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diff --git a/22590-h/22590-h.htm b/22590-h/22590-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0640722 --- /dev/null +++ b/22590-h/22590-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1802 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Wind, by Charles L. Fontenay + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em;} + + h1,h2 {text-align: center; + clear: both;} + + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + + .trans1 {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; padding: 1em; text-align: justify;} + + .cpoem {margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; + font-style: italic; text-align: center; font-weight: bold;} + + p.cap:first-letter {float: left; clear: left; + margin: 0 0.1em 0 0; + padding:0; + line-height: .8em; font-size: 3em;} + + .theend {text-align: center; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 2em;} + + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Wind, by Charles Louis Fontenay + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Wind + +Author: Charles Louis Fontenay + +Release Date: September 12, 2007 [EBook #22590] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WIND *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + +<h1><big>WIND</big></h1> + +<h2>By CHARLES L. FONTENAY</h2> + + +<div class="cpoem">When you have an engine with no fuel, and fuel<br /> +without an engine, and a life-and-death deadline<br /> +to meet, you have a problem indeed. Unless you are<br /> +a stubborn Dutchman—and Jan Van Artevelde was<br /> +the stubbornest Dutchman on Venus.</div> + + +<p class="cap">JAN WILLEM van Artevelde +claimed descent from William +of Orange. He had no genealogy +to prove it, but on Venus there +was no one who could disprove it, +either.</p> + +<p>Jan Willem van Artevelde +smoked a clay pipe, which only a +Dutchman can do properly, because +the clay bit grates on less +stubborn teeth.</p> + +<p>Jan needed all his Dutch stubbornness, +and a good deal of pure +physical strength besides, to maneuver +the roach-flat groundcar +across the tumbled terrain of +Den Hoorn into the teeth of the +howling gale that swept from the +west. The huge wheels twisted +and jolted against the rocks outside, +and Jan bounced against his +seat belt, wrestled the steering +wheel and puffed at his <i>pijp</i>. The +mild aroma of Heerenbaai-Tabak +filled the airtight groundcar.</p> + +<p>There came a new swaying +that was not the roughness of +the terrain. Through the thick +windshield Jan saw all the +ground about him buckle and +heave for a second or two before +it settled to rugged quiescence +again. This time he was really +heaved about.</p> + +<p>Jan mentioned this to the +groundcar radio.</p> + +<p>"That's the third time in half +an hour," he commented. "The +place tosses like the IJsselmeer +on a rough day."</p> + +<p>"You just don't forget it <i>isn't</i> +the Zuider Zee," retorted Heemskerk +from the other end. "You +sink there and you don't come up +three times."</p> + +<p>"Don't worry," said Jan. "I'll +be back on time, with a broom at +the masthead."</p> + +<p>"This I shall want to see," +chuckled Heemskerk; a logical +reaction, considering the scarcity +of brooms on Venus.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Two hours earlier the two men +had sat across a small table playing +chess, with little indication +there would be anything else to +occupy their time before blastoff +of the stubby gravity-boat. It +would be their last chess game +for many months, for Jan was a +member of the Dutch colony at +Oostpoort in the northern hemisphere +of Venus, while Heemskerk +was pilot of the G-boat from +the Dutch spaceship <i>Vanderdecken</i>, +scheduled to begin an +Earthward orbit in a few hours.</p> + +<p>It was near the dusk of the +485-hour Venerian day, and the +Twilight Gale already had arisen, +sweeping from the comparatively +chill Venerian nightside into +the superheated dayside. Oostpoort, +established near some outcroppings +that contained uranium +ore, was protected from +both the Dawn Gale and the Twilight +Gale, for it was in a valley +in the midst of a small range of +mountains.</p> + +<p>Jan had just figured out a combination +by which he hoped to +cheat Heemskerk out of one of +his knights, when Dekker, the +<i>burgemeester</i> of Oostpoort, entered +the spaceport ready room.</p> + +<p>"There's been an emergency +radio message," said Dekker. +"They've got a passenger for the +Earthship over at Rathole."</p> + +<p>"Rathole?" repeated Heemskerk. +"What's that? I didn't +know there was another colony +within two thousand kilometers."