniquely his; the characters are

•TnE MAGIC MAN, Charles Beaumont; Gold Medal, 1965; 256 pp. 18 stories plus Foreward by Ray Bradbury and Afterword by Richard Matheson; 50~. 41 42 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION sometimes cryingly true to life. "Something Bright," "Things," If you don't already know Beau­ "The Grunder," "Subcommittee," mont, buy it. If you have read him "Hush!" before, but missed any of the ear­ lier books, you're probably on your Abram Tertz is the pseudonym wayoutnow. of a writer living in the Soviet Union. Three earlier books (FAN­ It's a hard act to follow, but TASTIC STORIES, ON SOCIALIST Henderson does it. And until I sat REALISM, THE TRIAL BEGINS) down with the two books in front have been published here and in of me, I'd have sworn there could­ England; none of them-includ­ n't be two more different writers. ing the current volume• -in the Stylistically, this is true-most of U.S.S.R. the time. But here again, the writ­ THE MAKEPEACE EXPERI- er's major interest is in the true in­ MENT is the story of a bicycle me­ ner fantasies of real people. "The chanic who-almost-becomes Anything Box," title story of the the Emperor of the world. It is also collection, is characteristic of the a great many other things, but most best of Zenna Henderson's work. It of all it is a true fable; it carica­ is fascinating, when the two books tures the human condition rather have been separately enjoyed,_ to than any particular set of mores or look at her "Food to All Flesh" next ideological labels. Undoubtedly, to Beaumont's "Last Rites," or his the fact that the setting is Russian "Dark Music" next to her "Walking makes it a funnier and more com­ Aunt Daid." Or "Turn the Page" fortable book for reading this side and "The Magic Man." of the world. But it is not so much There is no need to compare or a criticism of sovietism as of bu­ contrast, however. One need only reaucracy and governmental mis­ remember. "Come on \\lagon" has management anywhere, every­ lost nothing since it introduced where. Zenna Henderson to her first read­ I think the same happenstance ers in the pages of this magazine of background that makes the book almost fifteen years ago. Some more agreeable to critics here than of the more recent stories here the same story might be if set in may well prove as memorable: Iowa for instance, detracts some-

0 THE ANYTHING aox, Zenna Henderson; Doubledayy, 1965; 205 pp., 14 stories; $3.95. 0 THE MAKEPEACE EXPERIMENT, Abram Tertz; Translated by Manya Harari, Pantheon (New York) and Haverhill Press (London), 1965; 195 pp., in­ cluding a Translator's Note $3.95. BOOKS 43 what from the pointedness of the terms of familiar literary conven­ satire for American readers. Just as tions. He says he is writing horror parody can only be written prop­ stories-and most of them are. erly with love and admiration for But: "Horror is a form of fear," he the source, so political satire is says in a brief preface, "therefore really meaningful only in a frame­ of ignorance. . . . Time is for me work of sympathy and concern for one of the best elements of horror, the political entity involved. The not only because we know so little author has this essential sympa­ about it, but because it is nothing thy: he smuggles his manuscripts and everything .... We are be­ out of his country, and remains ginning to discover that time is there himself to write more. But something more than real, some­ we who receive the books inevit­ thing tangible and even solid. In ably miss much of what is being it, scientists can already begin to said: we laugh at the right places; 'feel' the past and the future; in we are instructed and informed; time and space they are discover­ we do not, I suspect, cry when we ing time cells, or time in time. For should. the insect that lives a few minutes, In compensation, perhaps be­ we are eternal, but for a range cause he uses the bolder strokes of of mountains, we Hit about so rap­ the cartoonist's pen, Tertz's work idly that we do not really ex­ seems to me to convey a more real­ ist. . . ."- istic sense of life-as-it-is in Russia It is this attitude that trans­ today than most deliberately in­ forms most of these stories from formational writing. simple horror to intriguing specu­ lation. The story best-known here, The same virtue inheres, for "The Fly," (of Playboy and movie quite different reasons, in George fame) is to my mind one of the Langelaan's French settings. least effective; my favorites are Langelaan's book:t- carries no trans­ "Past the Time Limit" and "The lation credits. I assume he writes Lady from Nowhere" (as it hap­ in English; but he is French-born pens the two most clear-cut "sci­ of English parentage, educated in ence-fiction" stories in the book), America, and now again a resident in both of which Langelaan gives of Paris, one of the rare breed of free rein to his curiosity about the truly trans-Atlantic citizens. nature of time, subjective and ob­ It is just as confusing to attempt jective, and its relation to human to classify Langelaan's work in mortality.

0 0UT oF TIME, George Langelaan; Four Square (New English Library paperback), 1965; 190 pp., 10 stories; 3/6 (60¢). 44 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION This seems as good a place as one of the best pieces of solid sci­ any to pause and explain that I in­ ence fiction-the sort of thing you tend (or hope, with the coopera­ used to read Astounding for in the tion of British publishers) to in­ old days-I have seen in a long clude British books in these col­ time and "Guttersnipe" runs a close umns hereafter, whenever there is second. no American edition planned, or Also from Gollancz is a first when the two differ significantly. novel by Leonard Daventry•, a Prices will be given, as in the case book in some ways almost quaintly of ouT OF TIME, in both curren­ "scientifictional" in tone-but cies. (3/6 means three-and-six, or very new in its examination of the three shillings, sixpence; the prop­ idea of telepathy as a manifestation er currency exchange equivalent of the collective unconscious, and for this is 49 or 50 cents; I am, in its exploration of the effects of however, to simplify matters, add­ limited supermanhood on the pri­ ing in a presumptive postal charge. vate life of the putative superman. Any British, or for that matter, NOW THEN, • by John Brunner, European, publications reviewed is a collection of three novelets, here may be obtained from only one of which has been pub­ Kenneth Slater lished here. "Thou Good and Faith­ Fantast (Medway) Ltd. ful," appeared in Astounding in 7 5 Norfolk Street 19 53 under the pseudonym, John Wisbech, Cambs., England. Loxmith; it was, in fact, Brunner's Three other British editions not first published story, and he has scheduled for American publica­ done considerably better since. tion are of interest-one particu­ Happily, one outstanding instance larly so because it is the first book is included in the collection, the publication of an American au­ opening story, "Some Lapse of thor. Rick Raphael's first novel Time," which is worth the pur­ will appear here this year from chase price by itself. Simon & Schuster; but a collection While we're on the subject of of four of his novelets was done in Brunner, I should like at least to London last spring. • The title mention in passing his Ballantine story, "The Thirst Quenchers," is novel of last year, which missed

•THE THIRST QUENCHERS, Rick Raphael; Gollancz (London) 1965; 175 pp., 4 stories; 15/0 ($2.30). •A MAN oF DOUBLE DEED, Leonard Daventry; Gollancz (London), 1965; 176 pp; 15/0 ($2.30). •Now THEN, John Brunner; Mayflower-Dell paperback (London), 1965; 143 pp., 3 novelets plus author's preface; 3/6 (60¢). BOOKS 45 revieW here: THE WHOLE MAN. If so-called "realistic" fiction. Ander­ you haven't read it and can still son is using the forms of s-f to find it on the newsstands, you will write thrillers and historicals, and find it a good deal more meaning­ contriving to do so without intro­ ful and more exciting than the ducing an element of speculation usual run of Brunner's carefully or fresh invention. constructed novels. Why?

I wish I could say the same for There are a number of reprints Poul Anderson's new novel . .,. All and reissues on hand. Two volumes the best bits in here are vivid pas­ that do not quite fit in this category sages of early English and Danish are a new Arthur Clarke omnibus history. And in the two new vol­ and a new translation of the famous umes of (not so new) novelets Somnium of Johannes Kepler. published by Chilton.,., what is The Clarke"' contains two nov­ most interesting are the parallels els, PRELUDE TO SPACE and THE between Captain Sir Dominic SANDS OF MARS, originally pub­ Flandry of Terra's Imperial Naval lished in 1952 and 1954 respec­ Intelligence Corps, and one James tively, and sixteen short stories Bond from (Flandry's) remote selected from TALES FROM THE past. Let me make clear that I tlo "WHITE HART," EXPEDITION TO mean parallels. As near as I can EARTH, and REACH FOR TOMOR­ see, Fleming and Anderson initi­ ROW. Almost everything here will ated their characters and laid be familiar to regular readers of s-f. down the unvarying pattern for If you missed the novels before, their performances, at much the you'll probably want the book; oth­ same time, in remote literary erwise, it's a fine gift volume. fields. What I am saying is the flip KEPLER'S DREAM, John Lear, side of my opening paragraph. with the full text and notes of Beaumont can write an imagina­ Somnium, Sive Astronomia Lun­ tive speculative story with all the aris, by Joannis Kepleri, translated essential ingredients of s-f without by Patricia Frueh Kirkwood; Uni­ ever departing from the forms of versity of California Press, and

"THE CORRIDORS oF TIME, Poul Anderson; Doubleday, 1965; 209 pp; $3.95. "AGENT OF THE TEHRAN EMPIRE, Poul Anderson; Chilton, 1965; 198 pp, 4 novelets; $3.95 .. FLANDRY OF TERRA, Poul Anderson; Chilton, 1965; 225 pp., 3 novelets; $3.95. PRELUDE TO MARS, Arthur C. Clarke; Harcourt, Brace, & World, 1965; 497 pp; $4.95. / 46 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION Cambridge University Press (Lon­ tion, and no other, has been pub­ don), 1965; $5.00. Includes an lished with my consent and coop­ "Introduction and Interpretation" eration. Those who approve of by John Lear (78 pp.), the full courtesy (at least) to living au­ text of Kepler's "Dream" (78 pp.), thors, will purchase it, and no and his own Introduction and 17- other." page "Selenographical Appendix." I believe the Ace editions are cheaper; I hope readers of this col­ umn will overlook that attraction. REPRINTS AND REISSUES:

TRIPLANETARY, E. E. Smith; Pyra­ THE HOBBIT, J.R.R. Tolkien; Bal­ mid, 1965 (Fantasy Press, 1948); lantine, 1965; 287 pp.; 9511. TilE 253 pp.; 50¢. FELLOWSHIP OF THE ruNG (544 pp.), THE TWO TOWERS ( 448 pp.), GRAY LENSMAN, E. E. Smith; Pyra­ and THE RETURN OF THE KING ( 544 mid, 1965 (Fantasy Press, 1951 ); pp.), comprising the "Fellowship 253 pp. 60¢. of the Rings" trilogy, J.R.R. Tol­ A FEAST OF FREEDOM. Leonard Wib­ kien; Ballantine, 1965; 9511 each. berly; Bantam, 1965 (Morrow, Those of you who keep up with 1964); 50¢. such things will already be thor­ oughly familiar with the Great RE·BmTII, John Wyndham; Ballan­ Tolkien Piracy Crisis by the time tine, 1965, "Bal-Hi" edition, this column appears. For those who 1965; 185 pp.; 50¢. (One of have not already heard all about it, Wyndham's best-a post-bomb suffice it that the "piracy" in ques­ story with a difference.) tion occurred many years ago, and THE CASE AGAINST TOMORROW, presumably through negligence Frederik Pohl; Ballantine, 19 57, rather than intent; but that the 1965; ISO pp; 50¢. Contains The Hobbit books were originally pub­ Midas Plague, The Census Takers, lished in this country without The Candle-Lighter, The Cele­ proper copyright protection. The brated No-Hit Inning, Wapshot's current controversy concerns rival Demon, My Lady Green Sleeves. paperback editions issued this year by Ace Books and Ballantine THE WORLDS OF SCIENCE FICTION, Books. As of this writing, the au­ Robert P. Mills, ed.; Paperback Li­ thor is apparently receiving royal­ brary, 1965; (Dial, 1963); 287 ties from Ballantine and not from pp.; 75¢. Anthology, including Ace, and the Ballantine editions Howard Fast, James Blish, John carry this statement, over Tolkien's Collier, Walter M. Miller, Jr., Ray signature : "This paperback edi- Bradbury, Robert A. Heinlein, BOOKS 47

TREASURE George P. Elliott, Damon Knight, BUNT Theodore Sturgeon, Poul Ander­ son, Avram Davidson, Mark van While taking inventory, Doren, Anthony Boucher, R. V. we found 1 7 copies of Cassill, Isaac Asimov; epilogue by The Best from F&SF: Alfred Bester. 11th Series, in mint con­ dition. Published at THE ATOMIC AGE, Morton Grodzins $3.95, these hard cover and Eugene Rahinowitch, eds.; books are now offered Simon & Schuster Paperback, 1965 at $2.00 each while they (Basic Books, 1963); 616 pp.; last. $2.75. 65 articles from The Bulle­ tin of the Atomic Scientists, 194 5- 1962. This book includes: The -JUDITH MERRIL Source of the Nile, by Avram Davidson; Softly While You're Sleeping, by E. E. Smith; The Ma­ chine that Won the War, by Isaac Asimov; Time Lag, by Poul Anderson; George, by John Anthony West; Shotgun Cure, by Clifford D. Simak; Alpha Ralpha Boulevard, by Cordwainer Smith; The Captivity, by Charles G. Finney; Harrison Berge­ ron, by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.; The Haunted Village, by Gordon R. Dickson, and five more first-rate stories. "The latest, greatest edition of the best Of the best S·f 11-N.Y.HeraldTrib. Including masterpieces by Isaac Bash­ Send your order and re­ evis Singer, Romain Gary, Arthur C. mittance to: Clarke, Fritz Leiber and many others. Mercury Press, Inc. P.O. 10th Annual Edition THE YEAR'S BEST S·f Edited by Judith Merril ~ Box 2 71, Rockville Cen­ $4.95, now at your bookstore • e tre, N. Y. 11571. OELACORTE PRESS This story originally appeared in Audience a quarterly of literature / & the arts/75¢13!61300 Frs. As far as we know, the magazine is no longer published, and we are grateful to F&SF cover artist Jack Gaughan for discovering the Spring 1959 issue and this fine story by Richard Winkler. AN AFTERNOON lN MAY has its thematic antecedents in SF, but we feel it is deserving of wider exposure be­ cause its subject (literary censorship, or freedom from it) is one of increasing interest and importance, and its treatment is nothing short of magnificent.

