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Fyfe + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + body { margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + + h1 { text-align: right; + clear: both; + line-height: 175%; + } + + blockquote { width: 20em; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: right; margin: 3em 0em 3em auto; } + + em, i, cite { font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; } + + hr { display: none; } + + p.dropcap { margin-top: 4em; } + p.dropcap:first-letter { float: left; + clear: left; + margin: -0.1em 0.2em 0 0; + padding: 0; + font-size: 200%; + } + + .tnote { width: 30em; + border: 1px dashed #808080; + background-color: #f6f6f6; + text-align: justify; + padding: 0.5em; + margin: 80px auto 80px auto; + } +// --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Talkative Tree, by Horace Brown Fyfe + +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: The Talkative Tree + +Author: Horace Brown Fyfe + +Release Date: December 8, 2007 [EBook #23767] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALKATIVE TREE *** + + + + +Produced by Robert Cicconetti, Jana Srna and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<p style="text-align: right; margin-top: 80px; margin-bottom: 2em;"><big style="font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold;">By H. B. Fyfe</big></p> + + +<h1>THE TALKATIVE<br/> +TREE</h1> + + +<blockquote><p>Dang vines! Beats all how some plants +have no manners—but what do you expect, +when they used to be men!</p></blockquote> + + +<p class="dropcap"><span style="text-transform: uppercase;">All</span> things considered—the +obscure star, the undetermined +damage to the +stellar drive and the way the +small planet's murky atmosphere +defied precision scanners—the +pilot made a reasonably +good landing. Despite +sour feelings for the space +service of Haurtoz, steward +Peter Kolin had to admit that +casualties might have been +far worse.</p> + +<p>Chief Steward Slichow led +his little command, less two +third-class ration keepers +thought to have been trapped +in the lower hold, to a point +two hundred meters from the +steaming hull of the <i>Peace +State</i>. He lined them up as if +on parade. Kolin made himself +inconspicuous.</p> + +<p>"Since the crew will be on +emergency watches repairing +the damage," announced the +Chief in clipped, aggressive +tones, "I have volunteered my +section for preliminary scouting, +as is suitable. It may be +useful to discover temporary +sources in this area of natural +foods."</p> + +<p><em>Volunteered HIS section!</em> +thought Kolin rebelliously.</p> + +<p><em>Like the Supreme Director +of Haurtoz! Being conscripted +into this idiotic space fleet +that never fights is bad +enough without a tin god on +jets like Slichow!</em></p> + +<p>Prudently, he did not express +this resentment overtly.</p> + +<p>His well-schooled features +revealed no trace of the idea—or +of any other idea. The +Planetary State of Haurtoz +had been organized some fifteen +light-years from old +Earth, but many of the home +world's less kindly techniques +had been employed. Lack of +complete loyalty to the state +was likely to result in a siege +of treatment that left the subject +suitably "re-personalized." +Kolin had heard of instances +wherein mere unenthusiastic +posture had betrayed +intentions to harbor +treasonable thoughts.</p> + +<p>"You will scout in five details +of three persons each," +Chief Slichow said. "Every +hour, each detail will send +one person in to report, and +he will be replaced by one of +the five I shall keep here to +issue rations."</p> + +<p>Kolin permitted himself to +wonder when anyone might +get some rest, but assumed a +mildly willing look. (Too eager +an attitude could arouse +suspicion of disguising an improper +viewpoint.) The maintenance +of a proper viewpoint +was a necessity if the Planetary +State were to survive +the hostile plots of Earth and +the latter's decadent colonies. +That, at least, was the official +line.</p> + +<p>Kolin found himself in a +group with Jak Ammet, a +third cook, and Eva Yrtok, +powdered foods storekeeper. +Since the crew would be eating +packaged rations during +repairs, Yrtok could be spared +to command a scout detail.</p> + +<p>Each scout was issued a +rocket pistol and a plastic water +tube. Chief Slichow emphasized +that the keepers of +rations could hardly, in an +emergency, give even the appearance +of favoring themselves +in regard to food. They +would go without. Kolin +maintained a standard expression +as the Chief's sharp +stare measured them.