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+Project Gutenberg's A Transmutation of Muddles, 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: A Transmutation of Muddles
+
+Author: Horace Brown Fyfe
+
+Illustrator: H. R. Van Dongen
+
+Release Date: January 7, 2008 [EBook #24187]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A TRANSMUTATION OF MUDDLES ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Greg Weeks, Bruce Albrecht, Stephen Blundell
+and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at
+http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ A
+ TRANSMUTATION
+ OF MUDDLES
+
+ _An experienced horse-trader, bargain-haggler,
+ and general swapper has a very special talent for
+ turning two headaches into one aspirin pill...._
+
+ By H. B. FYFE
+
+ Illustrated by Van Dongen
+
+
+The rugged little stellar scout ship flared down to the surface of Kappa
+Orionis VII about a mile from the aboriginal village. The pilot,
+Lieutenant Eric Haruhiku, scorched an open field, but pointed out to
+Louis Mayne that he had been careful to disturb neither woodland nor
+shoreline.
+
+"The Kappans are touchy about those, Judge," he explained, "They fish a
+lot, as you'd guess from all these shallow seas, and they pick fruit in
+the forests; but they don't farm much."
+
+"No use provoking trouble," Mayne approved. "It's a long way from
+Rigel."
+
+"It's a longer way from Sol," said the pilot.
+
+"Don't I know, boy! If it weren't, I'd be just another retired space
+captain, quietly struggling with my ranch on Rigel IX. As it is, to get
+the grant, I had to remain on call as an arbitrator."
+
+"Somebody has to settle these things," said Haruhiku. "There's not much
+law way out here, except what the Space Force can apply. Well, if you'll
+excuse me, sir, I'll have them get out the helicopter and take us over
+to the village."
+
+"Let me see that last message again, before you go," Mayne requested.
+
+The pilot extracted a sheet from his clipboard and handed it to Mayne as
+he left. Mayne studied the text with little pleasure.
+
+Terran Space Force headquarters on Rigel IX wished to inform him that
+the long awaited envoy from Terra to Kappa Orionis VII not only had
+arrived but had departed two days behind Mayne.
+
+It was hoped, the communication continued, that nothing would interfere
+with the desired objective of coming to some friendly agreement with the
+Kappans that would permit Terran use of the planet as a base for
+spaceships. The envoy, of course, was prepared to offer trade
+inducements and various other forms of help to the semi-civilized
+natives. Mayne was requested to lay whatever groundwork he could.
+
+_In my spare time, no doubt_, he reflected. _I'm to settle this silly
+business any way at all--as long as the natives get their way. But has
+anybody told the government about insurance companies? If it costs money
+or a lawsuit, will they back me up?_
+
+He felt himself to be in a ridiculous dilemma. The Kappans were reported
+to have seized a Terran spaceship as it landed to trade. Naturally, the
+captain had squawked for help. He claimed he had crashed; his insurance
+company thought otherwise; the Kappans seemed to have some entirely
+different idea in mind. Mayne had been summoned into action to render a
+decision, after the rough and ready system of these settlements on the
+surface of Terra's sphere of explored space.
+
+Regretfully, he made his way now to the cubbyhole allowed him on the
+cramped scout, where he changed to a more formal tunic of a bright blue
+he hoped would look impressive to native eyes. By the time he was ready,
+the helicopter was waiting. He and Haruhiku entered, and the crewman at
+the controls took off for the scene of the dispute.
+
+Arriving over the village, they hovered a few minutes while Haruhiku
+studied the lay of the land. The lieutenant had been to this world
+before, long enough to pick up some of the language and customs, so
+Mayne was content to follow his advice about landing a little way off
+from a spaceship that towered outside the village.
+
+They came down about a hundred yards away, between a rutted sort of road
+and a long hut covered by a curved, thatched roof.
+
+"They're expecting us," said Haruhiku, gesturing at the group before the
+hut.
+
+It consisted of half a dozen humans and several of the Kappan natives.
+The latter, naturally, caught Mayne's eye first. The most imposing
+individual among them stood about five feet tall. The planet being of
+about the same mass as Terra, the Kappan probably weighed over two
+hundred and fifty pounds. He was a rugged biped with something saurian
+in his ancestry; for his skin was scaled, and bony plates grew into a
+low crown upon his long skull. His arms and legs were heavy and bowed,
+with joints obscured by thick muscles and loose skin. Mayne was struck
+by the fancy that the Kappan's color, a blend of brown and olive, was
+that of a small dragon who had achieved a good suntan. A yellow kilt was
+his main article of attire, although he wore a few decorations of
+polished bone.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+One of the Terrans stepped forward. He wore a semimilitary uniform.
