Astounding v24n04 (1939 12)

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NEW! A LUXURY 5HAVE ...FA5T AND CLEAN... AT A LITTLE MORE THAN SINCE 1870 PRESEJfT SO INEXPENSIVE — Tn Coa Afford tto Lai- wry of a Froth Now Marti a tlodo Ivory Moro* 1 09 — a ad yet — SO GOOD — Tkoo toads Will % ' Toff Too that they Got Moro Fiao Shovot Oot of a Mortio tlodo thoo Aay Other Moko! It't a in! ucut cc — iha m» »i y cl ■%( ud hacking . . . cnee o»er tad yoa hi» for 40— or 2 Sc for 20. IOC** eatiafactioa gatraateed , or acad theta back aad get yocr soeey. ! . ' I ■ • W« le- t ONCE OVER AND A CLEAN SHAVE

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UNION LEADE -J 3 r /a dill *r •/* Jftv Sic I H E CRtAI AMERICAN SMOKE AST— i n« FATHER. UKf SON* Yon see it erery- JL*hfft— i young fellow rolling ciga- rran from (be uac big red tin of Union Leader that bis Dad ills a pipe from! Dad's choice of Union Leader is based on 30 fears of smoking, looking for jost what Union Leader gi»es a man! The deep fall lasor of hilltop Kentucky Barley! The heart-warming mellowness that earns a smoker’s life- tong friendship! Soo chooses Union Leader because long- aging makes it extra mild and free from bract ness and bite. And the way it's cat means perfect cigarettes. Try Union Leader yonrself and sec how mach downright smoking pleasure a dime can really boy! The“Leader ’ both Dad and Son Cheer

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ASTOUNDING SCIENCEflCnON Tit 1 1 uinMMl i ft Tarikt imki CONTENTS DECEMBER. I?39 VOL. XXIV NO. 4 Th* «♦ tM •«»«! •« *4» Mt »«*• MV« 1*4 »• K* - IfttH ft/ C |M IM •*.»! Mt ft* '»»• *1*1 • •«•**«• 1 t»t Plf mu> § NOVELETTES -DISCOID IN SC At LET A. E. voa Vo qY . . . t 1 !!fT?» MftiJU^y » **•! *] Dr i««s f 1 *»' •* /l !*•* tk* I f>» • * SCULPTORS OF LIFE Wolloc. Wo»* ... 71 IN rW I ran# ar» '«^ra • • »^'arv iW 44 *«»*- • 4 j«r I t«fM •! •» » !• a: ♦* I #«a*m • THE NOVA . . Edwin K. Sloo* . . . U I v* l «OHi »■»« w »T*i P» -*f% mj iW l«t«r k»'.I4 l'*4 *•• A "r* . ARTICLE "THERE AIN'T NO SUCHr . . . L. Spyog.. d« Camp . tj OwUx Pf*»«4 tka* NaIW* *a« a pi .{ 4Bi ■at rf *• »kt*4x»j *7 «*•«' iftiaul*1 SERIAL GRAY LENSMAW . . . . T\ . E. E. S»Hfc. PBJ>. . . 1ft* P At2 TV»e* »4 |«U P*lt* h 4 •- ^ ft t m« V READERS- DEPARTMENTS txi terrors pasi a %4 \«txa. ft ‘/vta IN TIMES TO COMC 91 [VftartftPti 4 hiftfrrry **4 }«*«** I— a-a. AM Ai TT)C AX LAtOIATOtT 91 \ft \uSu« 4 Rpairr/ •»; w- MASS TACIS AMD VC 1 1 MCI DISCUSSIONS Ill TW l)ftrt 4 tAftrr««*Nt ft v I**’# *c C t«» ««4 Sck«#««a* STREET E SMITH PUBLICATIONS. INC. • 7T 7H. AVE. NEW TOR)£ N. T.

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CAUGHT by rising tide In SHARK-FILLED WATERS! I G Hcoti T 4 not O *Om aiftht ■ pury of u leaned ca« to (pear toitfin ia At n rm, Atilt* C«U cota waccri,” vrimlfa.Xqiat.'AiAtidttUianj.At loaa- do itniiat on Ac taadr hortnra. cfaa ia ocJ j a Q -Ia)iy«M Ha apart. »« wato. d farther and Q“F adncia| Ac lancrra left oo Ac Tbea.oarc«jdiaf Lt£hfdoc;f>cartd.Ycdida'tkaov ■ ooc of ocr parry to faadc bi taidj back. »hxh way to rsa— trapped ia that! -4Ucd i pi- fh*. aod lackdp had a Sathlifthc ia ho aniaai viUaciAcpnimof' [ttncdr' /'ni CU.TXD buarat-Ac Lad )w cu d«- daflehaj. It probahtf und a Fra FRESH BATTERIES LAST LONGER <£.-* sr?*£t DATE-LI .. 30 Ull 41NI ftfCtIT. M ft W TOII, N. T. Cm V t«

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(ID flSIfifl, ET CETERfi- f Mottoes, promises and high-sounding phrase* being pleasant. « still fed practical test* of what can be fairly well at it — The Hunts*.

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ATHLETE kti Dtunbtr MnUr, AjUet e pmi^t O it Or Uwddtd inckxi „* . THE ALL-STAR MAGAZINE WHAT ALL*AMEKICA? — H. O. (FrtaJ Crnler. Umwu^ el Michigaa't keod coock, tp«ah out on lU bwtfa and t*i ia Hw pr**eat vfitmm of picking Al Awerieaer. HOLD Ud. PITTSBUtCH— The mmidm oory el ike Pet Farther Uetfeci thuatioe fay o to moot iportt writer »io fared inegll k. MAKE! OF CHAMPIONS— Cooch We Toley gim tke ImerJa fae ha* wed ie iwnuig out grid, court and daoeaeod chow p*OJn •) prwMOP ot ptoo^riwo x^oc*, W. J. Ako article* by Beylty More* wfao Cod* two oCm Target! oe aHdetet; Fred leur* lek ie Awerico aed top eotck tforiet by Jecfc Kefaed. El chord McCooo and \l Licit; om uu mo' it*

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Xu ipnvltd mowlea ce the bosocn patches of light gleamed coldly a: him. of endless eight. Time dragged drearily whole galaxies of blaring start shrunk toward infinity, and 'fact was dark. by incredible distance to shiamg swirls Unutterably dark ! The horrible pitch- of mitt. blackness of mtergalactic immensity! Life was out there, spanning on the Across the miles and the years, vague myriad planets that whirled eternally

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N - ASTOUNDING SCIRNCK-FICTIOS aroonibthe myriad win .And He had once crawled oat of the primer*! mad of aocicat Oar — before crwmsr explo- sion destroyed a mighty race and Amg hi* — XtT* — body out into the deep* of spoor, the prey of chance . Ha brain pulsed oo and an in the our old. old cycle. of thought — think- • mg: one chance in derilfians that hi* body *ould ever ccanr near a galactic system. One chancr in infamy itself that he hll oo * planet and find a pre- cious fmmJ. And oeirr. never a hope that hb race. would hre ag£n. A UQjcn time* tint thought had pounded to its dreary coochtsior. m his brain, until it mat a part of him. until it was Kkr a picture unroBn*; before his eye* — it and those remote wisps of shmingnrvs out there in that blackness. And that picture was more real than the reality. He had no oon»r*«x«oeas of the spaceship, until he touched the metal Hard, harrfaess — «*nrthmg material ! • The rague sense perception fumbled into hit dollnf brain, bringing a bv.rsg pam — See a disused muscle, briefly . ago-' niiiagly brought into action. The though: skanpnL Hts brain slid back into its sleep of ages, seeing again the old picture of hopelessness and the ihasgnrst in the black. The eery idea of hardness became a dream that faded. Some remote corner of his mind, cun- ously alert, witched it fade, watched the shadow* creep with reaching, en- veloping folds of Ightltssatsi. arising to re-engtdf the dim ermsaoasaess that tad Sashed into such an anguish of ephemeral existence. / And then, once tnurr. his groping fingers sent that duO pulse of awareness tapping its uncertain message to his sodden, hopeless brain. His rkogated iudy cuctuleO in senseless movement, for arms tidied out. four legs jackknifes] with I first, un- reasoning strength. There was a dis- tinct sense of a blow and of a pa»hmg away from the hard matt. Hts diced, staring eyes, his stultified ris son galvanised into file; and be saw that, in the contort'd fury of his move- ments. he bad puifaed himself away from the surface of a itx. round, dark- bodied metal monster, studded with row on row of glaring fights, idee diamonds The spaceship flouted there m the velvet darkness, glowing like an immense jewel, 'fine scent bat afire, enormously. ritaSy alive, bringing nrwtalgir and . vivid suggestion of a thousand far-fhmg planets, and of an indomitable, boaster- nos bfr that had reached for the s^ars and graced them. Bringing — hope? The Toario tenor of his thoughts ex- ploded mto chaos. His mmd. grooved through the uncounted ages to.ulfimstrf despair, soared up. up. insanely. Life 'urged from the klpn jxxct of static to the swirling. irresistible height of dynamism, that jarred every atom of his scarlet, cylindrical body and his roond. vnevuus head. His legs and arms gfis- tenrd like tongues of firing fire, as they twisted and writhed in the blare of fight from those da riling portholes. His mcesfa. a gash in the center of hts hideous bead, slavered a white frost that floated away in little hosts globules. His brain couldn't bold the line of that terrific hope. His mind kept dss- tolricg. blurring. Through that fahsr. he saw a thick vein of fight torus a circular bulge m the mrtxMir surface of the ship. The bulge became a huge dpor > that rotated open and tilled to one sale. A flood of brilliance tpsDed out the great opening, followed by a dam two- legged beings in transparent metal ar- mor. dragging great floating machines. Swiftly, the machines were concen- trated around a dark projection oo the ship's surface. Intolerable light flared up a« what was obvioudy repair rod proceeded at an alarming pace. He was no Geiger falling away from the ship. The taint pressure of grari-

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DISCORD IK SCARLET 11 talimal poll n> dno slowly. Frantically. be ad* justed his ajocisc structure to the full- est measure of attraction. But even bis poorly mfoodaf brain could see that hr would never make it. The work seas finished. The mean- descent giarg of atomic welders died to spluttering darkness. Machines were unchmprd. denied toward the opening of the ship, down into it and oat of sight. The two-legged beings -scram- bled after them. The vast, cursed plain of metal was suddenly as deserted and bieless as space itself. Terror struck Rato XtL He'd hate to tight, base to get there somehow. He couldn't Irt them get away now. when the whole urn terse was in his grasp— twer.ty-hte short yards away. Hit ktching arms reached out stupsdJv. as if be would hold the ship by sheer fury of. need. His brain ached with a slow, rhythmical hart. His mind spaa to- ward a blade, bottomless pit — then poised just before the final phage/ The great door was slowing tn Rs swifi rotation . A solitary being squeezed through the ring of fight and ran to the dark projAioa. just repaired. He picked up an instrument that gleamed weirdly, a tool of some kind forgotten, and started back toward the parth open lick. V. He stopped. In t&r glow from the portholes. Xil could ice the other's face through the transparent armor. The face stared up at him. eyes wide, mouth epen. Then the mouth moved rapidly, opening and shutting. apparently a form of ounmunieation with the cithers. A moment later the door was rotat- mg again, opening wide. A group of the beings came out. two of them mounted oa tije top of a large, metal-barred cage, steering it under power. He sea* to be captured. * Oddly, his brain feh no sense of bft. no scaring hope, none of that mind-in- flaming miiir It wa« n if i Hmg was dragging him down. down, into a black night of taague. AppwOed. he ioqght off the enveloping stupa*. He must hold to his semes. His nil, that had attained the very threshold of uki- mateikaow ledge, must live again. The voice, a strained, unrecognizable voice, came to Commander Morton through, l hr communicators in his trans- parent spamthc: l"Hour in the name of alf the bells can anything bvr in inter - galactic space:" It seemed to the commander that the •question made the little group of men crowd closer together. The proximity of the others made them fid easier. Then they suddenly grew aware of the impalpable yet afire weight of the in-, ctracrivabie night that coiled about them, pressing down to the very blaring port- t- - 1^ ■ W rjr*e*- For the first time in yean, the im- mensity of that night squeezed idjr into Morton's consciousness. Long famil- iarity had bred indifference into his very bones — but now-, the incredible vastness of that blackness reaching a bdboo triF lion years beyond the farthest frontiers of man stabbed into his mind, and brought an almost dismaying awareness. His deep voice, clattering into the com- municators. spfit that scared silence Hoe some harsh noise, startled him: "Gunfir Lester, here's something for your astronomstaf-mathctmtical brain. Will you please grie us the ratio of change that blew out a driver of the BeagU at the exact point in space where that thing was floating? Take a frw hours to work it out." The astrooamrr replied immediately: “I don't have to think about «. The .hance is unscalable in human arithme- tic. I: can't happen, mathematically -peaking. Herr we are, a shipload « f human beings, stepping foe repairs half- way between two galaxies — the firs*, time we've ever made a trip outside of <<ir own fibn _ Here we are. I say. a tray

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/ 12 ASTOUXDIXG SCIENCE-FICTION point intersecting without preamop- torot oucihr the path o f another, tinier point. Impossible. neleu space it satu- rated with »oeh— creatures !“ “I hope not." another roan shuddered. "We ought to turn a awhile unit on anything that looks late that, on general praapfes." The shudder seemed to run along the communicators. Commander- Morton shook his great, lean body as if con- ■ scioosly trying to throw off the chill of it. Jfis eyes on the maneuvering cage above. he said: “A regular blood-red deni spewed out of some fantastic nightmare ; ugly as sin — and probably as harmless as our beautiful pussy las: year was deadly. Smith, what do you think?- The cadaverous-lac^, biologist said in his cold, logical \ cice^CSSfcis thing has arms and legs, a purely planetary evo- lution. If it is BKcCigcr.: it will begin to react to environment the roomer.: it b inside the cage. It may be a ven- erable old sage, meditating in the silence of distract sanies 5 space. Or it may tic a young murderer, condemned to eter- nal exile, consumed with desire to sneak back home and resume the life he lived. " “I wish Korita had come cast with us." said Pennons, the chief engineer, in his quiet, practical voice. “Korita's histori- cal analysis of pussy last year gave us an advance idea of wha: wc had to face and — “ “Koarra speaktr.g. Mr. Pennons." came the meticulously clear voter of the Japanese archeologist on the com- munxatorv "Like many of the oth»ts. I have been hstenkg to what is hap- pening as a welcome break m this, the longest journey the spaceship RtagU has ever undertaken flu: I am afraid analysis of the creature would be dan- gerous at this factless stage. In the case of pussy, wc had the barren, food- i less planet on which we lived, and the architectural realities of his crumbled city. ‘Here we have a creature living in space a million years from the nearest planet, apparently without food, and without means of spatial locomotion I suggest you make certain that you get him m:o the cage, and then study him — every action, every ration. Take pictures of his internal organs working in the vacuum of space. Find out every possible thing about him. so that we shall know what we have aboard as soon as possible. Now, when we are fully staffed again and heading for a new galaxy for the first time in the history of man. we cannot afford to have anything go wrong, or anybody killed before we reach there. Thank r**i ‘And that." said Morton, “is sense. You ve got . your fluorite camera. Smith r ‘Attached to oiy suit.” Smith ac- knowledged- Morton who knew the capabilities of the mournful- lucking biologist turned his attention bock to the cage fifty feel away. .He said in bis deep, resonant voice: "Open the door as wide as possible, and drop over him. Don't let his hands, grab the bars.” “Just a minuter a guttural voice broke in. Morton turned question ingly to the big. plump German , physicist. Von Grossen continued: ‘Let us not rash this capture. Commander Morton. It is true that I was not aboard last year when you had your encounter with the creature you persist in calling pussy. But when you returned to the base planet before embarking on the. present voyage, the story you told to the world was not reassuring, not to roe. anyway." His hard, gray-dark face stared grimly at the others: "It is true that I can see no real objection to capturing this creature in a cage. Bo: it happens that I am replacing a man who was

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DISCORD IN SCARLET killed by tint — pour. Therefore I speak fa* him when 1 ujr : Such a thmg nab! never happen ifun." Morton frowned. hi» face hned with Joule. rYou pc: me m a spot, ion Grossen. As human being*, we must take eiery possible precaution. . At scientists. however. all is grist for onr ■nil; everything must be mi estigalcd. There can be no thought of shunning 'Unger before we eren know it to be danger. If this voyage is to be ruled by fear, we might as well head for home now." "Fear it not what I had in mind." iaid the physicist quietly. “But 1 be- lieve in counting ten before acting." Mortou a»kcd. “Any other objec- tion} y • He feh >«ldly annoyed that there were ntmr. Xt£ .waited. His thoughts kept would meal his purpose. rTpoae the breaking up into little pieces of fight pccoons object f concealed within his and figbtles* — a chain of darrle and breast ; and that must out be. dark— that somehow connected up with His tardy-bright eyes in tax- til the things he had ever known or ious dismay over the donen figures in thought. Visions of a long -dead planet transparent armor. Then his mind trickled into bis coescicmaiicss bringing calmed. They were inferior ejeaturei. y tague cobcrit — and a contempt of obviooslyr! Puny foes before his ova ihoc cmioftk who Lhoogfal to capture remarkable power. Their very need of him. ipaccsants proved their inability to adapt W hy. be could remember a time tfaemse+re* to environment. proved they when his face bad had spaceships a existed on a low plane of twilnwi Yet hundred times the sire of tin* marhinr he must not underestimate them Here that swam below hsn. That was far* were keen brains, capable of creating fore they had dispensed completely with and using mighty machines. . space travel, and just fired a quirt „ Each of the beings had weapons in homey life building beauty from natural holster at the side of hb space armor forces. — weapbns with sparkling, translucent He watched, as the cage was driven handles.* He had noticed the same wrap* toward turn unerringly. There was <ms in the bolsters of the men at the top nothing he could do. even had he wanted <4 the cage. That, then.- would he bis to. The gaping mouth of the large, method if any of these creatures flashed metal-barred construct ski dosed »irr ' a camera on him. him and mapped shut the moment hr .Vs the cage dropped into the belt of was inside. lmdiiTused blackness between two port~ Xtl clawed at the nearest far. caught holes. Smith stepped forward with his hold with grim strength. He dung camera — and Xtl jerked himself with there an ini*ar.s. sick and diary with effortless ease up the bars to the ceiling

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M ASTOCXOCKG SCXENGE-FICTIOX of the cage. The psh of hit mouth in the center of hit mod. vnoth he«l ns spfit in a silent savl of fury at the unutterable bad lode that ns forcing this* more upon him. His srisioo snapped foil on ; and now hie could tee Nurrihr through the hard metal of the ceiling. , One arm. with its eight wirelike fin- gers. lashed out with indescribable swift- ness at the ceiling, tkroufk it. and then he had a gun from the holster of one of the men. He did not attempt to readjust its atomic structure as he had adjusted his arm. It yr as important that thee should not guess that it was he who fired the gun. Straining in his awkward position, bo aimed the weapon straight a: Smith and the little group of men behind . him — released . the flaming power. These was a flare of incandescent vio- lence that blotted the men from view. A swirl of dazzling light coruscated virulently across the surface of the shijv And there was another light, too. A blue sparkle that told of automatic de- fense screens driving out from the armored suits of the men. In one continuous movement. Xtl re- leased the gun. withdrew his hand :'and. by the act. pushed himself to the floor. His immediate fear was gone. No sensi- tive camera film could have bred through the blare of penetrating energy. And what was overwhelmingly more important — the gun seas no good against himself. N'othmg bet a simple affair which employed the method of trans- mutation of one dement to awxber. the ' process releasing tor or two electrons jfnxn each atom systet^ It would re- quire a dozes such guns to do .damage to his body. •> The caorr of men stood quite still : and Morton knew they were fight- ing. as he was. the blindness that fin- gered from the spray of violent fight. • • Slowly, his eyes became adjusted; and then, he could see again the curved metal on which he stood, and beyond that the brief. barren crest of the ship and the limitless miles of lightless, heatless space — dark, fathomless, unthinkable -gulfs. Theqr too. a bhtr among the bhps of shadows, stood the cage. "I'm sorry, commander.** one of the men on the cage apologized. “The ato- gun must have fallen out of my bck. and discharged.” "Impossible r Smith's voice came to Morton, low and tense. "In this gravi- tation. k would take several minutes to fall from the holster, and k wouldn't discharge in any event from such a slight jar of landing.” “Maybe I Haded against it. sir. without noticing." "Maybe r* Smkh seemed to yield grudgingly to the explanation. “But I could almost swear that, just before the flare of fight dazzled me. the crea- ture moved. I admit k was too black to see more than the eaguest blur .bat — “ “Srnkh." Morton said sharply, “what are yon trying to prove?" He saw thg long-faced biologist hunch his narrow shoulders, as if patfiog hun- ’ self together. The biologist mumbled : “When you put st like that. I don't know. The truth is. I suppose, that I've never gotten over the way 1 in- sisted on keeping pussy alive, with such desperately tragic results I suspect everything now. and — " • Morton stared in surprise. It was hard to realize that it was really Smkh speaking — the • scientist who. k had seemed sometimes in the post, was ready to sacrifice his own life and everybody rise's if k meant adding a new. im- portant fact to the science of bioJogv._ Morten fours! his voice at last : "You were perfectly right in what you did! L'ntfl we realized the truth, you expressed the majority tnmd of this ship's company.- The development of the situation in thl case of pussy

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IS DISCORD IX SCA R L^f changed . : “lie's probably very handsome — to humrff!” “If fife » evolution." said South at a stiff voice, “and nothing evolves ex- cept for use. how can a creature firing in space hare highly developed kgs -and anas? Its insides should be interest - about ibis thing, why are we taking it aboard?” "Because” — Snath beat Morton to the reply — "we're not tied down to pic- tures and notes. There win. however.' be mdlioos of forms of life on every planet, and we shall be forced to the barest kind of record in most cases. This moostrr is different. In our fear* we hare almost forgotten that the existence of a creature capable of firing in space is the most extraordinary thing we've .ever nm across. Even pussy, who could fire without air. needed warmth of a kind, and would have found the absolute cold of space intolerable. If. as we suspect, this creature's oatural habitat is not space, then we must find out why and bow he cable to be where he is Speaking as a biologist—” “I see.” interrupted Morton dryly, “that Smnh u taucH again.” He directed a command at the men an the cage. "Take that muusacr inside, and put a wall of force around the cage. That should satisfy even the moat cau- tious.” , Xll fell the faint throb of the motors ing. But now — my camera's useless 1 That dare of entip would have .the effect of tutting the electrified lens, and of course the film's mined Shall I get “X-n-no-J!” Morton's dean-cut. handsome face grew dark with a frown. "Wave wasted a lot of time here: and after all. we can re-create vacucmi of apace Cumbrians inside IMJiip'i labora- tory. and be traveling at top acceleration while we’re doing it." "Just a rr-mute 1“ Von Grosses. the plump but bard-boiled physicist. «pokr< “Let's get this straight. The ftewpfr » gumg to another galaxy on an ex- ploration voyage — the first trip of the land. Our business is to study fife in this new: system, but vre're not taking any *prcimms. only pictures and notes— studio of the creatures m their various emircoudUs If we re all so tiers wus of the cage. Uf saw the tan more, then grew conscious of a sharp, pin sane tingling irwrvrinei. brief physical activity wvthsn hi* body that stopped the work- ing! of his and for a bare second Be- fore he could think, there was the cage fioor rising above bun — and fie was lying on the bard surface of the spnee- riup's outer shefl. \Vsh a snarl of black dismay that al- most cut his face in two. he realised the truth. He had forguctcn to readjust the atcxns m his body after firing the gun. .And now he had fallen. through' “Good Heaven r Morton be Bowed. * A scarlet streak of elongated body, a nightmare shadow in -that braid of shadow and hght. Atl darted across the impenetrable heavy metal to the air lock. He jerked him sell down into tts darrhng depths. His adjusted hdy dissolved through the two other locks .And then

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DISCORD IK SCARLET 17 he wu at one end of. i lone, Rkanrng K» iptnunl. the physiolt looked not *o corridor — safe lor the moment ! much pknnp u tag and rnx>-hard_ "And There would be Kardng lor him : that goes lor me all the way. . I have and — he knew with a cold, hardening not been long on this ship. but I have twohe — the creatures woold never found Commander Morton to be a moat trust tine a being who could vhp able intellect and leader of men. So through solid metal. Their reason 'let us not waste time A useless seW- would tell them he was a superbemff. reproach. unutterably dangerous to them. “In capturing this berrg we most first One advantage only he had— they did % of all straighten our minds about fains, not know the deadlines* of bis purpose. He has arms and legs, this creature, yet floats in space, anil remains afire. . Hr Tax vixens lalrr. Morton's gray- •allows himself to be caught in a cage, eyes' flacked qorstfanmgly over the stem hut knows all the-thae that the cage can - faces if the men gathered in the great not bold him. Then be drops through reception room. His huge and power- the bottom of the cage, which is very fnl body irk oddly rigid, as if his trios- uBy if be doesn't was us to Ipo* that do could not quite relax. His voice hr can do it. Which mans that he is was airflow rr. deeper, richer than nor- a very foolish creature. indeed, and we mal: don't have to worry very much about "I am goings to offer my resignation him. There is a reason why iimKgrm on the jpumds that, for the second time living things make mistakes — a fonda- tmdrr my leadership, an abnormal beast mental reason that should make it easy has gotten aboard this craft. I must far us to analyze him right back to where assmae that these it a basic lack in my he came from, and why he it here, mental make-op; for results, and oh >path. analyze bis biological make-up." excuses, do emmt in tins fare eve of Smith stood up, lank and grim, ours; even apparently bad hack is "We're already ifiscusard the obvious rigorously hound op with character. 1. planetary origin of Ins hands and feet, therefore, agpit that Korita or won The ability to fire in space, however, is Gmsscn be named commander ha ms an abnormal development; haripg no place ' Korea because of the care ^he connection with natural evolution, bat advocated, and von Gmsscn on the is the product of brain power and sea- strength of his objection to taking any ence. pure and” simple. I suggest that firing specimens aboard — both are more here is a member of a race that, has fined to bold the command than 1 am." solved the final secrets of biology; and. “The honorable commander has far- if I knew how we should even begin gotten one thing." Korita said softly. to start looking far a creature that can “The creature was not carried into the slip through walls, my advice would be : ship. 1 admit it was our oofleexhe'in- Hunt him down and kaB him within an tension to bring him aboard, bet it wa> 'hour." he himself who entered- I suggest that: even if we had decided doc to bring • “EaT Knur, the sociologist, said, him iuo the interior, we could one have He was a bald-headed man with pee- per-rented his entry in view of his trrnaxuraBr intelligent eyes that gleamed ability to slip through metal. 'It. rt owlishly from behind tus ptner-aez. absolutely absurd for Commander Mor- "Ex, any being who could fit himself ton to feel responsible." to vacuum of space condition would be Von Gtwsjen heaved hsmse-K out of lord of the universe. His kind koukl ha chair. Now that he was oct of .dwell on every planet, clutter up every

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u ASTOUNDING SOEXCE-nCTION pbctic iptna. Snnnt of him maid for us to prntot this bml rntrriuf oar be fluting in space. if tftn floating it ship. Because of hii {rat innate mtrib- ■lit: they go m f<r. Yet. we know for pwt, he would nuke no errors of any ' a fact that his race floes not rule cur kind." galactic area. A paradox, which is "But he has already made an error T" worthy of investigation." von Grosser! sax! in a silken voice. "He "I don't stole understand what yon very foolishly fell through the bottom of mean. Keffie f" Mortoc frowned. the cage. It is the kind of blunder a . “Simply. er. that a race which has peasant would make — ~ solved the final secrets of biology mast “Suppose." Morton asked, "he were be millions, even tyllxxis of scars in ad- in the peasant stage?" srance of man ; and. as a pure sytnpodul “Then." Korita rephed. "his basic kn- - —capable of adaptation to any environ- pulses would be much simpler. There ment — would, according to the lay of would be first of all the desire to repro- vcal dynamics, expand to the farthest dace, to have a son. to know that his frontier of the universe, just as mat: is blood vras being carried on Assuming slowly pushing himself to the remotest great fundamental intelligence, this sm- planets." pulse might, m the superior being, take "It is a contradiction." Morton agreed, the form of a fanatic drive toward race “and would seem to prove that the survival — " creature is not a superior brmg. Korita. Hr stopped, as half a doom mm came what is this thing's history ?" through the doorway. The Japanese scientist shrugged: Morton said: "Finished. Prances?" "I'm afraid I can only be of the slightest The chief engineer nodded. Then in assistance on present evidence. You a wanung vovee: "It is absolutely esseo- know the prevailing theory: That Mr * tial that every man on the ship get into proceeds upwards by a series of cycles. his rubberise suit, and wear rnbbente Each cycle begins with the peasant, who gloves." is rooted to his bit of sod. The peasant Morton explained, grimly. “We're comes to market : and slowly the mar- mergued the walls around the bed- ket place transforms to a town, with re* ms There may be some delay m ever less 'inward' connection to the catdung this creature, and we're taking earth. Then we have cities and nations, tso chances of brmg murdered in our Anally the soulless world cities and a teds. We — " Sharply: "What is it. devastating struggle foe puwer — a senes Pennons ?~ of frightful wars which sweep men hack Pennons was staring at a small in- to the peaaart stage. The question be- st rumen: m his hand : be said in a-qocer -comes: Is this creature in the peasant voice: “Are we all here. Morton?" port of this particular cycle, or in the big “Yes. except for four men guarding city 'mrgak jpoMan' era?" the engine room." Morton’s voice slashed across the si- "Then . . . then something's caught lepce: "In view of our limned know!- in the wall os' forte. Quick — we must edge of this ereaturr. what basic traits surround it.” should we look for. supposing him to J be in !be/t*g city stage?" To Xti. returning from a brief ex- "He would be a cold, invincible in- pk -ration of the monster ship's interior, trllcct. formidable to the ultimate de- the shuck was devastating, the surprise gree. undefeatable — except through or- unutterable and complete, cumstancev I refer to the land of One moment he was thinking com- circumstances that made it impossible [Aacetuly of the metal sections in the f

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w DISCORD IX SCARLET bold of the ship, where he would secrete his 9**U; the next ao—t he was caught in the full sparkling fury of an enwpr screen. His bode writhed with an agony that blackened has brain. Thick clouds of free electrons rose up within him in that hell of pais, and flashed from sys- tem to system seeking union, only to be violently repelled by the tortured, madly tpinr.au atom systems. For those long seconds, the wonderfully bal- anced awtabifay of hb structure nearly - • collapsed into an abyss of disintegration. But the incredible genius that had created has marvelous body had fore* even this evenrmhty. Like his body endured readjust- ment after automatic readjustment, each new-built structure carrying the intoler- able loud for a fraction of a fraction of a second. And then, he had jerked back from the wall, and seas safe. la a. Rare of thought, hb roand investi- gated the immediate pcasihitities Oh- viously. the men had rigged up this de- fense wall of force. It meant they would have an alarm system and they would swoop down every corridor in an or- ganised attempt to corner him. XtT» eyes were glowing pools of white fire as he realised the opportu- nity. He must catch one of these mesa, whale they were scattered, investigate his fmml properties, and use him for his first gtaJ. So tame to waste. He darted into the -nearest walk a tall, gaudy, ungrace- ful streak, and. without pausing, sped through room after room, roughly parallel to a main corridor. His sensi- tive feet caught the vibrations of llyr ap- proaching men: and through the wall his full visaon followed the blurred fig- ures rushing past. One. two. three, four — five— on this corridor. The fifth man was some distance behind the others. I jke a wraith. Xtl glided into the wall just ahead of the last man — and pounced \ forth in an irresistible charge. A rear- AST— 4 r mgi frightful skape of glaring eyes and ghastly mouth, blood-red. metal-hard body, and four arms of fire that clutched with batter strength at the human body. The man tried to fight. His big form twisted, jerked; his lashing fists fek vaguely painful as they pounded des- perately against the hard, sheeny crust of Xtl's body. And then, by sheer weight and ferocity, he was over- whelmed: the force of hit fall jarring Xtl's sensitive frame. The man was lying on his bade, and Xtl wauhed cariously as the mouth opened and shut spasmodically. A tingling sensation sped along XtTs fed. and his mouth opened in a snarl. In- capable though he was of hearing sounds, he realised that he was picking up the vibrations of a call for help. He pounced forward, one great hand mashing at the man’s mouth. Teeth broke, and crushed back into the throat. The body sagged. But the man was all alive, and conscious, as Xtl plunged two hands into the feebly writhing body. The man ceased suddenly even that shadow of struggle, hb widened eyes staring at the arms that vanished under his shirt, stirred around in hb chest, stared in petrified terror at the moa- strous blood-red cylindrical body that loomed over him. with its round bright eyes glaring at him as if they would see right through him. It was a blurred picture the frantic Xtl saw. The inside of the man's body seemed solid flesh. He had to find an opes space, or one that could be pressed open, so kng as the pressing did not kill the man. He must have living flesh. Hurry, hurry — Hts feet registered the vibrations of approaching footsteps — from one direction only, but coming swiftly, swiftly. And then, just like that, it was all over. His searching fingers, briefly hardened to a state of srnasofcdity, touched the heart. The man heaved

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ASTOUNDING SCIENCE- FICTION eonrulsirely. sh adder rd. tad stamped into death. The next instant. Xtl dixoitnd the stomach. For a moment. black dismay flooded him. Herr »u wrhat he was searching for. and he had killed it. ren- dered it welest ! He stared in cold fury at the stilled body, uncertain, alarmed. Then - suddenly his actions became deliberate. weighted with contempt. Never for an instant had he suspected these mte&igrnt beings would die so easily. It chanced, simplified every- tW. There was no need to be any- thing more than casually careful in deal- ing with them. Two mefl with drawn ato-guns whipped arowtxf the nearest comer, and slid to a halt at the sight of the appari- tion that snarled at them across the dead body. Then, as they came out of their brief paralysis Xtl stepped into the nearest wall, a Uur of scarlet in that brightly lit corridor, fooe on the in- stant. He ffh the fury of the energy rays that Tore futile!) at the metal be- hind him. His plan was quite dear now. He would capture halt a dorm men. and make pwwlr of them. Then kill all the others, proceed on to the pUcoc system toward which the ship was headinc. and take control of the first inhibited planet. After that, domination of the entire uni- verse would be a natter of a shost time only. Covvissa Morrow stood eery stiffly there m the f learning corridor, every muscle in his huge body Eke a taift wire. Only a dorm mm were farh- tfM round the dead body, but the audio- scopes were on ; nearly two hundred tense mm throuchout the ship were watching that scene. Morton's vwce was only a whisper, but it cut across the silence like a whiplash. "Wefl. doctor?" Dr. Eggert. rose up from his kneelinc position beside the body, frownmc- -Heart failure." . “Hrmrt friwr,r -All right. all rigjit !** The doctor put up his hands as if to defend himself against physical attack. “I know bis teeth look as if they've been smashed back into his brain, and I know Dar- jeeling's heart was perfect, but heart failure is what it looks Eke to me." "I can bebeve it." a man said sourly. "When I came around that corner, and saw that thing. I nearly had bean failure myself." “We're wasting time !" von Grossen's voice stabbed from behind Morton. "We can beat this feQow. but not by talking about him. and feeling sick every time be makes a move. If I’m next on the list of victims. I want to know that the best damned bunch of scientists in the system are not crying over my fate, but putting their best brains to the yob of avenging my death-"* "You 'ye right." Smith said. “The trouble with ns is. we've been permit-* tmg ourselves to feel inferior. He's only been on the ship about an hour but I can see now that some of us are going to get killed WeiL I accept my chance ! But let's get organised fair combat !" Morton snapped: "Pennons, here's a problem. We've got about two square sales ot wall and floor space in our twenty levels. How long will it take to mergue every inch of it?" The chief m. finer r stared at him. aghast : then answered swiftly : "I could sweep the ship and probably wreck it complete!) within an hour. I won't go into details But uncontrolled energiza- tion is ahvohitrlr out. It would kill every bring thing aboard — " "N'ot everything?" von Grosser, re- jected. “Not the creature. Remem- ber. that damn thing ran into a wall of force. Your instrument. Pennons, registered activity for several seconds Several seconds! Let roe show you what that means The principle tender - lying his ability to slip through walls

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DISCORD IN SCARLET a n simple enough. The Uoau of his body slide through the empty spaces be- tween the atoms of the wills. There is a basic electronic tensioo that holds a body together, which would hare to be overcome. but apparently his race has sotted the ddfieufcy. A wall of force would increase those electronic tensions lo a point where the atoms themselves would be emitting free electrons; and, theoretically, that should have a deadly effect on any interferiag body. IH wager he didn't like those few seconds he was in the wall — but the point is, he stood them." Morton's strong face was hard: “You could feed more energy to those walls, couldn't you. Pennons?” " h" -no !” said Pennons, reluctantly. "The walls couldn't stand it. They’d melt." j "The wilt eouUn'l ttmd ixF a man gasped. "Man. man, do you know what you're making this creature out to be?” Morton saw the consternation that leaped along that line of stem facts. Korita's thin, dear voice cut across that pregnant silence : "Let us not forget, my honorable friends, that be did blunder Wo the wall of force, and recoiled in dismay, though apparently without damage to his person. I use the word 'blunder' with discretion. His action proses once again tfq* be does make mistakes which, in turn, shows him to be something less than a seperbeing — ” "Suppose." Morton barked, "he's a peasant of his cycle. What would he his chief intellectual characteristic ?” Korita replied almost crisply for ooe who usually speke so slowly: "The inabibty to understand the full power of organisation. He will think probably that all he has to fight in order to get control of this ship would be the men who are in it. His exist instinctive reasoning would tend to discount the fact that we are part of a vast galactic civilization or organization, and that the spirit of that cirifixatioo is fighting in us. The mind of the true peasant is very individualistic, almost anarchic. His desire to reproduce is a form of egoism, to have his own blood particu- larly carried on. There can be no such thing as a peasant co-cperative or or- ganization. But this creature may want to have numbers of beings similar to himself beside him to' help him with his £ght. But. though there wocld be a loosd union, they wocld Sght as in- dividuals. and not as a group." "A loose union of those fire-eaters ought to be enough 1" a crew member commented acidly. "I . . . a-a-a-a — " His voice' sagged. His lower jaw dropped two inches. His eyea under Morton's gaze, took on a hafnblv gog- *W stare. The ctxrzrandfr whipped around with an oath. I Xtl stooo uui. forhidclrg specter from a scarlet hell, his ey«4 pools of Uaring alertness. He knew with a vast contempt that be could plunge into the nearest wall before any gun could leap out at him in ravening fury. But he felt himself protected by another fact. These were tctelhgeat beings. They wocld be more anxious to discover why he had deliberately come out of the wall than to IdU kirn immediately. They might even consider it a friendly move; and. when they discovered dif- ferently. it would be too late. Hb purpose, which was twofold, was simplicity itself. He had come for his first pw ml. By snatching that ?»a l from their very midst, he wocld demoralize them thoroughly. Morton felt a curious ware of un- realky sweep over him. as he stood just behind vco Grossen there in that gut- tering hallway, faerg the tall, thick, cylindrical reakty of All. Instinctively, hb fingers groped downward toward the sparkling, translucent handle of the ato-gun that protruded from hb bolster.

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a ASTOUNDING SOENCE-ncnOK “Don't touch roar fx.i- He can wort like a Suh ; and he wouldn't be Sere if he thought we could draw on him. IU take his opinion any day on that point. Beside*. we can't risk (ail- we. This mar lg our only chance!" He continued m a swift. slightly higher. more urgent tone: “Every man hjlewing in on the aadsoscopes get above and below and around thi> corridor. Bring up the beanett portable*. even moat of the sent portable* and burn the walls down. Cut a dear path all around this area, and have your' beams sweep that space at narrow focus. Mover “Good boy. Morton r Pennons’ face appeared for an mutant on the plate of the andioioope. “Well be there— if you can stall that heUhotmd three minutes-** Koetta's sibilant voice hissed out of the audioocope : “Morton, take this chance, but do not coast on success. Notice that be has appeared once again before we have had tone for a discus- sion. He is rushing us. whether in- tentionally or accidentally matters not. because the result is that we're on the rut scurrying this way and that, futilefy. So far we have not clanfird our thoughts. I am convinced the vast resources of this ship can defeat any creature — any single creature— that has ever existed, or that ever will epist. but only if we have tznv. to use them His voice blurred briefly in Morton's ears. Von Groneo had taken a note- toward von Grotarn. then paused tm- oertaialy. “What the devil have you done?" Mortoh demanded his voice sounding unnaturally tSrif even to himself. Vox Giosstx took several steps back- ward. until he stood level with Mar- ton. To the commander's amazement, he was grinning: \ “I've just shown him." the German physicist said softly, “how we can defeat him — neutronium alloy, of course add he Too late. Morton stepped forward, in- stinctively trying to interpose hit huge form in front of von Grosses. A blur of red smept by him. Something — a hand moving so fast that it was invisible — struck him a stunning blow, and knocked him spinning against the nearest walL For an instant, his body threatened to collapse from sheer*, dazed weakness. The world went "black, then white, then black With appalling effort, he fought the weakness aside. The immejne reservoir of strength in his magnificent body surged irresistibly forward: his knee* stopped watering, but his vision was stiS a crazy thing. As through a dis- torted glass, he saw that the thing was holding ton Grossen in two fire-colored arms. The t w-o- hundred -and -trn -pound physicist gate one convulsive heave of dismay: and then seemed to accept the overpowering strength of those thin, hard muscles. With a bellow. Morton clawed for book from h» pocket, and vra* sketching rapidly.. He tore the sheet loose, and stepped forward, handed"^ to the crea- ture. who examined it cunously. Von Grossen stepped back, and began to sketch again or the second page, with a swift deftness. This sheet he handed also the creature, who took one glance at it. and stepped back with a snarl that spht his face.' His eyes widened to blaz- ing pools ; ooe arm half reached forward his gun. And it wa» then tha: the maddest thing of all happened. The creature took a naming dire, and van- ished into the trail. stiH holding ran Grossen Foe an instant, it seemed to Morton like a crazy trick of vision. Hot there was only the smooth gleamingaes* of the wall and eleven staring, perspir- ing men. seven of them with drawn weapons, which they fingered helplessly. “We’re lost!" a man whispered. "If

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DISCOID IX SCARLET O be na adjust oor atomic structure, and take us through walls, we can't fight him.” Morton chilled his heart to the dis- may he read in that rough semicircle erf faces. He said coldly: “Your report. Penned TT There was a brief delay, then the engineer's lean leathery (ace. drawn with strain and effort, stared into the plate: “Nothing r be repbed succinctly. "Clay, one of my assistant s. thinks he saw a Hash of scarlet disappearing through a floor, going down. That's a clue of course. It means our search will be narrowed to the lower half of the ship As for the rest, we were just lining up our units when it happened. You gave us only two minutes. ' We needed three!” Mortoa nodded, hit thoughtful mood interrupted by the abrupt realisation that his fingers were shaking. With a mut- tered imprecation, be clenched them, and said idly: “Konta has giren us our coe — organi- zation. The implicaiioas of that word must be fuQy thought out. and co-ordi- nated to the knowledge we hare of the creature. Von Grossen. of course, has given us our defense — oeutrociuns al- loy." “1 don't follow the argument/* inter- jected Zeller, the metallurgist. It was Smith who explained T^Ybe commander means that only, two parts of the ship are composed of that in- credibly dense metal, the outer shell and the engine room. If you had been with us when we first captured this creature, you would have noticed that, when the damned thing fell through the floor of the cage, it was stopped short by the hard metal of the ship's crust. The conclusion is obviously that it can- not slip through such metal ; and the fact that it ran for the air- lock is proof. The wonder is that we didn't think of it before.” Morton barked: “Therefore, to the bean of the ship— the engine room. And we won't go out of there till we've got a plan. Any other way, hell nn us ragged.” “What about von Grosser! TT a man ventured. kl crun snapped harshly: “Don't make us think of von Groom. Do you want us all to go craxy TT lx that vast room of vast machines, the men were dwarfs in pyssiica It - was a world apart ; and Morton, for the first time in years, felt the aben. ab- normal tremendousness of it. Hit nerves jumped at each special bunt of unholy blue hgbt that sparkled and coruscated upon the great, glistening sweep of the cnlmg. Blue light that was alive, pure energy that do eliminators had ever been able to eliminate: no condensers absorb. And there was something else that tawed on his nerves now. A sound imprisoned m the very air ! A thin haws of terrifying power, a vague rumble, the faintest, quivering reverberation of an inconceivable flow of energy. Mortoa glanced at his watch, and stood up with an explonve sigh of rebel He swept up t small sheaf of notes from a metal desk. The silence of unsmiling men became the deeper, tenser silence of men who fixed him with their ryes. The commander began: “This is the first breathing spell we've had since that creature came aboard less than— incredible as it may seem— lesa than two hours ago. I've been glanc- ing through these notes you're given me. and I've divided them into two sections: those that can be discussed while we're putting into effect the purely mechanical plans for cornering the thing — these laner must be discussed now. There are two. First. Zeller !” The metallurgist stepped forward, a brisk, middle-aged, young- looking man. He started: “The creature made no at-

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M . ASTOUNORKC SCIENCE- FICTION' tempt to keep the drawing* which too hack one o f the boldest minds aboard the Crosses showed it— proof. incidentally, that roo Grosses was not seized because of the drawings. They fell on the floor ; aad I picked them up. I're been show- ing them around, so most of you know that the first drawing is a likeness of the creature stepping through a metal wall ; and .beside the wall is an en- larged atom system of the type of which the wall is composed — two hundred electrons arranged about the nucleus, forming a series of triangles. “The second picture was a rough, un- finished but unmistakable single atom of neutronium alloy, with only eight hundred of the forty thousand electrons showing, but the design of each eighty electrons with their sixteen sides dearly indicated. That kind of language is sntergalactic : and the creature under- stood the point instantly. He didn't like it. as we all saw by his actions ; but apparently he had no intention of being thwarted ; and perhaps saw the difficulty we might hare in using such knowledge against him. Because, just as we eanaat energize the walls of the whole ship— Pennons has said it would take' days— so we hare no materials to plate the ship throughout with neutronium aBoy. The stud is too rare. "However. we have enough for me to build a suit of space armor, with which one of us could search for von Grosses, whom the thing is obviously hiding be- hind some walk For the search, natu- rally. we’d use a fluorite camera. My assistant is already working out the suit, but we'd like suggestions — " There were none; and. after a mo- ment. Zeller disappeared into the ma- chine shops adjoining the engine room. Mortoo's-grim face relaxed slightly. “Foe tnyseli. I feel better knowing that, once the suit is built — in about an hour — the creature will have to keep moving von Grossen in order to prevent us from discovering the body. It's good to know that there's a chance of getting ship." “How do you know he’* alive?" a sun asked. "Because the creature could have taken Darjeeling's dead body, but didn't. He wants u* ah re — Smith'* notes have . given us a possible due to his purpose, but let that go now. ^’ertnonj. outline the plan you have — this is our mam plan, gentlemen; and we stand or fd) by h." . Tkz chief engineer came forward; and it worried Morton to note that he was frowning blackly. His usually dynamic body lacked briskness and sug- gested uncertainty. The implications of the tack of confidence were mmd -shak- ing The mechanical wizard, the mas who knew more about energy and its practical application that any other br- ing human being — this sun ensure of himself — His voice added to Morton'* dismay. It held a harsh, nasal tone that the commander had never dseard from him in all the years he tiad known the man. "Mr news isn't pleasant. To energize this ship under a controlled system ■would requite about a hundred Sours. There are approximately two square miles of floors and walls, mostly walls. And of course; as I said before, uncon- trolled energization would be suicide. "My plan b to energize the seventh level and the ninth, only the floors and rot the walls. Our hope is this: so far the creature has made no organized at- tempt to kill us. Korita says that this is because he is a peasant, and does not fully realize the issues at stake. As a -peasant he is more concerned with re- production. though what form that is taking, and why he has captured too Grossen is a matter for our bmlogvW. We know, as apparently he does no*, that it's a case of destroy him. or brU destroy us. Soooer or later, even a peasant will realize that killing us cornea

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DISCORD IN SCARLET 35 first, before anything else, a tsd from that moment we're lost. Ovr chance b that hell delay too ioo( — a vague chance, but we most accept it because it b based on the only analysis of the creature that we hare — Korita's ! If he doesn't inter- fere with our work, then well trap him oo the eighth lr\cl. between the two energired floor*-" Somebody interjected with a swift question : “Why not energize the sev- enth and eighth levels, so that hell be in hell the moment he starts down ?"* "Because" — Pennons' eyes glittered with a hard, unpleasant light — "when he starts down. heU hare one of us with him. We want that man to hare a chance for hie. The whole plan b packed with danger. It win take about an hour and a half to prepare the floors for energising. Hb voice became a harsh, grating sound: "And during that ninety min- utes well be absolutely helpless against him. except for our heavy service guns. It b not beyond the bounds of possi- bility that he will carry us off at the rate of oo e every three minutes." "Thirty out of a hundred and eighty f" Morton cut in with a chill mdsireness. "One out of every six in this room. Do we take the chance? Those in favor raise their hands." He noted with intense satisfaction that not one man's hand but was raised. Tut lurmuva of the me* brought Xtl up to the seventh level with a rush. A vague anxiety pushed into hb consciousness, but there was no real sense of doubt, not even a shadow of the mental sluggishness that had af- flicted him at first. For long minutes, he was an abnormal shape that flitted fake some evil monster from a forgotten . hell through that wilderness of walls and corridors. Twice he was seen; and ugly guns flashed at him — guns as different from the simple action a:o-guns as life from death. He analyzed them from their effects, the way they smashed down ihe walls, and made hard metal run like water. Heavy duty electronic guns these, discharging completely disinte- grated atoms, a stream of pure electrons that sought union with stable matter in a coruscating fury of senseless desire. He could face guns like that, but only for the barest second would the spin- meg atom system within hb body carry that intolerable load. Evan the bioto- . gists, who had perfected the Xtl race, had found theit_limitaxiocs in the hot. ravening energy of smashed atoms. The important thing was: "What were the men doing with such deter- mination? Obviously, when they shut • themselves up in the impregnable engine room, they had conceived a plan — " With glittering. unwinking eyes. Xtl watched that plan take form. In every corridor, men slaved over atomic furnaces, squat things of dead- black metal. From a hole in the top of each furnace, a white glare spewed up. blazing forth in uncontrollable ferocity at the ceilings ; intolerable flares of liv- ing fire, dazzlmg almost beyood en- durance to Xtl protected by a solid metal wall as well as by his superlatively con- ditioned body. He could see that the men were half dazed by the devastating whiteness that beat against their vision. They vote their space armor with the ordinary transparent glass; if electrically dark- ened. But no light metal armor could ward off the full effect of the deadly rays that sprayed, violent and untamed, in every direction. Out of the furnaces rolled long duDy glowing strips of some material, which were instantly snatched into the maw of machine tools, skillfully hacked into exactly measured sections, and slapped onto the floors. Not an inch of floor. Xtl noticed, escaped being inclosed in seme way or another by these strips. And the mcment the strips were laid.

