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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/25684-h.zip b/25684-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a35fa40 --- /dev/null +++ b/25684-h.zip diff --git a/25684-h/25684-h.htm b/25684-h/25684-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1fd6cbd --- /dev/null +++ b/25684-h/25684-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4263 @@ +<!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 World Called Crimson, by Darius John Granger + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1,h2 {text-align: center; margin-top: 1em;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 1em auto; visibility: hidden;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin: 1em 0 1em 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center; width: 534px;} + img {border: none;} + a:link {text-decoration: none;} + a:visited {text-decoration: none;} + p.cap:first-letter {float: left; margin-right: .05em; padding-top: .05em; font-size: 300%; line-height: .8em;} + .dcap {text-transform: uppercase;} + .tease {margin: 1em auto; width: 25em;} + .theend {text-align: right; margin-top: 2em;} + .rgt {text-align: right;} + .figtran {float: left; text-align: justify; border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; padding: 1em;} + .figtran img {float: left; padding-right: 1em;} + .fx {clear: both;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A World Called Crimson, by Darius John Granger + +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 World Called Crimson + +Author: Darius John Granger + +Release Date: June 3, 2008 [EBook #25684] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A WORLD CALLED CRIMSON *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell, and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="tease"><p><i>There was a boy and a girl +and a strange new planet; +the planet was alive with +hideous dangers. But the boy +and girl were very young and +all Robin wanted to know +was: "Who stole my doll?"</i></p> + +<h1><big>A<br /> +WORLD<br /> +CALLED<br /> +CRIMSON</big></h1> + +<h2>By<br /> +DARIUS JOHN GRANGER</h2></div> + +<p><i>When the starship</i> Star of +Fire <i>collided with a meteor +swarm six parsecs stellar +north of the galactic hub in +the year A.D. 2278, it lost its +atmosphere within forty-five +minutes. At first it was +thought that every man, +woman and child of the four +thousand, one hundred and +sixty-six aboard were lost, in +this the greatest of all interstellar +disasters. But as was +discovered twenty years later +in the Purcell exploration, +this was not quite the case. +(See PURCELL)</i></p> + +<p class="rgt"><i>—from The ANNALS OF SPACE, Vol. 12</i></p> + +<hr /> + +<div class="figright"> +<img src="images/001.png" width="534" height="500" alt="" title="" /> +<b><small>The Cyclops—not hungry at the moment—regarded Robin as a new toy.</small></b></div> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">It was</span> the nasty little boy +from B Deck who had +stolen her doll. She hated +him. He was horrid. She slipped +out of their stateroom +while her Mom and Dad were +dressing for dinner. She'd +find that horrid little boy on +B Deck. She'd scratch his +eyes out.</p> + +<p>Her name was Robin Sinclair +and she was five years +old and mad enough to throw +the boy from B Deck out into +space, only she didn't know +how to go about that.</p> + +<p>She went down the companionway +to B Deck, where +the people dressed differently. +The colors weren't as bright, +somehow, the cloth not so +fine. It was a major distinction +in the eyes of a five-year-old +girl, especially one who +loved to run her fingers over +fine synthetics and who even +had a favorite color. Her favorite +color was crimson.</p> + +<p>"'Scuse me, mister. Didja +see a little boy with a doll +with a crimson dress on?"</p> + +<p>A smile. But she was deadly +serious. "Not me, young +lady."</p> + +<p>She walked for a while +aimlessly on B Deck. She saw +two little boys, but they weren't +the right ones. Pouting +now, almost in tears, she was +on the verge of giving up. +Mom and Dad could buy her +a new doll. Mom and Dad +were richer than anybody, +weren't they?</p> + +<p>Then, all of a sudden, she +saw him. He was just ducking +out of sight up ahead. +Under his arm was tucked +the doll with the crimson +dress, her favorite doll.</p> + +<p>"Hey!" she cried. "Hey, +wait for me!"</p> + +<p>Her little feet pounding, +she raced down the companionway. +As she reached the +irising door in the bulkhead, +an electric eye opened it for +her. She had never come this +way before. It was not as +bright and clean as the rest +of the ship. She had not even +seen the sign which said +PASSENGERS NOT PERMITTED +BEYOND THIS +POINT. But then, she could +barely read, anyway.</p> + +<p>She caught a quick second +glimpse of the boy, and started +running as he rounded a +turn in the corridor. Shouting +for him to stop, she reached +the turn and saw him up +ahead. He looked back at her +and stuck out his tongue and +kept running.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>It was then that the whole +world shuddered, like it was +trying to shake itself to +pieces.</p> + +<p>Alarm bells clanged everywhere. +Whistles shrilled. +Pretty soon uniformed men +were running in all directions. +Robin Sinclair was suddenly +very frightened. She +wanted to go back to A Deck, +to her Mom and Dad, but she +had followed the boy through +so many twisting, turning +corridors that she knew she +would be lost if she tried. She +looked ahead. The boy seemed +confident as he made his way. +She followed him. But she +was really mad at him now. It +was his fault she was so far +from Mom and Dad when a +thing like this happened.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Uniformed members of the +crew continued rushing by. +She heard snatches of conversation +she didn't understand.</p> + +<p>"Trying to patch it ..."</p> + +<p>"The whole stern section of +the ship. Losing air fast ..."</p> + +<p>"The lifeboats. I was just +down there. Every last one +of 'em. Gone. The meteor took +'em right off into space."</p> + +<p>"If the damage can't be repaired ..."</p> + +<p>And one man, finally, with +a face awful to behold: +"Patches won't hold. We're +losing air faster'n it can be +replaced. Better tell the Captain."</p> + +<p>A man in a lot of gold +braid rushed into view. He +was distinguished-looking, +but old. Boy, he was old, +Robin thought. He looked as +old as her grandfather.</p> + +<p>"Captain! We're losing too +much air. It can't be replaced."</p> + +<p>"Then prepare to abandon +ship."</p> + +<p>"But, sir, every lifeboat is +gone!"</p> + +<p>"No lifeboats? No lifeboats!"</p> + +<p>The boy stuck his tongue +out again. She ran after him, +shaking her little fist. They +were completely absorbed in +their private enmity while the +word went out that the situation +was hopeless and almost +five thousand people prepared +to die.</p> + +<p>"I've got you now!"</p> + +<p>He had run up against a +blank wall. She came toward +him, holding her hands out +for the doll with the crimson +dress. He held it behind his +back. She reached around to +get it but he pushed her and +she fell down.</p> + +<p>"I'll fix you!" she threatened, +getting up and rushing toward +him again. Big arms +came down, and big hands +grabbed her.</p> + +<p>"There now, little miss," a +voice said. "Why aren't you +with your folks? Time like +this, you ought to be with +your folks. What is it, B +Deck?"</p> + +<p>"A Deck," Robin said +haughtily. "<i>He's</i> from B. Why +is everybody running around +so?"</p> + +<p>He was a tall, slat-thin man +with a kind-looking face. +"Say, wait a minute!" he suddenly +said, looking perplexed. +"They all the time said I was +nuts, building that damn +thing. Well, I can't fit into it, +but maybe these here kids +can."</p> + +<p>He scooped Robin up with +one hand, got the boy with +the other. "I want my doll!" +Robin cried, but the boy held +it away from her.</p> + +<p>"Take it easy now," the +man said. "Take it easy. +We'll take care of you."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>He ran with them to one of +the repair bays of the great, +doom-bound starship. In one +corner, beyond the now useless +patching equipment, was +a table. On the table stood a +model of the <i>Star of Fire</i>. It +was six feet long and perfect +in every external detail. He +hadn't got around to the inside +yet. The inside was completely +empty. It had rockets +and everything. There was no +reason why it wouldn't be +perfectly space-worthy. Why, +it would even hold an atmosphere ...</p> + +<p>"In you go!" he said.</p> + +<p>The little boy was suddenly +scared. "I want my Mother," +he said. "I want my Dad."</p> + +<p>"In you go."</p> + +<p>Robin felt herself lifted, +and thrust inside something. +It was dark in there. She +moved around and bumped +into something. She moved +around some more and bumped +against the little boy from +B Deck.</p> + +<p>"How do you get out of +here?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"I don't know," he said.</p> + +<p>"I want my doll back," she +said.</p> + +<p>"Oh yeah?"</p> + +<p>"You better give it to me."</p> + +<p>He said nothing. There was +a hissing sound, and a faint +roar. Far away, something +slid ponderously.</p> + +<p>"Pleasant voyage, little +ones!" a voice boomed.</p> + +<p>Something sat on her chest +all at once, squeezing all the +air from her. It was a great +weight holding her motionless, +squeezing. She wanted to +cry, but couldn't get the +sound out. She wanted her +Mom. Mom would know what +to do.</p> + +<p>She was crushed and flattened +into a tunnel of blackness.</p> + +<p>Thirty minutes later, the +starship <i>Star of Fire</i>, outworld-bound +from Sol to the +starswarms beyond Ophiuchus, +lost all its remaining +air. It became an enormous +coffin spinning end over end +in space amid the blaze of +starlight near the center of +the galaxy.</p> + +<p>One tiny spaceship, a small +model of the huge liner, sped +away. If it went two days +finding no planet, its two occupants +would perish when +the small oxygen supply gave +out. If it found a planet it +would circle and land automatically. +The possibility of +this was small, but not remote. +For here at the center +of the galaxy, stellar distances +are more nearly planetary +and most of the stars +have attendant planets. But +even then, it would have to be +a world capable of supporting +their lives ...</p> + +<p>They sped on, in all innocence. +She was five. He was +six. His name was Charlie +Fullerton. He had her doll. +She hated him.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Two hours after the tiny +model spaceship landed on a +planet with three suns in the +sky, Robin Sinclair awoke. +She felt cramped and uncomfortable. +It took her a while +to orient herself. She had +some kind of a dream. A +dream was a funny thing. +Mom said it wasn't real. But +it sure was real to her.</p> + +<p>She got up and pushed with +her hands. A section of the +tiny spaceship sprang away +at her touch, admitting blinding +light. She lay there with +her eyes tightly shut, but +after a while she could see. +The boy was sleeping. She +still hated him. He was sleeping +with her doll in his arms. +She took the doll and he +moved his arms and woke up. +She jumped out of the open +spaceship with the doll and +started running.</p> + +<p>She ran along a beach. But +the sand was green. The +ocean hissed and roared and +there was nobody else. "N'ya! +N'ya! Y'can't catch me!" she +bawled at the top of her voice. +And fell down in the sand.</p> + +<p>He caught up with her and +fell on top of her and they +wrestled for the doll. The +surf thundered nearby. The +tide, capricious in the grip of +the three suns, rose suddenly, +flooding them with chill +water. Coughing and spluttering +and choking, they retreated +further up the beach.</p> + +<p>Soon they quieted down.</p> + +<p>"I'm soaking wet," she +said.</p> + +<p>"My name is Charlie," he +said sullenly. "Let's go back +now."</p> + +<p>"How do we go back?" she +wanted to know.</p> + +<p>"That's a nice doll," Charlie +said.</p> + +<p>"You took it from me!" Accusingly.</p> + +<p>"Aw, I only wanted to look +at it."</p> + +<p>"She has a crimson dress +and everything."</p> + +<p>"This is some world," +Charlie said after a while.</p> + +<p>"What's a world?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, a world is—you know—everything."</p> + +<p>"Oh."</p> + +<p>"You think it has Indians?"</p> + +<p>She said, "It ought to have +Indians, anyhow."</p> + +<p>"And pirates too?" he asked +in a voice full of awe.</p> + +<p>She nodded her head very +seriously. "I like pirates," she +said. "They're so scarey."</p> + +<p>Just then a ship came into +view far away across the +water. It had enormous sails +and a black hull. On the fore-sail +was painted a huge black +skull.</p> + +<p>"Let's get out of here!" +Charlie cried in alarm. But +beetling cliffs reared behind +the beach and although they +ran frantically along at the +edge of the green sand, they +could find no way to scale the +cliffs. The pirate ship came +closer and closer.</p> + +<p>They got down whimpering +at the base of the cliffs +and remained very still. After +a long time the pirate ship +came close to shore. A longboat +was dispatched and its +oars flashed in the triple sunlight +like giant legs on which +the longboat walked across +the waves toward the beach.</p> + +<p>Then the pirates were +ashore. The man who led +them had only one leg, and a +peg. He looked very mean.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"It's Blackbeard the Pirate!" +said Charlie in a +frightened whisper. His Dad +had once read him a story +about Blackbeard.</p> + +<p>The pirate with the wooden +leg suddenly had a black +beard.</p> + +<p>"The doll!" cried Robin.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?"</p> + +<p>"We left her down there. +Crimson." She called her doll +Crimson because she had a +crimson dress.</p> + +<p>Now Blackbeard approached +the model spaceship with +his crew. They gathered +around it, frowning. Robin +watched, her face pale, her +eyes wide. Crimson was there +on the sand. They were going +to see Crimson. Even as she +was thinking these horrible +thoughts, one of the pirates +saw Crimson and picked her +up. Blackbeard came over and +took the doll and looked at +her. At that moment there +was a shout from above the +cliffs and an arrow suddenly +transfixed one of the pirates. +He fell down writhing and +Blackbeard and the rest of +his men raced back to the +longboat.</p> + +<p>"Indians," Charlie whispered +knowingly.</p> + +<p>The Indians shouted and +yelled.</p> + +<p>"Are there any cowboys +here?" Robin asked hopefully.</p> + +<p>"No, sir. No cowboys," +Charlie said very definitely.</p> + +<p>"I'm hungry," Robin said. +"I wish we had something."</p> + +<p>With a little squeal of delight, +she looked down at her +feet. Two platters of fried +chicken, with all the trimmings. +Her favorite. They ate +ravenously, not hearing the +Indians any more. They +watched the longboat return +to the pirate ship. All this +way, they could see little +Crimson's dress as Blackbeard +took her aboard. Robin +finished her fried chicken and +started to cry.</p> + +<p>"Girls," said Charlie in disgust.</p> + +<p>"I can't help it. Poor Crimson."</p> + +<p>"Is she dead?"</p> + +<p>"Blackbeard the pirate took +her."</p> + +<p>"Charles was my grandfather's +name. My grandfather +died and they named +me Charles."</p> + +<p>"I want Crimson!"</p> + +<p>"Get down! The Indians +will see you."</p> + +<p>"The Indians went away. I +want Crimson!"</p> + +<p>"We could name this beach +after Crimson."</p> + +<p>"Aw, what do you know? +It's only a beach."</p> + +<p>"We could name the whole +wide world." Charlie gestured +expansively.</p> + +<p>The green sand of the +beach became crimson. The +sky had a crimson glow.</p> + +<p>"It sure is a funny world," +Charlie said. Laughter loud +as thunder echoed in the sky. +"A world called Crimson," he +added.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The tide came in. Spray +and surf bounded off the +rocks, wetting them. "We better +go up the hill," Robin said. +By hill she meant the perpendicular +cliffs behind them.</p> + +<p>The tide thundered in. +They were sodden. They +clung to the rocks.</p> + +<p>"We need an elevator or +something," Charlie said.</p> + +<p>Golden cables flashed in the +sunlight. The gilt elevator +cage came down. They climbed +in as a big wave came and +battered the rocks. The elevator +went up, up to the top +of the cliff. They could see a +long way across the water. +They could watch the pirate +ship sailing away, the skull +black as night on its sail.</p> + +<p>They got out of the elevator +at the top of the cliff. They +didn't see any Indians, but +they saw the ashes of a campfire.</p> + +<p>"Are there lions and tigers +and everything?" Robin asked +in wonder, gazing out over +the beach and the sea and +then turning around to see +the green forest which began +fifty yards beyond the edge of +the cliff.</p> + +<p>"Sure there are lions and +tigers," Charlie said matter-of-factly.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Off somewhere in the +woods, a big cat roared. +Robin whimpered.</p> + +<p>"I w-was only fooling," +Charlie said, vaguely understanding +that you could somehow +make things happen on +this world called Crimson.</p> + +<p>But he learned a lesson +that night. You could make +things happen on Crimson, +but you couldn't unmake +them.</p> + +<p>The tiger roared again. But +they were downwind from it +and it went elsewhere in +search of prey. Huddled together +near the embers of the +Indian campfire, the two children +slept fitfully through the +cold night.</p> + +<p>Then the three suns finally +came up on three different +sides of the horizon. Crimson +was deadly, but beautiful....</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><i>Although credit for the discovery +of</i> Aladdin's Planet +<i>goes to the explorer Richard +Purcell of Earth, two Earth +children actually were shipwrecked +there twenty years +before Purcell's expedition. +But instead of paving the way +for Purcell, they actually +made the exploration more +difficult for him. In fact, it +was positively fraught with +peril. But since</i> Aladdin's +Planet <i>had become the galaxy's +arsenal of plenty, it was +well worth Purcell's effort. As +any schoolboy knows in this +utopia of 24th century plenty,</i> +Aladdin's Planet, <i>almost exactly +at the heart of the galaxy, +where matter is spontaneously +created to sweep out +in long cosmic trails across +the galaxy, is the home not +merely of spontaneous creation +of matter, but spontaneous</i> +formed <i>creation, with any +human psyche capable of doing +the handwork of God. A +planet of great import ...</i></p> + +<p class="rgt"><i>—from The ANNALS OF SPACE, Vol. 2</i></p> + +<hr /> + +<p>She stood poised for a glorious +moment on the very +edge of the rock, the bronze +and pink of her glistening in +the sun, the spray still clinging +to her from her last dive. +Then, grace in every line of +her lithe body, she sprang +from the rock in a perfectly +executed swan dive.</p> + +<p>Charlie helped her out, +smiling. "That was pretty," +he said.</p> + +<p>"Well, you taught me how." +Her figure was not yet that of +a woman, but far more than +that of a girl. She was very +beautiful and Charlie knew +this although he had no standards +to judge by, except for +the Indian women they occasionally +saw or Blackbeard's +slave girls when the pirate +ship came in to trade.