AN AFTERNOON IN MAY

by Richard Winkler

"THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY," SAID His black suit was wrinkled, as if Mr. Mcllwhinney. "I can hear he had slept in it, and the trousers them. Singing something, I be- hung loose and baggy at the knees. lieve. They must be fairly well or- "Now," said Mr Mcllwhinney, ganized." "let's get organized. Everybody "In that case, all the worse for gather 'round!" he called. Mrs. us," said Mrs. Foster. Foster and three other women "Grow old along with me, the came to his side. 'Where's that best is yet to be," said Mr. Mcll- young lady?" he said. "Janice!" whinney, dancing a little jig by Janice, a lush-breasted girl of the door. He was eighty-three years eighteen, came out from the stacks, old, a bit lame in the left leg, a pushing a little cart from which lively small man with very bright she had been re-shelving books. eyes and a big humorous mouth. "I'll stay, Mr. Mcllwhinney," © 1959, by Audience Press, Inc. 48 AN AFTEllNOON IN MAY 49 she said. Her face was pale, and "Stow it," said Miss Cartwright there was a mist of sweat on her daringly. Just lately she had been forehead. affecting rough language. The past "Nonsense!" said Mr. Mcll­ few days, lived in a fever heat of whinney. "I don't like the look of suspense, had at last released her, this, the way it's shaping up, at all. she felt, from being a lady. "Shove It's every bit as bad as I expected, it crossways," she added. if not more so. We won't be need­ "Why, Miss Cartwright!" said ing you, Janice." Miss Bertha Tilton. She was one of He opened the door and Janice two sisters, identical twins, seven­ went out and down the steps into ty years old, who had been asso­ the summer sunshine. "Nice day ciated with the library for so many out there," said Mr. Mcllwhinney. years that few people of the town The voices were clear now, closer, thought of them in any other con­ louder, possibly a block or so away. nection. Miss Martha Tilton, at "Well, here we are," said Mr. Bertha's side, looked equally Mcllwhinney briskly. "Four ladies, shocked. the youngest over sixty, and one "Well, how about you, Bertha­ old goat who's as good as had it. and Martha?" said Mr. Mcllwhin­ Please-if anybody is going to ney, grinning. "Surely there's noth­ leave, leave now. Mrs. Foster?" ing in the children's section they "Not I," said Mrs. Foster firmly, have any objection to. A nice col­ pressing her lips together. "Never." lection of pretty picture books, to She was the youngest there, and be sure, but nothing worth-" she did not like Mr. Mcllwhinney "Nothing there-" said Martha making that crack about the young­ Tilton. "Spoken like an eighty­ est being over sixty, since she had three-year-old man, indeed, Mr. just turned sixty the week before. •Mcllwhinney. But hardly like the "Miss Cartwright? There's no chairman of the board of library need for you to stay." trustees. Must I relinquish the de­ "Try and get me to go," said fiance of William Tell without a Mrs. Cartwright. I'm seventy­ fight? And the skepticism of The nine, and I have as good as had it Emperor's New Clothes? What too, Mcllwhinney. It might as well about Kipling? And Grimm? And be now, in a burst of glory." " "It will not be glory!" said Mr. "Okay, okay," said Mr. Mcll­ Mcllwhinney angrily. "Get that whinney. "No speeches, please. idea out of your heads right now, It's for you to decide. Now," he all of you. This is a dirty business. went on, "I have this planned, but It's going to dirty us too, and there you should know that we are not will be no reward." capable of much resistance. The 50 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION situation is very serious, it will Mr. Mcllwhinney. "And I believe grow more serious by the minute, you'll find, Mrs. Foster, that they and I am not sure we can expect have not come to see the show. aid from the police." They have come to join in. I see Miss Cartwright snorted. my grandson Oily, and I believe "You're blamed right we can't!" that is your sister-in-law there she said. "Not with Chief Divers­ across the street by the mailbox." sy's son heading the Society for "Shameful!" said Martha Tilton. Stability, and the Chief probably "Shame on all of them!" clearing the way for this march." "Noble sentiments," said Mr. "For that matter," Mrs. Foster Mcllwhinney dryly, "but some­ said, "we can't expect any help how inadequate to the situation." from the board of trustees, either. He opened the front door and Except you, Mr. Mcllwhinney." stepped outside. "Indeed," murmured Mr. Mcll­ Instantly the wave of yelling whinney. His face grew red. "I am engulfed him as he stood there, a afraid that is true, Mrs. Foster, and bent old man trying to hold. him­ I feel I must have been deficient self erect on the white scrubbed li· in pointing out to them the grav­ brary steps, looking at the crowds ity-" in the middle of the street. He was "They're deficient in guts, let's bald, his head shining in the after· face it," said Miss Cartwright, noon sunlight. He raised his hand smoothing out the front of her for silence but of course got none. skirt. "Go home!" he shouted. "Cease "Now," said Mr. Mcllwhinney. and desist! Disperse! Shame on all "We have only to watch, I believe, of you for acting like this!" (In· the front door and the windows. adequate, be chuckled to himself, The back door is already barricad­ just as 1 told Martha it was, trying ed and piled high with stacks of to shame members of the Society or books. The windows are really too their followers.) high for entry, I think, so we have "Isn't he a magnificent old bas· only to look for bricks and stones tard?" said Mrs. Foster, thrilling through them. The front door must to the words on her tongue. be barricaded immediately after I "Sure is," said Martha Tilton. talk to them. I am sure I shall fail "But he'd better come back in now. to disperse them." He's the only man we have, and "Look at that crowd!" said Mrs. we need him if we're going to Foster in horror. "My God! Why, stick it out." it must be half the town come to Shouts of "Hang Mcllwhinneyl see the show." Kill him!" came from the crowd. "A conservative estimate," said A young man standing next to AN AFTERNOON IN MAY 51 Diverssy, bearing a banner which The women stared. said, "Down with Goethe, Kant, "I mean to make a fight of it," and Plato," suddenly whipped a said Mr. Mcllwhinney, smiling no pistol and fired at Mr. Mcllwhin­ longer. "This is a big thing, girls, ney from a distance of fifty feet. a horrible thing, and crying Mr. Mcllwhinney staggered 'shame' will not help. For the last back against the doorframe. Sur­ time, you may leave by the front prisingly, an Army .45 automatic door. There is still time, if you appeared in his trembling hands. walk out slowly with your hands He aimed it with both hands and above your heads." fired it six times, in rapid succes­ The women did not move. sion, above the heads of the crowd, "\Veil, then," he said, "these are but not much above. There was a carbines. They are each loaded frenzied scrambling to the oppo­ with a clip of, I think, fifteen bul­ site curb for safety, and Mr. Mcll­ lets. There are more bullets whinney scurried back through which I'll issue should the need the door. arise. Here is the safety catch. Do "Are you hurt?" said Mrs. Fos­ not push it off until you are ready ter, rushing to his side. to fire. Point the gun only out the Mr. Mcllwhinney grinned. door or window or at the ceiling. "The May issue of House Beauti­ Be very careful, or you will kill ful," he said, drawing it out from one of us." under his shirt, "a good thick is­ "Gimme one of those!" said sue, loaded with advertising, of­ Miss Cartwright. "And somebody fers fair protection against small bring me the stepladder. 1'11 take a arms fire." window." "I was telljng the girls," said "Not yet!" warned Mr. Mcll· Mrs. Foster, "that you are a mag­ whinney. "First we must aU move nificent old bastard/' fast to barricade the door high. Mr. Mcllwhinney chuckled. We'll have to slide the steel stacks "The Battling Bastard of the over and the re-stack the books Bibliotheque," he said, "that's me." on the shelves. I want three or He ran behind the main desk, four stacks against the door, and reached into the big bottom draw­ we'll fire through them, if neces­ er of the storage cabinet and sary. They'IJ be coming soon, in a straightened up. He laid three .30 rush." caliber Army carbines on the glass "Not those cowards!" said Miss top. Cartwright. "They'IJ skulk over "Stolen from the armory last there and throw rocks." week," he smiled, "and no mean "You're wrong," Mr. Mcllwhin· feat for a man four-score." ney said. "They mean business, 52 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION and they're going to carry it brick. She came hurriedly down through." the ladder. . The big window above the door "I have had it," she said. "But I shattered. A large bent rusty bolt am still going to get at least one came sailing in and caromed off of them." the main desk. The glass desk top Sure enough, there was blood on cracked in two directions. her blouse in front and back, and "I find it difficult to convince the warm smell of blood in the air. myself," said Mr. Mclhvhinney, "Lie down, please, Miss Cart­ "that I'm doing this for Kant, wright," said Martha Tilton, whom I find obscure, or Goethe. "you're hurt." Of course Goethe's all right, but "Damn right I'm hurt!" said sometimes irritatingly glib. And Miss Cartwright. She seized a car­ Plato cold, cold! Do you think bine from the desk and at the we're silly after all, Mrs. Foster?" same moment Mr. Mcllwhinney "I wouldn't even let the scum fired four times through the door. have P. G. Wodehouse," said "Aha!" he said. "Tumbled him. Mrs. Foster, pressing her lips to­ They're falling back again. Think gether. "We should let them come they're a bit surprised at our fire­ through here and take out half the power. Firepower," he repeated. books, anything they call unstable, "I love that word." anything on their list they say we Painfully Miss Cartwright can't keep and can't give out. I say climbed back up the stepladder. to hell with them." She rested her gun on the sill and, "I believe," said Mr. Mcll­ with her head just barely above the whinney, bending under an arm­ opening, studied the crowd in the load of books as he walked, "that street. The two Tilton sisters and this will be something of a test Mrs. Foster watched her in fas­ case. If the Society finds the po­ cination. It seemed unreal, but lice cooperative here, and the peo­ blood was dripping from Miss ple, then other cities should fol­ Cartwright's blouse onto her skirt low. Perhaps next, let's say, Wich­ and there was even some on her ita, Kansas and Springfield, Illi­ shoes. Miss Cartwright fired. nois. Then on to Boston, Cleve­ "If I didn't wing that damn land, St. Louis, Chicago-" Diverssy, I'll be surprised," she The door was now well-barri­ said, and dropped the gun. Then caded, and Miss Cartwright she half slid down the stepladder leaped to her stepladder and and lay on the floor. mounted it. She peered out the Martha Tilton opened Miss window. There was a flurry of Cartwright's blouse. There was a shots and a splatter of bullets on hole in the center of her chest and AN AFTERNOON IN MAY 53 the blood welled up bright red ney. "I didn't think they'd do that, and swam in thinning streams girls. I thought they'd try tear gas down her gaunt ribs. Stones were before that. We're so close to the coming through the windows in other buildings in town." clouds, falling to the floor. Mr. "It must be the roof," said Mcllwhinney, who had been fir­ Bertha Tilton. She had climbed ing steadily, slipped a fresh clip the stepladder and was looking into his carbine. out the window. "\Vhy ," she said, "Take care of her, girls!" he "the police are there." snapped. "And one of you take a "Thank God," said Mrs. Foster. gun and watch the windows. "But they're not doing any­ Don't climb the stepladder. thing," said Bertha, "except stand­ You're a sitting duck when you do. ing around the trees in the shade." Just cover the windows from the Mr. Mcllwhinney came away floor here, and if you see a head from the door for a moment. show up, let him have it." "Miss Cartwright is dead," said "Heavens!" said Miss Cart­ Martha, tears starting in her eyes. wright. "I think I'm checking out. "God bless her," said Mr. Mcll­ And I can't think of anything to whinney, "she had real guts. say. There should be something I Makes me sorry I used to haggle could say, on a day like this-" with her every year, over the "Don't worry, dear, you'll think amount of the non-fiction alloca­ of something," said Martha, pat­ tion." ting the bloody blouse and feeling "Well, girls," he said, "it's up to her hand get sticky, "something you. There's a little time left. We that will go down in history." can give up and let them have any­ "That's a good one!" said Miss thing they want. Or you can leave Miss Cartwright, raising her -if you can get out alive-and head. "Something that will go I'll stick it out." down in recorded history!" She ''I'm staying," said Mrs. Foster. tried to laugh. "I'm afraid," she "And it's getting mighty warm in whispered to Martha, "that I'm here." going to wet my pants. Everything "It's burning worse over the hurts so much." children's wing," said Martha. "Never mind," said Martha. "But Bertha and I wouldn't think "Nobody will notice, dear." of deserting our beloved picture "I smell smoke," said Mrs. Fos­ books, Mr. Mcllwhinney." ter, who was prowling back and "Sorry I called them that," said forth with a carbine in her hands, Mr. Mcllwhinney. "I did not covering the windows. mean to hurt your feelings. There "My God," said Mr. Mcllwhin- is one more chance left, just pos- 54 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION sibly. See if you can raise the fire Martha screamed, rushed over and department, Mrs. Foster, on the fell across her twin, sobbing. phone. Perhaps they will come, Over in the children's wing, since adjacent buildings are sure the plaster above crumpled sud­ to go if the library does." denly, there was a spurt of smoke Mrs. Foster went to the phone and flame, and two ceiling joists, behind the desk and dialed the burned through, thundered down number. "The Library's on fire!" on the small tables with a scatter­ she shouted. "The Library! They're ing of sparks and burning brands. trying to burn the Library down! The smoke grew intermittently Come at once!" into thick puffs which burst as "What did they say?" asked Mr. they were sucked up through the Mcllwhinney, taking up his posi­ hole in the roof. There was a tion at the door again, and firing smell of burning varnish from the idly at nothing in particular. The tables. The asphalt floor tile began smoke was thick above them, bil­ to bubble. lowing down. Mr . .Mcllwhinney coughed and "Well, they answered the smiled. "When we considered the phone, at least," said Mrs. Foster. plans for this building," he said, "They got the message." "I implored the trustees to go along "Perhaps they will come," said with me on a tile roof for the li­ Bertha Tilton. She raised herself brary. 'Remember, gentlemen,' I on the stepladder and looked bold­ said, 'we are building for the fu­ ly out of the window. "Can't see ture.'" them yet," she said, and fell over "I don't hear any fire engines," backward, a long fall to the floor. said Mrs. Foster. Walt Gayle had lost his office in the explosion and a perfectly good chair after the 3-second burst of the Braden Gun. Except for the stranger 1eremiah, he would have lost his life as weU. Who was Jeremiah-and more important, who was trying to kill him, and why? After four years absence from these pages, RandaU Garrett returns to teU a swift-paced story of science and intrigue.