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ASTOCXDDfG SdEXCE-FlCnOK numt nfeynao hagd doae to them, lad froze the heat oat of them. His mind refused it tint to accept the result of his observations. His brain persisted in searching for deeper purposes, for i ginning of nst tad not easily discernible scope. Somewhere there must be a scheme that would ex- plain the appalling effort the men were maldag. Slowly, be realized the truth. There was nothing more. These brings were actually intending to aaempt the building of walls of torce through- out the entire ship under a strict system of controls — anything less, of course, was out of the question. They could not be so foolish as to think that a partial energization could hare the faintest hope of success. If such hope smoldered, it was doomed to be snuffed out. And total energization was equally impossible. Coukl they not realize that he would not permit such a thing: and that it would be a simple matter to fol- low them about, and tear loose their energizatioa connections? In cots coman, Xli dismissed the Rtachioatioes of the men from his masd. They were only playing into bis hands, making it easier for him to get the pauh he still needed. He selected his neat victim as care- fully as he had selected von Grosses. He had discovered m the dead man — Darjeeling — that the stomach was the place he wanted; and the men with the largest stomachs were amomatieally oa his list. ^ The action was simplicity itself. A cold, merciless survey of the situation from the safety of a wall a deadly swift rush and — before a single beam could blaze out in sullen rage — he was gone with the writhing, struggling body. It was simple to adjust his atomic structure the instant he was through a ceiling, and so break his fall on the floor beneath ; then dissolve through the floor onto the lewd Mow in the same fashion Into the vast bold of the ship, be half fefl. half lowered himself. The hold was familiar territory now to the sure-footed tread of his long-toed feet. He had explored the place briefly but thoroughly after he first boarded the ship. And the handling of von Grosses had given him the exact experience he needed for this nun. Unerringly, he headed across the dimly hi interior toward the far waU- Great packing cases piled up to the ceding. Without pause, he leaped into them; and. by dexterous adjustment of his structure, found himself after a mo- ment in a great pipe, big enough far him to stand upright — part of the miles of air-coodkioning pipes in the vast ship. It was dark by ordinary light, but to his full visou a vague twilight glow suf- fused the place. He saw the body of von Gro&sen, and deposited his new vic- tim beside the physicist. Carefully now, be inserted one of his slender hands into his own breast; and removed one pre- cious egg — deposited it into the stomach of the human being. The man had ceased straggling, but Xtl waited for what he knew must hap- pen. Slowly, the body began to stiffen, the muscles growing rigid. The man stirred; then, in evident panic, began to fight as he realized the paralysis that was steafing over him. But remorse- lessly Xtl held him down. Abruptly, the chtmical action was completed. The man lay motionless, every muscle stiff as a rode, a horrible thing of taut flesh. There were no doubts now in XtTs mind. Wkhin a few hours, the eggs would be hatching inside each man's stomach; and in a few hours more the tiny replicas of tumsdT would have eaten themselves to full size. Grimly complacent, he darted up out of the bold. He needed more bitching places for his eggs, more fow It.

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DISCOID IX SCARLET V Ok the math level now. (be men •laved. Waves of beat rolled aloof the corridor, a veritable inferno wind ; erea the refrigeration unit in each spacesuit was hard put to handle that furious, that deadly blast of superheated air. Men sweated in their suits, side from the beat^daxed by the glare, laboring almost by instinct. At last. Morton shut off his own furnace. “Thanlt Heaven, that's fin- ished P he exclaimed; then urgently: “Pennons, art you ready to put you r plan into effect?" “Ready, aye. ready!" came the engi- neer's dry rasp of a voice on the com- municators. He finished even more harshly: “Four men gooe and one to go. We’ve been lucky — but there is one to go!" “Do you bear that, you spacehouads !" Morton barked. “One to go. One of us win be bait — and don't hold your guns in your hands. He must have the chance at that bait. Kefise. elaborate on those note* you gave me before. It wiD dear up something very important, and keep our minds off that damned thing." "Err The cracked voice of the sociologist jarred the communicators. "Er. here is my reasoning. When we discovered the thing it was floating a million light-years from the nearest sys- tem. apparently without means of spatial locomotion. Picture that appalling dis- tance. and then ask youndf how long it would require for an object to float it by pure chance. Gunbc Lester gave me my figures, so I wish he would tell you 1 what he told me." “Gunhe Lester speaking !“ The voice of the astronomer sounded surprisingly brisk. “Most of you know the prevail- ing theory of the beginnings of the pres- ent universe: that it was formed dry the disintegration of a yrnvw universe several million million years ago. and that a few million million years hence our universe will complete its cycle in a torrent -of explosions, and be replaced by another, which wfl develop from the maelstrom. As for Kellie’s question, it is not at all impossible; » fact, it would require several mil- boo million years for a creature floating by pure chance to reach a point a tnd- bon light-years from a planet. That is what you wanted. Kellie?" "Er, yes. Most of you will recall my mentioning before that it was a paradox that a pure sympodial development, such as this creature, did not populate the en- tire universe. The answer is that, logi- cally. if his race ikouU have controlled the universe, then they 4td control k. We human beings have discovered that logic is the sole stable factor in the al; and we cannot shrink even from the most far-reaching conclusions that the mind may arrive at. This race did con- trol the universe, but k was the previous universe they ruled, not our present one. Now. naturaly. the creature intends that bis race shall also dominate this uni- VCTKL • "In short." Morton snapped, “we are faced with the survivor of the supreme race of a universe. There is no reason to assume that they did not arrive at our present level of progress any later than we did : and we're still got several mil- lion million yean to go before our uni- verse crashes into flaming death. There- fore. they are mx only bdbons of years ahead of us. but millions of millions of years." Hts voice took on a strained oote : "Frankly, it scares me. We’re not doing enough. Our plana are too sketchy. We must have more informa- tion before we can hope to win against such a super-human monster. I’m very much afraid that — ” The shrill scream of a man protruded horribly into his words, and there came a gurgling “■ — got me . . . quick . . . ripping me out of my suit — " The voice collapsed: and somebody shouted in frank dismay: "Good Heaven ! That was Dack. my asuwawt !”

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ASTOCNWSC SCIENCE- FICTION The moun of ship bramt, (or Mor- tA, a long. diming corridor that per- ftird in blurrinf before his eyes. And it *11 suddenly as if he mere lockiaf. not out at it. but down into its depths — fearsome depths that made his brain reel. * Aps seemed to pas*. But Morton, schooled now to abnormal calm, knew that only fractions of seconds were draff trig by. Just as his nerves threat- ened to break, he heard a voice. Per- jsens’ voice, cool, steady, yet almost unrecognizable : “One !“ said Pennons : and it sounded absolute mumbo-jumbo in that moment when out there another man was going through a hell of fear and torment. "TwoT said Pennons, cold as ice. Morton lewd himself staring curi- ously at his feet. Sparkling, brilliant, beautiful blue fire throbbed there. Lit- tle tendrils of that gorgeoas flame reared up hungrtly a few inches from his suit, as if baffled by some invisible force pro- tecting tbe suit. There was a distinct dick in Morton's mind. Instantly, his brain jumped to full gear. Iq a flash of thought, he real- ised that Pennons had energised floors seven and nine. And that it was blue ferocity of the enrrgization that was Mrugxhrg to break through the fu3- drisen screens of his space armor. Through his communicators came the mgineer s hiss of indrawn breath: “If I'm right.” Francos ahno«X*wrhbpered. all the 'trer-gth gone from his voice, “we've now got that— devtl— cornered on the eighth floor.” “Then.” barked Morton efficiently, “well carry on according to plan. Group one. follow me to the seventh floor." The men behind Morton stepped short as be halted abruptly at the second corner. Sickly, he went forward, and wood staring at the htsnan body that sagged against the floor, pasted to the metal by almost unbearably brilliant fin- gers of blue fire. Hb voice, when be spoke, was only a whisper, but it cut across the strain of silence like 4 whip- lash: “Pull him loose!" Two men stepped gingerly forward, and touched the body. The blue fire leaped ravenously at them, straining with futile ferocity to break through the fuU-drivra defense screens of their suits. The men jerked, and the unholy bonds snapped. They carried the body up the nearest suirs to the unenergued eighth level The other men followed silently, and watched as the body was taid on the floor. . The lifeless thing continued to kick for several minutes, discharging tor- rents of energy, then gradually took on the quietness of natural death. “I’m waiting for reports!" Morton said stiffly into hb communicators. Pennons' voice came. “The men are spread out over the eighth floor ac- cording to plan, taking continuous pic- tures with fluorite cameras. If he's anywhere on the Boor, well get a pic- ture of hb swift -moving body ; and then h will be a matter of energizing the Boor pircrmeaL ItU take about thirty min- utes yet — ” And finally the report came: "Noth- ing !" Pennons’ voice held an merrdu- 1 ®us note tinged with dismay. "Mor- ton. he’s not here. It can only mean that he passed through the energized floor as easily as through ordinary metal We know he must have gone through it because Duck’s dead body was on ikit side." Somebody said hopelessly : “And now what are we going to do?" Morton didn't answer. It struck him abruptly, with a shock that tore away his breath, that he had no answer. The silevce in that shjyung corridor was a form of death. It pressed against Morton, a queer, murky, iightless thing. Death was written too in the faces that

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a ASTOUNDING SdEXCE-nCTlON blurred voood him. the cold, kfial death expectancy of men who could tee tx> way out. Morten broke the silence: “I am wiD- inf to accept too Grosscn's asalna of bow the thing passes through metal. But he intimated the creature recoiled from the energized walL Can anyone explain then — how?" "Zeller ipeakmg !" The brisk voice of the metaDurgist came through the communicators. "I re finished the neu- tToohtm-alloT suit, and I re started my search at the boctom of the ship — I heard your question. Morton. To my mind, we sussed one point the first time the creature struck the wall of lorcr : The point b that he «u in rt. And what basic difference is there between being partially inside the wall, and actually |»«»f through? He could pass through in leas than a second. The first time, he touched the wall lor several seconds, which probably means that, in his surprise, he recoiled and lost his balance. That mast have made his position very unpleasant. The second time, however, be simply released poor Dade and passed on through with a minimum of discomfort." "Hm-m-m!" Morion pondered. "That means he's still vulnerable to walls of force, provided we could keep turn inside one lor a long enough time. And that would mean complete energiza- tion of the ship which, it tuna, would depend on hts allowing us to make the connect sons without interference. I think he would interfere. He let us get sway with enrrguing the two floors because he knew it didn't mean any- thing— and k gave him a good opportu- nity to kidnap some more men. Fortu- nately. he didn't grab off as many as we expected, though Heaven help those lour." Smith said grimly, kis first words in a long time : "My firm opinion is that anything that would require more than two hours to complete wiQ be fatal. We arc dealing with a creature who has everything to gain by killing us. and obtaining control of the ship. Zeller, how long would it take to build neu- troeium-aBoy suits for every man on this ship?" % "About two hundred hours." the metallurgist replied coolly, “mainly be- cause I used up nearly all the available alloy lor this one suit. We'd have to break down the walls of the ship, and build the alloy from an electronic base. We're act in the habit of carrying a lot of metal on this ship, as you know, because there's usually a planet a few minutes from anywhere. Now, we've still get a two weeks' trip either way." '"Then that's cut!" frowned Smith blackly. He looked stunned. "And since the complete energization is out — we've got nothing else." The usually lazy voice of Gocrtay. the communications chief, snapped ' "1 don't see why tboae ways are out. WtV stiff akve ; and I suggest we get to work, and do as much as we can as sqdn as we can— everybody working first at snaking suits for the men who go out 4? prepare the walls lor energizing. At least, that will protect them from being kidnaped" "What makes you think." Smith asked coldly, "that the creature b not capable of swathing down neutrenium alloy ? As a superior being, his lusow ledge of physics should make k a simple matter lor him to construct a beam that could destroy anything we have.. Heaven knows there's plenty of tools lying in the various laboratories." Tut two mix glared at each other wkh the (lashing, angry ryes of men whose nerves have been strained to the utmost Kmk. Before Morten could speak. Korka's sibilant voice cut across the tense silence: "I am indiaed to agree wkh South We are dealing wkh a being who must now know that he can- not allow us tunc for anything important.

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DISCORD IX SCARLET a * agree with the fWiKniwW when he »n that the creature will interfere if we attempt to prepare (he ship for copi- plete coc: rolled energi ration . The honorable gentlemen most not forget, however, that we are dealing with a creature whom we have decided is m the peasant stage of his particular cycle. “Let me enlarge on that. Life is an ebb and flow. There is a foil tide of glorious accomplishment, and a low tide of recuperation. For generations, cen- turies. the Vtxyf flows in the peasant, turgid, impure, gathering strength from the soil ; and then it begins to grow, to expand, reaching finally for the re- motest stars. At this point, aaiaringly . enough, the blood grows weary; and. in this late mrgapolitaa era. men no longer desire to prolong their race. Highly cultivated people regard having children as a question of pros and cons, and their general onrknlr on life b tinged • with a noble skepticism. “Nature, qc. the other hand, knows txwhmg of and coo. You cannot reason with a peasant — and be cannot reason except as a peasant Hit bad and hb son. or — to pot a higher term to it — hb property and hb blood are sacred. If a bourgeoisie court orders him off hb land, he fights blindly, ignorantly, for hb own. It matters not to him that be may have accepted money for a mortgage. He only knows they're trying to take hb property, to draw hb roots from the toil where hb blood has been nourished. “Honorable sirs, here b my point: • Thb creature cannot begin to imagine anyone else not feeling about his patch of home — hb own property the way he does. "But we ... we can make such a sacrifice without suffering a spiritual collapse." Every muscle in Morton's body grew taa6is hr realised the implications. Hb rxciasnadon was almost a whisper: “Korea, you've got it! It means sacri- ficing von Gfoasen and the others. It means sacrifice that makes my brain rceL but property is not sacred to us. And as for von Grossen and the other three- — hb voice grew stern and hard, hb eyes wide with a chill horror — "I didn't tell you about the notes tfcot Smith gave me. I didn't tell yoa.be- cmase be suggested a possible parallel with a certain species of -wasp bade home on the earth. The thought b so horrible that I think instantaneous death will come as a release to these bold men." . “The. wasp!" A man gasped. “You're right. Morton. The sooner they're dead the better!" “Then." Morton cried, “to the en- gine room. We — " A swift, excited voice clamored into his communicators : it was a long second before be recognised it as beVxjgiog to Zeller, the metallurgist: "Morton— quick! Down to the hold ! I’ve found them — in the air-condition- ing pipe. The creature's here, and I’m bolding ham off as best I can. He's try- ing to sneak upon me through the waffs. Hurry!" -* - Morton snapped orders with ma- chine-gun precision, as the men swarmed toward the elevators: "Sands, take a docen men and get Kent down from the bedrooms to the engine room. I'd al- most lot gotten about him and hb broken leg! Pennons, take a hundred men to the engine room and make the prepara- tions to carry out Korita’s plan. The rest take the four heavy freight eleva- tors and follow me!" He finished m a ringing voice: "We won't loll him in the hold of course. ®- leas he's gone stark mad. But the crisis has come ! Things are breaking our way at last. And we've got him ! We've got him!" . Xtl retreated rehxtaatly, sullenly, as the men carried off hb four fmfr. The

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a ASTOUNDING SOENCE-ncnOK fin* ikHnlddf fear o I defeat dosed over has trim} hVr the night that brooded bncod the nclcua* vrxIH of the ship. Ha impulse wt to dash into their midst. i whirlwind of ferocity. and smash them.! Bo* those o(!r, glittering weapons con- gealed that wild race. He retreated with a damaging sense of disaster, conscious that he had lost the initiative. The men would discover his up now ; and. in destroying them, wonld destroy hit immediate chances of being reinforced by other Xlh. And. what was more, they were temporarily safe in the engine room. His brain span into a cold web of purpose. From this moment, he must kiB. and kill only. It seemed suddenly incredible that he had thought first of reproduction, with everything else com* ing secondary, even his every other thought blurred by that subordination to his one flaming desire. His proper action was pretcreato* rally dear now. No* to get his fait fin*, but to Ids these dangerous enemies, to control the ship, then head (or the nearest inhabited planet, where it would be a simple matter to find other, more stupid fnaii. To loll he must have an irresistible weapon, one that could smash — any- thing! And valuable time had already been wasted. After a moment's thought, he headed for the nearest laboratory, conscious of a burning urgency, unlike anything he had ever known. As he worked — tall, nightmare body and hideous face bent intently over the gleaming metal of the queer-shaped me- chanism-— his sensitive feet grew aware of a difference in the symphony of vibrations that throbbed in discordant melody through the ship. He paused, straightened, alert and tense; and realized what it was. The drive engines were silent. The mon- ster ship of space had halted in its head- long flight, and was lying quiescent in the black deeps. An abrupt, mdefinahlr sense of urgency came to Xtl — an icy alarm. His long, black. wirelike fingers became flashing things as he made delicate con- nections. deftly and frantically. Suddenly, he paused again. Through his brain pulsed a distinct sensation of something wrong, dangerously, des- perately. terribly wrong. The muscles of his feet grew taut with straining. Abruptly, he knew what it was. He could no longer feel the vibrations of the men. They kU Ujt I hr tkiff Xtl whirled from hit nearly finished weapon, and plunged thgpqgh the near- est watt. He knew his doom with a burning certainty that found hope only in the bfaclmcta of space. Through deserted corridors he fled, slavering skt-faced hate, scarlet monster from ancient, incredibly ancient Gor. The gleaming walls seemed to mock him. The w hole world of the great ship, which had promised to much, was now only the place where sudden intolerable hefl would break loose in a devastating, irre- sistible torrent of energy. He saw the air lock ahead and flashed through the fin* section, then the second, the third — then he was oat in space. There was a sense of increaa- iag lightness as his body fhmg by mo- mentum darted from the side of the ship, out into that blackest of black nights. For a brief instant, his body glinted and flashed a startling scarlet, reflecting the filing hgfat from the row on row of brilliant portholes. The queerest thing happened then. The porthole bghts snuffed owl. and were replaced by a strange, unearthly blue glow, that flashed out from every square mch of that dark, sweeping plain of metaL The blue glow faded, died. Some of the porthole lights came cm again, flickering weakly, uncertainly; and then, as mighty engines recovered from

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DISCOID nr SCAXLET X dot dmsatin{ Sire of Woe power, the lights already shining grew stronger. Others began to Sash on. XtJ was a bond red yards {ram the ship when he law the first of the tor* pedohlce craft dan oat of the surrotmd- mg night, into an opening that yawned in the side of the mighty rend Foot other dark craft followed, down in swift arcs, their the Tagnety visible in the light that glowed now. strong and steady from the lighted portholes. The opening shot : and — just Bee that —the ship vanished. One instant, it was there, a vast sphere of dark metal; the next be was staring through the space where it had been at a vague swirl of light, an eoormoQS galaxy that beyond a golf of a fashion years. Time dragged drearily toward ■ XU sprawled moveless and louifterahfy hope<ss on the boaom of endless n^hf He couldn't help thinking of the sturdy * tons he might bore had. and of the verse that was loot because of bis takes. But it was the thought of the sons, of companionship, that reaSy « * - J * - Of ipi» r . Morton watched the tiaDfnl 'fingers of the surgeon, as the electrified knife cot into the fourth mao’s stomach. The last egg was deposited in the bottom of the tall neutranium alloy rat. The eggs were round, grayish ob- jects, one of them slightly cracked. As they watched, the crack widened ; an ugly, round, scarlet head with tiny, bendy eyes and a tiny slit of a mouth poked out The head twisted on its short neck, and the ryes gbscred up at them with a hard ferocity. And then, with a swiftness that al- most took them by surprise, it reared up and tried to run out of the vat. shd buck — sod dissolved into the flame that Morton poured down upon it. Smith, belong his dry Kps, said : "Suppose he’d got away, and into the nearest waH!" Nobody said anything. They with intent eyes, staring into the sat. The eggs melted reluctantly, under the merciless fire of Morton’s gun. and then burned with a queer, golden light. “Ah." said Dr. Eggert ; and turned to him. and the body of Grosses, over which he was “His muscles are beginning to relax. I bis eyes arc open and alive. I be knows what’s going on. It was a form of paralysis- induced by the egg. and fading now that the egg b no longer present. Nothing fundamentally wrong. They'D all be O. K. shortly. What about the big fellow r Morton replied: "Zeller swears he saw a fiaih of red emerge from the main lode just as we swept the ship with uncontrolled energisation. It must have been, became we haven’t found his body. However, Pennons is ostf with half the men. taking pictures with ameras: and well know for in a few hours. Here fag it now. Wdl. Pamsons r The engineer strode in briskly, mi placed a misshapen thing of metal on one of the tables. ‘Sochn* definite to report yet — bat I found this in the mam physics laboratory. What do you make of *r Morton frowned down at the fragile- object with its intricate net- of wires. There were three db- tubes that might have been i tto and through three round balls, that shone with a silvery light. The fight penetrated the table, making it as transparent as gWxs- ke. And. strangest of aS. the balls irradiated, not heat, bat cold. Morton put hb hands near, bat the cold was of a raid, water -freezing variety, apparently harmless. He coached the metal balL It fch as doled metal might fed

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ASTOVWDDIG SOEMX-ncnOM H *1 think we’d better leave this lor oar chief pkfiient to examine- Von Gtomcb ought to be op and around toca You uj you found it in the laboratory f Pennons codded: and Morton car- ried on hit thought: “Obviously. the creature was working on it. when he suspected that tomethinj was amiss — he most have suspected the troth, (or be left the ship. That seems to dis- count your theory. Korita. You said that, as a true peasant, be couldn't even anagine what we were going to do.” The Japanese historian smiled faintly through the fatigue that paled his face. 'Honorable commander.” be sa^jo* htdy. “a peasant can realize destructive insentient as easily as you or 1. What be cannot do is bring himself to destroy his own property, or imagine others de- stroying theirs. We have no such Ban- Pennons groaned: “I wish we had. Do you know that it will take us three months at least to get this ship properly repaired after thirty seconds of uncon- trolled energization. For those thirty seconds, the ship created a held in space minims of times more intense than the energization output. I was afraid that — " He stepped with a guilty look. Moe- * ton grinned : “Go ahead and finish what you were going to ay. You were afraid ‘ the ship would be completely destroyed. Don’t worry. Pennons, your previous * statements as to the danger involved made us realize the risks we were tak- ing: and we knew that our lifeboats could only be given partial astiaocelera- boe; so we'd have been stranded here a million years from home.” A man aid. thoughtfully: “Well, per- sonally. I think there was nothing actu- ally to (ear. After all. he did belong to another unrrersr. and there is a special rhythm to our present state of existence to which man is probably attuned. We . have the advantage in this sauverse of momentum, which, I iVsft, a creature from any other universe could hope to overcome. And in the world of man there is no just place lor a creature that can even consider hying its eggs ia the bring flesh of other sensitive beings. AO other iotrOigent life would unite against such a distinctly personal men- ace.” Smith shook his head: “There b no biological basis (or your opinion, and therefore it (alls in the category of imp GMiXJy fpoku irt ainuj mol It dominated once, and it oouU dominate again. You assume far too readily that man b a paragon of justice, forgetting apparently that be fives on meat. «n- shves his neighbors, murders kb oppo- nents. and obtains the moat unholy sadisrical joy from the agony of others. It b not impooihfe that we shal, in the course of our travels, meet other intelligent creatures far mote worthy than man to rule the universe.- “By Heaven !* replied the other, “na creature b ever getting on hoard this ship again, no matter bow htnnfeas he looks. My nerves are all shot ; and I'm not so good a man as I was when I first came aboard the Bm ffr two long r«ts ago." “You speak (or us aD!“ said Morton.

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Urf+m* Jmkm West WOr.TM TM *r* fc*ci wH h mm tMftmmmUm i *f ft* aeyifwy mt By Kent "ThiuV unlj one' way lo int ifait fori* »jr." John Wr>l insisted. piJar- mg aith his unhixK "We've «o™fly thnthol the L’nnusi fwj timr me'*e found *rm ibrax) untr JXc. httr. found oat htm to n air a tmmic-riT screen. As lnt(. hnaorr. as *t lease Uranus itself alone, they Veep ccnimj. They're using bttle speed -craft now mV rad of bruiser* ; and the nnnute a Ter ran freight rr gets out of the patrolled btnet she'* attacked. (V K_ D. We must attack l ran us and make 'em say Uncle' " "Fair mrjojhr assent n I Captain Mowbray "That woods kfinl. but it ioa'l. I’ve chased a kjt of tW bUh hone ami it’s aim ass the same story. He lead* me right uj» to his stratosphere, ruts his screen arm! dues kkr a bat out of hrTl fcic the ground. Sometimes 1 can get a hit bef.ee he’s through, but mostly I can't. Ami if | try to follow into the stratosphere, all my instrument* go haywire ami the men do. too There most !e jo) air under that blanket, because me all know that Uranus was cokmirrd by our own sort of people, am] thry can still treat Sr conii.trtabiy anywhere we can. Ami they couldn't do that if their- atn»*s{ here is methane, hkr the books say." "Why ilon't a kit of you imitate the Uranianv— dive thncigb ami fight 'em undrr if*; stratosphere asked I>r. son ThesL "You can't maneuver when you're ft* aryf fcr— ftff Urf**J Casey « h w* usmg grants ntdhberv. especially with enough power to keep from crashing on Uranus. It has fifteen times the mass of Earth. -you know. At>l if you land, you're got to wear a nullifier yourself m order to mote at all ami you'd he about as much use in a battle as a lamp- post." MUm lea* rxpiamrd. "High altitude bailing!" West grunted. "Yeah? When you can't see a dam thing through that gray cloudbank ? 1- mbs enough to coser that big hun- moi of a planet mould take more ship* than well rser hare} And sporadic limbing here and them might not hit a thing. If it del. it woukJ just make the I ranians ma»i*ler.“ " Yon Theil kaned back in his chair. 1. king at the ceiling ami patting his fingertips together. "Suppose you did know what you were shouting at; lave y**i got bombs that would be rrhakle v* hen released outside the stratosphere y~ he asked. r "W'c-ell." West admitted reluctantly, "1 wouldn't let on 'em. Tbey'ce g*< a W of range in empty space, but I'm afraid they'd exclude pretty high up in an atmosphere." Mowbray maided confirmation. "They can't stand much skin- friction." he said. ” Moreover, they're built to attack a ship, in! their here is concentrated in a pretty small area when they go off. I don't think they'd do niuch^itunage to

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THUNDERING PEACE TO a city except by a lucky hit on a power line or a water main.” Voa Theil seemed to find the ceiling interesting. "From mhat you say. I should think the things to bomb would be their atmptphrre plants.” he mused. ' The two soldiers turned suddenly. “Atmosphere plants?" “Sure! We aU know that the Ura- rtians are oxygen breathers like us. CH. would do them no good. .And the natural atmosphere of Uranus is— or. anyhow, used to be — plain CH«. We know that, too.” "But how — “ West began. Von Theil suddenly sat forward and brought his eyes down to face the tiro captains. "That's what we got to find out!" he said, snwbng. “Sow. you two stop your wishful thinking and ted me all you know about Urartians. I know they are very hke us except for their tremendous hone and muscles. I know they look facially hke some of our races. 1 hadn't heard that they are actually of Earth stock, however That makes the problem simpler, but not simple enough yet. Who were they? When did they go?" « v "As t remember, the first humans to go to Uranus were early in the twenty- first century— oil men. weren't they?" West said turning to Mowbray. .“Yes. but they didn't stay. They had a few small stations and worked m spacesuits. Working the big lakes of crude oil- Then the sickness came and the oil business had to be abandoned, even though they relieved the men every month or so.” "Sickness?" ton The. I interrupted "Yes. sonyrthing queer AB of a sud- den. the men on duty in the stations began to get hysterical- Sometimes com- pletely nuts Visiting ships had to carry 'em out. every Last r.ian of them. Most of them had deep, stubborn burns, too. with nothing to account lor them. In- vestigators landed with all the precau- tions they could think of ; but in a few hours they were as bad as the men they had rescued. So the oil is still there unless the present-day I ranians have used it up.J His eyesDbght anf'fus hands fiat on the table, thq little doctor was leaning forward eagerly. “And when did the present-day ones go 5 Who were they?" "Remember the accounts of the Brigands’ War in the twenty-first cen- tury? When a 2. the outlaws of the world gathered in the countries where there were the fewest riviSred men and started a rebellion? They really forced the formation of the Planetary govern- ment. It took all the decent people several years to quiet them. Wed. they „ stopped raiding suddenly, and things were at a stalemate for nearly thirty years. Then aU of a sudden they aban- doned the Earth in a huge fleet of space- ships and went to Uranus. They stayed quiet there, too. until eight years ago when they attacked the Earth without warning." Dr. von Theil was softly pounding one pudgy fist into the palm of the ocher hand. "And it was during the time of stalemate on Earth that the sickness came to Uranus, eh?" Mowbray nodded in surprise. “Yes. That's what makrs it purxling. They didn't seem to be bothered by the sick- ness at all when they went to Uranus, ah Sough- they were just as human then as we are. They hadn't even adjusted their bodies to jhe enormous gravity, and probably didn't foe several genera- tions.” “Do you rrmemhrr the names of any of their leaders?” von Theil asked. "Their military commander wa> named Gobelin or Gossehn or something hke that. But the real leader was sup- posed to be an American professor who had got into scene sort of trouble. Poisooed his 'wife or something J can't think of his name. Began with an RT

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M ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION “Rrtrtoden ?“ no Theil almosl ifctotoL “That's it. Kditadcn. Why?” The bjtle doctor crowed vilh CW. “Now I've jot it' Now I bet I know! Ritrhaden' Thr first non who pot injr from the wily old noboa of trying to bm* down hn*y element* to make lighter one* oat of them. Hr worked the other way. Hr built up light ele- ment * into heavy one*. Hr the fins nan. for instance. who node the manu- facture of phosphorus from silicon com- mercialh practicable. Now I know !” He crammed thr last of hi* sandwich into hi* mouth and gulped hi* coder. “Come on. you two ! We gut to see the general right away f Gcx ual BaiMiv wa* about to close hi* desk and start on hi* daily tour of inspection of the barracks and han- gar* when the too, tardy waiting for the orderly to announce them, entered hi* office. West and Mowbray remained silent at attention ; but ran Theil did not esen spore the time to answer Brumby'* “How d'ye do. doctor?” “ General. “ he cried. "1 think I got it now. but I got to see something Can I hate John here and a little ship this afternoon ?” s Long inured to the volatile little man's outbursts, the general betrayed no sur- prise. “What hate you got. doctor? Miyb we can find a ship ti it's neces- sary.’ "I think I've got it. How to stop this foolish war. Bus 1 got to look at Uranus to make sure." “lx* i. at Uranus y‘ . “Of course. How else could I t d/?~ Brumby '» forehead wnnkled m a put- tied frown. “But. doctor, we can't land you on Uranus. We don't esen try to enter that jeculiar stratosphere of theirs: and the clouds make any Lc.g- range *thsersa:ion of the surace unre- liable. The little professor was dancing with impatience. “PfaiT he shouted. “Get a ship and rig your long-range riew- plales with an infrared cloud-breaker ray. So simple esen your young scien- tific men in the gosemment laboratory can do it. This is important, general! Hurry!” The two captains had 'froren into ex- pressionless immobility. The bewil- dered general looked up at them. “Do you gentlemen know what this ‘ is about r “No. sir.” West replied. “Dr. too Theil was lunching with us and asked afoul the colonization of Uranus. When be heard it had been done by a man named Ritrbadrn. he got excited and insisted on coming to you at once.” “Don't you see?” interrupted von Theil pleadingly. “The only way to make the Uranian* behasre b to End out just what methods they are using to overcome the methane. Then we can know how to counteract those method*, and. Kite John say*, they win have to say •Unde.’" After a brief stare. Brumby turned to hb telephone. “Have an armed cornet speedster on the ramp in. thirty min- ute*," he directed. “Replace her usual far-risioc gear with a cloud-breaker of. say. right hundred miles range. No pilot needed. Just have the ship ready.” He turned to the three with a gesture of outflung. resigned hands. “I'm com- ing along.” he said. “West. trU Colonel Morrow to Hake over the desk until I return. You're on leave at present, aren't youlhCapcain Mowbray?” “Yes. sir." Mowbray answered, “but ray leave's up Friday- If you're go«ng out to the hkekadr. I could rejorn my ship in a sjace-beh — “ Brumby chuckled. “Want to come, eh? I. guess we can do better than that. Come along. Well land you on your ship without making you body-dive for it.” “Ha!” ccoed von Theil. “A party we will be. eh? Well, all nglit. Bring the

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THUNDERING PE-\CE «l^r 1‘ilrtJ if yr*i *is! lo. bd let John fly He tine* «lu! I tdl him." “I take «." Writ uid as the (our aeramlJed through the little comet's air- hck. “that ;ou want to harry. Doc ?" “Of owe I van: to hurry5:" “Then, mister, you pi into a pres- sure suit rijht no*. I'm p«nj to make this hal»y sizzle f« you.” “ I'rcsurr suit? Inside the ship? Wise r i “Yep. You’se talked hurry for the last hour and a half. No* you're going" to jet action, and it wouldn't do you a let of pod lo hare your whisker* wrapped around a chair back." As the comet reeled through the sky. her very frames humming to the mighty thrust of her rockets, it was not the professor who gradually became worried. Gallantly refraining from in- terfering with West's navigation, the general moved silently alnut the ths{>. his eyes and ears cocked to the song of the tortured metals and his fingers grop- ing for heated rivets When the lights of the blockading fleet ringing the enemj [Janet caused West to slacken his ter- rific pace, the general's shoulders straightened- "My hat?” he exclaimed. "I thought you were going to yank the tube* out of her!" Mowbray joined in West's laugh. “These comets are tough, general -They aren't the sleazy little packets we had to fly a! the legiraring of the war. You can spin 'em at that speed without do- ing much more than buckle a maistplatc here and there.” "Hm-m-m !" was Crumby's - reply. "I'm getting too old for stuns flying. I guj" What do you wan: West to do now. ifcctorr" "Get down as dose as he can and circle. i‘u: out tie spy-bram and every - lody look for them." "For 'what, doctor?” You Thci! stared incredulously. "You don't get it yet ? Well, for bttle inter- n mittens flashes }rt one. IH concentrate so you can for your towers easier.” Foe a few minutes at the doud- be raker fought its sray through the murk, little coukl Ir seen. Then. "There’s a city. Doc. You want that?" "Nix ? Foolish ? They wouldn't hive anything so dangerous dote to a city! Look at where it looks like prairies or maybe muuntaintopx Do you think they want to invite the sickness again ?” Brumby looked up. a gleam of cOuv- prrhension in his frosty ^yes. "By jore! I begin to see daylight, doctor !" "There you are — Sector A-16 on the board. Doc! Is that it?” West said suddenly. Faintly through the eerie illumination of the infrared beam ap- peared liny coruscations on the writer of Cranus. flying like sparks between sphere-topped towers. "That's it r crowed un Theil. "That's one of them, anyhow. Don’t get too dose to it! The stratosphere ought to he po«>on right above it. Ah! Let's see — Yes. by golly. f — the refrigerating plant. Kitxbaden! Wliat a man! What a [«ty he had to kill his wife aaX'cun away. All that science wasted for malN mg fighting foolishness!” "Refrigeration ?” the general asked. "Sure Mike! For a healthy, atmo- sphere. they got to lave same helium don't they?" \

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ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION Uovua Y , hi* qn intern on hi* Krrrn u he watched foe possible Ura- man {unhaiv. -p kr ovy hi* shoulder. “I wras a pretty knjh Ale doctor my- self before this cruel wrr nv*5e a space- jop out of me." he sasd. "I thought I knew scene physic*, but I can't make sense to ail th»v What'* it about ~f "Not physics except to plant the ap- paratus. mister. Chemistry. Air. • To breathe, you know. Like we got at home." "1U bite. too. Doc. You hasen’t taught me anything abdut that. Not rve-n hot air." West addgj. The httle profe-ssor shook hi* head sadly. “Thi* modem education !* he mourned. "They teach you everything test how to use what you • sight to knpw. I juen. my chiklrru' The first oil men came here to the erurle oiL It didn't need anything but pump*. It be* in open lake* on the ground, eh? Well.* no great budding matured there. Tow oat a big caisson and dump it right side up on the ground. Two. three men can bee in it for some weeks . while they psp its bold full of o*L Come* the rebel ship and chops another caisson and tow* back the fuH one. eh?" "That'* right. Then they got tick." "Sure Mike! Because « wa* gening loo hot for the Brigand*, and they didn't lie firing in equatorial Africa anyhow. So — they crane cat here. The people cooped up in the caisson* don't see them. They don't lease their big drum* except to enonret thg suction hose in space armor and duck back to Mart the pumps rhe Brigand* Mart their firM station. Ihra another and another. By and by they are getting result* — in about twrnty-fi*e cie thirty year*, rray be. eh?" "What kmd of statical. Doc? What result*?" Von Thetl sighesl patiently. "A pic- ture might helpi. WrU try again l Auk. bag man. the atmosphere of Uranus then was methane. Of, Now what jt car- bon’s atomic weight ?" “Twelve point* 0 one.* "So. They bombard the methane with alpha particle*. They break up and rebuild the carbon atoms. Heavier. Carbcai is No. 6 in the table. What is No 7? "Nitngen. Fourteen point O-O-eight. I know that one. too." " And No “Oxygen. Sixteen." "And what Is air?" "Nitrogen and — Wtjl, fry my hide! I see it now ! They transmuted the car- bun by building it up into nitrogen and oxygen, and the left-over hydrogen evaped upward. Must have a layer of it several times thicker than our upper layer" / "Ye*." went cai von TheiL "And. naturally, where there is so much crude cal there is bound to be natural gas. It’s pretty cold, but not cold enough, so they freeze it a lot more and what do they get ? Nitrogen, bquid. of course, liquid methane and helium. They let the helium and the nitrogen out into the air; and the frozen methane hrlpis run the refrigerator, or else they turn it loose, too. and break it up. Idee they do the methane they had to Matt with." Mowbray w hist led softly under hit breath. "And to think I graduated first at medical school ! Tket's what the sick- ness was ' The new nitrogen and oxygen and hydrogen would be in- tensely radioactive when it was first made. Radio- neurone* and X ray burns — that was the sickness, huh?" Yon Theil nodded. "It would take several years lor h to become safe. They waited thirty, so yew I old me. Now they just have occasional plants to keep their air stable, and the new gases are six* high into the stratosphere so they lose their danger a* they filter down through good air.” "So now," said Brumby grimly, "all we have to do is brenh one of their air plant* ami threaten the rest. Surrender or MiSe in methane, slowly. What a