</p> + +<p>Unselfconsciously, Robin +climbed into her gold-mesh +shorts. Charlie helped her +fasten the gold-mesh halter. +Long, long ago—it seemed an +unreal dream, almost—he had +been a very small boy and his +mother had taken him to a +show in which everyone +danced and sang and wore +gold-mesh clothing. He had +never forgotten it, and now +all their clothing was gold-mesh.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Robin spun around and +looked at him. Her tawny +blonde hair fell almost to her +waist, and he helped her comb +it with a jewel-encrusted +comb he had wished into being +a few days before.</p> + +<p>"I so like Crimson!" she +cried impulsively.</p> + +<p>Charlie smiled. "Why, +that's a funny thing to say. Is +there any other kind of a +place?"</p> + +<p>"You mean, but Crimson?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"I don't know. It is funny. +Sometimes I think—"</p> + +<p>Charlie smiled at her, a +little condescendingly. "Oh, +it's the book again, is it?" he +asked.</p> + +<p>"All right. It's the book. +Stop making fun of me."</p> + +<p>Many years ago, when +they'd been small children, +they had returned to the ruined +spaceship which had +brought them to Crimson. It +had been empty except for +the book, as if the book had +been placed there for them by +whatever power had put them +in the spaceship. Naturally, +they had not been able to +read, but they kept the book +anyway. Then one day, years +later, Robin had wished to be +able to read and the next time +she lifted the book and opened +it, the magic of the words +was miraculously revealed to +her. The book was called A +ONE VOLUME ENCYCLOPEDIC +HISTORY and it told +about just everything—except +Crimson. There was no +mention of Crimson at all. +Robin read the book over and +over again until she almost +knew it by heart. Even +Charlie had listened to it +twice all the way through +when she read it, but he had +never wished for the ability +to read himself.</p> + +<p>Now Charlie asked: "Do +you really believe the book? +This is Crimson. This is +real."</p> + +<p>"I don't know. Sometimes +I think this isn't as real as +everything in the book. And +sometimes I just don't know."</p> + +<p>They walked in silence to +their elevator and took it to +the top of the highest cliff. +They had wished for a house +there, like one Robin had seen +in the book. They had wished +for many things to make +their lives interesting, or +pleasant. They had peopled +Crimson with the fruit of +their wishes, using the ONE +VOLUME ENCYCLOPEDIC +HISTORY as a guide.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>They lived a mile from the +Indian Camp. They traded +with the Indians who, +strangely, did not know how +to wish for things. Neither +did the pirates, or anyone. +Just Robin and Charlie. The +pirates lived across the sea on +an island. To the south along +the shore were Phoenicians, +Greeks, Mayas, Royal Navymen, +Submariners, mermaids +and Cyclopes. To the north +along the shore were Polynesians, +Maoris, Panamanians +and Dutchmen. Inland were +Cannibals, Lotus Eaters, a +few settlements of cowboys to +make life interesting for the +Indians, farmers, Russians, +Congressmen and Ministers. +All had been created by Robin +and Charlie, who visited them +sometimes. They never believed +for a minute that +Robin and Charlie had really +created them, although all +were amazed by Robin and +Charlie's ability to make +things appear out of thin air.</p> + +<p>Just as they reached their +house, an Indian brave came +running down the trail toward +them.</p> + +<p>"Skyship come!" he cried, +gesturing wildly and excitedly.</p> + +<p>"Skyship?" repeated Charlie, +looking at Robin. "Have +you created any spaceships?"</p> + +<p>"No. You know it's a bargain +between us. We don't +create anything we don't +think we understand."</p> + +<p>The Indian was sweating. +His name was Tashtu, which +meant Wild Eagle, and he +was their go-between with +the tribe. "Skyship sweep +across heavens," he said. +"Not land. Go up in Wild +Country."</p> + +<p>Charlie's interest quickened. +Wild Country. They had +created it on impulse, about +twenty miles from the Indian +Camp, midway between the +settlements of Congressmen +inland and Cyclopes on the +shore. It was a place of tortuous +gorges and rocks and +mountains, utterly lifeless. +No one ever went there. +Someday, he had always told +Robin, they would explore +Wild Country. If there really +was a spaceship, and if it had +gone there ...</p> + +<p>"No," Robin said. "I know +what you're thinking. But I'm +perfectly happy here."</p> + +<p>"You just now said you +sometimes thought Crimson +wasn't real and there were +other, real worlds which—"</p> + +<p>"That's different. I can +dream, can't I?"</p> + +<p>"But don't you see, if a +spaceship's really come, maybe +they can tell us."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>She gripped his arm. +"Charlie. Oh, Charlie, I don't +know. I'm afraid. We've been +happy here, haven't we? We +really wouldn't want it to +change ..."</p> + +<p>"I'm going to Wild Country," +Charlie said stubbornly.</p> + +<p>Tashtu nodded his head. "It is +good that you do. For the +braves—"</p> + +<p>"Don't tell me they went +after the skyship?" Charlie +asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Lord. Skyship come +low, ruin crops mile around. +War dance follow. War party +leave last sunrise."</p> + +<p>"Six hours ago!" Charlie +cried. "Can we overtake +them?"</p> + +<p>Tashtu shrugged. "Hurry, +Lord."</p> + +<p>"Don't you see," Charlie +told Robin. "They're savages. +They wouldn't understand +anything like spaceships. +They wouldn't want to. If +they get the chance, they'll +kill first and ask questions +afterwards. We've got to go +to the Wild Country now."</p> + +<p>Big and brawny Tashtu +was nodding his head earnestly, +but Robin seemed unconvinced. +"Why," she said, +"there isn't even anything +about Wild Country in the +book."</p> + +<p>"That's because we made +it."</p> + +<p>"And besides, the Congressmen +are dangerous."</p> + +<p>"Congressmen? Don't you +mean the Cyclopes?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I'm sorry. The Cyclopes +are dangerous."</p> + +<p>She couldn't possibly have +meant the Congressmen. It +was never clear to either of +them precisely what a Congressman +did. But there were +hundreds of them on one side +of Wild Country and they +were forever making speeches +and promises, little round +bald men with great, rich +voices and wonderful vocabularies. +Charlie loved to hear +them speak.</p> + +<p>"We go, Lord?" Tashtu +asked.</p> + +<p>Charlie nodded and went +inside swiftly for his rifle. It +was modeled after the most +powerful rifle in the encyclopedia +and was called a Mannlicher +Elephant Gun. Robin +came with her own smaller +Springfield repeater.</p> + +<p>"Ready?" Charlie asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes. We can think up food +along the trail."</p> + +<p>"Hurry, Lord," Tashtu +urged.</p> + +<p>Charlie could hardly contain +his excitement. The Wild +Country, at last. And a spaceship.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>By the time they were +ready to make planetfall on +the unexplored world, Purcell +knew his dislike of Glaudot +bordered on actual hatred. +Purcell, who was forty-five +years old and a bachelor, liked +his spacemen tough, yes: you +had to be tough to land on, +explore, and subdue a couple +of dozen worlds, as Purcell +himself had done. But he also +liked his spacemen with humility: +facing the unknown +and sometimes the unknowable +at every step of the way, +you needed humility.</p> + +<p>Glaudot, younger than Purcell +by fifteen years, confident, +arrogant, a lean hard +man and handsome in a +gaunt-cheeked, saturnine way, +lacked humility. For one +thing, he treated the crew like +dirt and had treated them +that way since blastoff from +Earth almost five months before. +For another, he seemed +impatient with Purcell's orders, +although Purcell was +not a cautious man, and certainly +not a timid one. What +had been growing between +them flared out into the open +moments before planetfall.</p> + +<p>"I can't get over it," Purcell +said. "I've never seen a +world anything like it." They +had made telescopic observations +from within the atmosphere. +"Giants living in +caves," Purcell went on. +"Sailing ships flying the Jolly +Roger. A town consisting of +miniature replicas of the +White House on Earth. Mermaids."</p> + +<p>"Don't tell me you really +thought you saw mermaids?" +Glaudot asked a little condescendingly.</p> + +<p>"All right, I'll admit I only +caught a glimpse of them. I +thought they were mermaids. +But what about the Indians?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," Glaudot admitted. +"I saw the Indians."</p> + +<p>Using their atmospheric +rockets, they had flown over +the Indian village at an altitude +of only a few hundred +feet, to see bronze-skinned +men rush out of tents and +stare up at them in awe. +After that, Purcell had decided +to find some desolate +spot in which to land, in order +not to risk a too-sudden +encounter with any of the +fantastically diversified natives.</p> + +<p>Now Glaudot said: "You're +taking what we saw too literally, +Captain. Why, I remember +on Harfonte we had all +sorts of hallucinations until +Captain Jamison discovered +they were exactly that—we'd +been hypnotized into seeing +the things we most feared by +powerless natives who really +feared us."</p> + +<p>"This isn't Harfonte," Purcell +said, a little irritably.</p> + +<p>"Yeah, but you weren't +there."</p> + +<p>"I know that, Glaudot. I'm +only trying to point out that +each world must be considered +as unique. Each world presents +its own problems, +which—"</p> + +<p>"I say this is like Harfonte +all over again. I say if you'd +had the guts to land right +smack in the middle of that +Indian village, you'd have +seen for yourself. I say to +play it close to the vest is +ridiculous," Glaudot said, and +then smiled deprecatingly. +"Begging your pardon, of +course, Captain. But don't +you see, man, you've got to +show the extraterrestrials, +whatever form they take, that +Earthmen aren't afraid of +them."</p> + +<p>"Caution and fear aren't +the same thing," Purcell insisted. +He didn't know why +he bothered to explain this to +Glaudot. Perhaps it was because +Ensign Chandler, +youngest man in the exploration +party, was in the lounge +listening to them. Chandler +was a nice kid, clean-cut and +right out of the finest tradition +of Earth, but Chandler +was, like all boys barely out +of their teens, impressionable. +He was particularly impressionable +in these, his first +months in space.</p> + +<p>"When you're cautious it's +as much to protect the natives +as yourself," Purcell went on, +and then put into simple +words what Glaudot and +Chandler should have learned +at the Academy for Exploration, +anyway.</p> + +<p>When he finished, Glaudot +shrugged and asked: "What +do you think, Ensign Chandler?"</p> + +<p>Chandler blushed slowly. +"I—I'd rather not say," he +told them. "Captain Purcell +is—the captain."</p> + +<p>Glaudot smiled his triumph +at Purcell. It was then, for +the first time, that Purcell's +dislike for the man became +intense. Purcell wondered +how long he'd been poisoning +the youth's mind against the +doctrines of the Academy.</p> + +<p>Just then a light glowed in +the bulkhead and a metallic +voice intoned: "Prepare for +landing. Prepare for landing +at once."</p> + +<p>Purcell, striding to his +blast-hammock, told Glaudot, +who was the expedition's +exec, "I'll want the landing +party ready to move half an +hour after planetfall."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," said Glaudot +eagerly. At least there was +something they agreed on.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"Men," Purcell told the +small landing party as they +assembled near the main airlock +thirty-five minutes later, +"we have an obligation to our +civilization which I hope all +of you understand. While +here on this unknown world +we must do nothing to bring +discredit to the name of +Earth and the galactic culture +which Earth represents."</p> + +<p>They had all seen the bleak +moon-like landscape through +the viewports. They were +eager to get out there and +plant the flag of Earth and +determine what the new +world was like. There were +only eight of them in the first +landing party: others would +follow once the eight established +a preliminary base of +operations. The eight were +wearing the new-style, light-weight +spacesuits which all +exploration parties used even +though the temperature and +atmosphere of the new world +seemed close enough to +Earth-norm. It had long ago been +decided at the Academy that +chances couldn't be taken +with some unknown factor, +possibly toxic, fatal and irreversible, +in an unknown atmosphere. +After a day or two +of thorough laboratory analysis +of the air they'd be able +to chuck their spacesuits if +all went well.</p> + +<p>They filed through the airlock +silently, Purcell first with +the flag of Earth, then Glaudot, +then the others. White +faces watched from the viewport +as they clomped across +the convoluted terrain.</p> + +<p>"Nobody here but us chickens!" +Glaudot said, and he +laughed, after they had walked +some way across the desolate +landscape. "But then, +what did you expect? Captain +took us clear of all the more +promising places."</p> + +<p>The man's only motive, +Purcell decided, was his colossal +ego. He made no reply: +that would be descending to +Glaudot's level.</p> + +<p>After they walked almost +entirely across the low-walled +crater in which the exploration +ship had come down, and +after Purcell had planted the +flag on the highest pinnacle +within the low crater walls, +Glaudot said:</p> + +<p>"How's about taking a +look-see over the top, Captain? +At least that much."</p> + +<p>Purcell wasn't in favor of +the idea. It would mean leaving +sight of the ship too soon. +But the radio voices of most +of the men indicated that they +agreed with Glaudot, so Purcell +shrugged and said a pair +of volunteers could go, if they +promised to rejoin the main +party within two hours.</p> + +<p>Glaudot immediately volunteered. +That at least made +sense. Glaudot had the courage +of his convictions. Several +others volunteered, but +the first hand up had been +Ensign Chandler's.</p> + +<p>"I don't want to sound like +a martinet," Purcell told +them. "But you understand +that by two hours I mean two +hours. Not a minute more."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," Chandler said.</p> + +<p>"Glaudot?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," the Executive +Officer replied.</p> + +<p>"All right," Purcell said. +He walked over to the first of +the big magna-sleds piled +high with equipment. "We'll +be setting up the base camp +over here. I know the men +still in the ship will want to +stretch their legs soon as possible. +We don't want to have +to go looking for you, Glaudot."</p> + +<p>"Not me, Captain," Glaudot +assured him, and walked +off toward the crater rim +with young Ensign Chandler.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"What the devil was that?" +Chandler said forty-five minutes +later.</p> + +<p>"Stop jumping at every +shadow you see. Relax."</p> + +<p>"I thought I saw something +moving behind that rock."</p> + +<p>"So, go take a look."</p> + +<p>"But—"</p> + +<p>"Hell, boy, don't let that +Purcell put the fear of the +unknown into you on your +very first trip out. Huh, what +do you say?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, Mr. Glaudot," +Ensign Chandler replied.</p> + +<p>"After all," Glaudot went +on, "we have nothing to be +afraid of. We're still within +sight of the ship."</p> + +<p>Chandler turned around. "I +don't see it," he said.</p> + +<p>"From the top of that rock +you could."</p> + +<p>"Think so?"</p> + +<p>"Sure I do. Why don't you +take a look if it will make you +feel better?"</p> + +<p>"All right," Chandler said, +and smiled at his own temerity. +But he knew vaguely that +he'd been caught in a crossfire +between the cautious Purcell +and the bold, arrogant +Glaudot. Sometimes he really +thought that the Captain's +caution made sense: on Wulcreston, +he'd learned at the +Academy, a whole Earth expedition +had been slaughtered +before contact because the +natives mistook hand telescopes +for weapons. And +surely on any world a spacesuited +man looked more like a +monster than a man although +he was vulnerable in a spacesuit, +even more vulnerable +than a naked man because he +could only run awkwardly.</p> + +<p>All this Chandler thought +as he climbed the high rock +rampart. He'd send a subspace +letter back to the folks +tonight, sure enough, he told +himself. Not only had he been +chosen for the preliminary +exploration party, he'd made +the first trip out of sight of +the spaceship. It certainly +was something to write home +about, and Mom would be +very proud ...</p> + +<p>He was on top of the rock +now. The vast tortuous landscape +spread out below him +like a relief map in a mapmaker's +nightmare. Far to +his left, beyond Glaudot's +spacesuited figure, he could +see the projectile-shaped +spaceship resting on its tail +fins. And to his right—</p> + +<p>He stared. He gawked.</p> + +<p>At the last moment he tried +to get down from the rock, +but his spaceboot caught on +an outcropping and his fatal +mistake was standing upright +in an attempt to free it.</p> + +<p>Then all at once in a blinding +burst of pain he was +clutching at something in his +chest but knew as his life +ebbed rapidly from his young +body that it would not matter +if he was able to pull the +cruel shaft out....</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Glaudot went rushing up +the side of the rock. He still +couldn't believe his eyes. Ensign +Chandler had been impaled +by two long feathered +shafts, two arrows. The force +of the first one had spun +Chandler around and he lay +now with his back arched +across the topmost ramparts +of the rock, two arrows protruding +from his chest and +his life blood, starkly crimson +against the white of the +spacesuit, pouring out.</p> + +<p>Reaching the top of the +rock in an attempt to drag +the dying boy down, Glaudot +saw the Indians rushing up +the other side of the crater +wall. Indians, he thought incredulously. +Indians, as in the +American West hundreds of +years ago. Indians ... But +just what the hell were they +doing here?</p> + +<p>A muscular brave notched +an arrow, his right hand +drawing the feathered shaft +back to his ear. Quickly Glaudot +flung his arms skyward, +hoping that the universal gesture +of surrender would be +understood. The brave stood +statue-still. His lips opened. +He was speaking to another +of the half-dozen Indians in +the raiding band, but Glaudot +could not hear the words +through his space helmet. He +knew his life hung in the balance.</p> + +<p>He watched, fascinated and +helpless, as the Indian who +had slain Ensign Chandler +came toward him.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Tashtu said: "Two raiding +bands, Lord. One go north. +Other south. We follow?"</p> + +<p>They had reached the advance +Indian camp on the +fringe of the Wild Country. +So far they had seen nothing +of the Cyclopes who lived in +this part of the world. Of all +their creations, Charlie and +Robin feared and avoided +only the Cyclopes, the enormous +one-eyed giants which +had so intrigued Robin in the +encyclopedia that she'd had a +compulsion to create them, +and had done so.</p> + +<p>"We can't follow both +bands," Charlie said, looking +troubled.</p> + +<p>"Why can't we?" Robin +asked. "You go north with +some of the braves, Charlie. +I'll go south. We ought to be +able to overtake the raiding +parties before anything happens."