</p> + +<p>"It isn't a colony, in the sense +Oostpoort is," explained Dekker. +"The people are the families of a +bunch of laborers left behind +when the colony folded several +years ago. It's about eighty kilometers +away, right across the +Hoorn, but they don't have any +vehicles that can navigate when +the wind's up."</p> + +<p>Heemskerk pushed his short-billed +cap back on his close-cropped +head, leaned back in his chair +and folded his hands over his +comfortable stomach.</p> + +<p>"Then the passenger will have +to wait for the next ship," he +pronounced. "The <i>Vanderdecken</i> +has to blast off in thirty hours to +catch Earth at the right orbital +spot, and the G-boat has to blast +off in ten hours to catch the <i>Vanderdecken</i>."</p> + +<p>"This passenger can't wait," +said Dekker. "He needs to be +evacuated to Earth immediately. +He's suffering from the Venus +Shadow."</p> + +<p>Jan whistled softly. He had +seen the effects of that disease. +Dekker was right.</p> + +<p>"Jan, you're the best driver in +Oostpoort," said Dekker. "You +will have to take a groundcar to +Rathole and bring the fellow +back."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>So now Jan gripped his clay +pipe between his teeth and piloted +the groundcar into the teeth +of the Twilight Gale.</p> + +<p>Den Hoorn was a comparatively +flat desert sweep that ran +along the western side of the +Oost Mountains, just over the +mountain from Oostpoort. It was +a thin fault area of a planet +whose crust was peculiarly subject +to earthquakes, particularly +at the beginning and end of each +long day when temperatures of +the surface rocks changed. On +the other side of it lay Rathole, a +little settlement that eked a precarious +living from the Venerian +vegetation. Jan never had seen it.</p> + +<p>He had little difficulty driving +up and over the mountain, for the +Dutch settlers had carved a +rough road through the ravines. +But even the 2½-meter wheels of +the groundcar had trouble amid +the tumbled rocks of Den Hoorn. +The wind hit the car in full +strength here and, though the +body of the groundcar was suspended +from the axles, there was +constant danger of its being flipped +over by a gust if not handled +just right.</p> + +<p>The three earthshocks that had +shaken Den Hoorn since he had +been driving made his task no +easier, but he was obviously +lucky, at that. Often he had to +detour far from his course to +skirt long, deep cracks in the +surface, or steep breaks where +the crust had been raised or +dropped several meters by past +quakes.</p> + +<p>The groundcar zig-zagged +slowly westward. The tattered +violet-and-indigo clouds boiled +low above it, but the wind was as +dry as the breath of an oven. +Despite the heavy cloud cover, +the afternoon was as bright as +an Earth-day. The thermometer +showed the outside temperature +to have dropped to 40 degrees +Centigrade in the west wind, and +it was still going down.</p> + +<p>Jan reached the edge of a +crack that made further progress +seem impossible. A hundred +meters wide, of unknown depth, +it stretched out of sight in both +directions. For the first time he +entertained serious doubts that +Den Hoorn could be crossed by +land.</p> + +<p>After a moment's hesitation, +he swung the groundcar northward +and raced along the edge of +the chasm as fast as the car +would negotiate the terrain. He +looked anxiously at his watch. +Nearly three hours had passed +since he left Oostpoort. He had +seven hours to go and he was +still at least 16 kilometers from +Rathole. His pipe was out, but +he could not take his hands +from the wheel to refill it.</p> + +<p>He had driven at least eight +kilometers before he realized +that the crack was narrowing. +At least as far again, the two +edges came together, but not at +the same level. A sheer cliff +three meters high now barred +his passage. He drove on.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Apparently it was the result +of an old quake. He found a spot +where rocks had tumbled down, +making a steep, rough ramp up +the break. He drove up it and +turned back southwestward.</p> + +<p>He made it just in time. He +had driven less than three hundred +meters when a quake more +severe than any of the others +struck. Suddenly behind him the +break reversed itself, so that +where he had climbed up coming +westward he would now +have to climb a cliff of equal +height returning eastward.</p> + +<p>The ground heaved and buckled +like a tempestuous sea. +Rocks rolled and leaped through +the air, several large ones striking +the groundcar with ominous +force. The car staggered forward +on its giant wheels like a +drunken man. The quake was so +violent that at one time the vehicle +was hurled several meters +sideways, and almost overturned. +And the wind smashed down +on it unrelentingly.