+
+"I suppose you're Louis Mayne?" he asked.
+
+"Right," answered Mayne. "You would be Captain Voorhis, of the
+_Gemsbok_?"
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Check. This here is Eemakh. He's more or less chief of the village, or
+tribe, or whatever you wanna call it."
+
+Mayne found his gaze sinking into catlike slits of jet in a pair of huge
+orange eyes shaded by massive brow ridges. The native made some
+statement in a clicking language that had a harsh, choppy rhythm.
+
+"He welcomes you to Kappa," Haruhiku interpreted. "He hopes the gods
+will not be displeased."
+
+"What a warm welcome!" commented Mayne. "Have you been getting along
+that well, Captain Voorhis?"
+
+"Just about," said the spacer. "One of my boys knows a few words. Rest
+of the time, we make signs. I gotta admit they ain't been too
+unfriendly."
+
+"But they _have_ seized your ship?"
+
+"You're damn' right! That insurance guy they sent out don't see it that
+way though."
+
+"Where is this representative of the Belt Insurance Company?" asked
+Mayne.
+
+"Melin? His ship landed over on the other side of the village, about
+half a mile. He oughta be along soon. Must've seen you land."
+
+Mayne wondered whether it were necessary to await the arrival of the
+insurance adjustor before asking any questions. To cover his hesitation,
+he turned to take his first good look at the hull of the _Gemsbok_.
+
+"What do they think they're doing?" he demanded, staring.
+
+The _Gemsbok_ was--or had been--an ungraceful, thick starship on the
+verge of aging into scrap. Towering here between the village and the
+huge, bluish-green leaves of the Kappan forest, she was in the process
+of being transformed into a planet-bound object of a certain weird
+grace.
+
+A framework was being constructed about the hull by a swarm of natives.
+They had reached halfway up the ship, which served as a central column.
+Much of the exterior appeared to be a network of strangely curved
+sections of wood that had been given a high polish. Mayne suspected the
+greenish highlights were reflections of the forest color.
+
+"Bone," said Voorhis succinctly. "They collect it from things they catch
+in the sea. Main supports of timber, of course, built to fit the hull."
+
+"The fish here grow very large," put in Haruhiku. "If you could call
+them fish, that is. I once saw them butchering what looked more like a
+dinosaur."
+
+Mayne realized that the bone framework formed a sort of curtain wall. At
+the lower levels, some of the natives seemed to be experimenting with a
+coating of wet leaves which they were molding to the wall.
+
+"They've soaked them in something they boil out of fish parts," his
+pilot explained. "Like the village roofs. When it dries, it's pretty
+hard, even waterproof. The stink never dries out."
+
+"But what do they have in their bony little brains?" asked Mayne. "Just
+what is that mess supposed to be?"
+
+"A temple, believe it or not," answered Voorhis. "They tell me I set her
+down on land sacred to the great god Meeg!"
+
+Mayne looked at Haruhiku.
+
+"Oh, come on, now! I came all the way from--" He stopped as he noticed
+the pilot's grave expression. "Oh! That sort of thing _could_ be
+serious, I guess."
+
+He imagined he had seen the chief, Eemakh, come alert at the mention of
+the local god. Mayne sighed. It was going to be a long day.
+
+He was saved for the time being by a hail from the direction of the
+village. A procession was approaching along the set of ruts between
+Mayne and the ship.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The place of honor appeared to be occupied by a two-wheeled cart of
+crude but massive design. Upon it rode a Kappan driver, two Kappans with
+spears and the look of official guards, and a Terran with a death-grip
+upon the side railing. A brace of truculent beasts of frighteningly
+saurian mien shuffled ponderously along in the loose harness. From time
+to time, one or the other would stumble over a turn in his rut and emit
+a menacing rumble as if he suspected his team mate of causing the
+misstep.
+
+Before and behind this conveyance marched a guard of honor of Kappan
+warriors. The rear contingent kept close to the cart, but the advance
+party had opened a noticeable gap between themselves and the hulking
+team.