</p> + +<p>"I can't let you go alone."</p> + +<p>"All right. I'll take Tashtu +with me. Don't you think +Tashtu can take care of me as +well as you can?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I just don't like the +idea—" Charlie began.</p> + +<p>"That's silly. If we have to +find them before there's trouble, +we have to find them. +Well, don't we?"</p> + +<p>Charlie gave her an uncertain +nod. He had grown up +with her and had seen her +every day of his life, but +every time he took a good +look at her, at the lovely face +and the tawny, long-limbed +form ill-concealed by the gold-mesh +garments, it took his +breath away. Although in a +sense a whole world was his +plaything, he had never seen +anything so lovely. Finally he +said, "I guess you're too logical +for me. Take care of her, +Tashtu."</p> + +<p>"With my life, Lord," the +Indian vowed as the group +broke up. Robin ran to Charlie +and hugged him, kissing +his cheek half playfully, half +in earnest.</p> + +<p>"You be careful, too," she +said, and went off with Tashtu +and several of the braves.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Naturally she was excited. +She knew more about spacemen +than Charlie did. She +had read the encyclopedia +more carefully, hadn't she? +She wondered what the spacemen +would be like. She couldn't +help wondering it because +the only man she had ever +known, except for those they +had created, was Charlie. Of +course, she hadn't told Charlie +this in so many words, but +she felt, had always felt, +vaguely and now felt clearly, +that before she could settle +down contentedly with Charlie, +she would have to know +something of the world beyond +Crimson. And there was +a vast world—a multitude of +worlds—beyond Crimson. She +knew that. The encyclopedia +mentioned all of them but did +not mention Crimson at all.</p> + +<p>They walked for several +minutes through green forest, +and then abruptly came to the +edge of the Wild Country. +Even the idea of the Wild +Country brought an eagerness +to Robin's limbs and +made her walk more rapidly. +The Wild Country was unknown, +wasn't it? They had +created it without knowing +quite what they were creating, +and had never explored +it.</p> + +<p>She went ahead with Tashtu +over the rocks and crushed +pumice. No winds blew in +Wild Country. The air was +neither hot nor cold. The +landscape seemed changeless +and eternal, as if it had been +that way since before the +dawn of history, although actually +Charlie and Robin had +created it only a few years +before.</p> + +<p>They forged on for two +hours, Tashtu following the +easily read spoor in the pumice. +They came at last to a low +crater wall, where the spoor +disappeared. At first Tashtu +was confused, but then he +pointed to the top, several +hundred feet above their +heads. Robin caught a glimpse +of tawny skin and feathers +and buckskin in the sunlight.</p> + +<p>"Haloo!" Tashtu called, +and some of the braves above +them whirled, all speaking excitedly +in the clumsy English +which was the only tongue +they knew.</p> + +<p>"Huragpha slay monster," +they said. "Capture other +monster. But then see ..." +the words drifted off into silence. +Obviously, the Indians +were perplexed. "You come, +see. Monster, him bleed like +man."</p> + +<p>At Tashtu's side, Robin +rushed up the steep rocky +slope. When they reached the +top, breathless and all but exhausted, +Robin put her hand +to her mouth with a little cry +of horror.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>There was a dead man +stretched out on the rock +there, two arrows transfixing +his chest through the fabric +of his spacesuit. The spacesuit +had probably frightened +the Indians, but he was a man +all right. Had they been closer, +even the Indians would have +known that. That poor man.... +Why, he was hardly more +than a boy.</p> + +<p>Spacemen!</p> + +<p>And there was another, +surrounded now by several of +the Indians. "Him prisoner," +said the Indian called Huragpha +a little uncertainly.</p> + +<p>Robin walked over to the +man in the spacesuit. He was +a big man, even bigger than +Charlie. He looked very +strong, but the spacesuit +might have been deceptive. +He looked frightened, but not +terrified.</p> + +<p>"Are you really a spaceman?" +Robin asked.</p> + +<p>Glaudot said: "Well, so one +of you can speak more than a +few grunts. That's something." +He looked carefully at +Robin. "Beautiful, too," he +said. The way he said it was +not a compliment. It was an +objective statement of fact.</p> + +<p>"I know it won't help to +say I'm sorry about your +friend. Words won't help, I +guess. But—"</p> + +<p>"Yeah," Glaudot said. "All +right. He's dead. I can't bring +him back and you can't bring +him back, sister."</p> + +<p>"I'm not your sister," +Robin said.</p> + +<p>Glaudot told her it was a +way of speaking. He couldn't +quite believe his ears. She +spoke English as well as he +did, which was incredible +enough here on a world halfway +across the galaxy. But he +got the impression that she +was almost fantastically +naive. Yet the Indians—and, +incredibly, they were Indians—seemed +to be subservient to +her, almost seemed to worship +her.</p> + +<p>Glaudot sat down on his +space helmet, which he had +taken off some minutes before, +and said: "Are you the +boss lady around here?"</p> + +<p>"Boss lady? I don't understand."</p> + +<p>"Are you in charge? Do you +run things?"</p> + +<p>Robin smiled and said: "I +created them."</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry. Now <i>I</i> don't get +<i>you</i>."</p> + +<p>"I said I created them. It's +very simple. My friend and I +decided a very long time ago +it would be nice or interesting +or I forget what, it was so +long ago, if we had some Indians. +So, we created Indians."</p> + +<p>Glaudot threw his head +back and laughed. "For a +minute," he said, "you almost +had me believing you." The +girl was dressed like a savage, +he told himself, like a +beautiful savage, but at least +she had a sense of humor. +That was something.</p> + +<p>"But what is so funny?" +Robin asked.</p> + +<p>"You just now said—"</p> + +<p>"I know what I said. My +friend and I created the Indians. +Of course. Why? Can't +you create anything you +want? Just anything?"</p> + +<p>"All right, sister," Glaudot +said a little angrily. He did +not like being made fun of, +for he lacked the capacity to +laugh at himself. "Just how +much of a fool do you think I +am?"</p> + +<p>"Why, I don't know," Robin +replied. "How much of a fool +are you?"</p> + +<p>Glaudot glared at her. Purcell +was going to be one mad +captain when he was told of +Chandler's death, but men +had died on expeditions before +and it really wasn't Glaudot's +fault. At any rate he +had established contact with +somebody of obvious importance +among the natives, and +Purcell would appreciate that.</p> + +<p>"Never mind," Glaudot +said.</p> + +<p>"Tell me about being a +spaceman. Do you really fly +among the stars?"</p> + +<p>"Well, yes," Glaudot said, +"although it isn't really flying."</p> + +<p>"And do you create new +stars as you go along?"</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>There she went again with +her talk of creation, as if creating +things out of nothing +was the commonest occurrence +in the world. Glaudot +stood up. "All right, sister. +Show me."</p> + +<p>"Why, show you what?"</p> + +<p>"Create something."</p> + +<p>"You mean," Robin said, +disappointed, "you actually +can't?"</p> + +<p>"Just go ahead and create +something."</p> + +<p>Robin shrugged. "What +would you like?"</p> + +<p>Glaudot thought for a moment. +"A piano!" he said suddenly. +"How about a piano?" +It was complicated enough, he +thought. "And while you're at +it, how about telling me how +come everyone speaks English—or +tries to speak English +around here?"</p> + +<p>Robin frowned. "Is there +some other way of speaking?"</p> + +<p>Glaudot also frowned. That +line of thought wouldn't get +him anywhere. "O.K.," he +said. "One piano coming up?"</p> + +<p>"All right," Robin said.</p> + +<p>Glaudot blinked. The pretty +girl hadn't moved. She hadn't +even changed her facial expression. +But a parlor grand +piano stood on the rock before +them.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'll be damned," +Glaudot said. "What else can +you create?"</p> + +<p>"We made all the natives +here. We made the green and +crimson. We made this whole +Wild Country. We made +some of the animals too."</p> + +<p>"Like—the piano? Out of +nothing?"</p> + +<p>"Is there another way?"</p> + +<p>Glaudot said, "You better +come back to the ship with +me. Captain'll like to see +you."</p> + +<p>Tashtu shook his head. +"The Lady Robin awaits the +Lord."</p> + +<p>Glaudot looked at Robin. +"Who's that?"</p> + +<p>"Charlie. He's just my +friend. I—I don't think I have +to wait for him. I've always +been more interested in reading +about spacemen than he +has. I'll go with you now if +you want."</p> + +<p>Tashtu looked unhappy. +"Lord Charlie, he say—"</p> + +<p>"Well, you wait right here, +Tashtu, and tell Charlie +where I've gone. What could +be simpler? I'll be all right, +don't worry about me."</p> + +<p>"Lord Charlie, he say +watch you."</p> + +<p>"And I say I'm going with +the spaceman to his spaceship."</p> + +<p>Tashtu bowed. "The Lady +has spoken," he said, and +watched Robin descend the +rocky rampart and walk back +with Glaudot toward the far +distant glint of metal which +was this spaceship they were +talking about.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"So you can create just +anything," Glaudot said.</p> + +<p>"I guess so."</p> + +<p>A goddess, he thought. A +beautiful goddess who ...</p> + +<p>Suddenly he stared at her. +Who could make him the +most powerful man in the +galaxy.</p> + +<p>"This spaceship of yours—" +she began.</p> + +<p>"Wait. Wait a minute. If +you can create anything, +how's about re-creating Chandler?"</p> + +<p>"Chand-ler? What is +Chand-ler?"</p> + +<p>"The boy back there. The +one your braves killed."</p> + +<p>Robin said: "If you wish," +and Glaudot held his breath. +The power over life and +death, he thought....</p> + +<p>He looked down and saw +Chandler's spacesuited body +there, the two arrows protruding +from his chest. He +shook his head. "Not dead," +he said. "What good is he to +anybody dead?"</p> + +<p>Robin nodded. "I'm sorry," +she said. "I just hadn't +thought before of bringing +people back to life. It ... why +it seems ..."</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?"</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't really be +bringing him back, you +know. It would be a copy, just +a copy."</p> + +<p>"But a perfect copy?"</p> + +<p>"I think so."</p> + +<p>"Then if it's just a copy it +shouldn't bother you at all, +should it?"</p> + +<p>"Well ..." Robin said +doubtfully.</p> + +<p>"Go ahead. Show me you +can do it."</p> + +<p>Glaudot gaped. Another +figure sat alongside Chandler's +corpse, Chandler's second +corpse. The other figure +got up. It was Chandler.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"Look out!" the new Chandler +cried. "Look out—Indians!"</p> + +<p>"Just take it easy," Glaudot +told him. Glaudot's face +was very white, his eyes big +and round and staring.</p> + +<p>Chandler looked down at +the body on the rocks. His +knees buckled and Glaudot +caught him, stopping him +from falling. Chandler tried +to say something, but the +words wouldn't come. He +stared with horrified fascination +at the body, which was +an exact copy of himself—or +a copy of the dead man +from whom the new living +man was copied.</p> + +<p>"May we go to your spaceship +now?" Robin asked +Glaudot politely. "I have always +wished to see a spaceship."</p> + +<p>Here was power, Glaudot +thought. Incredible power. +All the power to control +worlds, to carve worlds from +primordial slime, almost, for +yourself. Here was far more +power than any man in the +galaxy had ever been offered. +Was it his, Glaudot's?</p> + +<p>It wouldn't be if he +brought the beautiful girl to +the spaceship and Purcell. +For Captain Purcell, a devoted +servant of the galactic +civilization which he was attempting +to spread to the +outworlds, would think in +terms of what good the discovery +of this girl could +bring to all humanity. But +if Glaudot kept her to himself ...</p> + +<p>And then another thought +almost stunned him. Why +merely the girl? She'd mentioned +a friend, hadn't she? +Perhaps it was something in +the atmosphere of this +strange world, in the very air +you breathed. Perhaps anyone +could do it, could create +out of nothing—Glaudot included.</p> + +<p>"You want to go to the +spaceship?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes. Oh, yes."</p> + +<p>"Then teach me the secret +of creation."</p> + +<p>"Of making things, you +mean? Why, there isn't any +secret. Should there be any +secret? You merely—create."</p> + +<p>"Show me," said Glaudot.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>A table appeared, and savory +dishes of food.</p> + +<p>"Magician!" cried Chandler.</p> + +<p>A great roan stallion, +bridled but without a saddle, +materialized. Robin swung +up on its broad back and +used her bare knees for balance +and control. The stallion +cantered off.</p> + +<p>"Wait!" cried Glaudot. +"Please wait."</p> + +<p>The stallion cantered back +and Robin alighted. The stallion +began to graze on a patch +of grass which suddenly appeared +on the naked rock. +The stallion seemed quite +content.</p> + +<p>"You mean," the new +Chandler asked in an awed +voice, "she just <i>made</i> these +things? The food. The table. +The horse ..."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Glaudot. He +concentrated his will on creating +a single flower in the +new field of grass. He concentrated +his whole being.</p> + +<p>But nothing happened.</p> + +<p>He glared almost angrily +at Robin, as if it were her +fault. "I don't have the +power you have," he said.</p> + +<p>She nodded. "Only Charlie +and me." She looked at the +roan stallion. "Beauty, isn't +he? I'll present him to Charlie." +She turned to Glaudot. +"Now take me to the ship."</p> + +<p>"We ought to get started +back there, Mr. Glaudot," +Chandler said.</p> + +<p>"Yes? Why?"</p> + +<p>"But—but I don't have to +tell you why! This girl is one +of the most important discoveries +that has ever been +made. The ability to create +material things ... out of +nothing...."</p> + +<p>"Show me your planet," +Glaudot told Robin, ignoring +the younger man. "We can +talk about the spaceship +later. You see, I'm an explorer +and it's my job to +explore new worlds." He +spoke slowly, simply, as he +would speak to a child. Somehow, +although the girl was +not a child and was quite the +most astonishingly beautiful +girl he had ever seen, he +thought that was the right +approach.</p> + +<p>"Now wait a minute, Mr. +Glaudot," Chandler protested. +"We both know it's our +duty to bring her to Captain +Purcell."</p> + +<p>"Maybe you think it's your +duty," Glaudot told the +younger man. "I don't think +it's mine. And before you run +off to the ship to tell that +precious captain of yours, +you ought to know that you'd +be dead right now if it +hadn't been for me."</p> + +<p>"You?"</p> + +<p>"Hell, yes. Those Indians +or whatever they were killed +you. I asked the girl to bring +you back to life."</p> + +<p>"To bring—" echoed Chandler +his mouth falling open.</p> + +<p>"Actually, she produced a +perfect copy of you. A living +copy. Do you see what she +offers us, Chandler? Infinite +wealth from creativity out of +nothing—and eternal life by +copying our bodies each time +we die! What do you say +about your precious captain +now?"</p> + +<p>Chandler seemed confused. +He shook his head, staring +first at Glaudot and then at +Robin. "The ship," he said. +"Our duty ... the captain ..."</p> + +<p>Glaudot snorted and told +Robin: "Kill him."</p> + +<p>"Kill him?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. You brought him +into being. Now send him out +of being."</p> + +<p>"But I can't do that. I have +no further control once I +make something. And besides +I—I wouldn't kill a human +being, even if I could."</p> + +<p>Fear was in Chandler's +eyes. "Mr. Glaudot, listen ..." +he began.</p> + +<p>"Listen, hell," Glaudot said. +"I brought you back to life. I +offered you a share in the +greatest power the worlds +have ever known. You turned +it down. I'm sorry, Chandler. +I'm really sorry for you. But +I can't let you return to the +ship, you see. Not until I +learn some more about this +world, not until I understand +exactly what the girl's power +is, and consolidate my position."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Without waiting to hear +more, Chandler began to run. +In three great bounds he +reached the grazing roan +stallion and leaped on its +back, digging his heels into +its flanks. The stallion moved +off at a quick trot as Glaudot +drew his blaster and took +dead aim at Chandler's retreating back.</p> + +<p>When he had Chandler +squarely in his sights, Glaudot +began to squeeze the trigger. +But suddenly the trigger-housing-unit +of the blaster +became encumbered with tiny +vines. There were hundreds +of them writhing and crawling +all over the weapon and +getting in the sights too so +Glaudot could no longer aim. +By the time he tore the vines +clear, cursing savagely, the +roan stallion had taken Chandler +out of sight on his retreat +toward the spaceship.</p> + +<p>Glaudot whirled on Robin. +"You did this!" he accused +her. "You did it. Why—why?"</p> + +<p>"You were going to kill +him. You shouldn't have."</p> + +<p>"But now you've ruined +everything. Not just for me. +For us, don't you see? I could +have laid the world at your +feet. I could have—listen! +Tell me this—is there any +place we can hide? Some +place they won't find us if +they come looking, while we +work on this power of yours +and see exactly what it can +do and what it can't do?"</p> + +<p>"I want to see the spaceship, +please," said Robin.</p> + +<p>"Afterwards, I promise +you," Glaudot said. "Why, we +can make all the spaceships +we want—out of nothing. +Can't we?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Robin. "I guess +so. But even if we hide from +your friends, my friend +Charlie will find us. He'll be +worried about me and he'll +find us. Charlie can do everything +I can do, you see."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Glaudot stared at her with +anger in his eyes. Then something +else replaced the anger. +No, he thought, Charlie +couldn't do everything she +could do. She was beautiful. +Her half-nude body summoned +desire in him. Tentatively, +ready to withdraw his +hand at the first indication +of protest, he touched her +bare shoulder. She made no +response. She merely stood +there, waiting for some kind +of an answer from him.</p> + +<p>"Then we'll have to hide +from Charlie too. Please believe +me," Glaudot said. "I'm +a spaceman and you know +very little about spacemen. +Do you want to learn?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. Yes, I do."</p> + +<p>"Then take me some place +even Charlie will have difficulty +finding us."</p> + +<p>"But he'll know."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean he'll +know? Don't tell me you can +read one another's minds?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, goodness, no. Nothing +like that. But when we were +very little I once told Charlie +if ever I got mad at him I +would go to hide in the country +of the Cyclopes and he +would never be able to find +me because the Cyclopes +would eat him. That was after +we read about the Cyclopes +in the Ulysses story in +our encyclopedia. You see?"</p> + +<p>"Cyclopes, huh? You really +mean one-eyed giants?