</p> + +<p>The quake lasted for several +minutes, during which Jan was +able to make no progress at all +and struggled only to keep the +groundcar upright. Then, in unison, +both earthquake and wind +died to absolute quiescence.</p> + +<p>Jan made use of this calm to +step down on the accelerator and +send the groundcar speeding +forward. The terrain was easier +here, nearing the western edge +of Den Hoorn, and he covered +several kilometers before the +wind struck again, cutting his +speed down considerably. He +judged he must be nearing Rathole.</p> + +<p>Not long thereafter, he rounded +an outcropping of rock and it +lay before him.</p> + +<p>A wave of nostalgia swept +over him. Back at Oostpoort, the +power was nuclear, but this little +settlement made use of the +cheapest, most obviously available +power source. It was dotted +with more than a dozen windmills.</p> + +<p>Windmills! Tears came to +Jan's eyes. For a moment, he +was carried back to the flat +lands around 's Gravenhage. For +a moment he was a tow-headed, +round-eyed boy again, clumping +in wooden shoes along the edge +of the tulip fields.</p> + +<p>But there were no canals here. +The flat land, stretching into the +darkening west, was spotted +with patches of cactus and +leather-leaved Venerian plants. +Amid the windmills, low domes +protruded from the earth, indicating +that the dwellings of Rathole +were, appropriately, partly +underground.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>He drove into the place. There +were no streets, as such, but +there were avenues between lines +of heavy chains strung to short +iron posts, evidently as handholds +against the wind. The savage +gale piled dust and sand in +drifts against the domes, then, +shifting slightly, swept them +clean again.</p> + +<p>There was no one moving +abroad, but just inside the community +Jan found half a dozen +men in a group, clinging to one +of the chains and waving to him. +He pulled the groundcar to a +stop beside them, stuck his pipe +in a pocket of his plastic venusuit, +donned his helmet and +got out.</p> + +<p>The wind almost took him +away before one of them grabbed +him and he was able to +grasp the chain himself. They +gathered around him. They were +swarthy, black-eyed men, with +curly hair. One of them grasped +his hand.</p> + +<p>"<i>Bienvenido, señor</i>," said the +man.</p> + +<p>Jan recoiled and dropped the +man's hand. All the Orangeman +blood he claimed protested in +outrage.</p> + +<p>Spaniards! All these men were +Spaniards!</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Jan recovered himself at once. +He had been reading too much +ancient history during his leisure +hours. The hot monotony of +Venus was beginning to affect +his brain. It had been 500 years +since the Netherlands revolted +against Spanish rule. A lot of +water over the dam since then.</p> + +<p>A look at the men around him, +the sound of their chatter, convinced +him that he need not try +German or Hollandsch here. He +fell back on the international +language.</p> + +<p>"Do you speak English?" he +asked. The man brightened but +shook his head.</p> + +<p>"<i>No hablo inglés</i>," he said, +"<i>pero el médico lo habla. Venga +conmigo.</i>"</p> + +<p>He gestured for Jan to follow +him and started off, pulling his +way against the wind along the +chain. Jan followed, and the +other men fell in behind in single +file. A hundred meters farther +on, they turned, descended +some steps and entered one of +the half-buried domes. A gray-haired, +bearded man was in the +well-lighted room, apparently +the living room of a home, with +a young woman.</p> + +<p>"<i>Él médico</i>," said the man who +had greeted Jan, gesturing. "<i>Él +habla inglés.</i>"</p> + +<p>He went out, shutting the airlock +door behind him.</p> + +<p>"You must be the man from +Oostpoort," said the bearded +man, holding out his hand. "I +am Doctor Sanchez. We are very +grateful you have come."</p> + +<p>"I thought for a while I +wouldn't make it," said Jan ruefully, +removing his venushelmet.</p> + +<p>"This is Mrs. Murillo," said +Sanchez.</p> + +<p>The woman was a Spanish +blonde, full-lipped and beautiful, +with golden hair and dark, liquid +eyes. She smiled at Jan.</p> + +<p>"<i>Encantada de conocerlo, +señor</i>," she greeted him.</p> + +<p>"Is this the patient, Doctor?" +asked Jan, astonished. She looked +in the best of health.</p> + +<p>"No, the patient is in the next +room," answered Sanchez.</p> + +<p>"Well, as much as I'd like to +stop for a pipe, we'd better start +at once," said Jan. "It's a hard +drive back, and blastoff can't be +delayed."</p> + +<p>The woman seemed to sense +his meaning. She turned and +called: "<i>Diego!