+
+The procession halted, the soldier in charge raised his spear in salute
+to Eemakh, and the shaken Terran was assisted to dismount. He introduced
+himself to Mayne as Robert Melin.
+
+"Let's go over to the hut they made for us an' sit down," suggested
+Voorhis.
+
+Melin, a tall, gloomy blond whose civilian suit seemed a trifle formal
+for the surroundings, acceded gratefully. He mopped the dust from his
+long face and watched the cart being turned around.
+
+The procession moved off in the direction of the village, the advance
+guard stepping out especially smartly, and Mayne began to get his
+conference arranged.
+
+He learned that the evicted crew of the _Gemsbok_ had been living in the
+hut nearby. Before it stood a long table with benches, all evidently
+knocked together from recently felled timber. Melin was given credit for
+this by Voorhis, since before the arrival of the insurance adjuster and
+his crew, no power tools had been available to the men from the
+_Gemsbok_.
+
+Mayne took a place at the end of the table. Some of the _Gemsbok's_ crew
+came out of the hut to watch. Most of the Kappan warriors attending the
+chief took up stations between the table and the ship, in a manner
+suggesting long habit. Mayne guessed that attempts had been made to
+re-enter the ship.
+
+He put Haruhiku at his right hand to translate should it be necessary.
+Melin and Voorhis sat at his left, their backs to the hut. To the other
+side of the table, Eemakh brought two Kappans who were explained to
+Mayne as being the tribal high priest, Igrillik, and Kaynox, who
+represented a sort of district overlord.
+
+"I meant to land up by _their_ city," Voorhis put in, "but we hit some
+bad winds up in the stratosphere. We got knocked around a bit in the
+storm, and set down where we could."
+
+"Well, tell me about the details," said Mayne. "I want to get this
+straight from the start, if I can. By the way, Lieutenant Haruhiku,
+explain to the chief that a special envoy is on the way, that we want
+his friendship, and that he will be dealt with fairly."
+
+He waited out the exchange of choppy speech between the pilot and
+Eemakh.
+
+"He says he is sure he will be fairly dealt with," reported Haruhiku.
+
+"I wonder what he meant by that," murmured Mayne. "If we make a deal
+here, and thereby with his overlord, will that cover enough territory to
+be official?"
+
+"As much as you can get together anywhere on this world, sir."
+
+Mayne nodded, then turned to Captain Voorhis.
+
+"Now about this so-called crash?" he prompted.
+
+"Well, there was this storm, like I said. Trouble was we didn't expect
+to hit it and ... well ... somebody took it in his head to blow some of
+the fuel tanks for a crash landing. That's why I'm not claimin' anythin'
+on the fuel," he finished, turning to Melin.
+
+"We are perfectly willing to pay on that item," replied the insurance
+man.
+
+"Anyhow," continued Voorhis, "I set down here where we saw the open
+spot, an' then of course we were stuck with nothin' to lift off with. It
+looked all right. We'd unload our goods, an' if the local crowd couldn't
+use them all, why they'd pass the rest on at a profit to themselves. So
+we come out to palaver, an' then they won't let us go back in the ship.
+We were just lucky my com man had sent out a landing report when it
+looked like we piled up, or the Space Force patrol never woulda heard of
+us."
+
+"Was there any trouble?" asked Mayne. "Any unnecessary hostility?"
+
+Voorhis considered, rubbing the back of his head thoughtfully.
+
+"Well ... I suppose, lookin' at it their way, they coulda been a lot
+rougher. A couple of punches got thrown, an' one of my boys got a spear
+busted over his head, but mostly they acted ... well ... maybe more like
+cops than cannibals."
+
+"Just enforcing the native laws, eh?"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Voorhis did not swallow that quite so graciously. He did not know or
+care what the local laws might be, but he thought it suspicious in the
+extreme that he should have plopped down exactly upon the spot chosen by
+the natives for a temple.
+
+"So do they have to use my ship to hang it on?" he finished plaintively.
+
+"The company is in agreement with you there, captain," Melin put in.
+"You see, Judge, our point is that nothing is really lost or seriously
+damaged, neither ship nor cargo. They are merely being withheld from
+their rightful owner, and we believe that puts the responsibility for
+recovery upon the Terran government. Captain Voorhis has our entire
+sympathy--"
+
+"Yeah!" said Voorhis. "An' if I get my head sliced off tryin' to get at
+that undamaged cargo, you'll come to my funeral! I say it's a loss!"
