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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/24927-h.zip b/24927-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c94fdbd --- /dev/null +++ b/24927-h.zip diff --git a/24927-h/24927-h.htm b/24927-h/24927-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..153ece6 --- /dev/null +++ b/24927-h/24927-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,950 @@ +<!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 A Matter of Magnitude, by Al Sevcik + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1,h2 {text-align: center;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 1em auto; clear: both; visibility: hidden;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .trn {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; padding: 1em; text-align: justify;} + p.cap:first-letter {float: left; margin-right: .05em; padding-top: .05em; font-size: 300%; line-height: .8em;} + .dcap {text-transform: uppercase;} + .theend {text-align: right; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2em;} + .bk1 {float: left; width: 60%; border-right: solid 2px;} + .bk2 {float: right; width: 35%; padding: .5em;} + .bk3 {margin: 3em auto; width: 15em; font-size: large; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: justify;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Matter of Magnitude, by Al Sevcik + +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 Matter of Magnitude + +Author: Al Sevcik + +Release Date: March 27, 2008 [EBook #24927] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A MATTER OF MAGNITUDE *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="bk1"><h1>A<br /> +MATTER<br /> +OF<br /> +MAGNITUDE</h1> + +<h2>By AL SEVCIK</h2></div> + +<div class="bk2"><div class="bk3">When you're commanding a spaceship over a mile +long, and armed to the teeth, you don't exactly +expect to be told to get the hell out ...</div></div> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The</span> ship, for reasons that +had to do with the politics of +appropriations, was named Senator +Joseph L. Holloway, but the +press and the public called her +Big Joe. Her captain, six-star +Admiral Heselton, thought of +her as Great Big Joe, and never +fully got over being awestruck +at the size of his command.</p> + +<p>"She's a mighty big ship, Rogers," +he said proudly to the +navigator, ignoring the latter's +rather vacant stare and fixed +smile. "More than a mile long, +and wider than hell." He waved +his hands expansively. "She's +never touched down on Earth, +you know. Never will. Too big +for that. They built her on the +moon. The cost? Well ..."</p> + +<p>Swiveling his chair around, +Heselton slowly surveyed the +ship's control room with a small, +satisfied smile. The two pilots +sitting far forward, almost hidden +by their banks of instruments, +the radar operators idly +watching their scopes, the three +flight engineers sitting intently +at their enormous control consoles, +and, just behind, the radio +shack—its closed door undoubtedly +hiding a game of cards. For +weeks now, as Big Joe moved +across the galaxy's uncharted +fringe, the radio bands had been +completely dead, except, of +course, for the usual star static +hissing and burbling in the +background.</p> + +<p>Turning back again to his +navigator, Heselton smiled modestly +and noted that Big Joe was +undisputedly the largest, most +powerful, most feared, and most +effective spaceship in the known +universe.</p> + +<p>As always, Rogers nodded +agreement. The fact that he'd +heard it a hundred times didn't +make it any less true. Big Joe, +armed with every weapon known +to Terran technology, was literally +the battleship to end all +battleships. Ending battleships—and +battles—was, in fact, her +job. And she did it well. For the +first time, the galaxy was at +peace.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>With a relaxed sigh, Heselton +leaned back to gaze at the stars +and contemplate the vastness of +the universe, compared to which +even Big Joe was an insignificant +dot.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Rogers, "time for +another course check. I'll ..." +He jumped back, barely avoiding +the worried lieutenant who +exploded upon them from the +radio shack.</p> + +<p>"A signal, sir! Damn close, on +the VHF band, their transmission +is completely overriding the +background noise." He waved +excitedly to someone in the radio +shack and an overhead speaker +came to life emitting a distinct +clacking-grunting sound. "It's +audio of some sort, sir, but +there's lots more to the signal +than that."