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. We made them but +they don't obey us."</p> + +<p>"Can the two of us hide in +their land? Is it far?"</p> + +<p>"No. Very close. But I +don't know if I want—"</p> + +<p>"I'm a spaceman, aren't I? +And you want to learn all +about spacemen and the +worlds beyond this place, +don't you? Then come with +me!"</p> + +<p>"But—"</p> + +<p>"If you say no and I go +back to the spaceship we'll +blast off and you'll never see +spacemen again the rest of +your life," threatened Glaudot.</p> + +<p>Robin did not answer. +"Well?" Glaudot snapped, as +if he was quite indifferent. +"Would you want that to +happen?"</p> + +<p>"No," Robin admitted after +a while.</p> + +<p>"Then let's go." They had +to hurry, Glaudot knew. Riding +that stallion, that incredible +conjured-out-of-nothing +stallion, Chandler had probably +reached the spaceship by +now. A few words, a few hurried +explanations, and Purcell +would lead an armed party +out after Glaudot.</p> + +<p>Again Robin was silent. +Glaudot stood stiffly in front +of her, so close he could reach +out and wrap his arms about +her. But this wasn't the time, +he told himself. Later ... +later ...</p> + +<p>"All right," Robin said at +last, her eyes looking troubled. +"I'll take you to the land +of Cyclopes."</p> + +<p>They began to walk, in silence. +Half an hour later, the +barren terrain of rocks gave +way to a verdant jungle in +which the trees were quite +the biggest Glaudot had ever +seen and in which even the +grass and the fragrant wild +flowers grew over their +heads. Glaudot had never felt +so small.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"Wait a minute, Chandler," +Captain Purcell said. +"I listened in silence to what +you said. All of it, as incredible +as it sounded. But you +don't expect me to believe—"</p> + +<p>"Look at the horse. Where +did I get the horse, sir?"</p> + +<p>"So there are horses on +this world. So what?"</p> + +<p>"But I saw the girl create +it out of thin air!"</p> + +<p>"Really, Chandler."</p> + +<p>"And I saw the corpse. My +corpse, Captain. Mine!"</p> + +<p>"But hell, man. Glaudot +would have come back here +with the girl. He knows his +obligation to civilization. +He—"</p> + +<p>"Glaudot, sir? Does he?"</p> + +<p>Purcell scowled and said +finally: "Chandler, either you +and Glaudot have made the +most astonishing discovery +since man first domesticated +his environment and so became +more than a reasonably +clever animal, or you're the +biggest liar that ever crossed +deep space."</p> + +<p>Chandler offered his captain +a pale smile. "Why don't +you find out which, sir?"</p> + +<p>"By God," said Purcell, "I +will. McCreedy!" he bawled +over the intercom. "Smith! +Wong! I want an armed expedition +of twenty-five men +ready to leave the ship in +half an hour."</p> + +<p>And, exactly half an hour +later, the expedition set out +with Captain Purcell and +Chandler leading it. Chandler +went astride the roan +stallion.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>When Charlie and his small +Indian band learned that the +action had taken place to the +south, where Robin had gone, +they set out quickly in that +direction. The further they +went, the more worried +Charlie became. If Robin had +met with any kind of success, +if she had called off the war +party and established some +kind of peaceful relations +with the spacemen, a runner +would have been sent to +tell them. But the desolate +rock-strewn terrain stretched +out before them as devoid of +life as the Paleozoic Earth.</p> + +<p>Charlie urged his men on +relentlessly. He was a tireless +hiker and since the braves +lived by hunting they could +match almost any pace he +set. Finally Charlie saw the +second Indian band ahead of +them. Slinging the Mannlicher +Elephant Gun, he began +to run.</p> + +<p>"Tashtu!" he called. "Tashtu!"</p> + +<p>The Indian sprinted to him. +"Lord," he said breathlessly, +"one sky critter, him die. +Turn out man."</p> + +<p>"What are you talking +about?" Charlie asked.</p> + +<p>Tashtu led him to the +group of braves which still +clustered about Ensign +Chandler's body. "Why?" +Charlie demanded, horror-struck. +"Why?"</p> + +<p>Tashtu told him all that +had happened. How the +braves had mistaken the +spacesuited man for a monster. +How arrows had been +fired before they had learned +otherwise. How Robin had +come, and gone off with the +spaceman.</p> + +<p>"To their spaceship?" +Charlie asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Lord. That is what +they spoke of." Tashtu pointed +to the top of the rampart +of rock. "From there, Lord, +you can see it."</p> + +<p>Charlie scrambled up the +rock. From his giddy perch +on top he could see the tiny +silver gleam of the spaceship—and +a band of men, led by +a man on horseback, approaching +them. Charlie hurried +down the rock, half +climbing, half sliding. "They +are coming," he said. "Maybe +Robin's with them." He +remembered what had happened +last time and said: +"The rest of you return to +your homes. Tashtu and I +will go on ahead."</p> + +<p>"But Lord—" Tashtu began.</p> + +<p>"Well?"</p> + +<p>"I did not like the man. I +did not trust him."</p> + +<p>"Then why did you let +Robin go?"</p> + +<p>"Let her, Lord? But surely +Robin, the Lady Robin, does +not obey a mere—"</p> + +<p>"All right, all right," Charlie +said. "But all the more +reason for the rest of the +braves to return to their +homes. We can handle this, +Tashtu, you and I. I don't +want any more killing."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Lord," said Tashtu.</p> + +<p>The Indians formed a +marching column and moved +off. Charlie told Tashtu what +he had seen from the top of +the rampart. Then he added: +"Let's go and meet them."</p> + +<p>And Charlie and Tashtu +set out across the tortuous +Wild Country.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"Two men coming!" Chandler +cried, reining up the +roan stallion.</p> + +<p>Captain Purcell signaled +his twenty-five men to halt, +and their orderly double file +came up short behind him. +Pretty soon the two figures +could be seen by all, advancing +toward them across the +rocks. When they were close +enough, Captain Purcell +hailed: "We come in peace!"</p> + +<p>"And in peace we come!" +Charlie called. A moment +later he was shaking hands +gravely with Captain Purcell.</p> + +<p>"Tell the captain about—about +my corpse," Chandler +told Tashtu.</p> + +<p>Charlie looked at Chandler. +He had seen the dead man. +"Did Robin make you?" he +asked in surprise. "We never +brought the dead to life before."</p> + +<p>"Can you really do it?" +Purcell demanded.</p> + +<p>"No, not really. But we +can copy perfectly—and the +copies live."</p> + +<p>"You see?" Chandler demanded +triumphantly.</p> + +<p>Captain Purcell said: +"Show me."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Charlie created a brother +to the roan stallion. Captain +Purcell gawked. The one example +sufficed and he did not +ask for more as Glaudot had +done.</p> + +<p>"Where's Robin?" Charlie +asked. "At the ship?"</p> + +<p>Chandler shook his head. +"Glaudot went off with her."</p> + +<p>"But I thought he was on +the ship!"</p> + +<p>"He deserted," Chandler +said. "With the girl. He +wants her. He wants her +power for himself."</p> + +<p>Charlie moved very quickly. +He swung in front of +Chandler and grabbed his +tunic-front, bunching it, ripping +it and all but dragging +Chandler clear off his feet before +a hand could be raised +to stop him. "Where did they +go?" he asked in a terrible +voice. "Where are they? Take +me to them."</p> + +<p>"But I don't—don't know!" +Chandler protested, trying +without success to break +free.</p> + +<p>It was Captain Purcell +who came forward and firmly +took Charlie's arm, pulling +him clear of Chandler. "Remember," +he said. "In peace. +In peace."</p> + +<p>Charlie stood with his +hands at his sides. His face +was white and strained. "The +girl," he said.</p> + +<p>"We all want to find out +where Glaudot took her," +Captain Purcell said. "We're +going to help you. Tell me: +could the girl have gone +willingly with Glaudot? To +share his mad dream of +power, perhaps?"</p> + +<p>"Robin?" Charlie cried. +"Never!"</p> + +<p>"Please, lad," Captain Purcell +said. "I want you to +think. I want you to consider +everything. You and this girl +of yours may have almost +godlike powers, but you've +spent your lives on an uncivilized +world and well—frankly—couldn't +a sophisticated +man like Glaudot turn +the girl's head? Couldn't he +confuse her into going off +with him, at least temporarily? +And, assuming, he did, +he doesn't know this world. +He's aware of that. He'd +know we'd be coming after +him. Perhaps the girl would +tell him about you. Tell me, +man—where would the girl +go if she didn't want you to +find her? Is there such a +place? Before you answer, I +want you to know that what +we do here may be far graver +than you think. It is not +merely the safety of one girl +we have to consider—but no, +you wouldn't understand ..."</p> + +<p>"You mean," Charlie asked, +"if this man Glaudot +somehow convinces Robin to +use her power as he tells her, +he might want to take over +all of Crimson?"</p> + +<p>"Do you mean this world? +Is it called Crimson? Yes—and +more than that. There's +no telling how far a man like +Glaudot could go with such +power. And with the ability +to create all the armament +and all the deadly weapons +he needed, and all the missiles +to carry those weapons, he +might challenge the entire +galaxy—and win!"</p> + +<p>The words were strange to +Charlie. He only understood +them vaguely. Now Robin, +she would understand, he +thought. Robin was always +more interested in things like +that, Robin who almost knew +their encyclopedia by heart, +Robin ...</p> + +<p>"Listen," he said. "Listen. +We created all the life on +this world. We made Greeks +and Royal Navymen and Ministers +and Russians and Congressmen +and everything we +knew or somehow had heard +about or had read in our +book. We get along fine with +all of them, except ..."</p> + +<p>"Yes," Captain Purcell +prompted. "Go on, go on!"</p> + +<p>"No, she'd never go there. +She was always afraid of +them."</p> + +<p>"Where, man? Where?"</p> + +<p>"No. Robin wouldn't. She +just wouldn't."</p> + +<p>It was not hot in Wild +Country, but sweat trickled +down Purcell's face while he +waited for Charlie's answer.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"Show me!" cried Glaudot +in rapture. "Show me! Show +me! Show me!"</p> + +<p>He stood with Robin in a +little glade in the Land of the +Cyclopes. About them were +heaped all the treasures Glaudot +had suddenly demanded. +He did not quite know why. +He felt his iron control slipping +and permitted it to slip +now, for once he got this wild +desire from his system, he +knew only his untroubled +iron will would be left, and +with it—and the girl—he +might conquer the galaxy.</p> + +<p>Heaped about them were +jewels and precious metals +and deadly weapons, all of +which Robin had summoned +into being at Glaudot's orders, +while Glaudot smiled at +her. It was almost a frightening +smile. She was even a +little sorry she had come +away with him, but she could +always go back, couldn't she? +She wasn't shackled to this +strange man from space, was +she? And the way he looked +at her, the desire she saw in +his eyes, that was frightening +too. She did not know +how to cope with it. Oh, she +could create a duplicate +Charlie, for example. Charlie +would know what to do. +Charlie would help her. Charlie +hadn't read the book as +she had read it, but Charlie +was more practical. Still, +what would they do with the +duplicate Charlie afterwards? +You couldn't uncreate +something ...</p> + +<p>"A spaceship," Glaudot +said suddenly. "Can you +create a spaceship out of +nothing?"</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Robin nodded slowly. "I +can. Yes, I can. It tells all +about spaceships in the book. +But I don't know if I want +to."</p> + +<p>Glaudot let it pass. There +was no hurry. He was thinking +about the future, though. +If Purcell opposed him, as +Purcell would, and managed +to escape in the exploration +ship, Glaudot would need a +ship to leave this world ...</p> + +<p>"Why not?" he asked, his +voice quite calm now, the +mania which had seized him +under control now, and only +his iron purpose motivating +him.</p> + +<p>"I—I don't know. You +have one spaceship. I guess +that's why. What do you need +another one for?"</p> + +<p>"It was just a thought," +said Glaudot. "It doesn't +matter." He kneeled near the +heaps of sun-dazzled jewels. +He let them trickle through +his fingers. No, the desire +wasn't gone yet. It was still +fighting with his will. And, +since he knew his will could +win at any time, it pleased +him to give his desire free +rein.</p> + +<p>He scooped up a handful +of jewels. He found a necklace +and came close to Robin +and dropped it over her head. +The pearls were very white +against her sun-tanned skin. +The pearl pendant hung almost +to the start of the dusky +valley which cleaved her +breasts delightfully and disappeared +with the tanned +swell of flesh on either side +into the gold-mesh halter. +Glaudot fingered the pendant. +His fingers touched flesh. +Abruptly he drew the surprised +Robin to him and +kissed her lips hungrily.</p> + +<p>For a moment she remained +passive. She neither returned +his ardor nor fought +it. But when his hands began +to stroke her back she pulled +away from him and stood +there looking at him. She +took the necklace off and +threw it at his feet.</p> + +<p>"I don't want that any +more," she said. "Why did +you do—what you did?"</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>He felt the fire in his veins. +He willed it to subside. He +needed his control now. All +of it. But this girl, in the full +flower of her youth ... No, +she was not a girl, not to +Glaudot. He must not think +of her as a girl. She was +power. Power. The power +was his—if he didn't alienate +the girl.</p> + +<p>"We do such as that on my +world," he said. "It is a kind +of homage to loveliness. I +hope you didn't mind."</p> + +<p>"I—it was strange. With +Charlie sometimes I hope—but +with Charlie it is ... different. +Please don't touch me +again. Please promise me +that."</p> + +<p>Glaudot shrugged. "If you +wish, my dear child, if you +wish...."</p> + +<p>The dual desire was gone +now, truly gone. He knew +that. For his will had been +threatened, more by his own +foolish desire than by this +innocent girl. He had to +think. Clearly. More clearly +than he had ever thought before. +He needed the girl as +an ally. Not as a slave. She +had to be willing. She had to +co-operate. Give her a warped +picture of the rest of the +galaxy? Convince her its governments +were evil, totalitarian, +when in reality they were +democratic? Convince her +that he alone, given unlimited +power, could right the +wrongs of a thousand worlds? +She was naive enough for +that sort of approach, he +thought. Besides, it would +strike her as something like +creation—moral creation, +perhaps. And creation she +would understand. Then, with +her as his partner, he could +quickly build a war machine +which the combined might of +the galaxy couldn't stand +against. And that, he suddenly +realized, would even include +an unlimited number +of soldiers for occupation +and policing duties. This +power would be unparalleled.</p> + +<p>"I have something I want +to tell you about," he said. +"It will take a long time and +we must be undisturbed, +which is why I asked you to +bring me here."</p> + +<p>"What is it you want to tell +me?"</p> + +<p>Before Glaudot could answer, +they heard a crashing, +rending sound not too far off +in the woods. It sounded to +Glaudot exactly as if trees +were being uprooted, boulders +strewn carelessly.</p> + +<p>"Cyclopes!" Robin screamed +in terror, and began to +run.</p> + +<p>Glaudot ran after her, +stumbling, picking himself +up, hurtling in pursuit. He +couldn't let her get away. He +had to follow her ...</p> + +<p>Nothing living, he told +himself as he ran, could uproot +those huge trees. Of +course, there were the saplings, +but even the saplings +were the size of full-grown +oaks and maples on far +Earth.</p> + +<p>Something roared behind +him. The sound was pitched +almost too low for human +ears. He whirled. The earth +shook, great clods of it flying. +Bare tree roots suddenly +appeared, and a young tree +the size of a towering oak +was lifted skyward.</p> + +<p>Behind it, brandishing it +and then hurling it away, was +a naked man whose head +towered impossibly a hundred +and fifty feet into the air. +Trembling, awestruck, Glaudot +looked up at the great +savage face. Wild hair +streaming, filthy beard matted +with dirt and tree-branches, +it was the most +ferocious face Glaudot had +ever seen.</p> + +<p>And it had only one eye, +one enormous eye in the middle +of its head. But an eye +three feet across!</p> + +<p>"A Cyclops!" Robin +screamed again.</p> + +<p>A moment later the creature +stooped and with a +scooping motion of its great +right hand picked up the two +tiny creatures on the forest +floor beneath it. Then it ran, +uprooting oak-sized saplings, +back toward the rocky hillside +where it dwelled, after +the Cyclopes of old on which +Robin and Charlie had naively +patterned it, in a cave +overlooking the sea.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"Where, man? Where?" +Captain Purcell demanded.</p> + +<p>"I don't know," Charlie +said. "I really don't think +she would. You see, she always +threatened she'd go +there if we ever had a fight, +but she was usually half-joking. +She knows it's dangerous—"</p> + +<p>"But where? Don't you +know a drowning man has +to grasp at straws? Haven't +I gotten it across to you—the +whole galaxy may be in +danger!"</p> + +<p>Charlie sighed. "I don't +understand much of your galaxy. +Robin knows the +encyclopedia—she would +understand. And I—I only +want to know Robin is safe." +He took a deep breath and +said: "She always threatened +to go to the Land of the Cyclopes."</p> + +<p>"Then take us there +at once," Captain Purcell +said....</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>If he shouted and cried +now, he would go insane. He +knew that. He tried to hold +his fear in check. He was being +swung pendulum-like in +an enormous hand as the one-eyed +giant loped along. Robin +shared the clenched-fist prison +with him. Her hair +streamed in the wind as the +huge arm swung the huge +hand in time with the giant's +enormous strides.</p> + +<p>"Does it eat people?" he +managed to ask Robin. He +had to shout because the +wind created by the creature's +movement was considerable. +The ground spun giddily +far, far below them, +whirling patches of green, of +yellow, of brown.</p> + +<p>"We made them to eat people. +Like in the book. We +were just children. It seemed—it +seemed so thrilling."</p> + +<p>The Cyclops loped along, +uprooting saplings. After a +while it began to climb a +rocky slope and from the +heights Glaudot could see the +shores of an unknown sea. +Then the Cyclops reached a +cave entrance and rolled +aside a huge boulder and took +his prisoners within.</p> + +<p>Glaudot heard the bleating +of sheep.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"Why, it's a fortune in +jewels!" Captain Purcell exclaimed. +They had found the +glade in the forest, where +Robin had created a king's +ransom for Glaudot. The men +gathered around, many of +them struck dumb by the +sight of all this wealth.</p> + +<p>Charlie said: "Captain, +look."</p> + +<p>Purcell went over to him +and saw the wide swathe cut +through the forest and curving +out of sight. "What went +through there?" he gasped.