+
+"Now, gentlemen!" interrupted Mayne. "Let me get on with this. Both of
+you, I'm sure, realize that I'm not a lawyer in spite of being a special
+judge. If the colonies way out here had enough lawyers to spare, I
+certainly wouldn't be sticking my head into this. Nevertheless, any
+decision I make here will be regarded as legally binding by the
+government of Rigel IX, so let us remain level-headed."
+
+"Very well, Judge," said Melin. "Here are the figures on--"
+
+"Please round them off," said Mayne. "If I have to listen to a long list
+in centicredits, I'll probably go off to see what kind of beer they brew
+here."
+
+"You wouldn't like it," muttered Voorhis, staring sourly at the village.
+
+"No doubt," grinned Mayne.
+
+Melin swallowed and returned to an inner pocket a sheaf of papers he had
+withdrawn.
+
+"Speaking very loosely," he went on, as if hating to do anything
+loosely, "the coverage was about as follows: for the _Gemsbok_ herself,
+two million; but that was really a nominal figure accorded as a sort of
+courtesy. Otherwise, at her true worth, the authorities would hardly
+have permitted Captain Voorhis to take her into space--"
+
+"Get on with it," urged Mayne, to forestall any wrangle.
+
+"Er ... yes. Then on the cargo, the purchase cost of two hundred
+thousand credits."
+
+Voorhis visibly flinched and began to acquire a ruddy hue.
+
+"And, finally, on the fuel load, the cost price of three hundred
+thousand. Of course, Judge, there are detailed clauses as to normal use
+of fuel. He was actually insured against defects, premature explosions,
+accidental loss, et cetera."
+
+Mayne did some addition in his head.
+
+"So your company," he said aloud, "is prepared to pay two and a half
+million for the loss sustained by Captain Voorhis. What seems to be
+wrong with that?"
+
+Both men began to talk but Melin, struggling less with temper, got the
+lead.
+
+"Actually," he said, "we feel liable for only three hundred thousand."
+
+_Now it will get tough_, thought Mayne. He silently awaited elucidation.
+
+The combined stares of all parties, including the enigmatic glance of
+Eemakh, calmed the spluttering Voorhis. Melin continued.
+
+"In the first place, the true value of the ship, even if we consider her
+to be incapacitated--which we do not--is only about one hundred and
+fifty thousand."
+
+"She's worth more than that as scrap!" bellowed Voorhis.
+
+"No, captain, just about that. It is exactly how we valued her. Do you
+have any idea, Judge, of how old that crock is?"
+
+"Let's not go into that just yet," suggested Mayne.
+
+"As to the fuel," said Melin, "I am willing, as a gesture of good will,
+to stick my company's neck out--and mine with it, you may be sure--and
+honor a full claim."
+
+"Even though he used about half the fuel getting here?" asked Mayne.
+
+"We'll ignore that. We admit that he is out of fuel, and we want to--"
+
+"You want to give me a moon and take a star," said Voorhis.
+
+"Just a minute!" Mayne held up his hand. "That's the ship and the fuel.
+What about the cargo?"
+
+"Why, as to that, Judge, we do not admit that it is lost. It is right
+over there, easily accessible. We consider it more the job of the Space
+Force to restore rightful possession than it is the responsibility of
+the company to reimburse Captain Voorhis for the inflated value he sets
+upon it."
+
+"I begin to see," murmured Mayne. "You can't stick each other, so you're
+out to slip _me_ the bill."
+
+That aroused a babble of denials. Mayne eventually made himself heard
+and demanded to know how the spacer's evaluation differed from Melin's.
+Voorhis pulled himself together, glowering at the insurance man.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"In the first place," he growled, "I don't want his lousy payment for
+fuel. I said I'd take the blame for that, an' I will. On the ship ...
+well, maybe she ain't worth two million. Maybe she ain't been for a few
+years now--"
+
+Melin made a show of counting on his fingers.
+
+"... But they charged me premiums by that figure an' I say they oughta
+pay by that figure."
+
+"But can you prove she's a total loss, captain?" asked Mayne.
+
+Voorhis grimaced and spat upon the ground.
+
+"Try to get near her, Judge! You'll get proof fast enough!"
+
+"Well ... about the cargo, then?"