WITNESS FOR THE PERSECUTION

by Randall Garrett

IT WAS THE LooNAIRTHIAN WHO I didn't hear the rest of what saved my life. she said. The stranger came to a Of course, I did not know at the halt at the edge of my desk. And time that he was a Loonairthian. yet, somehow, it didn't seem like How could I possibly have known? a complete halt; it was as though Who would ever have thought such the motion were temporarily sus­ a thing? pended, but ready to begin again At first I thought he meant to in an instant. kidnap me. "There is no time to waste," he The door to my office flew open said, in a voice that was urgent suddenly, and, without any previ­ without being harsh. "Come along ous warning, the man with the with me." eagle nose, the blue eyes, and the "Now, see here," I said, "what curly blond hair was charging the devil do you mean-" across the room toward me. He "No time, I said, no time," the trailed a party of three, which con­ man said. And the motion was no sisted of my secretary and two longer suspended. He came round stenographers. my desk and grabbed me. "You can't go in there!" my sec­ I have no idea to this day how retary wailed. "Oh, Mr. Gayle, I he did what he did. I don't recall tried to stop him !I tried • • ." exactly how he grabbed me nor 55 56 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION where. He didn't hurt me or twist and then I was falling forward and my arm or anything like that. I just the floor seemed to lift toward me. had the feeling of irrisistible force It was like being kicked in the bel­ being applied through his finger­ ly and the face at the same time. tips, a force that propelled me Several seconds went away along as though I were in a hurry without my noticing them. to get out of the office through my The next thing I remember is own volition. being helped to my feet by the "Come along!" he said. "Out of blond stranger. "You'll be all right, here! Fast!" Mr. Gayle," he said soothingly. He was not an especially big "Got a handkerchief? Your nose is man; indeed, he was a couple of bleeding." inches shorter than I. But he frog­ I held my handkerchief to my marched me across the room and nose and looked at the man. It took out of the door with no apparent my brain half a minute or so to effort. realize that the explosion had come The three women tried to stop from my office, and that if I had him, but he somehow managed to still been in there I would very avoid or escape their hands with­ likely be quite dead at that mo­ out once letting up on the force he ment. was applying to me. I had the im­ "\Vho-who are you?" I heard pression that their being women myself stammer a little. . had nothing to do with it, that He smiled. A friendly, persua­ three-or three dozen-husky sive smile. "You may call me Jere­ men would have suffered the same miah. Because of the profit motive. casual rebuff. Come along. Let's go back and see I finally found my breath again. what happened. It's perfectly safe "Mirom!" I yelled at my secretary. now." "Get help! Call the rest of the He turned and walked back to­ staff!" ward my office. I followed, not "Yes!" said the stranger in his knowing what else to do. I was still gentle, commanding voice. "By all dazed, not so much by the shock means! Get the rest of the staff! of the explosion as by the rapidity Follow us! And hurry I" with which things seemed to be Not all the staff made it. happening. I didn't hear the blast. A per­ The outer office was a mess. The son really can't hear a blast when chair behind the desk was over­ he's that close to it. The pressure turned, the desk itself was skewed wave lifted both of us off our feet. sideways, both paintings had fal­ My ears felt as if someone had len off the walls, the floor lamp had turned them off. I was in the air, toppled, and there were papers all WITNESS FOR THE PERSECUTION 57 over the place. Maddon Zack, my ask you later how you made such a assistant, was lying on the floor, mistake, it is because the blood his head covered with blood. He made the patient hard to recognize. had evidently come in from the Besides, you were confused by the side office in response to the call blast. Right?" for help. Mirom Flood, my secre· "Right." She turned and was tary, was staring at him rather gone. dazedly. The two stenographers Jeremiah walked over to the were still having quiet hysterics in wrecked door that led to the inner the hall. office. He pushed it aside and The man who called himself looked in. Jeremiah knelt beside Zack and "Take a look, Mr. Gayle." looked at him. Then he looked up I looked. at me. "Maddon Zack?" All the inner office needed to I nodded. "My assistant." make it a shambles was blood. "He's not badlv hurt, but he And, but for Jeremiah, there would should be hospitalized." He stood have been blood there. Mv blood. up and looked at Mirom. "Miss There was a hole in the outside Flood, call a physician. Are you a wall. It was about half a meter in good liar?" diameter, and the edges were only Mirom blinked. "A physician. slightly ragged. The cast plastite Yes. What?" had been neatly punched out and "Are you a good liar?" he re­ shattered into shrapnel. My desk peated gently. looked as though it had been hit by "If . . . yes, if necessary." a giant-sized shotgun. "Good. Then you will tell the "Limpet mine," Jeremiah said. physician that Mr. Walt Gayle has "Polarized detonate. The stuff been injured in an explosion. gives a coherent blast in two direc­ That will give us time. Go out and tions, like firing a gun with no calm those two young ladies down. breech, if you follow me. Nasty." Get them out of sight." I said, "Who's trying to kill me?" For some reason, all the shock "I'll explain later. Not much and uncertainty left Mirom time now. Let's get out of here be· Flood's face. "Yes, sir. What about fore the cops come in force." the police?" It wasn't until then that I real· "No need. Listen." ized why it was that we could hear In the silence that followed, we aircars coming. The sound was could hear the hum of approach· coming in through the hole in the ing aircars. wall. "Go, Miss Flood. You don't I followed Jeremiah out of the know where Mr. Zack is. If they office and into the elevator. 58 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION I stood at the window of my "Someone really wants to kill small bachelor's apartment and me?" I said. looked at the suns, seeing them "Let us say that there are those without noticing them. The pri­ who think your death would be the mary, One, was simply being its simplest solution to their problem," normal yellow self, while the dis­ Jeremiah said. tant Two was a bright, hard, dia­ I think at this point I made mond pinpoint of blue-white. Dur­ some dramatic gesture, such as ing the years when Two is in the throwing my arms wide and clos­ night sky, there is no real night, be­ ing my eyes, or perhaps I clenched cause Two illuminates the planet my fists and held them against my beautifully. But now, when Two temples. I distinctly remember w~ passing around the other side talking through clenched teeth. of One, the nights were black. The "In the name of the Twin Planets, Galactic Lens is clear from here, will you please tell me what in the but we have no moon. Galaxy you are talking about?'' Behind me, the man who called ''Paragravity," he said, briefly himself Jeremiah said: "Does it and succinctly. His mild blue eyes really surprise you to find that looked at me over his great beak of someone is trying to kill you?" a nose. I turned away from the window I must have been holding my and looked at him. "Of course it breath; the air went out of my does! Why should anyone want to lungs with a huhhh, as though a kill me? I've done no harm." finger had jabbed me in the solar "You will, Oscar, you will." plexus. "My name's not Oscar; it's Walt. "But . . ." The word sounded Walt Gayle." feeble, so I took a breath and tried "Sorry. Obscure joke. Forget it. again. "But nobody knows yet. What I meant to convey was that, ..."My voice trailed off. although you have done no harm "I know," Jeremiah pointed out as yet, the people who are out to reasonably enough. "And so does get you are afraid that you may do somebody else, obviously." them harm in the future. They "But the Interstellar Trader want to prevent harm, not avenge said ..." it." " ... That you had a monop- His voice sounded so calm that I oly," he finished for me. "And that wondered why I was taking his it would be secret. Certainly." words so seriously. I sat down in l'You're not implying that the the chair facing him, and I had Interstellar Traders are corrupt, the feeling that my knees weren't are you?" Even the thought of such any too steady. a thing was vaguely repellant to WITNESS FOR THE PERSECUTION 59 me. If the Interstellar Traders, with terical. They told us all to go home a thousand years of unblemished after the ambulance came and flew tradition behind them, could be Mr. Zack to the hospital." corrupt, then one's faith in any ''You told them he was Mr. sort of human organization was Gayle?" shaken. "Yes, sir." Jeremiah lifted one eyebrow, "Good. He'll be safe as long as lowered the other, and cocked his they think they have him in a safe head to one side. "I implied noth­ place. I think-" ing of the sort, and you inferred "But, sir!" Mirom broke in, entirely too much. Don't be fatu­ "They know it isn't Mr. Gayle! One ous, my dear Gayle; the possibility of the police officers recognized of corruption in the Interstellar Mr. Zack, and he-" Traders is not a factor to be en­ Jeremiah leaped to his feet. tered in this equation -even if it "Let's get out of here! They'll have did in fact exist. The factor that followed you, of course! Or, worse, must, of necessity, be considered is they'll already have men from­ the existence of a group of power­ Get away from that windmv, ful, intelligent men who have ob­ Gayle!" served the development of a pat­ At the whipcrack sound of his tern. They don't want to see that voice, I jumped as though he had pattern develop here on . Barnes­ actually lashed at me with a whip. world-or, rather, in the plane­ Nothing happened. tary system of Barnesstar." Honestly, I almost felt disap­ He was going to say more, but at pointed. I had had the feeling that that moment the door announcer when Jeremiah gave an order like sounded. I glanced quickly at the that, instant death was so near that peepscreen. It was Mirom Flood. delay in action would make it in­ I punched the opener, and she evitable. came in quickly, closing the door "Pick up that big chair and put behind her. it with its back to the other win­ "Excuse me, Mr. Gayle, Mr.­ dow," he said. uh-" !obeyed. "Jeremiah," said Jeremiah. "Now sit down in it. Hurry!" "What happened?" I sat. "Nothing, really. The police "Now, fall forward, and come came. I said I was in the hall when over here to the door on your the explosion occurred-which hands and knees. Move!" was true. They didn't ask me much. I moved, feeling rather foolish. Didn't ask the girls anything. We "All right. You can stand up were all too upset-not to say hys- now. Let'sgetoutofhere." 60 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION Mirom Flood started to open the fact which they neglected to deter­ door, but Jeremiah pushed her mine. So far, we are ahead of them gently aside. "Apres moi, La Del· by several seconds; let's hope we uge," he said, going out the door can keep it that way, eh ?" first, looking cautiously but not Mirom Flood expressed my sen­ furtively around. timents when she said: "Cuh· We turned left and headed to­ couldn't we stretch it to thuh-three ward the drop chutes. We were hours? Or huh-better yet, three maybe fifty feet from the door of centuries?" my apartment when we heard the As we stepped out of the drop roar. And this time it was a roar, chute, Jeremiah put his hand very not a sudden shock wave. I turned gently on her arm. His smile radi· to look. The roar was still going ated confidence and compassion. on. "Stretch it we shall, Miss Flood; Big holes were suddenly ap­ stretch it we shall. So far that it pearing in the wall near the door will snap back in their faces when of my place, splattering plastite all we let go." over the place, filling the corridor She smiled back. His very pres· with dust and smoke. ence was bracing, somehow. "Come on!" Jeremiah said. We were in the basement of the 'Ve went down fast. building. As we walked rapidly "What in hell was that?" I asked. down a corridor, I could hear faint "A Braden gun," he said with a humming, throbbing noises from smile. "Fifty rounds per second of behind the locked doors on either twelve millimeter, high velocity, side of us-the computers and explosive slugs. I'm afraid you've power generators and other mecha­ lost a perfectly good chair in that nisms which took care of the com· three-second burst." fort of the residents of the apart· "They thought I was in it." My ments. It suddenly occurred to me voice sounded odd to me. to wonder how we'd managed to "Certainly. The trouble with a get this far. Normally, no resident Braden gun is that it has to be can take a drop chute any lower fairly heavily braced. That means than the first floor. Only qualified that it takes time to change its maintenance men are supposed to point of aim. They had it aimed at be able to get into the basement at the window you'd been standing all. at. When they saw you move the I asked Jeremiah, but all he said chair over to the other window and was: "One has methods, my dear sit down, they re-aimed the gun. Gayle. One has methods. Or else But by the time they fired, you one dies. Come along." were no longer in the chair-a I went along. WITNESS FOR THE PERSECUTION 61 The maintenance tunnels con­ "Are you an Interstellar Trader, nected one building with another, Mr. Jeremiah?" naturally, since it would be incon­ "Me?" He laughed a little. venient for maintenance squads to "Heavens no! Whatever made you have to go from building to build­ think that?" ing by going up to ground level "I was thinking about-uh­ and back down again all the time. some legends, I guess. I'm sorry." But there were heavy doors be­ "Nothing to be sorry about. tween buildings which were locked What legends?'' and kept locked unless a proper "Oh, you know the sort of thing. maintenance man used his power I mean, the Twin Planets are actu­ key. When Jeremiah unlocked the ally supposed to exist, you know, first door, producing a power key somewhere in the Galaxy-! mean, from his pocket, I started to ask a lot of people say they do. And­ him about it, but he anticipated well, maybe they're just children's me. stories, but they say-" "I stole it," he said with a grin. "They?" Jeremiah interrupted "Now don't talk any more, and fol­ mildly. low me." "People. You know. According We must have gone through sev­ to the stories, the people of the eral hundred yards of corridors and Double World are kind and sweet tunnels, and Jeremiah must have and helpful and, well, they have unlocked five or six of those bar­ magic powers and so on." rier doors before he led us to a lift "And what has this to do with chute and we went up to the roof the Interstellar Traders or with my of a building that was unfamiliar being one?" to me. "Well, the legends say that the He went over to the signal lock Interstellar Traders really come and put another key in, just as from the Twin Planets." though he were a resident of the "And?" building. Automatically, the com­ She turned her head to look puter controls checked his key, straight at him. "Mr. Jeremiah, found the aircar in the garage, put how did you know about somebody it on the lift, and, within two trying to shoot Mr. Gayle from minutes, an aircar was delivered to across the street with a Braden the roof takeoff area. gun?" " I spent the two minutes trying As I said, Mirom had pulled to gather my wits. So, apparently, herself together mentally much did Mirom, and she succeeded more quickly than I had. That was rather better than I did, for as the the question that I had been going aircar lifted into the sky, she said : to ask. And for that matter how 62 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION had he known about the limpet window. A rocket might work, but bomb that had blasted my office? I a Braden gun was by far the more didn't suspect him of being some efficient. sort of fairy magician from the "As soon as Miss Flood warned legendary Twin Planets, of course, us, I looked out the window and but I was beginning to think he saw that someone had actually re­ knew more about what my enemies moved the transite pane from a were doing than he ought to unless window across the street. So I said he was actually in cahoots with what I said and we did what we them for some obscure reason. did. Nothing magic in that, I Jeremiah laughed. "My friends, think." I give you my word that I am not "No. But . . . a Braden gunt an Interstellar Trader. In fact, if They're forbidden for private citi­ any of the Traders come from the zens, and I didn't think it would Double World, it is certainly news be that easy to steal one from a to me. Did the Trader you dealt Government armory." with seem to be an angelic do­ "It isn't easy, but it can be gooder, Gayle?" done," he told me. "A person in the "No," I admitted. "He seemed right position can juggle a few pa­ like a hard-headed businessman. pers and get one out by apparently But how did you know about the legal means." Braden gun and the limpet bomb?" 'Who are these people? Do you "I can't tell you about the know? Can you tell me?" bomb," he said seriously. "I found "I can't name names just yet, it out from your enemies through a but I can give you a general idea source I cannot reveal. But the of who they are and why they want Braden gun was simplicity itself. to dispose of you." I didn't know it was a Braden gun "I'd be grateful," I said, with until after they fired, but I knew just the merest touch of irony. it had to be something of that sort. "Very well. The explanation Consider: They were after you, may be a bit roundabout, but I'll trying to kill you. As long as they have to ask you to bear with me. believed the bomb had done so, you We have plenty of time, and I were safe. Even if they thought you want you to see the whole picture." were only hurt, they could bide "Plenty of time?" I said. "Where their time. But as soon as they are we going?" knew you'd escaped, agents were "To your place up near Vysing­ sent to cover your apartment. ton. We have to get away from the When they found us there, they city for a while." had to set up something that would "How did you know . ?" kill you through a solid transite "Please. Let me . . ." WITNESS FOR THE PERSECUTION 63 "But nobody knows," I inter­ "First, you will have to see the rupted rather violently. "I bought pattern-the pattern that seems so it through my . . . through an deadly dangerous to those who agent. How did you find out I had want to destroy you. It concerns a a country home near Vysington?" series of planets-their names He let out a tired sigh. "When I don't matter, so we can just call first went into your office to warn them A, B, C, and so on. Like your you of the impending explosion, own system, they each consist of you had just written a note to Miss one habitable planet, a few unin­ Flood that you could be located at habitable ones, and a belt of plane­ 377-466-2929. That's a number toids. Otherwise, nothing unusual. in the Vysington area but not in "As usual, the original settlers the village itself. Mostly country had neglected the planets that were homes; very little farming. Either inimical to Man. With a whole yours or a friend's, then. I assumed beautiful world to take for the tak­ it was yours on the strength of your ing, why go elsewhere? Look at the rather sparsely furnished apart­ planets around Bamesstar. Besides ment. That was obviously not Barnesworld, what do you have? where you did your real living, if Two useless ammonia giants, two I may use the phrase. Not with smaller worlds, and the planetoid your personality and the kind gf belt. One of the smaller worlds, money you make. By the way, I Inkblot, is too close to Two, and took the liberty of removing that the other, Spindizzy, is cold and note before the police got there. has no atmosphere. Who wants to "Now may I give you the ex­ live there? planation which you asked me for "The planets that preceded before?" Barnesworld in the pattern were "Yes. I'm sorry. Go ahead." I ac­ in the same general situation. Un­ tually felt apologetic. til Interstellar Trading vessels We were cruising along at the brought the invention of paragrav­ thousand-meter level, northbound, ity." just over the Pelligrain River. To I frowned, but I didn't say any­ the west, One had already dropped thing. I wanted to learn. beneath the horizon, leaving a red But instead of going on, he glow punctuated by the bright threw me two questions: "Gayle, white pinpoint of Two, which why doesn't Barnesworld have any would not set for another half hour interstellar ships? Why does it yet. Jeremiah's face, silhouetted have only a few vessels?" against the faintly crimson sky, "Expense," I said flatly. "\Vho seemed to take on a hardness that I needs them?" Answers to both had never seen there before. questions, I thought. 64 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION "Elucidate and clarify," he said "Seems to me you're caught in with a quick grin. the middle of a war right now," "Do you know how much it costs said Jeremiah. "But we'll skip that. to build an interstellar vessel?" I Why no interplanetary vessels? countered. "Billions. How could They aren't so terribly expensive." we afford it? And what good would "No, but what's the need of it be to us after we'd built it? If I them? There are a few scientists want to go to another star-which who want to know a little more I don't-1 can always book pas­ about the history of the Barnesstar sage on the next Interstellar Trad­ System, but there's nothing out er that comes through. It's expen­ there we need. With a whole plan­ sive, even at that. And where et to exploit and only a quarter of a would I go and why? billion people to exploit it, there's "The Interstellar Traders make no need of spending extra money a go of it because they can make to go into space." high profits, bringing devices and Soft music suddenly filled the inventions from one world to inside of the aircar. Mirom had another. They trade in ideas, reached out and turned on the com­ which are easy to transport be­ municator's entertainment band. cause their mass is nil, and in She was listening, obviously, to Planetary Uniques, things which what Jeremiah and I were talking can be produced or grown on only about, but she's the kind of girl one planet. But what good would who likes soft music in the back­ an interstellar ship be to Barnes­ ground to soothe her nerves. world even if we could afford to "Tell me," Jeremiah said, "why build one?" did you buy the paragravity secret "Colonization?" Jeremiah asked from Trader Karlon ?" thoughtfully. "Emigration? Are That tore it! He knew! Or, at there no malcontents, no adven­ least, he seemed to know. I worded turers? That's how Barnesworld my answer very carefully. "I under­ was first seeded with humanity." stand it can be used as a space "That was nearly four hundred drive." years ago," I said. "We haven't "So it can. Cheaper by far than filled this planet yet, and we the one that's now used here on won't. Birth rate equals death rate. Barnesworld. But who needs it?" Plenty of land for everyone." He threw my own words right back "Under one government," Jere­ at me. miah said softly. "I wanted . . ." I began. "Right. No wars, as I've heard "Shhh! Listen!" Mirom inter­ there are on some planets in the rupted. Her hand darted out and Galaxy," I said. turned up the volume control on WITNESS FOR TiiE PERSECUTION 65 the communicator. I had been "-They would have shot you vaguely aware that a news program dead." Jeremiah's voice was so calm had come on, but I was not pre­ and yet so forceful that I closed pared for what I heard. my mouth and stared at him. "... Walt Gayle, prominent "You heard what the report financier and managerial execu­ said," he went on. "But did you tive, is the object of a police search hear what it didn't say?" this evening. His office at 14 4 7 Mirom touched my arm. "Walt. Bergenholm Drive was destroyed Walt. Listen to him." The formal late this afternoon by a mysterious attitude which we had agreed to blast. Shortly thereafter, his home exhibit before others had deserted in the Crestwood Towers was sim­ her completely. "How could the ilarly destroyed. Gayle, thirty-one, police not know what caused the has been missing since just before damage? How could they not the time of the first explosion, in know?" which one man was seriously in­ I got it then. For the first time, jured. Also missing is his private real fear choked my throat. "The secretary, Miss Mirom Flood, police are in on it," I said hoarsely. twenty-six, who is believed to be "To some degree," Jeremiah with Gayle. No charges have as yet agreed. "Not, I think, in on the at­ been filed against Gayle or the tempted killings themselves, but Flood woman, but police officials they have at least been told to keep feel that Gayle can give informa­ their opinions to themselves." tion pertinent to the case. The rea­ "Somebody high up . . ." son for and the cause of the explo­ "More than one somebody," Jer­ sions have yet to be determined. emiah corrected. "Now, do you "On the North Coast today, a want to listen to the rest of my his­ slight tremor caused by the erup­ torical recit-ation?" tion of Mount Cherongal was-" Both Mirom and I nodded with­ I cut off the communicator, feel­ out speaking. ing rather savage. I glared at Jere­ Jeremiah eased off to the east. miah. I don't remember how my The river below us seemed to move voice sounded, but it must have to the left, making a bright, silvery been pretty vicious. ribbon in the light of Two as it "You!" I swallowed and tried dropped toward the horizon. again. "I've never run away from "Let's get back to the pattern, trouble in my life, damn you, but then," Jeremiah said. "Take Sys­ I ran this time because you pushed tem A. Similar to Barensstar's Sys­ me into it. Now they're looking for tem, as I said. A single government me as though I did it! If I'd stayed on the one inhabitable planet. The and explained, they-" Interstellar Traders sold one man 66 PANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION there the paragravity principle. He there is no attraction at all. Inside put it on the market and sold cheap that 'surface', if the body is small flyers that handled better and cost enough, the attraction can be set no more than this aircar. But they to give a one-gee field which will were capable of interplanetary hold an atmosphere. You can flight. Add a little instrumentation make a perfectly habitable planet and a small computer, and any out of a little planetoid. All you reasonably intelligent person have to do is bring in soil, air, wa­ could learn to take one to anywhere ter, plants, and animals-aU in that planetary system." picked to give a balanced et'Ology He turned his head to give me a -and you have a little world all single penetrating glance. "Where your own. did you intend to set up your quiet "It would've made a beautiful little retreat, Gayle? And how did place." you plan to go about it?" Jeremiah nodded. "And you I let out my breath. Defeat. "I never run from anything, eh?" found a planetoid," I said in a "No. Yes. What happened to voice that sounded dead in my System A?" I felt terribly tired. ears. "Half a kilometer in diame­ "Just what you think. People ter. Almost spherical. Plenty of went out to the planetoids. Big room on the surface. \Vould've ones, little ones-each to his own made a beautiful place." taste. The planetary government "How?" lost control over them. They had a "Spherical paragravity field. police fleet, of course, but the po­ The thing can do more than drive lice were reduced to the role of a ship. Put a generator in the cen­ stopping really vile crimes-mur­ ter of the planetoid and set the der, rape, and so on. Otherwise, a field for one gravity. The attrac­ planetoid dweller was allowed to tion only falls off linearly-ac­ live as he pleased, without regi­ cording to the first power of the mentation, without having to con­ distance. But it begins to phase form to a governmental norm, out, since it's actually two alter­ without having to please his nating fields. At a certain dis­ neighbors so long as he didn't tance-depending on the power harm them. applied-the two fields are ninety "Oh, there was no perfection degrees out of phase, and the there; don't think that. They had paragravity field vanishes. With all kinds of troubles-piracy, paragravity, every body in the uni­ robbery, claim-jumping, drug­ verse does not attract every other running, gambling troubles, and body. Beyond the spherical 'sur­ face' where the field phases out, "Well, you name it, they prob- WITNESS FOR THE PERSECUTION 67 ably had it. But it quieted down. the people of Barnesworld. De­ After all, they were dependent on mocracy is a great thing, Miss each other. I don't care how cozy Flood; the human race can't get a little terrarium you make of a along without it. But in a society little planetoid, you'll need im­ where the majority rules, what out ports. You can't build the facto­ does the minority have? ries you rieed on a hunk of rock a "There are times, Miss Flood, few hundred meters in diameter. when the only recourse a minor­ A man on a farm can live in isola­ ity group has is to perform that tion, all right, but only at the ex­ maneuver known in military sci­ pense of doing without the tech­ ence as the Tactic of Getting the nological developments that he Hell Out. has become accustomed to. What "Why do you think humanity does he do for medical care? What has spread throughout the Galaxy? does he do for repairs and replace­ Adventure? Exploration? Not pre­ ments? It becomes a case of 'co­ dominantly. Usually people go operate-or else.' somewhere else because they don't "There were some planetoids like the way things are going where the inhabitants cut them­ where they are. Oh, sure, there can selves off completely, with only a be a revolution, but that simply few men and a few women. The means that some other group be­ results after a generation were­ comes the minoritv. \Vhich means well, not unspeakable, but cer­ that the group in power must tainly not worth dwelling upon. watch for another revolution. But those cases were rare, and, in "There's a way to mask that, anv case not viable. naturally. A revolution is dan­ ''Eventuallv the svstem leveled gerous. People get killed. So you itself out. Because of the distance take the majority and split it into separating the thousands of colo­ two parts. It's a process that works nies, the people had freedom, but well in a regimented, but mori­ that was modified by the neces­ bund and self-satisfied societv. sity of co-operation." You call the two parts of the m~­ Mirom cleared her throat. jority group Tweedledum and "Were they-were they happy?" Tweedledee. Then you set it up so Jeremiah chuckled softly. that Tweedledum is in power. "Some of them. Not all, by any When the minority becomes fed means. But if they weren't happy, up to the ears with Tweedledum, they could always go somewhere you have a revolution-either else and try again. with guns or with ballots-and "Happy? I should say they then Tweedledee takes over. The were more likely to be happy than people are lulled into thinking 68 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION that there has been a change.­ man who bought the drive from Then, when people are sick and the Interstellar Traders, but he tired of Tweedledee, there is an­ sold the rights to eighty-nine dif­ other revolution and Tweedledum ferent companies and vanished­ comes back into power. Again the to his own little world. The swin­ people are lulled. Or gulled, if dled companies fought the injunc­ you prefer. tions to recoup their losses, won, "The point is that, while you and the same thing happened. are fooling most of the people most "In System D, the government of the time, you are hurting a few bought the specifications from the of the people all of the time. And company that bought from the they are trapped and can't get out Traders. That held things back for of it." nearly ten years, but the secret "And that," I said, "is the pat­ leaked out, and the emigrations tern you were talking about." started." Again he chuckled. "Oh, no. He paused and looked at me. Far from it. That pattern is as old "See the pattern?" as Mankind. No, friend Gayle; I "I see it," I said. was talking about the pattern that "What are we to do?'' asked has made a power group decide Mirom. that you-you, Walt Gayle­ "Do?" Jeremiah repeated with a were dangerous enough to kill." laugh. "Do? Why, you go into He touched Mirom's arm with one business and get your profits, my finger. "Would you be kind enough dear people. A businessman to turn the communicator back doesn't like to see a good thing go on, Miss Flood? We don't want to to waste, does he?" Then he ges­ miss anything." tured out the window. "Now, if She did so, but it was only an­ you'll be so good as to point out the other musical program. location of your little country vil­ "In System B," Jeremiah con­ la, we'll see what can be done tinued, "things went a little bit about this mess." differently. The government tried to prohibit space travel, to re­ I added carbonated water to a strict it to official government­ good hooker of seafruit brandy and sponsored trips. But the paragrav­ looked across the living room of ity drive is too easy to build if a my country house at Mirom, who group co-operates. Any aircar can was seated on the sofa sipping at be rebuilt to take a PG drive with her own drink. Jeremiah had tak­ a minimum of trouble. en the drink I'd mixed for him "In System C, the government and blithely excused himself, say­ brought injunctions against the ing he wanted to use my study and WITNESS FOR THE PERSECUTION 69 my private communicator. Mirom World is a legend. And even if it lifted her eyes and they met mine. isn't, Jeremiah denied it when you "Does that make us Svstem E in accused him of it." the sequence?" she asked softly. She smiled a little. "Watch "I doubt it," I said. "More likely your pronouns, dear." Then the J or K-or maybe Z. We've got to smile faded. "Besides, he didn't face the fact that Barnesworld is a deny it. I asked him if he was a rather backward planet, Mirom. Trader because I've heard that lf-uh-certain powerful men Traders come from the Twin know about A, B, C, and D, how Planets. He laughed, remember? many are there they don't know Then he said that he wasn't a about?" Trader and that the Traders don't She nodded. "And how many come from the Twin Planets. He that Jeremiah didn't mention? never once said that he didn't How many are there where the come from there." government succeeded in killing When I thought back, I real­ the man who bought the para­ ized she was right. "That still gravity specifications from a doesn't mean anything," I said Trader?" stubbornly. I took a swallow of my drink. "No," she said softly, "I sup­ "Thanks for the cheering pose not." She sipped at her drink thought," I said. again. "Walt?" "You're not dead yet, darling," "Yes?" she said, "and I don't think you "I've always thought our gov­ will be. I trust Jeremiah." ernment was a good one, an honest "So do I, damn it, and I don't one, one we could trust. Now know why." I waved a hand in the I'm terrified." general direction of my study. I thought that over before I said "We hardly know the man! It's anything. "I don't think it's the only been a matter of hours, and government as such," I said after a yet here we are, doing exactly moment. "Only certain individ­ what he says, and-and liking it! uals in it. I doubt if it's official Why?" government policy." Her gray eyes looked straight "You mean that the govern­ into mine. "Maybe I'm a child, ment is all right, but the people Walt. Maybe I'm a romantic. But who are in office are wrong? I still say he's from the Double Where do you draw the line, World. He's got mental powers Walt? If you have a hundred men that-that you and I can never in the Council, how many of understand." them can be warped and vicious "Fiddle-faddlel The Double while the Council remains bon- 70 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION est? One? Ten? Fifty? Ninety­ them. I'm a customer. I have ex­ nine?" clusive rights on Barnesworld. I Before I could answer that one, have to be protected. But why Jeremiah came out of my study, weren't the others protected, in an empty glass in his hand. those other systems you told us "Drink up, my hearties. Time to about?" go. Come along." 'These things take time, Gayle. "What now?" I asked. i\lirom If you accidentally sell a few was already on her feet. hundred cases of poisoned berries, "Back to the city. We're not a lot of people are going to get safe here any longer. Hurry." sick before the news gets back to Two minutes later, we were you and you can start an investi­ back in the aircar, heading south gation going." toward the city. The night was "This is the first investigation, black, now. The bright gem of then?" Two had set, and only a sprinkling "Not exactlv. This is the first of stars gleamed in the sky. time the antidote has been ad­ Jeremiah had settled himself ministered in time." comfortably in the driver's seat. "How do you equate poisoned "Gayle," he said conversationally, berries with the paragravity ef­ "you're a good businessman. \Vhat fect?" I asked him. would you do if you found that "Haven't you ever heard that every time a customer bought one perfectly harmless berries can be of your products, he became vio­ poisonous to certain people? Al­ lently sick?" lergy, my dear Gayle; allergy. "I'd stop all sales of the product There are certain kinds of govern­ and find out what was wrong ments which are allergic to para­ with it," I replied immediately. gravity-and other things, which "But what if the product wasn't we won't go into now. There is at fault?" nothing wrong with the product; "I'd still stop sales. I'd inves.ti­ we have to cure the allergy. It re­ gate until I found out what was quires rather drastic measures, but wrong. Hell, you've got to protect it can be done. Indeed, it nzust be your customer." done." "Excellent, Gayle! Excellent! "How do you mean, 'drastic'?" I You're a man after my own heart. asked. Now, suppose you're an Interstel­ "Well ..." There was a note lar Trader." of apology in his voice. "You have "I'm not stupid," I said. "I saw suffered some losses. Your office. that one coming. The Traders Your apartment." don't give things away; they sell "They're insured," I said. "Be- WITNESS FOlt THE PERSECUTION 71 sides, it wasn't your fault. I don't Vysington, and knew nothing of mind collecting damage insur­ the destruction of his office and ance, but I'd just as soon my life city apartment. He was quoted as insurance stays in effect for a saying: 'It is apparent that some­ while. You saved my life twice." one or some group is attempting to "I do believe you're developing kill me. I do not know why. I have a sense of humor, Gayle. But reported to the police and have don't be too grateful." He glanced asked for police protection.' at the timepiece on the control "Subsequent investigation has panel. "Miss Flood, would you be shown this to be true, according so good as to tune in the news to the Herald report. The police, broadcast?" said the Herald, had plenty of The news came in loud and time to get to the Gayle home to clear. prevent the attack and did not do ''This is Roj Harmon with the so. The Herald demands an in­ news from Capitol City. A flash vestigation. This station can verify bulletin has just come in. Only officially the Herald report, since minutes ago, the country home of Mr. Gayle also communicated Walt Gayle, wanted for question­ with the news office here before ing in regard to the destruction of the bombing took place. Captain his office and home here in Capi­ Varse, of the Vysington branch of tol City, was bombed with deadly the police, admitted that Gayle gas from an unidentified aircar. If called his office and asked for pro­ anyone had been in the house, ac­ tection. No explanation of the cording to experts, he would have failure of the police to act has been died within seconds. The damage forthcoming. to the house was slight, but the "Gayle's lawyer, the Honorable area around it was deadly for sev­ Janik Thrane, has also issued a eral minutes and is still unsafe. statement. Gayle, he says, is filing Police officers wearing gas masks suit against the police for neglect report that the house was empty of duty and endangering the life although the lights were on. of a citizen. The amount of the "A special communique from suit has as yet been undisclosed. the Capitol City Herald reports "On the North Coast, mean­ that the entire incident was due to while, the eruption of Mount police laxity. According to the re­ Cherongal has . . .'' port, Gayle himself communi­ Mirom turned the volume down cated with the Herald shortly be­ low. I stared at Jeremiah. fore the gas bombing, saying that "My apologies," he said before I he had been in his country home, could open my mouth. "I found it located a few kilometers east of necessary to imitate your voice. 72 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION We now have them blocked. You Most people in this sector think are vindicated, dear boy; vindi­ the Twin Planets are just a leg­ cated." end." "How?" I said at last. "I'm still I found my own voice. ''You not out of the soup." I was too con­ mean you really are a Loonairthi­ fused to protest. an?" "Certainly you are. The gov- He nodded again. ''Yes. You've ernment has to save face now." slurred the name. We call the "But will they?" Double World-Luna-Earth. Ac­ "How could they do else?'' tually, the planets are not twins, "1\Ir. Jeremiah," Mirom inter­ though they revolve about a com­ rupted, "just who are you?" mon center. Luna is smaller, but "Jeremiah." He smiled. we've had paragravity for more "I mean, what do you do? two thousand years. You're not from Barnesworld." "Knowledge, you see, must be "No," he said, ''I'm not. You're spread slowly and carefully." quite perceptive, Miss Flood. I'm I had nothing to say. sort of a troubleshooter, you might Mirom suddenly turned up the say." volume on the communicator. "For the Interstellar Traders?'' "Flash bulletin! An Interstellar "In a way. But mainly for hu­ Trader ship has entered the at­ manity. Bamesworld is back­ mosphere above Capitol City. A wards, terribly so. And there are communication demands immedi­ others-too many others-like it ate protection for their customer, in the Galaxy. The Interstellar Mr. Walt Gayle. They ..." Traders, from the more advanced But I didn't listen. Above the planets, try to spread knowledge city, I could see the great bulk of through the Galaxy, but occasion­ the gigantic interstellar ship, ally they have to call for help glowing in the lights from the when they run into trouble. We city itself. try to oblige." "They've been waiting in a high "By 'we' you mean-the Dou­ orbit," Jeremiah said softly. ble World?" she asked slowly. "You're perfectly safe now, Gayle. He nodded. "Yes. As I said, You can go on about your busi­ you're very perceptive, Miss Flood. ness." THE SCIENCE SPRINGBOARD