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THU. vp EKING PEACE choice! Doctor. I'm a hard-boiled old soldier and 1 don't mind blowing a man or a ship to chunks. bat I’m gUd I never thought of anything aAvclHsh a* that !" Vos Tit tit.'* blue rye* widened in astonishment. “Why. no ! I wouldn't do that, ol course. Why not just tell *rm you know W to do it ? They surely will hare some sense then ?~ He looked, puttied, from one to another of the of- ficers. “You don't know those Urar.iacs. Doc." West said gently. “You can't tefl 'em anything. They'd give us the horselaugh. • We'd hare to bomb an air plant. aQ right — maybe several "before they would really begjn to worry.” “Yes.” Brumby took up the story, “we'd hare to blow up several of their plants. The effect would not be imme- diate. and they would merely push their shipbuilding a bit. trying- to drive the blockade away. But. meanwhile, the methane would be spreading and spread- ing. It wouldn't get to the dues for a long time, but it would hit first the most helpless ones — women and kids in the sparsely settled country nearest the plants. Don't you see?” “They're tough cituens. professor,” Mowbray added. “It afl take some- thing sudden and drastic and risible to make them knuckle under, and blowing up all the plants at once would be neces- sary. That would make Uranus the sanse old death trap it was before people came here." The little doctor sank into a seat, his face troubled- "Hm-ro-m! That woqfe^j, be too had!” he said "Nix to that! He began pulling at his snowy sideburns and his forehead wrinkled in a porten- tous frown. "Bah!" he said under his breath. “I should hare thought of that! Hm-m-m. There must be something — " He leaned back, closed his eyes and be- gan to tap his fingers together. "Hm-m-m" — suddenly sitting up— "how high is the hydrogen layer above ground T "I should say fifty or sixty miles " "And it should be pretty deep- deeper than ours, eh ? Lots of hydrogen freed in the air-making and most of it up there." He leaned forward with his hands oo his knees and gated fixedly into Brumby's face. "How about a simultaneous storm all over the planet ? Noise, probably very heavy rainfall, very exciting? Not so much damage. Maybe a fire here and there. And wind damage. Hm-m-m . . . yes . . . and cloudbursts, of course. That first. Then tell 'em that is a sample and do they want any "It would have to be a tolerably hefty show. Something not easily attributable to natural causes." Brumby replied. "But if it is, then it might work?" "If it was spectacular enough, it might make them think. Why. what are yew thinking about T For von Theirs round, pink face was tinning joyously. "About getting home if two little ships, instead of ooc.^sufoyrow . John can't fly but one. How about you JT And he turned to Mowbray. "Can you fly pretty good ? Can you calculate a beam- curve ?" Mowbray glanced helplessly at his commander-in-chief. "I can fly," he said, "but you 11 have to ask' General Brumby — " The general smiled. "Captain Mow- bray is battle -pilot of Colonel Tihoo's flagship." be said. "If you want to use him. we can get his leave extended a day or so. I imagine; that is. if he volunteers for this duty. He's officially on leave at present." "Yes. sir. I'm volunteering." Mow bray answered eagerly. • "Fine! Good! Now. somebody fix my pressure suit and let's go home. ztrrie — the way we came." and von Theil again leaned back in his seat, frowning studiously and with eyes

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I ASTOUNDING SCIENCE- FICTION > o closed. "Put roe down u dose to err laboratory as sou ran." he asked. “I jot work to do tonigfa." The three officers, bps twitchinj with asms emeus, resumed their Sight stations. “Aye. aye. Doc !" West repfaed cheer- fully. and set the little comet cc her screaming course hack to Earth. “Think up just what you want to tell the Uranians tomorrow after the busi- ness is oser." son Theil murmured drowsily. He leaned hack comfortably and wens to sleep. Howrvr*. he was wide awake the rooming following arrisal a: his labo- ratory and was a! the flying held sery early, the back seat of his cab filled srith apparatus. “Easy with that !" be or- dered. “It should be handled carefully. Those are strung tubes, but you might pop one and then maybe things wrifl go wrong." He began to supervise the mounting of the machines in the two ships that lay ready in the cradles. “Some sort of ray projector, huh commented West. What is it. Doc. an ' improved pebble-buster?" “It looks hke it. don't it? You wrait and see. But you know you couldn't use my Dirac ray in the war zone. Not with your screen turned on. So. of coarse, this is different." "What wiU these things do? And why two of 'em?" "WeC. I hope Captain Mowbray it pretty good at calculations. We aren't going to shoot at anything you can see. That's w ha: makes it hard." The two tiny ships dsd not race at such breakneck speed to L'ranus do the second voyage. "All. that pressure makes the eyes jump. We want good sighting when we get there." said the doctor. Once well clear, he kept a running con- versation over the viior-screen wnh Mowbray in the other ship. "When we get there, you get an accurate hundred miles away from us at the same altitude above the surface, eh?" "Right, doctor." "Fine. I tell you some more then." Warned by General Brumby, the blockade ships gave the two bttle craft a wide berth ; but practically the entire • fleet hung in a quadrant behind them, eagerly watching. Dr. von Theil's ex- ploits were tradition now. and this was the first time most of the fleet had had opportunity to watch. "His Ceres show was a hooey." Colo- nel Tthoo remarked to his chief of staff. "This time he's promised something to dazzle the whole planet, so the general says.. I don't wan: to miss it." From time to time, von Tffel glanced uneasily into the screens as division after division of ships became visible. "Bcttw tel! all these people to V*rp wefl behind us." he warned. “Pfm! You’d think it was a football game!" At last, after long searching of the instrument dials, the bttle doctor began to twist the small handwheel which con- trolled his ray projector. "Mr. Mow- bray." he barked into his transmitter, "are you an accurate hundred miles from us T "Yes. sir." Mowbray answered. "Maybe ten yards either way. Not more." "What's your altitude now in relation to Uranus?" "One hundred and fifty pslfls as near as may be." "pine ! Hold it there! Now train your ray dead ahead, but at an angle of sixty degrees to the ship-to-ship baseline and keep it there steady. Ready?" "All set. doctor!" m "Then here we go!" and the bttle doctor pressed down the button of his instrument, slowly twisting his vernier as if searching for something.. Up and down, be played his ray. bke a whip- ping searchlight, and as be crossed and recrossed Mowbray's beam, brilliant flashes snapped and crackled. . “HO running down Mowbray's beam

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THC'.VDEJUJv'G PEACE 4) koi-inj for sometltiiig. Do jou bov •to: hr'* ificrT West whispered over hi* shoulder to thr generaL "I ni not sure. but I think — " Till St\mCT was nrw fin- ished. L’ranu*. which had been an ■Rnnnoui sphere covered with an al- most solid gr^y cloudbank. became al- most instantaneously a great hall of lambent blue Same with jets Scaping high into outer *{iace. and Scary coo- atssiocu could be detected deep in the stratosphere, glaring dashes lie con- centrated sheet bghtnij^; and as the Aimr« died a* ay. swirling black rain clouds. Then these in turn cleared, and Uranus, divested of its cloud-blanket, showed plain in the visor*, apparently every square mile drenched, but with forests and buildings smoking as if re- cently extinguished. The bttle doctor smiled and looked at his watch. "Sixteen minutes." he giggled. . “You can talk to 'em now. general. Was that storm good enough Y" The general, his face strained, was staring into the visor, setting magnifica- tion at maximum. “I can't talk to them now.” he said grimly. “Look! They're rioting aO over the place. Can't say I blame them. What a racket you lacked up!" "You can go closer to look if you want." too Theil said calmly. “I think* t Sr _ stratosphere is pretty well clear of noxious gases now foe a while. But see — I didn’t wreck the air plants at all. I didn't hurt anything but their feeling* Scorched the roofs, maybe, but the ram put that out quick ** In every city and town as the visors feckcd them up one by one. frantic crowds were storming the government houses and swarming about Arcing ar- mored car* which converged swiftly along the network of broad roads. "Those cars are making foe Fleet Bate ! Loci, there it is — Inis like most of the Uranian Aeet is cradled there f* cried West. Car after car outdistanced its pursu- ing mob and reached the giant drome. Brumby rapidly spun the tuning dials of hi* speaker . "Calling Colonel Tilton's flagship!" he yelped. “Stand by foe mass sortie of Uranian ships! They're coming out in force T However1, as ship after ship took off. it became apparent that Aighi. not fight, was all that occupied the minds of the Uranian pilots. They wished only to get away from their home planet and their aroused and frantic population. They shot out into space at crary an- gles and reckless speed, dodging the Trrran ships without even offering to fire on them. One or two were shot down, a few were captured; but scores escaped into the blackness of spocr. never to return to their homeland, but to become a haunting, desperate Aeet of pirates on the fringes of known space. The visor plate began to hum and glow. "They're calling us from the ground." Brumby shouted. The plate soon Ailed with the images of squat. .heavily built Uranian men and women, their palhd faces and drawn features betraying their excitement. An old nun spoke. "Fartboienr* be called in a hoarse voice, "as chairman of the Revofotiooar) Committee of Uranus. 1 am suing (or peace! We have driven out our over- lords. taking advantage of the trmbie storm which we have reason to believe you caused. The overlords have Aed with all the government treasure, so vre hope you wiQ be lenient in your terms. We. who are now in charge, have never favored this war and have striven vainly to end it. We are at jour mercy." "Brace is what we want oursehrei." Brumby replied. "I accept your sur- render. but have no authority to grant terms other than a temporary armistice. The blockade will continue until those term* are settled, but you need fear no

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44 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE- FICTION hoflilc mom nmrahik. If you hitt a small sky ha! handy, send your peace tttaanicoftt to this «r«d and I «i!l take them to Kartb to treat with the Planetary Council. Do you wed any help or topplio?” The Uranian chairman breathed a keg jifti of relief. “Many thanks. We are in no immediate need. We will be aboard your vhrp in hah' an hour.** and the tereen faded "Now !“ e»(ided John Wot. peach- ing the little doctor into a vat and mra- aoeg hun with a brown forefinger. Tee waitrd long rough to law what you did? Spell K. Doc. if you dret'l want nr l© butt?" "My. no! Don't bu\ I fixed it to it couldn't be a war » capon, at you know. But this time 1 uvd it not only for prate, but for health, too I cleaned out the (sawn kitrbwdrn'4 work left in the ttral<MQh^fi|a__L'ranu« will be kti oxer t«a whde.“ and KW "But what thej "1 jn<t vet fire It matt hate hern' lor a while. Thote • -ist an appbealiro of thr old rr tuhant of force*. Fadi it ^mir harmless by itself. but whm they meet at the preprr angle, they bump, and you got my r-plodrr Pan/* So. 1 fell along Mr. Mowbray** beam with mine, exploding little bit* of stray gat. until the ray* joined just* where thr hydro- gen layer merged with the atmospheric gate*. And then — kUm' — it pipped and burned. One big thunderttorna over a whole planet'* surface? So. that made a lot of water all at cnee, and it ranted down and put out the fire. And m. the Uranian* overlords (it in dutch and scrammed. and now we get peace!” A email bfeboat »bd alongside and lour spamtnted figures stepped through the air lock. Through the transparent helmet* showed the face* of three white- haired men and one burly, rather hand- wane youth. Qwckly they introduced tbemvbe*. showing credentials authoe- iriwg them as member* of the peace nemaitioa ".And I made bold to bring ms sou Madoc." the leader added, nod- «!mg tow ard the huge boy. “A* a mem- let of the retro! ut weary party he has been debarred from our umversttiex. Me hsprs you will alow hmy to come . to Faith to study." “'Mai you want to study?” asked a Thesl. hi* eye* twmkbng.” flii oc*. sir ^ atkl the hoy sainted tr- ibe little doctor ran an appeasing rye «p and down the young man's sturdy bif*. "You come with me and 1 mil! v» that you learn some physics.” he chuckled. “And. mister. Jkm r my ura- versity can use a fuEWk blcg you!”

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I Cliy Of THE CORPORATE AID Pmst. frtutf o»d frfy> im (W ymiM W tiree of Hum >>w Iwrads • crty •# t fk for fifir*— • sfruapu. hrhW iichk t By (lal Schachner iMniM trw.A. turn The Red Sea rrade in oily pilch beneath To the left stretched the vast, unbroken jungles oi Africa. On the rich* the sac dizzied back from aa icOTnaMc expanse oi barren sand and rock. .Everywhere there « is science — deep, brooding. tubs. Och the toil roaring oi rocket jets punctuated the hash as the stoles ship oi Harf fled north and west, cleaving the upper air like a siher bird in flight. “Still nothing — and always nothing!-' groaned Sam Ward, mas oi the twen- tieth century, his gray eyes ictrst on thf unpeopled solitudes below. "Per- haps my hunch is wrong. Perhaps Dadrlon was the last outpost of the isolated cities of Earth. And eves that curious flying city a gone." be added wryly. Behan. CHgarch of Hispsa, turned his tawny, aristocratic head with a faint souls. “You forget that my native city is still intact." he reminded. "Its neutron walls will defy both the rocket horde oi Harg and the mightier thought- waves of Ria ~ "A lot of good that w£3 do us— or Earth V- Sam reclamed. “Your feflow Olgarchs consider you a traitor tact you helped us escape. They’d put us all to death if they ever laid hands on us." "I am not afraid of death." snapped Kleon. Greek oi Alexander’s time. His golden hair was surmounted by a bat- tered helmet, h is dean-chiseled features and bright -bloc eyes gave him the ap- pearance of a Pfckjjan god. The shield that ever burg from his shoulder dashed brazenly agamst his tarnished armor, the javelin tV.it never left bis hand de- scribed an angry arc. “It isn’t death I mind." he repeated, "as long as my feet are firmly planted on the solid ground and my sword can strike ax-enemies that are palpable and within reach. But these newfangled weapons of the future, that IriO at a distance and in cowardly fashion, and this boat that cleaves, the air Eke Icarus with bis waxen wings, are beyond me." Sam Ward* thrust a quick, anxious glance to the rear. "We seem to have escaped the hordes oi Harg temporarily. There’s nothing in sight.** RAm with dis- taste at the smoked hindquarters oi a hare. They had captured it daring a hurried descent off the Gulf oi Aden w here they had synthesized fresh rocket fuel and laid in fresh stores oi water and game. "Sooner or later." he observed calmly, "the horde will catch up to us. The thought -tentacles oi Ras are far-reach- ing. And when we go. the last chance oi warning whatever cities may still exi^ goes with us. Vardu oi Harg and W of Asto will rule triumphant." "Which means Ras — that spindle- legged. swollen-headed apology for a man." declared Kleon with magnificent

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CITY OF THE CORPORATE MIND contempt. “Vardu’s just fait tool.” Sam’s ere* burned ahead. They were right — both of these comrades with whom he ted come to be to strangely ivyraln! Ris. who had unscrupu- lously joined form with the totalitarian horde of Harj against hit own race, who had tent Ikadcluci hurtling to destruc- tion. would never submit to equality with hit fellow conquerors In hit teheming brain, mighty with concen- trated thought, there must be plant — The rocketship sped oser the sluggish Nile and. where once the Pyramidi were thought to stand eternal, nothing remained but the lone and level sands. The Sue! Canal wat gone, choked by lo*h. fantastic weeds. The Mediter- ranean ghmmrrcd bluely beyond. This cradle of civilization. home of earliest empires, broad thoroughfare for thou- sands of years to the traffickings of men. was now silent and desolate, rimmed with unfamiliar contours, tomb of van- ished hopes and (ears. Yet K Icon's eyes kindled at the sight. “HomeT His voice was a prayer. “Home to Greece after ten thousand years of absence ! Sorely the great Alexander's seed has nht perished with the rest ; surely the glory of Pericles and Plato, of Thraastodes and Aristotle have left eternal marks. Here, if any- where. vre shall find that free people of whom you dream. Sam Weed!” But Sam shook his bead in sadness. “The glory that was Greece, bke the grandeur that was Rome, had died even Wore my day. eight thousand years ago. However, we can look.” Foe hours of precious. waning time they flew feverishly over the deep- in- dented coast, hurtled over fabled Olym- pus. sought signs that men stiD existed in that oner-glorious land. But they found nothing ! The flame of longing in K Icon's eyes died slowly to bitter tragedy. "Gone' All gone!” he whispered, and towed his head. a Sam and Urban moved softly to the peow of the rocket ship, respecting fab grief. Once again they were high over the Mediterranean. . “Were there any other chilizatioas that might have survived in this . land you call Europe Y~ asked Behan. I Sam’s face clouded. “If you can cal them civilizations.” he said unw abc*. “In the twentieth century they had mostly turned into dsctalorxal stales, massed nations liky the horde of Marg itself. Megalomaniacs ruled them and brought than eventually to that destruc- tion in a later century which buried al mankind and made of Earth a shambles. But farther to the west there may stifl be some forgotten survivor that — ” K leoet lifted his head and stared moodily over the side. It had been impossible for him to believe that hb native land could have shared the gen- eral debacle that overtook the world. AO through hb adventures, since hit awakening from the radium induced sleep in the land of the Mayas, had nm the unexpressed hope of revisiting the purple hills of Attica and the windy plains of Thrace and hearing once more the rolling surge of Homer’s tongue. A sodden homesickness griped hb vitals and left him weak-. To a Greek all other races are barbarians, all other lands sterile. To be sure Sam Ward and Britan were comrades, fit even to have partaken in the godlike Alexander’s wide-marching expeditious: but they were except iocs. In all Earth he would find no others. And now the hope that had buoyed him up was gone, shattered beyond redemption!* The sea blinked up at him. beckoning. Only that hadn't changed- The blue Mediterranean, over which the lordly triremes had sailed, and the hawk- nosed merchants of Sidon and Tyre bad sent their wares — T Htae was no wind, and the heat of summer lay breathless on earth and sky.

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ASTOUNDING SCIENCE- FI CTIOM jhofrv The bob- ble nfiapvd and swelled again, rhyth- iriaEj', in regular pulsation : while underneath dim thing* moved and stirred. Klron dung to the edge of the rush- ing rocket craft (or support. “By tWkloB r* he cried hoarsely. “A mown rocs serpent writhes and stirs within the sea. lark yonder !™ Hit comrade* rushed to the side and peered down. The pulsations were to- rn violence. The whole Medi- fran the const of Syria to the Strait of Gibraltar, foamed with ex- pansion. The low coast of Africa juried under roomless tons of brky “Good Heavesi !” exclaimed Sam. “The sea’s alive! There's something rrneath." than remained calm. His prood poise never deserted him. Excitement, or sign of emotion, was unbefitting an Ofgarch of Htspaa. His long, shm lin- gers moved crTvrtlessly over the con- trols. The silver ship swung in spiral- ing descent until it barely skimmed the surface of the pulsing sea. "There is Me below." he admrtted. keen eyes searching the roiling depth*. "But not of the type friend Klron sup- poses. A city is incased within the *ea — a city with flexible walls of water.” "But that’* im(ii*>iUe." ga*ped Sam. “How can water create a disiding bne ?" “Look out r shouted the Greek anil thrust up his shield in vain defense. Behan tugged hard at the control*, the sweat beading m his pale, patrician countenance Sam dripped flat to the rounded bottom of the ship. The sea ru*hed up to meet them One hundred feet it heaved into the air. while the skimming vessel wrenched in every strut and rochet blasts jetted furiMy in swift, upward thrust. The bubble of waters caaghl thews in irresistible tide, swung over an.) above them. The roar of flames quenched in the smothering medium ; Sam gulped salt water and mstinctrvely braced him- self against the furiocs surge of the sea. Then, magically, everything chared. Choking and spattering. Sam staggered lo fcis feet. coughing up a lungful of spray, clearing las blinded ryes of^aky immersion. The gigantic wave had re- ceded. leaving m its wake only a thin film of water at the bottom of the rocket- jhlp. “Belton ' Klein 1“ he gasped. “Where are you?" The Greek rose lithefy to his het, thrusting aside the shield under which he had crouched against the invading ride. “Here. Sam Ward.” He spot nut a mouthful of water. “By Poseidon, bat that was a narrow escape? f thought surely the lurking monsters of the deep had caught os that time. It were best that we leave this place — ” The CXgarch of Hripan shook the spume from hif tawny head. Hit face was grim and taut. His fingers leaped over the bunked instrument* and frfl away with a despairing gesture. “We can’t get away, friend Klron?/ The rocket tubes no longer furctioni We are underneath the sea?" * Saw looub blankly around. For the first time the muted silence of the rockets struck him. an] the snklen cessation of accustomed motion. But that was not all? The fierce blare of a flood less sun was gone, -replaced by a fihrrrd.' soothing lllumtnarim The sky it -elf had ranishevl; in its place over- head was a green overarching of snwthly racing waters, rounded in a catenary dome and stretching to misty hotirocis as far as the eye could see. In d tint anh he docked, while Klron

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CITY OF THE CORPORATE MIND « invoiced the entire pantheon of pds lor succor. Bat the liquid roof — countless miihoctt of toas oi rushing ocean — krpt its form and contour and failed to fall in catapulting catastrophe. “We were plucked under deliberately." Sam said hoarsely. “We were seen and caught." “By whom?" demanded Klee®. “That." observed Bekin. “we will find out fast enough. In the meantime, vre are moving.” A thin, transparent film formed around the captive ship. Swiftly, si- lently. like a helpless pupa in a cocoon, they slipped alor-g. The three men of dissimilar times gripped their respective weapons and stared. The filmy bubble- in winch they were inclosed picked op speed. It honied along a strangely carving track. Oat- side. Sam could barely see the circum- scribing walls of the tube — transparent, shmsnertcg. glittering with little flecks of Same. “We're in a tunnel of sorts." he whis- pered. crouching. The automatic that had served hint well, though millennia old. snouted outward. “Or rather, an artery." corrected Bel- tan. He held his electro-blaster in negligent gnp JT “Good Lord l exclaimed Sans. "And we’re the nucleus of a cell The waH that surrounds as is the cell wall." "Exactly." The Olgarch frowned. "I'm afraid — " "You speak in riddles." Kleoa bant oat. “bat here come human beings whose appearance I much dislike." A moment before the shimmering tunnel along which they sped had been empty except for themselves. Mow. suddenly, it swarmed with hurtling men. But they were men such as Sam Ward had never seen before. Of two types they were. One was a pale, sickly white, elongated and thin. The other was a brownish-red. chunky and rounded. Both had legs that held firmly together with tough connective tis- sue and their arms weaved in front of them as though they were swimming. Their bdless. lashless eyes were wide . and unblinking ; pale hair and reddish t reamed backward with the wind of their flight. They came swarming down upon the rockelshtp like divers cleaving an in- visible fluid. There was no expression upon their faces, but lx tie knobs bulging on their foreheads quivered with strange vibrations. - They burst through the shimmering babble that surrounded the plane *0 though it were merest tissue. On they came, directive, purposive, straight for the three men. arms weaving and dutch- «C “Don't resist!" Behan said quickly, but too late. A pallid, elongated figure whipped writhing fingers around the startled Greek. "Ha!" be gasped angrily. A mild shock quivered through his graining muscles, brought red fury to bis dacot- less spirit. He was not used to tame submission. His short, keea-bbded javelin came up with lightning speed and plunged deep into the dead-white body of the offender. , The man fell away, spurting a sickly- colored blood. "Ha!" cried the Greek again, brand- ishing his weapon. "Let that teach you not to lay hands on a free-born Athenian “ "We’re in for it now," groaned Bel- tan. “Kleon will never learn. All right. Sam Ward, well have to fight and may Heaven help us!" The plunging figures had hesitated momentarily at the wounding of their fellow. The little knobs on their fore- heads increased their vibration. A blue glow surrounded them in pulsing globules. Then they came on again, faces expressionless, eyes unwinking. Kleon ejaculated an ancient oath as he

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ASTOUNDING SCIENCE- FICTION Had hit jtidin >pm. The mao rr.to whom be had plunged the weapon had galvanized into life again; m darting forward with his fellows as though be had not been duemb—cfed. The gap- ing woaad in his side had closed and the ichor that issued was reduced to a tiny trickle. Sam pumped twentieth-century bullets into the oncoming horde. K level’s jaida thpist again and again. Bel- tan 's electro-blaster flamed at bolts of destruction. But still they came, hundreds on hun- dreds. Neither bullets nor javcln blows could stop their assauh. The wounded (eS bade with red or white spurts of . blood, and came on again, suddenly healed- Only the flaznmg disintegra- tion of the electro-blaster ripped through their serried ranks and spattered them 1 into nothingness Sam emptied his ebp and cursed. Kleon staggered bade and reached for the henry sword that swung from his th*h_ As far as the ere could see. new- comers were swarming to the attack, diving headlong, arms outstretched. Wherever they touched, fierce electric shocks quivered through the defenders Sam tried to dub his useless gun. but - his quivering muscles refused to obey his vrilL Long fingers darted over his body. The contact jolted him with strange feres It was torture to move. As in a hate he saw Kleon 's brawny arm sick slowly to his side and Bel- tan’s face contract with pun Stiff, unable to move, jet jerking at the touch of their captors' fingers, they were horned along The rocketshrp and its immobile contents increased their pace. Platoons of white and reddish men. as though obedient to scene distant command, wheeled in unison and van- ished. Only a handful — fingertips rest- ing on their victims — accompanied them as they careened along the shimmer of inclosing walls. Tuoioh the transparency Sam watched with moveless eyes the shifting panorama of a strange city and stranger Land. Scores of similar hollow tubes, varying in color from glassy visibility to red and purple hues, converged m huge arcs from the outermost reaches of the circumscribing watery arch, toward the destination to which they were traveling. Crisscrossing channels tied them into a connected system. Red and white Wings, similar to the ones who had seited upon them, sped along the tidies and arteries in purposeful, orderly array, best upon unknown errands. At stages the channels threw off sup- plementary tubes that ended in mon- strous machines of gleaming metaL Some were like pumps, intricate in pas- tern. others pulsed with interior glow, some whirred in concentric rings like huge gyroscopes, others seemed manu- factories from which- endless, ftreams of rounded pellets. held in a mates of sticky fluid, sprayed into bloc, connect- ing arteries and bathed their denizens m its depths. Each machine had a cupola at its top. a bubble of sheer transparency. Within the shell sat a mar., more humanlike than the others, his knobbed forehead aglow with electric aura, and tending the controls. Here and there, as they rushed along. Sam got glimpses of other types of men — tome powerful giants and ruddy of complexion, others attenuated and ethereal of hue. who slipped through the atmosphere vrth the ease and swiitaess of a rocker plane. Then, suddenly, they were whirled out of their transparent channel into a smaller tube of yellow hue. Three brawny men wxerd for them there. Their muscles bulged and their bodies were squat and powerful. They caught the speeding ship and brought h to a hah as easily as though it were a toy. The escort of pale and reddish men touched them with whispering hands, then turned and darted back the way

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SI CITY OF THE CORPORATE MIN'D they had come. The three jerked for- ward Uce unleashed bolts of -lightning. Sam feh the blood once more surge through his body. At the release of those electric fiegers the shock cored from his. system. He flung around on his comrades. They# too. were stirring hack to Dormahty again. The three men who piloted the ship with muscled grips did not seem to be aware of their existence. Kleon muttered fiercely and hefted his javelin with stiB-tmghng fingers. “What do you make of these peo- ple?" Sam asked the Ofgarrh. Be kin's noble forehead creased into little frowns. He studied the powerful forms of the men who had the ship in tow. "Carious r he murmured. "A total subdivision of labor and of hmc- tion. Each group, different from the others, has its specified task. Each member of the group performs his ap- pointed duty regardless of death, or wounds, or obstruct iocs. Those who first picked us up were scavengers — so to speak— detailed to keep the arteries of communication dean and free of aQ aben matter "Are we then icum.’or garbage ?" de- manded Kleon heatedly. * Sam grinned a bit ruefully. “In this city we are. As aliens we have no place in their economy.** . "Their job performed." pursued the Olgarch. “they turned us over to these different creatures. They are the mus- cular type, swift of motion, powerful — the carriers." “.And those fcQcm s in the machines ?" Sam pointed to the interior of the city. "The tenders, the sc bdi rectors of the city's hie." Bekon shook his head, periled. “Hi spun had its division of labor, but nothing like this. Each man. -regardless of his position; nevertheless was an individual, with a will and a mind of his own. Even the hordes of Harg have the power, if each so de- AST — « sires, to rebel or refuse to do hb al- lotted task. But here — * "I noticed ibsi too," Sam almost whispered. "They seem to be practi- cally automatic, without power to act for themselves. Orders awe given, and their response is mechanical, immediate." "Do you mean then they are not men?" Kleon demanded. "They're men. all right, but men who have evolved into subordinate parts of a total economy. Htspan and Harg are be: steps along the way. This is the ultimate totalitarian stale, the goal toward which Earth's evolution was ob- viously working. A single corporate existence, in which human beings are tut mechanical cogs, specialircd in function and obedient to the common purpose." The Greek shivered a bit. “1 do not like your evolution. Man has lost bis dignity, his sole reason for existence. Why. I prefer even the Individualists of Asta. or the variants of Dtaddon to these — slaves."- "They're not slaves." Sam pointed out, "but component parts of an or- ganized community. No one b greater than his comrade, but all are equally and efficiently subordinate to the com- mon good. Take your own body, for example. There b a similar division of labor. You have your heart and lungs, your arteries and blood cocpusdes'f'ench — " He started violently. "Good Lord r he husked. "1 thought you'd finally get the idea, friend Sam." nodded Behan. "It's been in my aand ever since we were first attacked. Your simile b not only apt: it's exact. Thu city b a monstrous body. These tubes are its arteries : those white and reddish creatures who fiVst attacked us are its corpusdcs; . these correspond to the muscular ele- ments. Out beyond, joe note the at- tenuated. swift -darting creatures. They are doubtless the messengers — the nerves of the car. The machines are the me-

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ASTOUNDING SCIENCE- FICTION S chanieal organ, heart, lungs, rt jwj wish. that keep the body functioning smoothly. In each sits a director — spe- cialist in the operation at hand — relating bb machine to the others — a minor executrix." KJeon snorted. “Bah! Eren Plato, who once compared the state to a human body, as you do. knew that it was mere analogs, not the truth.” "He spoke better than he knew." Sam said softly "Bat if you are right. Behan, where is the brain?" "We're being taken to it — the master person or mechanism that co-ordinates aB the others. If you're noticed the strange peoturberances on their fore- heads. you're also noticed their vibratory glow. These creatures receive their im- pulses to act and automatically report back what they see. hear and . the state of their reaction, through those receiv- ing and broadcasts^ knobs." Kleoo gripped his sword tightly. "Then we'd better try to fight our way dear now," he exclaimed. "We've killed their men ; we can expect co mercy. "We could nerer fight clear." ob- served the CHgarch. "We've got to take our dunces." CaocCMtxc. they awaited the end of their strange journey. It came with a curiou* suddenness. They switched abruptly from the main artery into a short channel that ended in a domed • globule where sat a man with bulging forehead and concentrated irucn He did not even look at them. Instead, his receptor knobs quivered at their ap- proach and he threw a- switch The action ‘seemed wholly automatic. An are blared electrically. One filament touchfd the forehead of the three brawny men. Instantly they relaxed their grip on the captive ship, wheeled around in uniion and catapulted back the way they had come. "Well !" Sam pursed his lips. "We've evidently reached the cad of the road. Thu bird must be the brain — " But he was wrong. Foe the other Bickering surge of the arc reached along a connecting • channel. A pallid, elongated, wavering creature darted into vew. Hb speed was of the order of a rocket ship “Ai-eef* Kleoo sputtered. The at- tenuated man's incredibly mobile fingers had barely touched the prow of the boat, yet it jerked forward along the new tube at a furious rate. "You might call him a messenger nerve cell." nodded Behan with a kind of scientific satisfaction. "We just were switched at an automatic reflex from the motor ur the sensory units." "I'm getting dizzy at all this switch- ing." said Sam wryly.' "What I want to know b where we're being taken." "If the analogy b correct — to the brain, the seat of co-ordination." Outside the transparent walls of their conducting channel they saw hundreds of others, all converging with them as they hurtled along toward a central source. To Sam it looked for all the world like the tentacles of an octopus with their as yet unknown destination at the maw itself. "Our speed b slackening." Kleoo said quickly. Hb knuckles whitened over the kih of hb sword. Come what may. be did not intend to go down un resist - ing. Sam felt a curious lamp in hb throat. The attenuated man pushed them smoothly into a bubbly with flexible walls which expanded even as they penetrated to conform in size and shape to its captive food. Then he turned ar.d slid like greased lightning bock the way he had come. "We've reached the brain — the cen- tral control." said Behan without emo- tion. As with everything else in thb strange undersea ary the circumscribing walls of their flexible cell were transparent.

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CITY OF THE COtFOKATE MIND SI Through them they looked into a hop (loUhr chamber. Its shimmering wall •paaglcd with thoonads pf flashing IfhtL Each light concreted with a tube that naked oat ward iota the city peeper. They aJB Sashed an and off in defisskc sequences, i— MimloiM’ brnUemif. Hath in the twentieth century Sam had once risked a* telephone exchange with as automatic dialing system. This was something like that. The interior But a score of figures span slowly around and aroond in three concentric bring wheels. The outer wheel mowed the swiftest, the interior one the slowest, so that ahaa)s the figures kept invariable diUanrf and sectoral direction with re- sped to each other. They were men of an obviously intel- lectual cast. Limbs and body were shriveled and dangling, as though they were long-mmscd appendages. Huge heads dwarfed aB else;. heads bulging with inirHrrtinl calm and utterly hair- less. Instead of two Irwoha, however, lifting from their skulk, there were drums, constantly quiicripg with little dairies of cold flame. that synchronised with similar ftashrs an the heads of the* others and with the pairing lights tfaqt spangled the chamber. phed- “The totality of them constitutes the beam. The analogy holds perfectly. Think of your own brain. It is not a single, unitary mechanism. Rather, k b a republic of individual cells. There are minions of them. No single one controls them alL Instead. aB-are equal in power and influence. The ultimate decision represents their common coun- sel. the end result of their mutual inter- actions.** * Hundreds of nodules pulsed and glowed. Filaments of Uoe flame darted outward from— the resolving heads, coalesced into a sheeted glow. '“Befcan. Olgarch of the distant city of Hispan. has correctly analysed the fundamental gosemanee of the cky of Lyv." Sau started; K Iron's head jerked around in amairmrnt. The wheeling figures had not slackened their pace; their pursed-op bnlr mouths had not opened; no sounds had echoed within the chamber. Yet each of the three comrades had heard the words distinctly within himself. To Sam k sounded hkc perfect Engbsh of twcntirth-centwry New York. To Kleoo the syllables were Attic Greek of the time of Demosthenes. To Befcan they held the clipped, slurred speech of Hispan. "Bui where b the rmlcr who controls the cky T" ejaculated Klron. disap- pointed. “I had expected a brans.** said Sam. equally disappointed. Somehow be had expected, by analogy, a ht^e brain Ik that cf a htian being, dbeiahodied. Dialing in some rutrient liquid, that rintroOrd the city. These harmless- luoking individuals, however, were more like the dcr-urns of Asto. Indmduaksis. “They know my native tongue gasped Kleoo. . Befcan smtlrvL “They did not speak. Their common thought invaded your mind, set your own processes in morion You yourself translated k into words."* “Telepathy, of courie."* said Sam. “But bow did they know your name, and where you cane from?” “Your fittlc minds are naked to my examination." came the half-contempt - unable to co-operate effectively in any uous Interior response. “Yet in their common enterprise. way they unfold interesting things I The Olgarcb surveyed the gyrating had not known before of the existence wheels of men with keen attention. - To of any other cky cm Earth bit Ljnr. Kkon he said : “There n no smgle ruler. - When my ancestor fashioned this pres- Tcgether they rule." To Sam he re- ent abode under the pre* retire waters

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DING SCIENCE FICTION ASTOC

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CITY OF THE CORPORATE MIN’D 53 ihoQtandi of years ago. hf did it to es- cape the plagues and fierce »iri that swept the surface. Genera: sons later, expedition* that lectured out reported Earth to be desolate and lifeless. Man had lulled . himself off with efficiency and dispatch Therefore we remained in oat new home. evolrin( aVjog pre- determined lines. I am the ultimate re- sult—the city of Lyv" “They — or rather, he — it's pretty con- fusing— talks as though he were the cite, and the city was he.” Sam ejacu- lated “Why not?” countered Behan. "Lye is actually a single organism, just as sow are: though made up of a multitude of component parts — just as jvm are" “In sooth.” muttered Kleon. “Aristotle wrote of the body politic ; so did Plato. But I neser expected their winged words to take form and meaning like this " Sam decided it was time to get down to brass tacks. “As lotg as you can read our minds." he told the three re- solving wheels of men. “you must know three things. First, our stories and backgrounds.” * v JThe circles quivered in uniform agree- ment. It was more than confusing; it was a bewildering strain. Sam did not know just w here to focus his eyes. One man sras just isle another ; the synchro- nized resolutions shifted them like a shutting pack of cards to his gaze. With an effort of will he solved the problem. He concentrated his stare cc a single one of the small interior circle, and fol- lowed him steadily on his slower, turn- ing arc. “Secood.” he pursued, “that we hare slain members of your City. That, how- ever.” he added in seli-defense. “was breause they appeared to be on the verge of killing uv” “The member* you slew were part* of myself.” Lyv replied logically, though it sounded starthng enough Klein grunted, half lifted his sword. Behan’s wonted calm was broken; his hand moved toward his blaster. Vet even a* it moved, he knew that he could never draw it : that before he did. strange and powerful Mtapum of Lyv would have come into alay. » “You are quite rghtNn your sur- mise.” the inner voter mocked him. “Your electro-blaster was effective enoqgh agamst my channel segment*, be- cause I wished to explore thoroughly its potentialities. Had 1 wished, even then it would have been utterly futile.” “You mrza sou permitted yourself, so to speak, to hr disintegrated m part?” demanded Sam m amazement. “Why nr ?“ came the unexpected reply. “What happens in your own body when an ahra disease' organism in- vade* jour blood stream?” "Why . . . why." stammered Sam. “the phagocytes or white blood cor- puscles rush to the attack m an attempt to surround and. kill them.” “And in the process many of your phagocytes die also, do they not f “Why. sure, naturally. But. good Lord !” exploded Sam. “They’re only ceils ; they’re not complete human beings, like . . . lie — There are plenty more beirg manufactured all the time.” “And so do / manufacture new cell beings all- the time. Their place as individuals is no more important in my economy than that of a handful of phagocytes in yours." “Wefl. of course, if you pur it that way.” Sam muttered helplessly. It sounded logical : but damn it. those crea- tures Behan’s blaster had disintegrated had been mm — human beings — not mere taonioccs. simple cells! It was Klem. however, who struck at once to the heart of the problem. “Tien vtti do not propose to punish us for 'laving your — whatever-vou-eall- tbrm Y~ \ “I never punish.” he beard the wheel’s response in purest Greek. “The word ywjEiihiwcicf ha* no place in an

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56 f ASTOCNDI.'^C SCIENCE- FI CTIOK ordered orpin: «n However. if I cannot uh litre your alien frames and minds profitably * ithin myself, or if you repre- sent a focus of irrhatsoo or danper. then you must be eliminated." “As though sre «rrr pathopenic bac- teria.” nodded Behan. He seemed to be discussing a mere scientific point in- stead of his probable destruction. "Exactly.” “But wait a minute." Sam said des- perately. “Before you dispose of us summarily there is the third point The fnrde of Harp, headed by Vardu and its eo-leader. Ras. is on the loose. They hare sworn to conquer all the Earth. Perhaps we can help — " “I require no aid. especially from men of limited capacities such as yourselves." cut m Lyr. “I am safe from detection, and even should I be discovered, their boasted weapons hold no terror for me. Even the mighty thought of Ras must bow before my concentrated unity. Now be quiet foe a mrenent." Lrv was thinking. The impact of his multifarious, yet single mind, on the three compdes was like a physical blow. Kleon muttered resentfully . Sam swore under his breath. Only the proud Olgarch waited with calm fatalism. The innumerable disks of light on the rounded chamber walls glowed and ebbed * the atmosphere was electric with crisscrossing vibrations. Along far-dis- tant channels motor and sensory, beings galvanized into activity. Reflex arcs sputtered in the globe-machines. “N'ow. by Heracles !" growled the Greek irascibly. “What is the meaning of afl this?" “Lyv is seeking a place ioc us in his economy." Behan said quietly. "If we fit in. we Kve: if we don't — " He shrugged his shoulders; but the mean- ing was plain. Sam knew his dip was empty . knew that even if it were full, he'd never live to raise-the gun. Kleon knew the same about his javelin ; knew as well that his thoughts were open to those queer Kftle revolving men. Nevertheless, if the de- cision should prove adverse — The inner voice came to theta sud- denly. "I have found places for the- three of you. It is frankly an experi- ment on my part. If you prove properly efficient. I save the labor and expendi- ture of materials in replacing three con- stituents who have aged and must be eliminated. If you do not. then you win follow in their paths." “I am no slave to labor foe you on such terms." commenced Kleoa indig- nantly. "Hush!" warned Behan. “We have no choice. Besides, it will be aa inter- esting experiment foe us as wefl." “Where are we to be placed?” Sam demanded. “Behan of Hi spin, u the farthest ad- vanced. win direct the central machine that activates the motor -ping hoc sys- tem. It's a position of considerable re- sponsibility. Much of the decisions wilt be your own. subject only to emerpency surpenrisioc by. myself. The move- ments of the entire city will be under your control." Behan said proudly: “I am honored. You need not fear that I cannot han- dle it." , “As for you. Sam Ward of New York, since you are not quite as iqteOectuaBy and scientifically capable, you will be placed at one of the peripfiyal centers, on the surface of the containing skin of water. Under your control vnll be the tactile members, the information feeders from the outside world of water and earth. Such a one discovered your pres- ence in the outer air." “Thanks!" Sam said ironically. "From the way you started I thought I was Icing relegated to scavenger work." “That." replied I.yv. “will be the duty of Kleon of Athens.” “What!" exploded tie Greek. Hiv

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ft •^CTTY OF THE CORPORATE WIND * S7 ryes flamed darfrrnm); ; hit javelin lifted “I. Klrcn, heir of the mUnl civilization that ever herd. i'iattii(n! Now by Castor and IVJJut — “ "Kiir Act it." warned Sai» "You writ hr in charge oi cbnunatiun [e«nm,~ mttmonj the inner voice of Lrr imperttirhalfy “The corpuscular •Wenders of the body politic agair.it all aJara and inarmcal intrusion will be tzndrr your care.” “Well. now. that's differ era !" K Iron's fyrvlmmr face wreathed into a satisfied * '"A. “Why didn't you say to in the first place?" "He dwf." (pmnrd Sam to htmsrH "I.yv is evidently a diplrenal— or rather, twenty dphenal*. It all depends on how a thing is said." But he was care- ful to keep hit thoughts from his highly sensitive cvmradr. T»««* isn't so had. decided Sam. He sat in his thin-bulbed globule on the cuter surface of the city of I.yv Natu- rals. he had been a bit sick at fin* when the man he displaced had been taken away for chromatin by the scav- enger men under Ktrra's control. But "i he man had been old and worn out; his bids was already in the process of •bsintegratiu. After all. thought Sain philosophically, we all grow old and die. This is just another method of dying, that's all. The vrnek itself. he stun discovered, was for thr most part automatic, requir- ing a minimum of intervention cei his pari. The machine hr tended was a marvel of mechanical efficiency. To it. frem the »ra «xh-rarif g fk«d yf waters that indeed Lit. came a tremendous rrnplraity f membranous tubes Akesg thew s{e»l the transmitteil re- ar! in s of the tactile members — very •lehcate. fragile-taking" men with srn- _ vitivr skms ami hirers on which the faintest disturliancr anywhere made rWtriea! oniaot Tleir reacts ns ferl into art imrvcatr hid of vacuum tubes and sensitLml electric celK There they were sorted ami graded according to intensity of impulse, directional ap- proach and quality of impression. Differential analyzers took up the tad. broke down the reactions into com- ponent elemental parts, then, synthesizers built up pncentials according to kind. The machine clicked and whirred, the tubes glowed and flashed, gears meshed smoothly, and new impulses raced out along the network of channels, impinged upon the vibratory knobs of the tactile men and shunted them into appropriate responses to the impressions received. The w hole process was completed in less than a second, much astt is dene m the human Indy it sell Sam's job was simply that of a watch- man Only occasionally. when the ma- chine faltered, or a part went wrong, or an emergency arose mvolwng novel ele- ments to which it was not geared, did he intervene. This had happened alert a dozen times since he had been in- stalled in the globule, a week of Earth- days ago The only way he could de- termine time in this internal underwater daylight was by his original ccmpomcrt of the steady brat of the machine to his own pulse. His watch had been irreso- cabfy damaged by the radium emana- tions daring those thousands of' years of suspended tnnaiin within the sealed chamber of Quetzal So far the revolving brain of I.yv had not found it necessary to utrrsme. He was quite proud of that, preening himself . icordmaiely on hrs skill “That *vll show him.- he thought grimly, "that a man of the twentieth century has just as g«d a beam, when it comes down to cases, as cue of the ninety- seventh century, or any convhiwvfiou of men. Show me oner how it works, and the rest omes natural- Vainglory, without doubt, and slue wnn to a most rude awakening. But in thr meantime Sam studied thr strange corporate city into which he had come.