</i>"</p> + +<p>A boy appeared in the door, a +dark-skinned, sleepy-eyed boy of +about eight. He yawned. Then, +catching sight of the big Dutchman, +he opened his eyes wide +and smiled.</p> + +<p>The boy was healthy-looking, +alert, but the mark of the Venus +Shadow was on his face. There +was a faint mottling, a criss-cross +of dead-white lines.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Murillo spoke to him rapidly +in Spanish and he nodded. +She zipped him into a venusuit +and fitted a small helmet on his +head.</p> + +<p>"Good luck, <i>amigo</i>," said Sanchez, +shaking Jan's hand again.</p> + +<p>"Thanks," replied Jan. He donned +his own helmet. "I'll need it, +if the trip over was any indication."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Jan and Diego made their way +back down the chain to the +groundcar. There was a score of +men there now, and a few +women. They let the pair go +through, and waved farewell as +Jan swung the groundcar around +and headed back eastward.</p> + +<p>It was easier driving with the +wind behind him, and Jan hit a +hundred kilometers an hour several +times before striking the +rougher ground of Den Hoorn. +Now, if he could only find a way +over the bluff raised by that last +quake....</p> + +<p>The ground of Den Hoorn was +still shivering. Jan did not realize +this until he had to brake the +groundcar almost to a stop at one +point, because it was not shaking +in severe, periodic shocks as it +had earlier. It quivered constantly, +like the surface of quicksand.</p> + +<p>The ground far ahead of him +had a strange color to it. Jan, +watching for the cliff he had to +skirt and scale, had picked up +speed over some fairly even terrain, +but now he slowed again, +puzzled. There was something +wrong ahead. He couldn't quite +figure it out.</p> + +<p>Diego, beside him, had sat +quietly so far, peering eagerly +through the windshield, not saying +a word. Now suddenly he +cried in a high thin tenor:</p> + +<p>"<i>Cuidado! Cuidado! Un abismo!</i>"</p> + +<p>Jim saw it at the same time +and hit the brakes so hard the +groundcar would have stood on +its nose had its wheels been +smaller. They skidded to a stop.</p> + +<p>The chasm that had caused +him such a long detour before +had widened, evidently in the big +quake that had hit earlier. Now +it was a canyon, half a kilometer +wide. Five meters from the edge +he looked out over blank space +at the far wall, and could not see +the bottom.</p> + +<p>Cursing choice Dutch profanity, +Jan wheeled the groundcar +northward and drove along the +edge of the abyss as fast as he +could. He wasted half an hour before +realizing that it was getting +no narrower.</p> + +<p>There was no point in going +back southward. It might be a +hundred kilometers long or a +thousand, but he never could +reach the end of it and thread +the tumbled rocks of Den Hoorn +to Oostpoort before the G-boat +blastoff.</p> + +<p>There was nothing to do but +turn back to Rathole and see if +some other way could not be +found.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Jan sat in the half-buried room +and enjoyed the luxury of a pipe +filled with some of Theodorus +Neimeijer's mild tobacco. Before +him, Dr. Sanchez sat with crossed +legs, cleaning his fingernails +with a scalpel. Diego's mother +talked to the boy in low, liquid +tones in a corner of the room.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Jan was at a loss to know how +people whose technical knowledge +was as skimpy as it obviously +was in Rathole were able to build +these semi-underground domes to +resist the earth shocks that came +from Den Hoorn. But this one +showed no signs of stress. A religious +print and a small pencil +sketch of Señora Murillo, probably +done by the boy, were awry +on the inward-curving walls, but +that was all.</p> + +<p>Jan felt justifiably exasperated +at these Spanish-speaking people.</p> + +<p>"If some effort had been made +to take the boy to Oostpoort from +here, instead of calling on us to +send a car, Den Hoorn could have +been crossed before the crack +opened," he pointed out.</p> + +<p>"An effort was made," replied +Sanchez quietly. "Perhaps you do +not fully realize our position +here. We have no engines except +the stationary generators that +give us current for our air-conditioning +and our utilities. They +are powered by the windmills. We +do not have gasoline engines for +vehicles, so our vehicles are operated +by hand."</p> + +<p>"You push them?" demanded +Jan incredulously.</p> + +<p>"No. You've seen pictures of +the pump-cars that once were +used on terrestrial railroads? +Ours are powered like that, but +we cannot operate them when the +Venerian wind is blowing. By the +time I diagnosed the Venus Shadow +in Diego, the wind was coming +up, and we had no way to get +him to Oostpoort."