DESYNCHRONOSIS by Theodore L. Thomas

THE MALADY CALLED DESYN· discharge adrenaJin into the blood· chronosis is a disarray of the body's stream. Only in this manner can metabolic functions. It occurs the body be brought to its physi­ when a man swiftly travels from cal and mental peak. In desyn· his own part of the world to an- chronosis, the adrenals do their other part on a different time work on their original schedule, schedule. A New Yorker pops over one that is out of time with the ex­ to Baghdad where it is 9 o'clock isting schedule. And the adrenals in the morning and everybody is aren't all. Body temperatures flue­ starting the day's work. But the tuate on the accustomed schedule. New Yorker's body is geared to It has now been established that the time of one o'clock in the in treating some diseases, the drugs morning back in New York when had better be given on the basis of decent citizens are in bed. So his the patient's original time zone. body reacts by exhibiting fatigue, The aerospace medical people mental dullness, confusion, and arc not too concerned with desyn­ upset stomach. Be's in no shape chrony among astronauts. For one to do much of anything useful. thing, they can keep to the sched­ The armed services and many cor- ules of the mother country. But porations have been finding this on the moon, things may be dif­ out. It takes 4 to 7 days to get ferent unless the men can stick to back to a condition that is approxi· their original schedules. Mars will mately normal. be no problem once the men settle It used to be thought that sleep down. Its day is only 3 7 minutes was the only body function that longer than an earth day. followed the accustomed day-night The deeper the scientists look, cycle. It now turned out that the the more built-in cycles they find adrenal glands do, too. A few in the human body. Almost cer· hours before a man normally tainly there will be more. The awakens, the adrenals begin to twice-a-day cycle of the ocean tides 73 74 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION is probably there. Perhaps there is creatures of the sun, the sun's cy­ also imbedded a subtle four-a-year cles might be impressed on us, cycle to account for the four sea­ cycles of flares, sunspots and all. sons of the temperate zones. A In short, we might be more earth­ large-scale cycle of a year might lings than we think, firmly and be. there, too, exerting some un­ irrevocably wedded to the surgings known influence. Since we are and cyclings of good mother earth.

IMIH•

COMING NEXT MONTH They had come a long way from the vindictiveness of the Old Testament abjuration, an eye for an eye ... Now a criminal's mind could be wiped clean of the memories which haunted him, the memories which drove him and made of him the criminal that he was. And, in the place of these poluted memories, new ones could be planted-soft memories, gentle memories, memories of . . . what? I REMEMBER OBLIVION, by Henry Slesar, provides a chill­ ing answer. This is the strange story of a confrontation be­ tween a Count and a Commissioner-between the dusty splendor of the past and the hesitant future. Its result will come as a nightmarish surprise, but you can believe the story or not, just as you wish.

THE NEW MEN

by Joanna Russ

THIS. IS THE STORY OF COMMIS· prove it. But the French are like sioner Ivan Mihailovich Glespov, that. who traveled from the Russian A few years ago, in the winter border to the experimental virol­ of 1985 or 1986, the local driver ogy clinic near Lwow, and you employed by Commissioner Gles­ may believe it or not,. just as you pov-who was traveling in a pri­ wish. I got it from a friend, who vate car in the direction already got it from another friend, who mentioned-lost his way near got it from a French journalist dusk, and they found themselves in Prague, who had become curi­ in a Polish country road, bounc· ous about the Socialist govern­ ing over ruts frozen steel-hard, be­ ment's latest cultural effort to re­ tween fields that were as white­ store the architectural monuments and as flat-and as dreary-as of Poland; and who swears that one can possibly imagine. Com· among the cultural embassies the miSSIOner Glespov, who was two great uneasy friends have watching the landscape out of a been slinging at each other late­ particular personal unease, noted ly (we have all seen the results only a few huts or farm buildings on television) this one is different at first gray in the white and then and he has chapter and verse to a darker gray against the graying 75 76 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION dusk, but he saw-or thought he die of the fields, but half in ruin saw-a kind of chateau set in the of course, with part of the upper middle of the fields; upon which storeys missing, and fallen stone­ he turned up the heating control work all around it. It reminded (they were traveling in a '72 Glespov strongly of a motion-pic­ Chevrolet bought from the Ameri­ ture set he had seen once on a can embassy) to the highest posi­ visit to the Kazakh Regional Film tion (he was still shivering,) Center, when the company was rapped on the glass partition and engaged in filming a historical said: epic based on Pushkin's poems, "What's that? Is that a and he stood and gaped at the museum?" building with his lap-robe trail­ But he never found out, for at ing behind him, like an old man this point the car's engine died. in a bathrobe who has just taken They came to a stop. Commis­ out all his teeth. But Glespov was sioner Glespov (he had been in decisive-there were years when charge of the urban vehicular he had had to be-and he was not transport of a large city in the interested in sensations but in a Ukraine) sat wrapped in his lap­ place to sleep; so he knocked and robe while the driver went out­ tried out his execrable Polish on side and tried to start the motor; the peasant who answered. The but at length the· driver disap­ man let him in. Although Glespov peared down the road, with many saw at once that the place was un­ apologies in rural Polish, while inhabited, it was out of the cold Glespov (who was already begin­ and he had no mind to start back ning to grow cold) rolled up the across the fields immediately. I window and sat looking out onto also believe he had a sneaking fields fast indistinguishable from curiosity to see the country-house the gathering night. At length he from the inside and form some began to think that his driver was idea of how the gentry lived when not coming back-or at least not they did live, for it occurred to soon-and when he saw, or him that the film set might not thought he saw, a light in the have been entirely accurate. So he chateau, he gathered his lap-robe waved aside the peasant, who was about him, stepped out of the car, talking to him earnestly in lan­ and trudged across the fields. guage he could not understand, sat down on what was left of the The chateau was a kind of grand staitcase, and was about to mansion. It was an overblown shout angrily that he was a sick 18th century Petit Trianon and man and must be left in peace rather ludicrous out in the mid- ( Glespov had been famous at one THE NEW MEN 77 time for his rages) when he rea­ thus he merely sat and stared at lized that there was a third person his host; and I believe that some in the room. Someone-holding part of him exclaimed with satis­ a candle-was standing in the faction : "This is better than the shadowy end of the grand ball­ Kazakh Film Center!" room, just standing and looking And indeed it was. The gentle­ at Commissioner Glespov, and not man that Glespov saw advance in­ indicating by even a flicker of the to the room was a gentleman in a candlelight whether or not he sense that no one is, or has been, liked what he saw or what he was in Europe for some time. He put going to do about it. his candle down on an immense Glespov's first reaction, as he oak table in the center of the room afterwards confessed, was nothing and stood behind it, against dusty, at all. He expected the "old peo­ torn hangings that had been an­ ple," as he called the country tiques three hundred years before; people, to use candles in out-of­ and the candlelight dimly and the-way places; Russians, better delicately picked out the lace at than anyone else, know the diffi­ his cuffs, the gold embroidery on culty of changing rural thinking. his coat, the glittering folds of the It was only when the third person black cloak he held over one arm, moved forward and Glespov got a all the trappings of nobility that good look at him that Glespov be­ no living man has worn in Europe· came frightened; not that he was -or anywheres else-for more a superstitious man or thought he than thirteen generations. was seeing ghosts, but for reasons "Ah_!l, so you're making a film?" quite different. Sixty years before, said Glespov while the stranger, he would have run out into the turning to the peasant who had fields to rouse the villagers, cold stood obsequiously at the door all or no cold; forty years before he this while, said something very might have run for the police; but sharp; and the peasant vanished contemporary Glespov had no immediately. The door swung wild thoughts about witnessing shut with a little click. The the presence of one of the old stranger brought his face down aristocracy, nor did he believe in to the level of his candle-he ap­ actual counter-revolutionary plots. peared to be sitting down on a He did think for a minute of run­ bench next to the table-and the ning for the alienist. I~ even oc­ shadows flowed after themselves curred to him that he•'might be over his face, turning it sinister, going mad himself, but he had flat, and then hollow, all in turn. never done so before and saw no Glespov saw a young man, pale, reason why he should begin now; lean, expressionless, with hair 78 PANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION falling untidily to his shoulders. He intended to make some excuse The young man said: about his driver and go, but be­ "I am the Count Jan Wisnio· fore he could open his mouth the wiecki." peasant who had let him in re· Glespov answered, a bit apol· turned through the front door and ogetically (and he was sorry the locked it, plodding across the floor minute the words left his mouth): to hand the key to his master, but "There are no classes in the very reluctant to get too close to People's Republic of Poland!" him. It occurred to Glespov that "I don't follow such things," this madman had what he himself said the stranger, perfectly un­ had never possessed; that is, the ruffled, "You must tell me about power to inspire absolute terror, them yourself," and he rose, and for a single moment he felt picked up the candle, and stepped immensely envious; he even across the long stone floor to what thought "Yes, they had something seemed to Glespov to be a fire­ in the old davs," and he watched place, where he stooped and lit with awe as the servant came by the kindling that was piled not him, for the man was literallv very neatly in the center. The shaking in his shoes. The Com{t light of the little fire threw wob­ jabbed the air with his thumb, bly shadows all over the room, and the servant fetched from the making it look more than ever like wardrobe a bottle and glass which a cavern: the big table, the bench, he placed on the table. a kind of wardrobe that appeared "We shall have to put you up to have escaped utter ruin, and down here," said the Count. "If portraits on the walls, ranks of you were to go upstairs, you them, all kinds of them, but all would be quite open to the infinitely dirty, infinitely uncared­ weather; it is all a ruin up there," for, the kind of thing that would and he nodded as Glespov poured happen to a museum if it were no himself a drink-brandy, as Gles­ longer a museum but a haunt for pov saw on the bottle, reading field-mice, rabbits, the rain, scav­ with difficulty. He wiped his engers, and all kinds of bad mouth, trembling, with the back weather. Glespov shivered. of his hand, and poured himself "Count-?" he said. another glass, saying "Ahl that's "Jan Wisniowiecki," said the something, my dear fellow!" other, "Descended from the great "Yet, that's something," said Jagiello." He spoke Russian but the Count, watching his guest with some accent. "You'll be more drink with a quiet, intent and al· comfortable now," he said. Gles­ together vigilant regard, a kind of pov got to his feet with an effort. still intensity that puzzled Gles· THE NEW MEN 79 pov, who poured himself a third until the dust is a gauze film over brandy, saying after he drank­ everything and underneath can be he had a kind of superstitious be­ glimpsed-but only dimly and in­ lief in the medicinal value of accurately-the original beauty, alcohol- as if embalmed, like half-razed "So YOU reallv live here, eh?" letters on an old monument. Gles­ That ~ade hin; nervous, to say pov blinked. He said "You come it. He looked carefully at the here sometimes, eh ?" He thought Count. He clucked to himself and of the neurotic character as de­ stared about the big room, re­ fined by his wife from the article membering what his wife had re­ in Gaz. Lit. and about the fixation cently read in Gazeta Literaturn­ to the past which corresponds, in aya about the new Freudian anal­ a social sense, to an attempt to ysis of characters. He said "Not escape the dialectic of the histori­ that some of your things aren't cal process; he thought "nostalgia; -very beautiful-full of culture yes, yes," and shivered a little, for -" and remembering his summer he had always had the deepest re­ villa on the Black Sea, furnished spect for the historical process, with what seemed to him the even when his daughter was dis­ quintessence of modernity, he ciplined for deviationist remarks longed to be back on the terrace, in high school. He said blurrily, overlooking the sparkling blue "Well, you're young," and nodded waves and playing bridge. He said a few times to the Count-now "Yes, very cultured, but still-!" by his side in some unaccountable and downed his brandy. It was manner-helped him up and over better than nothing, though he to a cot on the far side of the longed for food. It was better, in great fireplace, holding his elbow fact, than any he had ever tasted with unwavering courtesy, re­ (though perhaps not as strong as marking his stumbling and his what he was used to) so he took yawns and shivers without the another. slightest comment. Glespov found "Everything in this house is himself shouting suddenly "You'­ old," said the Count, with no re young! You're young!" and particular expression on his young trying to pull off his expensive, face; he shook his sleeve taking conservative shoes, recalling the out therefrom a lace handkerchief; urban transit authority and scenes and Glespov saw (through an in­ from the opera of Lermontov's creasing brandy fog) that all his life, but all mixed up-no doubt clothes were old, old and incred­ because of the brandy-with ibly dirty, incredibly dusty, like memories of his daughter's ter­ clothes left too long in an attic rible disgrace and the motion- 80 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION picture studio in Kharkhov, where women, the glasses, the elegant he had chatted for half an hour company, even the furniture, he with a young actress and had per­ -Commisioner Glespov-was mitted himself the rare indul­ ashamed and could find nothing gence of imagining what it might at all to say. At length, said be like to have an affair with a Glespov, he managed to whisper really pretty woman-though he "But it's gone! it's all gone!" and had always been very fond of his tlte Count-who seemed extra­ wife who was a physician and had ordinary handsome at this point, wide interests. Then he fell asleep though it puzzled Glespov to be and maintains that he remembers able to see him in the dark, as nothing else until morning. the fire had quite clearly gone out However, from certain docu­ -murmured gently "Aren't you ments and various bits of evi­ too afraid of death, Comrade?" dence, it did become clear that which remark (said Glespov) mixed up with all this material chilled him to the heart, for such was something else, and that in thoughts had been much in his the middle of the night, Ivan mind lately. He was not a well Mihailovich Glespov had a rather man. He tried to cry out, but as extraordinarv dream. He dreamed one does in dreams, could not; he (though he ·later denied it) that tried to get out of bed and could he heard a ''oice calling his name not do that either; then it oc­ softly and opened his eyes to find curred to him that he was asleep, his host bending over him in the upon which he tried to open his light from the dying fire. He said eyes, fleeted through a long suc­ that the young man's grey eyes cession of dreams in which he were as clear as a child's and his woke, fell asleep, got up, found face as fresh and pale; he sat next himself again, and finally woke to Glespov, smiling gravely, and up. said: The fire was very low and smok­ "Ivan Mihailovich, you must ing. The uncurtained high win­ tell me about the People's Repub­ dow, half boarded-up, showed lic of Poland." through occasional openings the But Glespov could not say a deep blue of the beginning of word. Then it seemed to him that dawn. It was very cold. Sick, the young man held him with his dizzy, shivering in the dusty eyes until, in his mind, there ap­ blankets he had drawn round his peared a vision of the room as it overcoat, the Commissioner man­ had once been in life, and that aged to sit up. He was afraid he against the living presence of had grown much worse during long-dead splendor, the beautiful the night. ·He got out of bed, TilE NEW MEN 81 clacking his false teeth half in on the stone and inspiring Gles­ nervousness and half absent­ pov with an irrational horror mindedly: gray-haired, stooped, above the terrified weakness he al­ weak and wrinkled, the very pro­ ready felt, a horror (so he said) totype of an old man. He envied of seeing the madman's private his host's youth. He wandered a p«rts, for it seemed to him that a few steps over the cold stone floor body so wracked, so driven, so when a bundle of rags caught his abused must long ago have been eye under one of the windows. He turned into a thing, a puppet, a had already started towards it piece of wood; and that such a when it began to move; he did puppet should still carry the in· not realize for a second what it testines, the skin, the organs of was, but stopped in a premonition a human being, seemed to him of unpleasantness (he thought it thoroughly unbearable. The Count might be an animal come through had risen to his feet, swaying, and some break in the walls from out­ stumbled upon Glespov with fists side in the fields) and then some­ clenched above his head; the thing pale turned up and outward Commisisoner, terrified, could not from the bundle of rags. It was move; the dry, distorted, shocking the face of the Count. white face hissed out "Youl Poi· Never, says Glespov, had he sonerl" and at that moment the gone. through anything like that. Count's body, dead as a log of Never, although he had served in wood, fell on top of Commissioner the Battle of Moscow and had Glespov, burying him (he said) gone through his share of liber­ in an avalanche like the contents ating the concentration camps, of an ancient wardrobe, dusty, never had he seen insanity like choking, smothering and horrible. that. The man was crouching be­ He fainted. When he woke, sun­ low the window on all fours like light was streaming through the an animal, his face was white as windows and the Count was gone. paper and disfigured with a long Commissioner Glespov, a sick smear of blood, and for his ex­ man, past sixty, gathered his lap­ pression-Glespov, who had been robe around his coat and staggered in the War, would not speak of it; out of that Polish country man­ it was mere insane rage, it was sion, cold or no cold-into the diseased, it was unhuman. Gles­ arms of his driver, who had been pov, who could hardly stand for trying to force the door since sun­ illness, was in a better way than rise. the Count, who could not stand And that is why, according to at all; yet he dragged himself a French journalist stationed in across the floor, tearing his clothes Prague, the Soviet government has 82 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION been so insistent latelv about re­ their gold teeth and the Polish storing the architect~ral monu­ government is absolutely furi­ ments of Poland. If you put your ous. ear to the Polish earth, savs he, Glespov died several months you can all but hear them.: like later, quite comfortably, at the a team of beavers, tapping walls, virology clinic near Lwow despite crating statuary, opening crypts, the advanced treatments for leu­ and excavating foundations; they kemia given him at that truly ad­ are admired by the country peo­ mirable institution. ple for their vitality, their cheer­ But you can believe the story fulness, their square haircuts and or not, just as you wish.