+
+"_That's_ where he's gouging me!" exploded Voorhis. "The idea of using
+the cost as of loading on Rigel IX! Hell, you know the margin of profit
+there is in trading on these new planets, twenty to one at least. I
+figured to lift off with four million worth of ores, gems, curios, and
+whatnot."
+
+"So your point is that the mere transportation of the goods through
+space to this planet increased their value. What about that, Mr. Melin?"
+
+Melin shifted uncomfortably on his bench. Mayne would have liked to
+change his own position, but feared splinters.
+
+"There is an element of truth in that," admitted Melin. "Still, it would
+be rash to expect such a return every time a tramp spaceship lands to
+swap with some aboriginal easy marks."
+
+"I suppose," said Mayne, "that our orange-eyed friends speak no Terran?"
+
+"I hope not!" exclaimed Voorhis.
+
+"Well, anyway," Melin said after a startled pause, "how can we be
+expected to pay off on hopes? He wants the paper figure for the ship;
+but he refuses the paper figure for the cargo."
+
+Mayne shrugged. He turned to Haruhiku.
+
+"If Captain Voorhis and Mr. Melin don't mind, lieutenant, I'd like to
+get the chief's view of all this."
+
+"Hah!" grunted Voorhis, clapping both hands to his head.
+
+Melin contented himself with rolling his eyes skyward.
+
+With Haruhiku translating, Mayne began to get acquainted with the
+Kappans. The visitor from the neighboring city chose mostly to listen
+attentively, but Igrillik, the priest, occasionally leaned over to
+whisper sibilantly into Eemakh's recessed ear. Mayne fancied he saw a
+resemblance between the two, despite Igrillik's professional
+trappings--a long robe of rough material that had been dyed in stripes
+and figures of several crude colors, and a tall cap to which were
+attached a number of pairs of membraneous wings.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The first thing that Mayne learned was that the _Gemsbok_ was not a
+spaceship; it was a symbol, a sign sent to the Kappans by the great god
+Meeg.
+
+"And why did he send it?" asked Mayne.
+
+He had sent it as a sign that he was impatient with his children. They
+had vowed him a temple, they had set aside the necessary land, and yet
+they had not begun the work.
+
+"Is that why they're all over there, slaving away so feverishly?"
+
+It was indeed the reason. After all, Meeg was the god of the inner moon,
+the one that passed so speedily across the sky. If he could guide the
+strangers' ship directly to his own plot of ground, he might just as
+easily have caused it to land in the center of the village. They had
+seen the flames that attended the landing. Could the honored chief from
+the stars blame them for heeding the warning?
+
+"I see their point," muttered Mayne resignedly. "Well, maybe we can talk
+sense about the cargo. Tell them that there is much in the holds that
+would make their lives richer. Tools, gems, fine cloth--give them the
+story, lieutenant."
+
+This time, Eemakh conferred with the high priest. It developed that the
+cargo was a sacred gift to be used or not as the god Meeg might
+subsequently direct. The chief meant no insult. The Kappans realized
+that Voorhis and his crew were no demons, but starmen such as had often
+brought valuable goods to trade. The Kappans had not sought to harm or
+sacrifice them, had they? This was because they were both welcome as
+visitors and respected as instruments of Meeg.
+
+Eemakh wished to be fair. The starmen might think they had lost by the
+divine mission. Very well--they would be granted land, good land with
+forest for hunting and shoreline for fishing. But go near the temple
+they should not!
+
+"Could _I_ get in to inspect the cargo?" asked Mayne.
+
+Haruhiku took this up with the Kappans, who softened but did not yield.
+
+"The best I can get, Judge," said the pilot, "is that they wish it were
+possible but only those who serve the purposes of Meeg may enter."
+
+"They _would_ look at it that way," sighed Mayne. "Let's leave it at
+that, until we can think this over some more. It's time for a lunch
+break anyway."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+He and Haruhiku were flown back to the scout ship. Mayne brooded
+silently most of the way. Voorhis thought he was entitled to about six
+million credits for ship and cargo; Melin thought half a million for the
+ship and fuel would be stretching it. Mayne foresaw that he would have
+to knock heads.
+
+The two of them lunched in the pilot's cabin, with hardly room to drop a
+spoon. Except for companionship, Mayne would as soon have eaten standing
+in the galley.
+
+He considered the vast area of the planet's land surface. Would it be
+wiser for the envoy to land elsewhere? What sort of ties were there
+between tribes?