</p> + +<p>Yrtok, a dark, lean-faced +girl, led the way with a quiet +monosyllable. She carried the +small radio they would be +permitted to use for messages +of utmost urgency. Ammet +followed, and Kolin brought +up the rear.</p> + +<hr/> + +<p class="dropcap"><span style="text-transform: uppercase;">To</span> reach their assigned +sector, they had to climb +a forbidding ridge of rock +within half a kilometer. Only +a sparse creeper grew along +their way, its elongated leaves +shimmering with bronze-green +reflections against a +stony surface; but when they +topped the ridge a thick forest +was in sight.</p> + +<p>Yrtok and Ammet paused +momentarily before descending.</p> + +<p>Kolin shared their sense of +isolation. They would be out +of sight of authority and responsible +for their own actions. +It was a strange sensation.</p> + +<p>They marched down into +the valley at a brisk pace, becoming +more aware of the +clouds and atmospheric haze. +Distant objects seemed +blurred by the mist, taking on +a somber, brooding grayness. +For all Kolin could tell, he +and the others were isolated +in a world bounded by the +rocky ridge behind them and +a semi-circle of damp trees +and bushes several hundred +meters away. He suspected +that the hills rising mistily +ahead were part of a continuous +slope, but could not be +sure.</p> + +<p>Yrtok led the way along +the most nearly level ground. +Low creepers became more +plentiful, interspersed with +scrubby thickets of tangled, +spike-armored bushes. Occasionally, +small flying things +flickered among the foliage. +Once, a shrub puffed out an +enormous cloud of tiny +spores.</p> + +<p>"Be a job to find anything +edible here," grunted Ammet, +and Kolin agreed.</p> + +<p>Finally, after a longer hike +than he had anticipated, they +approached the edge of the +deceptively distant forest. +Yrtok paused to examine some +purple berries glistening dangerously +on a low shrub. Kolin +regarded the trees with +misgiving.</p> + +<p>"Looks as tough to get +through as a tropical jungle," +he remarked.</p> + +<p>"I think the stuff puts out +shoots that grow back into +the ground to root as they +spread," said the woman. +"Maybe we can find a way +through."</p> + +<p>In two or three minutes, +they reached the abrupt border +of the odd-looking trees.</p> + +<p>Except for one thick +trunked giant, all of them +were about the same height. +They craned their necks to estimate +the altitude of the +monster, but the top was hidden +by the wide spread of +branches. The depths behind +it looked dark and impenetrable.</p> + +<p>"We'd better explore along +the edge," decided Yrtok. +"Ammet, now is the time to +go back and tell the Chief +which way we're—<em>Ammet!</em>"</p> + +<p>Kolin looked over his shoulder. +Fifty meters away, Ammet +sat beside the bush with +the purple berries, utterly +relaxed.</p> + +<p>"He must have tasted +some!" exclaimed Kolin. "I'll +see how he is."</p> + +<p>He ran back to the cook and +shook him by the shoulder. +Ammet's head lolled loosely +to one side. His rather heavy +features were vacant, lending +him a doped appearance. Kolin +straightened up and beckoned +to Yrtok.</p> + +<p>For some reason, he had +trouble attracting her attention. +Then he noticed that she +was kneeling.</p> + +<p>"Hope she didn't eat some +stupid thing too!" he grumbled, +trotting back.</p> + +<p>As he reached her, whatever +Yrtok was examining +came to life and scooted into +the underbrush with a flash +of greenish fur. All Kolin +saw was that it had several +legs too many.</p> + +<p>He pulled Yrtok to her +feet. She pawed at him weakly, +eyes as vacant as Ammet's. +When he let go in sudden +horror, she folded gently to +the ground. She lay comfortably +on her side, twitching +one hand as if to brush something +away.</p> + +<p>When she began to smile +dreamily, Kolin backed away.</p> + +<hr/> + +<p class="dropcap"><span style="text-transform: uppercase;">The</span> corners of his mouth +felt oddly stiff; they had +involuntarily drawn back to +expose his clenched teeth. He +glanced warily about, but +nothing appeared to threaten +him.</p> + +<p>"It's time to end this scout," +he told himself. "It's dangerous. +One good look and I'm +jetting off! What I need is +an easy tree to climb."