</p> + +<p>"Mmm," grunted Jan. He +shifted uncomfortably and looked +at the pair in the corner. The +blonde head was bent over the +boy protectingly, and over his +mother's shoulder Diego's black +eyes returned Jan's glance.</p> + +<p>"If the disease has just started, +the boy could wait for the +next Earth ship, couldn't he?" +asked Jan.</p> + +<p>"I said I had just diagnosed it, +not that it had just started, +<i>señor</i>," corrected Sanchez. "As +you know, the trip to Earth takes +145 days and it can be started +only when the two planets are at +the right position in their orbits. +Have you ever seen anyone die +of the Venus Shadow?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have," replied Jan in a +low voice. He had seen two people +die of it, and it had not been +pleasant.</p> + +<p>Medical men thought it was a +deficiency disease, but they had +not traced down the deficiency responsible. +Treatment by vitamins, +diet, antibiotics, infrared +and ultraviolet rays, all were useless. +The only thing that could +arrest and cure the disease was +removal from the dry, cloud-hung +surface of Venus and return to a +moist, sunny climate on Earth.</p> + +<p>Without that treatment, once +the typical mottled texture of the +skin appeared, the flesh rapidly +deteriorated and fell away in +chunks. The victim remained unfevered +and agonizingly conscious +until the degeneration +reached a vital spot.</p> + +<p>"If you have," said Sanchez, +"you must realize that Diego cannot +wait for a later ship, if his +life is to be saved. He must get +to Earth at once."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Jan puffed at the Heerenbaai-Tabak +and cogitated. The place +was aptly named. It was a ratty +community. The boy was a dark-skinned +little Spaniard—of Mexican +origin, perhaps. But he was +a boy, and a human being.</p> + +<p>A thought occurred to him. +From what he had seen and +heard, the entire economy of Rathole +could not support the tremendous +expense of sending the +boy across the millions of miles +to Earth by spaceship.</p> + +<p>"Who's paying his passage?" +he asked. "The Dutch Central +Venus Company isn't exactly a +charitable institution."</p> + +<p>"Your <i>Señor</i> Dekker said that +would be taken care of," replied +Sanchez.</p> + +<p>Jan relit his pipe silently, making +a mental resolution that Dekker +wouldn't take care of it alone. +Salaries for Venerian service +were high, and many of the men +at Oostpoort would contribute +readily to such a cause.</p> + +<p>"Who is Diego's father?" he +asked.</p> + +<p>"He was Ramón Murillo, a very +good mechanic," answered Sanchez, +with a sliding sidelong +glance at Jan's face. "He has +been dead for three years."</p> + +<p>Jan grunted.</p> + +<p>"The copters at Oostpoort can't +buck this wind," he said thoughtfully, +"or I'd have come in one of +those in the first place instead of +trying to cross Den Hoorn by +land. But if you have any sort of +aircraft here, it might make it +downwind—if it isn't wrecked on +takeoff."</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid not," said Sanchez.</p> + +<p>"Too bad. There's nothing we +can do, then. The nearest settlement +west of here is more than +a thousand kilometers away, and +I happen to know they have no +planes, either. Just copters. So +that's no help."</p> + +<p>"Wait," said Sanchez, lifting +the scalpel and tilting his head. +"I believe there is something, +though we cannot use it. This +was once an American naval base, +and the people here were civilian +employes who refused to move +north with it. There was a flying +machine they used for short-range +work, and one was left behind—probably +with a little help +from the people of the settlement. +But...."</p> + +<p>"What kind of machine? Copter +or plane?"</p> + +<p>"They call it a flying platform. +It carries two men, I believe. +But, <i>señor</i>...."</p> + +<p>"I know them. I've operated +them, before I left Earth. Man, +you don't expect me to try to fly +one of those little things in this +wind? They're tricky as they can +be, and the passengers are absolutely +unprotected!"</p> + +<p>"<i>Señor</i>, I have asked you to do +nothing."</p> + +<p>"No, you haven't," muttered +Jan. "But you know I'll do it."</p> + +<p>Sanchez looked into his face, +smiling faintly and a little sadly.</p> + +<p>"I was sure you would be willing," +he said. He turned and +spoke in Spanish to Mrs. Murillo.</p> + +<p>The woman rose to her feet +and came to them. As Jan arose, +she looked up at him, tears in +her eyes.</p> + +<p>"<i>Gracias</i>," she murmured. "<i>Un +millón de gracias.</i>"</p> + +<p>She lifted his hands in hers +and kissed them.