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a ASTOUNDING SCIENCE- FICTION’ The bcrri«inj; Innuimird into frmrr Atomic energy. he de- cided. and turned hi* (nhrj; nind r!*e- abcrr Iinmrin m u(.-|>ir. Thr tube* arte rfurpil a ith line* of efevfm- mag- netic force In*idr the dp-ight rltim *4 the creature* of Lyre acre Wan metal- lic plate*. By ajpcr^eutr shirldmg afll energiiirg. the aearrr aa* catapulted almg at any <ie*irril sjerd "Sam and hi* friend* had hrrn pirn the plates foe their u<e- I.y v a a* efficient, without dmh. Foe more than tao thou*and year* he had leen approximately tn hi* jeeseot cor- porate state and everything a rn! on sAoothly and without a hitch. New rnemhrr* aerr regenerated a* old one* required elimination: rim among the components of the central team. Yet' always the city at a ihle kept its identity, gaming in wisdom with the passage of the year*, yet immortally I lie same individual in tlnught. m imagina- tion and in memory For centuries he had deemed himself uni|ur on an otherwise dead world, creiiionl within the surrounding jiaters of the Mediterranean. He aa* too ta*t a ttea! entity to pt»h hi* way nt! through the Strait of Gthejltar. etrn if he aided, and thu* gam the huge, al- mri'! limit lr*« expanse of the Atlantic and the cteinectmg reran* But hr fiad never aided it. What del it matter to I .ye where le aa*? All hi* hoeinei* aiull le thr *amr featurrle** water m any event, and thought could le pe.- drred ju*t a* well in one [Axe a* m another. The coming <4 the *t ringer*, hrm - ri rr. had clangul the vtual*«i some- what The* ’ leuught with them thr. knowledge of a!*rn otic* anil alen tnnr*. t4 a luedc on the koe abuse sole burn- ing desire aa* conquest. N et etrn thi* did not disturb Lye's totalitarian equanimity. He was cun- fident in hi* protective, overarching Avdi anil in the compact, unified strength tliat aa* inherent in himself. Hr personally had no such desire for alien domination • Saw trsoni hi* machine and Va* fairly well content. Naturally, in time hr would fere of hi* duties and thr en- forced limitation to hi* lengthy wan- dering* And there aa* always before hi* vision that phantom ideal he had set up for himself — thr existence some- where. somrhoa. of a (immunity, a ciriluation that conformed to his twenti- eth-century notion* of democracy and nuhlr freedom for all. So far he had not found it. Httpan. Harg. Asto. Dadehm. and now l.yv. a ere each in his corn way utterly hostile and alien to that ideal. When lie felt restless hkr that. Sam would get in touch with his comrade* Brit in. accustomed as he was to the strict order and ea*te system of Htspan.. found the combined singleness of I.rv quite satisfactory. Hr was ia a position of authority ; the greatest, in lac*, under the brain- Thr city's activities, com- plicated in detail, yet unified in pur- pose. passed through his motor ma- chine* S' (dung hajpened anywhere that required movement, energy, with- out it* ctgniiance. It wa* true tha* met c4 his circuits were closed and self- acting. receiving sensory report* and automatically relaying the requisite motor rr»f ernes. but there wa* oeiselrr- ahic cl* Ace in many fields in which he gave decision. Hr. U*». wav undrr the ultimate cmtriJ t4 the brain men. yet he in turn by hi* decision* ami machine ropnev exercised a mca*urr of crmtrol over do*. Ju»t a* tlsc deliberate clerJtlung <4 a fi*t in a normal iivan will *et lane certain rractiiei* which nutl nrve**ari!y affret In* twain and

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ary of the corporate hind » make him unwittingly infry. Bat Kleoo m disgusted. He scop discovered thu hit high-sounding title mas: nothing. The twitch i: which he hid teen placed was wholly automatic. It *1). in £ict. of the order of an ia- ttinctive reflex. Perhipt ooce in i hundred thousand operations would i: require direction. The Greek tat ffamly in his cubicle, fingering his fut-rustinf twoed. tii ring with moody eyes at the shield that lonf ifo had been the re- cipient of a thousand hicks and blows. The plume on his helmet drooped be- d raffled, yet be never doffed the bronze casque. It was hit sole present claim to self-respect. ■ ni-tmelhnf products of disistef ration were shunted almott to his very door by the seavrnfrr men; members who had outbted their usefulness staffered by him to rhmisation. Hit proud not- • trils contracted wnh fierce tension ; day by day his choice rose. Sam and Bel- tan tried to cheer him up; couldn't. Sooner or later, they knew i meanly, Kleon mutt explode, and tbe-'tonse- quraces would be incalculable. Now that they were intefral cops in Lyv. they no longer saw the concentric circles of men who made up the cells of the brain. Yet always they were under invisible supervision, submerged in a close knit system. “Curious." remarked Sam one day into his liny broadcast :nf unit. “We must have given Ras the slip com- pletely. Haven't seen a thinf of the horde of Harf sioct the destroctioa of Dade Ion.” The CHjarch stared inscrutably across the interveninf transparencies. “We're not rid of them.” he shook his head. “Sooner or later the thought -tentacles of Ras will ferret out Lyv ; and then — ” Kleon’s eyes Sashed for the first time m days. “I hope he does." he said vio- lently. “I am sick to death of this foul mactico; of this work that is fit for slaves and women I'd rather blaze into glorious extinction with my sword in my hand and the Macedonian cry in my threat than rust away in here, con- demned never to see the blue sky afain or the flush of dawn in the East or bear the stronf wind singing in my ears." The Greek's impassioned words stirred something in Sam. He had not missed the freedom of earth and sea and sky until now. Restlessness seized him. He stared up at the smooth-racing wall of waters with a sudden distaste; they reminded him of prison bars. The daje-shpped by. Sam watched his machine, the circumferential waters, the ceaselessly busy tactile men. His gorge rose. He became as moody as Kleon. Vainly he sought foe schemes of escape, knowing all the time that his thoaght processes were open to the re- volving brain men. The rocket ship of - Harg lay in a separate cubicle, quiescent, just as it had been at the time of their capture. But rack his writs as he might, there was no way to pilot the ship -through the ictervenmghjna of water overhead. They were doomed, to re- main. Os THt fifteenth day of their im- mersion in Lyv. barely had Sam taken his seat at the controls when he noted that something was wrong. For one thing, the tactile men at the periphery were in a state of ur. w ouled agitation. They fluttered m wild gyrations through the connective channels ; their knots literally beared with blue streamers of flame. The macfJEc was haywire, too. The messagws that came in from the dis- tracted tactile men were a jumble of meaningless confusion ; gears meshed irregularly, ports clanked and whined, and nothing emerged. Sam jerked for- ward. startled- Nothing lie this had ever happened before. He wrestled with the controls, sought to make the proper adjustments. But the uproar in- creased rather than diminished. The

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I <0 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION delicate tactile men were literally run- three men. faptim from oar wiH. They ' ning in circles ; the channels blared with distraction. ~Pknc!~ whistled Sam. “This seems to be a case for the brain. Either all Ljnr has turned screwy, or there's high jinks talcing place somewhere in the Mediterranean." - Then he sat down abruptly. An in- risible hand had pressed him down. In- risible fingers plucked at the secret re- cesses of his mind, probing, exploring. The pressure increased. The sweat Started out on his forehead. He uttered 'a hoarse cry. his weighted hand caught at his microphone. “Behan! KVoo !" he stammered into the instrument. “Ras has found us out ! He's sucking me dry ! Notify the brain men— quickly — the hordes of Haig are cm their way!" Then be collapsed on his seat. Kieoa sprang to his feet in his cubicle, eyes filled with banle lust. But Behan made swift connect son with the central brain. “The horde of Harg is here! Make ready for defense f” All of Lyv roiled with agitation. Re- Sex machines worked furiously, scaven- ger men massed in overwhelming num- ber* at the peripheries, messengers raced along the channels with lightning speed. Even the circling brain men in- creased their pace until they seemed like a blur of motion. A voice rushed along the tubes, per- meated every sector of the body cor- porate. Sam. staggering weakly to his feet, the pressure lifted from him. heard it burring in his head. “City of Lyv." it spoke, “know that l am Ras. and with me is the rocket horde of Harg. headed by Vardu. its leader. Know that we hare conquered all of Earth, ard submit. Nothing can withstand our combined prowess; noth- ing on earth or in the air or under ocean. Take heed from the fate of those who had tried resistance and yield to our sovereignty. Within jour city are have seen and they can tell jou. I give you but a moment to make up your mind." "Don't yield !" Sam ihouad. "Fight them back. Lyv! Or you will be en- slaved forever!" The confusion in Lyv stilled. Or- dered quiet took the place of wild scurry- mgs. Overhead the rushing waters paled and seemed to have become translucent. Through them, as through a glass. Sam saw the blue sky above. It was darkened with count leas shapes. The great ship of Harg. in the prow of which stood Vardu. black hair brtsthag. dark face filled with fanatical triumph. Next to him sfbod Ras. a caricature of a man. with bulbous head supported by a weak and sway- ing body. Around them hovered a hundred thousand fierce robot warriors of Harg. each incased tn his steBene rocket sheath and bearing in his hand the flaming rod of disintegration. A mighty armament, fresh from the de- struction of Aslo and of Dadeloo. A collective sound welled up through the covering waters from Lyv. Sam could not place its origin: it seemed to come from every unit of the city, from scavengers as weB as neurone men. from themselves as well as from the- swift- whirling brain. “I. Lyv. do not fear you or any other group of things or beings in this or other worlds." it stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "I am a peaceful individual, h- tenfym myself and seeking no domma- tioo over others. For thousands of years I hare lived within these waters in peace and quiet I am content to continue so It does not matter to me what happens on the face of the earth or in the sky. as long as I am not dis- turbed. Therefore go about your af- fairs and seek jour conquests else- where." Vardu's face darkened with fury, but Ras merely chuckled. "Unfortunately

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CITY OF THE CORPORATE MIND (I k n not as simple as that, my dear Ljt." he vail “We rartrx afford to lease intact any independent body in the bosom of our domain ; it mould remain a constant temptation and focus for future revolt. Betides, you hate in you / the three stjangers — Sam Ward, Bef- tan and Klcon— mho hate debed us these past months and sought to stir up trouble apaiibt us mbrreacr they hate fled.- , “The three you mention are part of me.” replied l.yr. “They remain where they are and too remain mhere you are. or k mill be the morse tor you.- Attaboy?- yelled Sam delightedly. ■*- K Iron's mar cry rang loud and loc( ; bk smord clashed mith martial sound against his shield. Behan said ribthieg. but toolc out his blaster and inspected it carefully. x Vardu screamed with 'maniacal rage. "What are me making for. Ras? Let us blast the presumptuous fool out of the maters in which he is hiding.” The I dtb ndoaiist turned to him with a gesture of edhtempe. "You do not understand, friend Vardu." he purred "Lyv is a different ease front your former conquests. At Aslo, against my former people, you mould hate lost had I not aided, and their stubborn individu- alism aided as me!L At Dade Ion it mas the same thing. But here is a single unified body, each part obedient to the mill of the whole. It will not be an easy vsrtory.” “Bah!” snarled the Hargian. “You oserrate I.y's power and jour own services as well We shall attach, whether yoa want it oe not.” The humous head of Ras turned a bluish-green. Lightnings flashed from his coil gray eyes. Then he homed suddenly. “Wry well Vardu. lei it be as you say." The Hargian sneered in triumph. “It had better be. Ras. You are wise to submit.- Then be turned to his making liocde. “Attack, men of Harg!” he screamed. “Kill. bum. slay for the glorv of Harg and of Vardu. your leader f~ A llsHlsc, whistling sound cn- srijped Earth. As though they mere a single man the htmdrepl thousand war- riors hurtled downward to the attack. Stellene erne lyes cushioned in a flame of rxpluimg gases; earth and xi thun- dered wmh huge vibrations of sexmd. each fanatical rye glared a reckless rary ; in eacfvJisted hand gleamed the typed stellene rod. Dome, down they cane, smashing through resistant air. straight for the sea of maters. Idaring with speeds of hundreds of nalrs an hour. Iitsohm- tanly Sam threw up his hand to shield Isis eyes from tie molten glare. No power on earth, k seemed to him then, could mkhstand that massed attack. In water as well as in air the stellene sheaths were impermeable to ordinary weapons ce the shock of steel while the sirllrac rod* cook] blast their flames through the uni-may metal against their foes. Helpless, his futile gun in hand, he awaited the shark of contact. In an- other globule Klron danced and shouted indistinguishable things, mild with rage at his inability to get at the baud foe. But the Olgarch sal calmly in his com- portment. electro-blaster ration less in his lap. curiously undisturbed. The (orward-drismg squadron* hk the sea smmhanruusly. The Mediter- ranean Heated upward in a gey seeing roar if seething, baling, steaming waters. A huge tidal mare lashed out- ward in all directions, snnundated the "surrounding coasts undrr a smothering foam of irresistible fury. Great c foods of hissing tape rose into the welter- ing air. The oeatton shouk all Europe and Africa to their rooted foun- dations.

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<2 astocxdixc science-fiction At it they »rrt to many sharp l®im fJunjjtn; into soft butter. the rocket horde tlfiird tl»e tumlbng tatrrs. Rocket tohr. sealed tight to guard against the influx (7 alien rktnrUs. hut the momentum id bimliMr arfrlrralitn hurtled them dun through the fram- ing green deptiiv _ • IVm n. dn»n. du*n. lie slurp- toothed sharks, each Marxian clear!) dis- placed m his lucent death, ea.h warrior ready to bum and snudi and slay in accordance with tie o *nnur»] of the inetTalile trader! Sam stared ups in silent horror. What could Lit. lx all its eonipart unity, do against this massed assault? Within, ever) thing mas silent and moveless. The clustered component CTeature* mere at their various posts, un stirring No visible meapor.s mete in their hands. The hush of death per- vaded atL Even Kleon had ceased his Macedonian shoots and stared with the rest. Down. down, through a hundred fathoms, down jo the smooth, racing dome of withheld waters. In another spit second the horde mould pierce ; and l her — There had lern no command; there was no sign of new activity in the whirling brain. But suddenly the body corporate of l.yv sprang Into fierce mo- tion. The knobbed foreheads of the countless constituents quivered with crackling Kghtrings. Th^ machines Uaard and sparkled and spun like mad. The great network of cnamaeit flared with a sunlike briDiancc: electric cur- rents of bnmenvc amperage and tre- mendous {■cental swept outward in a storm of cosmic |ower. . Tl* wall of waters disintegrated into a seething madness of primordial de- ments The down-rushing horde was caught in a fury of crashing vibrations that stopped them in their tracks and swept them backward with accelerating speed. , The stdlene rods blasted and sirrted their lightning lulls. The outer chan- nels of l.yv flamed red and hundreds of tactile men crisped into nothingness. Titanic bottle had been joined. * Never, since the first molten surface of Earth had stormed under the con- stant fury of downpouring waters from an overladen sky. had the seas been in such frightful turmoil. As far as the polar oceans and stress of conflict raged. Ice caps, fixed for eons.^ tumbled into the boding waters: huge sections of the coastal regions of the world groaned under the oorushmg floods. Thrust back into the air. the rocket tubes flamed again, and again the liar- gran hordes flashed to the attack. Deeper now they hurtled, basing rocket tubes flaming even as they sliced the waters. Hundreds more of channels flared into disintegration.

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CITY OF THE CORPORATE WIND Sam rtncd and njrf. If or.lv he «xild do something. reach some weapon of unimaginable power before Lrr were overwhelmed, and he and his comrades with it ! At least co Asto and Dade loo • there had been means of escape, but here there was none. They were condemned to die with tSeir host, like rats in a trap. Then be blinked. Fzow all sectors, aloag every channel, swarmed the scavenger men of i-yv. Thousands on thousand in endless. " rushing array, bullet mg upward the area of destruction and fantastic conflict. There was no expression in their eyes — pallid. elongated men and chunky, ruddy ones alike. The membraned feet were dose together: their flexible arms were wide outspread. Against the fanatical hordes of Haig they pitted the equal obedience of totalitarian unity. The great magnetic currents swept them on. zooms of cohesive destruction, through the radiating tubes, into the area of blasted channels, into the welter of seething overhead waters. “They’ll all be drowned T whispered Sam. watching with a thrill of horror. Like swimmers springing back to the surface they plummeted, arms wide, eager. Each grappled with a stdJece- cbd warrior. Hundreds fell away in an explosion of flame and steam But others took their places, grappled with self-annihilation. Their questing Angers wrapped around the steamy surfaces of the sleilere -sheaths ; the out rushing flow of magnetic fury coursed through their knobs and infused them with tremendous potential*. Inside the sheaths. Marxi- ans screamed and sittled into smoking ruin, while strKene weapons clanged harmlessly to the hollow cylinders. Yardu. in his flagship overhead, cursed and sent new hordes downward to attack. To meet them streamed equally fresh battalions of the scaven- ger men. For each ltargian who died in the depths half a dozen Lyvians dis- fetegrate«l “How much longer can this keep ttpr cried Sam. though no one was listening. “There aren't enough scaven- ger men for replacements at the rate they're going. While Varda has — ” “Lock. Sam! Look around you!" Behan's voice was sharp and hurried in the receiver. Sam whirled. Throughout the cen- tral mass of Lyv long, white cylinder* were scattered. Sam had often won- dered at their functions, but never until now had they been active. Now they were incandescent, reciting furiously. The white glow of their surfaces ren- dered them translucent, and in their interiors he noted little whirling blob* of shadowy maner that pulsed and grew into shape and form. From the ends of the cylinders, fitted snugly into snail, coencctive tubes, catapulted endless streams of scavenger men. still glowing with the fiery energy of their creation. Without hesitation, they flung them- selves into the ommerptng currents and raced upward to join their fellows in the battle. Sam thrust a shaking hand over his forehead to wipe away the sweat. "So that’s the way it is !" he csstered to him- self. “I might have known. Com- pcotr.t men are cheap in Lyv; just as individual cells in a human body. Plenty more can be manufactured. What a placer L> a»cvt. the tide of battle had turned. Varda, frantic with rage, thrust more and more of his obedient horde into the maefstuxn. fot every one that died a half-dozen Lvviaro went along. But the horde of Harg was bnuted. while Yyv poured always new supplies to the front. The waves of Hargians* thinned, but still Vardu^would not yield. He seemed insane now; his eyeballs glared like

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64 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE- nCTlOX bracocs. hi* piitirrcd hair^was di- • sbrrrled- ‘Moft! Mo re!" be shrieked. and the robot soldiers wee: down to destruc- tioo. At last there were no more. Above, the sky not lorg Wore darkened with what seemed an i^mikibie horde, was cloodlrss now. Only the hovering ship of Harg with iu two occupants. Varda and Ras. Yards Aurg foe- the controls. AH measure of sanity had quit him at the sigh* of the immolation of his once re- sistless horde. -Writ get them jet. Why do you stand there lie a mummy. Ras? Where is that vaunted thought- sheO you bragged about? Turn it on. while I dive the sftp. Turn it on!" ‘ But Ras stood quietly, making no move. A thin smile of cold contempt wTmkledbis thin little bps. “You fool !~ he said. '‘You've shot your boh. In your pride you thought to overreach me. who am worth a million lie you. Well, you're through now. Know that I've merely used you for a tool. Your use- fulness to me is at an rod ; I foresee new and greater possibilities than ever be- fore." Yardu jerked up. startled. Sanity and alarm swept into his eyes. His hand went lightning -swift toward the stcllese rod at his side. But swift as he was. Ras was swifter. A shimmer of expanding force moved outward from his skull. It touched Vardu. The Har- gian dictator had no chance even to scream. An outward rush of flaming, incandesces: gas was all that remained of him. Ras leaned on the rail a mo- ment. his pale bps smiling, his cold gray eyes contemplative on the still heav- ing wreckage beneath. Sam was doing a jig in the confines of his globulr. Kleon clashed his shield with braren clangor in a. pain of vic- tory The incredible had happened. Harg. the destroyer, the conqueror of halt the Earth, was wiped out. vanished into the 1ra«s and obloquies of time as though it had never been. Not a single one remained of that once ruthless, power-mad horde. And Lyrv had done it — Lyrv. that by hi* own avowal, wished only peace and self-sufficiency. Earth was saved ! Sooner or later they would be permitted to go. to seek more of the hidden remnants of an ancient world that had burst asunder through the greediness and blood Hist of men Idee Vardu. Perhaps among them there would be one — But Be ban. Oigarch of Hispan. did not join their rejoicing. His aristocratic brow was furrowed with frowning thought. His bps were tight against all utterance. Sam stopped his impromptu jigging. “What's the matter with you. Bekan T" he demanded. “Ay. man of Hispan." called Kleon. “wby do you not join the pan of vic- tory? Such a battle have 1 never seen, not even when mighty Alexander thrust through the Persian host or the elephant army of Porus.“ The Olgareh stared with wry counte- nance from one to the other of his fel- lows. "You forget." he said gently. "Ras of Asto." “Holy smokes!" grunted Sam. His eyes jerked up and outward. The overarching ve3 of waters was still torn to shreds. Debris and sooty wreckage floated tumultuously is the outraged air. The great silver skip of Vardu floated with it. But its prow was empty. Ras. mighty with evolved thought, had finished! "But where the devil — “ Sam sput- tered m bewilderment. Th Olgarch's face was a proud. eo'«l mask. His words dropped like dis- tilled police into their astounded ears. "Ras? he said, "has twrrgd kttmjrlj in Lyvr

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From the spinning whet! of dwar&sb men that were the mind of the Corporate City, be snatched a a nit — and slipped into its place ! Ras had laid hit plant carefully. He the destruction of DaJelon. But Varda ha<J joosrd Yardu and the rocket horde had swelled with arrogant .pride and of Harg because he rojuirrd their aid to deemed himself the strenger is the alfi- o Ter cone firs feDowr Individualrstt on an ce. Therefore it was tune to gel rid the island of Asia. He utdued them in of him.

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u astoc'xdixc sctrxcr. ncnox' rVtbpi tcfctSrr they might hire <Wo!cd Lrr. But Ras. with fight- nmg thought, had derided othtnrw. Let them _ tattle each . other alone while he stood aloof, conserving hit foftn. Harg. he fek certain, would he destroyed in the |ewnv. a» indeed it »ii- There were pouibriitiet in the uni- fied fracture of Lrr and its ttahtaria® economy that intrigued him. With such a (oeged weapon it his cmrrond noth- ing on Earth, nothing from the planets, nothing even in the distant reaches of interstellar space, could stop its irre- sistible advance. Therefore, in the instant that Vardu flamed into a blare of fiery gas. he acted. He sped along the cursed potentials of his expansive thought toward the point which he had predetermined on before. . Within the inner, slowly whirling ring of Lrr a brain man flashed sudden alarm. But even as his rotating figure poised its message to the others, it was too hte.s Ras. grim and bulging, tna- terialued at his very throat. A shim- mer of force touched the startled brain man. He puffed out as a thm trickle of smoke. Ras slipped mto his place, whirled exactly as he had whirled, held with nice attention to axes and vectors the position of the crButar brain man for whom he had substituted to ruthlessly. The three concentric circles quivered, hesitated in their endless gyrations the split millionth of a second ; then took up their whirring round as though nothing had ever changed. Ras had become an integral cell in. the interdependera bram of Ljt! He had anticipated just such a result. With his powerful though: -tentacles he had probed the structural lose of Lyv. and plotted his course accordingly. Component brain mm of Lyr would age and die. just as individual icings might. But at the met ant of their death fresh, newly manufactured ceils would spring at once into the proper place in the orbital swing, so that the brain a* an ratify atuld remain unchanged, im- mortal in its continuity. Rat settled himself into his orbit with a grin of satisfaction. Everything had worked out acrordmg to plan. He was a constituent winter of the great brain that directed the uniary organism known as Lyr. His mind, evolved through count less centuries.- he hue w to be mightier than that of any indiiid—l cell of Lyr. It would therefore be an easy task to u lunw ore Hardship of the whole. An irrautiblr weapon, tem- pered. compact, terrible was at bis cons- •nand. None of the other gyrating brain men seemed to have noticed l^e alien sub- stitution. Placidly they continued an their interminable wheels, building up potentials of ilmio nugmir energy by their patterned turnings. Ras chuckled silently, and thrust out bis mighty t Sought -shefL He wcwkl take over. but. as he gathered up re- sources for the outpouring of has wii. a strange tUcg happened. Fdameats of thought, bf ttwerrt Isted energy, webbed him in from aO fades. He fdt them coursing subtly through his mind: be irk his own thought processes reach owt and interpenetrate in similar fasfwon the minds of all the others. ' He seemed to bathe in a universal bath of merging energies: he war one with his fedowrs and they were one with him ! At first be tried to fight against the lapping bath. But his uwhridwahty began to slip away from him : he was a part of a whole, a being incomplete m him -elf but v^orwus and mighty in the totality. It was pleasant, soothing. He liad never had such an exjwnence be- fore. With a violent effort he retracted his thought -shell hark into humrK. Hr had not bargained for such a drnouement. He. individual of imiivvduab. to be a

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CITY OF THE CORPORATE HIND a ■m«{ ia » nrpmwi ! For the mo- mm he m frightened. There might Mill he tine to break Irene, and flee this vvpp—g interplay. Then he grinned again. Very well then, he would remain and become a cog. But inasmuch as his soli- tary, giant isteOeci was greater than that erf any other tingle cefl. though in- ferior In the totality, he would not waste his energies in violent attempts at alien donwnatsoo. Instead, be wonld merge himself, adjust himself to the whole and terrier. bis plan * would interpenetrate the dmghc-procrues of the others, feed ic turn on their giant unity. Together they wonld make op Lye. He wookk lose his individuality. k was true, bot the greater Lye. of which he weald be a part, woofd tom loathe things he had desired. From a peaceful, self -contained treat ore. content with its present status within the narrow am- ine* of thf Med cetane ran. Lye wonld more toward restless coofesl and sub- » v JS. He adjusted Ids thought-shell accord- ;ly, not knowing that be could not himself. It was a strangely pku. An ecstasy of merge rTorf y. The concentric circles continued to whirl gravely on their or- dered paths, gjthoot a hitch, m about a tremor. BciTaX was the first to feel the alien turn of events. Queer pfcitka%* at his brain, feeble at first, but momentarily grow mg stronger. He stired uneasily. ‘’Something has taken place in the brain of Lye.** he spoke low into his microphone. “Whit Y" detnantJed Sam. Wrth a firm gesture the Ofgardi pulled the muter switch of the moeor -sensory machine. It was an emergency switch, to be contacted only in the almost incoo- crtvaMe possibility that the economy of AST — i Lye had gone haywire and the Wain men had failed to take over. Every member of the organism, out- side the Brain chamber, came to a sud- den. immobile hah. AH activity par- alyzed. Scavenger men. nruroors. tac- tile men on the periphery, warders of the manufactories and regulators. VII the numerous functions of Lye stopped in their trades. “Her. what's the idea?" veiled Sam. But Behan’s gaze was directed with curious intensity upon the single chan- nel that remained open. The channel that £pnnected his globule with the mas- ter chamber of the brain. On tads a pulling of the switch, a warning impulse leaped with the speed of light to the errar.t brain which, thus warned, could make the necessary adjustments to re- deem the perilous situation that had, theoretically arisen. The brain began to wheel faster. The disks of multicolored lights on its curv- ing walls flashed on and off with blur- ring speed, as Lyv scanned all of its vast organism for signs of danger. The Olgarch's eyes widened on die whirling figure in the inner ring. A figure alien to the others. The figure of Ras of Astot Recognition was mnfnal Ras glowed with curious luster; the visible shell of bit thought reached oat for his fellows, bathed in their filaments in turn. Slowly, but surely, he was inducing a single, unified thought ; a single, powerful wvIL “Quick!" shouted Britan. His fare paled; then veined with furious energy. "Ras has merged with Lyv ! He’s in the brain! Smash every instrument; crip- ple him as long as possible. Our lives, the fives of every hidden race upon Earth depend on it" He snatched up a bar. smashed down with powerful, crashing strokes upon the delicate machinery. Tubes splintered into a thousand shards, metal crunched under hn blows.

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ASTOL'N'DIXG SCIEXCT-nCTlOX Sam did Dot m: fur a second warn- ing. He cao(lt at a similar bar. Seared with ifl bit strength. In the distance he beard the great strokes ol Kleoo as has heavy sword rose and irfi. Stirring adhritjr in l.jnr (me Mid- deni/ again- Tactile men. scavengers, motor -sensor/ components, remained exact)/ as the/ were. Paralysis grayed the city once more. Even the brain chamber slackened its swift pace. The interehange of energy a I. -H- J- H- i icvx.Tr icrotr. ouura. “What next T" shoaled Sam. “If we could get to the brain- men before they work up new potentials, we might blast them all out of existence, and bring l.jnr with its new member. Has. to an end." Sam thrust a swift look overhead. “The Mediterranean is dosing up shore us." be said grimly. “O. K_ we die ia the general nxsa. Come on. Behan." "It's too late." cried the Olgarch in accents of utter despair. “Ras is re- viving the whole. He wasn't complete!/ merged yet. Look!” A warering shell of iriilescent thought was beginning to form, with Ras as the center. Ir lapped out over the feebly mosing brain men. Where re r k tooched. action quickened. Slowly the wheels began to pick up speed: ikhrtjr the ware of energy began to more out- ward. Silent machines quivered and nrwred ; silent, paralyzed units in its path gal- vanized and drifed toward the central dumber where Behan was. “We've lost our chance." gasped Sam. “TheyU kill us sure. Ras win see to that.” Behan aimed his electro- hiaittr. “Well die fighting." he sad whimsical!/, “just as friend Kkon is ever wont to re- mark." Sam whirled. “Jumping catfish I" he exclaimed. “1 forgot all about turn. Where the deni is that Creek T “Right here. Sam Ward.” clanged a cheerful rover almost in his ear. A strong arm reached owL. caught him around the waist, kfted him as easily as if he were a child. Sam fefl into the bottom of the rocket - ship of Harg with a little (hod. He scrambled to his feet. “Hoi/ cats. Kiwi! What,. . . what — ” Kleoo stood in the prow of the boot, his hand gripping the controls, his eyes burning on the. curving channel through which^be "manipulated his crait with masterful touch. Red blasts of flame jetted behind, making thunderous roar in the confined quarters. “ While you and Hdtan. men of ad- vanced cirihzatioos. were so fuE of plant for saving aO Earth." he said ironical/. “I. a poor. prinCn Greek of Alexan- der's time, was tugaged ks more SmitodL practical things. When Behan tempo- rarily paralyzed all Lyv. I meed for the globule ia which our old craft had hern stored. Luckily, the rocket jets kicked ioto instant action and here I am. Kow if vre can get to Behan in tin — " Bex the Olgarch had already seen what had taken place. He leaped oat of his globule, came racing down the channel to meet them. Sam caaght thim op as Kleoo slackened speed “Give her the pa now.” he shoaled about the thunder hf the rockets. “It's going to be dose. Behind ns. the -widen- ing inflnmce of Lyr; ahead, the fast- tumbhag waters of the sea." . Kieon had never heard that early twentieth-century expression before, bat he knew what Sam meant. He grinned and stood erect. like a Greek god he was. with helmet plume and golden hair streaming with the wind of his flight The silver ship leaped forward «n a fierce rush of acceleration. Behiod them, almost touching, sped the electro-magnetic wave of Lyr. la

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CITY OF THE CORPORATE MIN'D ks wake Kiwnjni sprang to Efe and darted Eke divers after them, eager arm* nospread, tipped with deadly currents of instant destruction la their path silent, unmerring men swayed gently in the stagnant air. till hdd in the paralysis of the broken ma- chines. The Barring rocketship smashed into their yielding bodies, typed them into spattering bioha of flesh, thrust them behind Eke refuse in the wake of an ocean bner. Behan said with expressionless face. “It's a pity! Those poor creatures — r Sam fek a hole side. Box Kleoc was hard and with the hardness of prac- ticality. of one who had long been ac- customed to mangled flesh and sodden death. “It’s our Irres or theirs. They The tumbling Mediterranean, long withheld by the fierce concussions of dis- integration. was rushing in once more to daim ks own. As far as the rye could see. dry and water mingled ks inextrica- ble confusion Chaos reigned supreme, as at the beginning of the world. Huge wares, hundreds of feet high, bore down upon the* collapsing vacuum from every point of the compass. . Faster, faster they sped, falling with breath-taking velocity into the gap that had been rudely torn in thir midst. Already, from crest to crest, barely a lew hundred yards remained. When that dosed, three hundred feet of bod- ing. savage waters would interpose be- tween the fleeing rochet ship and outer safety. Then Lyr would catch up to them, and Ras, the new jeompoo ent. would deal with them in his own man- ner. They knew quite well what that manner would be! The fleet ship was straining every brace and strut. The rocket jets were wide, every ounce of power inherent in the fuel hurtled them forward on their path. Bat tremendous as was their speed, the crashing overhead sea was faster. The gap narrowed in great ctvmpwg chunks. The ship would be caught — The sweat poured from Kleoc. His muscles strained oc the control* to ex- tract the last drop of power. “I can’t do any more." he cried. The CHgacdt knelt suddenly at the fir- ing valve, twisted. "Hey!" shouted Sam. “YouH blow us all to kingdom come! Don't open that!" But Behan did not seem to hear. His swift, efficient hands turned rapidly. The heavy, valve came open. Within. ‘ the startled twentieth-century man could see the smooth leap of burning gases, hurtling out through the jets, the ship forward by their fierce rrcotL The valve was there for priming when the jets were cold or failed to functiou in starting. Never, however, had it been opened while firing was in full blast. Driun unoucxira .*21 cxcro-otiKcr, swiftly thrust the barrel deep into the orifice. “Well, in be damned!" husked Sam. He saw oow what the Olgafeb was try- ing to do. A desperate < ipedient. dan- gerous to the «»h degree. Bat the ana- tioa called for desperate measures. The electro- blaster shot forth bolts of pure energy. Concentrated power that could blast down anything is ks path except the primal energy of thought. Joined to the already straining impacts of the rocket gases it might furnish that last fillip, that last extra kick to accelerate them out before the waters dosed. Sans held his breath. Kleoo maneu- vered with desperate intentness through the broken outer field of Lyr. The tidal sea was barely fifty yards away.

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ASTOUXDIKG SdEXCE-FlCTlOH I Briua* pmxd the plunger. again and ipin. The bit* bolts o< pourer bwM to join the rocket blasts The sflver ship dnddrrtij and groaned. It leaped foe- » ard in wild new acceleration. Oat between gray walls of taBing waters it Sed ; oat into the Hnutless ex- panse of atmosphere and burning sky. Beneath, the hsapy sea coOapird with an angry roar, barely fire feet away. The' Mediterranean boiled and seethed, ones more a solid, unrestricted whole, shielding within its womb she dry oi Ljnr. Kleon leveled oS at ten thousand feet, sd the prow westward. The Oigarch. calm, inscrutable, twisted bock into posi- tion the open valve. rose to his feet, the exhausted blaster in his hand. Saying be breathed in the fresh, keen "Where assay now. friend Sam?" de- manded the Greek with a grin. Sam Ward stared at the Emit less horizon. His face eras a taut mask. "Look bock! A more dangerous foe has risen." he said harshly. "Ras in conjunction with the horde of Hare was bod enough. Ras. as an integral part of the umty of Lyr, is far He ftung out his arm toward the son. His eyes bunted. Lyr was da mg." lumps breaking away. The dty was sending forth pwudopods— de-' icodcsti ! "Out there, somewhere, is the answer. A city of decent, kindly folk — tnen of our own load. Men who are free aid therefore invincible. Mess who will help us destroy this new peril to the world of the future. Point west. Kleoo; at- j •ays westr •KEITl SWEETENEK ...BEIIGRTFIL CONFECTION

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n SCULPTORS Of LIFE Mtw Hr aU ! N*w OH Hr tiwi «W whk Hi Am* tHiHc Hmfrmmtmt — »f H* OH-mcaipHri cam cWf • «r fai By Willue Illest “I'm welt of ikiv I'm M up. I trfl you I >it down?" Mumi Ooethrce- nine hurled hre^ teal**-! to the floor, droy^wd her curly brown head on the operating uUe and lhe raced a* *he Uirked the tear* out of her biue eyes. “Thebe*i job Fte etrr turned out. I’er- fect \ With a liter Mother Nature couldn't duplicate and a bran tljat't cool for a hundred tear' l ie given her the final te>tt and the hit « i r .nrriead lamp cfuMer. “F! {•racttcally t«rfrel That'* why tliey hate you work on tlie ptl*. I 'uj-ja-'c. while I do men Hut I Mill tkm't *ce what you're nulgpc sidi a fu-- ala* Anne |j)n»ra. tvn'l it?" he a*ked. "She'* the daewt who aakrd for tltat tprctal kver jok” “ IVmcoa Anne FwkUewicfcsP Marion wormed. "Royalty went out of fathion three hundred year* ago. Prin- ce-** Anne it juvt a ditgraorful oU trollop and you know it. Drinlong like a Mb — getting a drrorrr or bury mg a husband every iu month*. There ought to be a lav r _ . "But what don h matter to yon bow the act*?” lie ora* trying to soothe her as be always dtd when Marion got into one of her rages. "You're done your job when you turn over the new body in good condition." "It's pride of crafttmamhip. I tup pote. 1 ju*t can't bear to think of the way Princes* Anne'* going to treat a thine which I hare made. Look at the hit body I dtd for her. It wa* perfect, too. but the* ruined H — aboJutdy r» rmtd it. in only twenty year*. Aral now *he ha* the nerte to ad. for a rutli joli *o *hr can look her lc-! for that rnrpeioo to the Hriti*h dictatur in Thurwlay. I work my finger* to the boor and I won't eten get thanked. Tlie uoio* gcrr.g to. I war aV-w thi* P “You know. I've tiem thinking along the tame line* tirlay.” Frank *au»g • me kmg leg «*er the edge of the operat- ing table ami sat there tdly twining a

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SCULPTORS OF LIFE n strand of the girl's golden hair around his finder “Take this body I 're just finished foe Henry Wharton — “ "The riches* nun in the world," she interrupted softly. "And the oldest. He told me all about it last month when he mas in here wit£ hi**hcdy guard hiring his measuresnests taken. Hack in 1900. when Professor Franck discovered his method for physiological duplication, it mas a ter- rifically costly process. Wharton mas a rrulLcr-ure even then, and his gambfing instinct led him to take the chance mhen has health broke dornn. In the four hun- dred >cars since then he's morn out six bodies. You'd think he'd have the de- cency to jet bored, accept euthanasia and let someone else have a chance. But. no. he sits at his desk sixteen hours a day. ruins his digestion mith synthetic foods and pyramids his fortune up and up— and up." "Until he omns half the world," added Marion. "And every seventy sears, on the dot. he comes round and orders a duplicate of the splendid body he had as Yale football star in 1910. There it is. All dene^* Frank nodded toward the other table upoa mhich lay the semblance of a powerfully huh. handsome young athlete. "Maybe Wharton mill meet with an accident some day hazarded Marion. “Then his money win revert to the peo- ple and America win be free again." "Not that smart old codger. He takes every possible precaution — has an army of body guards and another army of doc- tors. Hell five forever. Why. even that lam abcut all fortunes reverting to the State mhen their owners get tired cf. living — he had that passed so he could get such money into his dutches more easily. You know, they even say be owns the British dictator. Thai's mhy the fellow is visiting America." Marion tossed back her hair with an angry gesture and started paring back and forth across the little shop mith long, hthe strides. "And there's nothing wt life sculpt oo can do about it." she raged "We sal at the crossroads of life and death. Maybe if vye struck—" Frank taugfcd harshly. 'vh. don't be so cynical * 1 know as well as you do that strikes have been fortsdden. If you're so smart mhy don’t yom make a suggestion?" "I’ve been thinking about it. butter- cup.” he grinned "But before me talk, let's get out of here. 1 never can con- vince tmielf that these things don't bear every word me say.” "Fine. I'm dog-tired and starred. We've just got tune to catch the mad- night gyro." Maziox ran to her locker and soon was wriggling into her dress — a woolly white affair, complete with hood, mittens and reinforced feet. It looked much hke a child's sleeping garment, gave her the general appearance of an Easter rabbit and provided perfect protection against the mid winter cold outside. Frank dotmed similar garb after pull- ing down heavy glass covers to protect the bodies and adjusting various ther- mostats and air pressure gauges. Then the two bfc sculptors locked and barred the doors of the laboratory and sprinted for the gyro station which towered blackly agamst the stars not far away. "] wonder how many centuries com- muters have been running for trains?" panted .Marion as they swung aboard the little car. "Sometimes I think me should move closer to the lab." "No. this ride always gets me. I wouldn't miss it." answered Frank as the car swept up to connect with the express track which strode across the countryside on pylons three hundred feet high. The Center, mith its brightly lighted factories, stores and theaters, dwindled behind them and gave may to a suburban

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ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION 74 residential strip The or picked up •peed ^nd t>o minutes liter hooked onto the Twenty -fifth Century Limited with hardly i fir. ~ Wonder whit it mutl have been hke to Ine in the citiei which existed before the great earthquake." whispered Frank, as they tiptoed through several puQmans u order to reach the Pennsylvania local. "Skyscrapers. towering apartment build- ings. subways — " “And slums and dirt and oiercrowd- ist. >ou old react socury.' Mann teased. “We’d be living in a one-room fiat with in-a-door beds. No. I like the Road- town plan better. What would sou do without your garden 7" “And without your ducks and chick- ens to cat my lettuce, brans and cab- bage." he laughed as they reached the almost empty local, found seats by the window and_ switched on the tefevtsaon screen in the back of the seat in front of them. Center after Center flashed beneath them kke jewels on a chain as they watched the carefully censored news pro- gram which tonight dealt mainly with spectacular arrangements being male to welcome tb^ British dictator. Other local cars werr peeked up and detached at various points and finally, deep in the Adiroodacki. their own car left the ■Ran train and swooped down for a brief hah at an isolated station. It was even colder here. Their breath shone whae in the moonlight as they ran to their auto and headed for their cabin, which lay up a nearby canyon. "Gee. it's grsx] to be home." cried Marion as they entered the cory* living room. She shucked out of her dress and tossed it across the sofa. "Ill make some coffee and scramble some eggs. Then weU talk." "Here's what got me to thinking." “r^r.k held up a thin metal solume as she returned with a steaming tray of food. "It's a swell yarn by an almost forgotten English author named Stephenson, or Stevenson. This new system of spelling phonetically makes it hard to decide how he really spdled his name." "Your coffee will get cold." inter- rupted Marion. “AD right. .Alb right 1 This chap wrote a story called 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.' Only bath of them wore really one person — schizophrenia, you know, only this is all cockeyed scientifically — “ "Do you have to talk with sour mouth funr “What I’m trying to get at." he con- cluded after a gulp, "is that these dif- ferent characters, one good and one bad. finally separated into different beings and — "How perfectly preposterous. Frank. Maybe it's the way you tell it." " T ain't not ! Young lady, you're much too brash tqpight. Step up your brain power and answer carefully. Why is it that, although we can make bodies as easily as salamanders can grow new legs, we can't animate those bodies with- out transferring living jtersooahties into them?" I "Because. siCy. all thought is a chain of relations and we haven’t yet dis-" covered how to create an initial thought which will start the brain ticking. In other words, we don't know how to gen- erate a spark for the engine we've made. We've got to transfer the ignition sys- tem from an old engine." "Ccgea. So we record an im- pression of all the past experiences and acquired knowledge of the person to be trar.si erred on the cortex of the brain we've made, use the Franck exciter to switch the psyche, soul oe whatever sou call it. onto its new track, wake the new body, destroy the wornout one — and col- lect our pay." “WeS. go on." said Marion. hat's the print ? I'm getting sleeps “Just this." He pouted himself an- other cup of codec, lit a cigarette, then

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SCULPTORS OF LIFE - 75 kfpjt them u he leaned foninl tensely. “You wcrr M)tu»lun( became of the wfrsvih foe turning over those nice new jobs in the tab to persons who wouldn't appreciate and take care of them. But yen know what would happen to us if we bueebed oe refused to make the trans- fer "L’mmr* She smiled wryly. “Drink sour coffee." “Qn the other ham], there's a lot of gs«»l in IVincess Ijbrnscu — “ “Yes, she's kind to dogs." “Coene. come ' She's a patron of the arts, piays the aloe organ beautifully ami gites a lot to chanty an] public works. Now let's consider Wharton. He's a hard-fisted slate-dnver. Half the productive capacity of America pays Tribute to him. * On the side of the shield he's a patron of many football and head- UiH teams as wet! as an economic genius who has at last discovered how to elim- inate recessions.” “Yeah. Frank. He spreads recessions and recoveries ouf'thm. hkr butter on I read, and 'expects us to worship him because we can no longer ten the dif- ference between them. You talk hkc a twentieth century Kberal." "Oh. foe Heaven's sake! Now listen carefully. If we could. 'somehow, man- age to transfer, only the better sides of the IVincess and Wharton when they acne in tomorrow, wouldn't we.be con- ferring a great benefit on humanity ?” For a long moment Marion stared at him dumioundnl. Then she jumped up and began pirouetting about the room. "Oh. what a perfectly swell idea. Frank." she cried, when, exhausted.. she flung herself on her mate's lap and gave hni a hear hug. “But bow are you g*>- mg to do it T" “Very simple.” He lhru»t out his chest under this prai*e. “Well use hypnosis. 1'sychsatnsts base bren slu- ing it f«. Xw my *lra is that if — ” - “Wait a minute." She jumped up briskly. “This calls foe more coffee, with maybe ’scene brandy in it. We've got a lot of fighting an] calc Luting to do this night, my fnend." Smiuxg bke conspirators and carry- ing a bra -it suitcase between them. Marian and Frank armed at the lab- oratory early the next morning and set abut their prrpu rations A hundred years before, the Life Sculptors' Union had won the nght to exclude witnesses from all transfers, so they knew they wouldn't be interfered with. If. how- ever. tbeir experiment .resulted in injury to- either of their patients — -Marion turned white whenever she thought of the consequences. Working in that perfect harmony which is burn only of close association for many years, they set up the compli- cated cosawc ray apparatusknown as the Franck Exritcr. in honor of its twentieth century inventor. IVufe-ssoe Elmer G. Franck of lVincetcn University. Then they laid out the drugs necessary to produce the requisite amount of mental shock in the patient* to be transferred. With a wink at Marion. Frank next •dragged out of his suitcase the latest dev see for inducing hrpomis ’This eras a complicated 'thing of revolving lights and tmrroes. a onreted with a sound tape and loud-speaker ~ Practically foolproof." he com- mented. “We u»evr it a lot during the short course at the university last sum- mer. Want me to try it on you? It will reveal your iraront thoughts." “Not on your hie. you wicked thing." she laughed, conscious that he was watching her admiringly as she adjusted the box abor the table on which lay IVincess Anne's future body. “lU keep* my own counsel.” “Then well fiase to twiddle our thumbs until thr princess arrises. She's due at ten. isn’t she:” “That means eleven and also that

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H ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION Whiflto win haw to wait. He’ll k«e .a mJUoo dollar Anr bemg ivijr from his office." "Lrt ^um,. Are few ill set on a hit ar’re got to dor" "I ... I think so. Hut InA. Frank, if half of the pnneess* ptrHiwlitv — the root half. lH admit — stays in her old body. won't it be murder to — er — dis- pose of it r - "\V e-ell. 'maybe yew could stretch a point. and call k that. I'd ratter call it poetic justice." “And what if “This operation dewsa't work right? What if we find tliat a ‘ personality can't be split permanently ?" "I don't bke concentration camps any better than you do. honey. Maybe we'd better keep the old body in suspended animation for a spell until we sec how things work out." "We're taking a Ug chance, keeping it around." , "We're taking a l«g chance, anyway." He squeezed her reassuringly. "If you back out. it's O. K. by me." "Calling me yellow now. are you?" She pretended to be furious. "Let me tell you this. young man. Nctct . in the hundred and fifty years that lit bred, have I — " • She was interrupted by a whirring signal from the rrcepoutr room. " For the lore of Mike f" gasped Frank. "Anne's here, right on the doc. It must be because of that reception. Well l~ "I’ntgame." tnsAtnl Marvel tensely . “Hare her sent in.” Fuse rtf.wiu a button A moment later the dewr of the lab opened and a caricature of the lA'wd girl on *i this nwrroe. In half an hour you'll awake in your new l*«dy." "That mirror's w worthing new." She

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77 Sculpt ors^^^jfe vis trying to be nice now as she held out her Babb;’ arm for the injection. **I doa't remeqdvr h from last time. Why . . . why it looks hke — " “It's just to calx the transition easier." Frank assured her hastily. "You said you were busy today." “Oh. yes. The dictator." Suddenly her Toice was very tired. “All right. I'm ready." Frank pressed a switch. The labor- atory lights dimmed. The little mirror began to spin. “Sleep." whispered a magnetic, com- pelling voice from the loud-speaker of the hypootirer. "Sleep. Sleep. Dream deeply. Sleep." As the standardised ritual was re- peated and amplified. Frank watched the princess closely, changed the comb* na- tion of mirrors, speeded up the tiny pen- al of light until it was flashing across her eyeballs at heartbeat speed. Her gate became fixed. Finally her eyelids fluttered down and she began to breathe heavily. "Fine, so far," he. whispered, press- ing Marion's cold little hand. " Princess Acne." he then said sharply. "Are you asleep?" "I'm asleep all right, you impudent young whelp." Her Kps twisted scorn- fully, but her ryes did not open. "What's the date?" "February 16, 23-15." "What are you going to do tonight." "I'm attending a reception for Hal- dane B. Sevmninethree. the British' dictator." ""by?" w** There was no answer. ' "Tell me. Why are you .going?" "Because Sr's a bachelor, you fool. .Because I intend to entice him with my beautiful new body." The dromng vc*ce hesitated. “Go on." "Because I'm side of truckling to Her.ry Wharton. Because the dictator will be putty in my hands. Because I want to make Wharton He's the only man who has never done so. If there has to be a war to accom- plish it. fine. What do I care? What do I care? People are only vermin, anyway. I should know. I'm vermin — myself." The vote* trailed away, leaving Frank and Marxxi staring at each other in white-faced horror. "Mr. Wharton is here." The voice of their receptionist coming through the annunciator jnade them jump. "Says he's in a hurry.* "Tell him to wait.” Quickly Frank adjusted a resonator disk until it was pulsating a faint middle C note through the room. "Do you hear that tone. Princess Anne ?" he demanded, bringing the disk close to her ear. "Yes. ... I . . . hear it." The words were almost inaudible now. "Sleep then, until the tone stops. Princess Anne. Sleep. "f "There." He smiled grimly. “That half of her is trapped. Now watch what happens." t "Annie Smith V he burked, while Marion looked at him in amazement. "Annie Smith. Are you there?" There was no answer. Leaning dose to the princess' ear he shouted : "Annie South 1 I command you to answer!" The woman oo the table writhed and twisted as though in agony. "Annie South 1" he thundered. "I'm your friend. Answer nr/ "Who's Anne SmnYlor Heaven’s sake.?" gasped Marion \ "Shbh r* He angrily waved her to be silent, then repeated: "Annip Smith. Answer me at once." The princess opened her bps— dosed them. Then her mouth opened again and a weak and timorous vute said: “Who calls Annie Smith?" "A friend. Tell me the date."