CHANGING YOUR ADDRESS? The lVIagazine of FANTASY and SCIENCE FICTION will follow you anwhere providing you let us know six weeks in advance. Please be sure to give us your old address as well as the new one, and be sure to add the ZIP number. (If convenient, send the address label from the wrapper of the next copy of F&SF you receive.) MERCURY PUBLICATIONS Subscription Service 34 7 East 53 Street New York, N. Y. 10022 The computers were refusing to predict beyond the year 2060. The rising anxiety grew to a sense of impending doom. Yet no one could pinpoint the reasons-until Regent paid a visit to the circus.

THE WAY BACK

by D. K. Findlay

IT BEGAN AS A RISING ANXIETY, risen quickly through the ranks of everyone felt it. Some people de­ Control, he was marked for high scribed it as a feeling that they office; Holcomb remained an ob­ were being watched all the time. scure teacher with a reputation of Others experienced bursts of panic having a leaning towards heretical fear that set them running-it did theories. not matter where they ran, they "What do you make of all this?" had to run somewhere. Regent asked him. Many joined in the movement "I am reminded of the lem­ to go live in the open spaces of mings." Arizona and Canada. Among "I seem to have heard of them." those who remained in the old "A mouse-like creature, now ex­ cities there were emotional out­ tinct. At a certain point in their bursts and strange scenes. It population cycle, when they were seemed that the expectation of numerous, they ran about aimless­ some world-wide catastrophe had ly; they left their homes and trav­ become universal. elled great distances. Eventually One evening Regent, a young they reached the sea and were career man in the Office of Public drowned." Order met an old friend in the "We have population control." crowd, Holcomb, a biologist. They "I wasn't thinking of over-popu­ had been boys together, now they lation. I was considering the fact rarely saw each other. Regent had that the creatures became nervous- 83 84 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION ly disorganized. Like these." He yet recognized. Don't repeat the waved his hand at the crowd. "We story, it will only increase the dis­ seem to have a parallel here. This orders." unease seems to be the nervousness "Listen-" of a whole species. It may be that The crowd had heard it too­ some instinct has informed man the sound of a siren-and imme­ that his existence as the dominant diately became quiet, not the quiet species is threatened." of fear but interest. Down the "We know pretty well that there avenue came officers of the Corps is no other dominant species. We of Public Order preceding a car have spent billions in space and in which rode the Director of the found none." Civic Arts. The body of her limou­ "I was not thinking of outer sine was of glass so that all might space. All species come to an end, see her. She was breath-taking, a you know. They are usually de­ superb example of the blended stroyed by some other species. blood, white, brown, yellow and What is this rumor about the black. computers?" Her office was not important Regent looked around cautious­ but her power was almost equal to ly to see that he was not over­ that of the leaders of the govern· heard. "It is true. They refuse to ment. For the people loved her, predict beyond the year 2060." they gave her the adulation that "Is it a case of man influencing used to be given to queens and fa­ the machine?" mous actresses. They never tired of "No, we know there is nothing repeating the legends of her orig­ wrong with the programming. ins, a poor girl from one of the Calculations are not affected, outer isles of Asia, who had risen they go on to infinity. It is only to wealth and power because of when a prophetic projection is re­ her beauty and personal magnet· quired that they do not answer or ism. answer without meaning. For ex­ Now the people pressed about ample, if you ask how much power her car, shouting her name. will be required by transit Alpha "Lila! Lila!" in 2 061, they will tell you. But if She smiled for them, she waved you ask how many passengers will a hand. The car proceeded slowly use transit Alpha in 2061, they so that all might have a good look. will not answer or answer none." As it came opposite the two friends "Very odd." Lila noticed Regent. She gave him "The mathematicians think it is a swift private gesture as she because the stored memory indi­ passed. cates some trend that we have not "So the rumors are true," said THE WAY BACK 85 Holcomb. "You are a lucky man." "She was Dr. Phorus' last pa­ Regent, handsome and ardent, tient. He was my teacher, you was looking after the retreating know, an authority on blood dis­ car. "Wherever Lila is there are ru­ ease. He attended her during that mors. Look at the way the people illness you mention. I am writing run after her car." a memorial on his work, the au­ "Does she like travelling in that thorities seem strangely indiffer­ rather noisy way?" ent to him, almost a conspiracy of "No. She does it on account of silence." the people, who like to see her. She is really a part of the machinery of Rumors began to be heard from Public Order, she does easily what the people who had left the cities we have to do by force." to live in the empty spaces, the "And all these stories-?" deserts, the far-off islands. The "Are just stories." stars were growing brighter, they "They say she has some sort of said, they seemed to be coming organization of her own. Almost closer. Also there were strange a private army." lights in the heavens they had "She doesn't need a private never seen before. army. It is a pleasure and a privi­ The observatories of the world lege to serve her. She dazzles us were beseiged for their opinions all." but they gave evasive answers. "It is pretty clear that she has People, they said, were always dazzled you," said Holcomb. "It is finding that the stars seemed a pity she can't have children. brighter in the open spaces; there Her particular blend of blood were always strange lights in the which makes her so beautiful has heavens, especially in times of also made her sterile." trouble. They pointed out that the "What would happen if she be­ presence of certain gases or a thin­ came pregnant?" ning of the earth's atmosphere "One chance in a million. The would give the impression that the child would be stillborn, she her­ celestial bodies were closer and self might die of the M.F. blood brighter. disease." There was one question they "She nearly died of it three categorically refused to answer. years ago. She was very ill; it was Any announcement on that sub­ kept quiet." ject would have to come from the "Will you take me to see her government. sometime?" By now it seemed clear to ev­ Regent was amused. "\Vhy?" eryone that the stars were indeed Has she dazzled you as well?" brighter and clearer; crowds stood 86 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION still in the streets to watch and re­ party, to which people were in­ fused to move. Reluctantly, the vited to attend in the costumes government made the announce­ they wished to meet the last day. ment: there was some evidence The ball was a great success ex­ that the universe had ceased to ex­ cept for the affair of Holcomb. pand and had begun to contract. Some time before, Regent had The news ran about the world asked Lila in a private interview in a flash, setting off panics and if he might bring Holcomb to her. riots. In an attempt to calm the "He's not distinguished 'or in­ people, the scientists declared fluential but he is honest and well­ that even if no other factor inter­ meaning and an old friend." vened, contraction was a long "\Vhat does he want?" process, there would be something "He's a biologist, he is prepar­ like eighty-three million years be­ ing a memorial to one of his fore the universe came together in teachers who attended you at one an enormous explosion. time. He thinks his work was not Regent visited Holcomb in his appreciated by the authorities." modest living quarters. "Very well." She was not much "What do vou think now?" interested. She had just come from "If the u~iverse has begun to the bath, her skin, the color of a contract and the cosmic clock has nectarine, glowed with its even turned backward, then evolution luster. She wore a wig to match will reverse itself. The big ques­ it; her own hair was dark and tion is: will it retrace the same shaggy and was usually kept cov­ steps in the same order? Will we ered. She had strange eyes, brown go down the ladder again, through with yellow lights, in which the paws and tails and fins, back to legend said no one had ever seen the reptiles and beyond to the tears. sea?" "Come here," she said. ''Not likely. We know too much. He approached diffidently. Man is still in control." 'What is this I hear about your "For how long? Think-if the having a girl?" cosmic clock has already turned He was taken by surprise, he back, there are among us creatures stammered. "A girl?-1 have no which reflect the change, the be­ girl-" ghming of the change downward. "I do not wish you to have a No wonder man as a species has girl. There is plenty of time for become nervous." girls. No girls for you until I say Only Lila refused to take the so. Kiss me." situation seriously. She gave a He trembled. She laughed. "I grand ball, an End of the World like men to tremble." THE WAY BACK 87 When the time came at the ball thread. Give up this idea of writ­ to present Holcomb, Regent felt a ing a biography, forget about Dr. few misgivings. Holcomb had for­ Phorus." gotten to wear a costume or had Holcomb, though pale, was ob­ not been told to; he looked out of stinate. "He was a good man and a place among the elaborately­ good doctor. And he died in her dressed officials. He looked small service." and humble and Lila did not care "How did he die?" for small, humble men. But Re­ "Of M.F. blood infection, ac­ gent was not prepared for the ex­ cording to the hospital records. plosion which followed. Two members of the staff and a He had led him up the grand nurse died at the same time." stairway to the hall where Lila "Take my advice, forget the was receiving favored guests and whole business." introduced him. Lila received him graciously, overlooking his lack of These were troubled days for costume, and Regent, relieved, the Department of Public Order stepped back out of earshot. Hol­ and Regent was busy. A week la­ comb had scarcely begun to speak ter Holcomb appeared on his vis­ when there was an extra-ordinary ual. change in Lila. She came to a "Will you come with me to­ blaze with anger. She raised her night? I have seen something very voice in fury. strange." "Get this man out of here! At "Has it anything to do with Dr. once." Phorus?" Regent hurried him away. "I think I know why he died. 'What on earth did you say to That is only part of it, I think I her?" am on to something important, Holcomb was shaken and be­ desperately important. Will you wildered. "I don't know-I had come with me?" hardly begun-I just spoke of her But Regent was out of patience illness and Dr. Phorus being in at­ with Holcomb, he was brusque, he tendance on her when she flew refused. A few days afterward, he into a rage. 'I forbid you to speak saw Holcomb's name on the list of of that man,' she said. Why is she missing persons. so mad at him?" Regent himself took charge of "I don't know." the investigation. Holcomb had "I don't understand." not appeared at his lodging-house, "I don't understand either. But his pupils had not seen him. Re­ it is no slight thing to incur Lila's gent could find no clue as to the displeasure-your job hangs by a reason for his disappearance. He 88 l'ANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION had left no message, his affairs Regent thought about it: he re­ seemed to be in order. There was membered Holcomb's speculation no record of an arrest or his being that the process of evolution might admitted to a hospital. He had now be in reverse. \Vas it possible vanished into the air. that he had seen among the ani­ Then one night he saw him mals of the menagerie something again on the Watcher. that might explain his excitement? It had long ago been found He decided to pay the circus a necessary to monitor the move­ visit. ments of the people. The Watcher cameras were as common as traf­ He was expected that night at fic lights used to be; day and night Lila's. He called on her visual to thev scanned the streets and say that he could not come. squ.ares and places of public re­ She was not pleased. "Why?" sort. Regent was studying the tapes "Official business. A disappear­ of the previous days when Hol­ ance: You remember Holcomb the comb's picture leaped out at him. little biologist who had the bad He was walking along in a crowd luck to annoy you? He has disap­ and it was clear that he was in a peared. We are tracing his move­ state of excitement. ments." The experts were brought in to "I had forgotten him. Let some­ comment on the tapes. one else look for him." "This is a part of the crowd "You see, I feel somewhat re­ leaving the theater area. The time, sponsible. He spoke to me the eleven o'clock, also coincides." night he disappeared-he was Regent looked at a list of thea­ quite excited. He said he had seen ter offerings but he could find something extraordinary, he want­ nothing there to attract Holcomb. ed me to go with hi!D somewhere. "I do not think he was at a But I wouldn't go. Now we have a theater." clue, we have his picture on the "There is also a circus." Watcher tape." The circus, which for a time "Where had he been?" had almost disappeared, had be­ "He was coming from the come popular again. As a young amusement area. Perhaps the cir- man Holcomb had gone often, he cus. " was always interested in the ani­ She was surprised. "I thought mals. only children went to the circus." "Has this circus a menagerie?" "Oh, people still go. Wherever Yes, there was a menagerie­ he had been, he seemed quite ex­ elephants, tigers, the usual circus cited." animals. "Let someone else look for him. THE WAY BACK 89 I want you." She came close on the ried into the ring. It was a family screen, a mark of intimacy, and of chimpanzees which wore looked at him directly. She knew clothes, rode bicycles and ate with her power, no man could resist her. knives and forks. "I'll come," he said. Regent was sitting close to them, he could smell their odor. But instead, taking a long The trainer brought in a young fe­ chance, he went to the circus. male in his arms; she was dressed There it seemed that he had in a brilliant yellow costume, needlessly risked his career, for blouse and pants and a party hat. there seemed to be nothing out of He put her down and she sat ape­ the ordinary at the circus. He fashion, her arms dangling, watch­ watched the animals and they ing not the trainer but the people were the usual menagerie animals. in the seats. When the trainer He saw the freaks and they were spoke to her she paid no attention; the usual abnormalities. There when he spoke sharply, she looked were dwarfs among the clowns at him with insolence, the cock of but they were the usual dwarfs her head indicating she might do imported from the outlands. as she was told or she might not. A girl fell from a high trapeeze Then, obeying, she swung herself that night; she missed the net and forward with the rolling gait of the struck the ground. The crowd chimpanzee, touching the knuckles watched her apathetically as they of one hand to the floor. But not watched any accident these days, quite like a chimpanzee-seen in it was a symptom of the times. She contrast with the other chimpan­ tried to raise herself and could zees the difference was apparent. not, she was carried off, her head There was something in the way hanging, and another act was bur- she moved that reminded Regent

ITS CORRECT TO CLlPI FWing in the coupon on the nen page oilers the foUowing advantagesa 1. Guaranteed monthly delivery to your door of the best iD scieoc:e Be> tion and fantasy reading. 2.. Reduced rate-it's cheaper to subscribe than to buy your copies at the newsstand. 3. An essentially unmarred copy of this issue-the coupon is backed up with this box, and its removal does not allect the text of the surrounding material. 90 PANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION of another movement he had often anyone who had seen the birth. He seen. Now she was seated only a knew now what would happen to few feet away, he could see her ex­ him too. With the nerves in the pression under her yellow hat. She back of his head he knew that he looked directly at him and a shock was being watched by someone in of recognition exploded in his the seats behind. brain. He had seen those eyes be­ He did not turn his head yet. fore, tawny brown with yellow He studied the creature tricked out lights. Now that he. recognized in yellow blouse and pants with a them, he saw other resemblances stain down the inside of them. It -in the figure, more human than was alive, oh, very alive. This was ape, and in the face, more ape the baby born to Lila during her than human. official "illness" three years before, The eyes of the creature were born of her sterile blood, the baby fixed on him, they seemed to be that was the one chance in a mil­ studying him with sardonic mal­ lion, which having been born ice. Almost he started up in his should have died. But it had sur­ seat and stretched a hand to her­ vived, here it was, the mutant, the he checked himself and sank back. beginning of a long tumble back­ As he did so he realized that the ward. movement had probably cost him He sat quietly in his seat think­ his life. A stream of perception ing about the future of mankind. flowed through his mind, instant­ The performance ended, the spec­ ly a whole pattern of events be­ tators left their seats. The arena came clear. He knew now what was empty. had happened to Holcomb. He knew why Dr. Phorus had died He felt a light tap on his shoul­ and those other attendants too- der. ------Mercury Press, Inc., 347 East 53 Street, New York, N.Y. 10022 F2 Send me The Magazine of FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION. I enclose 0 $5.00 for one year 0 $9.00 for two years. 0 $12.50 for three years.