</p> + +<p>"A Cyclops," Charlie said +grimly. "A Cyclops has +them. Captain, we've got to +hurry. Listen, there are two +horses now. I could create +horses for all of us, but all +these men coming up would +probably be seen by the Cyclops. +You come on foot with +your men. Let one of them +come with me on the stallions." +As he spoke Charlie +unslung the Mannlicher and +put it down.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you want our more +modern weapons?" Purcell +asked.</p> + +<p>Charlie shook his head. +"For fun, Robin and I made +the Cyclopes invulnerable to +any kind of attack except the +kind mentioned in the encyclopedia—putting +out their +single eye with a stake. To +protect all the other people +we created, we made the Cyclopes +so they'd never want +to leave their homeland. So +if we can get Robin and your +man Glaudot free, they'll be +safe. Now, who's the volunteer?"</p> + +<p>"I'm already on horseback," +Chandler said. Charlie +nodded and mounted the second +roan stallion.</p> + +<p>"My men will be coming as +fast as they can march," Captain +Purcell said.</p> + +<p>Charlie nodded. He did not +bother to tell the captain that +a Cyclops could cover in a +few minutes ground a marching +party could not hope to +cover in as many hours. He +set off at a swift gallop with +Chandler.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"Will he eat us now?" said +Glaudot. Strangely, he was +not afraid. The unexpected +nature of their impending +demise he almost found +amusing.</p> + +<p>Robin shook her head. "I +don't think so. He'll probably +drink himself to sleep. We +made the Cyclopes great +drunkards."</p> + +<p>The Cyclops, his tree-trunk +sized walking stick leaning +against the wall, was reclining +and drinking from a huge +bowl of wine. The cave was +torchlit. Seventy or eighty +sheep milled about, settling +for the night after three of +their number had supplied a +meal for the giant, who had +eaten them raw.</p> + +<p>"Isn't there anything we +can do?" demanded Glaudot, +whose dreams of galactic conquest +were fading before the +spectre of being eaten alive.</p> + +<p>"Reserve your strength +until he sleeps," Robin said. +"Of course there's something +we can do."</p> + +<p>"Yes? What?"</p> + +<p>"His walking stick. You +see the end comes almost to +a point? We harden it in the +fire—and put his eye out. +Then, in the morning, when +he unrolls the stone from the +cave-entrance and blindly +leads his flock out, we hide +among the sheep and make +our escape. At least that's +how it happens in the encyclopedia."</p> + +<p>Glaudot swallowed hard. +He had never had a great deal +of physical courage....</p> + +<p>Just then they heard a +great fluttering, groaning +sound. Robin said: "You see, +he's asleep. He's snoring."</p> + +<p>"I—I don't think I could +possibly—"</p> + +<p>"He's liable to want us for +breakfast. Come on."</p> + +<p>They got up swiftly and +silently, and crept to the +walking stick. It was the size +of a young tree. It would be +heavy, perhaps too heavy for +them to handle.</p> + +<p>"Easy now," Robin said. +She nimbly climbed the +ledges on the cave-wall and +tipped the great walking +stick, then leaped down and +grabbed the front end as +Glaudot got a grip on the +rear of the big pole.</p> + +<p>"Heavy," Glaudot said.</p> + +<p>"But not too heavy, I—I +think."</p> + +<p>"Try to lift it," said Glaudot.</p> + +<p>They tried. Together they +could barely get it overhead.</p> + +<p>"Try to poke it at something," +Glaudot said.</p> + +<p>They could not. Robin +sighed. They put it down +slowly, quietly. It would take +more than the two of them. +It would take them and two +or three more men to do the +job.</p> + +<p>"We wait," Glaudot said +bleakly.</p> + +<p>Robin stared up in frustration +at the smoke hole, +through which smoke from +the Cyclops's fire poured out +into the gathering night. It +was hopelessly over their +head, although help could +reach them through it from +the outside. But how could +they possibly expect help to +come...?</p> + +<p>"We wait," Glaudot said +again, hopelessly.</p> + +<p>"For breakfast," Robin +said.</p> + +<p>Glaudot broke suddenly. "I +don't want to die!" he cried. +"I don't want to die ..."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The feeblest of Crimson's +three suns came over the +horizon, lighting the landscape +with the illumination +of three or four full moons on +Earth.</p> + +<p>"I told you I smelled +smoke!" Charlie cried, pointing +triumphantly at the thin +tendril of smoke that rose +through the cooling air +against the weak sunlight.</p> + +<p>"Is it a campfire?" Chandler +asked.</p> + +<p>"Chimney hole, probably. +Come on."</p> + +<p>They left the two stallions +grazing at the base of the +rocky escarpment. They began +to climb. Once Chandler +stumbled and went sliding +down the rocky slope, but +Charlie caught his arm, all +but wrenching it from the +socket. Charlie thought: we +have to hurry. Their lives +may depend on it. Already +we may be too late....</p> + +<p>The smoke from the chimney +hole was acrid. It was +very strong now. Suddenly +Charlie could feel the slightly +increased slope of the rocks. +The slope was precipitous +now, almost perpendicular.</p> + +<p>"I can't—can't go much +further!" Chandler groaned.</p> + +<p>"We've got to, man. We've +got to."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"He's waking," said Robin.</p> + +<p>Glaudot had broken completely. +The confident would-be +conqueror was reduced to +trembling and whining now. +"M-maybe he's hungry. Oh, +God, maybe he's hungry ..."</p> + +<p>But the Cyclops only +turned over in its sleep and +began to snore again. The +fire had burned low. The +sheep were resting. Robin +thought of Charlie, probably +many miles away. There +would be a late moonrise tonight, +she thought. They +often spoke of the feeblest of +Crimson's three suns as the +moon, although it really +wasn't. Then dawn would +come. If the Cyclops were +hungry and wanted a change +in diet ...</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"But you'll choke to death +going down there," Chandler +protested.</p> + +<p>"It's only a chimney hole. +Nobody's going to choke to +death."</p> + +<p>"Can you see down it?"</p> + +<p>"No. Too much smoke."</p> + +<p>"Then how do you know +how far we'll have to fall?"</p> + +<p>"I don't. I'll have to take +the chance. You don't have +to, though."</p> + +<p>"I'll go where you go. +That's what I volunteered +for."</p> + +<p>"Good. It's almost morning, +so the fire's probably almost +burned down from now. +If you land in the embers, +jump aside quickly. You understand?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," Chandler said.</p> + +<p>Without another word, +Charlie suddenly lowered +himself into the smoke and +let go.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Dim fiery light lit the cave. +He alighted in embers and +quickly jumped clear. Embers +flew. A ram bleated. Charlie +saw the enormous sleeping +bulk of the Cyclops against +one wall of the cave. He +heard something behind him, +and whirled. It was Chandler. +More sparks flew. The +sheep bleated again, louder +this time.</p> + +<p>Robin and a spaceman who +was probably Glaudot came +toward them. There was +amazement on Robin's face. +Glaudot looked like a child in +the grip of terror he couldn't +quite understand.</p> + +<p>Charlie held Robin close +for a moment. "Quiet," he +whispered. "Listen."</p> + +<p>The slight disturbance had +bothered the Cyclops. He was +half awake. He made noises +with his lips. One great arm +lifted and fell. It could have +crushed the four of them.</p> + +<p>"There's a stake," Robin +said. "Just like in the book."</p> + +<p>They got it and took it to +the embers of the fire between +them. Glaudot, who brought +up the rear, dragged his end, +the wood scraping on the +rocky floor.</p> + +<p>"Lift it up," Charlie said.</p> + +<p>Glaudot giggled and then +began to cry. He was hysterical. +"The three of us?" +Charlie asked.</p> + +<p>"I don't know," Robin +said.</p> + +<p>Glaudot laughed hysterically. +The Cyclops stirred. +That made up Charlie's mind. +He placed his end of the stake +carefully on the floor and +went back to Glaudot. He +struck Glaudot neatly and +precisely on the point of the +jaw and Glaudot collapsed in +his arms.</p> + +<p>Then they returned with +the stake to the fire. Charlie +scraped and pushed the embers +together with a charcoal +log. They began to toast the +point of the stake.</p> + +<p>"We've got to hurry," +Robin said.</p> + +<p>"The skin of his eyelid is +like armor plate," Charlie +told her. "We've got to make +sure it doesn't turn the point +aside."</p> + +<p>The flock stirred and began +to grow more lively. It +was now dawn outside. The +Cyclops yawned in his sleep +and stretched out an arm the +size of an oak tree.</p> + +<p>"Hurry!" Robin said urgently.</p> + +<p>The Cyclops rolled over, its +face to the wall.</p> + +<p>"The eye!" Charlie groaned. +"We'll never be able to +reach the eye now."</p> + +<p>They kept at their work, +though. There was nothing +else they could do. The surface +wood of the big stake +was taking on a dull cherry-red +color. Finally Charlie +said: "That's enough, I +guess."</p> + +<p>The Cyclops rolled over +again. They were in luck, +Charlie thought, but changed +his mind immediately. The +Cyclops sat up, its eye blinking +sleepily. It yawned and +stretched mightily, then +stared stupidly for a few moments +at the flock of sheep. +Charlie and the others stood +frozen, not daring to move. +The Cyclops brushed at the +sheep with its hand, and two +of them crashed with bone-crushing +thuds and death-rattle +bleats against the wall. +The Cyclops glared stupidly +about, its one great eye +squinting. Clearly, it was +looking for something else to +eat. Not sheep. People ...</p> + +<p>It got down on hands and +knees and groped on the floor. +The arm swept out. The +hand flashed ponderously by, +missing Robin by only a few +feet. The Cyclops advanced +on its knees, searching, its +mouth slavering now. It was +hungry and soon it would +eat ...</p> + +<p>The hand swept by again, +caught a sheep. The hand +lifted, the sheep bleated, the +jaws crunched once and the +sheep disappeared. The Cyclops +wiped a trace of blood +from its lips. The hand came +down again, closer ...</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"The stake!" Charlie whispered +fiercely.</p> + +<p>They brought it up horizontally. +Charlie stood just +behind the point, Robin behind +him, Chandler in the +rear. They jabbed with the +stake as the Cyclops's hand +swept along the floor again. +The Cyclops roared with +pain and rage and beat both +mighty hands on the rocky +floor, attempting to crush its +tormentors.</p> + +<p>Just then Glaudot regained +consciousness and stood up +groggily. "Don't move!" +Charlie warned, taking the +chance of revealing their own +position in an attempt to save +Glaudot's life.</p> + +<p>But Glaudot, seeing the +huge creature so close, began +to run. It was like running +on a treadmill. He ran and +he ran and after a while the +Cyclops reached down and +plucked him off the floor. He +screamed thinly. There was +the same crunching as before—and +no Glaudot ...</p> + +<p>Now the Cyclops, its appetite +whetted, searched the +floor in a frenzy of earnest +on hands and knees. The +great head swung low, close +to the floor, the single eye +stared myopically. Once the +huge hand clubbed the rock +so close to them that Charlie +could feel the floor shaking. +They retreated slowly toward +the far wall of the cave, the +monster following relentlessly. +They still held the heavy +stake between them but had +not yet gathered either the +strength or the courage for +their one try. If they failed—</p> + +<p>They had backed up as far +as they could. The wall was +behind them. The monster +came on, its head low, its +nose practically scraping the +ground. It swept the floor +with a giant hand, a fingertip +barely touching Charlie +and almost knocking him +senseless. He shook his head +and took deep breaths until +his strength returned.</p> + +<p>"Now," he said, as the +hand began its swinging arc +again.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>They ran forward toward +the creature's single eye with +the stake.</p> + +<p>Charlie barely remembered +the contact, or the bath of +eye-fluid and blood which +followed, or the wild roaring +of the brute creature, or its +frantic charging back and +forth, blinded, across the +cave, while the flock bleated +and stampeded. After a while +the crazed Cyclops ran to the +cave entrance and shouldered +the great door-rock aside, +rushing out into the day.</p> + +<p>It went tearing down the +slope and did not stop until, +battered and bleeding, it +reached the sea. It stood on +the narrow strand of beach +for a moment, scooping great +handfuls of water for its +stricken eye. Then it plunged +into the surf.</p> + +<p>They went outside and +watched it. They made their +way down the slope while it +advanced into the sea. Finally +only the great head remained +above the waves.</p> + +<p>They reached the shore.</p> + +<p>The Cyclops was gone.</p> + +<p>Moments later, Captain +Purcell and the others joined +them.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"Then you mean you won't +come back to Earth with us?" +Purcell asked later, in the +spaceship.</p> + +<p>"Not if all you say about +this world is true," Charlie +said. "We're needed here."</p> + +<p>"Yes," Purcell agreed. +"With your help, the galaxy +could be made into a universe +of plenty for everyone."</p> + +<p>"Besides," said Robin. +"We'll have to think of training +children to take over +after we're gone." She looked +at Charlie. She blushed. +"Such as our own," she said, +very quickly, and added: +"You can marry us, can't you, +Captain?"</p> + +<p>Purcell beamed, and nodded, +and did so.</p> + +<p>Later, Charlie said: "It +isn't only that we're needed +here, is it, darling?"</p> + +<p>Robin shook her head. "We +like it here," she said.</p> + +<p class="theend"><b>THE END</b></p> + +<div class="figtran"> +<a href="images/002-2.jpg"><img src="images/002-1.jpg" width="147" height="200" alt="" title="" /></a> +<b><big>Transcriber's Note:</big></b><br /><br /> +This etext was produced from <i>Amazing Stories</i> September 1956. +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> + +<hr class="fx" /> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's A World Called Crimson, by Darius John Granger + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A WORLD CALLED CRIMSON *** + +***** This file should be named 25684-h.htm or 25684-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/5/6/8/25684/ + +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 World Called Crimson + +Author: Darius John Granger + +Release Date: June 3, 2008 [EBook #25684] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A WORLD CALLED CRIMSON *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell, and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + _There was a boy and a girl and a strange new planet; + the planet was alive with hideous dangers. But the boy + and girl were very young and all Robin wanted to know + was: "Who stole my doll?"_ + + + A + WORLD + CALLED + CRIMSON + + By + DARIUS JOHN GRANGER + + +_When the starship _Star of Fire_ collided with a meteor swarm six +parsecs stellar north of the galactic hub in the year A.D. 2278, it lost +its atmosphere within forty-five minutes. At first it was thought that +every man, woman and child of the four thousand, one hundred and +sixty-six aboard were lost, in this the greatest of all interstellar +disasters. But as was discovered twenty years later in the Purcell +exploration, this was not quite the case. (See PURCELL)_ + + _--from The ANNALS OF SPACE, Vol. 12_ + + * * * * * + +[Illustration: The Cyclops--not hungry at the moment--regarded Robin as +a new toy.] + +It was the nasty little boy from B Deck who had stolen her doll. She +hated him. He was horrid. She slipped out of their stateroom while her +Mom and Dad were dressing for dinner. She'd find that horrid little boy +on B Deck. She'd scratch his eyes out. + +Her name was Robin Sinclair and she was five years old and mad enough to +throw the boy from B Deck out into space, only she didn't know how to go +about that. + +She went down the companionway to B Deck, where the people dressed +differently. The colors weren't as bright, somehow, the cloth not so +fine. It was a major distinction in the eyes of a five-year-old girl, +especially one who loved to run her fingers over fine synthetics and who +even had a favorite color. Her favorite color was crimson. + +"'Scuse me, mister. Didja see a little boy with a doll with a crimson +dress on?" + +A smile. But she was deadly serious. "Not me, young lady." + +She walked for a while aimlessly on B Deck. She saw two little boys, but +they weren't the right ones. Pouting now, almost in tears, she was on +the verge of giving up. Mom and Dad could buy her a new doll. Mom and +Dad were richer than anybody, weren't they? + +Then, all of a sudden, she saw him. He was just ducking out of sight up +ahead. Under his arm was tucked the doll with the crimson dress, her +favorite doll. + +"Hey!" she cried. "Hey, wait for me!" + +Her little feet pounding, she raced down the companionway. As she +reached the irising door in the bulkhead, an electric eye opened it for +her. She had never come this way before. It was not as bright and clean +as the rest of the ship. She had not even seen the sign which said +PASSENGERS NOT PERMITTED BEYOND THIS POINT. But then, she could barely +read, anyway. + +She caught a quick second glimpse of the boy, and started running as he +rounded a turn in the corridor. Shouting for him to stop, she reached +the turn and saw him up ahead. He looked back at her and stuck out his +tongue and kept running. + + * * * * * + +It was then that the whole world shuddered, like it was trying to shake +itself to pieces. + +Alarm bells clanged everywhere. Whistles shrilled. Pretty soon +uniformed men were running in all directions. Robin Sinclair was +suddenly very frightened. She wanted to go back to A Deck, to her Mom +and Dad, but she had followed the boy through so many twisting, turning +corridors that she knew she would be lost if she tried. She looked +ahead. The boy seemed confident as he made his way. She followed him. +But she was really mad at him now. It was his fault she was so far from +Mom and Dad when a thing like this happened. + + * * * * * + +Uniformed members of the crew continued rushing by. She heard snatches +of conversation she didn't understand. + +"Trying to patch it ..." + +"The whole stern section of the ship. Losing air fast ..." + +"The lifeboats. I was just down there. Every last one of 'em. Gone. The +meteor took 'em right off into space." + +"If the damage can't be repaired ..." + +And one man, finally, with a face awful to behold: "Patches won't hold. +We're losing air faster'n it can be replaced. Better tell the Captain." + +A man in a lot of gold braid rushed into view. He was +distinguished-looking, but old. Boy, he was old, Robin thought. He +looked as old as her grandfather. + +"Captain! We're losing too much air. It can't be replaced." + +"Then prepare to abandon ship." + +"But, sir, every lifeboat is gone!" + +"No lifeboats? No lifeboats!" + +The boy stuck his tongue out again. She ran after him, shaking her +little fist. They were completely absorbed in their private enmity while +the word went out that the situation was hopeless and almost five +thousand people prepared to die. + +"I've got you now!" + +He had run up against a blank