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n ASTOUNDING SaEXCE-nCTlOX Tvr hem asleep." whimpered the voice. “Why do you disturb me ? I . • . I think it's 1940. Bat I'm not sure — it'* »o dirt" - "How is roar mask jetting lioog. Annie Smith V* “Ob-h-h 1 Don't." The princess' throat twisted in a sob. "I can't — " Tell me!" “Mr teacher— the best in New York — told me today that I win never become a great singer. I had so hoped — studied so hard. Sow all roy money is spent on lessons, and he says — Oh. please let me sleep 1 want to sleep forever . . . to die—" * “Where are roc going tonight. Anr.se Smithr “There is a reerpoon — at the home of Samuel Wharton, the banker. It's for Princess Libenscu of Romania. I'm to smg — but only in the chorus. I’m so hungry . IH make a few tkilars. And mother — Bobby — need money so " Quickly Frank adjusted another res- cnator disk until a second faint tone was humming through the room "Do you hear that. Annie Smith T" , "Of course. It's an A.” "FoCow where it lead*. Annie Smith. Now sleep till I call you." "Mr. Wharton is getting very im- patient.'’ came the metallic voice of the annunciator. "He had an appointment here at eleven. It’s almost twelve now." "Tell him to dimb a tree." rasped Frank. "No. Better tell him well be ready in a few minute*." With a nod at Manco be^tegan strap- ping a conical contraption much like a permanent wave setter, on the bead of the princess. She did likewise, placing an exactly similar exciter over the curls of the blond girl "Ready?" "Yes!" Thet SNvmo switches sitrokawe- ouslr. As the apparatus Uarrd up. sur- rounding the two heads with nimbuses of ghostly light, and as the eerie tkekrty- flaek of the cosmic ray counters filled the room. Frank leaned weakly against the operating table and wiped his per- spiring forehead. "Fifteen minutes should be enough to transfer everything in that empty head." he grinned. "But. Frank!" His assistant gripped him by the shoulders and shook turn in exasperation. "Where did you learn all that. I never — " "It's in those rfustj old newspapers and magazines with which I clutter up the cabin. Made a great scandal back in 1910. The prince fell in love wrdi Annie Smith it. the receptko— eioped with her. in fart. It's pretty certain that she despised him. but. as she just said, she had to eat. Anyway, everything worth' while and fine ia the girl went to sleep that night. Since then she's been Princess Anne, hard — worldly — crtid — hitter. Ready to involve the world in another bloody war to gain her ends." "It's dreadful! I almost wish we hadn't started 'flu! " "Nonsense. Hey! Your tubes! They're overloading !" They worked feverishly to balance the apparatus, then watched in silence as the minute clicked by. * "There." said kl arson it last. "That should about do it." They depressed their respective switches. As the light died they re- moved the headsets from the bodies oa the table. Then Frank swung th^hyp- notirer in front of the golden girl's eyes and carefully pressed back her eyehd*. “Annie Smith." he said gently after the apparatus had spun for a few mo- ments. "Time to wake up!" He cut out the A resenator. The old body remained motionless hot soft, crimson lips of the new ooe beside it parted softly as it took a long, shuddering breath.

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SCULPTORS OF LIFE 79 “I bar yea.” the Kps whispered. "Annie Smith is waking." Marioa shoe a heart Unnuliot into the lonely arm. Breathing immediately lease stronger an] more regular. Five minutes later Annie Smith — in the Indy originally intended foe Princess Anne — was sitting co the edge of the table and staring at them with wide and unccmpecbcnding topaz eyes. At last she glanced down at herself. “I Vase." She blushed from head to foot. When Marion hair wrapped a sheet around her. Annie relaxed and studied them with growing puzzlement and girl who's been asleep for a while. Is that so dreadful ?" “Is that what you two young fools beheve 'f The girl became momen- tarily calm. “Yes. 1 am Annie Smith. And it's true that I've been asleep, as you call it. for fear hundred years — " . “How did you know that f~ they inter- rupted tn unison. “How did 1 know it? To sleep. To dream.' ” Annie quoted bitterly. ““And in that sleep who knows what dreams may come.” Didn't you ever hear of Shakespeare T~ "Merciful God." whispered Marion, with dawning comprehension. worry. “Who are you?" she haltingly in- quired'at last. T*m Marion and this is Frank. You're slept a long. Vang time. Try to understand what I'm going to tell jfou. We're bfe sculptors and — " “But I do begin to understand. I re- member your faces— somewhere. Didn't ! come here to—" She twisted around and stared at that other body on the table — that pitiless vulgarization of her- self which now by as though dead ex- cept tor its regular breathing. Then, briore they could catch her. Annie Smith leaped from the table and shrieked — a will cry hke the keening of a lost soul. "Oh." she wailed as she backed against the wall and stared at them in growing fear. “Oh. what have you fiends done to me?" "What on earth's the matter. Miss Smith?" Marion rushed to her. "You're safe here. We’re your friends and — " ~ "My friends!" Annie threw back her golden head and laughed hke a soul in torment. “Only devils could do what you’re done!" Laughter racked her cnee moreT /• "But what kerr we done twepvrt you So?” Frank shook her savagely Vo 'stop the hysteria. “You're Anne Smith, a “YfS. I'm Annie Smith. all right. And tonight I'm going to a reception for Prince Libenscu — " “That's right." Frank encouraged bcr. “And then what?” “Why tonight I'm going to meet the only man lH ever lore. And he's go- ing to get drunk and laugh at me. And in my horror and despair I'm going to dope with the prince, who is a siDy fool, but who win *a>k me to many him." "Go co!" Frank's hands were shak- ing “And my love is going to tuns to hale. And for four hundred weary years I'm going to plot and lie and even commit murder m Unavailing efforts to destroy the man I . . . still . . . love." • “Stop!" cried Marion. “Stop? How can I step? The real Annie Smith was peacefully asleep. She went to sleep on that awful night and knew nothing about what her other self — Princess Anne— dsd after that. But new )6u‘ve awakened her and she's re- membering— I am remembering. God pity roe. Mother — Bobby — What ever became cf them ? And the prince, poor devil — no one knew why he sick- ened and died so conveniently !" Suddenly the girl began laughing ai»l crying at the same time — beating her

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M , AST OCXOIXC SaEXCE-nCTlOX l (%t> ipiatl the nl — screaming — (ii- iDr writhing on the A w m ihunt u the hoot of memories ame crowding hack. The wmiocator tuned. “Mr. Wharton ur> to tell too that hit men win unt taking thrt place apart in Sft minute'*.- came the hvttvd toice of the rrcqeniitL “What shall I duT “What thall srr dor” (anted Marion a* the ben: the job right or Lust-- He .tanked another cucuca] tiead- ]«ece out of a ck>><t and began strap- (ing h over his own tnnpjr*. “The transfer of the tlcoght record, tr memory, is chronological." he con- tinued as he foeted his trembling fingers to find the right straps and buckles. “IVe ofy-n huened in »« the process by means of a third beadfeece. N'om with Wtarjfl. !H stop the transfer as i: reaches the dar of that forty to l*ri»ce * I jbenseu * When he cones to. hell be exactly what he looks to be — a Yale loortoB Aar. The rest of his memories wifi stay ns his old body.” “They tell me We in a concentration camp is pretty awful.' said Marion. “l-rcik.” Hr stared at her thrush the quartz eyepieces hke a monster from some other world. “I’m too far into this thing to quit now. - But yon go vat and trll Wharton you're iD— that that’s the reason foe the delay. Tell him lU perform the transfer alone. That will clear son of any charge of ^rxnpiicsty.”' “You really thmk I'd do t'iat. Frank f~ She smiled at him with stiff bps. then prrssed the annunciate^ button. “Send Mr. Wharton in." she ommanded T it r umii was on the rrrgr of a{«^4ra« when he burn into the mum. In imr shaky land he carried an auto- matic. With the other he held open the door so that Frank and Marion got a riew of the evil-faced henchmen crowd- ing behind him. “WAa: kind of monkey business is go- ing on here?” he shr cited “Nobody abrr can keep Henry Wharton waiting. By Heaven. IK — ” At llot moment he caught sight of the two female bodies 1 vi rag side hr side on the second operat- ing table. Skimly his wrath subsided and an understanding grin spread over his heavily bnrd face. “So that's it!- A rbuclde grew into a bellow of laughter which made his flaccid brSy shake. “Princess Anne was lateagaia! Why didn't you teB me that she was causing- the delay?” He slammed the door m the faces of his l»*!i guard* and lumbered oaer to the taUc. , "The (winces* ha* been delaying tne

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SCULPTORS OF LIFE n foe four centuries," he snorted. “You wouldn't think it to look at her. would you ?” He laid his pm on the table. "That old harridan has caused me more trouble than any other person on earth. If it hadn't been for her scheming. I'd he a triSsonaire by this tune.” The hanker waddled around the table and stopped beside the splendid body of Annie Smith. His dewlaps shook with what might hare been emotion. "This b the way I bite to think of her " he said. "Beautiful as a new bonk vault, isn't she ? I could hare prevented her being transferred this time if I’d wanted to. Might have saved me a lo*- cf trouble. But 1 couldn’t being myself to do it.” He stretched out a mottled old hand.' "Don't touch her!” Marion's voice ■as sharp. "Oh. excuse me.” For a long mo- ment be still stood staring down at the golden girl. Then, muttering something that sounded fake. "Young fools." he shook his great bead savagely and turned to the other table. "AH right." he growled. “Are you ready to spruce me v?r The task of putting the hanker into a hypnotic coma and separating his two personalities was not the difficult yob Frank had expected it to be. At first Wharton struggled fiercely against the influence, it b true, but he soon suc- cumbed. "There seems to be a sharp c lea rage." the sculptor whispered to Marion. "Al- most as though he had lived two sepa- rate and distinct hvex. Ready?" "What resonator tcese do you want to use this time?” / , “Put him on the C with Frincess Anne. We don't want to get things too compbcated." "Banker Wharton." he said sharply, as she paled a watch- sued disk from its receptacle and set it humming dose to the old man's ear, "do you hear that note?” "I hear it.” "Sleep then so long as you do hear it." “I ... am sleeping.” The guttural voice seemed querulous — almost resent- ful. “Now." said Frank to his partner. “Ill have to try something tricky for I don't have a second came to conjure with. Here's where my old newspapers come in handy again.” Leaning dose to Wharton's ear. be shouted : "Foctv -two — seventy -three — fire — Hike f* * The palsied fat body jerked as if it had been electrified and tried to rise from the table. Frank pressed it back. "That you. Hr?" he asked casually. "Yet. sir." The voice that answered was strong and somehow, young. "1 thought I beard my signal — but it's dark.” "What was that play I just called. Hy?" "I'm sorry, sir. It's a Yale team secret. You might be a spy from Har- vard.” X "Do you hear this nett?” Frank reached for the A resonator which he had previously used to fix the personality of Annie Smith and swung it dose to his patient's* head. "Yet. sir." "Go bock lo sleep then. When I turn the tone off it will be game time and yru must wake up" "Yet . . . sir." The voice r reeled to a whisper. . *T "Now.” Frank smiled at Marion, "well have to be carefuL" He stepped down the speed of the exciter as far as it ycuk}. go. then nodded. They Sipped the switches together and he stood lis- tening intently to the thoughts being

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c ASTOUNDING SOEXCE-nCTlOK r transferred w fide the cosmic njrs cfacked. "Not a bad bd at all.** he u>j softly, alter fire minutes had elapsed. "Whar- ton's mother mast hare been a fine per- son." “He certainly was pod at athletics." he added some time later. “Worked oct -4t plays mathematically. Do yoa sop- pose that had anything to do with 1 is becoming a wizard at finance Y~ Frank's lean face was a study in con- centration as he continued to listen while the minutes ticked by. "Poor dml." he sighed at last. "He wants to be a scientist, but his lather — Samuel Wharton — insists that he go into the banking business. At first he rebels — he's crary about mathematics. » The old man cuts off his allowance- The boy starts working in the bank. Hm-m-m! This is interesting." He iell silent. “What’s interesting?" M arson was dying of cariosity. "Oh. I'm sorry. He's becoming fas- cinated by the complexities of inter- national finance — beberes that his father's fortune, if rightly used, can bring order out of the chaos which resulted from the second world war." Frank shut his eyes and listened more intently. "But the poison is beginning to work. He doesn't know it consciously, but al- ready he's playing with the idea o f mak- ing money for money's sake, of pitting his wits against the ocher wohe*. of — Hey! Quick! Cut your switch!" As Manon obeyed and the dick of the exciters died. Frank jerked off his headpiece with impatient fingers. . "What happened?** "That reception to Prince Liberum ! It sneaked upon me. When we cut the switches Annie Smith had just entered. I could see her. almost as clearly as though I had been there, through xoung Wharton’s mind. Mis first impulse was to pidc her up m his arms — carry her off like a knight of okL Then his newiy- t developed subconscious personality came to the fore. Why should he spoil bis career by marrying a nobody? Lord! I hope I cut those switches in time." "Frank, hare you any idea what you're really trying to do?" "I’m just playing a hunch." be ad- mitted wryly. "The biggest fcupch I're had since that time at the Kentucky . Derby. If h fails — " He shrugged and shut off the A reson- ator. As the toxe died the athletic body which the bfc sculptor originally had buih for Banker Wharton stirred un- easily, stretched, opened its eye! and a moment later swung its muscular legs over the edge of the table and blinked around the room uncomprehendingly. "Hello. Hy." Frank tried to keep las voice casual "Heflo." answered the youngster. "I thought — You said — " He caught sight of Marion then. "Where am 1 ?" be gulped. "I must have dreamed. It seemed to me that I was at the recep- tion forTrince What's-his-namr. Did I pass odt?" "You certainly did." Frank tried to grin reassuringly. "I did have an awful load on last night. Is this a hospital or. oh. a Tur- kish bath?" Hr flushed with embar- rassment. "Sort of both. I guess." Hy rose and stretched. "Fed all right now." he laughed shamefacedly, "except that I’m poddy all over. Who's this ugtr old codger snootin' on the table?" "Another sictim of the party. Hell come around." “Don't remember meeting him. I wait hire been blotto." His eyes wandered slowly over the unfamiliar equipment of the laboratory, then stopped- with a jerk as they dis- covered the bodies of Princess Anne and Annie Smith.

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SCULPTOBS OF Utt “Say. what is this T' he yelled. “I re- member that gui. *11 right. Did all the goests pass oat?" Clutdang the vbert *Sac ten. be talked tcrou the room and stood staring down ax the golden girl in growing wonder and mntrwnn. "Lord I She'* ere n more beuntirui thin I thought." he whispered rev- erently. "Wbo’i the other one? Her ■other T trooxoty . "Lord, bow drunk I mia hare been." groaned the boy. “I fdf head wtt beds in lore with her the Canute she cane into the room. Bat instead of teC- mg her so. I talked hke a conceited tool — trade an utter us of 'myseii. She'll never speak to me agasn and 1 don't blame her. Where are mj clothes? I'd better get out of here Men the wakes ■P-“ As he qsoke the last words. Annie Strath's eyes opened. No longer were they the frightened, tearfal eyes af a by acrid! girl, bow ewer. Instead, they were calm and very, very wise. Tit been awake and listening for a long time." she said quietly. That hypodermic most have worn off quickly. I heard what you taro tadptori said, and I heard what the— the Whartons said. I think 1 begin In wnderstand." "Then you're bettered than I am. Annie . . . Mm Smith." grumbled Hy. "This whole set-up — these queer ma- chines and things — just don't make any sense." "I can erplim everything. Hy — d you warn me to." “Os I! And I’ve got some tall n- planting to do to dad. I’m taking you home with me right now. And I'm left- mg him that I'm through with the bank- ing business forever. And I'm saymg that I'm going to marry you this very day — that is. if you'll have me." "I will. Hy." Her scale was only a bit sad. " Whoopee !" Young Wharton danced AST—* U a jig about the room. "Now." he cried at last, "where are my fimtiT While Frank was improvising a cos- tume for him. Marion pressed Annie Smith's hand with adnxiatioe. | "Do you think you can manage tiwngs?'* she whispered. “Of ewirve." The girl redraped the sheet. 4 "That costume will make you con- spicaoas when you go oat" "I know. I^ut Hy will expect me to wear something. Princess Anne's dress is in the reception room, anyway. 11 do the talking when we step out. Then 11 bundle turn into a car. take him to the princess' hold and explain as beat I can. After that well s&p away some- where— to the mountains or the South Seas— where he cats find himself again." "But what win Wharton's body- guards say? Maybe you’d better let iWi tilr» him hnm# imj qakjj iftff. ward.". "1 wouldn’t dare. They'd force him hack into the old rut. And no matter how hoc be really is. the system toon would get him in its dutches and make bun go the same way that one did." She nodded toward the body on the other table. Manon glanced across the room and frowned slightly. Was it her imagina- tion or had the banker's body turned sightly on its side? But that was im- possible. Her taut nerves were playing tricks. "No." Annie was continuing, "I think I can handle those men out there, tough as they are. I’ve done so before." "Who are you. really ?" hesitated Marion. "Are you Annie Smith or Princess Ann e?" "I duc t know." sighed the girl- “I'm all lairl up. But this I do know. I lovc“Hy Wharton and wiQ die. d neces- sary. to keep has better scV alive."

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M ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION When the football player came back to than, looking sheepish and siEy in hi* makeshift clothing, hi* sweetheart uood op. graceful a* a panther. slipped one ilitn arm through hi* and led him toward the reception room. "Wdl. good-by folk*, whoever yea are." The boy turned back after open- ing the door. “You're certainly done me a good turn today and I won't for- get it. If you ewer need — " “Come on. dear.” Annie puGed at hi* arm. "I wa* jnt trying to *ay that Henry Wharton nerer — " "NO!” The guttural cry *eemed to tear itself from the depth* of heQ. Whirling, they beheld a frightful light. The old body of Henry Wharton was wfkhiug and twitting on its table a* though endeavoring to lift a great weight. It* ftabby muscle* jerked and qnrrercd. It* working lip* drooled saliva. Eren as they watched one shak- ing arm came up. groping — groping for the resonator diaphragm. "No r gargled the dreadful, muted row. “NoT Frank's reaction was automatic. He burled himself at the door, pushed the astonished young couple into the recep- tion room, dammed and bolted it behind than. At the same moment Marion sprang for that upthrust arm. She was too late. The resonator was jerked from it* cord ; hurled against the wall. As its tone broke short of?, the banker rolled off the table and torched lo his fret. The hypnotic spell wa* broken. “I heard." he snarled, gnarled daw* working and yellowr fang* biting hi* un- der lip. “Fool*! So you though: you could betray Henry Wharton. Tonight you 13 dine on castor c*l for this. To- morrow you'B be flayed in my presence." He lunged toward the door but Frank burred the way. Reahaing that he was no physical match for the young man. Wharton hesitated. Nerer had they seen such unadulterated evil a* that which glared out of those feature* from which the last vestige of human decency had been erased H ts bloodshot eyes fbekered about the room — came to rest on the annunciator. Before either of the lAptort could move, he sprang toward it. extended a finger toward the button. “Stop ! Don’t touch that bdl. Henry!” The command rang through the room like a pistol shot. It was Princess Anne. Haggard, di- sheveled. but fnOy awake, she crouched, hke a cat on the table. Her hands were clasped on her bent knees. In them she held the automatic which Wharton had forgotten. “What** the natter, you old fool?” rasped the banker. “These people have stolen our new bodies. Impostors are wearing them. I'm going to get them back." “Impostors. Henry?" The words were almost a snigger. / "What the devil do you mean ' “Don't call on the deni. Ha tn. He might come. And don't touch 9u: but- ton or IH empty this automatic 1M0 sour nasty old abdomen.” Wharton changed color. “Look here, sour highness," he pleaded. "What's eating you ? Don't you *« ml a nice new body?” . - "A* much as you do. you old goat." "Then let me push this button before they get away.” "You've pushed enough buttons and pulled enough wires. Henry Wharton." Her voice dripped and. “For four hun- dred year* I've stalked you. Always you've escaped because you had more money than I did. For four hundred years I've hated you with every atom

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SCULPTORS 9F LIFE of my bring. Now. because you broke that monitor, 1'rr got you. There ire jtnt the two of u> — cron to womaa." "W-WhatT- He n> shaking with pure terror. "Remember that night at Prince f Librn sou's reception. Henry T She war becoming almcnt chatty and something of her old sparkle returned. "Remember what you said to me JT “Yon’re crary as a loon, old woman." "Maybe. But you're as good as dead. Henry. What was I saying; Oh: yes — that I'd stalked you lor lour cen- turies. Despite your money and your bodyguards. Henry, there were times when 1 could hare lolled you as I lolled so mny txbm to attain my ends. Bat 1 couldn't bring' myself to do iL There was something about 'you that I . . . hired, tax'* "lureT "Co ahead, sorer. It's true, just the same. But the part I lored just walked out that door. Now I'm free." Wharton must hare sensed that death was, approaching. As she talked he hid bene forward, apparently forgetting the annunciator. -Hands on knees, head bent, he seemed to be waiting for a sig- nal. Now. at her last word, be launched himself through the air at her in a piti- ful but' completely blood -chiling imrta- 'tsoc of His old football line jJunge. The automatic spoke — spoke £gain. Whartao seemed to fly apart. Arms and kgs Hailing, he struck the edge of the table, bounced to the Boor and lay stiU. "I hope, foe your sake*. my dean," said the princess with a wry and yet, somehow, a proud swale, "that these walls are soundproof.- Thru she placed the muulc of the gun agauut her own temple.

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THE novfl If Is itvitt ft ikfl • frmJfttvr Imm4m4 vMft TffT M Tilt nunutn trr» ilonioixil the Amdromrd* slightly move thin three light -seconds off ClSitto and Im than two WriMjfjrm off the tegular Ediptic freight lane. Bourne and Arbeit waited quite a while after the crew lode to the not shells before they cautiously un- locked the tied hatch and peered out of the' freight bold along the domed pas- tageway. There was nothing to he teen except the crumpled body of an offer lying nearby, with the head exploded to bits by a photon pistol blast. " Hallo r called Arkrtt. “Hal44-o-o — “ answered the jumbled echoes from the depths of the tag space freighter. The old bos'n turned to Bourne. “Not a soul left aboard but us. son. I'll bet they even wrecked all the man shells Otey didn't peed." “The skipper's private shell should still be under the bridge." Bourne re- minded him hopefully. “Most of the crew didn't know about h. I belirte we’re got something there." ***Gat something there r " ranneked the bos'n. “What kind of talk is that? Sounds bke something you read out of a took." “It’s a slang expression from the first half of the twentieth century, which makes it plenty ancient." replied Bourne. Old Arkrtt snorted. “Books! That's all you yourg techs think about — books and lahs — while the common herd. He myself, do all the work and come through in the tight places. Just where do you think you'd be. son. if old Arkett hadn't smashed those two desils when the trouble broke, and dragged you into the freight bold?" That old book under your arm didn't help you in that spot." “I’d probably be lying out there along- • side that offer with my brad exploded to bits." admitted Bourne huqybfy. They had come to the bridge now. One of the astrogatort made a messy heap in the comer with his chest, ex- ploded to shreds by a photon blao. The skipper was dead in hb quarters jwt aft. Bourne tried to keep from looking at the astrogator s body while he opened the secret compartment that housed the skipper’s man shell. Arkett squinted through the thick quartzite ports at the stir -dusted easi- ness of the infinite send. “They'D be back as fast as Kronk can fetch 'em." he rumbled. "It's as plain as the note on your face. Kronk heard about the big ore shipment we took on at Titan and he took it for granted it was the semiannual platinum tax ship- ment to the Earth Council. So be smug- gled )ms men aboard and staged this mutiny. But they never figured that you and I would get away front 'em info the hold and short the main power circuit. That's ■mtj they left so quick : they didn't know how many of us had 'in-vised and what we'd do next. It just locked a kt safer to take all the man shells and leave us stranded here I

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while they west for Krook. He'S bars "They forgot to put oar heat gum somebody plenty when be finds that our out of conamth.* be ophW “Here's ‘pialmom' is only a couple of thousand where Kronk gets the surprise of his tons of uranium worth about three dekka He." per ton or. the opes market.** Bourse's voice floated up out of the Bonn wasn't sutyrisrd Heat for shell compartment, “Here's the skip- pan was generated chemically and pro- per's shell, and its provisioned, watered, jetted on crncrc: rated beams of re- aad the power dials read up to snuff. “ fleeted sunlight, a precaution adopted Bourse expected that “up to snuff" by all spaceships nearly a century ago to would get another rise out of the old that they would still hare armament is hos'n. bat instead Arkrtt swore with case the ship's power was shorted, as it pleased delight. was here.

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ASTOUNDING SCIENCE- FICTION "Tve cot a better idea." Hid Boenx craaliag up out of the ikdl compart - meat. "Well toe the skipper's iWl lor a 'towboat — hook the electro-magnet anrhor to the Amdrvwvds' t hoQ and drag her aloof. As soon as we get coder way 1 can radio the nearest patrol lor help." "You can play towboat if you want to," rambled Arkett in disgust. “I’m staying right here oo the bridge and sticking with the gunv" "Bat you wouldn't have a chance!" protested Bourne. "There’s only one tank of pony heat guns to fight a pirate armament that would boro a hsD Interplanetary patrol to a cinder inside an hoar. Besides, yoall hare to be with me in the iheH ao that we can ad loose sod make a rat lor it if we hare to. After all. the Andrvmrd* doesn't cany pfatimwn; it’s merely *o ■such cranium synthetically produced aad worth bat -a lew dekka per too." “I’m staying right here." Arkett de- clared flatly. “Uranium or phtnam, & tree foreman never deserts bis ship. Yoa techs aren’t spacemen, anyway. Go oa aad play with your towboat if yoa want to, bat if yoa were a spaceman at heart you’d let the shell stay where it is, ose its televisor to call help, then help non these gens. This is 'the time lor acting, not bookish ideas." Bourne stared at the old boa’n in dis- may. Might as well try to poll Lana oat of her orbit as to change Arkrtt’s nee-track mind. Yet if the old man was left up here alone, there'd be no chance to get him in{p the shell when Kronk’s fleet showed up, for they’d tern this tag freighter into a red-hot inferno inside five minutes when they opened op cm 'it with their heal gens. And blast it they unquestionably would, lor it was an invariable rale of Krock never to board a victim ship without blasting it thoroughly first. It saved him the trou- ble of taking care of prisoners — and worrying about possible witnesses Bourne sighed and set out hopelessly to change Arkrtt’s mind. “Now listen.” began Bourne. "There’s a taxable little asteroid not far behind os. The astrogator noted it ia has log here. See? If we can tow the Amdriy- m*da to it. well have a far better chance — " He broke off as Arken’s frizzled head thrust itself forward tensely and his eyes squinted into the rut depths of the void. A faintly, barely moving cloud of tiny stars showed there against the powdery sparkle of unthinkably distant suns. "By Tycho, they didn’t waste any time,” muttered the old bos’n. switch- ing on the magnetic telescope, which, like the heat guns, operated independ- ently of the ship’s power breent. Tbe screen of the 'scope brightened, aad on it. magnified a thousand times, the dood of tmy stars became Kronk’s fleet of black, sinister spaceship*. Kronk’s on ship. Dr*iM DtmUr. beaded the fight. Bourne reached over Arkett’s .shoulder and twisted the Incasing knob until the Dratk DraUr filled the sent* "What kind of armament » that?" be asked of Arkett. pointing at the strange cannon. shaped Kke massive searchlights, that showed, two down strong on the sleek, tapered sides of the pirate ship. Arkett sniffed contemptuously. "Old- fashioned cyclotron guns. Went out of style two hundred years ago. They fire neutrons through those center holes. Krcnk most be hard ran for chemicals when he replaces honest heal guns with those things. Or rise he’s found a way to use heavier neutrons." “Cyclotrons?" echoed Bourne in a ' strained voice. "Sere. Don't tell me that you never heard of those old contraptions! By Tycho. I never thought I’d live to see the day when a oommem bos'n could tell a bookish tech anything 1 What are you so pale about? They haven’t a chance again si a beat gtm.”

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THE NOVA BottM mm't hesitate. Yftere wik'i time. Bjr the time he tried to explain the situation to Arkrtt. it would he too late. So he stepcd back, as the old bm'n turned to look again at the 'scope screen, caught up a small metal calibration book from the astrogatoe's table, and brought it down on the griz- zled. rauire head. Bourne caught the old man as he slanged unconscious. and dragged him franc rally across the bridge to the shed compartment. "Hated to do it. old-timer." mattered Bonme throagh clenched teeth. "But it was the only war you'd ever appreciate what a book contahts. Even this way we may be ton late." He opened the entrance port of the man vhrlL and hoisted Arkett's body inside, then climbed in hsmsctf and kicked the port after him. His frenzied fingers found the radio-control switch that operated the air lock by rrmpte con- trol. The lock opened, and the outward rp*h of air carried the man shell along its roller -bearing cradle out into empty space. Bourne jerked open the anti- gravity propulsion throttle to the first safety notch, and in addition set off the emergency rockets with which the shell 'was equipped. The wild forward surge of the little craft pismed him back against the seat and robbed his brain of its flow of bfe- giring blood until he nearly went on- emsoous. Etch the stout welded braces and the sturdy hull of the bale’ shefl groused and ribrated under the terrific acceleration. Bourne fought to keep his senses. Somewhere ahead was the asteroid tfa* dead astrrgator had noted in his log. a lifeless, frturn space island swinging «i its eternal orbg ahuut the mother Sain. If only he could reach it- befckr Kronk set off his opening cvctotron . blast. Ituumr dad not let himself think what might happen if the asicroad was. too small to sene for a shield. "There it was now. a lopsided ball Ten or more mica in diameter with sav- age rocky outlines savagely gWunipg in the sunbght. Bourne threw the anti- gravity Wopukiou into reverse, and added to A the backthrast of the emer- gency rockks in the stuff's nose. His body borltd itself violently against the control board in front of ham. and he fought grimly to prevent' the crimson tide from washing up and completely submerging his bcaan and mind. He had. to! There was old Arkrtt to think of— fjod grant that the blow on his head and this mad fight had not already caused his death ! The flaming, groaning man shell rounded the serrated horizon of the tiny world somehow — like a wildly -driven automobile skidding round a corner ow shrieking, locked tires — and ytopped about midway between the horizons. Just before . he lost coeaoomaesa. Bourne managed to release the electro- magnet anchor and let it go floating out to the surface of the frozen tiny pbnet. to grif» the iron content of its make tp. a factor usually existing in these asteroids. "WhaTj the mu. did you hit mt for?" growled Arkrtt. sitting op dxzxdy l a little biter and lingering tenderly the egg -sized bump on the back of. bis farad Bourne pointed at the horizon of the asteroid through the ports. The savage rocks were melting down in Minding glory. '' "Just a case -cl a worthless young lech trying to get a bale ancient informa- tion through jour stubborn head." "Whal information "About cyclotron guns and uranium. . You evidently didn't see the cwwpaacL About .the time that 'You’ve rarow- • thing there’ was a popular slang saon. scientists were beginning to da . • things with the atom A couple of ex- perimenters in Teutonia, which bade in

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>»Ti it Germany, (ran! that they cuul] iuaunl hydrvjrrn i!icm Idwcpn the nujmtt ol a cjtlrtrni-c mrrgy >1' irredT Thr most any halt had tarn ilir to prrduce up to that tune was but a paltry fisr rlrctrun wilt* which wat freed through the ex- »4 TNTI the nn-t powerful ex- phwiie ol the ancient* at that tune, ami cnnaVinl a scry powerful trape You tee 1 was reading all abut it rn the ‘Ancient Outline ol Science. Year* • I9J5-1«M0.; “So at too at I dttcotrred that Kronk'c Dralk DeaUr wat fitted with cyclotron gunt that probably thoot neu- tront at much heatier than those uteil by the ancient t re that firti successful atomic energy release, at cannon tallt art heaiier than thittledown. I Vneer there were going to be tome real fire- work* when they opened up on our two thnutand tier* ol uranium in tbe .-fwdro- wlort hie in the nesghlxxhood of Jupiter let* than twenty minutes ago." he was sating hurriedly. “It* origin I* a myv- j tery. Aitrooccner* say it will te short- lited. probably. for it* intensity — it* bril- liance ritalt the noonday tun a* nun: ol you hate already noted— i* already lessening. ' Pint incomplete reports from Calk st o and Titan tar that hundreds ol people caught without shelter hate lent killed by the heat, thousand* ol square mile* ol forests and ogitisaled fields hate been burned to a crisp, and whole tillage* destroyed by fire. Interplanetary Television it keeping in constant touch with the nos a and will (lash to you addi~ tionai news and view* a* soon as they are receised.” “I TALKED WITH GOD’ (yes, I did — actually and literally ) I Ml tee Ml lei Ik4 eat tW MV t* r»t»f el Ik u*4(ee tkel I *«*. Il raa k.»| 1 yea im. eUtM»f ere r\ g%t sad r»t-f f*r y* te kiM l ml aet i fid eat — )*et a yes ay pm** 41 aa*a. feyf T. Her.*. Ida k a .11 ktif I#a Ik t4«ey el Ik aaf faerlaatk serve** el Ik 9 l>iU Is EeAiaeea*. sei a* a fm»t el tier Bit w tiA aitfc Cad wa# r*a years if* a •« r* »(» er» |Vs*r nv bale mj I-fr dfirr «X years el u• v<** — | hair mat at s<n ikt eae last. I #ti a katttfd ke* driee * Wwely at. ••• a asast aarf ltd a "T» WlAsr ltd SI ale aad fir‘ r are i»»«y y*»nkd fee after I k*«e f*s ij i r - tMkst la sdl •— a te * ke aa'entl Wae fee. I kt«* a *«*et y-»e- • e say M* I a SB lift! a* karat as k !U nrrsatwie* ewer as*'* ase. fee t fea«r Mamd ks te ia* ee*a ike fca*s»eWe liedLaw. aadtf it; ttd al * krr *a*Uk^k ,

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in Times to Next month, of course. finishes “Gray Lensman" — the ton of thing I il«ivs feel it unfortunate, yet eagerly awaited, leaving me. consequently. with somekhat confused ideas. Funny, hut the better you hke a yarn, the more anxious you are to reach the end — Harl Vincent tales the lead in next month's issue, with “Neutral Vessel" — and a coser foe it done by Schneenan looses very good. D. L James— one of our once-in-a-k»g-whife regulars — returns with “Moon of Debrnan.** and an interesting idea. Lester del Key is hack also, with a novelette about a rubber dofl. Peculiar subject for science-fiction? Ah. hut the scientist turned it into a paperweight by dumping the mess resulting from a sour experiment into rt. And. to misquote the song, the dod got up and slowly walked away — It's called The Smallest God.” and bears out the old contention that even the ’smallest piece of dynamite can stir things up The Furrow. HMICm L The unanimity with which you picked first place this month was not starthng : it was expected. Dr. Smith’s “Gray Lensman" woo by a fights ear But. discon- certingly. there is what amounts to a three-way tie immediately thereafter, with such slight differences as to make any ranking in order rather unjust and misleading. Let's put it this nay: 1. Kray Lensman Dr. F- E. Smith 2. Tfed: Episode on DSee Minor Harry Wahon A Question of Salvage Malcolm Jameson Space Rating John Berryman 3. Rust JmcfJi KeJfeam 4. Shawn's Sword Ice Gregor •And Rogers' coser Vcrived an unusual amount of faiorabfe cerement Since this issue as a whole was rajher generally soted best of the year, places in the above ratings were hotly contested. Tut Eutro*.

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"THEM Ainino SUCH!” CmHnI*! tha prmmt tbm t Hmtwrm mmkmt • uct«f owt mt ary mm* wrka HJab Wi f*f bay *- jnifiii vWi If castt fa it/twy k a ai flti Bg L Sprague de Camp IMnM *T L [. HIUW Fart IL Wl ended the first installment of this article with a discussion of some of the more btrarre wars in which animals catch their food. The next question is. kfiallT, how is the food eaten ? Hir.nf caught its p cry. an animal may swallow it whole, or hold it down while % it bites off pieces. The praymg-raaalises do the latter with thor grasping forelegs. The pipistrelle or Sifter -mouse, a ccen- inon European bat. has a neat tnck : Its *inj -meir.bnr>es join its legs, which in tern are joined to its tail by membranes* making a Wind of apron ( Fig. 1 ). When a pipistrelle catches' a Urge beetle ^ ceher msect toa ti; to boh at ooe pilp, it bring* its legs forward and up. mak- ing a perfect feed-hag out of its apron. It Luries its lead in this kmch basket and munches its prey, w hile nonchalantly continuing hs flight ! The enormous mouth of the female angler * Fig. A ) may puttie scene, since tbj« fish preys upon fish much smaller than herself. The reason for the mouth is nmple. The angler is obviously nc< buih to chase agile prey, or eren to pounce. Instead, she hires her victims close with her little fishing rod — and the sudden opening of the vast mouth causes them to be sucked in by the inrush of water ' The way of an octopus with a crab was a subject of scent mystery until a decade or so back, when an aquarium octopus obligingly demonstrated iu methods against the glass of its tank. Haring pounced on the crab and flat- tened its circle of tentacles down on it. the octopus breaks open the crab's shell with its parrot like beak and, expels its gastric jukes through its mouth. The crab's parts are digested, and the octopus socks up the resulting soup. The octopus can thus be said to have the singular H unattractive distinction of digesting its food before swallowing it. The smaller blood -drinking animals hare the problem of keeping their food from coagulating ; rather as if your soup were likely to turn to coocrete at any moment. Some of them get around this difficulty in ingenious ways : The leeches secrete an anticoagulant, hirudin, with their saLva. The sahra of vampire bats is though: to work the same way. Vampire*, of course, do not suck blood ; they dig the skin open with a pair of raror-«harp incisor teeth and lap it up. Among the mure unusual chewing- mechanisms may be mentioned that of the horseshoe crab Limulus. in whkh the "teeth" are spines on the first joints of the legs ; thus the animal chews when it walks and walks when it chews. Limuhis may be described as the ongmal dmner -dancer. A lobster gives his food a preliminary chewing with his

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"THERE AIN'T NO SICHr Fif- I- T^auwn: TW ft put r til* •r low — se «wi ib wslriM tww- •wti«| bi legs. jW 10/ u j Immth kui« iln b (Jfcbi a mtrt if* Ur it (• b rtrtllfttfi n *ft gulp. Bmt b Iwn l *»•/ Ijrtf mklt irnnkimg chewing-legs; af;cr his food has Urn swallowed it is really jirm the works bj another grioding-nicdumsjn in his stomach. And jnst to make trie story complete, there are the many iami in winch the adult form dcr> nut cat at all: after leaving its chrysalis it lives only Jong enough to Weed . Methods of digestion are equally varied: With some of the simpler ani- mals— you note that I try to avoid say- ing “higher” and "lower.” which ought inqJy an undue prejudice in favor of my own species— certain ameboid cells, resembling the leucocytes of a Inman being, engulf bits of food and then crawl through the animal to deliver their bur- dens to llie ports that need feeding. The Sponges do this. Bur ra the more com- plex forms, the cells comprising the di- gestive machinery stay put. The differ- ence is like that between a machine shop in which each pseve of work has to be carried an nod by hand, and one in winch a conveyoe-Uh system takes care of moving the work, leaving the work- ers free to concentrate on the actual fabrication [cicr'io. The hydras — minute W Aowrrhke animals*— rc|«ccscnt a half- way stage: the food is partly digested before bring packed up and carried away by live ameboid cells Hydras, by the way. are so poorly co-ordmatrd that tbnr tabic manner s are terrible. A hydra is quite apt to swa flow its own base or tentacles by mistake. No harm is done, as the swallowed parts are immediately released. > ' - Most animals do art secrete the en- 1 vines dial vroold-cnablr diem to break cellulose down into soluble sugars, and hence they cannot digest wood The temwtes overcome die chrnwcal stabibty . of cellulose by Irttmg somebody else do tbevr digesting fur them. In their viscera lives a certain flagellate proto- zoan. Trukowymfka. digests their saw- dust food. Trichonympha has its own peculiarities. The amorphous proto- zoans, like the amrta. feed by fknrriyg around and engulfing their food: the more complex ones, bke fwtwrrnw. hire a definite mouth Trichonympha is a very complex prutoruan with lots of cilia, but its front rod is ameboid aad it fats by the fiowtng-aruuad method. The astonishingly high concentration of vitamins in the tissues of certain large fish ■hence cod-fiver oil — has been traced to the fact- that, when these fish cat bttle fish, the vitamins of the little fish are out broken down in the di- gestive process. Instead, the big fish save them and add them to their Own scores, just bke big tankers and . bttle bankers. But an even odder case of div-~ mnursating digest**! is shown by the plananan worm 1/ ierxfttamtam and cer- tain gastropod moUusks These animals were found to be protected by stmgiifg cells m ^hrtr skins Now fur a jfanarian to have stinging cells is remarkable enough, lot for a sea snail to have them is sheerfy irapnsnMr. Eventually it was found that when these organisms eat hydroids— small fixed relatives of the jellyfishes — their digestive mechanisms fresh-water

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M ASTOUNDING SO FACE FICTION sort col the cells «jf their prrY ; these cell* are nmcl to the (4 the larger inma!> are! kidjed there, ready !•- be discharged at the first enemy. We find alt s thews ta the drawing. sad st twine the kst mrtinct emsmgk ts ttsad aa the twig with her tesd pemtisg 1a itr tame directing st the true /cares. Fists sc cur t is tws /stmt, s tmsJl glees sad s large ted erne, thews is the crater. Whes hghtiag aa a t ernes] twig, 'the green Flstss clutter at the upper ead sad the red st the letter, carrying out the illausa at a kteweedltke iswer with the upper klsttemt set yet ape a.