</p> + +<p>He considered the massive +giant. Soaring thirty or forty +meters into the thin fog and +dwarfing other growth, it +seemed the most promising +choice.</p> + +<p>At first, Kolin saw no way, +but then the network of vines +clinging to the rugged trunk +suggested a route. He tried +his weight gingerly, then began +to climb.</p> + +<p>"I should have brought +Yrtok's radio," he muttered. +"Oh, well, I can take it when +I come down, if she hasn't +snapped out of her spell by +then. Funny … I wonder if +that green thing bit her."</p> + +<p>Footholds were plentiful +among the interlaced lianas. +Kolin progressed rapidly. +When he reached the first +thick limbs, twice head +height, he felt safer.</p> + +<p>Later, at what he hoped was +the halfway mark, he hooked +one knee over a branch and +paused to wipe sweat from his +eyes. Peering down, he discovered +the ground to be obscured +by foliage.</p> + +<p>"I should have checked +from down there to see how +open the top is," he mused. +"I wonder how the view will +be from up there?"</p> + +<p>"Depends on what you're +looking for, Sonny!" something +remarked in a soughing wheeze.</p> + +<p>Kolin, slipping, grabbed +desperately for the branch. +His fingers clutched a handful +of twigs and leaves, which +just barely supported him until +he regained a grip with +the other hand.</p> + +<p>The branch quivered resentfully +under him.</p> + +<p>"Careful, there!" whooshed +the eerie voice. "It took me +all summer to grow those!"</p> + +<p>Kolin could feel the skin +crawling along his backbone.</p> + +<p>"Who <em>are</em> you?" he gasped.</p> + +<p>The answering sigh of +laughter gave him a distinct +chill despite its suggestion of +amiability.</p> + +<p>"Name's Johnny Ashlew. +Kinda thought you'd start +with <em>what</em> I am. Didn't figure +you'd ever seen a man grown +into a tree before."</p> + +<p>Kolin looked about, seeing +little but leaves and fog.</p> + +<p>"I have to climb down," he +told himself in a reasonable +tone. "It's bad enough that the +other two passed out without +me going space happy too."</p> + +<p>"What's your hurry?" demanded +the voice. "I can talk +to you just as easy all the way +down, you know. Airholes in +my bark—I'm not like an +Earth tree."</p> + +<p>Kolin examined the bark of +the crotch in which he sat. It +did seem to have assorted +holes and hollows in its rough +surface.</p> + +<p>"I never saw an Earth tree," +he admitted. "We came from +Haurtoz."</p> + +<p>"Where's that? Oh, never +mind—some little planet. I +don't bother with them all, +since I came here and found +out I could be anything I +wanted."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean, anything +you wanted?" asked +Kolin, testing the firmness of +a vertical vine.</p> + +<hr/> + +<p class="dropcap"><span style="text-transform: uppercase;">"Just</span> what I said," continued +the voice, sounding +closer in his ear as his +cheek brushed the ridged bark +of the tree trunk. "And, if +I do have to remind you, it +would be nicer if you said +'Mr. Ashlew,' considering my +age."</p> + +<p>"Your age? How old—?"</p> + +<p>"Can't really count it in +Earth years any more. Lost +track. I always figured bein' +a tree was a nice, peaceful +life; and when I remembered +how long some of them live, +that settled it. Sonny, this +world ain't all it looks like."</p> + +<p>"It isn't, Mr. Ashlew?" +asked Kolin, twisting about +in an effort to see what the +higher branches might hide.</p> + +<p>"Nope. Most everything +here is run by the Life—that +is, by the thing that first +grew big enough to do some +thinking, and set its roots +down all over until it had +control. That's the outskirts +of it down below."</p> + +<p>"The other trees? That jungle?"</p> + +<p>"It's more'n a jungle, Sonny. +When I landed here, along +with the others from the +<i>Arcturan Spark</i>, the planet +looked pretty empty to me, +just like it must have to—Watch +it, there, Boy! If I +didn't twist that branch over +in time, you'd be bouncing off +my roots right now!"</p> + +<p>"Th-thanks!" grunted Kolin, +hanging on grimly.</p> + +<p>"Doggone vine!" commented +the windy whisper. "<em>He</em> +ain't one of my crowd. Landed +years later in a ship from +some star towards the center +of the galaxy. You should +have seen his looks before +the Life got in touch with his +mind and set up a mental field +to help him change form. He +looks twice as good as a +vine!"</p> + +<p>"He's very handy," agreed +Kolin politely. He groped for +a foothold.