</p> + +<p>In one motion Heselton's chair +snapped forward, his right fist +hit the red emergency alert button +on his desk, and his left +snapped on the ship's intercom. +Lights dimmed momentarily as +powerful emergency drive units +snapped into action, and the ship +echoed with the sound of two +thousand men running to battle +stations.</p> + +<p>"Bridge to radar! Report."</p> + +<p>"Radar to bridge. All clear."</p> + +<p>Heselton stared incredulously +at the intercom. "What?"</p> + +<p>"Radar to bridge, repeating. +All clear. Admiral, we've got two +men on every scope, there's +nothing anywhere."</p> + +<p>A new voice cut in on the +speaker. "Radio track to bridge."</p> + +<p>Frowning, Heselton answered. +"Bridge. Come in radio track. +We're listening."</p> + +<p>"Sir," the crisp voice of the +radio track section's commander +had an excited tinge. "Sir, Doppler +calculations show that the +source of those signals is slowing +down somewhere to our +right. It's acting like a spaceship, +sir, that's coming to a +halt."</p> + +<p>The admiral locked eyes with +Rogers for a second, then shrugged. +"Slow the ship, and circle +right. Radio track, can you keep +me posted on the object's position?"</p> + +<p>"No can do, sir. Doppler effect +can't be used on a slow moving +source. It's still off to our right, +but that's the best I can say."</p> + +<p>"Sir," another voice chimed +in, "this is fire control. We've +got our directional antennas on +the thing. It's either directly +right or directly left of the ship, +matching speed with us exactly."</p> + +<p>"<i>Either</i> to our right or left?"</p> + +<p>"That's the best we can do, +sir, without radar help."</p> + +<p>"Admiral, sir," the lieutenant +who had first reported the signal +came running back. "Judging +from the frequency and strength, +we think it's probably less than +a hundred miles away."</p> + +<p>"<i>Less</i> than a hundr ..."</p> + +<p>"Of course, we can't be positive, +sir."</p> + +<p>Heselton whirled back to the +intercom. "Radar! That thing is +practically on our necks. What +the hell's the matter with that +equipment...?"</p> + +<p>The radar commander's voice +showed distinct signs of strain. +"Can't help it, Admiral. The +equipment is working perfectly. +We've tried the complete range +of frequencies, twenty-five different +sets are in operation, +we're going blind looking. There +is absolutely nothing, nothing at +all."</p> + +<p>For a moment the bridge was +silent, except for the clacking-grunting +from the overhead +speaker which, if anything, +sounded louder than before.</p> + +<p>"It's tv, sir!" The radio lieutenant +came running in again. +"We've unscrambled the image. +Here!" The communications +screen on Heselton's desk glowed +for a moment, then flashed into +life.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The figure was clearly alien, +though startlingly humanoid—at +least from the waist up, +which was all that showed in the +screen. A large mouth and +slightly bulging eyes gave it a +somewhat jovial, frog-like demeanor. +Seated at a desk similar +to Heselton's, wearing a gaudy +uniform profusely strewn with +a variety of insignia, it was obviously +Heselton's counterpart, +the commander of an alien vessel.</p> + +<p>"Hmmm, looks like we've contacted +a new race. Let's return +the call, Lieutenant." A tiny red +light glowed beneath a miniature +camera on Heselton's desk and +almost at once the alien's face +registered obvious satisfaction. +It waved a six-fingered hand in +an unorthodox, but friendly, +greeting.</p> + +<p>Heselton waved back.</p> + +<p>The alien then pointed to his +mouth, made several clacking-grunting +sounds, and moved a +hand on his desk. The scene +switched to another alien standing +in front of what looked like +a blackboard, with a piece of +chalk in his hand. The meaning +was clear.</p> + +<p>"Lieutenant, have this transmission +switched to the linguistics +section. Maybe those guys +can work some sort of language." +The screen blanked out. +Heselton leaned back, tense, obviously +worried. Hesitantly, he +reached out and touched a button +on the intercom.</p> + +<p>"Astronomy."</p> + +<p>"Professor, there's a ship +right next door somewhere that +should stand out like King Kong +in a kindergarten."</p> + +<p>"I know, Admiral. I've been +listening to the intercom. Our +optical equipment isn't designed +for close range work, but we've +been doing the best we can, +tried everything from infra-red +through ultra-violet. If there is +a ship out there I'm afraid it's +invisible."</p> + +<p>Beads of sweat sprinkled Heselton's +forehead. "This is bad, +Rogers. Mighty bad." Nervously, +he walked across to the right +of the bridge and stood, hands +clasped behind his back, staring +blankly out at blackness and the +scattered stars. "I know there is +a ship out there, and I know that +a ship simply can't be invisible, +not to radar <i>and</i> optics."