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THESE AIN’T NO SUCHT ■> food than the termite* : the dung- beetles. for instances, or the Ma otter, which ealt tea urchins, which not hint ebe wil touch. ( A friend of mine once tried a sea urchin ; he said it tasted mainly like Pacific Ocean.) The sea otter, by the bye. was once thought to hare been exterminated by hide boaters, but in recent years a herd of several hundred has been found bring near Monterey. California. With rigorous protection it may come bade. It shows an interesting transition between the one- quarter aquatic land otter and the three- quarters aquatic sea bon. its hiodfeet baring become flippers while its fore- legs still end in paws. But for really strange food. I in rite your attention to the grubs of certain beetles, wfilch can not only lire, but thrive, on diets of tobacco, pepper, * rpram. or aconite. Several generations of beetles reared on these uninviting foods showed no signs of ill effects. One •coders just bow one would go about poisoning creatures with such invincible digestions. Maybe it would be simpler to put them on something hard and hit them with a mallet. The topic of food brings up the ques- tion of what animals do when they haven't any. Hm i irimjg) imprisoned in cornerstones undoubtedly dir a speedy death! like any ocher reptiles under the circumstances. But some spiders can and do go without food for years while waiting for a victim. Many animals store food and fuel in the form of de- posits of fat; example* are the camel's bump and the gila-mouster’s taiL It may surprise some to learn that a very similar example of localized storage b found in //emo ju/sraj. in the form of a huge dcseloptnent of the buttock* known as xtraiofyjj- It is found among the Bushmen and Hottentots of South Africa, mainly in the women. There b also reason for suspecting that the women of the Cro-Magnon race, wbo overran Europe in the Postglacial Pe- riod. were steatopagous. Writers wbo for years have been describing these people as a race of Greek gods and god- desses might be pained to learn that a well-fed Cro-Magnon woman had a nat- ural bustle of fat on which you could balance a chessboard. When an animal b starred, it first burns up any surplus fat it may have stored, and then consumes itself, begin- ning with the least vital tissues. In the pianaria. this proceaa b so well balanced that the whole worm shrinks, while ap- parently retaining its original shape and appearance. A pianaria starved for six months shrank in length from 20 to 6 nfltimeters. but was otherwise not ap- parently harmed. The pianaria. by the way. bare a head, but its mouth isn’t in the head where ooe expects mouths to be. It's in the middle of the bade. For desert animals, the water-storage problem is as serious as that of storing food. The spoegeiike water compart- ments in a camel's stomach arc ooe answer. A frog that kves in the Australian deserts. OuroUfta. has a one-way skin through which it soaks water when it gets the chance. But it doesn't know when to stop. Take one of these frogs that has been without water for a long time: it is thin and dry-skinned, like a little animated mummy. Put it in a pan of water ; in a little while your frog looks Hke a very dirty and somewhat knobby teams ball from the water it has absorbed. An animal needs not only means of feeding, which usually implies moving, but alto means of self -protection. Among our own animal acquaintances »e are familiar with fangs and daws, horns and hoofs, shells and stings, spines and plates, keenness of sente, swiftness of flight; and stealth of concealment. Among the more unusual active means of defense is the operculum of the active gastropod Strombn-j. The operculum it

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* • ASTOUNDING SCIENCE- FICTION the little door with which most gastro- pods block the entrance to their shells when they retire within. Strombus scorns soch an expedient ; its operenlum is developed into a saw-toothed claw with which it slashes with most unsuil- bke vigor at any hand that picks i: up. Among those ants that use formic add, some inject it through their jaws — a tiny copper -colored Floods ant has an aston- ishingly painful bite of this sort — some use a posterior sting, bke their relatives the bees and wasps; some, just to be dirty, can do both. Squirt -gun* are found not only in the skunk and the spettisg cobra, but in the termite Cenjtrutotrn^t. This insect has a squirter in its head, with which it sprays eoemie/with a sticky, entangling liquid. The bombardier beetles dis- charge a cloud of noxious gas with an aadibte explosion. I have also been told about a small West African wasp that, instead of stinging, deposits a drop of formic acid on your skin without your knowing it and then fees away, leaving the acid to rat a hole in you. You react quickly enough once this process starts. Perhaps the most sophisticated means of defense is that of the electric fishes. The full tale of how their modified muscle-cells "ire made to act as con- densers is not entirely known yet. It is known, theugh. that die electric eel gets his OCD volts by connecting his cells in parallel when charging, and con- necting them in series when discharging. Throwing several r.uRioa switches would '«n like secret l ing of a job. but the eel does it in l/JCU of a second. He has three sets of cells. The two larger ooes arc used for stunning and killing his prey. The third set. near the end of the tail, are smaller and discharge more or levs continuously when the fish is swimming ; they thereby serve as a warning to other large organisms to stand clear and not lu try any experi- mental bite*. Pxottctivt coloration is aa old story, and most of us know about sock -in seels and leaf - insect s. The accompanying pic- ture of Kalhme. the Sturm ran dead-leaf butterfly, is included just to show what can be dorse (Fig. 2). But there are some insects that do better yet. The East African hemipterid bug Flora asprwi aofo is dimorphic; that is. it oc- curs in two different qprms. like the black and cinnamon phases of the American black bear, only more so. One form of this but terfis bice insect is small and green, and the other is larger and red. A swarm of F liras will light on a vertical stem or twig, the green ones at the top and the red below. The result looks just bkc a kind of foxgiovq or firewreed Sower, the green bugs corre- sponding to the unripe blossoms! The late Dr. }. W. Gregory orsce tried to pick such a flower, whereupon the blos- soms flew Ofj in all directions. In- dividuals of the orange Asiatic butter- fly CeiltJt yc* uyiU place themselves in a double circle, making a very hand- some flower indeed. Then, five speci- mens of the white butterfly Puri may form a ring around the orange butter- flies to complete the design. How these insects ever came te^o-operate this way is something that hasn't been plausibly explained. Some organisms try to frighten po- tential enemies, as the fbes that look hkr bees and wasps, or the harmless hog- nosed snake that swells himself up. widens his head, hisses, and strikes in a most convincing manner. (He will never actually strike your hands ; he just lunges all around it.) li that doesn't work, the hognose plays dead, going through convulsions and finally turning over cxi his back. But a snake has a single-track mind if any ; turn the hog- nose over on his stomach, and he im- mediately flops over ext his back agam. The pu'vmoth caterpdlar has its rear

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*7 rad mdr up to rrymUt a snake's head. iacV*fcng a pair of imitation no ; it not toljr raises this phony head and «am it about threateningly, but shouts 'Out a pair of filament* 1 eking like a snake's . forird tongue. Another way to escape an enemy is to dimt ho attrition ; this is practiced, for instance, by the many lizards who shed their tads and iearr them flopping while the Hzards scuttle away. Diversion is carried to aa extreme by the sea racam- lers. who when attacked vomit out their whole works — feathery tentacles, viscera, and all — leaving nothing but a log of skin. The enemy is supposed ts go for the briefly moving bunch of organ*, leaving the hag to grow a whole new set during subsequent weeks. A somewhat elaborate form of di- version is practiced by some squids. Soch a squid, when squirting himself along lor dear bfe with a fish or sea lion after him. makes his skin dark. Then be suddenly makes a right-angled turn and rocket* off in the new direction, simul- taneously turning pale-colored and shooting out a small doocLof ink, which goes wafting of! in the opposite direction (Fig. 3). The enemy, who has been chasing a dark object, naturally goes after the ink. Some deep-sea squids vary the procedure by expelling a doud cf luminous fluid (or their foes to snap at. It is not enough (or an animal merely ta maintain itself ; it has to reproduce its kind (or the species to coatinoe. Be- tween the dearly brwmnal mammals and the sexless amrha there are all sorts of gradations and variants. There are the Dcuier workers — really sterile females — of the ants, bees, and terrfiitrs. There are many hermaphroditic animals, which t< which may practice cross-fertikzation by each one of a pair — snails. There are animal* that change from nalc to fe- male and back again in regular rhythm — oy sters. There are animals that prac- tice panhenogcne*i*. that is to say vir- gin Unit*. Aphid- — plant bee— do this * TO * .TOME •FOR . * • (MKTMASf S*r*wt I Stnkk, pAUan for 14 yoan, Ss tfio coontry in Dud's day. Tkoso books, flirty and wore yoors old. aro io iplwdf coods* tioo and aro just iko gik lor Dad. IS BOOKS FOK SUM 3 BOOKS FOK 2Sc Tboy w* -veal avaoy plxoioot doyt of U yeulk and w3 go* you and yovr fcvsndi • ckooco lo pot acgsointid wMk fl* ooidb bo •sod to road. Tkoso oorok, wrfltaa-by OCvor Optic, Nk* Conor, Sonba M. Cloy and oflon, vl bo tMi loi yov podtt^ iWff qh oAfociiw CWnhna* boo as sooo as yaw ordor is ro- - -fl w ConrtrO. Doo*t niu flo opportaoky of gobg Dad Bis aoooool Xmas pflri o * UKKKT CMtISTMXS COOPON * * SowtlMMlMbosW.' hoo*. 0-A ImImi^ <4 f . lor toll of ) Mi mi my Xjmi pribliw. CBy —

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ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION i Fit- 1. Dreerrief: Te etctpe Ik fV»l( tee- horn. the [faW (Uifri ki t*/#r /r«a light^te dark. makes a that? tarn (at thewa hy the heakta hae ) tad theett eat a clewd at lak.+ehxh dnltt ia the direeliea ahem a hj the aehd arrow. The tee-hem. whe hat heea chatrag a dark eh i eel. has hit atteatiea distracted ta the directsea thewa hy the defied hae. My ik time he ki dttceeered hit mtttake. the tyatd will hare made teed hit rtctpe (he he ret X- over many pwraliau, only occasionally producing a genera: »ei with main in it. The •irp'Mjm bti) Pttrefkrxme hit been wipKin] o f (hit ; at la*'Mf spoleT, ami man- tis. the female eat* the male after mat- ing. But the male *f the king rag-

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-THERE AIN'T NO SUCH T ctmii S'crris cjoJata eats the -female ■hen she has bid her ext* in their ccxnmoci burrow, and takes over the task o f keeping a current of water flowing orer the eggs. With the Ber- muda fi reworm. breeding inrdres mass suicide. The worms swarm up to the sirface by thousands and literally burst into fragments, leasing their eggs to carry oo as best they can. . The female of the l»rgc Madagascan water bug Hyirocyriot lays heg eggs all orer. the male's back, gluing bis wings down firmly until the eggs hatch. The male Surinam toad puts the eggs into pits in the female's bade, where they hatch and develop into toads. The first biologist who saw the little toads f«ishin£ up the lids of their compirr- mrats and swarming out doubted his own sanity for a while. * Tut flying frig of Java PolyfrdaUt rnanffti lays its eggs in a mass of foam that it secretes in a tree: this mass gradually changes into a sort of water-filled goldfish bowl— or. to be lit- eral. a polhwog bowl — in which the young (lorlop. As sou might expect, this frog doesn't fly: it merely glides oo its greatly enlarged webbed feet, much like the flying snake and the dragon, which howerrr use spread mem- brane-coonrcird ribs. (I’m talking about real, modern animals.) The female of the South American human bot fly Dfroostobif htnmimit uses an extraordinary expedient to get her young planted cm lEeir host wit but get- ting herself slapped in the process. She catches a mosquito, newly -hatched from its pupa, and hence weak, and lays her eggs on its body and kgs. being careful • neither to barm the nxequito doc to lay eggs where they would interfere with its raoremems. She releases the mos- quito. who is no doubt very glad to get away. When the mosquito bites a man. the eggs hatch instantly frOcn the warmth of the man's skin, into which the mag- gots bore. -As a maggot grows, k Fit. 4. Strati dimorphitm: Diiereoce 1a the Mr-bra of the tv* sears it»N Wr»W win it Item ted by thetr thlet /a the ir/iWaciiir placets la the Strum's tet-hoa. left, the hall it several tiattt the ate a! the raws »a hit harem. .A htg hall mar ttaeh a /rat it at rw tire feet, la the deep-tea am tier -kthet. rifht. the ferntl * map he three at fear feet loot <W the male oaly half aa lath, with a met t br- ittle oJ baadtedt of thoutaadt to ear. The female it'showa tmrraamded by males. oar of whack will attach himself to her tkia aad tpead the rttt of hit lift at a parasite. AST— 7

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ASTOUNDING SCIENCE- FICTION boro into thr muvlr. b*drin( op to the opening of its borrow now and them to breathe. Thr xnmtion'oi har- ing a maggot mwhng op and down ■a fcnlr tunnel b aid to be Ur noth- ing che >a earth, and far (ram pleu- ant. Thr maggot can catiljr hr billed by «hnr or squeezing. lot tins it bUy to rtwh in a «bngm»i» infection. The right way to dbfrre of it b to smear beeswax or chewing gum orer Ak en- trance to the burrow, which loob> rather like a mosquito bite. Next time the maggot comes up to he At he, h thruttt its breathing tubes into the Kiciy mats that keeps it from the arr. TSr wax or gum can then be jeeird off. usually bringing the maggot with a. Thr crphalopodt hate been pupping ato tki» article so frequently tliat we ought nut be surprised to hear that they deserve mention (or thnr nietljuds of caring k>r their young. The female octo- pus by* her eggs in a crrrice m the racks and stands guard orer them. When the little octcpndrs-M prefer this unauthorized plural to the dsetiuoary’s -octupi” and "octopuses,’* as bang pktofcgKally more justified than the (ormrr awl more euphonious than the latter, which makes you sours I like a leaky raise — hatch, they are tloot the site of pinheady Mama blows them out ol the cresrsce into t{ie world by squirting a stream ol water on them from her siphon. The female argonaut, who otherwise resembles a'wnall octopus, has two of her arms formed into lobes by broad membranes. With these she secretes and carries around with her a beautiful and delicate spiral shell, which serves as an egg container. But. as the shell is nut peitnanently connected with its owner, the argonaut tan. if she ferh kkc ir. park the shell in a safe place while she goes foraging. And Man thinks he invented the haby carriage to park Bobby in while manana b shopping! Altogether, to prove our point, it should not hale bees necessary, to cite so many oddities: the squid and the octopus between them exhibit enough peculiarities foe a whole too of freaks. Consider their methods of locomotion, of catching and rating prey, and of starl- ing their young on their careers: their v rambled anatomy, with its parrot beak and lingual nbboa ; and (heir ability to change color and squirt ink. Bu: I think you'll agree ou thr soundness of this advice: If sou want screwy ani- mah. SEE VOLK OWN' PLANET FIRST! TUI ISO.

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\ 4>«W1MI ku r»I» itHt Ito ram rlrt U ■•>«. u« !tnm iv wl •/ am- Mar Taan mtr. * K. TVta«m

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THESE BOOKS WEKE MAM TO SELL I * * * HURRY! m* Amw. Mao Tart. H. T. Itifmj aUtn 1*4 f ^nh tl fU nH •# I W#H t * R* FilnttW coupon tocUr ml inid Ik ruk. pak **d Nm •Wrr cl Ckutmaj cramr&i’ Yen nil *BoH to nn tUi ni]’ iwxt to Xbu Ctf

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n*r w> r.i ASTOUNDING SCIENCE- FICTION Im*4 kmm aUl *11 U« M «W*I Mtt. ya | U4 L i isl lagja lui; * u it «i) f*w. iw IW » L»4 MM ||»»» gk*« kf^Mt vfU 14* ta k**f oart *k* >• prat 44* pntartaa *r> «-** Mk *»u* “ Ua« aak tvit 1 kui » * tm ad«4 *»• ttana tier •• artfk- •a/? fiMiratflf ta#at#4 l«f*t tan tkak tat lata ttt *»*f tHJtafi »unAo t*4 IttwM' Bp ita mmg. ik« taanti */ aatttrt tcnkac aap fit*« araa a# ita #artta‘a »a« i ) t* ar«a u Ita M'i4t art a a# a tfart- ikt t«k*« a |> r*4 *4 haw Marta a* • u>4 ta fta* f*4 f«* a tptara Wkt »*»T ka C. f»# ita na-tttaip — IU7 La Mttaf. Itaatyi. I»»a»*f». Oka 7« (k deitii* •/ fiyt . r**/ At a rata paa# »u«»» art ptta4 *|aaiU'k. ta«4*w I taa i tatai# I ta«‘f»w4 ta< aa **lkf*f| — J M tVtpA-. Hit It. — ataai. taaataatlaa. taaa*a*

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Synopsis: When Ike tnertialess dnte tins fer- \ected and commerce throughout 14/ Galaxy became tnuci^!i,7, crime i/- come to ram fan! as ti threaten cmhsa- <w* Then came into being the Galactic Patrol, an organisation tr hose highest numbers, tke Lens men. are of unlimited amtkority and scofe. Each is identified by ku Lens, a fteudohtiug. telepathic jewel matched to the ego of its owner by the Anns ns. The Lens cannot be

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m ASTOUNDING SCIENCE- FICTION counterfeited. timet it p level with tolar ■dew worm by Us owner mod KZi any other who attempts to wear it. Of oB the eighteen-year-olds of Eorth. only about one hnndre d «u through the five-year period of wardiag-oni end be- eomt Lensmrn Kimball Kiaaison graduates Somber One in kit (List, end lets out to taf tort one of the new^type shift of the "pirates" — ■■ reality Bos- kontasu. adherents to a culture oj wide- spread as cinhsetio* — to learn the secret of their tourer of power. Hr succeeds, but with Van Bust irk. a Valerian. is com felled to take to a lifeboat. They land upon V riant ic, end aid Worse I. a scientist, in ovrrcommg the Overlords of Drlgon. a parasitic race of a neighboring planet. En route to Eorth Kmsnson's Brrgtmkolm, the generator of the force which neutralize t inertia, breaks down, 'and he lands for repairs apart Treace. the planet upon which is pro- duced t hsoaite. the deadliest of all habii- formxmg drugs He reaches Eorth with hit data. He begins a search for Grand Base, Bo si croon's galactic headguarters, be- lieving that Helmnth, its commander, may be Bosk one himself. He is wounded seriously. end m Base Hospital it cored for by Surse Clorrisso IfecDougall. Surgeon-general Lucy and Port Admiral Haynes. Chief of Staf* promote a romance between nurse and Lcusman Recovering. Kmnison goes back to Arum for advanced mental training, oc- guirrug the sense of perception and the ability to control the wrinds of others. He imtestigates Grand Base, which is located tn a star cluster outside the Galaxy ; finding that it is impregnable to' direct a! lock A zero time is set. at which the Patrol is to attack tn force. He goes to Trenco. obtaining a tost sup- ply of thiomte. and gett into Grand Base. The Bostonians are wearing thought - screens, but by working through the mind of a dog Kmnison breaks them screens. He dumps kts thiomte into the Primary air dust, thus wiping out «l the personnel except Hrimutk. He kills Hchnntk m hand-to-hand combat. The Patrol attacks. Grand Base fall He discovers that Both one's head- guarters are iu another Galaxy, and de- cides that the best way ta get a hew upon it is to work upward through the drug syndicate. Disguised as a dock walloper he freguents the saloon of the drug heron of the planet Radtbx. and kelps raid it. He calls a Contention ef Science, which devises means ef budd- ing bombs of negative matter. He investigates the stronghold of Prel- km, Botkone's Regional Director, but cannot get through kis screens. Chang- ing his plan of action, he becomes a meteor u timer. He fads a rich meteor, buricgrmoit of is. and starts out to cele- brate. XII. Am *■ ? «*- • tt! m nlrf as ois wes BDptKa. Miners nest «u the tigm. widat-epo. least re- strained joint in dal entire sector of the Galaxy. And through the underground activities of hit Um of the Patrol. . Kjnniscn knew that oftltfat king -snipes of that lawless asteroid, the nan called fctrougheart was the big shot. Therefore, the lenwnan landed bis battered craft at Stroogbeart's dock, loaded the equipment of the hijacker's boat into a land track, tad went in to talk to Strooghcart hamdf- “Supplies — Equipment — Metal — Bought and Sold" the sign read ; bat to any experienced eye it was evident that the sign was coc- vemtive indeed; that it did not cover Stroogheart's Uivmess. by half. There were dance halls, there were long and ornate bars, there were rooms in plenty devoted to various games of so-caEed chance, and most significant . there were scores of the unmistakable cubicles in which the basest passions and lusts of man were satisfied. “Welcome, stranger ! Glad to see you. Have a good trip ?~ The divekeeper al-

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GRAY LENSMAN' 111 m> greeted rtew nutuncn effusively. "Hut 4 drink co tlie hooitr "ItoMOfM before p«ra*urr." Kmntson rrjJinL tffiHr “Prrtlr good. m. .Here'* tomt stuff I don't end any more that | aim to vrfL What II you pmme lor «r The dealer inspected the suits and instruments. then bored a keen stare into the miner's eyes ; a scrutiny under which Kmntson neither flushed n or w aiered. "Two hundred and fifty credits foe" the lot ."-St root heart decided. Tot you can do?” “Tops. Take it or leave it.” “QX. they're yours. Gtnune it.” “Why. this just starts our business, don't it? Ain't you pt cores? Sure you have." 1 “Yeah, bat no c for no"-rdoubly and unprintable qualified — “damn robber. I like a louse, but you suit me altogether too damn vrefl. Them suits alone, just as they lay. arc north a thousand.” “So w bat ? For why go to icsuh tne. a business man? Sure 1 can't give what that stuff b worth — who could? You ought to know bow I got to get rid of hot goods. You killed, ain't it. the guys what owned it. so how could I treat it except bice it’s hot? Sow be your age-*-don't &ura out no jets." as the Lensman turned with a blistering, sizzling deep-space oath. "I know they shot first, they always do. but how does that change things ? But keep it your shirt on yet. I don't tell nobody noth- ing. For why should I? How could I make any money on hot goods if I talk too much with my mouth, huh ? But on cores, that's something else again. Meteors is legitimate merchandise, and I pay you as much as anybody, maybe more." "OX.” and Kmnisoc. tossed over his ewes. He had sold the bandits' space- suits and equipment deliberately. in order lo minimize further killing. This was his first visit to Miners' Rest, lot he intended to lecene an habitue of the [dace ; and Irfore he nould l< accepted a» a* “regular" lie knew that he miuld have to prove his qliality. Buckoes and bullies mould be sure to try him cut. This may mas much better. The tale mould spread ; and any gunman mho had drilled tmo hijackers, dead-center through the faoe-plates. mas nc< one to le challenged lightly. He •flight have to till cue or tmo. but not many, nor frequently. ' And the fellow mas honest enough in hp buyring of the metal His Spaldings cut honest cores— Kumisoo put mi- crometers on them to be Sure of that fact. He did not under-read his torsiomrter. and he weighed the meteors upon certi- fied talances. He used Galactic Stand- ard average; value-density tables, and offered exactly half of the calculated average value: which. Kstnison knew. * was fair enough By taking his metal to a mint or rare-mrta^statioo of the Patrol, any miner could get the precise value of any meteor, as shown by detailed analy- sis. However, instead of making the long trip and making — and paying — (or the exact analyses, the miners usually preferred to take the “fifty-percent -of - average -density -value" which was the customary offer of the outside dealers. <T u r x . the meteors unloaded and hauled away. Kmcison dickered with Strongheart concerning the supplies he mould need during his next trip; the hundred -and -ooe items which are neces- sary to make a tiny spaceship a *f (-con- tained. self -sufficient, warm and in- habitable world let in the immense and unfriendly vacuity of space. Here. too. the Lensman was overcharged shame- lessly: but that. too. mas routine. S’o one mould, or could lie expected to. do business in ^ny such f*iace as Miners' Rest in any sane or ordinary (ercenuge of profit. Whcp Strooghrart counted out to him the net proceed* of the voyage.

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IQ ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION Knnoi vnlcW rtfcrtiwlj i! hi* ■lidm chin. “Thai ain't hardly enough. I don't Ihnk. for the real. oU-hthnotd. Mtm- wieding bender I *li h(WG{ an." he i-wiini ~I been out a lor-g time and ) was ^figuring’ on doing the thing up Wna. Have ip let go of my nugget, ton. I guess. • Kioda hale to — been pttk- ng u around quite a nhde — bat here the ■a." He reached into hi* kit-bag and leafed over the hoop od really prrrioas «rtal "Let >oa hate it lor fifteen hun- dred credit*-" “Fifteen hundred! An idiot you rousl be. c t you sbciaM think I'm one. I don’t know Y~ Strcnghrart telped, a* he jug- gVd the mas* hghtfy from hand to hand. “Two hundred, you mean . . . wel two fifty. then, but that'* an awful high bid. mister, believe me. I tell you. 1 couldn't give my own mother over three hundred — I'd lose money on the * goods- You ain't tested it. what makes you think it'* inch « much" ?“ “No. and I retire you ain't testing it. neither." ^innisou countered. “Me and you both know metal aril enough *o we don't need to test no such nugget a* that. Fifteen hundred or I fin to a rrmu and get full valor foe it. I don't have to stay here, you know, by all the rine hell* of Valeria. There'* mdbrei* of othrT places where I can get just at drunk and have just a* good a lanrlu I can here." There ensued howls of pcotrst. lot 5: roof Sean finally yiekled. as the Lens- man had known that he would. He could have forced him higher, but fifteen hundred was enough. "Now. *ir. just the guarantee and you're all set for a lot of hat." Strung- heart's anguish had departed miracu- lously upon the* instant of the deal's closing. “We take your keys, and when your money’* gone and you come back to get ’em. to sell your supplies or your ship or whatever, we take* you. without hurting you a bit more than we hare to. and sober you up. quick a* scat. A room here, whenever you want it. in- cluded. Padded, lir. very nice and com- fortable— you can't hurt yourself, possi- bly. We been in business here foe _ years, with perfect satisfaction. Not ore of our customers — and we got hun- dreds who never go nowhere else — have we ever let sell any of the stuff he had law! in for his next trip, and we never steal none of his supplies, neither. Orly two hundred crplifl for the whole serv- ice. sir. Cheap, sir — very, tery cheap at the price." "L’m-m-m" — Kcmisnc again scratched meditatively, this tune at the nape of his neck — "111 take your guarantee. 1 guess, because oeurtime*. when I gel to gnmg real gc.sl. I don't know just exactly when to stop. Hut I won't need v no pn !d't never get violent. I always taper off twenty-

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CRAY LENS MAN 1U four emu of bentlam. Thai pres me twenty -four boon oa the shelf, and then I'm all set for another stretch out ia the ether. You couldn't pet me no benny. I don't suppose, and if you could it wouldn't be no damn good." This was the critical tnttant. the mo- ment the Lensman had been approach- ing so long and so circuitously. Mind was already reading mind. Kinnisoo did not need the speech which followed. "Twenty-four units 1" Stroogheart «- claimed. That was a heroic dose — but the man before him was of heroic mold. "Sure of that?" "Sore I'm sure; and if I get cut weight or cut quality I cut the guy's throat that peddles it to me. But I ain't out. I got a few good jdlt* left. Guess lH use my own. and when it gets gone go buy some froar a fella I know that's booest* "Don't handle it myself." this, the Lensman knew, was at least partially true, "but f know a man who has a friend who can get it. Good stuff, too. in the original tins ; special import from Corrma II. That'll be four hundred altogether. Gimme it and you can start your belling around." “ Whatja mean, four hundred?" Kjnni- son snorted. "Think I'm just blast mg off about haring some left, huh ? Here's two hundred for your nwystft. and that’s all I want out of you." "Wait a minute- Jet bade, miner!" Stroogheart had thought that the new- comer was entirely out of bis drug, and could therefore be charged eight prices for it. "How much do you get it for. mostly, the clear quill? "One credit per unit — twenty-four for the job.” Kinuison replied tersely and truly. That was the per rail mg price charged by mail peddlers. “I'll pay you that, and i don't mean twenty-fire, neither." "QX. gimme it. You don't need to be afraid of being bumped off or rolled here, neither. We got a reputation, we haiT." "Yeah. I been told you run a high- class joint." Kinnisoo agreed, amiably. "That's why I'm here. But you wanna be mighty sure that the ape don't gyp me * on the dose — looky betel" As trs Lensman spoke he shrugged his shoulders and the direkeeper leaped backward with a shriek ; for faster than sight two ugly DeLameiers had sprung into being m the miner's huge, dirty paws and were pointing squarely at his midriff! "Put ’em away!" Strong heart yelled. "Look ’em orer first." and Kinabon handed them orer. butts first. "These ain't like them burxards' cap-pistols what I sold you. These are my own. and they're hot and tight. You know guns, don't you? Look 'em orer. pal — real cteae." ± The renegade Wi know weapons, and he studied these two with care, from the worn, rough -checkered grips and fuB- charged magumes to the burned, scarred, deeply-pitted orifices. Definitely tad unmistakably they were weapons of terrific power; weapons, withal, which had seen hard and frequent serrice: and Strucgheart personally could bear witness to the blinding speed of this miner's draw. "And remember this," the Lensman west on. "I never yet got so drunk that anybody could take my guns away from me. and if I don't get a full job of benny I get mighty peevish." The publican knew that — it was a characteristic of the drug — and he cer- tainly did not want that miner running amuck with those two weapons in his highly capable hands. He would, he as- sured him, get his full dose. And. for his part. Kinnisoo knew that he was reasonably safe, eren in this befl of hells. As long as he was active he could take care of himself, in any kind of company, and he was fairly certain

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m ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION that hr mould doc lie thin, during hi* drug-induced pkruol bctpicuness, for the value of hi* ship and supplies. Thi* coe nsit had yielded Stroogbeart a profit of four or five timet what he had left, aad each utiK^sesl visit should yield a similar amount. “The first drink's on the house, al- ways.” St roof heart derailed his guest's train of though:. “WhatU it be ? Td- hjrian ain’t you — whiskey?” "Ub-buh. Close, though — Aldeboran II. Got anr ford old Aldebaranian bolega?” “No. but we got some good old Tel- lurian whiskey, about the same thing - “QX — gimme a shot.” He poured a stiff three fingers, downed it at a gulp, shuddered ecstatically, and emitted a wild yeH Yip-yip-yipee ! I’m Wild’ Bill Williams. the ripping, roaring, ritoo- dolorum from Aldeharan II. and this is my night to Sow L \Yhee . . . yow ... owrie-e-e !” Then, quieting down. “This rvxgut wasn’t never within a mil- lion parsecs of Trihzs. but it ain’t bad — not bad at all. Got the teeth aad claws of holy old Klooo himself — goes down your throat just like swaUpwirg a mad Radehgian ca: eagle. Clear ether, pal. I’ll be back shortly.” For his firs: care was to tour the entire Rest, buying scrupulously one good stiff drink, of Whatever first came to hand, at each hot spot as he came to it. "A good-will tour.” be explained joy- ously to Stroogbeart upon his retura. “Got to do it. pi to keep ’em from railing down the corse of Klooo oo me. but I’m going to do all tcy serious drinking right here.” And he did. He drank various and sundry beverages, mixing them w'rth a sublime disregard for consequences which surprised even the hard-boiled booze fighters assembled there. “Any- thing that’ll pour.” he declared, lood and often, and acted accordingly. Potent or mild; brewed, fermented, ee distilled; loaded, cut. or straight, all coe. “Down the hatch!” and down it went. Here was a two>- fisted drinker whose lie had not been seen for many a day. and his fame spread throughout the Rest. Being a “happy jag." the more he drank the merrier be became. He be- stowed largess hither aad yon. in joyous abandon. He d%pced blithely w-ah the hostesses and tipped them extravagantly. He did not gamble, explaining frequently and painstakingly that that warn*, acne of his dish ;*he wanted to have fun with his money. He fought, even, without anger or rancor ; bur gayly. laughing with Ho- meric gusto the while. He missed with terrific swings that would have felled a horse had they landed; only occa- sionally getting in. as though by chance, a paralyzing punch. Thus be accumu- lated an entirely unnecessary mouse under each eye and a sadly bruised nose. However, his good humor was. as is generally the case in such imtanrr-t. quite close to the surface, and was prone to turn into passionate anger with less real cause even thah the trivialities which started the friendly fist-fights. During various of these outbursts of wrath he smashed four chairs, two tables, and assorted glassware. Bet only oace did he have to draw a deadly weapon — the news, as he had known it would.. had spcca<nbroad that with a Del-ameter be was nobody to monkey with — and even then he didn’t have to kill the guy. J ust wingirg him — a little bit of a bum through his gun- arm — had been enough. So it went for days. And finally, it was an immense relief that the hilariously drunken Ler.unan, his money gone to the last millo. went roistering up the street with a two-quart bottle in each hand: s« taring now from ooe. then from the ocher; inviting libulocsly the while any and all chance comers tc . join him in one last, food drink. The side-

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CRAY LENS U AN- 115 wralk wit no* wide enough (or Han. by half; indeed, be took cp not* of the arret. He and reeled, re- uisnf any lembluce of balance <x}r by a miracle and by hit rigorous space- man't framing. He threw away one empty bottle, then the other. Then, at he strode along, so purposefully ami yet to futilcly. be sang. His voice was not particular fy musical, bet what it Lacked in quality of tone it more than made cp in volume. Kinnitnei had a really remarkable voice, a bast of |rrmendous power, timbre, and reso- nance; and. palling out all the stops, in tones audible (or two thousand yards against the wind, be poured out his rest- (uDy bitty reveler's souL His song was a deep-space chanty that would have his erred the ears of any 6f the gentler spirits who had known him as Kimball Kinniion. of Earth ; but which, in Min- ers' Rest, was merely a humorous and sprightly ha had Up the full length of the street be went. Then bade, as he put it. to "Base.’’ Even if this final bust did make him sicker at the stomach than a ground- gripper going free for the first time, the Lensman reflected, he had done a mighty good job He had put Wild BiQ Williams, meteor miner, of Aldebaran II. on the nop in a big way. It wasn't a faked and therefore fragile identity, either ; it was solidly, definitely his own. - Staggering cp to his friend Strong- heart he steadied himself with two big hands upon the latter's shoulders and breathed a (orty-thousand-horsepower beeadt into his face. "I’m boiled bice a Tellurian hoot -owl.” he announced, still happily. "When I'm this stewed I can't say 'partic-hic-hicu- lar-ly' without hxk-hiddngl but I would panic -hie -hicularly just bice one more quart. How about me tnrrowing a hun- dred on what I’m going to bring in neat time, or selling you — " “You've had plenty. BiIL You've had AST— a lots of fun. How about a good ebrw of sleep- happy, huh?" "Thai’s a thought f the miner ex- daimed eagerly. "Lead me to it !" A STtAXca* came up unobtrusively and took .him by one elbow. Strong- heart took the other, and between them they walked him down a narrow hall and into a cubicle. And while he walked flabbily along Kiunison studied intently the brain of the newcomer. Tkit was what he was afflfr ! The ape had had a screen ; but it was such a nuisance he took it off (or a rest whenever be came here. No Lensman on Euphrosyne ! They had combed everybody, even this drunken bum here. This was one place that no Lensman would ever com e to: or. if he did. be wouldn't last long. Kinnisoc had been pretty sure that Strongbeart would be in cahoots with ^somebody bigger than a peddler, and so it had proved. This guy knew plenty, and the Lensman was taking the information — all of it. Six weeks from now, eh? Just right — time to find enough metal (or another royal binge here. And during that binge be would really do things. Six weeks. Quite a while . . . bat . . . QX. It would take some rime yet. anyway, probably, before the Regional Directors would, like this (rflow. get over their scares enoogh to relax a few of their most irksome preeautiqps. And. as has been intimated. Kmnbao. while impatient enough at times, could bold himself in check like a cat watching a mouse bole whenever it was really nec- essary. Therefore, in the cell, he sealed him- self upon the bunk and seised the packet from the hand of the stranger. Tearing it open, he stuffed the contents into his mouth ; and. eyes rolling and muscles twitching, he chewed vigorously; ex- pertly allowing the potent juice to trickle down his gullet just fast enough to keep his bead humming like a swam of angry

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* ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION lit bees. Then, the cud tacked dry. he dumped down upon the mattress, physically dead to the sorid for the ensuing twenty -four G-P boars. He awakened; weak, flimsy, and supremely wretched. He made heavy going to the office, where Strongbean re- turned to him the keys of his boat. “Frehng low. sir.” It was a state- ment. not a question “111 say so.” the Lensnun groaned. He was holding his spinning head, try- ing to steady the gyrating universe. “I’d hare to look up— 'way. 'way up. with a number nine visipiate — to see a snake's felly in a swamp. Make that damn cat quit stomping his feet, can't you T Too bod. but it won't last long.” The voice was unctuous enough, hut totally devoid of feeling. "Here's a pickup— you Deed k.” The Lensman tossed off the potion, without thanks, as was good technique in those pans. His head cleared miraculously, although the stabbing ache remained- “Come in again next time. Every- thing’s been on the green, ain't it. sir?” “LTh-buh. very nice.” the Lensmaa admitted. “Couldn't aslc for better. Ill be back in Eve or six weeks, if I have any luck at all” ._ As the battered but stanch and powerful meteorboat floated slowly up- ward a desultory conversation was tak- ing place in the dive be had left. At that eaffy hour business was slack to the point of nonexistence, and Strong- heart was chatting idly with a bar- tender anyone of the hostesses. “If more of the bos s was like him. we wouldn't have no trouble a: all.” Stronghean stated with conviction. “Nice, quiet, easygoing — why. he didn't hardly damage a thing, (or all his fun.” “Yeah, but at that mas be it's a good gag nobody riled him up too much.” the barkeep opined. “He could be rough if Be wanted to. I bet a quart. Drunk or sober, he's chain lightning with them DeLameters." “He’s so refined, such a perfect gen- tleman.” sighed the woman. “He’s nice." To her, he had been. She had had plenty of credits from the big miner, without having given anything save smiles and dances in return. “Them two guys he drilled must hare needed lolling, or he wouldn’t have burned ’em.” And that was that. As the Lensman had intended. Wild Bill Williams was an old. known, and highly respected resident of Miners’ Rest! Oct amoxg the asteroids again; more muscle-tearing, back-breaking, lonesome labor. Kinnison did not find any more fabulously rich meteors luch things happen only once in a hundred lifetimes— but he was getting his share of betvy stuff. Then one day when he had about half a load there came, screaming in ipon the emergency ware, a call for help; a call so loud that the ship broadcasting it must be very dose indeed. Yes. there she was, right in his lap ; startlingly large even upon the low- power plates of bis spacer ramp. “Help! Spaceship Uyftrio w. posi- tion— ” a rattling string of numbers. “Berger holm dead, meteorite screens practically disabled, intrinsic velocity throwing us into the asteroids. Any spaertugs. any vessels with tractors — hurry !” At the first word Kinmvon had shoved his blast-lever full over. A few secoods Of free flight, a minute of inert maneuver- ing that taxed to the utmost his Lens- man’s skill and powerful frame, and be was within the liner’s air lock. “1 know something about Bergs !” he snapped. Take this boa: of mine and pull! Are you evacuating passengers?” he shot at the mate as they ran toward the engine room. “Yes. but afraid we haven't boats

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CRAY LEXSUAX ID oxwjb — omltmW," «at the rrfly. "I’x mine — fill *er up?" If the mate *a> surprised at such an offtt (ram the despised aptcrral he did not show k. Thefe were many mote surprises in •tore. In the engine room Rmniyca bnebnl aside a ernr of helplessly futile groper* jpj threw in twitch after switch. He btUd He listened. A bore all. he pried into that scaled monster oi power with aB his sense oi perception, flow glad be was now that he and Thorndyke had struggled so long and to furiously with a holey Bergenholm oo that trip to tempestuous Trenoo' Forasaresak of that trip he did know Bergs, with a sore knowledge. "Number lam lead is shot some- where.** be reported. "Mm be burned off where it dean the pilaster. Care- less overhaul last time — got to take off the lower port third cover. No -time tor wrenches — get me a cutting beam, assd get the lend oat of poor pasts I" The beam was brought an the doa- ble and the lensnmn homed blasted away - the designated cover. Then, throwing an intsshlrd plate over the red-hot casing be by oo bis back— "Hand me a fight F- — and peered briefly upward nan the booe^i of the Gar- "I thought so," be granted. "Piece of tonr-ofa stranded, eighteen inches hog. Ditmar* number six dip ends, spaced to twenty inches between hole- renters. Myerheer jnserfatinn on center section, doubled. Snap it up! Ofc of you other irDows, 'bring me a short, heavy screwdriver 'and a Ditmar * six wrench r ' The technicians worked fast and in. a matter of seconds the stuff was there. The Ixnsnu.1 Ubored*briefly but hqgefy ; and much more surely than if he mere dependent trfxn the rays of the hand- lamp to penetrate the smoky, steamy. greasy murk in which he Scaled. Then: "QX — give her the jore !" he snapped. They gave it. an] to the stunned sur- prise <4 aH. she i«uk if. The finer again was free! "Kind of a jury-rigging I gave k. hut kU hold long enough to get you into port, sir," be reported Jo the captain in his sanctum, saluting crisply. He was in for k now. he knew, as the officer stared at him. But he eomUm'l have ■ kt that shipload of passengers get ground up into hamburges. Anyway, there was no way out. Ix serai i XT reaction he turned pole and trembled, and the officer hastily took from his medicinal sabres a hot tie of choacr kfindr. "Here, drink this." he dittoed, prof feting the glass. Kkm&en did sol Mare, he sriied the bottle from the captain's hand and drank that. toO — afl of k — a draft which would have file rally turned ham inside out a tew months since.* Then, to the captain's horrified disgust, be took from . his fikhy dungarees a packet of bent- lam and began to chew jc. idioticaly blissful. Thence, and shortly, into oh hviow. “Poor devil — yon poor, poor devil." the consmander murmured, and bad him pat into a hade. When be had come to and bad had his pickup, the captain fame and re- garded him soberly. "You were a wan once. An engineer, artd a cracker jack ; or I’m an osier's pimp." he said levefly. "Maybe." Khmison replied, white and weak. "I'm *n right yet* except coct in a while — " "1 know." the captain frowned. "No cure?" “Not a chance. Tried ikneru. So—” and the Lensman spread out his hands in a hopeless gesture. "Better tell me your name, anyway —

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ASJOCXDIXG SCIENCE -FICTION I 1U Miner's Rest was a meeting place lor a dozen races ot meteor miners — and Kim. with free-towing Honor, made Iriends with them all t your real name. Thai 11 lei your plane! Better let them keep on thinking so. know ilia: you aren’t — ” Williams is the came, sir ; William Wfl- " Better not." the sufferer shook his lams, of AkJcbarin II.” aching head. “Folks think I’m dead. “As you say."

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CRAY LEN'SMAK lt» “How far are «t from where I boarded you?" “Close. Less than half a bslboo miles. This, the **rn*w1. is oar planet : your asteroid belt is just outside the orbit of the fourth." “I can hop it in an hour. easy. Guess IU burr off." "As you say." the others agreed, again. “But we'd bke to—" and be ex- tended a sheaf of currency. * “Rather not. sir. thanks. You see. the longer it takes me to earn another stake, the longer itH be before—" “l see. Thanks, anyway, for us all." and captain and mate helped the derelict embark. They scarcely looked at him. scarcely dared look at each other, but — Kingston, for fab part, eras almost con- tent. This story, loo. would get around. It would be in Miners' Rest before he got back there, and it would help help a lot. He did not see how he could possibly, or erer, let those officers know the truth, eren though he reahaxd foil wd that at that very moment they were thinking, pityingly: "The poor deed — the poor, bra re ^ • * XIII. Tst Gray Lens— n went back to his mining with a will and inch mum- paired vigor, for ha distress aboard the ship he had rescued had been sheerest acting. One small bottle of good brandy was scarcely a cocktail to the physique that had stood up under quart after quart of the crudest, wickedest, fieriest beverage known to space ; that tiny mor- sel of brntlam — scarcely half a sail — affected him do more than a lozenge of licorice. Three weeks. Twenty -coe days, each of twenty-four G-P hours. At the end of that time, he had learned from the mind of the zwihiik that the Boskoniar. director of this, the Borovan solar sys- tem. would visit Miners' Rest, to aneod some kind of a meeting. His informant did not know what the meeting was to be about, and he was not unrioly curious about it. Kinctson. however, did and was. The Lensman knew, or at least very shrewdly suspected, that that meeting was to be a. regional conference of big- shot zwilniks: be was intensely curious to know all about everything that was to . " take place .and he was determined to be present. V _ , Three weeks was lots of time. In fact, he should be able to complete bb quota of heavy metal in two. or less. It was there, there was no question of that. Right cut there were the meteors, unaccountable thousands of millions of them, and a certain proportion of them carried values. The more and the harder be worked, the more of these worthwhile wanderers of the void be would find. Therefore he labored long. hard, and rapidly, and hu store of high-test meteor* grew apace To such good purpose did bo ok Kokm *fwf Spalding drill that he was ready more than a week ahead at time. That was QX — he'd much rather be early than late. Something might have happened to hold him up— thing* did happen, too often — and he bad to be at that meeting! .Thus it came about that, a few day* before the sU- important date. Kinaisoc's battered treasure-banter blasted herself down to her second landing at Strong- heart 's dock. This time the miner was welcomed, not as a stranger, but as a friend of long standing. "Hi. Wild Bair Strong heart yelled at sight of the big space -hound. "Right on time. I see — glad to see you ! Luck, too. I hope — lots of luck, and all good. 1 bet me — ain't it ?" "Ho. Strcmgheart !" the Lensman roared in return, pommeling the dive- keeper affectionately. "Had a good trip, yeah — a' fine trip. Struck a rich sector — twice as much as 1 got last time.