wall. She came toward him, holding her +hands out for the doll with the crimson dress. He held it behind his +back. She reached around to get it but he pushed her and she fell down. + +"I'll fix you!" she threatened, getting up and rushing toward him again. +Big arms came down, and big hands grabbed her. + +"There now, little miss," a voice said. "Why aren't you with your folks? +Time like this, you ought to be with your folks. What is it, B Deck?" + +"A Deck," Robin said haughtily. "_He's_ from B. Why is everybody running +around so?" + +He was a tall, slat-thin man with a kind-looking face. "Say, wait a +minute!" he suddenly said, looking perplexed. "They all the time said I +was nuts, building that damn thing. Well, I can't fit into it, but maybe +these here kids can." + +He scooped Robin up with one hand, got the boy with the other. "I want +my doll!" Robin cried, but the boy held it away from her. + +"Take it easy now," the man said. "Take it easy. We'll take care of +you." + + * * * * * + +He ran with them to one of the repair bays of the great, doom-bound +starship. In one corner, beyond the now useless patching equipment, was +a table. On the table stood a model of the _Star of Fire_. It was six +feet long and perfect in every external detail. He hadn't got around to +the inside yet. The inside was completely empty. It had rockets and +everything. There was no reason why it wouldn't be perfectly +space-worthy. Why, it would even hold an atmosphere ... + +"In you go!" he said. + +The little boy was suddenly scared. "I want my Mother," he said. "I +want my Dad." + +"In you go." + +Robin felt herself lifted, and thrust inside something. It was dark in +there. She moved around and bumped into something. She moved around some +more and bumped against the little boy from B Deck. + +"How do you get out of here?" she asked. + +"I don't know," he said. + +"I want my doll back," she said. + +"Oh yeah?" + +"You better give it to me." + +He said nothing. There was a hissing sound, and a faint roar. Far away, +something slid ponderously. + +"Pleasant voyage, little ones!" a voice boomed. + +Something sat on her chest all at once, squeezing all the air from her. +It was a great weight holding her motionless, squeezing. She wanted to +cry, but couldn't get the sound out. She wanted her Mom. Mom would know +what to do. + +She was crushed and flattened into a tunnel of blackness. + +Thirty minutes later, the starship _Star of Fire_, outworld-bound from +Sol to the starswarms beyond Ophiuchus, lost all its remaining air. It +became an enormous coffin spinning end over end in space amid the blaze +of starlight near the center of the galaxy. + +One tiny spaceship, a small model of the huge liner, sped away. If it +went two days finding no planet, its two occupants would perish when the +small oxygen supply gave out. If it found a planet it would circle and +land automatically. The possibility of this was small, but not remote. +For here at the center of the galaxy, stellar distances are more nearly +planetary and most of the stars have attendant planets. But even then, +it would have to be a world capable of supporting their lives ... + +They sped on, in all innocence. She was five. He was six. His name was +Charlie Fullerton. He had her doll. She hated him. + + * * * * * + +Two hours after the tiny model spaceship landed on a planet with three +suns in the sky, Robin Sinclair awoke. She felt cramped and +uncomfortable. It took her a while to orient herself. She had some kind +of a dream. A dream was a funny thing. Mom said it wasn't real. But it +sure was real to her. + +She got up and pushed with her hands. A section of the tiny spaceship +sprang away at her touch, admitting blinding light. She lay there with +her eyes tightly shut, but after a while she could see. The boy was +sleeping. She still hated him. He was sleeping with her doll in his +arms. She took the doll and he moved his arms and woke up. She jumped +out of the open spaceship with the doll and started running. + +She ran along a beach. But the sand was green. The ocean hissed and +roared and there was nobody else. "N'ya! N'ya! Y'can't catch me!" she +bawled at the top of her voice. And fell down in the sand. + +He caught up with her and fell on top of her and they wrestled for the +doll. The surf thundered nearby. The tide, capricious in the grip of the +three suns, rose suddenly, flooding them with chill water. Coughing and +spluttering and choking, they retreated further up the beach. + +Soon they quieted down. + +"I'm soaking wet," she said. + +"My name is Charlie," he said sullenly. "Let's go back now." + +"How do we go back?" she wanted to know. + +"That's a nice doll," Charlie said. + +"You took it from me!" Accusingly. + +"Aw, I only wanted to look at it." + +"She has a crimson dress and everything." + +"This is some world," Charlie said after a while. + +"What's a world?" + +"Oh, a world is--you know--everything." + +"Oh." + +"You think it has Indians?" + +She said, "It ought to have Indians, anyhow." + +"And pirates too?" he asked in a voice full of awe. + +She nodded her head very seriously. "I like pirates," she said. "They're +so scarey." + +Just then a ship came into view far away across the water. It had +enormous sails and a black hull. On the fore-sail was painted a huge +black skull. + +"Let's get out of here!" Charlie cried in alarm. But beetling cliffs +reared behind the beach and although they ran frantically along at the +edge of the green sand, they could find no way to scale the cliffs. The +pirate ship came closer and closer. + +They got down whimpering at the base of the cliffs and remained very +still. After a long time the pirate ship came close to shore. A longboat +was dispatched and its oars flashed in the triple sunlight like giant +legs on which the longboat walked across the waves toward the beach. + +Then the pirates were ashore. The man who led them had only one leg, and +a peg. He looked very mean. + + * * * * * + +"It's Blackbeard the Pirate!" said Charlie in a frightened whisper. His +Dad had once read him a story about Blackbeard. + +The pirate with the wooden leg suddenly had a black beard. + +"The doll!" cried Robin. + +"What's the matter?" + +"We left her down there. Crimson." She called her doll Crimson because +she had a crimson dress. + +Now Blackbeard approached the model spaceship with his crew. They +gathered around it, frowning. Robin watched, her face pale, her eyes +wide. Crimson was there on the sand. They were going to see Crimson. +Even as she was thinking these horrible thoughts, one of the pirates saw +Crimson and picked her up. Blackbeard came over and took the doll and +looked at her. At that moment there was a shout from above the cliffs +and an arrow suddenly transfixed one of the pirates. He fell down +writhing and Blackbeard and the rest of his men raced back to the +longboat. + +"Indians," Charlie whispered knowingly. + +The Indians shouted and yelled. + +"Are there any cowboys here?" Robin asked hopefully. + +"No, sir. No cowboys," Charlie said very definitely. + +"I'm hungry," Robin said. "I wish we had something." + +With a little squeal of delight, she looked down at her feet. Two +platters of fried chicken, with all the trimmings. Her favorite. They +ate ravenously, not hearing the Indians any more. They watched the +longboat return to the pirate ship. All this way, they could see little +Crimson's dress as Blackbeard took her aboard. Robin finished her fried +chicken and started to cry. + +"Girls," said Charlie in disgust. + +"I can't help it. Poor Crimson." + +"Is she dead?" + +"Blackbeard the pirate took her." + +"Charles was my grandfather's name. My grandfather died and they named +me Charles." + +"I want Crimson!" + +"Get down! The Indians will see you." + +"The Indians went away. I want Crimson!" + +"We could name this beach after Crimson." + +"Aw, what do you know? It's only a beach." + +"We could name the whole wide world." Charlie gestured expansively. + +The green sand of the beach became crimson. The sky had a crimson glow. + +"It sure is a funny world," Charlie said. Laughter loud as thunder +echoed in the sky. "A world called Crimson," he added. + + * * * * * + +The tide came in. Spray and surf bounded off the rocks, wetting them. +"We better go up the hill," Robin said. By hill she meant the +perpendicular cliffs behind them. + +The tide thundered in. They were sodden. They clung to the rocks. + +"We need an elevator or something," Charlie said. + +Golden cables flashed in the sunlight. The gilt elevator cage came down. +They climbed in as a big wave came and battered the rocks. The elevator +went up, up to the top of the cliff. They could see a long way across +the water. They could watch the pirate ship sailing away, the skull +black as night on its sail. + +They got out of the elevator at the top of the cliff. They didn't see +any Indians, but they saw the ashes of a campfire. + +"Are there lions and tigers and everything?" Robin asked in wonder, +gazing out over the beach and the sea and then turning around to see the +green forest which began fifty yards beyond the edge of the cliff. + +"Sure there are lions and tigers," Charlie said matter-of-factly. + + * * * * * + +Off somewhere in the woods, a big cat roared. Robin whimpered. + +"I w-was only fooling," Charlie said, vaguely understanding that you +could somehow make things happen on this world called Crimson. + +But he learned a lesson that night. You could make things happen on +Crimson, but you couldn't unmake them. + +The tiger roared again. But they were downwind from it and it went +elsewhere in search of prey. Huddled together near the embers of the +Indian campfire, the two children slept fitfully through the cold night. + +Then the three suns finally came up on three different sides of the +horizon. Crimson was deadly, but beautiful.... + + * * * * * + +_Although credit for the discovery of _Aladdin's Planet_ goes to the +explorer Richard Purcell of Earth, two Earth children actually were +shipwrecked there twenty years before Purcell's expedition. But instead +of paving the way for Purcell, they actually made the exploration more +difficult for him. In fact, it was positively fraught with peril. But +since _Aladdin's Planet_ had become the galaxy's arsenal of plenty, it +was well worth Purcell's effort. As any schoolboy knows in this utopia +of 24th century plenty, _Aladdin's Planet_, almost exactly at the heart +of the galaxy, where matter is spontaneously created to sweep out in +long cosmic trails across the galaxy, is the home not merely of +spontaneous creation of matter, but spontaneous _formed_ creation, with +any human psyche capable of doing the handwork of God. A planet of great +import ..._ + + _--from The ANNALS OF SPACE, Vol. 2_ + + * * * * * + +She stood poised for a glorious moment on the very edge of the rock, the +bronze and pink of her glistening in the sun, the spray still clinging +to her from her last dive. Then, grace in every line of her lithe body, +she sprang from the rock in a perfectly executed swan dive. + +Charlie helped her out, smiling. "That was pretty," he said. + +"Well, you taught me how." Her figure was not yet that of a woman, but +far more than that of a girl. She was very beautiful and Charlie knew +this although he had no standards to judge by, except for the Indian +women they occasionally saw or Blackbeard's slave girls when the pirate +ship came in to trade. + +Unselfconsciously, Robin climbed into her gold-mesh shorts. Charlie +helped her fasten the gold-mesh halter. Long, long ago--it seemed an +unreal dream, almost--he had been a very small boy and his mother had +taken him to a show in which everyone danced and sang and wore gold-mesh +clothing. He had never forgotten it, and now all their clothing was +gold-mesh. + + * * * * * + +Robin spun around and looked at him. Her tawny blonde hair fell almost +to her waist, and he helped her comb it with a jewel-encrusted comb he +had wished into being a few days before. + +"I so like Crimson!" she cried impulsively. + +Charlie smiled. "Why, that's a funny thing to say. Is there any other +kind of a place?" + +"You mean, but Crimson?" + +"Yes." + +"I don't know. It is funny. Sometimes I think--" + +Charlie smiled at her, a little condescendingly. "Oh, it's the book +again, is it?" he asked. + +"All right. It's the book. Stop making fun of me." + +Many years ago, when they'd been small children, they had returned to +the ruined spaceship which had brought them to Crimson. It had been +empty except for the book, as if the book had been placed there for them +by whatever power had put them in the spaceship. Naturally, they had not +been able to read, but they kept the book anyway. Then one day, years +later, Robin had wished to be able to read and the next time she lifted +the book and opened it, the magic of the words was miraculously revealed +to her. The book was called A ONE VOLUME ENCYCLOPEDIC HISTORY and it +told about just everything--except Crimson. There was no mention of +Crimson at all. Robin read the book over and over again until she almost +knew it by heart. Even Charlie had listened to it twice all the way +through when she read it, but he had never wished for the ability to +read himself. + +Now Charlie asked: "Do you really believe the book? This is Crimson. +This is real." + +"I don't know. Sometimes I think this isn't as real as everything in the +book. And sometimes I just don't know." + +They walked in silence to their elevator and took it to the top of the +highest cliff. They had wished for a house there, like one Robin had +seen in the book. They had wished for many things to make their lives +interesting, or pleasant. They had peopled Crimson with the fruit of +their wishes, using the ONE VOLUME ENCYCLOPEDIC HISTORY as a guide. + + * * * * * + +They lived a mile from the Indian Camp. They traded with the Indians +who, strangely, did not know how to wish for things. Neither did the +pirates, or anyone. Just Robin and Charlie. The pirates lived across the +sea on an island. To the south along the shore were Phoenicians, Greeks, +Mayas, Royal Navymen, Submariners, mermaids and Cyclopes. To the north +along the shore were Polynesians, Maoris, Panamanians and Dutchmen. +Inland were Cannibals, Lotus Eaters, a few settlements of cowboys to +make life interesting for the Indians, farmers, Russians, Congressmen +and Ministers. All had been created by Robin and Charlie, who visited +them sometimes. They never believed for a minute that Robin and Charlie +had really created them, although all were amazed by Robin and Charlie's +ability to make things appear out of thin air. + +Just as they reached their house, an Indian brave came running down the +trail toward them. + +"Skyship come!" he cried, gesturing wildly and excitedly. + +"Skyship?" repeated Charlie, looking at Robin. "Have you created any +spaceships?" + +"No. You know it's a bargain between us. We don't create anything we +don't think we understand." + +The Indian was sweating. His name was Tashtu, which meant Wild Eagle, +and he was their go-between with the tribe. "Skyship sweep across +heavens," he said. "Not land. Go up in Wild Country." + +Charlie's interest quickened. Wild Country. They had created it on +impulse, about twenty miles from the Indian Camp, midway between the +settlements of Congressmen inland and Cyclopes on the shore. It was a +place of tortuous gorges and rocks and mountains, utterly lifeless. No +one ever went there. Someday, he had always told Robin, they would +explore Wild Country. If there really was a spaceship, and if it had +gone there ... + +"No," Robin said. "I know what you're thinking. But I'm perfectly happy +here." + +"You just now said you sometimes thought Crimson wasn't real and there +were other, real worlds which--" + +"That's different. I can dream, can't I?" + +"But don't you see, if a spaceship's really come, maybe they can tell +us." + + * * * * * + +She gripped his arm. "Charlie. Oh, Charlie, I don't know. I'm afraid. +We've been happy here, haven't we? We really wouldn't want it to +change ..." + +"I'm going to Wild Country," Charlie said stubbornly. + +Tashtu nodded his head. "It is good that you do. For the braves--" + +"Don't tell me they went after the skyship?" Charlie asked. + +"Yes, Lord. Skyship come low, ruin crops mile around. War dance follow. +War party leave last sunrise." + +"Six hours ago!" Charlie cried. "Can we overtake them?" + +Tashtu shrugged. "Hurry, Lord." + +"Don't you see," Charlie told Robin. "They're savages. They wouldn't +understand anything like spaceships. They wouldn't want to. If they get +the chance, they'll kill first and ask questions afterwards. We've got +to go to the Wild Country now." + +Big and brawny Tashtu was nodding his head earnestly, but Robin seemed +unconvinced. "Why," she said, "there isn't even anything about Wild +Country in the book." + +"That's because we made it." + +"And besides, the Congressmen are dangerous." + +"Congressmen? Don't you mean the Cyclopes?" + +"Yes, I'm sorry. The Cyclopes are dangerous." + +She couldn't possibly have meant the Congressmen. It was never clear to +either of them precisely what a Congressman did. But there were hundreds +of them on one side of Wild Country and they were forever making +speeches and promises, little round bald men with great, rich voices +and wonderful vocabularies. Charlie loved to hear them speak. + +"We go, Lord?" Tashtu asked. + +Charlie nodded and went inside swiftly for his rifle. It was modeled +after the most powerful rifle in the encyclopedia and was called a +Mannlicher Elephant Gun. Robin came with her own smaller Springfield +repeater. + +"Ready?" Charlie asked. + +"Yes. We can think up food along the trail." + +"Hurry, Lord," Tashtu urged. + +Charlie could hardly contain his excitement. The Wild Country, at last. +And a spaceship. + + * * * * * + +By the time they were ready to make planetfall on the unexplored world, +Purcell knew his dislike of Glaudot bordered on actual hatred. Purcell, +who was forty-five years old and a bachelor, liked his spacemen tough, +yes: you had to be tough to land on, explore, and subdue a couple of +dozen worlds, as Purcell himself had done. But he also liked his +spacemen with humility: facing the unknown and sometimes the unknowable +at every step of the way, you needed humility. + +Glaudot, younger than Purcell by fifteen years, confident, arrogant, a +lean hard man and handsome in a gaunt-cheeked, saturnine way, lacked +humility. For one thing, he treated the crew like dirt and had treated +them that way since blastoff from Earth almost five months before. For +another, he seemed impatient with Purcell's orders, although Purcell was +not a cautious man, and certainly not a timid one. What had been growing +between them flared out into the open moments before planetfall. + +"I can't get over it," Purcell said. "I've never seen a world anything +like it." They had made telescopic observations from within the +atmosphere. "Giants living in caves," Purcell went on. "Sailing ships +flying the Jolly Roger. A town consisting of miniature replicas of the +White House on Earth. Mermaids." + +"Don't tell me you really thought you saw mermaids?" Glaudot asked a +little condescendingly. + +"All right, I'll admit I only caught a glimpse of them. I thought they +were mermaids. But what about the Indians?" + +"Yes," Glaudot admitted. "I saw the Indians." + +Using their atmospheric rockets, they had flown over the Indian village +at an altitude of only a few hundred feet, to see bronze-skinned men +rush out of tents and stare up at them in awe. After that, Purcell had +decided to find some desolate spot in which to land, in order not to +risk a