</p> + +<p>"What makes you sure there is +only one, sir?"</p> + +<p>Heselton cracked his fists together. +"My God, Rogers, you're +right! There might be ..."</p> + +<p>The intercom clacked. "This +is fire control again, sir. I think +we've got something on the radiation +detectors."</p> + +<p>"Good work, what did you +find?"</p> + +<p>"Slight radioactivity, typical +of interstellar drive mechanisms, +somewhere off to our right. +Can't tell exactly where, +though."</p> + +<p>"How far away is it?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know, sir."</p> + +<p>Heselton's hands dropped to +his sides. "Thanks," he said, +"for the help."</p> + +<p>His desk tv flashed into life +with a picture of the smiling +alien commander. "This is the +linguistics section, Admiral. The +aliens understand a fairly common +galactic symbology, I believe +we can translate simple +messages for you now."</p> + +<p>"Ask him where the hell he +is," Heselton snapped without +thinking, then instantly regretted +it as the alien's face showed +unmistakable surprise.</p> + +<p>The alien's smile grew into an +almost unbelievable grin. He +turned sideways to speak to +someone out of sight of the +camera and suddenly burst into +a series of roaring cackles. "He's +laughing, sir." The translator +commented unnecessarily.</p> + +<p>The joke was strictly with the +aliens. Heselton's face whitened +in quick realization. "Rogers! +They <i>didn't know</i> that we can't +see them!"</p> + +<p>"Look, sir." The navigator +pointed to the tv screen and a +brilliantly clear image of Big +Joe shimmering against the galaxy, +lit by millions of stars. +Every missile port, even the military +numerals along her nose +were clearly visible.</p> + +<p>"They're rubbing it in, Rogers. +Showing us what we look +like to them." Heselton's face +was chalk. "They could blast Big +Joe apart, piece by piece—the +most powerful ship in the galaxy."</p> + +<p>"Maybe," said Rogers, "the +second most powerful."</p> + +<p>Without answering, Heselton +turned and looked out again at +empty space and millions of +steady, unwinking stars. His +mind formed an image of a +huge, ethereal spaceship, missile +ports open, weapons aimed directly +at Big Joe.</p> + +<p>The speaker interrupted his +nightmare. "This is fire control, +Admiral. With your permission +I'll scatter a few C-bombs ..."</p> + +<p>Heselton leaped for the microphone. +"Are you out of your +mind? We haven't the slightest +idea of the forces that guy has. +We might be in the center of a +whole blooming fleet. Ever think +of that?"</p> + +<p>The alien's face, still smirking, +appeared again on the +screen. "He says," said the interpreter, +"that he finds the +presence of our armed ship very +annoying."</p> + +<p>Heselton knew what he had to +do. "Tell him," he said, swallowing hard, +"that we apologize. +This part of the galaxy is +strange to us."</p> + +<p>"He says he is contemplating +blasting us out of the sky."</p> + +<p>Heselton said nothing, but he +longed to reach out and throttle +the grinning, alien face.</p> + +<p>"However," the interpreter +continued, "he will let us go safely +if we leave immediately. He +says to send an unarmed, diplomatic +vessel next time and maybe +his people will talk to us."</p> + +<p>"Thank him for his kindness." +Heselton's jaws clenched so +tightly they ached.</p> + +<p>"He says," said the interpreter, +"to get the hell out."</p> + +<p>The grinning face snapped off +the screen, but the cackling +laughter continued to reverberate +in the control room until the +radio shack finally turned off the +receiver.</p> + +<p>"Reverse course," the admiral +ordered quietly. "Maximum +drive."</p> + +<p>A thousand missile launchers, +designed to disintegrate solar +systems, were deactivated, hundreds +of gyros swung the mile-long +ship end for end and stabilized +her on a reverse course, +drive units big enough to power +several major cities whined into +operation, anti-grav generators +with the strength to shift small +planets counterbalanced the external +acceleration, and the ship +moved, away, with a speed approaching +that of light.</p> + +<p>"Well," muttered Heselton, +"that's the very first time Big +Joe has ever had to retreat." As +if it were his own personal failure, +he walked slowly across the +control room and down the corridor +towards his cabin.</p> + +<p>"Admiral!" Lost in thought, +Heselton barely heard the call.</p> + +<p>"Admiral, look!" Pausing at +the door to his cabin, Heselton +turned to face the ship's chief +astronomer running up waving +two large photographs.