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ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION Told you I'd be back in fire or six weeks, and made it in fire weeks and four days." "Keeping tab on the days, hob T "1H say I do. With a thirst lie mine a guy can't do nothing else — I tell yon all my guts're dryer than any desert on the whole of Mars. Well, what'rc we waiting for? Check this plunder of mine in and lei me get to going places and doing things!" The basinets rad of the visit ns settled with nearness and dispatch. Dealer and miner understood each other thoroughly, each knew what could and what could not be done to the ocher. The meteors were tested and weighed. Supplies for the ensuing trip were bought. The guarantee and twenty-four units of benny — QX. No argument. No hysterics. No bickering or quarrel- ing or swearing. Everything on the green, all the way. Gentlemen and friends Kmniion turned over his keys, accepted a thick sheaf of currency, and. after the first formal drink with his host, set out upon the self-imposed, super - stkious tour of the ocher hot spots winch would bring him favor— or at least would avert the acme disfavor— of Klooo, his spaceman's deity. This time, however, that tour took longer. Upon his first ceremonial round he had entered each salooa in turn, had bought one drink of whatever was near- est. had tossed it down, and had gone on to the next place : unobserved and in- conspicuous. Now. how different it all was! Wherever be went he was the crater of attention. Men who had met him before flung themselves upon him with whoops of welcome ; men who had never seen him clamored to drink with him; women, whether or not they knew him. fawned upon him and brought into play their every lure and wile. For not only was this man a hero and a celebrity of sorts ; be was a lucky— or a skillful — miner whose every trip resulted in wads of money big enough to clog the under yets of a Valerian freighter! Moreover, when be was lit up he threw it arocsxf regardless, and he was getting stewed as fast as he could swallow. Let's keep him here or. if we can't do that, let’s go aloag. wherever he goes! This. too. was st^jctly according to the Lensman't expectations. Everybody knew that he did not do any serious drinking glass by glass at the bar, but * bottle by bottle; that be did not buy individual drinks (or his friends, but let them drink as deeply as they would from whatever container chanced then to be in hand; and hb vast popularity gave him a sound excuse to begin his bottle-buying at the start instead of wak- ing until he got back to Strooghcart's. He bought, then, several or many bottles and tins in each place, instead of a sin- gle drink. And. since everybody knew for a fact that be was a practically bot- tomless drinker, who was even to suspect that he hardy moistened his gullet while the hangers-on were really emptying the bottles, flasks, and flagons? And during his real celebration at Strooghcart's. while he drank' enough, be did not drink too murh. He wand exceedingly happy and frolic vomr. as before. He was as profligate, as ex- travagant in tips. He had the tame sodden flashes of hot anger. He fought enthusiastically and awkwardly, as Wild Bifl Wiliams did. although only once or twice, that time ; and he did not have to draw his DeLameter at aQ — he was so well known and so beloved ! He sang as loudly and as raucously, and with the same good taste in madrigals. Therefore, when the infihraboa of thought -screened men warned him that the meeting was about to be called Kicnison was ready. He was in fact cold sober when he began his tuneful. Us: -two- bottles trip up the street, and be was almost as sober when be returned to "Base." empty of bottles and pockets.

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CRAY LEXSM A* U! to vakt (hr anal VKnipt to obtain more noneyfxyioi ^Srrougheart and to com- [noiiwt bjr uJjn{ his farewell chew ct btathm instead. ' Nor. was hr unduly put out by the (art that both Strongheart asd the r»J- gd wttt bow wearing screens. Hr had taken it tor granted that they might br. and had ptasnrd accordingly. Hr trued the packet as acidly as before, chewed ks contents at ecstatically, and slumped down as helplessly and as idiotically. That much of the show, at least, was real Twenty -four units of that drug »ti pnfytt nay human body, make it stupefied mien of the bent lam-cat rr. But Knutson's mind was not an ordinary one ; the dote which would hate ren- dered any bona fide aimer’s brain as helpless as hit body did not affect the lur town's rx*w equipment at alL .Al- t' hoi and bent Lam together were bad. Ho the I^ertsman was sober. Therefore, if anything, the drugging of his body tniy made it easier to dissociate his new rand from it. . Furthermore. he need not waste any thought in making it act. There was only one way it could ad. now, and Kinnisrci let his new smses roam abroad without even thinkirg of the body be was leaving brhind him. 9 Ik nrw of the rigorous orders from higher up the conference room was heavily guarded by screened men; no one except old and trusted employees were allowed to enter it. and they were iko protected. Nevertheless. Kimason got in. by proxy. A' doer psdcpockel brushed against a screened waiter who was about to enter the sacred precincts, lightning fingers Sicking a switch. The waiter began to protest — then forgot what be was going to ay, even as the pickpocket forgot completely the deed he. had just done. The waiter in tuns was a trifle domsy in serving a certain b« shot, bat earned no rebuke thereby ; lor the latter forgot the offense ahunsl instantly. Under Kinnisoc’s control the director fumbled at his screen-generator for a moment, loosening lightly a small but important resist rr. That done, (he 1 mm— ’ withdrew delicately and (he meeting was an open book. “Before »< do anything,” the director began, “show me that aB your screens are on.” He hared his own — it would base taken an expert service man an hour to find that h was oat functioning perfectly. “ 1'oppyrock 1” snorted the xwilrik. ' Who in all the bells of space thinks that a lensman mould— or (omid — come to Eupfcrosyne ?” "No one can tell wha: this particular * leusnun can or can't do. and oobbdy knows what he is doing until just before 4

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uz ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION he diev. Hence the strictoeu. 'You've tevchtiJ ew)Mr hete. of course?" “Eve^rbody." Strtme heart averred, "even the drunks and dojes. The whole building it screened, besides the screens we're wearing." “The dopes don't count. of course, prarideii they're really dopei" No <oe. except the Gray Lrnsman himself, could pusaibly conceive of a Lerntaa being — ocx seeming to be. but actually brimf — a drunken sot. to sav nothing of being a confirmed addict of any drug. "By the way. who is this Wild Bin W il- kams that I've fern hearing about ?" Strong heart and his friend looked at each other and laughed. • “I checked up on him early." the rwikuk chuckled. “He isn't the Lens- man. of course, but I thought at .first he might he an agent. We frisked him and his ship thoroughly — no dice — and cheeked tuck on him as a miner, four solar systems tuck. He's clean, anyway ; this is his second bender here. He's ben guuling everything in stock for a week, getting more pie-eyed every day. and Si rang heart and I just put him to bed with twenty-four units of benny. You know what /kat means, don't you?" “Your own benny or his?" the direc- tor asked. “My own. That's why I know he's clean. AH ' the other dopes are. trxs. The drunks we gave the bum's rush, like you told us to." "OX. I don't think there's any dan- ger. myself — I think that the hot-shot Lrnsman they're afraid of is still work- ing Bronveca — Ixit these orders not to take any chances a: all come from 'way. 'war up." “How a!»u: this new system they're working on. that nolrjy knows his buss any more?" asked the rwi!n:k_. “Hooey. 1 call it." “Not ready yet." the director an- swered. "They haven't been able to invent ooe that is safe enough for them and yet will handle tie volume of work that has to be done. In the meantime, we're using these books. Cumbersome, but absolutely safe, they say. tmless and until the enemy gets onto the idea. Then one group wdl go into the lethal cham- bers of the Patrol and the rest of us wdl use something else. Some say that this code can't be cracked without the kqy ; others say any code Can be rend in time. Anyway here's your orders. Pus them along. Give me your stuff and well have supper and a few drinks." They ate. They drank. They en- joyed an evening and a night of high revelry and low dissipation, each to his taste : each secure in the knowledge that his thought -screen was one hundred per- cent effective against the one enemy he really feared. Indeed, the screens were that effective— then. The Ler.sman. har- ing learned from the director aO that be knew, had restored the generator to fufl efficiency in the instant of hb*re- hnquxshment of control. Although the heads of the nrilniks. and therefore their minds, were secure against Kmnison’s prying, the books of record were not. And. though hb body was lying hrfpless. inert upon a drug* fiend's cot. hb sense of pcrccpti— read those books : if not as readily as though they were in hb hands and open, rea fUy enough. And. far off in space, a power-brained I .ensman 'ycicpt. Worse!, recorded upon imperishable metal a de- tailed account, including names, dates, facts, and figures, of all live doings of all the rwilnikj of a solar system! The information was coded, it b true : but. since Kinmson knew the key, it might just as well have been printed in English. To the later constematioo of Narcotics, however, that tape was sent ir under Lensman's sea! — the spool mull tsOt be opened until the Gray tensman gave the word. 1st Tsmmr-FOn hours Kinnisoo re- covered from the effects of his delaoch. He got hb keys from Stroogheart. He

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GRAY LENS MAX IS left die asteroid. He knew the mighty intellect with « Seen he had dcQ to deal. be knew where that entity was to be found ; but. tad to say, be had posi- tively no xM at all as to what he was going to do or how he was [nan to do k. Wherefore it was that a tense of re- lief tempered, with do snail degree, the satvral apprehension he felt upon re- ceiving an insistent call from Port Ad- miral Haynes. Truly this mast be some- thing really extraordinary, for while during the long mrwtht of hb KPXT Kings son had called the chief of s tad scores of tunes, Haynes had never before leased bun. ‘Kienisoa! Haynes caflmgr the message beat into his conscioumesa. ~K inniton acknowledging Haynes, sir!" the Cray Irntnw thought back. "Am 1 interrupting anything im- portant?" “No. sir. not at aH I'm just doing a bde fit.” "A situation has come up which we led you should study, doc only m per- son. bat also without advance informa- tion or preconceived ideas. Is it at al possible for you to come mto Prime Base immediately?" "Yes. sir. eminently so. In fad. a little time right now might do me good in two ways — let me moD a job over, and Id a rot mellow down to a point where maybe I can crack k. At soar orders, sir!" "Not orders. Kinaisoo!" the old man reprimanded him sharply. "No one give* unattached Lentmea orders. We request or suggest, but you are the sole judge as to where your greatest useful- ness lies." "Please believe, sir, that yocr re- quests are orders, to me." Kinmson re- plied m all seriousness. Then, more Sghtly. "Your calling me in suggests an emergency, and traveling in this miner's scow of mine is just a trifle faster than going afoot. How about send mg out something with some legs to pick me cp?~ "The Dmnlieu. for instance?" “Oh — you've got her rebuilt already ?" "Yes." "IH bet she's a sweet clipper! She was a mighty slick stepper before ; now she must have more legs than a centi- pede!" And so it came about that in a region _ of space entirely empty of all other ves- sels as far as ultra-powerful detectors could reach. ibe~D*a*tluj met Kkmi- voo's tugboat. The two went inert and maneuvered briefly, then the iermrow warship engulfed her tiny companion and flashed away. "Hi. Kim. you old soo-cf -a -space- flea !~ A general yeD arose at sight of him. and irrepressible youth rioted, regardless of Regs, in this rruaxao «f old comrades-io-anns who were yet scarcely more than boys in years. "His Nibs says for you to call In. Kim. when we're about an hour out from Prime Base." Mait- land informed his classmate irreverently, as the DcmntUu neared the Sohrian System. "Plate or Lens?" "Didn't say — as you like. I suppose." "Plate then. 1 guess — don't want to butt in." ^ " In a few moments chief of stall and Gray 1 ensman were in image face-to- face. "How are you making out. Kinni- aca f~ The Port Admiral studied the young man's face intently, gravely, line by hne. Then, upon his lens. "We heard about the shows you put on. dear over here on Teflus. A man can’t drink and dope the way yod did without ssf- ferieg consequences. I’ve been wonder- ing if even you can fight it off. How about k? How do you feel now?" “Some craving, of course." Kmnrton replied, shrugging his shoulders. "That can't be helped — you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs. How-

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n • . 1 ' , J L24 ASTOUXDIXC SCIENCE- FICTION ever. I can usnrt you as a (act that it s nothing I can't bet I re got it pretty weH boded oat of my system already.” “Mightr glad to hear that. soo. Only Ellison and I know who Wild BiD Wil- liams really is. Yoa had as scared slid for a while.” Then, speaking aloud : ”1 would like to hare yoa come to my office as soon as is convenient after yoa land." “lU be there, chief, two minutes after we hit the bumpers." and he was. "Right of way. Norma?'* he asked, waring an airy salute at the attractive young woman in Haynes' outer office. "Go right in. Lensman Kmnison. he's waiting for yoa." and opening the door for him. she stood aside as he strode into the sanctum. Tnt Post Admiexl returned the younger man's punctilious salute, then the two shook hands warmly before Haynes referred to the third man in the room. “ Navigator Xyipic. this is Lensman Kimwou. unattached. Sk down, please ; this may take some time. Now. Kmni- son. I want to tell yoa that ships hare been disappearing, right and left, dis- appearing without sending out an alarm or leaving a trace. Convoying makes no difference, as the escorts also dis- appear— " "Any with the new projectors?" Kinmson Hashed the question via Lens — this was nothing to talk about aloud. "No.” came the reassuring thought in reply. "Every one bottled up tight until we find out what it's aQ about. Sending out the DaaxlUu after you was the only exception." "Fine. You shouldn't hare taken even that much chance." This inter- play of thought took but an instant; Haynes went on with scarcely a break m his voice: ’ " — with no more warning or report than the freighters and liners they are supposed to be protecting. Automatic reporting also fails — the instruments simply stop sending. The first aad only sign of light — if it it such a sign ; which, frankly. I doubt— came shortly before I called you in. when Xyipic here came to me with a tall story.” Kmnison looked then at the stranger. . Pink. Unmistakably a Obckladorian — pink aO over. Bushy hair, triangular eyes, teeth, skin; all that same peculiar color. Not the SusKof red blood show- ing through translucent skin, but opaque pigment; the brick -reddish pink so characteristic of the near-humanity of that planer "We hare investigated this Xyipic thoroughly." Haynes went on. dis- cussing the Quddadorian as imperson- ally as though he were upon his home planet in grad of there in the room, bs- tening. "The worse of it is that the man b absolutely booest — or at least, he tmnseff believes that he is — in teQmg this yarn. Also, except for this one fhii~n thii obsession, b&Da- cmatinu. call it what you Eke; it seems incredible that it cm be a fact — he not only seems to be. but actually it. abso- lutely sane. "Now. Xyipic. tefl Kmnison what yon hare told the rest of us. Ahd Kmnison. 1 hope that you can make sense of it — none of the rest of us can." ' “QX- Go ahead. I'm listening." But Kmnison did far more than listen. As the fellow began to talk the Gray Lens- man insinuated htv mind for<v that of the Chick ladorian. He groped for mo- ments. seeking the ware-length: then be. Kimball Kmnison. was actually re- tiring with the pink man an experience which harrowed his very souL “The Second Navigator of a Rade- bgian vessel died in space, and when it landed on Chickladoria I look the berth. About a week out. the whole crew went mad. all at once. The first I knew of it was when the pilot on duty beside me left his board, picked up a stool, and smashed the automatic recorder. Thcqr

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> CRAY LENS MAX IS he vest men and oroinkied all the coo* Irak. “I jelrd at him. but be dxis't aaner me. and aQ (he men in the control room acted funny. They jnl milled around lit men hi a. trance. I burred the cap- tain. hot he didn't acknowledge cither. Then the men around me left the trnl room and went down the toward the mam lock. I km prickled and the hair on the hack oi my neck mood <t raight op — hut ! (allowed along, quite a ways It kind. to ace what they were going to do. The captain. aO the red of the ofan, and the whole crew. jcwwt^ 1 m the lode. Everybody ■ d craty. and aa if they were in i hmty to get tome where. “I didn't go any nearer— J wunt going logo on uMo space withoin a wit on. I went back into the control room to get at a spy ray. then changed my mind. That was the int place they wonld came to if they boarded m. at they probably wonld— other ships had dinppand in apncc. plenty of them, last rad. I went owr to a file boat and tned ka spy. And I tcS you. art. there was nothing there — nothing at all f The ft range r’t voice rose ahnost to a ment. an emotion very evidently shared by the Port Admiral. "Yes." the man in gray leather as- serted- "Not only that, but 1 hate a very fair idea of wfaat't coming next. G. A." “Tut nix walked oat into space:' The pink man offered this information diffidently, although positively — an oft- repeated but starkly incredible state- fitetu. “They did not float outward, sirs, they stwtteW; and -they acted as if they were breathing air. not space. And as they waited they son of faded not; be- ___ This craty. sir“ —to thosght thed maybe I was cuckoo, and everybody aronad here thinks I am nww. too. Majhc 1 tw ants, sir — I donT an ecstasy Steady. Xy^psc* steady the Gray l/auraa said, qwsctingly. “ETerythiag yow've said so far makes sense. It aO fits right into the matrix. Nothing to go off the beam aboot. at aIL“ “What! You brfcrvr me T the Chick - ladoeiaa stared at Krtmison in asrace- “1 da Yon aren't.” calmly. “Wd. and here k. they they were in a . the tame. Then some of than lay dona and something began to rHa one of them him alive, sir — but there , was there at afl. I ran. then. I got into the fastest lifeboat on the far side aad gave her aD the oof she'd take. That's aB. sir" “Not quite afl. Xylpic. osdevs I'm badly mistaken. Why didn't you tell the rest of k srhfle you were ax * TT "“I didn't dare to. sir. If I'd told any more they would have knnsrw I was craty instead of just thinking so— “ He f— nwd — fffUt

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1 % mr mod*! THIS MOOS. DE- SIGN WON— THE NATIONALS—- 1*37. Kofdo, koldor o I mm ntodol OarpioM rtcardi, Row M erigi. Ml ol tko WoUAold W-MT Of IWtd Sw« c-d liofMrtd ol •xnf— 9 tKordt wt—n if tferyod oWt M niautn ... a rtcwd trii mqvoUl WAKEFIELD TROPHY—- IW, Ko rdo't modal got a ro- i|»ottn by Gzrz ihi bfd* Wi—r Sptrd f i »rtr. Saypt- Howard National*— 1934-17; IfW rocord — Abw; Pint ploco IT3I Pimbwrgk; Pint — Cbm I Cot Modal. Now PVia.; Rnf - Opoo Fwolopo Notiooob. I»W; P— . State CWo«4, 1*3*. FOUR-FOOT WING SPREAD "fa— plow* bat boon — oda op ■ La Ion. by Mopow-v. teioo ttMy biGvi for ^vofify |«Df.^ o^d

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f ' « t IM ASTOUNDING SCTENCE-ncnOX C**mm*4 f'tm ft* IZS broke sharply. his voice altering strangely u he went oo: “What makes you think there was anything more, sir? Do yon — “ The question trailed off bttp silence. • “I do. • If what I think happened really did happen, there was tnbre — quite a lot more — and worse. Wasn't there?" “IH say there was!" The navigator almost exploded in relief. “Or rather. ' I think now that there was. But I can't describe any of it eery well — everything was getting fainter all the time, and I thought that I most be imagining most of k." “You weren't imagining a thing — " the Lessman began, only to be inter- rupted by Haynes. “Hell's jingling beOtf* that worthy almost shouted. “If you know what it was. tdl me!" "Think I know, but not quite sure yet — got to check it. Can't get it from him — he's told everything he really knows. He didn't reaOy ice anything, it was practically invisible. Even if be had tried to describe the whole perform- ance you wouldn't have recognised it. / Nobody could have, except Worsel and * I .'and possibly Van Buskirk. ID teO you the rest of what actually happened and Xyipic can tell us if it checks." Hi* features grew taut, hit voice became hard and chill. “I saw it done, ooce. Worte. I beard it. Saw it and heard it. Clear and plain Also. I knew what it was all about, so I can describe it a lot better than Xyipic possibly can. “Every man of that errir was killed by torture. Some were flared alive, as Xlypic said; then they were carved up. slowly and piecemeal. Some were stretched, pulled apart by chains and hooks, oo racks. Others twisted oo . frames. Boiled, little by little. Picked apart, bit by bit. Gassed. Eaten away by corrosives, one molecule at a time. Pressed out flat, as though between two plates of glass. Whipped. Scourged- Bcaien gradually to a pulp. Other methods, lots of them— indescribable. AS slow, though, and extremely painful. Greenish-yellow tight, showing the aura of each man as he died. Beams from soenew here-1— possibly invisible — consum- ing the auras. Check. Xyipic?" “Yes. sir. it checks'" The Cbiekia- docim esciaimed in profound relief i. then added, carefully: "That is. that’s the way the torture was. exactly, sir. but there was something funny, a difference, about their fading away. I can’t de- scribe what was funny about it. but it didn't seem so much that they became invisible as that they went away, sir. even though they didn’t go any place." "That's due to the way that system of inriuhifcy works. Got to be — noth- ing rise wdl S: into—" "The Overlords of DelgooT Haynes rasped, sharply. “Bui if that's a true picture, bow in afl the beOs of space did this Xyipic. alone of aS the ship's per- sonnel. get away dean? Tdl me that !" "Simpler the Gray Lonmin mapped back as sharply. “The rest were *B Radeligiass — be was the only Qiickia- OOfUQ looiru. lot Lntrionii smpir didn't know that he was there.*' They didn't bd bin at aQ. think on a wave nobody else in the Galaxy uses — you most have nocked that when yon fek of him with your Lens. It took me half a minute to synchronise with him. % "As lor ha escape, that makes sense, too. The Overlords are slow workers and when they're playing that game they really concentrate on it — they don't pay any aaentioa to anything eric. By the time they got done and were ready to take over the ship, be could be almost anywhere." “But he says that there was no skip there — nothing at all!" Haynes pro- tested. "Invtubibry isn't hard to understand." Kmnison countered. “We've almost gor k ourselves — we undoubtedly could have

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GJLAY ixnsuax k m good as that, aith 'a Knit aaeirc work am it. ■ There was a ship there, be- j bwJ question Close. Hooked on with magnets, and with a spaertnbr. loch to The only prcwUir pan ol k. and the Ind pan. n something yon haven't men- tioaed yet. What would the Overlords — d, as we must assume, scene ol them got away from Worse! and his crew — he doing with a ship? They never had aay spaceships that I ever knew anything shoot, nor any other mrrhminl devices Also, and most iapet} wit, they never ^ Kinaiaon led idem, and whBe he frowoed in tho^ht Haynes dinmimed the Chichla dorian, with orders that his f9~Wb^* <W yoaT^dednce from those factor the Port Adanal presently ashed. -Plenty.- *r Gray I roams aid. darkly. "I amel.a rat. la fad. it winks So Ipgh Heaven. Bstlrone ~ -Yon may he r^fat.- the chief of oaf conceded It was hopeless, he knew, far tna to try to keep ap with this nan's mental processes. “Btt why. and above afl. how T “ AVhy’ is easy. They both owe ns a 1st. and watt to pay ns* in fnlL Bub hate ns aB to pieces. ‘How* is im- nwiemL One found the other, tome way. They're together, just as sore as hrff*s a mantrap, and tint's what mat- ters. It’s hod. Very, trey had. be- “Skip it! lU take a dob to you yet. yen young he&oa ! Yea said yon’d take orders from me. QX — 111 take 'em from you. What are they T~ “Xo orders jet. I don't think — “ Kmmson ruminated. “No . . , not tmtil after we msestigate. I’D have to have Worse! and Van Boskirfc ; we're the only three who have had experience. Well take the DaamtUu. 1 think— kH be tale enough. Thought -screens wiB stop the Overlords cold, and a scrambler wiU take care of the invisibility business if they &se the same principle we da, and they very probably do." ’ "Safe enough, then, sou think, to let traffic resume, if thc^re protected with screens T" "1 wouldn't .say so. They've got Boskanian superdrendaos^fcas now to nse if they watr to. and that’s mmeihiwg else to think bbouL Another week or so won't hurt rnndt — better wail nttil “Orders?" asked Haynes. He was a bag mas : big enough to ask instruc- Iras from anyone who knew more than he did — lag enough to make no bones ef sorb askmg. “One does not give orders to the !“art Admiral.” Kinniwei mmuchrd him hgbtly. but meaningly. “One may re- quest. perhaps, or suggest, but — " may be agarn.” Hr was. Although his words were conservative enough, he was practieaBy certain in bis own mind that he Imew aB the answers. But how wrong he was — bow terribly, bow tragically wrong ! For .even his mentahry had not as yet en- visaged the incredible actuality: his de- ductions and perceptions fell far. far short of the appalhrg truth! / 1 The risHKiX in which the Overlords of Drlgcn had come under the trgi* of Boskcnr. while obscure for a time, was in rrahty quite simple and logical; for upon distant Jameson the Ekh had profited signal!) from Eichlan's disas- trous raid epun Arista. Not exactly in the sente suggested by Kuhooidoc. the Arisian guardian, it is true, hbt profited nrsert he Jess. They had learned that thought, bithmo ccevodered only a valuable adjunct to aciursenieht. was

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uo AST OCX DISC SdEXCE-FICTlON , ( adallr *T at hit it merit id itself: that 'it coaid brjtcd a* a wvapnn erf sarpauia| power. EiAcoidor'i huniljr. at be more than unfrdrd at the timr. oifht at well ntrtr have been uttered, (or all the effect it had upon the hie or upon the porpotc io We erf any ticjlr member erf the rare of the Each. Ejehodi. who had ^eeu Second erf Botkooe. was now- First ; the , ocher* wye advanced correspondingly : and a new Eighth and Ninth had been chosen to -cow-yin r the rotter of the copncii which wat Botkooe. “The hie Eichtan." Eichcnil ttaled hardily after calling the new Botkooe to order — wHh.li event took place within a day after it became apparent that the two bold spirits had departed to a bourne from which there wat to be no return- ing— "erred teriootly. in fart fatally, in nmV it it ■ i ittji ig an opponent, even thoogh be hnnteif wat prone to harp open the danger of that very thing. "We are agreed that oar objectives remain unchanged : and alto that greater arrampretiaa mutt be lived until we have tocceeded -in discovering the hitherto unsuspected potentialities of pore thought. We will now hear from oar of our new members, the Ninth, also a psychologist, who most tort unit e+y had been studying this situation even before the iryepcion erf the expedition which p yesterday came to such a catastrophic end." “it is clear.- the Ninth of Hoskooe began, “that Amu is at present out of the quest mi. Perceiving the possAxhty erf some such denouement — an idea to which 1 repeatedly called the attention of mv predecessor psschrJogist. the fate Eighth — I have been lung at work Upon certain alternative measures. “Ceussder. please, this we learned first erf ihe thought -screens from Hebnuth; who was then of (he opinion that they were first uwd in the Tellurian Galaxy by the nit tves erf Vrlantia. This beliei wat amended later, in discredited re- ports. to one that said dewier* did in fart originate upon Aripa. This later conclusion we may now accept at a fact, since the Aritiam could and did break such screens by the application of mental forces either of greater magnitude than they could withstand or of some new and at yet unknown compcnatMi or pat- tern. “Such screen* were, however, and probably still are. used largely and com- monly upon the planet Veiantia. . There fore they must hare been both necessary and adequate. The deduction u. I be- lieve. defensible that they were used a* a protection igioui entities who were.

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GRAY LENSUAN* ■'"/ nv them walk ship Into apace— hmt at though they walked oa aomethiag, something invisible. And they walked into that ghoet-ship, the hell-ship Irons nowhere — " and who fliO may be. enplmm ipimt that the nuitn of Yelantia. then in the the V^hntum the mtifrin of pore early couun of discovery by the thought Which we wish to bratiple .Galactic Patrol and the consequent a c- an>J to acquire. - qaiiitioa of snertalnt Hfhi. were fairly “1 propose. then, that I and a few reveling in uu!j to and from the widely- uehers of my leleetioa continue this re- variant peoples of the planets of bun- *each. not upon Anul. but upon Vclan- dreds of other suns. It must be borne tia and perhaps elsewhere." in mind that, since the Exrh were. H To this suggestion there was no demur anything, physically more hhe the Ve- and a me) set out forthwith. The lantians than *e{£. the men of Telhas. >mt to Yetantia was simple and created the presence of a group of such entities no untoward disturbance whatever. In upon the planet would create no more thts connsction it must be remembered interest or comment than that of a group •AST—*

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■ Ha vine vmrrcd all the information amiable upon Veiantia. the Each w cat to IWgun. where they devoted all the pmer of their admittrdly &nt-(nk molt and all the not inconsiderate re- sources of their ship to the task of find- ing and uniting tSN remnants of what had once been a flourishing race, the Overlords of Drlgon. The Overlords! That monstrous, re- pulsise. amoral race which, not except- ing eien the Eich themselves. achieved the most universal omdemnation ever to have teen given in the lung history of the Galactic Union. The Each, admit- tedly deterring of the fate which was theirs, had and have their apologists. The Eich were wrong -ownded. all admit. Ther were anti -social. Uoud-oiad. oh-

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CRAY LENS MAN US torin. hanw. that aB too fink has bees said of the effectiveness of pare hate as a cementing material Probably foe' good and sufficient moral reasons ; perhaps because — and far the best — its affixation has bees of comparatively infrequent occurrence. Here* in the case in hand, we hare history’s best Cx- ampfc of two entirely dissimilar peoples working efficiently together under the urge, not of fare or of any other lofty sentiment, bat qf sheer, stark, unalloyed and corrowve. bat co— OB. bate. Both hated drill ratine and everything pertaining to it. Both wanted rerengg; wanted it with a searing, furious need almost tangible ; a gnawing, boning lost which neither countenanced pafiiaboa nor brooked denial And above afi. both hated vengefuDy. furiously, rsoricntly — every way except blindly — an as yet un- Tcnown and unidentified wearer of the mi&ioo-times accursed Less of the Ga- lactic Patrol! The Ekh were hard, ruthless, cold; not even baring such words in their language as "coc science." "mercy.** or "scruple." Thor hatred of the Lens- man was then a thing of an intensity un- knowable to any human mind. Even that emotion, however, grim as it was nJ forwent, peM beside the passion- ately vitriolic hatred of the Overlords of Origan (or the being who had been the Nemesis of their race. And when the sheer mental power of the Overlords, untfcmlcabfy great as it was and operative wkhjl in a fashion sheerly iweomprehmiahk to os of dv£- raiioo. was combined with the- ingenuity, resourcefulness, and drive, as well as with the scientific ability of the Etch, the results would ia any cate have been portentous indeed. In this case they were more than portentous, and worse. Those prochgious intellect*. fanned into fierce fictivity by fiery blasts of hatred, produced a thing mmvbble. X XV. Btnat the DammtUu was serviced far the flight into the unknown Kmmsow changed bis mind. He was vaguely troubled about the trip. It was noth- ing as definite as a "hunch"; hunches are. the Gray Lensman knew, the re- sults of the operation of an extrasensory perception possessed by aQ of us in greater or lesser degree. It was proba- -hfy not an obscure warning to his super - sense from another, more pervasive .dimension. It was. he thought, a reper- cussion of the doubt in Xyfpic’s mind , that the fading out of the men’s bodies had been due to simple invisibility. "I think I’d better go alone, chief." he informed the Port Admiral one day. "I’m not quite as sure as I was as to just what they’re got.” "What difference does that maker* Haynes demanded. "Lives," was the terse reply. “Your fife is what I'm thinking about. You’D be safer with the big ship, you can’t deny that." "We-D. perhaps. But I don’t want — " "What you want is immaterial-" "How about a compromise? I'D take Worse! and Van Basldrk. When the ’ Overlords hypnotised him that time it made Bus so mad that he’s been taking treatments from WorseL Nobody can hypnotize him now. Worse) says, not even an Overlord. "No compromise. I can’t order you to take the DmadUu. since your au- thority is transcendent. You can take anything you Hlcr. I can. however, and shall, order the DaamtUu to ride your tad wherever you go.” "QX. I’D have . to take her then." Kmnisoo’s voice grew sember. "But suppose half the crew doc’t get back — and that I do?" "Isn’t that what happened on she Brit lamia?" "No."- came flat answer. "We were all taking the same chance then — it was

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W - • ASTOL'N'DI.VC SCIENCE-FICTIOX the hxk of the draw. This b different." “How differ ret 7“ ' “I’ve foe better equipment than they have. I’d be a murderer, cold." “Mot at aQ. no more than then. You had better equipment then. too. yon know, although doc as much of it. Every commander of men has that same feel- ing when he sends men to death. But put yourself io my place Would you send one of your best men. or let him go alone on a highly dangerous mission when more men or ship* would improve his chances? Answer that, honestly" “Probably I wouldn't." Kinnhon ad- mitted. reluctantly. “QX. Take all the precautions you can — but I don’t have to tell you that. I know yon wilL“ Tararroax it was the DoamtUu in which Kinntson set out a day or two later. With him were Worse! and Van Build rk. as srefl as the vessel's foil operating crew of Tellurians. As they approached the region of space in which Xy%«s vessel had been attacked every man in the crew got his armor in readi- ness for instant ase. checked his side arms, and took his emergency battle station. K mm sou turned then to Wor- ld. “How d’you fed. fellow old maker be asked. “Scared." the Velantian replied, send- ing a anpphng surge of power the foil length of the thirty- foot -long cable of supple, although almost steel-hard flesh that was his body. "Scared to the tip of nyr tail. Not that they can treat me as they did before — we three, at least, are safe from their minds — but at what they will to. Whatever it b to be. it will not 'be what we expect. They cer- tainly win not do the obvious^* "That's what’s clogging my jets." The kinsman agreed “As a flapper told me once. I’m getting the screaming meim- Kt" “That’s what you mags get for being t so brainy," Van Buskirk put in. With a flick of hb massive wrist he brought hb thirty -pound spaceax to the “ready" as lightly as though it were a Tellurian dress saber. “Bring on your Overlords squish! Just Eke that!" and a whis- tling twerp of hb atrocious weapon was iQustratioo enough. “Hay be something in that, too. Bus," he laughed. Then, to the Vetanmn “About time to time m one ’em. I guess." He was in no doubt whatever as to World's ability to reach them. He Knew uaz iiui iTjcrroioiy pow emu enzac. without Lens or advanced Arbian in- struction. had been able to cover eleven solar systems: be knew that, with hb pTfieni ipincy. n one couw cover nin of space! Akbough every fiber of hb being shrieked protest against contact with the hereditary foe of hb race, the Vrfan- tian put fab mind en rapport with the Overlords and sent out hb thought. He listened for seconds, motionless, then gfsdrd across the room to the thought- termed pdoc iod ^**«*»f directions. The pilot altered hb course sharply and gave her the gun. “IH take her over now," Wood said, presently. “It'D look better that way — more as though they had us all under control." He cut the Bcrgenhoim. then set everything on aero the ship bung, inert and practically motionless, io space. Simultaneously twenty unscreened men — volunteers dashed toward the main air lock, overcome by some intense emo- tion. “Now! Screens on! Scramblers!* Kinnisou veiled ; and at hb words a thought -screen enclosed the ship; high- powered scramblers — within whose fields no invisibility apparatus could hold — burst into act son. Then the vessel was. right beside the DomnXUu. a Boskoman in every line and member! “Fire!" But even as she appeared, before a

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CRAY LEXSMAN* US firing-itud coold be pftucd. the enemy rah almost disappeared apia ; or rather, the dad not really appear at all. except it the veriest wraith cf what a good. solid ship of space-alloy ought to be. ' She wu a ghost ship. I is ur.su b- statxia] as fog. Mist, tenuous, on- material : the shadow of a shadow. A dream ship, tank oi the gossamer of dreams, manner by figuknts of horror ^ renal ed from sheerest nightmare. Not mvistbshty this time. Kinatson knrtr with a profound shock. Something the — something entirely different — some- thing utterly incomprehensible. Xytpac had said it as nearly as it coold be fast into understandable words — the Bos- Ionian ship was Iretvwy. although it * was standing still! It was monstrous —it fomUn'l hr dour.' Thro, at a range oi only fret instead of the usual "point-blank" ^age of hun- dreds of miles, the tremendous seconda- ries of the DmmmtUu cut loose. At such a ridiculous range as that — why. the screens themselves kept anything farther away from them than that ship was — they fcmUm'l miss. Nor did they; but neither did they hit. Those ravening teams went through and through the tenuous fabrication which should hare teen a vessel, but they struck nothing whatever. They went /wet — entirety harmlessly past— both the ship itself and the wraith like but unforgettable figures which Kinnison recogniied at a glance as Overlords of Deigoc. His heart sank with a thud. He knew when he had hail enough ; And this was altogether too much. • "Go free!" he rasped. “Give ’er jhe <wr Energy poured into and through the great Hergenhobn. but nothing hap- pened ; ship and contents remained inert. Not exactly inert, either, for the men were beginning to feel a new and unique sensation. Energy raved from the driving jets, but still rushing happened. There was none of the thrust, noee of the reaction of an inert start ; there was none of the tivhmg. quivering awareness of speed which affects every mind, however hardened to free flight, in the instant of change from rest to a motion many tine) faster than that of light. "Armor! Thought -screens! Emrr- . genes stations all ! Since they could not run away from w hatever it was that was ' coming. they would face it. Axn somctiiixc was happening now. there was no doubt of that. Kmawn had been seasick aad airsick and space- sick. Also, since cadets most learn to be able to do without artificial gravity, pseudo-inertia, .and those other refine- . ments which make space hners so com- fortable. he had known the nausea and the queasily terrifying endless-fan serra- tions of weightlessness, as wtO as the even worse outrages of the sensihifiries fat idem to inert iaV-ssness in its crudest, most basic applications. He thought that he was famhfar with ^II the un- toward sensations of every mode of travel known to science. This, however, was something entirely new. ' Hr frit as though he m eft being com- pressed; not as a whole, but atom by atom. He was being twisted— cork- screwed in a monstrously obscure fash- ion which pet united him neither to move from his place no e. to remain where hr was. ! He htmg there, poised, foe hours — or was it foe a thousandth of a second? At the same time he felt a- painless, but revolting trwnsiormaiioo progress in a series of waves throughout.- his entire body ; a rearrangement, a writhing, crawling distortion, an incomprehensibly impossible extrusion of each ultimate corpuscle of his substance in an un- knowable and non-existent direction ! As slow 1) — or as rapidly — as the transformation hail waxed, it waned. He was agajp free to move. As far as he could tell, everything was almost as before. The D***lUu was about the

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gray lensuam 137 same ; to was the iknt-knUt ship attached to her to closely. There was, however, a difference. The air teemed thick — familiar objects were seen btar- nly. dimly— distorted — ouriidc the ship there was nothing except a njnc blur of psjwss-oo stars, no constella- tions. A wave of thought same beating into his brain. He had to leave the Dcwst- Uu. It was most vitally important to got into that dimly -seen companion ves- sel without an instant's delay! And even as his mind instinctively reared a harrier, .blocking cct the intruding thought, he recognised it foe what it was — the summons of the Overlords ! Bm how about the thought-screens, be thought in a senadasr. then reason re- sumed accustomed sway. He was no longer in space — at least, not in the space he knew. That new, indescribable sensation had been one of teerUro- fww— when they at tamed constant velocity it stopped. Acceleration — velocity — in what ? To what? He did not know. Out of space as he knew it, certainly. Time was distorted, un- recognisable. Matter did not necessarily obey the familiar laws. Thought? QX — thought, lying in the subether. proba- bly was unaffectedT Thought -screen generators, however, being material might not — in fact, did not — work. Worse!. Van Bosldrk. and be did not need them, bm those other poor devils — He looked at them. The men — all of them, officers and aB — had thrown off their armor, thrown away their weapons, and were again rushing toward the lock. With a smothered curse Kisnison fol- lowed them, as did the Velanfian and the giant Dutch- Valerian. Into the lock. Through it. into the almost invisible 'facet ube. which, he noticed, was floored with a much denser -appearing tuhcanrr. The air felt heavy; dense. like water, or even more like metallic mercury. It breathed, however. QX. Into the Boskooian ship, along corridors, into a room which was precisely such a torture chamber as Kinnison had described. There they were, ten of diem; ten of the dragonkke. reptilian Cverlords of Deigoo! They stove* slowly, sluggishly, as did the Tellurians, in that thick, dense medium which was not. could not be. air. Ten chains were thrown, tike pic- tures in slow motion, about ten bum^n necks: terf-ent ranged men were led un- resistingly to anguished doom. This time the Gray Lensman's curve was act smothered — with a bbcering deep-space oath he pulled his DeLametrr and fired —once, twice, thrice. Xo soap— he knew it. bm he had to try. Furious, be launched himself. Hit taloned fingers, ravening to tear, went past, not aromsd. the Overlord's throat; and the sciww- tared tail of the reptile, fierce-driven, apparently went through the Lcmmsa. screens, armor, and brisket, bm touched none of them in passing. He burled a thought a more disastrous bolt by far than be had sent against any mad since be had learned the art. In vain — the Overlords, themselves masters of men- tality. could not be slain or even swerved by any forces at bis crsremnd Kinnison reared back then in thought. There must be some ground, some sub- stance common to the planes or dimen- sions involved, else they could not be here. The deck, foe instance, was as solid to his feet as it was to the enemy. He thrust out a hand at the wall beside him — it was not there. The chains, how- ever. held his suffering men. and the Overlords held the chains The knives, also and the dobs, and the other imple- ments of torture being wielded with such peculiarly horrible slowness. To think was to act. He leaped for- ward. seised a maul, and made as though to swing it in terrific blow ; only to stop, shocked- ■ The maul did not move ! Or rather, it moved, bm so slowly, as though

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LX ASTOWDIXG SCTEXCE-ncnOS' he were hiufmg it through putty! He dropped the Kindle, ihoritf it bock, and received another shock, for it kept on coming under the urge of his first mighty heave — kept coming, knocking hen aside as it came! Mass! Inertia! The staff must be a hundred times as dense as platinum! “Bus!" he flashed a thought to the staring Valerian “Grab one of these dabs here — a bole one. even vow can't swing a big one — and get to work!** As be thought, be leaped again; this time (or a small, slender knife, almost a scalpel, bat with a long, keenly thin blade Even though it was missive as a doten broadswords he could swing it and he did so; pftmging Icthally as he swung. A full-arm sweep rarer -edge shearing, crunching through plated, corded throat grisly head Boating ooe way. horrid body the other! Then an attack in wares of his own men ! The Overlords knew what was toward. They commanded their slaves to abate the nuisance, and the Gray Lenstnaa was buried under in avalanche of furious, although unarmed, ho* nullity. “Oiaje ’em off me. will you. Wor- se! r* Kinaison pleaded. “You're husky enough to handle 'em aB — I'm not. Hold 'em off while Bus and I polish off this crowd. huh?“ And Worse! did so. Van Bcskirk. scorning Kmnisoa's ad- vice. had seired the biggest thing in sight, only to relinquish it sheepishly — he might as well have attempted to wield a bridge-girder? He finally selected a tiny bar. only half an inch in diameter and scarcely six feet long ; but he found that even this sliver was more of a bludgeon than any spacraxe he had ever swung. Then the armed pair went joyously to j/ war. the Tellurian with his knife, the Valerian with his magic wand. When the Overlords saw that a fight to the finish was inevitable they also seired weapons and fought with the desperation of the cornered rats they were. This, however, freed Worse! from guard duty, since the monsters were fully occupied in defending themselves. He seired a length of chain, wrapped six feet of tail in an unbreakable anchorage around a torture rack, and set viciously to work. Thus again t£e intrepid three, the only minious of civOiratson theretofore to have escaped alive from the dutches of the Overlords of De%on. .fought tide by side. Van Busldrk particularly was in his element. He was used to a gravity almost three times Earth's: be was accustomed to enormously heavy, al- most viscous air. This stuff, thick u it was. tasted infinitely better than the vacuus^ that Tellurians Had to breathe It let a man wr his strength; and the gigantic Dutchman waded in happily, swinging his frightfully massive weapon with devastating effect. Crmrncht S flask! THWUCK! When that bar stTudr k did not stop. It went through; blood, brains, smashed heads and dis- membered baths flying in aB directions. And WorseT* lethal chain, driven me- , sistibiy at the end of the twenty -five- foot lever of his free length of body, rtanfcrd. hummed, and marled its way through repdban flesh. And. while Kinaboo was puny indeed in comparison with his two brothers- in-arms, he had selected a weapon which would make his skiD count; and hb wicked knife stabbed, sheared, and trenchantly bit And thus, instead of doling out death, the Overlords died. . XVI. The oik act over. Kinnison made hb way to the control board, which was more or less standard in type. Thera were, however some instruments new to him; and these he examined with care, tracing their leads throughout their lengths with his sense of perception before be touched a switch. Then he

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Ml yCRAY LENSMAN dynge is mad is a ca: eagle abacs your report of that vortex, or runnel, or what- ever it was. He says your lack of appre- ciatioa ot the simplest fundamentals is something pitiful, or words to that effect. He's going to blast 70a to a cinder as toco as he jrts bold of you." “Veil, ve can’t all be first vioimer* m «far orchestra, scene of us pot to posh rind through der trombone." Kiaaisoo quoted, philosophically. p "I dorse my darnedest. How’s a guy going to report accurately 00 something he can’t hear, see. fed. smell, taste, or sense? But I beard that they’ve solved that thing of the interpenetrability of the two loads of matter. What's the low-down on that?" "Cardynge says it's simple. Maybe it is. but I’m a technician myself, not a mathematician. As near as I can get it, the Overlords and their stuff were treated or cooditiooed with an oscillatory wave of some kind, so that under the combined action of the fields generated by the ship and the shore station all their substance was rotated almost out of space. Not out of space, exactly. either, more bkr. say. very nearly one lumdrcd eighty degrees out of phase; 10 that two bodies one untreated, our stuff Vould occupy the same place at the same time without perceptible enter - fcrcace. The failure of either force, such as your cutting the ship's generators, would relieve the strain.” “It did more than that — it destroyed the vortex ... but it might, at that.” the I muran went 00. thoughtfully. "It could very well be that only that one special farce, exerted in the right place relative to the borne-station generator, could bring the vortex into being. But how about that heavy stuff, common to both planes, cr phases, of maser?” “Synthetic, they say. Not as dense as it appears — that’s due largely to fidd- setion. too. They're working 00 it now." "Thanks for the dope. I've got to £l — got a date with Haynes. lH see Cardynge later and let him get h off his chest." and the Lensman strode away toward the Port Admiral's office. Hayxzs greeted him cordially; then, at tight of the storm signals flying in the Gray Lensman's eyes, he sobered. “QX." he said, wearily. "If we have to go over this again, unload it. Kim." "Twenty-two good men." Kinnrson ” said, harshly. "I murdered them. Just as surely, if not quite as directly, as though ‘ I braised them with a space- axe." "In one way. if you look at k fanati- cally enough, yes," the older man ad- mitted, much to Kinmtoa's surprise. "I am not asking you to look at k in a broader sense, because you ^probably can’t — yet. Some things you can do alone ; some things you can do even better afaoe than with help. I have never objected: nor shall I ever object to your going afaoe 00 such missions, how- ever dangerous they may be. That it, and will be. your job. What you are forgetting in the luxury of giving way to your emotions is that the Patrol comes first. The Patrol is of vastly greater importance than theories of any man "or group of men in it." "But I know That, sir" protested K inniton. "I — ” "You have a peculiar way of showing it. then." the Admiral broke in. "You say that you killed twenty-two men. Admitting k far the moment, which would you say was better far the Patrol — to kae those twenty-two good men in a successful and productive operation, or to lose the life of one Unattached Lensman without gaining any mforusa- boc or any other benefit whatever thereby?" "Why ... I— If you look at k that way, sir — " Kinorion still knew that he was right, but in that form the question answered kseff. "That is the only way k can be looked

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ASTOUNDING SOEXCE-nCTlON it" the old tran returned, flit It, .“No heroics on your part, no maudlin senti- mentality. Nov. u a Lrcsman. is it your considered judgment that it is best for the Patrol that you traverse that hyperspatial vortex alone, or with aQ the resources of the Damndtu at your command?"* Bamca's face was white and strained. He could not be to the Port Admiral. Nor could he trfl the truth, for the dying agonies of those fiendishly tortured boys still racked him to the core. ""But I can't order men into any such death as that."* be broke out. finally. “You must."" Haynes replied. inexor- ably. “Either you take the ship as she is or dse you call for volunteers — sad you know what that would mean.** Kiwi son did. too wtH The surviv- ing personnel of the two Bnttomiai. the fall present complement of the D—mi- Uu. the crews of every other ship in Bate, practically everybody on the Reservation— Haynes hameff certainly, even Lacy and old von Hohrudorf, everybody, even or especially if they had no bun dc it on such a trip as that — would volunteer : and every man jack of them 4ouU yell his head off at being left out. Each would have- a thousand reasons lor rot women, and children that is Kixxtsosr walked slowly bade to the Field ; silenced, but not convinced. There was something screwy somewhere, but be couldn't — “Just a moment, young man!” came a sharp, irritated voice. *1 have been looking lor you. At what tiene do you propose to set out for that which' is bring so loosely called the "hyper ipfBal vortex*?" He palled himself out of bis abstrac- tion to see Sir Austin Cardygue. Testy, irascible, impatient, assd vitriolic of tongue, be hod always reminded Kinni- son of a frantic ben attempting to mother a brood of dockings. * “Hi. Sir Austin! Tomorrow — hour fifteen. Why?" The Lemmon hud too much on bis mind to be ceremonious with that mathematical nuisance. - “Because I find that I must ac- company you. and it it most damnably inconvenient, sir. The Society meets Tuesday week, and that ass Weingarde “QX. I suppose. You win." Kinni- son submitted, although with 21 grace. rebHbooUy. “But I don't Utr k. nor any pan of it. It dogs my jets."" “I know k, Kan.” Haynes put a hand upon the boy's shoulder, tightening his fingers. “We aS have to do k. k’s pan of the job. But remember always. Lens- ana. that the Patrol is not an army of mercenaries or conscripts. Any one of them— just as would you yourself — would go out there, kwourusp that it meant death in the torture chamber of the Overlords, if in so doing be knew that he could hdp to end the torture and the slaughter of ooocxxnbatant men. “Hnhr Kinsmen ejaculated. "Who told you that you bad to go along, or that yoo even rsslf, for that matter?" "Don 'i be a fool, young man!" the peppery nans KjTora- it nsn bt Apparent cm to jav fotUt tStS* fuses utti liter your disco, your uex * ratable ncgtigeoce m not reporting even the most elementary vectorial-tentorial analysts of that extremely important vor- tex. someone with at least a rudimentary bna should — " “Hold on. Sir Austin !“ K mm von in- tercepted the harangue. “Do you mass to. say that you want to come aloeg just to study the mathematics of that “Just to study it !“ shrieked the old man. almost tearing hit hair. “You doh — you blockhead! My God. why should anything with such a brain be permuted to live ? Don't you even know.