</p> + +<p>Jan disengaged himself gently, +embarrassed. But it occurred to +him, looking down on the bowed +head of the beautiful young +widow, that he might make some +flying trips back over here in his +leisure time. Language barriers +were not impassable, and feminine +companionship might cure +his neurotic, history-born distaste +for Spaniards, for more +than one reason.</p> + +<p>Sanchez was tugging at his +elbow.</p> + +<p>"<i>Señor</i>, I have been trying to +tell you," he said. "It is generous +and good of you, and I wanted +<i>Señora</i> Murillo to know what a +brave man you are. But have you +forgotten that we have no gasoline +engines here? There is no +fuel for the flying platform."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The platform was in a warehouse +which, like the rest of the +structures in Rathole, was a +half-buried dome. The platform's +ring-shaped base was less than a +meter thick, standing on four +metal legs. On top of it, in the +center, was a railed circle that +would hold two men, but would +crowd them. Two small gasoline +engines sat on each side of this +railed circle and between them on +a third side was the fuel tank. +The passengers entered it on the +fourth side.</p> + +<p>The machine was dusty and +spotted with rust, Jan, surrounded +by Sanchez, Diego and a dozen +men, inspected it thoughtfully. +The letters USN*SES were +painted in white on the platform +itself, and each engine bore the +label "Hiller."</p> + +<p>Jan peered over the edge of the +platform at the twin-ducted fans +in their plastic shrouds. They +appeared in good shape. Each +was powered by one of the engines, +transmitted to it by heavy +rubber belts.</p> + +<p>Jan sighed. It was an unhappy +situation. As far as he could determine, +without making tests, +the engines were in perfect condition. +Two perfectly good engines, +and no fuel for them.</p> + +<p>"You're sure there's no gasoline, +anywhere in Rathole?" he +asked Sanchez.</p> + +<p>Sanchez smiled ruefully, as he +had once before, at Jan's appellation +for the community. The inhabitants' +term for it was simply +"<i>La Ciudad Nuestra</i>"—"Our +Town." But he made no protest. +He turned to one of the other +men and talked rapidly for a few +moments in Spanish.</p> + +<p>"None, <i>señor</i>," he said, turning +back to Jan. "The Americans, of +course, kept much of it when +they were here, but the few +things we take to Oostpoort to +trade could not buy precious gasoline. +We have electricity in +plenty if you can power the platform +with it."</p> + +<p>Jan thought that over, trying +to find a way.</p> + +<p>"No, it wouldn't work," he +said. "We could rig batteries on +the platform and electric motors +to turn the propellers. But batteries +big enough to power it all +the way to Oostpoort would be +so heavy the machine couldn't lift +them off the ground. If there +were some way to carry a power +line all the way to Oostpoort, or +to broadcast the power to it.... +But it's a light-load machine, +and must have an engine that +gives it the necessary power from +very little weight."</p> + +<p>Wild schemes ran through his +head. If they were on water, instead +of land, he could rig up a +sail. He could still rig up a sail, +for a groundcar, except for the +chasm out on Den Hoorn.</p> + +<p>The groundcar! Jan straightened +and snapped his fingers.</p> + +<p>"Doctor!" he explained. "Send +a couple of men to drain the rest +of the fuel from my groundcar. +And let's get this platform above +ground and tie it down until we +can get it started."</p> + +<p>Sanchez gave rapid orders in +Spanish. Two of the men left at a +run, carrying five-gallon cans +with them.</p> + +<p>Three others picked up the +platform and carried it up a ramp +and outside. As soon as they +reached ground level, the wind +hit them. They dropped the platform +to the ground, where it +shuddered and swayed momentarily, +and two of the men fell +successfully on their stomachs. +The wind caught the third and +somersaulted him half a dozen +times before he skidded to a stop +on his back with outstretched +arms and legs. He turned over +cautiously and crawled back to +them.</p> + +<p>Jan, his head just above +ground level, surveyed the terrain. +There was flat ground to +the east, clear in a fairly broad +alley for at least half a kilometer +before any of the domes protruded +up into it.</p> + +<p>"This is as good a spot for +takeoff as we'll find," he said to +Sanchez.</p> + +<p>The men put three heavy ropes +on the platform's windward rail +and secured it by them to the +heavy chain that ran by the +dome. The platform quivered and +shuddered in the heavy wind, but +its base was too low for it to +overturn.