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UP AND DOWN THE EARTH

by Isaac Asimov

BOSTON IS GETTING ITS FACE Prudential Tower was the tallest lifted, and we now have "The New office building in continental Boston." North America. The outstanding feature of The We registered amazement and New Boston is the Prudential Cen­ he at once explained that yes, ter, which is an area of the Back there were indeed taller office Bay that has been renovated into buildings not far from Boston, but New York-like glamour. It pos­ they were not on continental sesses a new hotel, the Sheraton­ North America. They were on an Boston, and, most spectacular of island off the shores of the conti­ all, a beautiful skyscraper, the 52- nent; the island .Manhattan. story Prudential Tower, which is And he was right. Outside the 7 50 feet tall. island of Manhattan, there is, at Last summer, I invaded the the moment of writing, no office center for the first time. I was building taller than the Pruden­ asked to join a panel discussion tial Tower anywhere in North dealing with the future of indus­ America. (Perhaps anywhere in trial management. (Fred Pohl of the world.) Galaxy was another member of It made me think at once that the panel.) The panel was held in you can play a large number of the Sheraton-Boston under condi­ games, if you are the record-gath­ tions of great splendor and after ering type (as I am), by altering the dinner that followed, the man­ qualifications slightly. Long be­ ager of the hotel announced, in fore the manager's speech was over, the course of a short talk, that the I was thinking of mountains. 91 92 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION Everyone knows the name of Mount Everest is the only piece of the highest mountain of the world. solid land on the face of the globe It is Mount Everest, located in the that is more than 29,000 feet Himalayan Mountain Range, ex- above sea-level so that the moun­ actly on the border between Nepal tain qualifies nicely as something and Tibet. quite unique. Using another unit of It is named for a British mili- measure, Mount Everest is just a tary engineer, George Everest, trifle more than five and a half who spent much of his adult life miles high and all other land is surveying Java and India and who, less than five and a half miles from 1830 to 1843, was surveyor above sea-level. general of India. In 1852, when Except by members of the "An­ a mountain was discovered in the glo-Saxon nations," however, north, one which was at once sus- mountain heights are generally pected of being height-champion, measured in meters rather than in it was named for him. At that, his feet or miles. There are 3.28 feet name is easier to pronounce than in a meter and Mount Everest the native Tibetan name for the stands 8,885 meters above sea- mountain -Chomolungma. level. The height of Mount Everest is At once this gives rise to the usually given in the reference question: how many other moun­ books as 29,002 feet above sea tains are there that belong to the level, a value first obtained in rarefied aristocracy of those that 1860, though I believe that the tower more than 8,000 meters most recent trigonometric meas- above sea-level. The answer is: urements make it 29,141 feet. In Notmany.Justsevenl either case, the tippy, tippy top of And here they are in Table I. Table 1-The 8000-Meter Mountains Height Mountains Feet Miles Meters Everest 29,141 5.52 8,885 Godwin Austen 28,250 5.36 8,613 Kanchenjunga 28,146 5.33 8,582 Makalu 27,790 5.27 8,473. Dhaulagiri 26,810 5.10 8,175 Nonga Parbat 26,620 5.06 8,116 Gosainthan 26,291 4.98 8,016 Of these seven aristocrats all Mountain Range, spread out but one are in the Himalaya over a stretch of a little over 300 t,;p AND DOWN THE EARTH 93 miles. The exception is Mount You would think that with even Godn,in Austen, which is named Everest conquered, there would for Henry Haversham Godwin­ remain no more mountains un­ Austen, another Britisher who climbed, but that is not so. Ever­ was engaged in the 19th Century est received a lot more attention trigonometric surveys of India. It than some of the other peaks. As is only recently that the mountain of now (unless someone has came to be officially known by his sneaked up the slopes while I name. Previously, it was known wasn't looking) the highest moun­ simply as K-2. Its native name is tain still unconquered is Go­ Dapsang. sainthan, which is only the Mount Godwin Austen is lo­ seventh highest. cated about 800 miles northwest of Mount Everest and the other The highest mountain range Himalayan towers. It is the high­ outside Asia is the Andes Moun­ est peak of the Karakorum Moun­ tain Range, running down the tain Range, running between western edge of South America. Kashmir and Sinkiang. The highest peak in the Andes is Notice that all seven of the Mount Aconcagua, which stands eight-thousanders are located in 23,081 feet high. Despite the Asia and that all are located in fact that Mount Aconcagua is the the borderlands that separate In­ highest mountain peak in the dia and China. world outside Asia, it is only the This is true, indeed, not only 2 3rd hig4est mountain peak in for the 7 highest but for the 22 the world counting Asia. highest ( !) mountains in the For the records, here in Table world, so that the area is the place 2, are the highest peaks in each of for mountaineers. the continents. To soothe my na­ Of all mountains, Everest is ob­ tional and regional pride, I will viously the mountain to climb. add the highest mountain in the 48 contiguous states, and in New The first serious attempt to climb England, too. (After all, I'm writ­ it was made in 1922 and after a ing the article and can do as I full generation of effort, eleven please.) lives were lost on its slopes and no To locate these mountains­ successes were scored. Then, on Mount Aconcagua is in Argen­ May 29, 1953, the New Zea­ tina, very close to the border of lander, Edmund Percival Hillary Chile, only 100 miles east of Val­ and the Sherpa, Tenzing Norkhay, paraiso. made it. Since then, others have Mount McKinley is in south too. central Alaska, about 150 miles 94 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTIOS Table 2-The Highest Mountains by Regions Height Region Mountain Feet Miles Meters Asia Everest 29,141 5.52 8,885 South America Aconcagua 23,081 4.37 7,037 North America . McKinley 20,300 3.85 6,189 Africa Kilimanjaro 19,319 3.67 5,890 Europe Elbrus 18,481 3.50 5,634 Antarctica Thorvald Nilson 15,400 2.92 4,695 48 States Whitney 14,496 2.75 4,419 Australia Kosciusko 7,328 1.39 2,204 New England Washington 6,288 1.19 1,918 southwest of Fairbanks. The fact afraid I don't know who Thorvald that it was the highest land in Nilson was. North America was discovered in Mount Whitney is in Califor­ 1896 and it was named after Wil­ nia, on the eastern border of Se­ liam McKinley, who had just been quoia National Park. It is only 80 elected president of the United miles west of Death VaHey in States. The Russians (who had which is to be found the lowest owned Alaska before 18 6 7) had point of land in the 48 states (a called it "Bolshaya" ("large"). · pool called Badwater-and I'll bet Mount Kilimanjaro is in north­ it is-which is 280 feet below sea eastern Tanganyika, near the bor­ level). Mount Whitney is named der of Kenya, and is about 200 for the American geologist, Josiah miles from the Indian Ocean. Dwight Whitney, who measured Mount Elbrus is in the Caucasus its height in 1864. Mountain Range, about 60 miles Mount Kosciusko is in the south­ northeast of the Black Sea. eastern corner of Australia, on the Mount Thorvald Nilson is boundary between the states of part of the Queen Maud Mountain Victoria and New South Wales. It Range on the shores of the Ross is the highest point of the range Sea, south of New Zealand. The called the Australian Alps. I sus­ range was discovered by the Nor­ pect it was discovered at the end wegian explorer, Roald Amund­ of the 18th Century, when the sen, and was named for Maud, Polish patriot, Thaddeus Kos­ who was the youngest child of Ed­ ciusko, was leading the last, for­ ward VII of England and who lorn fight for Polish independ­ was then Queen of Norway. I'm ence, but I can't be sure. UP AND DOWN THE EARTH 95 Mount Washington is located pect that by now Indonesia has in the Presidential Mountain renamed both the range and the Range in northern New Hamp­ mountain or, more likely, has re­ shire, and we all know who it is stored the original names, but I named after. don't know what these might be. By listing the high mountains Mount Cook is just a little west by continents, I don't mean to of center in New Zealand's south­ imply that all high mountains are ern island. It is named for the on continents. In fact, Australia, famous explorer, Captain Cook, of usually considered a continent course, and its l\·laori name is (though a small one) possesses no Aorangi. particularly high mountains, All the heights I have given for while New Guinea to its north the mountains, so far, are "above (definitely an island, though a sea-level." large one) is much more moun­ However, remembering the tainous and possesses dozens of manager of the Sheraton-Boston peaks higher than any in conti­ hotel, let's improve the fun by nental Australia, and some that qualifying matters. are quite respectable by any stand­ After all, the height of a moun­ ards. Three Pacific Islands are tain depends a good deal upon the notably mountainous and these height of its base. The Himalayan are listed in Table 3. mountain peaks are by far the Mount Carstensz is the high­ most majestic in the world; there est mountain in the world that is is no disputing that. Nevertheless, not on a continent. Who it is it is also true that they sit upon named for I do not know, but it is the Tibetan plateau which is the in the western portion of New highest in the world. The Tibetan Guinea and is part of the Nassau "lowlands" are nowhere lower Mountain Range, which is named than some 12,000 feet above sea­ for the Dutch royal family. I sus- level.

Table 3-Notable Island Mountains Height Island Mountain Feet Miles Meters New Guinea Carstensz 16,404 3.12 5,000 Hawaii Mauna Kea 13,784 2.61 4,200 Mauna Loa 13,680 2.59 4,171 New Zealand Cook 12,349 2.34 3,662 % FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION If we subtract 12,000 feet from content of rock, so you can imag­ !\·fount Everest's height, we can ine how large the whole mountain say that its peak is only 1 7,000 above and below sea-level must be. feet above the land mass upon The central crater pit of Mauna which it rests. Loa is sometimes active but has not This is not exactly contempti­ actually erupted in historic times. ble, but by this new standard Instead, the lava flow comes from (base to top, instead of sea-level openings on the sides. The largest to top) are there any mountains of these is Kilauea, which is on the that are higher than Mount Ever­ eastern side of Mauna Loa, some est? Yes, indeed, there is, and the 4088 feet (0.77 miles, or 1,246 new champion is not in the Him­ meters) above sea-level. Kilauea alayas, or in Asia, or on any con­ is the largest active crater in the tinent. world and is more than 2 miles in This stands to reason after all. diameter. Suppose you had a mountain on a As though these distinctions relatively small island.' That is­ are not enough, this tremendous land may be the mountain, and four-peaked mount we call Ha­ the mountain wouldn't look im­ waii becomes totally astounding if pressive because it was standing viewed as a whole. If one plumbs with its base in the ocean depth the ocean depths, one finds that and with the ocean lapping who Hawaii stands on a land base that knows how many feet up its is over 18,000 feet below sea­ slopes. level. This is actually the case for a If the oceans were removed particular island. That island is from Earth's surface (only tempo­ Hawaii-the largest single unit of rarily, please) then no single the Hawaiian Islands. The island mountain. on Earth could possibly of Hawaii, with an area of 4,021 compare with the breath-taking square miles (about twice the size towering majesty of Hawaii. It of Delaware) is actually a huge would be by far the tallest moun­ mountain rising out of the Pacific. tain on Earth, counting from base It comes to four peaks of which the to peak. Its height on that basis two highest are Mauna Kea and would be 32,036 feet (6.08 miles Mauna Loa (see Table 3 ). or 9, 76 7 meters). It is the only The mountain that makes up mountain on earth that extends Hawaii is a volcano actually, but more than 6 miles from base to most of it is extinct. Mauna Loa tip. alone remains active. It, all by it­ The vanishing of the ocean self is the largest single mountain would reveal a similar, though in the wgrld, in terms of cubic smaller, peak in the Atlantic UP Allo"D DOWN THE EAilTH · !11 Ocean; one that is part of the Mid­ slopes of the mountain and pro­ Atlantic Mountain Range. For the ceed all the way down to the sea­ most part, we are unaware o£ this bottom, you find that only one­ mountain range because it is quarter of the mountain shows drowned by the ocean, but it is above water. larger and longer and more spec­ The total height of Pico Alto tacular than any of the mountain from underwater base to peak is ranges on dry land, even than the about 27,500 feet (5.22 miles or Himalayas. It is 7000 miles long 8,384 meters) which makes it a and 500 miles wide and that's not peak of Himalayan dimensions. bad. Some of the highest peaks of While we have the oceans tem­ the range do manage to poke their porarily gone from the Earth, we heads above the surface of the At­ might as well see how deep the lantic. The Azores, a group of ocean goes. nine islands and several islets About 1.2 percent of the sea­ (belonging to Portugal) are bottom lies more than 6,000 me­ formed m this manner. They are ters below sea-level, and where about 800 miles west of Portugal this happens we have the various and have a total land area of 888 "Trenches". There are a number square miles, rather less than that of these, most of them in the Pa­ of Rhode Island. cific Ocean. All are near island On Pico Island in the Azores chains and presumably the same stands the highest point of land process that burrows out the deeps on the island group. This is Pico also heaves up the island chain. Alto ("High Mountain") which The greatest depth so far re­ reaches 7,460 feet (1.42 miles or corded in some of these deeps ( ac­ 2,2 7 4 meters) above sea-level. cording to the material available to However, i£ you slide down the me) is given in Table 4. Table 4-Some Ocean Trenches General Depth Trench Location Feet Miles Meters Bartlett S. of Cuba 22,788 4.31 6,948 Java S. of Java 24,442 4.64 7,252 Puerto Rico N. of Puerto Rico 30,184 5.71 9,392 Japan S. of Japan 32,153 6.09 9,800 Kurile E. of Kamchatka 34,580 6.56 10,543 Tonga E. of New Zealand 35,597 6.75 10,853 Mariana E. of Guam 35,800 6.79 10,915 Mindanao E. of Philippines 36,198 6.86 11,036 98 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION The figures for the depth of the If sea-level is the standard, deeps are by no means as reliable then the lowest bit of the solid as those for the heights of moun­ land surface on Earth, just off the tains, of course, and I can't tell Philippines, is about 3,200 miles when some oceanographic ship will east of the highest bit at the top of plumb a deeper depth in one or Mount Everest. The total differ­ more of these deeps. The greatest ence in height is 65,339 feet recorded depth in the Mindanao (12.3 miles or 19,921 meters). Trench-and in the world-was This sounds like a lot, but the plumbed only as recently as diameter of the Earth is about March, 1959, by the Russian 7, 900 miles, so that this differ­ oceanographic vessel, the ·~vttyaz." ence in low-high makes up only The greatest depth in the Mari­ 0.15 percent of the Earth's total ana Trench was actually reached thickness. by Jacques Piccard and Don If the Earth were shrunk to the Walsh in person on January 23, size of my library globe (16 inch­ 1960, in the bathyscaphe, Trieste. es in diameter), the peak of Mount This has been named the "Chal­ Everest would project only 0.011 lenger Deep" in honor of the inches above the surface and the oceanographic vessel, the "H.M.S. Mindanao-Trench would sink Challenger" which conducted a only 0.014 inches below the sur­ scientific cruise from 1 8 7 2 to 18 7 6 face. all over the oceans and established You can see then, that despite modern oceanography. all the extreme ups-and-downs I In any case the point I want to l1ave been talking about, the sur­ make is that the oceans are deeper face of the Earth, ·viewed in pro­ than any mountain is high. portion to the size of the Earth, is Consider the greatest depth of very smooth. It would be smooth, the Mindanao Trench. If Mount even if the oceans were gone and Everest could be placed in it and the unevennesses of the ocean bot­ made to nestle all the ·way in, the tom were exposed. \Vith the oceans mountain would sink below the filling up most of the Earth's hol­ waves and waters would roll for lows . (and concealing the worst 7, 000 feet (11/3 miles) over its of the unevennesses) what re­ peak. If the island of Hawaii were mains is nothing. moved from its present location, 4500 miles westward, and sunk But let's think about sea-level into the Mindanao Trench, it too again. If the Earth consisted of a would disappear entirely and universal ocean, it would take on 4,162 feet of water (% of a the shape of an ellipsoid of revo­ mile) would flow above its tip. lution, thanks to the fact that the UP AND DOWN THE EARTH 99 planet is rotating (see THE I have therefore had to calcu­ SHAPE OF THINGS, F & SF, late it for myself, making use of September 1962). It wouldn't be the manner in which the gravita­ a perfect ellipsoid because, for tional field varies from latitude to various reasons, there are devia­ latitude. (I could find figures on tions of a few feet here and there. the gravitational field.) The re­ Such deviations are, however, of sults, which I hope are approxi­ only the most academic interest mately right anyway, are included and for our purposes we can be in Table 5. satisfied with the ellipsoid. Suppose, now, we measure This means that if Earth were heights of mountains not from bisected by a plane cutting just any old sea-level, but from the through the center, and through polar sea-level. This would serve both poles, the Earth's outline to compare distances from the would be an ellipse. The minor center of the Earth, and certainly axis (or shortest possible Earth­ that is another legitimate way of radius) would be from the center comparing mountain heights. to either pole, and that would be If we did this, we would in­ 6,356,912 meters. The longest stantly get a completely new per­ radius, or major axis, is from the spective on matters. center to any point on the equator. For instance, the Mindanao­ This is 6,378,388 meters (on the Trench dips down to 11,036 me­ average, if we wish to allow for ters below sea-level; but that the fact that the equator is itself means below the sea-level at its very slightly elliptical). own latitude, which is 10° N. The equatorial sea-level sur­ That sea-level is 20,800 meters face, then, is 21,476 meters (70,- above the polar sea-level so that 000 feet or 13.3 miles) further the greatest depth of the Minda­ from the center than the polar nao-Trench is still some 9,800 sea-level surface is. This is the meters (6.1 miles) above the polar well-Imown "equatorial bulge." sea-level. However, the bulge does not In other words, when Peary exist at the equator alone. The dis­ stood on the sea-ice at the North tance from center to sea-level sur­ Pole, he was six miles closer to the face increases smoothly as one center of the Earth than if he had goes from the poles to the equator. been in a bathyscaphe probing the Unfortunately, I have never seen bottom of the Mindanao Trench. any data on the extra length of the Of course, the Arctic Ocean has radius (over and above its mini­ a depth of its own. Depths of 4500 mum length at the poles) for dif­ meters (2.8 miles) have, I be­ ferent latitudes. lieve, been recorded in the Arctic. 100 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION Table 5-Tize Earth's Bulge Extra length of Earth's radius Latitude Feet Miles Meters oo (equator) 70,000 13.3 21,400 so 69,500 13.2 21,200 10° 68,000 12.9 20,800 15° 65,500 12.4 20,000 20° 62,300 11.8 19,000 25° 58,000 11.0 17,700 30° 52,800 10.0 16,100 35° 47,500 9.0 14,500 40° 41,100 7.8 12,550 45° 35,100 6.65 10,700 50° 29,000 5.50 8,850 55° 23,200 4.40 7,050 60° 17,700 3.35 5,400 65° 12,500 2.37 3,800 70° 8,250 1.56 2,500 75° 4,800 0.91 1,460 80° 2,160 0.41 660 85° 530 0.10 160 goo (poles) 0 0.00 0