</p> + +<p>"Well … matter of fact, I +can't get through to him +much, even with the Life's +mental field helping. Guess +he started living with a different +way of thinking. It +burns me. I thought of being +a tree, and then he came along +to take advantage of it!"</p> + +<p>Kolin braced himself securely +to stretch tiring muscles.</p> + +<p>"Maybe I'd better stay a +while," he muttered. "I don't +know where I am."</p> + +<p>"You're about fifty feet +up," the sighing voice informed +him. "You ought to +let me tell you how the Life +helps you change form. You +don't <em>have</em> to be a tree."</p> + +<p>"No?"</p> + +<p>"<em>Uh</em>-uh! Some of the boys +that landed with me wanted +to get around and see things. +Lots changed to animals or +birds. One even stayed a man—on +the outside anyway. +Most of them have to change +as the bodies wear out, which +I don't, and some made bad +mistakes tryin' to be things +they saw on other planets."</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't want to do +that, Mr. Ashlew."</p> + +<p>"There's just one thing. +The Life don't like taking +chances on word about this +place gettin' around. It sorta +believes in peace and quiet. +You might not get back to +your ship in any form that +could tell tales."</p> + +<p>"Listen!" Kolin blurted +out. "I wasn't so much enjoying +being what I was that +getting back matters to me!"</p> + +<p>"Don't like your home planet, +whatever the name was?"</p> + +<p>"Haurtoz. It's a rotten +place. A Planetary State! You +have to think and even look +the way that's standard thirty +hours a day, asleep or +awake. You get scared to +sleep for fear you might +<em>dream</em> treason and they'd find +out somehow."</p> + +<p>"Whooeee! Heard about +them places. Must be tough +just to live."</p> + +<p>Suddenly, Kolin found himself +telling the tree about life +on Haurtoz, and of the officially +announced threats to +the Planetary State's planned +expansion. He dwelt upon the +desperation of having no +place to hide in case of trouble +with the authorities. A +multiple system of such +worlds was agonizing to +imagine.</p> + +<hr/> + +<p class="dropcap"><span style="text-transform: uppercase;">Somehow,</span> the oddity of +talking to a tree wore off. +Kolin heard opinions spouting +out which he had prudently +kept bottled up for +years.</p> + +<p>The more he talked and +stormed and complained, the +more relaxed he felt.</p> + +<p>"If there was ever a fellow +ready for this planet," decided +the tree named Ashlew, +"you're it, Sonny! Hang on +there while I signal the Life +by root!"</p> + +<p>Kolin sensed a lack of direct +attention. The rustle +about him was natural, caused +by an ordinary breeze. He +noticed his hands shaking.</p> + +<p>"Don't know what got into +me, talking that way to a +tree," he muttered. "If Yrtok +snapped out of it and heard, +I'm as good as re-personalized +right now."</p> + +<p>As he brooded upon the +sorry choice of arousing a +search by hiding where he +was or going back to bluff +things out, the tree spoke.</p> + +<p>"Maybe you're all set, Sonny. +The Life has been thinkin' +of learning about other +worlds. If you can think of a +safe form to jet off in, you +might make yourself a deal. +How'd you like to stay here?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," said Kolin. +"The penalty for desertion—"</p> + +<p>"Whoosh! Who'd find you? +You could be a bird, a tree, +even a cloud."</p> + +<p>Silenced but doubting, Kolin +permitted himself to try +the dream on for size.</p> + +<p>He considered what form +might most easily escape the +notice of search parties and +still be tough enough to live +a long time without renewal. +Another factor slipped into +his musings: mere hope of escape +was unsatisfying after +the outburst that had defined +his fuming hatred for Haurtoz.</p> + +<p><em>I'd better watch myself!</em> he +thought. <em>Don't drop diamonds +to grab at stars!</em></p> + +<p>"What I wish I could do is +not just get away but get even +for the way they make us +live … the whole damn set-up. +They could just as easy make +peace with the Earth colonies. +You know why they +don't?"</p> + +<p>"Why?" wheezed Ashlew.</p> + +<p>"They're scared that without +talk of war, and scouting +for Earth fleets that never +come, people would have time +to think about the way they +have to live and who's running +things in the Planetary +State. Then the gravy train +would get blown up—and I +mean blown up!"