</p> + +<p>Shortly the two men returned +with the fuel from the groundcar, +struggling along the chain. +Jan got above ground in a +crouch, clinging to the rail of the +platform, and helped them fill +the fuel tank with it. He primed +the carburetors and spun the +engines.</p> + +<p>Nothing happened.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>He turned the engines over +again. One of them coughed, and +a cloud of blue smoke burst from +its exhaust, but they did not +catch.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter, <i>señor</i>?" +asked Sanchez from the dome entrance.</p> + +<p>"I don't know," replied Jan. +"Maybe it's that the engines +haven't been used in so long. I'm +afraid I'm not a good enough +mechanic to tell."</p> + +<p>"Some of these men were good +mechanics when the navy was +here," said Sanchez. "Wait."</p> + +<p>He turned and spoke to someone +in the dome. One of the men +of Rathole came to Jan's side and +tried the engines. They refused +to catch. The man made carburetor +adjustments and tried +again. No success.</p> + +<p>He sniffed, took the cap from +the fuel tank and stuck a finger +inside. He withdrew it, wet and +oily, and examined it. He turned +and spoke to Sanchez.</p> + +<p>"He says that your groundcar +must have a diesel engine," Sanchez +interpreted to Jan. "Is that +correct?"</p> + +<p>"Why, yes, that's true."</p> + +<p>"He says the fuel will not work +then, <i>señor</i>. He says it is low-grade +fuel and the platform must +have high octane gasoline."</p> + +<p>Jan threw up his hands and +went back into the dome.</p> + +<p>"I should have known that," he +said unhappily. "I would have +known if I had thought of it."</p> + +<p>"What is to be done, then?" +asked Sanchez.</p> + +<p>"There's nothing that can be +done," answered Jan. "They may +as well put the fuel back in my +groundcar."</p> + +<p>Sanchez called orders to the +men at the platform. While they +worked, Jan stared out at the +furiously spinning windmills that +dotted Rathole.</p> + +<p>"There's nothing that can be +done," he repeated. "We can't +make the trip overland because +of the chasm out there in Den +Hoorn, and we can't fly the platform +because we have no power +for it."</p> + +<p>Windmills. Again Jan could +imagine the flat land around +them as his native Holland, with +the Zuider Zee sparkling to the +west where here the desert +stretched under darkling clouds.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Jan looked at his watch. A +little more than two hours before +the G-boat's blastoff time, and it +couldn't wait for them. It was +nearly eight hours since he had +left Oostpoort, and the afternoon +was getting noticeably +darker.</p> + +<p>Jan was sorry. He had done his +best, but Venus had beaten him.</p> + +<p>He looked around for Diego. +The boy was not in the dome. He +was outside, crouched in the lee +of the dome, playing with some +sticks.</p> + +<p>Diego must know of his ailment, +and why he had to go to +Oostpoort. If Jan was any judge +of character, Sanchez would have +told him that. Whether Diego +knew it was a life-or-death matter +for him to be aboard the +<i>Vanderdecken</i> when it blasted +off for Earth, Jan did not know. +But the boy was around eight +years old and he was bright, and +he must realize the seriousness +involved in a decision to send him +all the way to Earth.</p> + +<p>Jan felt ashamed of the exuberant +foolishness which had +led him to spout ancient history +and claim descent from William +of Orange. It had been a hobby, +and artificial topic for conversation +that amused him and his +companions, a defense against +the monotony of Venus that had +begun to affect his personality +perhaps a bit more than he realized. +He did not dislike Spaniards; +he had no reason to dislike +them. They were all humans—the +Spanish, the Dutch, the Germans, +the Americans, even the +Russians—fighting a hostile +planet together. He could not understand +a word Diego said when +the boy spoke to him, but he +liked Diego and wished desperately +he could do something.</p> + +<p>Outside, the windmills of Rathole +spun merrily.</p> + +<p>There was power, the power +that lighted and air-conditioned +Rathole, power in the air all +around them. If he could only use +it! But to turn the platform on +its side and let the wind spin the +propellers was pointless.</p> + +<p>He turned to Sanchez.</p> + +<p>"Ask the men if there are any +spare parts for the platform," he +said. "Some of those legs it +stands on, transmission belts, +spare propellers."</p> + +<p>Sanchez asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes," he said. "Many spare +parts, but no fuel."</p> + +<p>Jan smiled a tight smile.</p> + +<p>"Tell them to take the engines +out," he said. "Since we have no +fuel, we may as well have no +engines."