This means that the bottom of the sea-level. Add that to the 8,885 Arctic Ocean is nearly 9 miles meters that Mount Everest is closer to the center of the Earth above its own sea-level mark and than the bottom of the Mindanao you find that the mountain is just Trench, and from this point of about 25,000 meters (15.5 miles) view, we have a new candidate for above polar sea-level. But it is the mark of "deepest deep." (The only 2.2 miles above equatorial south polar regions are filled up sea-level. by the continent of Antarctica, so In other words, when a ship is it is out of the running in this crossing the equator, its passen­ respect.) gers are only 2.2 miles closer to the center of the Earth than Hil­ And the mountains? lary was when he stood on Mount Mount Everest is at a latitude Everest's peak. of about 30°. Sea-level there is Are there mountains that can 16, I 00 meters higher than polar do better than Mount Everest by UP AND DOWN THE EARTH 101 this new standard? The other height of 27,600 meters above po­ towers of Asia are in approxi­ lar sea-level (I 7. 2 miles). mately Mount Everest's latitude. If we go by the distance from So are Mount Aconcagua and the center of the Earth, then, we some of the other high peaks of the can pass from the bottom of the Andes (though on the other side Arctic Ocean to the top of Mount of the Equator). Chimborazo and increase that dis­ Mount McKinley is a little tance by 32,IOO meters, or just over 60° N so that its sea-level is about 20.0 miles. only some 5,000 meters above By changing the point of view polar sea-level. Its total height then, we have three different above polar sea level is only II,- candidates for tallest mountain on 200 meters (7.0 miles), which Earth: Mount Everest, Mauna is less than half the height of Kea, and Mount Chimborazo. Mount Everest. We also have two different candi­ No, what we need are some dates for the deepest deep: the good high mountains near the bottoms of the Arctic Ocean and equator, where they can take full the Mindanao-Trench. advantage of the maximum bulge But let's face it. What counts in of the Earth's mid-riff. A good penetrating extreme depths or ex­ candidate is the tallest mountain treme heights is not mere distance, of Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro. It but difficulty of attainment. The is about 3° S and is 5,890 meters greatest single measure of diffi­ high. To this one can add the culty in plumbing depths is the 21,3 00-meter-high bulge it stands increase of water pressure; and on, so that it is some 27,200 me­ the greatest single measure of dif­ ters above polar sea-level (16.9 ficulty in climbing heights is the miles), or nearly a mile and a half decrease of air pressure. higher than Mount Everest, count­ By that token, water pressure is ing from the center of the Earth. highest at the bottom of the Min­ And that is not the best, either. danao-Trench, and air pressure is My candidate for highest peak by lowest at the top of Mount Ever­ these standards is Mount Chim­ est, and therefore those are the borazo in Ecuador. It is part of the extremes in practice. Andes Mountain Range, in which Just as (if the beans and cods there are at least 30 peaks higher will forgive me) the Empire State than Mount Chimborazo. Mount Building is the tallest office build­ Chimborazo is, however, at 2 o S. ing in North America in practice, Its height above its own sea-level even though it is not, strictly speak­ is 6,300 meters. If we add the ing, actually on the North Ameri­ equatorial bulge, we have a total can continent. Jack Vance's epic narrative of Gugel the Clever began in our De­ cember issue. How ever, each novelet is complete and may be en­ joyed tcithout reference to the previous story. Having been forced to set out on an abominable quest by lucounu the Laughing Ma­ gician, Gugel is now on his way south. In THE MOUNTAINS OF MAGNATZ he runs into some formidable obstructions, but our un­ usual hero is not one to be long detained by local customs.

THE MOUNTAINS OF MAGNATZ

by Jack Vance

SHORTLY AFTER SUNRISE CUGEL the sky; to the south lay the ocean. crawled from the hillside byre A cheerless, even forbidding land­ where he had passed a dismal scape, with no hint of warmth, night. The sun, a wine-colored comfort or human habitation. bubble behind high mist, cast no Voicing a heartfelt curse against warmth; the air was damp and Iucounu the Laughing Magician, chill and carried a dank smoky whose rancor had brought him to reek. To stimulate his circulation this northern wasteland, Cugel Cugel clapped arms to thighs, kindled a fire from furze and jigged back and forth; then, blow­ twigs, and settled to a savorless ing into his hands, he halted to breakfast of black gallberries. survey the landscape which lay The meal at its end, Cugel before him. To north and east leaned back to enjoy the warmth spread a dense black forest; to the of the fire, but Firx, that agent of southeast mountains of a peculiar coercion implanted by Iucounu erratic configuration jutted into in Cugel's viscera, permitted no 102 THE MOUNTAINS OF MAGNATZ 103 respite, and Cugel, grimacing, others call it, the Forest of the jumped to his feet. East, or the Lig Thig. To the Down the slope he walked, fol­ south are the Mountains of Mag­ lowing what appeared to be an old natz, which are reputedly dread­ road, and presently came to a ful." brimming river. On the bank near "In what respect?" inquired Cu­ a moored raft, four men in ragged gel. 'The knowledge is of impor­ garments sat around a fire. tance, since it seems that I must Cugel halted to assess the situa­ cross these mountains." tion; then, transferring a pair of The Busiaco shook his head. "In jeweled buttons from his cloak to this regard I can offer only the his pouch, he stepped forward. same sinister hints which were The rogues did not improve on rendered to me." closer view. Their hair was long Cugel looked from raft to river and matted, their faces were and then to the dense forest be­ gnarled, with eyes like beetles and yond. "The altruism and energy of mouths showing foul yellow teeth. the Busiacos are everywhere Withal their expressions were mild known," he stated. "Hence I feel and they watched Cugel's ap­ no qualms in requesting your as­ proach with wariness rather than sistance across the river, as well as belligerence. One of them, so it ap­ your guidance through the forest." peared, was a woman, though this The eldest Busiaco showed little was hardly apparent from gar­ interest in the project, but the ments, face or refinement of man­ man next in age had a sudden ner. Cugel gave a salute of lordly idea, and stared unblinkingly at condenscension, at which they raft and river as if pondering. The blinked in puzzlement. effort presently overwhelmed him, "What people are you?" asked and he shook his head in defeat. Cugel. Cugel, observing carefully, "We call ourselves Busiacos," asked, "What baffies you?" responded the oldest of the men. "A problem of no great complex­ "It is both our race and our fam­ ity," replied the Busiaco. 'We have ily; we make no differentiation, small practice in logic and any being somewhat polyandrous by difficulty thwarts us. I only specu­ habit." lated as to which of your belong­ "You are denizens of this dis­ ings you might exchange for the mal region, familiar with its routes services you request." and trails?" Cugel gave a light-hearted "Such is a fair description," ad­ laugh. "I own only what you see: mitted the man. "The forest across garments, shoes, cape and sword, the river is the Great Erm, or as all indispensable. Though, for a 104 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION fact, I know an incantation which teems with glass reptiles. An un­ might produce a single jeweled wary man, who dips so much as a button." toe into the water, is instantly at­ "This would be small induce­ tacked and devoured." ment. In a nearby crypt jewels are "Indeed!" said Cugel, drawing heaped as high as my head." back from the edge of the raft. Cugel rubbed his jaw reflective­ "Indeed." The Busiaco ground­ ly. "The spectacle must be one of ed the raft on the opposite bank. great splendor! Perhaps you will Cugel jumped ashore, but the see fit to lead me past this crypt." Busiaco made no motion to follow. The Busiaco made a gesture of "Come," urged Cugel in a indifference. "If you wish, al­ haughty voice, "we must yet trav­ though it is adjacent to the den of erse the forest!" a great mother gid, now in oes­ "To become victims to the erbs trus." and grues? Hardly. I now, verbal­ "We had best proceed directly ly, render my guidance: continue to the south," said Cugel. "WeiJ along the bank of the river until it then, let us depart. Nothing is to debouches into the ocean. Follow be gained by delay." the shore south, never entering the The Busiaco maintained his forest. Presently you will come to stubborn crouch. "You have no an inhabited region, where I sug­ other or more valuable object to of­ gest a permanent residence thus to fer?" avoid the Mountains of Magnatz." "Only my gratitude, in addi­ Raising his hand in a gesture of tion to the jeweled button." farewell, he thrust the raft back "This must suffice," grumbled out upon the face of the river. His the Busiaco. "Let me examine the exertion was such that the pole button, at least." broke; whereupon the Busiaco Cugel reluctantly brought forth jumped into the water and pushed the gem, which the Busiaco in­ the raft across to the opposite spected, then tucked into a greasy bank. pouch. "Come then." He motioned "A rash man," muttered Cugel Cugel aboard the raft, cast off the to himself, "thus to dare the fero­ rope and poled across the river. cious attack of the glass reptiles!" The water seemed extremely shal­ He hesitated a moment, then low, and the pole never descended turned away and marched west more than a foot or two. Wading along the riverbank, the edge of would have been simplicity itself, the forest close to his left hand. A or so it seemed to Cugel. But the hundred yards along he came upon Busiaco, sensing the direction of an old but substantial stone Cugel's thoughts, said: "The river bridge, spanning the river. Cugel THE MOUNTAINS OF MAGNATZ 105 stopped short, frowned thought­ "First a cup of wine, then sup­ fully, and turned to look back up­ per and lodging for the night; fi­ stream. Had the Busiacos been nally, exact knowledge regarding aware of the bridge? It was hard the road south." to believe; still, how could crea­ The publican set forth a cup of tures so gross and stupid hope to wine. "Supper and lodging in due trick him, Cugel the Clever? course. The road leads into the Cugel made a petulant gesture. realm of Magnatz, which is enough He turned once more and set off to know." beside the river, which presently "Magnatz then is a creature of poured across a bar of gray sand dread?" into the ocean. Skirting the shore The publican gave his head a Cugel proceeded at a smart pace dour shake. "Men have fared south to the south. The forest retreated never to return. No man in mem­ to the east, the shore veered away ory has approached from that di­ to the west. Cugel continued rection. I can vouch only for so south across the barren land which much." lay between. The sun crossed the The three men who sat drink­ sky and dropped into the west; ing nodded in solemn corrobora­ just as it slanted behind the Moun­ tion. Two were peasants of the re­ tains of Magnatz, he came to a gion, while the third wore the tall rude settlement and a tavern at the black boots of a professional crossroads. This latter was a bluff witch-chaser. The first peasant sig­ structure of gray stone roofed with naled the publican, "Pour this un­ black slates, with six round win­ fortunate a cup of wine, at my dows each fabricated of a hundred expense." blue bull's-eyes. Pausing by the Cugel accepted the cup with entrance, Cugel took stock of his mixed feelings. "I drink with resources, which were scant, con­ thanks, though I specifically dis­ sisting indeed of the single jew­ avow the appelation 'unfortunate' eled button remaining to him. He lest the force o_f the word project pushed through the door, into a upon my destiny." long room hung with old bronze "As you will," responded the lamps. At a short buffet the publi­ peasant, "though in these melan­ can poured grogs and punches to choly times, who is otherwise?" the three men who were his present And for a space the peasants ar­ customers. All turned to stare as gued the repair of a stone fence Cugel entered the room. which separated their lands. The publican spoke politely "The work is arduous, but the enough. "Welcome, wanderer; advantages great," declared one. what is your pleasure?" "Agreed," stated the other, "but 106 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION my luck is this: no sooner do we you will need a stout arm and feet complete the task than the sun with wings to escape the vampires, goes black, with all the toil for grues, erbs and ]eucomorphs. After naught." penetrating to the remote edge of The first flourished his arms in the forest you must swing south derisive rejection of the argument. to the Vale of Dharad, where ac­ "This is a risk we must assume. cording to rumor an army of Notice: I drink wine, though I basilisks beseiges the ancient city may not live to become drunk. Mar. Should you win past the rag­ Does this deter me? No! I reject ing battle, the Great Central the future; I drink now, I become Steppe lies beyond, where is drunk as circumstances dictate." neither food nor water and which The publican laughed and is the haunt of the pelgrarie. pounded the buffet with his fist. Crossing the steppe you turn your "You are as crafty as a Busiaco, of face back to the west, and now whom I hear there is an encamp­ you wade a series of poisonous ment nearby. Perhaps the wander­ swamps. Beyond lies an area of er met them?" and he looked ques­ which I know nothing except that tioningly at Cugel, who nodded. it is named the Land of Evil Rec­ "I encountered such a group: ollection. After crossing this re­ crass rather than crafty, in my gion you will find yourself at a opinion. In reference once more point to the south of the Moun­ to the road south, can anyone here tains of Magnatz." supply specific advice?" Cugel mused a moment or two. The witch-chaser said gruffly, "The route which you delineate, "I can: avoid it. You will first en­ while it may be safer and less tax­ counter deodands avid for your ing than the direct way south, flesh. Beyond is the realm of seems of inordinate length. I am Magnatz, beside whom the deo­ disposed to risk the Mountains of dands appear as angels of mercy, Magnatz!" if a tenth of the rumors are true." The first peasant inspected him "This is discouraging news," with awe. "I surmise you to be a .said Cugel. "Is there no other noted wizard, seething with route to the lands of the south?" spells." "Indeed there is," said the Cugel gave his head a smiling witch-chaser, "and I recommend shake. "I am Cugel the Clever; no it. Return north along the trail to more, no Jess. And now-wine!" the Great Erm, and proceed east­ The landlord presently brought ward across the extent of the for­ forth supper: a stew of lentils and est, which becomes ever denser land-crabs garnished with wild and more dread. Needless to say, ramp and bilberries. THE MOUNTAINS OF MAGNATZ 107 After the meal the two peas­ In the morning at breakfast he ants drank a final cup of wine and spoke of the incident to the land­ departed, while Cugel, the host lord, who showed no great inter­ and the witch-chaser sat before the est. When it came time to settle fire discussing various aspects of his score, Cugel tossed the jew­ existence. The witch-chaser final­ eled button upon the counter. ly arose to retire to his chamber. "Fix, if you will, a fair value upon Before departing he approached this gem, subtract the score and Cugel, and spoke in a frank man­ give me my change in gold coins." ner. "I have noticed your cloak, The landlord examined the or­ which is of quality rarely seen in nament, pursed his lips, cocked this backward region. Since you his head to the side. "The total of are as good as dead, why do you the charges to your account exactly not bestow this cloak upon me, equals the worth of this trinket: who has need of it?" there is no change forthcoming." Cugel tersely rejected the pro­ "What!" stormed Cugel. "This posal and went to his own room. clear aquamarine flanked by four During the night he was aroused emeralds? For a cup or two of by a scraping sound near the foot poor wine, a porridge and sleep of his bed. Leaping to his feet he disturbed by the villainy of your captured a person of no great stat­ pot-boy? Is this a tavern or a ban­ ure. When hauled out into the dit lair?" light, the intruder proved to be the The landlord shrugged. "The pot-boy, still clutching Cugel's charges are somewhat in excess of shoes which he evidently had in­ the usual fee, but money moulder­ tended to purloin. "What is the ing in the pockets of a corpse serves meaning of this outrage?" de­ no one." manded Cugel, cuffing the lad. Cugel at last extracted several "Speak! How dare you attempt gold coins from the landlord to­ such an actl" gether with a parcel of bread, The pot-boy begged Cugel to cheese and wine. The landlord desist. "What difference does it came to the door, pointed. "There make? A doomed man needs no is but a single trail, that leading such elegant footwear!" south. The Mountains of Magnatz "I will be the judge of that," rise before you. Farewell." said Cugel. "Do you expect me to Not without foreboding, Cugel walk barefoot to my death in the set off to the south. For a space the Mountains of Magnatz? Be off trail led past the tillage of local with you!" And he sent the peasants; then as the foothills wretched lad sprawling down the bulked to either side, the trail be­ hall. came first a track, then a trace 108 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION winding along a dry riverbed, be­ behind a crumbling outcrop twen­ side thickets of prickle-bush, ty paces down-slope from where spurge, yarrow, asphodel. Along Cugel sat. As soon as it had disap­ the crest of the hill paralleling the peared, Cugel ran to the outcrop, trail grew a tangle of stunted oak jumped to the top. Here he lifted and Cugel, thinking t11 improve a heavy stone and as the deodand his chances for going unobserved, came skulking below, threw it climbed te the ridge and con­ down upon the creature's back. It tinued in the shelter of the foli­ toppled to lie kicking, and Cugel age. jumped down to deliver the death­ The air was clear, the sky a stroke. The deodand had pulled brilliant dark blue. The sun wal­ himself against the rock and hissed lowed up to the zenith and Cugel in horror at the sight of Cugel's bethought himself of the food he naked blade. "Hold your stroke," carried in his pouch. He seated it said. "You gain nothing by my himself, but as he did so the mo­ death." tion of a skipping dark shadow "Only the satisfaction of killing caught his eye. His blood chilled. one who planned to devour me." The creature surely meant to leap "A sterile pleasure!" upon his back. "Few pleasures are othenvise, H Cugel pretended not to notice, said Cugel. "But while you live, and presently the shadow moved inform me regarding the Moun­ forward again: a deodand, taller tains of Magnatz." and heavier than himself, black as "They are as you see : stern midnight except for shining white mountains of ancient black rock." eyes, white teeth and claws, wear­ "And what of Magnatz?" ing straps of leather to support a "I have no knowledge of any green velvet shirt. such entity." Cugel debated his best course "What? The men to the north of action. Face to face, chest to shudder at the very word!" chest, the deodand would tear him The deodand pulled himself to pieces. With his sword ready, slightly more erect. "This well may Cugel might hack and stab and be. I have heard the name, and hold the creature at bay until its consider it no more than a legend frenzy for blood overcame its fear of old." of pain and it flung itself forward "Why do travelers go south and regardless of hurt. Possibly Cugel none go north?" was more fleet, and might outdis­ "Why should anyone seek to tance the creature, but only after travel north? As for those coming a long and dogged pursuit . . . It south, they have provided food for slipped forward again, to stand myself and my fellows." And the THE MOUNTAINS Of MAGNATZ 109 deodand inched himself up. Cugel which the deodand declared be­ picked up a great stone, held it yond the zone of his particular aloft, dashed it down upon the sept. black creature, which fell back, "What lies beyond?" asked Cu­ kicking feebly. Cugel picked up gel. another stone. "I have no knowledge; this is "Hold!" called the deodand in a the limit of my wandering. Now faint voice. "Spare me, and I will release me and go your way, and I aid you to life." will return to my people." "How is this?" asked Cugel. Cugel shook his head. "Night is "You seek to travel south; others not too far distant. What is to pre­ like me inhabit caves along the vent you from following to attack way: how can you escape them me once again? Best that I kill unless I guide you by ways they you." do not frequent?" The deodand laughed sadly. "You can do this?" "Three others follow us. They "If you undertake to spare my have kept their distance only be­ life." cause I waved them back. Kill me "Excellent. But I must take and you will never wake to see the safeguards; in your lust for blood morning sun." you might ignore the agreement." "We will travel further togeth­ ''You have maimed me; what er," said Cugel. further security do you need?" "As you wish." cried the deodand. Cugel never­ Cugel led the way south, the theless bound the creature's arms deodand limping to the rear. The and arranged a halter around the valley became a chasm floored thick black neck. with giant boulders, and looking In such fashion they proceed­ back Cugel saw black shapes mov­ ed, the deodand limping and hop­ ing among the shadows. The deo­ ping, and directing Cugel by a dand grinned meaningfully at circuitous route above certain Cugel. "You would do well to halt caves. at once; why wait until dark? The mountains lifted higher; Death comes with less horror winds boomed and echoed down while the light shines." the stone canyons. Cugel con­ Cugel made no response, but tinued to question the deodand re­ pressed forward with all speed. garding Magnatz, but elicited The trail left the valley, climbed only the opinion that Magnatz to a high meadow where the air was a creature of fable. blew cool. Larch, kaobab and At last they came to a sandy balm-cedar grew to either side, Bat high above the lowlands, and a stream ran among grasses llO FANTASY AND SCIENCE l'ICTION and herbs. The deodand began to "Hal" muttered Cugel. "Did you evince uneasiness, jerking at its not claim the repute of the region halter, limping with exaggerated to be purely fabulous?" debility. Cugel could see no rea­ "Exactly; but I did not enlarge son for the display: the country­ upon the nature of the fable." side, except for the presence of the As they spoke there came a deodands, seemed without threat. swift sigh in the air; looking about Cugel became impatient. "Why do Cugel saw that the three deodands you delay? I hope to find a moun­ had fallen, transfixed by arrows. tain hospice before the coming of Frem a nearby grove stepped four dark. Your lagging and limping young men in brown hunting cos­ discommode me." tume. They were of a fair, fresh "You should have considered complexion, brown hair, good stat­ this before you maimed me with a ure, and seemed of good disposi­ rock," said the deodand. "After all, tion. The foremost called out, I do not accompany you of my "How is it that you come from the own choice." uninhabited north? And why do Cugellooked behind. The three you walk with this dire creature of deodands who previously had the night?" skulked among the rocks now fol­ "There is no mystery to either of lowed quite casually. "You have your questions," said Cugel. no control over the grisly appetites "First, the north is not uninhabit­ of your fellows?" he demanded. ed; some hundreds of men yet re­ "I have no control over my main alive. As to this black hybrid own," responded the deodand. of demon and cannibal, I em­ "Only the fact of my broken limbs ployed it to lead me safely through prevents me from leaping at your the mbrake, through the window. Make not a slid slowly to the ground. He took sound!" himself quickly into the shadows Standing outside in the dark and donned his shoes. Just as he Marlinka cast a horror-stricken rose to ·his feet the door to the tav­ glance toward the tower. "Who is ern swung open and out reeled on watch? Who guards Vull from Hylam Wiskode, much the worse Magnatz?" for drunk. Cugel grinned unpleas­ "No one is on watch," said Cu­ antly and followed the staggering gel. "The tower is empty!" hetman into a side-street. Her knees gave way; she sagged A single blow on the back of the to the ground. "Up!" said Cugel head was enough; the hetman top­ "Up! We must proceed!" pled into a ditch. Cugel was in­ "But no one is on watch! This stantly upon him, and with deft voids the spell the sorcerer cast fingers took his keys. Going now upon Magnatz, who swore to re­ to the public repository he opened turn when vigilance ceased!" the door, slipped inside and filled Cugel lifted the girl to her feet. a sack with gems, coins, flasks of "This is no concern of mine; I dis­ costly essences, relics, and the like. claim responsibility. Did you not Returning to the street Cugel seek to fool and victimize me? carried the sack to a dock beside Where were my cushions? Where the lake, where he hid it under a was the fine food? And my spouse net. Now he proceeded to the cot­ -where were you?" tage of his spouse Marlinka. Prowl­ The girl wept into her hands, ing beside the walls, he came to and Cugel led her to the dock. He an open window, and stepping pulled close a fiserman's boat, or­ through found himself in her dered her aboard, threw in his loot. chamber. Untying the boat, he shipped She was awakened by his hands oars and rowed out upon the lake. on her throat. When she tried to Marlinka was aghast. "The whirl­ scream he cut off her wind. "It is pools will drown us! Have you lost I," he hissed, "Cugel, your spouse! your reason?" Arise and come with me. Your "Not at alii I have studied -the first sound will be your last!" whirlpools with care and know In great terror, the girl obeyed. precisely the range of each." At Cugel's order she threw a cloak Out upon the face of the lake about her shoulders and clasped moved Cugel, counting each stroke sandals upon her feet. "\Vhcre are of his oars, and watching the stars. 122 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION "Two hundred paces east • • . A "No, no, indeed not!" hundred paces 1north . . • Two "Then you must behave toward hundred paces east • . ." me as I expect." So Cugel rowed while to right Weeping the girl obeyed, and at and left of them sounded the suck last a wan red light filtering of whirling water. But the mist had through the mist signaled dawn. gathered to blot out the stars and Cugel stood up in the boat, but all Cugel was forced to throw out the landmarks were yet concealed. anchor. "This is well enough," he Another hour passed; the sun said. "We are safe now, and there was now aloft. The folk of Vull is much that lies between us." would discover that their Watch­ The girl shrank to her end of man was gone, and with him their the boat. Cugel stepped astern and treasure. Cugel chuckled, and now joined her. "Here I am, your a breeze lifted the mists, revealing spouse! Are you not overjoyed that the landmarks he had memorized. finally we are alone? My chamber He leapt to the bow, hauled on the at the inn was far more comfort­ anchor line, but to his annoyance able, but this boat will suffice." the anchor had fouled itself. "No," she whimpered. "Do not He jerked, strained, and the line touch mel The ceremony was gave a trifle. Cugel pu11ed with aU meaningless, a trick to persuade his strength. From below came a you to serve as Watchman." great bubbling. "A whirlpooll" "For three-score years perhaps, cried M arlinka in terror. until I rang the gong from utter "No whirlpool here," panted desperation?" Cugel, and jerked once more. The "It is not my doing! I am guilty line seemed to relax and Cugel only of merriment! But what will hauled in the rope. Looking over become of Vull? No one watches, the side he found himself staring and the spell is broken!" into an enormous pale face. The "So much the worse for the faith­ anchor had caught in a nostril. As less folk of Vulll They have lost he looked the eyes blinked open. their treasure, their most beautiful Cugel threw away the line, leapt maiden, and when day breaks for the oars, frantically rowed for Magnatz will march upon them." the southern shore. Marlinka uttered a poignant A hand as large as a house raised cry, which was muffied in the mist. from the water, groped. Marlinka "Never speak the cursed name!" screamed. There was a great turbu­ "Why not? I shall shout it across lence, a prodigious surge of water the water! I will inform Magnatz which flung the boat toward the that the spell is gone, that now he shore like a chip, and Magnatz sat may come for his revenge!" up in the center of Lake Vull. THE MOUNTAINS OF MAGNATZ 123 From the village came the sound through the dark depths of the of the warning gong, a frenzied lake. clanging. Cugel kicked and thrust, and Magnatz heaved himself to his propelled himself to the seething knees, water and muck draining surface. Magnatz had gained his from his vast body. The anchor feet and was looking toward Vull. which had pierced his nostril still Cugel swam to the beach, stag· hung in place, and a thick black gered ashore. Marlinka haa fluid issued from the wound. He drowned, and was nowhere to be raised a great arm, slapped petu­ seen. Across the lake Magnatz was lantly at the boat. The impact wading slowly toward the village. threw up a wall of foam which en· Cugel waited no longer. He gulfed the boat, spilled treasure, turned and ran with all speed up sent Cugel and the girl toppling the mountainside.