</p> + +<p>"Look, sir," the professor +gasped for breath. "We thought +this was a spot on the negative, +but one of the men got curious +and enlarged it about a hundred +times." He held up one of the +photos. It showed a small, +fuzzy, but unmistakable spaceship. +"No wonder we couldn't +spot it with our instruments."</p> + +<p>Heselton snatched it out of his +hand. "I see what you mean. +This ship must have been thousands of +miles ..."</p> + +<p>The professor shook his head. +"No, sir. As a matter of fact, it +was quite close by."</p> + +<p>"But ..."</p> + +<p>"We figure that the total +length of the alien ship was +roughly an inch and a half."</p> + +<p class="theend">THE END</p> + +<div class="trn"><b>Transcriber's Note:</b><br /> +This etext was produced from <i>Amazing Science Fiction Stories</i> January 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.</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Matter of Magnitude, by Al Sevcik + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A MATTER OF MAGNITUDE *** + +***** This file should be named 24927-h.htm or 24927-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/9/2/24927/ + +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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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 Matter of Magnitude + +Author: Al Sevcik + +Release Date: March 27, 2008 [EBook #24927] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A MATTER OF MAGNITUDE *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + A + MATTER + OF + MAGNITUDE + + By AL SEVCIK + + + _When you're commanding a spaceship over a mile + long, and armed to the teeth, you don't exactly + expect to be told to get the hell out ..._ + + +The ship, for reasons that had to do with the politics of +appropriations, was named Senator Joseph L. Holloway, but the press and +the public called her Big Joe. Her captain, six-star Admiral Heselton, +thought of her as Great Big Joe, and never fully got over being +awestruck at the size of his command. + +"She's a mighty big ship, Rogers," he said proudly to the navigator, +ignoring the latter's rather vacant stare and fixed smile. "More than a +mile long, and wider than hell." He waved his hands expansively. "She's +never touched down on Earth, you know. Never will. Too big for that. +They built her on the moon. The cost? Well ..." + +Swiveling his chair around, Heselton slowly surveyed the ship's control +room with a small, satisfied smile. The two pilots sitting far forward, +almost hidden by their banks of instruments, the radar operators idly +watching their scopes, the three flight engineers sitting intently at +their enormous control consoles, and, just behind, the radio shack--its +closed door undoubtedly hiding a game of cards. For weeks now, as Big +Joe moved across the galaxy's uncharted fringe, the radio bands had been +completely dead, except, of course, for the usual star static hissing +and burbling in the background. + +Turning back again to his navigator, Heselton smiled modestly and noted +that Big Joe was undisputedly the largest, most powerful, most feared, +and most effective spaceship in the known universe. + +As always, Rogers nodded agreement. The fact that he'd heard it a +hundred times didn't make it any less true. Big Joe, armed with every +weapon known to Terran technology, was literally the battleship to end +all battleships. Ending battleships--and battles--was, in fact, her job. +And she did it well. For the first time, the galaxy was at peace. + + * * * * * + +With a relaxed sigh, Heselton leaned back to gaze at the stars and +contemplate the vastness of the universe, compared to which even Big Joe +was an insignificant dot. + +"Well," said Rogers, "time for another course check. I'll ..." He jumped +back, barely avoiding the worried lieutenant who exploded upon them from +the radio shack. + +"A signal, sir! Damn close, on the VHF band, their transmission is +completely overriding the background noise." He waved excitedly to +someone in the radio shack and an overhead speaker came to life emitting +a distinct clacking-grunting sound. "It's audio of some sort, sir, but +there's lots more to the signal than that." + +In one motion Heselton's chair snapped forward, his right fist hit the +red emergency alert button on his desk, and his left snapped on the +ship's intercom. Lights dimmed momentarily as powerful emergency drive +units snapped into action, and the ship echoed with the sound of two +thousand men running to battle stations. + +"Bridge to radar! Report." + +"Radar to bridge. All clear." + +Heselton stared incredulously at the intercom. "What?" + +"Radar to bridge, repeating. All clear. Admiral, we've got two men on +every scope, there's nothing