+
+"Loose," the pilot told him. "Still, word gets around, with no great
+mountain or ocean barriers. They've split into groups, but there is a
+lot of contact."
+
+"So if the Space Force should seize the _Gemsbok_, they'll all hear
+about it?"
+
+"Within a few weeks, sir. That kind of news has wings on any world. I
+think we could take her for you, but we might do some damage. The size
+of a scout crew doesn't lend itself to hand-to-hand brawls."
+
+"And if you sling a couple of torpedoes at the Kappan village, you'll
+probably wipe it out," said Mayne thoughtfully. "Give the story a month
+to spread, and no Terran would be trusted anywhere on the planet. Hm-m-m
+... hardly practical!"
+
+"There would also be a chance of damaging the _Gemsbok_."
+
+"Actually, Eric, I'd hardly care if you blew her into orbit, with
+Voorhis and Melin riding the fins! But I'm supposed to spread sweetness
+and light around here--not scraps and parts of spaceships."
+
+He gnawed moodily upon a knuckle, but saw no way to escape putting up
+some government money. Soaking the company would just make _them_ appeal
+instead of Voorhis.
+
+"This Meeg," he said to change the subject. "How important is he?"
+
+Haruhiku considered a moment before replying.
+
+"They have a whole mess of gods, like most primitive societies. Meeg is
+pretty important. I think he has a special significance to this tribe
+... you know, like some ancient Terran cities has a special patron."
+
+"He's the god of that little moon?" Mayne asked.
+
+"Oh, more than that, I think. Really the god of speed, a message bearer
+for the other divinities. There always seems to be one in every
+primitive mythology."
+
+"Yes," murmured Mayne. "Let's see ... one parallel would be the ancient
+Terran Hermes, wouldn't it?"
+
+"Something like that," agreed Haruhiku. "I'm a little vague on the
+subject, sir. At least, he isn't one of the bloodthirsty ones."
+
+"That helps," sighed Mayne, "but not enough."
+
+He got a message blank from the pilot. With some labor, he composed a
+request to Terran headquarters on Rigel IX for authorization to spend
+two million credits on good-will preparations for the Terran-Kappan
+treaty conference.
+
+_It almost sounds diplomatic_, he told himself before having the message
+sent.
+
+The waiting period that followed was more to be blamed upon headquarters
+pussyfooting than upon the subspace transmission. When an answer finally
+came, it required a further exchange of messages.
+
+Mayne's last communique might have been boiled down to, "But I _need_
+it!"
+
+The last reply granted provisional permission to spend the sum
+mentioned; but gleaming between the lines like the sweep of a revolving
+beacon was a strong intimation that Mayne had better not hope to charge
+the item to "good will." The budget just was not made that way, the hint
+concluded.
+
+"It's due to get dark soon, isn't it?" he asked Haruhiku, crumpling the
+final message into a side pocket. "I don't believe I'll resume the talks
+till morning. Maybe my head will function again by then."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+In the morning, one of the scout's crew again took the pilot and Mayne
+to the meeting by helicopter. Mayne spent part of the trip mulling over
+a message Haruhiku had received. The spaceship _Diamond Belt_ could be
+expected to arrive in orbit about the planet later the same day, bearing
+special envoy J. P. McDonald. The captain, having been informed of
+Haruhiku's presence, requested landing advice.
+
+"I told him what I know," said the pilot. "We can give him a beam down,
+of course, unless you think we should send him somewhere else."
+
+"Well ... let's see how this goes," said Mayne. "They seem to be waiting
+for us down there."
+
+They landed to find Voorhis, Melin, and the native officialdom gathered
+at the hut facing the new "temple." After exchanging greetings, they sat
+down at the table as they had the day before.
+
+"All right, gentlemen," said Mayne to the two Terrans. "You win. The
+government is going to have to put something in the pot. I want to make
+it as little as possible, so let us have no more nonsense about the true
+value of ship or cargo as they stand."
+
+They looked startled at his tone. Mayne went on before they could
+recover.
+
+"The object I have in mind, if it seems at all possible, is to put
+Captain Voorhis back in business without costing Mr. Melin his job. Now,
+let's put our heads together on that problem and worry about justifying
+ourselves later."
+
+The most difficult part was to convince Voorhis to surrender his dream
+of fantastic profits; but sometime before Mayne got hoarse, the captain
+was made to see that he could not have his cake and eat it, too.