COMING NEXT MONTH Zenna Henderson has told us many stories about the People­ about the destruction of their spaceship and their scattered landings in Earth early in this century. Most of her stories have dealt with the reunions among the present generations of the scattered families as the People have gradually found each other once more. In ANGELS UNAWARES, she takes us back, back to the first generation that landed . . . It was when Gail and Nils brought their wagon through Mill­ man's Pass that they found the burned homestead-and the bodies of four people who had been burned with it. But they also found and adopted the strange child they named Marnie-a young girl whose hair was singed and clothing seared, and who could not speak their language, but who floated over the ground when her feet grew sore. Mamie was of the People, the only survivor, now, from her life­ ship; her family was dead. A recent news item told about a literary award given to the best fiction by an inmate of a British prison. The convicts submitted, the fudges read, pondered, awarded ( £25), the book was published in England-and turned out to be an almost word-for-word plagiarism of a little-known American novel. Well, we knew all along about those new tricks by old dogs, and now we know about convicts. In the clever story below, Doris Buck directs our suspicious eye to­ ward the eternal woman.

GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS

by Doris Pitkin Buck

"THAT's THE PRICE WE HAVE TO try to go back to believing in them, pay-mental blackout." Fina if the Government didn't need us spoke wearily. "If a man walked so much." under our window now, I would­ "And then," Fina said nastily, n't know what he was up to. If I "there's the question of pay. Espars guessed, I'd guess wrong." don't start in as GS 7's, on a GS 7's For a moment the room the girls salary. shared grew silent. "Also there's a good chance of Elsie weighed Fina's remark. unscheduled in-grade raises if "Well, who could know for cer­ AFESPA likes our work." Elsie's tain? But it's always safe to assume smile was a trifle smug. Elsie was the worst." definitely the most gifted student "I used to believe in men," Peg trainee in the Armed Forces Extra­ said, "before I came to Washing­ sensory Perception Auxiliary; the ton." venerable Professor Thurmond, up Several pairs of eyebrows lifted. from Duke to evaluate tests, had "I did, so help me. I'd drop this told her so, patting her slim shoul­ extrasensory work right now and der. She knew it was fatherly. She 124 GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS 125 accepted it without embroidering braids with enamelled fingertips. it into anything else. She added, "I've got to change my Mattie, the youngest and last nail decor. You ought to have seen trainee, listened. She listened ev­ the mental leers my personalized ery evening. Chilly prickles crys­ finger nails got. Every chick girl tallized along her spine at what has her initials stencilled over her she heard. Surely a few men were Rose Dawn." decent. She thought of the boys she "Nail decor my great-aunt's knew in Chillicothe, Ohio. They foot! I went out day before yester­ were good guys. Maybe along day with plain pink nails. I felt Pennsylvania Avenue, maybe in a conspicuously anonymous." Peg backwater like 0 Street, you ran snorted daintily. "I almost labeled into disgusting types. Some men myself, espionage agent. I passed a made a girl reach for the police grandfather type, sweet pink whistle hanging unobtrusively un­ cheeks, wavy silver hair-elderly der the front of her blouse if they boy doll. And what did the old put what they thought into action goat think? Want to hold that -implementing their intentions, hand. Her elbows-pussycat as the Department of State would curves. He licked his lips. In a put it. No! Men weren't all bad. second he would have drooled. As soon as she went out for her Thank heaven a fire engine dis­ first practice walk alone-making tracted the old bastard!" linkages, concentrating on ele­ "Your arm isn't that pretty," mentary probing that might some Fina remarked judicially. day disclose an enemy spy-she Peg's blonde curls bristled. "l intended to come back with a vin­ am simply reporting what went dication of men. Mattie straight­ through that s.o.b.'s mind. The ened. In her open mind she said, next man was a sadist.'' I here highly resolve- "We heard that on Tuesday," "Look at that posture," Fina Fina objected. "And he was only broke in. "But it's no wonder you're sub-vicious reaiiy. You should have full of ginger, is it, pet? Sitting in seen the heavy-set guy who fingered a lovely cool study in Langley For­ my page bob. Yanked it farther est all day, doing nothing but fig­ back with each thought. Some men ure out whether a card another go almost crazy over heavy hair, es­ trainee turned up in San Francisco pecially if it's sleek and black. It said Moscow or maple leaf." does things to them.'' She shud­ "It was a silhouette of a jet dered. She dropped her voice. "I and-" had to turn into the renovated Stat­ "Oh baby, so literal!" Elsie ler-Hilton. Someone I knew had a touched Mattie's smooth brown room there. That was my salvation. 126 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION I raced, absolutely raced across the mia so successful on laboratory rats lobby. Everyone stared. I didn't and rabbits. They wondered about mind. I got to the elevator before he the new old-age legislation with did. I know elevators are old-fash­ bonuses every five years for those ioned but they have doors." Fina over eighty. Senator Millard of drew a long breath. "I'm going to Arkansas wanted bonuses to begin cut my hair short." at sixty. "Routine," Mattie jotted "It's undressing a woman that I in a small book. She could have mind most," Elsie complained. put dull, but that sounded less than Her eyelids drooped in exhaustion. professional. She could have "Again, and again, and again­ guessed without ESP training. man after man looking through my Now and then the oldsters looked clothes." at her in a faroff way. She had "You must have wished you'd hoped that at least one had his sunburned differently. Your back mind on sedition and the destruc­ got absolutely weird at the beach. tion of the American way of life. It was that Italian hat with the So thrilling for her first report holes," Fina and Peg gurgled as after the walk was over! But such one. beginner's luck was rare. Elsie spoke loftily. "They all A splendidly set up man in his saw me as an exquisite, crushable thirties came striding. Thoughts pink." positively shot out of him toward "All of them?" Mattie wailed her. Wish she weren't in my way. feebly. Lzte. Mall's crowded for 10:30. "Stop frightening our little girl." l'm-He passed. But late, late, Fina spoke with authority. "She late drifted back. His brain cur­ makes her first solo tomorrow. rents had power. \Vhat's your beat, sweetie?" Somebody older walked by, his "The Mall." heels taking his irritation out on "A good place to start. Lots of the pavement. Rocket pilots on kids play there with their minds on strike. Damn! Amalgamated Grids nothing but toy balloons." off fifteen points. Damn! The Duw "Oh I hope so." Mattie really dropping to 1060. Damn! He thought she meant it. brushed against Mattie, almost stepping on her. The atmosphere The Mall held a scattering of old continued to crackle while he al­ men on benches. Mattie passed most stepped on the next person. slowly, noting with her outer as Mattie caught her breath when well as her inner eye how they read she sighted Bob Murcheson. He dropped newspapers and wondered frequently made trips to Chilli­ about the miracle cure for leuke- cothe to see his grandmother. Mat- GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS 127 tie stood in awe of him. She knew way he did it made Mattie feel as he called headwaiters by name if the youngest son of a duke were when he took his grandmother out. paying her compliments. Sweet She tried to look anywhere else. girl. Could be my little sister. Like She was not supposed to speak to Gertrude. Pretty mouth. Like Ger­ people when on duty. She turned trude's too. She wanted him to fol­ her head right. She turned her low. She wanted to hear more. But head left. She tried to backtrack. duty is duty. She had signed a con­ He came straight up to her. tract. She was on salary. She let "Of all things. And they told me him go. Even so, she walked the you were in Guatemala." Mall in radiance. She thought Mattie almost blurted out that she'd caught a few notes of "Ah so false backgrounds were invented fair" from Marta. Pretty mouth. for Espers. She stopped in time. He's lonely, she told herself, with By evening Mattie was really surprise. She'd thought of Bob as tired. She listened to Fina. Her beyond the kind of feeling she had. page bob, still uncut, roused the "Do you happen to be free for worst passions of two men that lunch? Is this my lucky day?" morning. She eluded them in the She flushed. He sees I'm grown Rare Book Room of the Library of up. He's looking just at me. He Congress. They had to be signed thought I'd grown up to be-not in, and they couldn't think of any nearly so pretty. convincing scholarly projects to "Lunch." She almost choked admit them. Of course she had her with embarrassment. Bob asking fossils and prehistoric weather pat­ her to lunch. Bob, .who knew head­ terns for such an emergency. Fina waiters by name. "Lunch," she re­ cowered in terror among volumes peated. Moron. Idiot. Say yes, on the Mesozoic era complete with hammered through Mattie's head. nineteenth century engravings. "No. I couldn't, I'm-I'm sorry." She could hardly stand on her She had bitten off more virtue trembling feet at closing time. than she could chew. "Or maybe Mercifully, the corridor outside it's tomorrow that's full." She the RBR was empty. And the day flipped through her record book. was not lost. She had checked nu­ "Why, why yes, I am free today." merous researchers and Library of After a leisurely lunch at Chez Congress personnel. Gaspard, where they had a table "But if I had been subjected to by a window, Mattie and Bob part­ men's thoughts all the way home, ed. She had just enough sense not I should be a mental case," Fina to give him her telephone number. declared. "Fatigue has its points. When Bob tipped his hat, the My ESP capacity was at zero. Ab- 128 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION solute zero. Girls, I couldn't tell to you three," her voice held pure if you were lying your heads off. pain, "was imperson~, in a way. I'm that blank after a heavy day in It isn't just what men think. It's the city." who thinks it. Today, today I was "Me, too," Elsie chimed in. "Till disillusioned. Utterly. I had I started work, I never understood thought of Bob as G-Galahad those early scores recorded at Duke when he was in Chillicothe. The way back when. You know, the sub­ filth, the sheer filth of his mind. jects who got the whole pack of Anyone can have dirt in the sub­ symbols, each one correct, and conscious. His was everywhere. He afterward couldn't get a thing sent out vibrations like a reek. Be­ right. They were tired, and how­ fore he propositioned me-" like me now." "He really-" all three gasped. But Elsie was not too tired to "He really.'' Mattie went dwell on affront after unvoiced af­ through their questions like a pow­ front, endured for her country. er mower through daisies, though And Peg felt defiled, yet wistful. her voice was barely a whisper. "He Tears gleamed in Mattie's eyes. said-if I resisted-' ' She gath­ After all, she had worked hard. ered breath. "He threatened if I She was tired as they. But she called for help-" She collapsed could still speak. "What happened weeping in their sympathetic arms.

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Advertising Dept., Fantasy & Science Fiction 347 East 53 St., New York, N. Y. 10022 130 CLIFTON FADIMAN, writer and editor, judge of the Book-of-the-Month Club, writes: "Each of us has hit own special escape-reading. Mine. is science fiction. To my mind Fantasy and Science Fiction regularly supplies the finest the field has to offer in the way of short fiction."

LOUIS ARMSTRONG writes: "I believe The of Fantasy and Science Fiction appeals to me because in it one finds refuge and release from everyday life. We are all little children at heart and READ THE MAGAZINE OF find comfort in a dream world, and these episodes in the magazine encourage our building castles in space." FANTAS_Y. ..' ~ND ~ SCIENCE·· FICJION

BASIL DAVEN.PORT, writer Stars of the entertainment world .. . notables in and editor, judge of the Book-of-the-Month Club, the news .. . distinguished authors and editors writes : "I have been a fan -all owe much of their success to imagination. So of science fiction all my life, and of The Magazine of when they want relaxation or stimulation in read­ Fantasy and Science Fictian ing, they turn naturally to the finest works of for all its life. F&SF gives us some of the best writing imagination; tales of science fiction . And they in the field, and the field find such stories-exciting, fast-paced and ex­ is nne of great importance." ceedingly well written-in THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION. Here they tt.UGO GERNSBACK, find curre'lt top-notchers such as Robert Hein­ pfoneer in science fiction. publishing, writer and ed1tor, lein, Arthur C. Clarke, Theodore Sturgeon and writes: "Plus ,a change, plus Isaac Asimav; plus unexpected fantasies from c'est Ia mime chose-is a French truism, lamentably writers famous in other fields, such as Stuart accurate of much of our Palmer and Mark Van Doren. As a bonus, F&SF latter day science fiction. Not so in thecyclotronic Magazine has a unique record of finding stimulating new of Fantasy and Science Fiction talents-such fine writers as Mildred Clingerman, which injects sophi.tticated isotopes, pregnant with Richard Matheson and Chad Oliver first appeared i1nagination, into many in these pages.... In a word, here is the best of its best narratives." of fantasy and science fiction. ORVILLE PRESCOTT, literary critic and author, Book Review Editor for the New at better newsstands everv month York Times, writes: "People who think that their literary 50c By subscription $5.00 a year I.Q. i.t too high for them to enjoy the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction 347 East 53 Street New York :22. N.Y. doll't kllOW what they are missing. The number of well­ written, ingenious and enter~ taining stories it regularly publishes is astonishingly high.''

BEN GRAUER, radio and television outstanding special events reporter: uScience fiction, I think, oDers a wonderful education for its readers-it extends their understanding to 'include the entire cosmos."