anywhere." + +A new voice cut in on the speaker. "Radio track to bridge." + +Frowning, Heselton answered. "Bridge. Come in radio track. We're +listening." + +"Sir," the crisp voice of the radio track section's commander had an +excited tinge. "Sir, Doppler calculations show that the source of those +signals is slowing down somewhere to our right. It's acting like a +spaceship, sir, that's coming to a halt." + +The admiral locked eyes with Rogers for a second, then shrugged. "Slow +the ship, and circle right. Radio track, can you keep me posted on the +object's position?" + +"No can do, sir. Doppler effect can't be used on a slow moving source. +It's still off to our right, but that's the best I can say." + +"Sir," another voice chimed in, "this is fire control. We've got our +directional antennas on the thing. It's either directly right or +directly left of the ship, matching speed with us exactly." + +"_Either_ to our right or left?" + +"That's the best we can do, sir, without radar help." + +"Admiral, sir," the lieutenant who had first reported the signal came +running back. "Judging from the frequency and strength, we think it's +probably less than a hundred miles away." + +"_Less_ than a hundr ..." + +"Of course, we can't be positive, sir." + +Heselton whirled back to the intercom. "Radar! That thing is practically +on our necks. What the hell's the matter with that equipment...?" + +The radar commander's voice showed distinct signs of strain. "Can't help +it, Admiral. The equipment is working perfectly. We've tried the +complete range of frequencies, twenty-five different sets are in +operation, we're going blind looking. There is absolutely nothing, +nothing at all." + +For a moment the bridge was silent, except for the clacking-grunting +from the overhead speaker which, if anything, sounded louder than +before. + +"It's tv, sir!" The radio lieutenant came running in again. "We've +unscrambled the image. Here!" The communications screen on Heselton's +desk glowed for a moment, then flashed into life. + + * * * * * + +The figure was clearly alien, though startlingly humanoid--at least from +the waist up, which was all that showed in the screen. A large mouth and +slightly bulging eyes gave it a somewhat jovial, frog-like demeanor. +Seated at a desk similar to Heselton's, wearing a gaudy uniform +profusely strewn with a variety of insignia, it was obviously Heselton's +counterpart, the commander of an alien vessel. + +"Hmmm, looks like we've contacted a new race. Let's return the call, +Lieutenant." A tiny red light glowed beneath a miniature camera on +Heselton's desk and almost at once the alien's face registered obvious +satisfaction. It waved a six-fingered hand in an unorthodox, but +friendly, greeting. + +Heselton waved back. + +The alien then pointed to his mouth, made several clacking-grunting +sounds, and moved a hand on his desk. The scene switched to another +alien standing in front of what looked like a blackboard, with a piece +of chalk in his hand. The meaning was clear. + +"Lieutenant, have this transmission switched to the linguistics section. +Maybe those guys can work some sort of language." The screen blanked +out. Heselton leaned back, tense, obviously worried. Hesitantly, he +reached out and touched a button on the intercom. + +"Astronomy." + +"Professor, there's a ship right next door somewhere that should stand +out like King Kong in a kindergarten." + +"I know, Admiral. I've been listening to the intercom. Our optical +equipment isn't designed for close range work, but we've been doing the +best we can, tried everything from infra-red through ultra-violet. If +there is a ship out there I'm afraid it's invisible." + +Beads of sweat sprinkled Heselton's forehead. "This is bad, Rogers. +Mighty bad." Nervously, he walked across to the right of the bridge and +stood, hands clasped behind his back, staring blankly out at blackness +and the scattered stars. "I know there is a ship out there, and I know +that a ship simply can't be invisible, not to radar _and_ optics." + +"What makes you sure there is only one, sir?" + +Heselton cracked his fists together. "My God, Rogers, you're right! +There might be ..." + +The intercom clacked. "This is fire control again, sir. I think we've +got something on the radiation detectors." + +"Good work, what did you find?" + +"Slight radioactivity, typical of interstellar drive mechanisms, +somewhere off to our right. Can't tell exactly where, though." + +"How far away is it?" + +"I don't know, sir." + +Heselton's hands dropped to his sides. "Thanks," he said, "for the +help." + +His desk tv flashed into life with a picture of the smiling alien +commander. "This is the linguistics section, Admiral. The