too-sudden encounter with any of the fantastically diversified +natives. + +Now Glaudot said: "You're taking what we saw too literally, Captain. +Why, I remember on Harfonte we had all sorts of hallucinations until +Captain Jamison discovered they were exactly that--we'd been hypnotized +into seeing the things we most feared by powerless natives who really +feared us." + +"This isn't Harfonte," Purcell said, a little irritably. + +"Yeah, but you weren't there." + +"I know that, Glaudot. I'm only trying to point out that each world must +be considered as unique. Each world presents its own problems, which--" + +"I say this is like Harfonte all over again. I say if you'd had the guts +to land right smack in the middle of that Indian village, you'd have +seen for yourself. I say to play it close to the vest is ridiculous," +Glaudot said, and then smiled deprecatingly. "Begging your pardon, of +course, Captain. But don't you see, man, you've got to show the +extraterrestrials, whatever form they take, that Earthmen aren't afraid +of them." + +"Caution and fear aren't the same thing," Purcell insisted. He didn't +know why he bothered to explain this to Glaudot. Perhaps it was because +Ensign Chandler, youngest man in the exploration party, was in the +lounge listening to them. Chandler was a nice kid, clean-cut and right +out of the finest tradition of Earth, but Chandler was, like all boys +barely out of their teens, impressionable. He was particularly +impressionable in these, his first months in space. + +"When you're cautious it's as much to protect the natives as yourself," +Purcell went on, and then put into simple words what Glaudot and +Chandler should have learned at the Academy for Exploration, anyway. + +When he finished, Glaudot shrugged and asked: "What do you think, Ensign +Chandler?" + +Chandler blushed slowly. "I--I'd rather not say," he told them. "Captain +Purcell is--the captain." + +Glaudot smiled his triumph at Purcell. It was then, for the first time, +that Purcell's dislike for the man became intense. Purcell wondered how +long he'd been poisoning the youth's mind against the doctrines of the +Academy. + +Just then a light glowed in the bulkhead and a metallic voice intoned: +"Prepare for landing. Prepare for landing at once." + +Purcell, striding to his blast-hammock, told Glaudot, who was the +expedition's exec, "I'll want the landing party ready to move half an +hour after planetfall." + +"Yes, sir," said Glaudot eagerly. At least there was something they +agreed on. + + * * * * * + +"Men," Purcell told the small landing party as they assembled near the +main airlock thirty-five minutes later, "we have an obligation to our +civilization which I hope all of you understand. While here on this +unknown world we must do nothing to bring discredit to the name of Earth +and the galactic culture which Earth represents." + +They had all seen the bleak moon-like landscape through the viewports. +They were eager to get out there and plant the flag of Earth and +determine what the new world was like. There were only eight of them in +the first landing party: others would follow once the eight established +a preliminary base of operations. The eight were wearing the new-style, +light-weight spacesuits which all exploration parties used even though +the temperature and atmosphere of the new world seemed close enough to +Earth-norm. It had long ago been decided at the Academy that chances +couldn't be taken with some unknown factor, possibly toxic, fatal and +irreversible, in an unknown atmosphere. After a day or two of thorough +laboratory analysis of the air they'd be able to chuck their spacesuits +if all went well. + +They filed through the airlock silently, Purcell first with the flag of +Earth, then Glaudot, then the others. White faces watched from the +viewport as they clomped across the convoluted terrain. + +"Nobody here but us chickens!" Glaudot said, and he laughed, after they +had walked some way across the desolate landscape. "But then, what did +you expect? Captain took us clear of all the more promising places." + +The man's only motive, Purcell decided, was his colossal ego. He made no +reply: that would be descending to Glaudot's level. + +After they walked almost entirely across the low-walled crater in which +the exploration ship had come down, and after Purcell had planted the +flag on the highest pinnacle within the low crater walls, Glaudot said: + +"How's about taking a look-see over the top, Captain? At least that +much." + +Purcell wasn't in favor of the idea. It would mean leaving sight of the +ship too soon. But the radio voices of most of the men indicated that +they agreed with Glaudot, so Purcell shrugged and said a pair of +volunteers could go, if they promised to rejoin the main party within +two hours. + +Glaudot immediately volunteered. That at least made sense. Glaudot had +the courage of his convictions. Several others volunteered, but the +first hand up had been Ensign Chandler's. + +"I don't want to sound like a martinet," Purcell told them. "But you +understand that by two hours I mean two hours. Not a minute more." + +"Yes, sir," Chandler said. + +"Glaudot?" + +"Yes, sir," the Executive Officer replied. + +"All right," Purcell said. He walked over to the first of the big +magna-sleds piled high with equipment. "We'll be setting up the base +camp over here. I know the men still in the ship will want to stretch +their legs soon as possible. We don't want to have to go looking for +you, Glaudot." + +"Not me, Captain," Glaudot assured him, and walked off toward the crater +rim with young Ensign Chandler. + + * * * * * + +"What the devil was that?" Chandler said forty-five minutes later. + +"Stop jumping at every shadow you see. Relax." + +"I thought I saw something moving behind that rock." + +"So, go take a look." + +"But--" + +"Hell, boy, don't let that Purcell put the fear of the unknown into you +on your very first trip out. Huh, what do you say?" + +"Yes, sir, Mr. Glaudot," Ensign Chandler replied. + +"After all," Glaudot went on, "we have nothing to be afraid of. We're +still within sight of the ship." + +Chandler turned around. "I don't see it," he said. + +"From the top of that rock you could." + +"Think so?" + +"Sure I do. Why don't you take a look if it will make you feel better?" + +"All right," Chandler said, and smiled at his own temerity. But he knew +vaguely that he'd been caught in a crossfire between the cautious +Purcell and the bold, arrogant Glaudot. Sometimes he really thought that +the Captain's caution made sense: on Wulcreston, he'd learned at the +Academy, a whole Earth expedition had been slaughtered before contact +because the natives mistook hand telescopes for weapons. And surely on +any world a spacesuited man looked more like a monster than a man +although he was vulnerable in a spacesuit, even more vulnerable than a +naked man because he could only run awkwardly. + +All this Chandler thought as he climbed the high rock rampart. He'd send +a subspace letter back to the folks tonight, sure enough, he told +himself. Not only had he been chosen for the preliminary exploration +party, he'd made the first trip out of sight of the spaceship. It +certainly was something to write home about, and Mom would be very +proud ... + +He was on top of the rock now. The vast tortuous landscape spread out +below him like a relief map in a mapmaker's nightmare. Far to his left, +beyond Glaudot's spacesuited figure, he could see the projectile-shaped +spaceship resting on its tail fins. And to his right-- + +He stared. He gawked. + +At the last moment he tried to get down from the rock, but his spaceboot +caught on an outcropping and his fatal mistake was standing upright in +an attempt to free it. + +Then all at once in a blinding burst of pain he was clutching at +something in his chest but knew as his life ebbed rapidly from his young +body that it would not matter if he was able to pull the cruel shaft +out.... + + * * * * * + +Glaudot went rushing up the side of the rock. He still couldn't believe +his eyes. Ensign Chandler had been impaled by two long feathered shafts, +two arrows. The force of the first one had spun Chandler around and he +lay now with his back arched across the topmost ramparts of the rock, +two arrows protruding from his chest and his life blood, starkly crimson +against the white of the spacesuit, pouring out. + +Reaching the top of the rock in an attempt to drag the dying boy down, +Glaudot saw the Indians rushing up the other side of the crater wall. +Indians, he thought incredulously. Indians, as in the American West +hundreds of years ago. Indians ... But just what the hell were they +doing here? + +A muscular brave notched an arrow, his right hand drawing the feathered +shaft back to his ear. Quickly Glaudot flung his arms skyward, hoping +that the universal gesture of surrender would be understood. The brave +stood statue-still. His lips opened. He was speaking to another of the +half-dozen Indians in the raiding band, but Glaudot could not hear the +words through his space helmet. He knew his life hung in the balance. + +He watched, fascinated and helpless, as the Indian who had slain Ensign +Chandler came toward him. + + * * * * * + +Tashtu said: "Two raiding bands, Lord. One go north. Other south. We +follow?" + +They had reached the advance Indian camp on the fringe of the Wild +Country. So far they had seen nothing of the Cyclopes who lived in this +part of the world. Of all their creations, Charlie and Robin feared and +avoided only the Cyclopes, the enormous one-eyed giants which had so +intrigued Robin in the encyclopedia that she'd had a compulsion to +create them, and had done so. + +"We can't follow both bands," Charlie said, looking troubled. + +"Why can't we?" Robin asked. "You go north with some of the braves, +Charlie. I'll go south. We ought to be able to overtake the raiding +parties before anything happens." + +"I can't let you go alone." + +"All right. I'll take Tashtu with me. Don't you think Tashtu can take +care of me as well as you can?" + +"Well, I just don't like the idea--" Charlie began. + +"That's silly. If we have to find them before there's trouble, we have +to find them. Well, don't we?" + +Charlie gave her an uncertain nod. He had grown up with her and had seen +her every day of his life, but every time he took a good look at her, at +the lovely face and the tawny, long-limbed form ill-concealed by the +gold-mesh garments, it took his breath away. Although in a sense a whole +world was his plaything, he had never seen anything so lovely. Finally +he said, "I guess you're too logical for me. Take care of her, Tashtu." + +"With my life, Lord," the Indian vowed as the group broke up. Robin ran +to Charlie and hugged him, kissing his cheek half playfully, half in +earnest. + +"You be careful, too," she said, and went off with Tashtu and several of +the braves. + + * * * * * + +Naturally she was excited. She knew more about spacemen than Charlie +did. She had read the encyclopedia more carefully, hadn't she? She +wondered what the spacemen would be like. She couldn't help wondering it +because the only man she had ever known, except for those they had +created, was Charlie. Of course, she hadn't told Charlie this in so many +words, but she felt, had always felt, vaguely and now felt clearly, that +before she could settle down contentedly with Charlie, she would have to +know something of the world beyond Crimson. And there was a vast +world--a multitude of worlds--beyond Crimson. She knew that. The +encyclopedia mentioned all of them but did not mention Crimson at all. + +They walked for several minutes through green forest, and then abruptly +came to the edge of the Wild Country. Even the idea of the Wild Country +brought an eagerness to Robin's limbs and made her walk more rapidly. +The Wild Country was unknown, wasn't it? They had created it without +knowing quite what they were creating, and had never explored it. + +She went ahead with Tashtu over the rocks and crushed pumice. No winds +blew in Wild Country. The air was neither hot nor cold. The landscape +seemed changeless and eternal, as if it had been that way since before +the dawn of history, although actually Charlie and Robin had created it +only a few years before. + +They forged on for two hours, Tashtu following the easily read spoor in +the pumice. They came at last to a low crater wall, where the spoor +disappeared. At first Tashtu was confused, but then he pointed to the +top, several hundred feet above their heads. Robin caught a glimpse of +tawny skin and feathers and buckskin in the sunlight. + +"Haloo!" Tashtu called, and some of the braves above them whirled, all +speaking excitedly in the clumsy English which was the only tongue they +knew. + +"Huragpha slay monster," they said. "Capture other monster. But then +see ..." the words drifted off into silence. Obviously, the Indians were +perplexed. "You come, see. Monster, him bleed like man." + +At Tashtu's side, Robin rushed up the steep rocky slope. When they +reached the top, breathless and all but exhausted, Robin put her hand to +her mouth with a little cry of horror. + + * * * * * + +There was a dead man stretched out on the rock there, two arrows +transfixing his chest through the fabric of his spacesuit. The spacesuit +had probably frightened the Indians, but he was a man all right. Had +they been closer, even the Indians would have known that. That poor +man.... Why, he was hardly more than a boy. + +Spacemen! + +And there was another, surrounded now by several of the Indians. "Him +prisoner," said the Indian called Huragpha a little uncertainly. + +Robin walked over to the man in the spacesuit. He was a big man, even +bigger than Charlie. He looked very strong, but the spacesuit might have +been deceptive. He looked frightened, but not terrified. + +"Are you really a spaceman?" Robin asked. + +Glaudot said: "Well, so one of you can speak more than a few grunts. +That's something." He looked carefully at Robin. "Beautiful, too," he +said. The way he said it was not a compliment. It was an objective +statement of fact. + +"I know it won't help to say I'm sorry about your friend. Words won't +help, I guess. But--" + +"Yeah," Glaudot said. "All right. He's dead. I can't bring him back and +you can't bring him back, sister." + +"I'm not your sister," Robin said. + +Glaudot told her it was a way of speaking. He couldn't quite believe his +ears. She spoke English as well as he did, which was incredible enough +here on a world halfway across the galaxy. But he got the impression +that she was almost fantastically naive. Yet the Indians--and, +incredibly, they were Indians--seemed to be subservient to her, almost +seemed to worship her. + +Glaudot sat down on his space helmet, which he had taken off some +minutes before, and said: "Are you the boss lady around here?" + +"Boss lady? I don't understand." + +"Are you in charge? Do you run things?" + +Robin smiled and said: "I created them." + +"I'm sorry. Now _I_ don't get _you_." + +"I said I created them. It's very simple. My friend and I decided a very +long time ago it would be nice or interesting or I forget what, it was +so long ago, if we had some Indians. So, we created Indians." + +Glaudot threw his head back and laughed. "For a minute," he said, "you +almost had me believing you." The girl was dressed like a savage, he +told himself, like a beautiful savage, but at least she had a sense of +humor. That was something. + +"But what is so funny?" Robin asked. + +"You just now said--" + +"I know what I said. My friend and I created the Indians. Of course. +Why? Can't you create anything you want? Just anything?" + +"All right, sister," Glaudot said a little angrily. He did not like +being made fun of, for he lacked the capacity to laugh at himself. "Just +how much of a fool do you think I am?" + +"Why, I don't know," Robin replied. "How much of a fool are you?" + +Glaudot glared at her. Purcell was going to be one mad captain when he +was told of Chandler's death, but men had died on expeditions before and +it really wasn't Glaudot's fault. At any rate he had established contact +with somebody of obvious importance among the natives, and Purcell would +appreciate that. + +"Never mind," Glaudot said. + +"Tell me about being a spaceman. Do you really fly among the stars?" + +"Well, yes," Glaudot said, "although it isn't really flying." + +"And do you create new stars as you go along?" + + * * * * * + +There she went again with her talk of creation, as if creating things +out of nothing was the commonest occurrence in the world. Glaudot stood +up. "All right, sister. Show me." + +"Why, show you what?" + +"Create something." + +"You mean," Robin said, disappointed, "you actually can't?" + +"Just go ahead and create something." + +Robin shrugged. "What would you like?" + +Glaudot thought for a moment. "A piano!" he said suddenly. "How about a +piano?" It was complicated enough, he thought. "And while you're at it, +how about telling me how come everyone speaks English--or tries to speak +English around here?" + +Robin frowned. "Is there some other way of speaking?" + +Glaudot also frowned. That line of thought wouldn't get him anywhere. +"O.K.," he said. "One piano coming up?" + +"All right," Robin said. + +Glaudot blinked. The pretty girl hadn't moved. She hadn't even changed +her facial expression. But a parlor grand piano stood on the rock before +them. + +"Well, I'll be damned," Glaudot said. "What else can you create?" + +"We made all the natives here. We made the green and crimson. We made +this whole Wild Country. We made some of the animals too." + +"Like--the piano? Out of nothing?" + +"Is there another way?" + +Glaudot said, "You better come back to the ship with me. Captain'll like +to see you." + +Tashtu shook his head. "The Lady Robin awaits the Lord." + +Glaudot looked at Robin. "Who's that?" + +"Charlie. He's just my friend. I--I don't think I have to wait for him. +I've always been more interested in reading about spacemen than he has. +I'll go with you now if you want." + +Tashtu looked unhappy. "Lord Charlie, he say--" + +"Well, you wait right here, Tashtu, and tell Charlie where I've gone. +What could be simpler? I'll be all right, don't worry about me." + +"Lord Charlie, he say watch you." + +"And I say I'm going with the spaceman to his spaceship." + +Tashtu bowed. "The Lady has spoken," he said, and watched Robin descend +the rocky rampart and walk back with Glaudot toward the far distant +glint of metal which was this spaceship they were talking about. + + * * * * * + +"So you can create just anything," Glaudot said. + +"I guess so." + +A goddess, he thought. A beautiful goddess who ... + +Suddenly he stared at her. Who could make him the most powerful man in +the galaxy. + +"This spaceship of yours--" she began. + +"Wait. Wait a minute. If you can create anything, how's about +re-creating Chandler?" + +"Chand-ler? What is Chand-ler?" + +"The boy back there. The one your braves killed." + +Robin said: "If you wish," and Glaudot held his breath. The power over +life and death, he thought.... + +He looked down and saw Chandler's spacesuited body there, the two arrows +protruding from his chest. He shook his head. "Not dead," he said. "What +good is he to anybody dead?" + +Robin nodded. "I'm sorry," she said. "I just hadn't thought before of +bringing people back to life. It ... why it seems ..." + +"What's the matter?" + +"I wouldn't really be bringing him back, you know. It would be a copy, +just a copy." + +"But a perfect copy?" + +"I think so." + +"Then if it's just a copy it shouldn't bother you at all, should it?" + +"Well ..." Robin said doubtfully. + +"Go ahead. Show me you can do