+
+Melin agreed that he might pay the paper value of the _Gemsbok_ if he
+could pay likewise for the cargo, in which case he would admit a loss.
+After all, a spaceship anchored by a temple might reasonably be termed
+unspaceworthy. He would take over the cargo and cut his losses by
+allowing the government to buy it at two million.
+
+"You wanna come with me next trip?" invited Voorhis when he heard this.
+"If that's how you cut loose, we'll make a fortune!"
+
+"Well, there it is," said Mayne, straightening up to ease his aching
+back. He must have been leaning tensely over the table longer than he
+had thought. "The captain gets two and a half million, Mr. Melin gets
+off with paying only half a million, and you've stuck me for the rest."
+
+"Congratulations, Judge!" said Melin. "You now own a ship and cargo
+which I presume you will present to the Kappans."
+
+"How can he?" demanded Voorhis. "They figure they own it already."
+
+"We'll worry about that later," said Mayne.
+
+"_You_ will!" Voorhis guffawed. "I hope you get _some_ credit out of
+it."
+
+Haruhiku interrupted to inform Mayne that the Kappans, who had been
+interested if bewildered listeners, had invited the Terrans to a small
+feast.
+
+"I translated enough to let them understand there would be no attempt to
+disturb their temple building," he explained. "They now feel they owe us
+hospitality."
+
+"Good, that's something," said Mayne.
+
+"I'll tell you what else will be something," grunted Voorhis. "The
+food!"
+
+The assemblage repaired to the Kappan village. The Terrans--though it
+took some doing--survived the feast.
+
+Mayne thought it best not to inquire into the nature of the dishes
+served. Eemakh was evidently determined to display his village's finest
+hospitality, so the Terrans even tried the Kappan beer. Mayne absorbed
+enough to get used to it.
+
+_Or did it absorb me?_ he wondered. _Igrillik's beginning to look almost
+human!_
+
+Eventually, carts were brought, and they rode bumpily out to admire
+progress made on the temple. A fresh breeze helped Mayne to remember
+that it was now late afternoon and he had yet to settle one matter with
+Eemakh.
+
+When they arrived at the site, crewmen from the _Gemsbok_ saw fit to
+take Voorhis in charge and carry him into their hut. Mayne sank down at
+the table outside, watching Melin grope to a place beside him. He
+noticed that Haruhiku's helicopter pilot handed him a message as soon as
+the lieutenant alighted.
+
+"That will be from the _Diamond Belt_," Mayne guessed.
+
+He eyed Melin with some amusement. The insurance man stared very quietly
+at the board beneath his elbows. His complexion held a tint of green.
+Even Eemakh, plodding ponderously up, lowered himself to a bench with a
+sigh. The high priest seemed less affected by the celebration, and Mayne
+was proud when Haruhiku walked over with his normal bland alertness.
+
+"They're getting near?" he asked.
+
+"Doing braking circles," reported the pilot. "I sent an order for the
+scout to give them a beam. There may still be time to send them
+somewhere else--"
+
+"One more try here first," Mayne decided. "Tell Eemakh we want to
+straighten out some confusion about Meeg and the cargo."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Haruhiku permitted himself a small shrug and translated. Eemakh aroused
+himself to a show of interest, while Igrillik turned a suspicious orange
+stare upon Mayne. The latter strove to frame in his mind an argument
+that would strike them as logical.
+
+"Tell him," he instructed, "that we believe this Meeg was known on
+Terra, but by another name. Then describe the mythical Hermes and see
+what he says."
+
+Haruhiku began a conversation that lasted several minutes. Igrillik, as
+an authority, obviously felt moved to deliver a lengthy opinion. At
+last, the pilot turned to Mayne.
+
+"They say we are to be congratulated," he reported.
+
+"Is that all?"
+
+"Well, they do seem a bit more friendly. I was going to try drawing a
+picture of that famous statue, with the winged heels and hat, but it
+would never match their own conception. Igrillik asks if you claim
+belief in Meeg."
+
+"Avoid that," said Mayne. "Now--do they know about ship communications?"
+
+"They are aware that it is done," said Haruhiku. "After all, they just
+saw me send a message to the scout over the helicopter screen."
+
+"Good! Point out to them that the _Gemsbok_ also has such equipment."
+
+Haruhiku engaged in another long talk. The Kappans began to show signs
+of uneasiness at the end. They remained silent.