</p> + +<p>The tree was silent for a +moment. Kolin felt the +branches stir meditatively. +Then Ashlew offered a suggestion.</p> + +<p>"I could tell the Life your +side of it," he hissed. "Once +in with us, you can always +make thinking connections, +no matter how far away. +Maybe you could make a deal +to kill two birds with one +stone, as they used to say on +Earth…."</p> + +<hr/> + +<p class="dropcap"><span style="text-transform: uppercase;">Chief</span> Steward Slichow +paced up and down beside +the ration crate turned up to +serve him as a field desk. He +scowled in turn, impartially, +at his watch and at the weary +stewards of his headquarters +detail. The latter stumbled +about, stacking and distributing +small packets of emergency +rations.</p> + +<p>The line of crewmen released +temporarily from repair +work was transient as to +individuals but immutable as +to length. Slichow muttered +something profane about disregard +of orders as he glared +at the rocky ridges surrounding +the landing place.</p> + +<p>He was so intent upon planning +greetings with which to +favor the tardy scouting parties +that he failed to notice +the loose cloud drifting over +the ridge.</p> + +<p>It was tenuous, almost a +haze. Close examination +would have revealed it to be +made up of myriads of tiny +spores. They resembled those +cast forth by one of the +bushes Kolin's party had +passed. Along the edges, the +haze faded raggedly into thin +air, but the units evidently +formed a cohesive body. They +drifted together, approaching +the men as if taking intelligent +advantage of the breeze.</p> + +<p>One of Chief Slichow's +staggering flunkies, stealing +a few seconds of relaxation +on the pretext of dumping an +armful of light plastic packing, +wandered into the haze.</p> + +<p>He froze.</p> + +<p>After a few heartbeats, he +dropped the trash and stared +at ship and men as if he had +never seen either. A hail from +his master moved him.</p> + +<p>"Coming, Chief!" he called +but, returning at a moderate +pace, he murmured, "My +name is Frazer. I'm a second +assistant steward. I'll think as +Unit One."</p> + +<p>Throughout the cloud of +spores, the mind formerly +known as Peter Kolin congratulated +itself upon its +choice of form.</p> + +<p><em>Nearer to the original +shape of the Life than Ashlew +got</em>, he thought.</p> + +<p>He paused to consider the +state of the tree named Ashlew, +half immortal but rooted +to one spot, unable to float on +a breeze or through space itself +on the pressure of light. +Especially, it was unable to +insinuate any part of itself +into the control center of another +form of life, as a second +spore was taking charge of +the body of Chief Slichow at +that very instant.</p> + +<p><em>There are not enough men</em>, +thought Kolin. <em>Some of me +must drift through the airlock. +In space, I can spread +through the air system to the +command group.</em></p> + +<p>Repairs to the <i>Peace State</i> +and the return to Haurtoz +passed like weeks to some of +the crew but like brief moments +in infinity to other +units. At last, the ship parted +the air above Headquarters +City and landed.</p> + +<p>The unit known as Captain +Theodor Kessel hesitated before +descending the ramp. He +surveyed the field, the city +and the waiting team of inspecting +officers.</p> + +<p>"Could hardly be better, +could it?" he chuckled to the +companion unit called Security +Officer Tarth.</p> + +<p>"Hardly, sir. All ready for +the liberation of Haurtoz."</p> + +<p>"Reformation of the Planetary +State," mused the captain, +smiling dreamily as he +grasped the handrail. "And +then—formation of the Planetary +Mind!"</p> + + +<p style="margin-top: 3em; text-align: right; font-weight: bold;">END</p> + +<p class="tnote"><b>Transcriber's Note:</b><br/> +This e-text was produced from <cite>Worlds of If January 1962</cite>. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this +publication was renewed.</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Talkative Tree, by Horace Brown Fyfe + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALKATIVE TREE *** + +***** This file should be named 23767-h.htm or 23767-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/7/6/23767/ + +Produced by Robert Cicconetti, Jana Srna and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://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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