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CRAY LENSUA.N ioanoo. that in that vortex Bet the kxxjo ■ aB science ?” “Never occurred to me." the Lens- nu replied, unruffled by the old nan's arid fury. He had had weeks of it. at the Conference. “It is imperative that I px" Sir Austin ns stiD acerbic, but the m- trnsicy of hb passim ns abating. “I nost analyze those fields, their patterns, ictcractircts and reactions, myself. Un- sUkd observances are useless. as you hansed to your sorrow, and this oppor- t—fy is priceless — possibly it is unique. Since the data most be not only complete but also entirely authoritative. I myself must jo. Tint it dear, is it not. even to you?" “Nol Hasn't anybody told you that e wry body aboard is simply fisting with the-dernfarj- (air. every phase of it. to a rigid satis- tical analysis. The pcolabihty is *ijnxfi- only greater than zero oh. r*rr so much greater, almost pus! ok nine, in fact — that the ship wiH return, with my notes." “But listen. Sir Austin.” *K innisoa ex- plained patiently. "You won't have time to stndy the generators at the other end. even if the folks there felt inclined to • girt us the chance. Our object is to blow the whole t&jpg clear out of space." “Of course, of course — certainly ! The mere generating mechanisms are ms- material. Analyses of the forces them- selves are the sole desiderata. Vectors — tensors performance of medonimns in , reception ethereal pd ssbcthercal ~~ phase angles— complete and wpui hundreds of nwh slighting even one would be ca Having this material, bowe 66 BAFFLE FILTER See .'Situ New Styles, most beautiful ever shown — <*an be sc ! it SI due only to tremendously increasing sales

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CHEAP OIL BURNER r v.s . GO\ L RN*1t ^ T t JOi>S GENUINE UNDERWOOD 7 START $1260 to $2100 YEAR Moay Mtt |HI. OCT UaOT I— .J.t.ty /' tm IW b.M.tw. J .SIM MM, ST. mechani-m of mergirai » o h cermet n*T e detail — complete solution and de- npi inn itiMr. liaolott — dildiihljr ww>- plt “Oh." the l/r.man »lt sightly groggy under the Uunje “The ship . nay pet lark, bat ho* shout you. per- sonally Y~ “Whit difference does that make?- - Cardynge mapped fretfully. “K*ra if. as i> tliraect >cil]y |>robabie. we had that twnmumcjtMi is impossible. my dotes ha*e a my pjad chance — sery (nod in- deed—of pel! mg bark. You sot serin to real ire. young man. that to science tlot data u mtfttury. It is to eriden: that the [erxru or beings who are oprratmp it do not krjow . or are at lean not utdirmp. one percent of ti potential it ie> They stumbled npoa it— blundered into it— wrrwdne with at least a rudmier tary krv.» ledge of inence must ana lyre it. so that the Conference may nhaiM it i real possibilities.- Kinray* kuked damn at the wispy little nan m ssrpriw. Here was notne- thhag be had r-rrer suspected. Cardynge was a Kentik w irard. be knew. That he bad a phenomenal mind -there was no iiado« of doubt, but the Lemma* had. never thought of him as being physi- cally brame. It was not merely courage, he decided. It sat something tagger-* better. Transcendent. An utter self- leunm. a dceoemo to science so com- plete that neither physical welfare not even life rtsrH could be gimen any con- sideration whatever. > ^“You think, then, that this data is worth sacrificing the lives of four hms- dred men. including yours and mine. » get?- Kmmsrm asked, earnestly. “Certainly, or a bundled times that many." Cardynge snapped, testily. “You heard me say. did yuu not. that this op- portunity is priceless, and may very wd be unique?- “QX. you can come.- and Kimmaon went on into the Psmlku. Ktsatsox wrirr to bed wondering. Maybe the chief was right. He wok*

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CRAY LENS MAN MS cp. still wondering. Perhaps he was taking hansel f too xrioudv. Perhaps he *u as H»w» had more than inti- mated. indulging in niock Seroses He prowled about The two ships XVII. CXt tx stack Knctson called the en- tire crew to a mass meet sag. ta which he outlined to them as well as be cow Id that which they were about to face. of spacewere rtfflkeked / -yy* ^oman ship wiD undoubtedly r-si^r SC » h. *«t- k dread tunnel. and he had to see that everything eras on the green. He went into the wardroom. One vougg officer was thumping the piano right tunefully and a doaen others were rending the atmosphere with joyous song. In that room ary formality or “as yoa were" signal was unnecessary; the whole bunds fell upon their commander gleefully and with a complete Lack of restraint, in a vociferous hilarity very evidently neither forced roc assumed. \ Kianison went on with his tour. “What was it?" he demanded of him- self. Haynes didn't fed guihy. Car- dynge was worse — he would IdU forty thousand men, including the Lensmaa and himself, without batting as eye. These kids didn't give a damn. Their fellows had been slam by the Overlords, the Overlords had m turn been slam *» All square — QX. Their turn next ? So I? Kami son himself did not want die — he wanted to live — but if his number came up that was pan of the game What was it, this wiBragness to give up Me itself for as abstraction ? Science, the Patrol. Cmhzation — notoriously un- grateful mistresses. Why? Some Baser force — some compensation defying sense, reason, or analysis? Whatever it was. he had it. too. Why deny it to others ? What in all the nine hells of Valeria was be gnpsng about ? “Maybe /'■ nuts!" he concluded, and gave the word to blast off. To blast off — u> find and to traverse wholly that awful bypertube. at whose to - ■ — / v _ far terminus there would W lurking n6 Then : sian knew what. “Well, if concluded. “That there is probably docking space for only one ship is im- material. since the DeamiUti will remain free. That ship is not manned, as you know, because jbp one knows what is going to happen when the fields are re- leased in the home dock Consequences may be disastrous to any foreign, un- treated matter within her. Some signal will undoubtedly be given upon landing, although we have no means of knowing what that signal will be and Sir Austin has pointed out that there can be no com- muescation betw ecn that sbtp and he* base until her generators have been rut. “Since »e also win be in hyper space until that time, it is clear that the gener- ator must be cut from within the venarL Electrical and mechanical relays are out of the question. Therefore two of our personnel vrifl keep alternate watches in her control room, to puS the necessary switches. I am not going to order any man to such a duty, nor am I going to ask for volunteers If the man on <hny is not killed outright — this is a distinct possibility, although not a probability — speed in getting back here wiD be de- cidedly of the essence It seems to me that the best interests of the Patrol will be served by haring the two fastest mem- bers of our force on watch. Time trials from the Bosknrwan panel to our air fork are. therefore, now in order." This was Kisnsca's device for taking the job himself. He was. he knew, the fastest man aboard, and he proved k. He negotiated the distance in seven seconds flat, over half a second faster than any other member of the you small, slow rums ate

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Ml ASTOOTDIHG SOEXCE-ncnOH done pi))-io( cmyit-moout. get out o( thr way tad let folks ran that really can.- Van Buskirk boomed. “Come on. Wood. I see where you and I are going to pt oontlm a job.” "But see here, too can't f* Kmruioo protested, aghast. ~I said members of the crew.” • “Xo. too didn't." the Valerian coo- tradicted- "You said 'two of oar per- sonnel.' and id Worse! and I ain't per* tonne!, what are ire? Well lease it to Sir Austin " "Indubitably ‘ personnel.' " the arbiter decided, taking a moment from the apparatus he was setting up. "Your statement that speed is a prime requisite is also binding." Where upoo the winged V riant tan flew and wriggled the distance in two sec- coda. and the sted-thewed Dutch Vale- rias jaa it in three? "You big. knot-headed Valerian ape f* Kinuison hissed a malevolent though:; not as the expedition's commander to a subordinate, but as an outraged friend speaking plainly to friend. "You knew I wanted that job myself, you clunker — damn your thick, hard crust !". "Well, so did I. you poor, spindly btjle Tellurian wart, and so did Wood," the giant srarrior shot back in kind. "Besides it's lor the good of the Patrol — you said so yourself! Comb thst out of your whiskers, half -portion !” he added, with a wide and toothy grin, as he swaggered away. Hghtly brandishing his ponderous mace. The ran to the point in space where the vortex had been was made an sched- ule. S write hes drove hcxAr. most of the fabric of the enemy ressd wen: out of phase, the voyagers experienced the weirdly uncomfortable acceleration along an impossible vector, and the familiar firmament disappeared into an impal- pable but impenetrable murk of feamre- less. textureless gray. Sir Austin was in fas clement. In- deed. he was in the seventh heaven of rapture as he observed, recorded, and PiriifiKC- nt cnonued over tut miff* ferometers. be ducked over his meters, now and again he emitted shrill whoops of triumph as a particularly abstruse bit of knowledge was torn from its lair. He strutted, he gloated, he practically purred as he recorded upon the tape frill an- other momentous csoduMoa oe a grand equation, cadi couched in terms of such incomprehensibly formidable mathe- matics that no one not a member of the Conference of Scientists could even dimly perceive its meaning. Cardynge finished hit work ; and. aftrr doing everything that could be done to insure the sake return to Science of bis priceless records, he simply preened him- srif. He wasn't bkc an old- hen. after all. Kmc arm decided. More bkc a least, gray tomcat. One that has just eaten the canary and. oontemphtively smooth- ing bis whiskers, is fdl of pleasant, if sown what sanguine visions of what be b going to do to those other felines at that next meeting Time wore on. A long time? Or a short? Who could tell ? What pos- sible «wm«v of that tmkaown and in- trinskaDy unknowable concept exists or can exist in that fantastic region of— hyperspnee ? Interspace? Pseudospace? Call if what you lie. T lisa, as has been said, wore on. The vihips arrived at the enemy base, the Wag signal was given. Worse!. on %duty at the yme. recognued it lor what e was — with his brain that was a foregone ctmriasaos. He threw thr switches, then flew and wmggled as even he had never done before, hurling a thought as he came And as the Velartian. himself in thr throes of weird deceleration, tore through thr thmrjog atmosphere, the queasy Cray Iensmar watched the development about them of a forbiddingly inimical scene They were materialising upoo a land-

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CRAY LENS MAS K7 ing field of soft*, a smooch and level expanse of black igneous rode. Two mu. one hot and close, one pale and distant, cast the impenetrable shadows so characteristic of an airless world. Dwarfed by distance, but still massively, craggdy tremerjdoas, there loomed the adnfa| rampart of the volcanic crater i yon whose floor the fortress by. And what a fortress! Sew raw — erode — but fanned with armament of might. There was the typically Bos- koman dome of control, there were powerful ships of war in their cradles, there beside the Dsudru was very evi- dently the power plant in which was generated the cryptic forte which made imrnlanensiocal transit an actuabty. Bat. and here was the saving factor which the Lrnsman had dared only half hope to find, those ukrapowerful de- fensive mechanisms were mounted to re- sist attack from without, not from within. It had not occurred to the foe. even as a possibility, that the Patrol Might come upon them in panoply of war thrush their own hyper spatial tube! Kmnison knew tbit it was useless to swank that dome. He could, perhaps, crack its screens with his primaries, bet he Ad not have enough stuff to reduce the whole otaMuhmcct and therefore could not use the primaries at a!L Since the enemy bad been taken completely by anrprise. however, he had a lot of time — it least a minute, perhaps a trifle more — and in that tune the old DammtUu could do a lot of damage. The power plant came first : that »u what they had come out here to get. "AH secondaries fire at win'"’ K«i- r.ison barked into his microphone. He was already at his coomrg board, every man of the crew was at his station. "AH of yon who can reach twenty-seven, three-ob-eight. hit it — hard. The rest of you do as you please " LV.n I..., i_ 1 1,1. -T..I I L. I . -t . r.ifry Dcam wnjen coou k woojrt to bear upon the powerhouse, and there were plenty of them, flamed out pracu- AST— 1> <aHy as one. The building stood foe an • mstast. starkly outlined is a ragtag inferno of incandescence, then slumped down flabbily; its upper, nearer pans flaring away in clouds of sparkhagiy luminous vapor even as its lower mem- bers flowed sluggishly together in streams of molted metal. Deeper and deeper bored the frightful beams; foundation*. saber liars. structural mem- bers and Gargantuan mechanisms mat- ing with the obsidian of the crater's floor to form a lake <5T bubbling, frothing tava. "QX — that* good P Kirmivoo snapped. "Scatter your stuff, feflowi — hit ’ear Kianison then spoke to Henderson, his chief pilot. ‘Lift ua up a bit. lien, to give the boys a better sight. Be ready to flu. fast; all befl's going to be out foe noon any second now?" Ship* — warships of Bnskone’s mighti- est—caught cold. Same crew less ; some half -crooned ; none ready for the stsm- nmg surprise attack of the Patrolmen. Through and through them the ruthless beams tort ; leaving, not ship*, but non- descript masses of half-fused met aL Hangars, machine shops, supply depots suffered the same fate; a good third of the establishment became a smoking. smoldering heap of junk. Then, one by one. the fixed-mam* weapons of the enemy, by dint of what Herculean efforts can only be surmised, were brought to bear upon the bold in- vader. Brighter and brighter flamed her prodigiously powerful defensive screens. N'mnber One faded out; crashed flat by the he Dish energies of Bodone's projector! Number Two flared into ever more spectacular pyro- technics. until soon even its tremendous resources of power became inadequate — blot chi h. m discrete areas, cimgiag to existence when all the ought of its Me- doctian generators and transmitters, *, too. began to iaIL, "Better we flit. Hen. while we're afl in one piece— right now." Kmcavan ad-

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14* ASTOUNDING SCIENCE- FICTION vised the pilot then. "And I don't man loif. either. Let's yft you bum a hole in thlether." HcodejAi'i firgers swept over hi* board, depressing to naxenon and locking down key liter key. Blast after blast Sired from her jets of energies of an intensity almost to pale the bn Usance of the madly marring screens, and to Bosk roe's observers the immense Patrol raider vanished from all ken • At that. drive, the DcmntUu incom- prehensible maximum, there mas little danger of pSrswt : for. aa men as bring the biggest and ihe roost powerfully armed, she mas also the fastest thing m space. Oat in open intergalactic space — safe — discipline went by the board as though on signal and all lands joroed in a re- lease of pent-op emotion. Kicniscn threw off his armor and. sen mg the scandal iced and hghly outraged Car- dyngr. spun him around in diarymg. though effortless circles. “Didn't lose a man — NOT A MAN !“ he yelled, exuberantly. Hr plucked the now idle Henderson from he* board and wrestled with him. only to drift lightly away, ahead of a tremendous slap aimed at his back by Vi" Bashir* Inertialesmess takes most of the edge off rough housing, but the performance did relieve the tension and soon the ebuIHent youths quirted down. The enemy base was located well out- side the Galaxy. Not. as Kiucison had feared, in the Second Galaxy, but in a star cluster not too far rrmosed from the first. Hence the fight to Prime Base did not take long. Sir Austin Cardynge was more lie a self-satisfied tomcat than ever as he gathered up hit records, gave a corps of aides minute instructions regarding the packing of his equipment, and set out. .figuratively bet scry evidently lack- ing his chops, rehearsing the scene in which be would confound his allegedly learned fellows, especially that insuffer- able puppy, that upstart Wringarde. “And that's that." Kmnrson concluded his informal report to Haynes. J'Thry're all mashed up. there, at least. Before they can rebuild, you can wipe out the whole nest. If there should happen to be one or two more such buses, the boy* know now horn to handle them. 1 thick I'd better be getting buck onto my own joh. don't you?” “ Protu&y so." Haynes thought foe moment*, then continued : “Can you use help, or can yoa work better alone "I've been thinking about that. The higher the tougher, apd it might ret be a had idea at all Ao have Worse! standing by in my speedster: dose by and ready all the time. HeV pretty much of an artnv himself, mental and physical QXr “Can do." and thus it came about that the good ship DtmniUu Sew again, this time out Borcrra may; her sole freight a sleek black speedster and a rusty, bartered meteor-tug. her passen- gers a sinuous Vrtantian and a husky Tellurian. I "Sort of a thm time for yoa. old man. I'm afraid. ” Kmmscn leaned un- concernedly against the tomeriqg puiar of his friend's tail, whereupon four or five grotesquely stalked eyes curled out at him speculatively. To these two. each ocher's appearance and shape mere neither repulsive nor strange. They mere friends, in the deepest, truest sense. “He’s so hideous that he's positisely dis- tinguished-looking." each had boasted more than once of the other to frietsds of his own race. "Nothing like that." The Velar. tun flashed out a leather wmg and flipped his tail aside in a playfully unsuccessful attempt to catch the Earthman off bal- ance. "Some day. if sou ever learn really to thick, sou mill discover that a few weeks' solitary, undisturbed and concentrated thought is a rare treat. To

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I k I *auj tpain for J2 WEFHS SHOP TRAINING b did think that you were Ikctaly vrrvr at limn, and now I know a." K^kko retorted. unao- iwtd “Thought iv— or should he — a means to an end. not as end in itself; tat d that’s your idea of a sronderful t«* I'm glad to hr able to jut it to xim." Thit disembarked carefully in lar space, the complete absence of spec! aloes aoured by the warship’s fullest reach of detectors, and K mm son agam went down to klmers' Rest Not. this time, to carouse. Miners were not carousing there. Instead, the « hole asteroid was tarring with nrv of the. fabulously rich finds which were being made in the distant solar system of T rrssika. Kumiyoo had known that the news wvwkj be there, for k was at his instruc- tions that those rich meteors had been {dated there to be found. Trrsvilu III was the home of the .Rrgiasal Director with whom the Gray Lmmstn had taportan t business to iransaci; he had to hare a sohd reason, not a mere ex- cuse. for Bill \VKams to lease Borosa Ux T revwlia The lure of wealth, then as cstt. was stronger rsen than that of drink or of drug. Miners came to rerrl. lust in- stead they .outfitted in haste and hied themsefres to the new Klondike. N’or was this anything out of the ordinary. Such stampedes occurred every once in a while, and Strongheart and his uwnkru were not unduly concerned They’d he lark, and in the meantime there was the {co&t on .a lot of metal ar.drg0 excess jcocit due to the sky ticketing prices of supplies. “You ton. . Bill r~ Strongheart asked without surprise. "Ill tell the Lniiersef came ready answer. “If there’s metal three. I’ll &*J it. pal," In making this declara- tmn he wa» no< boasting, he was merely sowing a simple truth. By this time the meteor belts Jt a hundred solar systems I^JiT ■ 01

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CSAY LEKSMAK LSI Wilaa Williams had ever dreamed of having. be hen tiled visibly before em- barking u[en one of the gorgeous, spectacular sprees from which he had derived his nickname. He hesitated: then, with an effort apparent to all ob- servers. be chingcd his mind. He had been a gentleman ooce. he would be again. He had his hair cut. be had himself shaved every day. Mans? cnristi deg away and scrubbed ivnv the ingrained grime from his hard- ened. meteor-coiner's paws His nails, even, became pink and glossy. He bought doebes. including the fuB -dress shorts, barrel-top jacket, and voluminous cloak of the Aldebaranian gentleman, and wore them with easy gncc. And in the meantime he was drink- kg steadily. He drank, however, only the choicer beverages : decorously and— for him — sparingly. Thus, while he was seldom what could be called strictly sober, be was never really dnmk. He shunned low resorts, bring in the best hotels and frequenting only the finest taverns. The finest, that is. with ooc exception, the Crown -Oo- Shield Not only dsd be not go there, he never spoke of or would discuss the place. It was as though for him it did not exist. Occasionally be escorted — oh. so cor- rectly ! — a charming companion to sup- per or to the theater, but ordinarily he was alone. Alone by choice. Aloof, austere, possibly not quite sure of him- frlf. He rebuffed all attempts to ia- veigie him mco anyone of the numerous cliques with which the "upper crux abounded. He waited for what he knew would come. . ' i I'sduuscs of gradually increasing numbers and importance came to him with invitations to the Crown-On- Shield, hot he refused them all ; curtly, definitely, aa^ without giving reason or excuse. In the light of what he was gomg to do there he could not be seen in the place unless and until it was cleat to all that x the visit was not of his design. Finally Crowni&shicld himself met the ex -miner as though by accident. "Why haven't you been out to our place. Mr. Williams?'' he asked, heartily. "Because I didn't wan: to. and don’t want to." Krm-.isoc replied. Sally and definitely. "Bat why?" demanded the Bostonian Director, this time in genuine surprise. "It's getting talted about — arryb*4j comes to the Crown! — people are wan- dering why ywu never even look in oo ns." “You know who I am don't yoa?“ The Lensman's voice was coldly level, oak Sect ed. "Certainly. William Williams, for- merly of AMerbaran II." "NV Wild Bill Wdhams. meteor miner. The Crown-On- Shield boasts that it does not sobot the patronage of men of my profession. If I go there. dim-wit will start Masting off about miners. Then yuuU have the job of mopping him up off the floor with a sponge and the Patrol win be after me with a speedster. Thanks just the same, but none of that for me." "Oh. k that an T Crovrninshield smiled in rebel "Perhaps a natural misapprehension. Mr. Williams, but you are eburefy mistaken. It is true that practicing miners do not find our society congenial, but you are no longer a miner and we never refer to any man's past. As an Aldebaranian gentleman we would ■eleome you. And. m the extremely re- mote contingency to which you refer. I assure you that you would not have to act. Any goes: so boorish would be expelled-" "In that case I aould really enjoy spending a little time with you. It has been a long tune since 1 associated with persons of breeding." he explained, with engaging candor. "IU have a boy see to the transfer of your thmgs." and thus the Gray Lens- man allowed the zvrilnic to persuade him

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IS ASTOUNDING SCIENCE- FICTION to visit the ooe place ta the L’nrverse where he most ardently wished to be. Foe days in the oew environment everything went cci with the utmost decorum and orcumsjVctioo. but Ktnni- k» was not deceived. They would feel him out some way. just as effectively if not as crassly as did the iwihnks of Miners’ Rest. They would base to— this was Regional Headquarters. At first he had been suspicious of thiooite. but since the high-ups were not wearing aoti-thiceitr plugs in their nostrils, he wouldn’t have to either. Thcn_ ooe evening a girl — young, petty, vivacious — approached him. a pinch of purple powder between her fin- gers. As the Gray Lensman he knew that the stuff was not thiocite. but as William Williams he did not. "Do hare a tiny smell of thiooiie. Mr. WSfiamsT she urged, coquettithly. and made as though to Mow it into hts face. Williams reacted strangely, but in* stastaneosasly. He ducked with startimg speed and the fiat of his palm smacked ringing ly against the girl’s cheek.. He did not slap her hard— it looked and sounded much worse than it really was — the only actual force was in the follow* up push that sent her flying across the room. "Whatja mean, you? You can’t slap girls around like that here!" and the chief bouncer came at him with a rush. This time the Lensman did not pull his punch. He struck with everything he had. from heels to fingertips. Such was the sheer brute power of thq blow that the bouncer literally somersaulted the length of the room, bringing up with a crash against the distant wall ; so ac- canjr was its placement that the victim, while not killed outright, would be un- conscious for many hours to come. Others turned then, and paused: for Williams was not running away ; he was not even giving ground. Instead, he stood lightly poised upon the bolls of bts feet, knees bent the veriest trifle. arms hanging at ready, eyes as hard and as cold as <be iron meteorites of the sparw he knew so vrefl. Any others of you damn rwibuks want to make a pass at me?" he de- manded. and a concerted gasp arose: the word "rwihuk" was in those circles far worse than a mere fighting .word. • It was absolutely taboo: it was «mr, under any circumstance, uttered. Nevertheless, no action was taken. At first the cold arrogance, the sheer effron- tery of the man’s pose held them in check: then they noticed one thing and remembered another, the combination of which gave them most emphatically to pause. No garment, even by the most de- liberate intent, could possibly have been designed as a better hiding place for DeLameters than the barrel-topped full- dress jacket of Aldebaran II; and — Mr. William Williams, poised there in « eel -spring readiness for action ; so coldly sell -confident ; to inexplicably, so scornfully derisive of that whole roomful of men not a few of whom he knew must be armed; was also the Wild Bill Wil- liams. meteor miner, who was widely known as the fastest and deadliest per- former with twin DeLameters who had ever infested space! XVIII. Ecu vxd CaowxtxsHtxu) sat in his office and seethed quietly, the all-per- vasive blueness of the Kalcciian brought out even more prominently than usual by his mood- His plan to find out whether or not the c* -miner was a spy had backfired, badly. He had had re- ports from Euphrosyne that the fellow was not — (o*14 not be — a spy, and now his test had cor. firmed that conclusion, too thoroughly by far. He would have to do some mighty quick thinking and perhaps some salve-spreading or lose him- He certainly didn't want to lose a client who had over a quarter of a mil-

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bn mdih to throw away, and who ccnld not possibly row his cnrmp for alcohol and bratlaip much longer! Bat curse him. what had the fellow meant hr haring a kit hog built of indttrite. with a lock on it that not ora his rlrverest artists could pick! “Come m.“ he called, onrtunusly. in answer to a tap. “Oh. it's sou! What d*l you find out ~f~ “Janice isn't hurt. He didn't make a mark. on her — just fair her a shore and seared hell out of her. But Clovis was- nudged, believe me. He's stU! out — will le for hours, the doctor say*. What a sock that guy's got! Claris lodes the he’d hern hit with a Valerian maul" “You’re sure be was armed ?“ “Must have been. Typical gun fighter's crouch. He was ready, not bluffing. bebeve me. The man don't lie that could bluff a roomful of us like that. He was betting that he could whiff us aS before we could get a gun out. and I wouldn't woodrr if be was right." • . * “ “QX. Beat it. and don't let anyone cone near here except Williams.- Therefore the ex -miner was the next visitor. “You wanted to see me. Crowmshiefd. before I fbt.” ' Kmnvson was fully dressed, eves to his Bowing cloak, and be was carrying his own kit. This, in an Akfrfaaranxan. implied the extremes! bright of disifcoa “Yes. Mr. Wiffiams. I wish to apolo- gue for the house. However." some- what exasperated, “it dors seem that you were abrupt, to say the least, in vour reaction to a childish prank." “Prank !“ The Aldebaranian's voice was decidedly. unfriendly. "Sir. to me thaonite is no prank. I don't mind nitro- Ubr or heroin, and a little lent lam now and then is good for a man. but when anyone comes around me with thionke I object, sir. rigorously, and I don't care who knows it." “Evidently. But that wasn't really ihsonite — we would never permit it — the mo uuarr-DAVBsoN IS Kuttf. OF IMF tOADI thrill* for row h vrtry aaw, wd- ranewd iwatarw — few 1MB DmrkWoul What: gwd dwpaodafaOtr! What; to talc* you I Vfatt IBM Loan why two wwt mi awry ihrwa nswrcydu on tW rwad art Harfey. Ptritoiu. Aatftttkdttrywf tto fan aud thrill* yaw caw hart to a Always turns — ids hility ras hJU-climl jBacas^tw HARLEY- DAVID FaD N SEND COUPON NOW FREE5J1SL-

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CRAY LEXSMAN ISS prospect. “We should be desolated. UuOkn will happen, sir — planetary prejudices gascnderstandaigs. Give us a bale more time to get really acquainted, nr — " and thus it west. Fmafiy Kismison let himself be molli- fied into staring on. With true Aide* barasiaa naiiihaess, however. he wore bis armament, proclaiming to all and sondry his sole reason therefor: “An Aide boron tan gentleman, sir. keeps his word: howerer lightly or under what- ever circumstances grrrn. I said that I would wear these things as long as I stay here: therefore wear them 1 most and I shall. I anil leave here any time, sir. gladly: bat while here I remain armed, every minute of every d»y.“ And he did. He never drew them, was always and in every way a gentle* man. Nevertheless, the rwilmks were always uncomfortably consboas of the fact that those grim, formidable portables were there — always there and always ready. The (act that they themselves went armed with weapons deadly the highest -ceding dose of the old. un - regenerate muting days. They gave him the Titanic jolt, undressed him. put him carefully to bed upoc a soft mattress covered with silken sheets and forgot him Before the meeting evert possible source of interruption or saying was checked, rechecked, and guarded against ; bat no one even thought of snipecting the tree -spending, hard-drinking, drug- soaked Williams. How could they? And so it c»e about that the Gray 1 enuran attended that meeting also ; as insidiously and as socreasfuDy as he had the one span Euphrosyne. It took longer, this time, td read the reports. notes, orders, addresses, and so on, for this was a Regional meeting, not merely a local one. However, the Lensman had ample time and was a fast reader withal: and in Worse! he hid as aide who amid tape the stuff as fast as be could tend it in. Wherefore, whew the meeting broke up Kkmxson was wcB rnwtrnr He had forged another link in enough was all too Kttle reassurance. Always the quintessence of good be- havior. Kinsisoo began to relax his barriers of reserve. He began to drink — to buy. at least — more and more. He had taken regularly a bole bent lam ; now. as thoogh bis win to moderation bad begun to go dovgj. he took larger and larger doses. It was not a signifi- cant fact to any one. except himself, that the nearer drew the time for a certain momentous meeting the more he appar- ently drank and the larger the doses of becthm became. Thus it was a purely unnoticed coin- cidence that it was upon the afternoon of the day during whose evening the conference was to be held that Williams’ quiet and gentlemanly drunkenness de- generated into a noisy and obstreperous carousal As a dimax he demanded — and obtained— the twenty-four units of bedlam which, his host knew, comprised his chain — was one link nearer to Boa- hone. his goal. As sooa as Kmnison could walk with- out staggering he sung he oat his host. He was adiamrd. embarrassed, bitterly and painfully humiliated ; bat be was still— -or again — an AMebmniaa gentle- man. He had made a resolution, and gentlemen of that planet did not take their gendemSneaa hghtly. “Fint, Mr. Crowin shield. I wish to apologise, most humbly, most pro- foundly, sir. for the fashion in which I have outraged your hospitality.'* He could slap down a girl and haH-lbO a guard without loss of self -esteem, bat no gentleman, however inebriated, should descend to such depths of commonness and vulgarity as be had plumbed here. Such conduct was tne-Tru sable “I have nothing whatever to say in defense or palliation of my conduct. I can only say that in order to spare yoc the task of ordering me out. I am I

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ISC ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION “Oh. come, Mr. William*, that is rot at all necessary. Anyone is ape to take a drop too touch occasionally. Really. my friend, you were not at all offensive, we hare not even entertained the thought of soot fearing us." Nor had he. The tea thtonad credits which the Imitnan had thrown away during his spree would hare condoned behavior a thousand times worse ; bat Citnmin- • hield did not refer to that. “Thank you for year coartesy, sir, hat I remember some of my actions, and I biash with shame." the Aldeharanian rejoined, stiffly. He was not to be mollified. "I coaid never look your other goests in the face again. I think, sir. that I can still be a gentleman ; bat until 1 am certain of the fad — anti! I know I can get drank as a gentleman shook! — I am going to change my name and disappear. Until a happier day, sir. good-by. “ Nothing coaid make the stiff-necked Williams change his mind, and lease be did. scattering fire-credit notes abroad as he departed. However, he did not go far. As he had explained so care- fully to Crowindneld. William Williams did disappear — forever. K mm von hoped ; he was all done with him — hit the Gray I -rr.vman made connect iocs with Worse L “Thanks, old man." Kmnisoe shook roe of the Velantian’s gnarled, hard lands, eves though Worse! never had had much use for that peculiarly human gesture. “Nice work. I won't need yoa for a while now, but I probably wiD later. If I succeed in getting the data I H Lens it to you as usual for record — lH be even less able than usual. I im- agine. to take recording apparatus with me. If 1 can't get it IH cart you any- way, to help me make ether arrange- ments. Clear ether, big fella f* “Luck. Kmniton." and the two Lens- men went their separate ways; Worse! to Prime Base, the Terturian on a long fij( indeed. Hr had not been surprised to learn that the Galactic Director eras not is the Galaxy proper, bat in a star duster; nor at the information that he whom be sought eras one Jake, a Ka- kxiian. Boskone. Kmnifcn thought, was a highly methodical soft of a chap— be marked out the best way to do any- thing. and then stuck by it through thick Kixxtsox was almost wrong there, for not long afterward Boskone was called in session and that very question was discussed seriously and at length. “Granted thaMhe Kalonians are good executives." the new Ninth of Boskone argued. “They are strong of mind and do produce results. It - cannot be claimed, however, that they are in any sense comparable to us of the Each. Firtitan was thinking of replacing Hel- moth. bat be pat off acting until it was too late. “There are many factors to consider,” the First replied, gravely. “The planet is cr.jnhabrtahir save for warm-blooded oxygen-breathers. The base is built foe such, and such is the entire personnel. Years of time went into the construction there. One of us could not work effi- ciently alone, insulated against its beat and its atmosphere. If the whole dome were conditioned for us. sec most needs train an entire new organization to man it. Then. too. the Kalonians hate to work well in hand and. with all doe re- spect to you and the other* of your mind, it is by no means certain that even Rich fin coold have saved Helmoth's base had he been there. Eichian's own doubt upon this point had much to do with his delay in acting. In the end it comes down to efficiency, and some Ka- lonians are efficient. Jahe is one. And. while it may seem as though 1 am boost- ing of my own selection of directors, please note that PreQin. the Kaloniax director upon Bronseca. seems to have been able to stop the advance of the Patrol." " ’Seems to' may be too exactly de-

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srripeive foe comfort." uid another, darkly. *Tiai » ilnn -a pouibilitjrr ni natcdol “hut whenever that Lrasman las farm able lo act. hr has acted. Our kernes* observers ran find no tract of bis activities rlsewbrtT. with the poui- Ur nfTjtiai o f the tnuf«nctiooia{ of the rtpmmmtil hyperspatial tube of ear aBn of Ddgon. S*«nej«f os Knt from the first considered that venture ■B adrtstd. premature . and its seitore by the Patrol smacks more of their able mathematical physicists than of a purely hypothetical, superhuman Lmsmas Therefore, it seems logical to assume that Prelim has stopped him. Our ob- servers report that the Patrol is loath lo ad illegally without evidence, and no evidence can be obtained. Business was bon. but Jake is reorgaruimg as rapidly *» “I still say that the Galactic Base should be rebuild and - manned by the Hack." Sine insisted. "It is our sole remaining Grand Headquarters there, and since it is both the brain of the peaceful conquest and the nucleus of our new nufitary organization, it should not be subjected to any unnecessary risk." "And you wiB. -of course, be glad to take that highly important command, man the dome with your own people, and* fare the fjewsman— if and when be comes — backed BF the forces of the Patrol ?" "Why . . . ah . . no." the Ninth managed. "I am of so much more use That's what we all think." the first said, cynically. "While I would Kite very much to welcome that hypothetical 1 enSnan here. I do not care to meet him npr« any other planet. I really behese. however. that any change in our organi- ration would weaken it seriously. Jake is capable, energetic, and is as well in- formed as i» anv rf us as (o the possi- Idties of invasinn by the I^nstnan or his Pal ft J Beyond asking him whether he needs anything, and sending him everything he may wish of supplies and of reinforrrn mas. I do not see how he can improve matters." TAN THAT M F V ANO *V0Vf.V AD'M^i ■ NOW... 4 LlKUlI^ NEWTW1M-A BC SUN 1 1 — Sosa; buys m

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CRAY LENSUAN 15* crack rd that one and he m pretty tore that be could crack this. Exploring!? he sent oat his sense of perception; nor vas be surprised to find that the whole aggregation of structures m screened. He had not thought that it would be as easy as that! He did negated to get inside the dome this time, as he was not going to work direct}? upon the personnel. Inside the screen anywhere would do. Hut how _ to gel there? The ground all arcxnsd the thing was Sat. as level as taoism lava weukj cool, and every inch of it was bathed in the white ghre of floodlights. They had observers, of coarse, and photo-ccSs, which were woree. Approach then, cither through the air or upon the ground, did not look to pmwwwng- That left only underground. Thry got water from somewhere — weQs. perhaps and their sewage wesn some- where tales* they asriise rated k, which was highly improbable There was a river over there, he’d see if there wasn’t a tnask sewer running into it somewhere. There was. There was also a place within easy flying distance to hide his speedster, an overhanging bank . of smooth black rock. The risk of his being seen was ml. anyway, (or (he only sntriBgcnt We left upon the planet in- habited the Boston an fortress and did not leave k. Donning his space- black, indetectahle armor. Kmmson flew down the river to the sewer's mouth. He lowered hxn- sdf into the placid scream and against the sluggish current of the sewer be made his way. The drivers of his smt were not as efficient m water as they were in air or in space, and in the dense median his pace was necessarily slow. Bis he was in no htjfry. It was fast enough — in a few hours he wai be- neath the stronghold. He thc.x began his study of the dome. It eras kke Heknuth's in seme ways, entirely different from it in others. There were fuOy as easy firing-sta- tions. each with it] operators ready at signal to energize and to direct the mart terrifically destructive agencies known to the science of the time. There were fewer vtsiplalcs and communicators, fewer catwalks; bat there were vastly more individual offices and there were ranks and tiers of fibng cabinets. There would hare to be ; this was headquarters for the organized illicit commerce of an entire galaxy. -There, m the familiar center, sat at hs great desk Jake the Kalousan. and beside him there sparkled the peculiar globe of force which the Imsnaw now knew was an intergalnctic “Ha f” Krnnison exclaimed trims phandy, if maorfihfy. to himself, “the real boa* of the outfit— Bontonc — u in the Second Galaxy T He would have to wait until that cons- mtaurafor went into acting. & it took a month. But in the mranrime there was plenty to do. Those cabinets af least were not thought-terrened. they held a B the really vital seems of the drag ring, and k would take many days to tnnnwit the Information which the Patrol mart hare if it were to make a one-htmdrrd- pcrccnt dean-up of the whole rwtksik He called Wood. and. upon being in- formed that the recorders were ready. he_ started in. QtaradrristieaBy, be began with Prdto of Bronseca. and memorized the data covering that wight as he traesuittrd k. The next one to go down upou the seed tape waa Crowo- iashidd of Tressiha. Having exhausted all the filed information upon the or- ganization controlled by those tiro Regional Directors, be took the rest of them in order. He had finished his real task and had practically finished a detailed survey of the entire Base Vfaen the force-ball com- municator burst into activity. Know-

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of the set itself. At rndd aot see the thiaf as a wholt. k m far loo imnit a structure for dm: so Kinaboo. to whom the deriee •at no larger than a hand, directed her to the £m grid lead. . A tioy thiaf. thread -that in from ; yet to the insect it was aa ordinary cable of stranded soft -metal wire. Her powerful mndiMei pried Joose one of the com- ponent strands and with very hale effort palled k away from its fellows beneath the bead of a birtdmf screw. The strand beat easily, aad as it toochcd the metal of the chassis the thoufbc- screen ran- . iaiintxated Instantly Jake's aad befan to dif for Exhcnsl eras his chief — ten of food, wentafcty wish hers smoothly, as be coaid do in the case of creatures jsf poser brain power, but he could hah- dk brr after a fashion At least she SMOKERS GENUINE DIAMONDS iiN u>rpovAi to MOfcIHS To S>A>

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