+
+"And that therefore," added Mayne, "the Terran who served this machine
+should rank in their eyes as a servant of Meeg just as much as Igrillik.
+The cargo in the ship was no more his than a message belongs to the
+messenger bearing it."
+
+The pilot put this into Kappan, with gestures.
+
+"And furthermore," said Mayne, before it could be suggested that the
+owner might be Meeg, "what I have arranged here with Melin and Voorhis
+is that the cargo now belongs to all of the Terran people."
+
+Eemakh began to scowl, an impressive contortion on a broad, olive Kappan
+visage. Mayne hurried on.
+
+"This being the case, the Kappans _have absolutely no right_ to deny us
+the privilege of contributing all these goods to the glory of their
+temple!"
+
+"Oh, boy!" grunted Haruhiku. He rattled off the translation.
+
+Mayne watched it hit home. Igrillik leaned over to peer at him
+unbelievingly. Eemakh seemed to have difficulty in focusing his glowing
+eyes on the Terran.
+
+There were, of course, requests for clarification. Mayne left the
+repetitions to the pilot.
+
+In the end, Eemakh arose and embraced him, a startling action that left
+Mayne feeling introspectively of his ribs. Igrillik called out something
+to the bodyguard attending the chief, causing Mayne to repress a shudder
+at the flashing display of big Kappan teeth. He assumed that a smile was
+a humanoid constant.
+
+Haruhiku's pilot approached with a new message.
+
+"Now they have to land near here, in half an hour or less," said the
+spacer.
+
+"There's just one more thing," Mayne told him. "Voorhis is satisfied,
+Melin--look, he's gone to sleep on the table!--is relieved, the Kappans
+are friendly, and J. P. McDonald will be happy when he lands. Now I have
+to get myself off the hook for two million!"
+
+He turned to the _Gemsbok_ crewmen loitering before the hut.
+
+"Who was the communications man?" he demanded.
+
+A lean, freckled youth with a big nose admitted to the distinction.
+Mayne draped an arm about his shoulders and told him he was back in
+business.
+
+"Say to them," he instructed Haruhiku, "that if they are to learn how to
+use the equipment Meeg has provided for their temple, they must not
+delay one minute in taking our friend here into the ship ... uh ... make
+that 'temple.' He will show them how a spaceship is called down from the
+skies."
+
+Haruhiku gave him a straight-faced glance that was a masked guffaw. He
+translated, and orders began to be shouted back and forth among the
+Kappans, all the way to the top-most level of the construction. The
+lieutenant called his pilot.
+
+"I'll have him flash the scout an order to monitor the _Gemsbok_ and
+transfer landing control as soon as they hear her on the air," he
+explained.
+
+Mayne nodded. He clutched the arm of the _Gemsbok_ operator, who was
+being urged away by Igrillik and a group of warrior escorts.
+
+"Just one thing, son," he shouted over the babble. "Forget about the
+ship's call sign. You go on the air calling yourself Kappa Orionis
+Central Control."
+
+"Kappa Orionis Central...?" repeated the youth distrustfully.
+
+"You've got it," said Mayne, and shoved him on his way. He turned to
+Haruhiku. "The last thing to do is to send the helicopter for some
+paint. I don't care if it _isn't_ dry when the _Diamond Belt_ touches
+down--I want a sign over the door of this hut!"
+
+"A sign?"
+
+"Make it read 'Spaceport Number 1.' Two million is cheap enough for
+buying a spaceport already in operation. There won't be any trouble,
+since the Kappans promised the land."
+
+Everyone seemed to be running somewhere. Mayne wiped his face with a
+handkerchief and sat down beside Melin, who looked comfortable enough
+with his head on the table.
+
+From inside the hut, Mayne could hear snores that must have Voorhis as a
+source; the rest of the _Gemsbok_ crewmen had followed the crowd to the
+control tower that was also a temple. After a while, Haruhiku returned
+and sat down across from Melin.
+
+"Magnificent, Judge!" he said. "We might even get away with it."
+
+"Of course we will," said Mayne, gazing at Melin and listening to
+Voorhis. "After all, Hermes was the god of thieves, too!"
+
+
+THE END
+
+
+
+
+Transcriber's Note:
+
+    This etext was produced from _Astounding Science Fiction_ September
+    1960. 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.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's A Transmutation of Muddles, by Horace Brown Fyfe
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A TRANSMUTATION OF MUDDLES ***
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