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Pieter Heemskerk stood by the +ramp to the stubby G-boat and +checked his watch. It was X +minus fifteen—fifteen minutes +before blastoff time.</p> + +<p>Heemskerk wore a spacesuit. +Everything was ready, except +climbing aboard, closing the airlock +and pressing the firing pin.</p> + +<p>What on Venus could have happened +to Van Artevelde? The last +radio message they had received, +more than an hour ago, had said +he and the patient took off successfully +in an aircraft. What +sort of aircraft could he be flying +that would require an hour to +cover eighty kilometers, with the +wind?</p> + +<p>Heemskerk could only draw the +conclusion that the aircraft had +been wrecked somewhere in Den +Hoorn. As a matter of fact, he +knew that preparations were being +made now to send a couple of +groundcars out to search for it.</p> + +<p>This, of course, would be too +late to help the patient Van Artevelde +was bringing, but Heemskerk +had no personal interest in +the patient. His worry was all for +his friend. The two of them had +enjoyed chess and good beer together +on his last three trips to +Venus, and Heemskerk hoped +very sincerely that the big blond +man wasn't hurt.</p> + +<p>He glanced at his watch again. +X minus twelve. In two minutes, +it would be time for him to walk +up the ramp into the G-boat. In +seven minutes the backward +count before blastoff would start +over the area loudspeakers.</p> + +<p>Heemskerk shook his head sadly. +And Van Artevelde had promised +to come back triumphant, +with a broom at his masthead!</p> + +<p>It was a high thin whine borne +on the wind, carrying even +through the walls of his spacehelmet, +that attracted Heemskerk's +attention and caused him +to pause with his foot on the +ramp. Around him, the rocket +mechanics were staring up at the +sky, trying to pinpoint the noise.</p> + +<p>Heemskerk looked westward. +At first he could see nothing, +then there was a moving dot +above the mountain, against the +indigo umbrella of clouds. It +grew, it swooped, it approached +and became a strange little flying +disc with two people standing on +it and <i>something</i> sticking up +from its deck in front of them.</p> + +<p>A broom?</p> + +<p>No. The platform hovered and +began to settle nearby, and there +was Van Artevelde leaning over +its rail and fiddling frantically +with whatever it was that stuck +up on it—a weird, angled contraption +of pipes and belts topped +by a whirring blade. A boy stood +at his shoulder and tried to help +him. As the platform descended +to a few meters above ground, +the Dutchman slashed at the contraption, +the cut ends of belts +whipped out wildly and the platform +slid to the ground with a +rush. It hit with a clatter and its +two passengers tumbled prone to +the ground.</p> + +<p>"Jan!" boomed Heemskerk, +forcing his voice through the helmet +diaphragm and rushing over +to his friend. "I was afraid you +were lost!"</p> + +<p>Jan struggled to his feet and +leaned down to help the boy up.</p> + +<p>"Here's your patient, Pieter," +he said. "Hope you have a spacesuit +in his size."</p> + +<p>"I can find one. And we'll have +to hurry for blastoff. But, first, +what happened? Even that +damned thing ought to get here +from Rathole faster than that."</p> + +<p>"Had no fuel," replied Jan +briefly. "My engines were all +right, but I had no power to run +them. So I had to pull the engines +and rig up a power source."</p> + +<p>Heemskerk stared at the platform. +On its railing was rigged a +tripod of battered metal pipes, +atop which a big four-blade propeller +spun slowly in what wind +was left after it came over the +western mountain. Over the +edges of the platform, running +from the two propellers in its +base, hung a series of tattered +transmission belts.</p> + +<p>"Power source?" repeated +Heemskerk. "That?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly," replied Jan with +dignity. "The power source any +good Dutchman turns to in an +emergency: a windmill!"</p> + + +<p class="theend">THE END</p> + + + + +<div class="trans1"><b>Transcriber's Note:</b><br /> + +This etext was produced from <i>Amazing Science Fiction Stories</i> +April 1959. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that +the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. +Minor spelling and typographical errors +have been corrected without note.</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Wind, by Charles Louis Fontenay + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WIND *** + +***** This file should be named 22590-h.htm or 22590-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/5/9/22590/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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