aliens +understand a fairly common galactic symbology, I believe we can +translate simple messages for you now." + +"Ask him where the hell he is," Heselton snapped without thinking, then +instantly regretted it as the alien's face showed unmistakable surprise. + +The alien's smile grew into an almost unbelievable grin. He turned +sideways to speak to someone out of sight of the camera and suddenly +burst into a series of roaring cackles. "He's laughing, sir." The +translator commented unnecessarily. + +The joke was strictly with the aliens. Heselton's face whitened in quick +realization. "Rogers! They _didn't know_ that we can't see them!" + +"Look, sir." The navigator pointed to the tv screen and a brilliantly +clear image of Big Joe shimmering against the galaxy, lit by millions of +stars. Every missile port, even the military numerals along her nose +were clearly visible. + +"They're rubbing it in, Rogers. Showing us what we look like to them." +Heselton's face was chalk. "They could blast Big Joe apart, piece by +piece--the most powerful ship in the galaxy." + +"Maybe," said Rogers, "the second most powerful." + +Without answering, Heselton turned and looked out again at empty space +and millions of steady, unwinking stars. His mind formed an image of a +huge, ethereal spaceship, missile ports open, weapons aimed directly at +Big Joe. + +The speaker interrupted his nightmare. "This is fire control, Admiral. +With your permission I'll scatter a few C-bombs ..." + +Heselton leaped for the microphone. "Are you out of your mind? We +haven't the slightest idea of the forces that guy has. We might be in +the center of a whole blooming fleet. Ever think of that?" + +The alien's face, still smirking, appeared again on the screen. "He +says," said the interpreter, "that he finds the presence of our armed +ship very annoying." + +Heselton knew what he had to do. "Tell him," he said, swallowing hard, +"that we apologize. This part of the galaxy is strange to us." + +"He says he is contemplating blasting us out of the sky." + +Heselton said nothing, but he longed to reach out and throttle the +grinning, alien face. + +"However," the interpreter continued, "he will let us go safely if we +leave immediately. He says to send an unarmed, diplomatic vessel next +time and maybe his people will talk to us." + +"Thank him for his kindness." Heselton's jaws clenched so tightly they +ached. + +"He says," said the interpreter, "to get the hell out." + +The grinning face snapped off the screen, but the cackling laughter +continued to reverberate in the control room until the radio shack +finally turned off the receiver. + +"Reverse course," the admiral ordered quietly. "Maximum drive." + +A thousand missile launchers, designed to disintegrate solar systems, +were deactivated, hundreds of gyros swung the mile-long ship end for end +and stabilized her on a reverse course, drive units big enough to power +several major cities whined into operation, anti-grav generators with +the strength to shift small planets counterbalanced the external +acceleration, and the ship moved, away, with a speed approaching that of +light. + +"Well," muttered Heselton, "that's the very first time Big Joe has ever +had to retreat." As if it were his own personal failure, he walked +slowly across the control room and down the corridor towards his cabin. + +"Admiral!" Lost in thought, Heselton barely heard the call. + +"Admiral, look!" Pausing at the door to his cabin, Heselton turned to +face the ship's chief astronomer running up waving two large +photographs. + +"Look, sir," the professor gasped for breath. "We thought this was a +spot on the negative, but one of the men got curious and enlarged it +about a hundred times." He held up one of the photos. It showed a small, +fuzzy, but unmistakable spaceship. "No wonder we couldn't spot it with +our instruments." + +Heselton snatched it out of his hand. "I see what you mean. This ship +must have been thousands of miles ..." + +The professor shook his head. "No, sir. As a matter of fact, it was +quite close by." + +"But ..." + +"We figure that the total length of the alien ship was roughly an inch +and a half." + + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _Amazing Science Fiction Stories_ + January 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 the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Matter of Magnitude, by Al Sevcik + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A MATTER OF MAGNITUDE *** + +***** This file should be named 24927.txt or 24927.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/9/2/24927/ + +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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