it." + +Glaudot gaped. Another figure sat alongside Chandler's corpse, +Chandler's second corpse. The other figure got up. It was Chandler. + + * * * * * + +"Look out!" the new Chandler cried. "Look out--Indians!" + +"Just take it easy," Glaudot told him. Glaudot's face was very white, +his eyes big and round and staring. + +Chandler looked down at the body on the rocks. His knees buckled and +Glaudot caught him, stopping him from falling. Chandler tried to say +something, but the words wouldn't come. He stared with horrified +fascination at the body, which was an exact copy of himself--or a copy +of the dead man from whom the new living man was copied. + +"May we go to your spaceship now?" Robin asked Glaudot politely. "I have +always wished to see a spaceship." + +Here was power, Glaudot thought. Incredible power. All the power to +control worlds, to carve worlds from primordial slime, almost, for +yourself. Here was far more power than any man in the galaxy had ever +been offered. Was it his, Glaudot's? + +It wouldn't be if he brought the beautiful girl to the spaceship and +Purcell. For Captain Purcell, a devoted servant of the galactic +civilization which he was attempting to spread to the outworlds, would +think in terms of what good the discovery of this girl could bring to +all humanity. But if Glaudot kept her to himself ... + +And then another thought almost stunned him. Why merely the girl? She'd +mentioned a friend, hadn't she? Perhaps it was something in the +atmosphere of this strange world, in the very air you breathed. Perhaps +anyone could do it, could create out of nothing--Glaudot included. + +"You want to go to the spaceship?" he asked. + +"Yes. Oh, yes." + +"Then teach me the secret of creation." + +"Of making things, you mean? Why, there isn't any secret. Should there +be any secret? You merely--create." + +"Show me," said Glaudot. + + * * * * * + +A table appeared, and savory dishes of food. + +"Magician!" cried Chandler. + +A great roan stallion, bridled but without a saddle, materialized. Robin +swung up on its broad back and used her bare knees for balance and +control. The stallion cantered off. + +"Wait!" cried Glaudot. "Please wait." + +The stallion cantered back and Robin alighted. The stallion began to +graze on a patch of grass which suddenly appeared on the naked rock. The +stallion seemed quite content. + +"You mean," the new Chandler asked in an awed voice, "she just _made_ +these things? The food. The table. The horse ..." + +"Yes," said Glaudot. He concentrated his will on creating a single +flower in the new field of grass. He concentrated his whole being. + +But nothing happened. + +He glared almost angrily at Robin, as if it were her fault. "I don't +have the power you have," he said. + +She nodded. "Only Charlie and me." She looked at the roan stallion. +"Beauty, isn't he? I'll present him to Charlie." She turned to Glaudot. +"Now take me to the ship." + +"We ought to get started back there, Mr. Glaudot," Chandler said. + +"Yes? Why?" + +"But--but I don't have to tell you why! This girl is one of the most +important discoveries that has ever been made. The ability to create +material things ... out of nothing...." + +"Show me your planet," Glaudot told Robin, ignoring the younger man. "We +can talk about the spaceship later. You see, I'm an explorer and it's +my job to explore new worlds." He spoke slowly, simply, as he would +speak to a child. Somehow, although the girl was not a child and was +quite the most astonishingly beautiful girl he had ever seen, he thought +that was the right approach. + +"Now wait a minute, Mr. Glaudot," Chandler protested. "We both know it's +our duty to bring her to Captain Purcell." + +"Maybe you think it's your duty," Glaudot told the younger man. "I don't +think it's mine. And before you run off to the ship to tell that +precious captain of yours, you ought to know that you'd be dead right +now if it hadn't been for me." + +"You?" + +"Hell, yes. Those Indians or whatever they were killed you. I asked the +girl to bring you back to life." + +"To bring--" echoed Chandler his mouth falling open. + +"Actually, she produced a perfect copy of you. A living copy. Do you see +what she offers us, Chandler? Infinite wealth from creativity out of +nothing--and eternal life by copying our bodies each time we die! What +do you say about your precious captain now?" + +Chandler seemed confused. He shook his head, staring first at Glaudot +and then at Robin. "The ship," he said. "Our duty ... the captain ..." + +Glaudot snorted and told Robin: "Kill him." + +"Kill him?" + +"Yes. You brought him into being. Now send him out of being." + +"But I can't do that. I have no further control once I make something. +And besides I--I wouldn't kill a human being, even if I could." + +Fear was in Chandler's eyes. "Mr. Glaudot, listen ..." he began. + +"Listen, hell," Glaudot said. "I brought you back to life. I offered you +a share in the greatest power the worlds have ever known. You turned it +down. I'm sorry, Chandler. I'm really sorry for you. But I can't let you +return to the ship, you see. Not until I learn some more about this +world, not until I understand exactly what the girl's power is, and +consolidate my position." + + * * * * * + +Without waiting to hear more, Chandler began to run. In three great +bounds he reached the grazing roan stallion and leaped on its back, +digging his heels into its flanks. The stallion moved off at a quick +trot as Glaudot drew his blaster and took dead aim at Chandler's +retreating back. + +When he had Chandler squarely in his sights, Glaudot began to squeeze +the trigger. But suddenly the trigger-housing-unit of the blaster became +encumbered with tiny vines. There were hundreds of them writhing and +crawling all over the weapon and getting in the sights too so Glaudot +could no longer aim. By the time he tore the vines clear, cursing +savagely, the roan stallion had taken Chandler out of sight on his +retreat toward the spaceship. + +Glaudot whirled on Robin. "You did this!" he accused her. "You did it. +Why--why?" + +"You were going to kill him. You shouldn't have." + +"But now you've ruined everything. Not just for me. For us, don't you +see? I could have laid the world at your feet. I could have--listen! +Tell me this--is there any place we can hide? Some place they won't find +us if they come looking, while we work on this power of yours and see +exactly what it can do and what it can't do?" + +"I want to see the spaceship, please," said Robin. + +"Afterwards, I promise you," Glaudot said. "Why, we can make all the +spaceships we want--out of nothing. Can't we?" + +"Yes," said Robin. "I guess so. But even if we hide from your friends, +my friend Charlie will find us. He'll be worried about me and he'll find +us. Charlie can do everything I can do, you see." + + * * * * * + +Glaudot stared at her with anger in his eyes. Then something else +replaced the anger. No, he thought, Charlie couldn't do everything she +could do. She was beautiful. Her half-nude body summoned desire in him. +Tentatively, ready to withdraw his hand at the first indication of +protest, he touched her bare shoulder. She made no response. She merely +stood there, waiting for some kind of an answer from him. + +"Then we'll have to hide from Charlie too. Please believe me," Glaudot +said. "I'm a spaceman and you know very little about spacemen. Do you +want to learn?" + +"Yes. Yes, I do." + +"Then take me some place even Charlie will have difficulty finding us." + +"But he'll know." + +"What do you mean he'll know? Don't tell me you can read one another's +minds?" + +"Oh, goodness, no. Nothing like that. But when we were very little I +once told Charlie if ever I got mad at him I would go to hide in the +country of the Cyclopes and he would never be able to find me because +the Cyclopes would eat him. That was after we read about the Cyclopes in +the Ulysses story in our encyclopedia. You see?" + +"Cyclopes, huh? You really mean one-eyed giants?" + +"Yes. We made them but they don't obey us." + +"Can the two of us hide in their land? Is it far?" + +"No. Very close. But I don't know if I want--" + +"I'm a spaceman, aren't I? And you want to learn all about spacemen and +the worlds beyond this place, don't you? Then come with me!" + +"But--" + +"If you say no and I go back to the spaceship we'll blast off and you'll +never see spacemen again the rest of your life," threatened Glaudot. + +Robin did not answer. "Well?" Glaudot snapped, as if he was quite +indifferent. "Would you want that to happen?" + +"No," Robin admitted after a while. + +"Then let's go." They had to hurry, Glaudot knew. Riding that stallion, +that incredible conjured-out-of-nothing stallion, Chandler had probably +reached the spaceship by now. A few words, a few hurried explanations, +and Purcell would lead an armed party out after Glaudot. + +Again Robin was silent. Glaudot stood stiffly in front of her, so close +he could reach out and wrap his arms about her. But this wasn't the +time, he told himself. Later ... later ... + +"All right," Robin said at last, her eyes looking troubled. "I'll take +you to the land of Cyclopes." + +They began to walk, in silence. Half an hour later, the barren terrain +of rocks gave way to a verdant jungle in which the trees were quite the +biggest Glaudot had ever seen and in which even the grass and the +fragrant wild flowers grew over their heads. Glaudot had never felt so +small. + + * * * * * + +"Wait a minute, Chandler," Captain Purcell said. "I listened in silence +to what you said. All of it, as incredible as it sounded. But you don't +expect me to believe--" + +"Look at the horse. Where did I get the horse, sir?" + +"So there are horses on this world. So what?" + +"But I saw the girl create it out of thin air!" + +"Really, Chandler." + +"And I saw the corpse. My corpse, Captain. Mine!" + +"But hell, man. Glaudot would have come back here with the girl. He +knows his obligation to civilization. He--" + +"Glaudot, sir? Does he?" + +Purcell scowled and said finally: "Chandler, either you and Glaudot have +made the most astonishing discovery since man first domesticated his +environment and so became more than a reasonably clever animal, or +you're the biggest liar that ever crossed deep space." + +Chandler offered his captain a pale smile. "Why don't you find out +which, sir?" + +"By God," said Purcell, "I will. McCreedy!" he bawled over the intercom. +"Smith! Wong! I want an armed expedition of twenty-five men ready to +leave the ship in half an hour." + +And, exactly half an hour later, the expedition set out with Captain +Purcell and Chandler leading it. Chandler went astride the roan +stallion. + + * * * * * + +When Charlie and his small Indian band learned that the action had taken +place to the south, where Robin had gone, they set out quickly in that +direction. The further they went, the more worried Charlie became. If +Robin had met with any kind of success, if she had called off the war +party and established some kind of peaceful relations with the spacemen, +a runner would have been sent to tell them. But the desolate rock-strewn +terrain stretched out before them as devoid of life as the Paleozoic +Earth. + +Charlie urged his men on relentlessly. He was a tireless hiker and since +the braves lived by hunting they could match almost any pace he set. +Finally Charlie saw the second Indian band ahead of them. Slinging the +Mannlicher Elephant Gun, he began to run. + +"Tashtu!" he called. "Tashtu!" + +The Indian sprinted to him. "Lord," he said breathlessly, "one sky +critter, him die. Turn out man." + +"What are you talking about?" Charlie asked. + +Tashtu led him to the group of braves which still clustered about Ensign +Chandler's body. "Why?" Charlie demanded, horror-struck. "Why?" + +Tashtu told him all that had happened. How the braves had mistaken the +spacesuited man for a monster. How arrows had been fired before they had +learned otherwise. How Robin had come, and gone off with the spaceman. + +"To their spaceship?" Charlie asked. + +"Yes, Lord. That is what they spoke of." Tashtu pointed to the top of +the rampart of rock. "From there, Lord, you can see it." + +Charlie scrambled up the rock. From his giddy perch on top he could see +the tiny silver gleam of the spaceship--and a band of men, led by a man +on horseback, approaching them. Charlie hurried down the rock, half +climbing, half sliding. "They are coming," he said. "Maybe Robin's with +them." He remembered what had happened last time and said: "The rest of +you return to your homes. Tashtu and I will go on ahead." + +"But Lord--" Tashtu began. + +"Well?" + +"I did not like the man. I did not trust him." + +"Then why did you let Robin go?" + +"Let her, Lord? But surely Robin, the Lady Robin, does not obey a +mere--" + +"All right, all right," Charlie said. "But all the more reason for the +rest of the braves to return to their homes. We can handle this, Tashtu, +you and I. I don't want any more killing." + +"Yes, Lord," said Tashtu. + +The Indians formed a marching column and moved off. Charlie told Tashtu +what he had seen from the top of the rampart. Then he added: "Let's go +and meet them." + +And Charlie and Tashtu set out across the tortuous Wild Country. + + * * * * * + +"Two men coming!" Chandler cried, reining up the roan stallion. + +Captain Purcell signaled his twenty-five men to halt, and their orderly +double file came up short behind him. Pretty soon the two figures could +be seen by all, advancing toward them across the rocks. When they were +close enough, Captain Purcell hailed: "We come in peace!" + +"And in peace we come!" Charlie called. A moment later he was shaking +hands gravely with Captain Purcell. + +"Tell the captain about--about my corpse," Chandler told Tashtu. + +Charlie looked at Chandler. He had seen the dead man. "Did Robin make +you?" he asked in surprise. "We never brought the dead to life before." + +"Can you really do it?" Purcell demanded. + +"No, not really. But we can copy perfectly--and the copies live." + +"You see?" Chandler demanded triumphantly. + +Captain Purcell said: "Show me." + + * * * * * + +Charlie created a brother to the roan stallion. Captain Purcell gawked. +The one example sufficed and he did not ask for more as Glaudot had +done. + +"Where's Robin?" Charlie asked. "At the ship?" + +Chandler shook his head. "Glaudot went off with her." + +"But I thought he was on the ship!" + +"He deserted," Chandler said. "With the girl. He wants her. He wants her +power for himself." + +Charlie moved very quickly. He swung in front of Chandler and grabbed +his tunic-front, bunching it, ripping it and all but dragging Chandler +clear off his feet before a hand could be raised to stop him. "Where did +they go?" he asked in a terrible voice. "Where are they? Take me to +them." + +"But I don't--don't know!" Chandler protested, trying without success to +break free. + +It was Captain Purcell who came forward and firmly took Charlie's arm, +pulling him clear of Chandler. "Remember," he said. "In peace. In +peace." + +Charlie stood with his hands at his sides. His face was white and +strained. "The girl," he said. + +"We all want to find out where Glaudot took her," Captain Purcell said. +"We're going to help you. Tell me: could the girl have gone willingly +with Glaudot? To share his mad dream of power, perhaps?" + +"Robin?" Charlie cried. "Never!" + +"Please, lad," Captain Purcell said. "I want you to think. I want you to +consider everything. You and this girl of yours may have almost godlike +powers, but you've spent your lives on an uncivilized world and +well--frankly--couldn't a sophisticated man like Glaudot turn the girl's +head? Couldn't he confuse her into going off with him, at least +temporarily? And, assuming, he did, he doesn't know this world. He's +aware of that. He'd know we'd be coming after him. Perhaps the girl +would tell him about you. Tell me, man--where would the girl go if she +didn't want you to find her? Is there such a place? Before you answer, I +want you to know that what we do here may be far graver than you think. +It is not merely the safety of one girl we have to consider--but no, you +wouldn't understand ..." + +"You mean," Charlie asked, "if this man Glaudot somehow convinces Robin +to use her power as he tells her, he might want to take over all of +Crimson?" + +"Do you mean this world? Is it called Crimson? Yes--and more than that. +There's no telling how far a man like Glaudot could go with such power. +And with the ability to create all the armament and all the deadly +weapons he needed, and all the missiles to carry those weapons, he might +challenge the entire galaxy--and win!" + +The words were strange to Charlie. He only understood them vaguely. Now +Robin, she would understand, he thought. Robin was always more +interested in things like that, Robin who almost knew their encyclopedia +by heart, Robin ... + +"Listen," he said. "Listen. We created all the life on this world. We +made Greeks and Royal Navymen and Ministers and Russians and Congressmen +and everything we knew or somehow had heard about or had read in our +book. We get along fine with all of them, except ..." + +"Yes," Captain Purcell prompted. "Go on, go on!" + +"No, she'd never go there. She was always afraid of them." + +"Where, man? Where?" + +"No. Robin wouldn't. She just wouldn't." + +It was not hot in Wild Country, but sweat trickled down Purcell's face +while he waited for Charlie's answer. + + * * * * * + +"Show me!" cried Glaudot in rapture. "Show me! Show me! Show me!" + +He stood with Robin in a little glade in the Land of the Cyclopes. About +them were heaped all the treasures Glaudot had suddenly demanded. He did +not quite know why. He felt his iron control slipping and permitted it +to slip now, for once he got this wild desire from his system, he knew +only his untroubled iron will would be left, and with it--and the +girl--he might conquer the galaxy. + +Heaped about them were jewels and precious metals and deadly weapons, +all of which Robin had summoned into being at Glaudot's orders, while +Glaudot smiled at her. It was almost a frightening smile. She was even a +little sorry she had come away with him, but she could always go back, +couldn't she? She wasn't shackled to this strange man from space, was +she? And the way he looked at her, the desire she saw in his eyes, that +was frightening too. She did not know how to cope with it. Oh, she could +create a duplicate Charlie, for example. Charlie would know what to do. +Charlie would help her. Charlie hadn't read the book as she had read it, +but Charlie was more practical. Still, what would they do with the +duplicate Charlie afterwards? You couldn't uncreate something ... + +"A spaceship," Glaudot said suddenly. "Can you create a spaceship out of +nothing?" + + * * * * * + +Robin nodded slowly. "I can. Yes, I can. It tells all about spaceships +in the book. But I don't know if I want to." + +Glaudot let it pass. There was no hurry. He was thinking about the +future, though. If Purcell opposed him, as Purcell would, and managed +to escape in the exploration ship, Glaudot would need a ship to leave +this world ... + +"Why not?" he asked, his voice quite calm now, the mania which had +seized him under control now, and only his iron purpose motivating him. + +"I--I don't know. You have one spaceship. I guess that's why. What do +you need another one for?" + +"It was just a thought," said Glaudot. "It doesn't matter." He kneeled +near the heaps of sun-dazzled jewels. He let them trickle through his +fingers. No, the desire wasn't gone yet. It was still fighting with his +will. And, since he knew his will could win at any time, it pleased him +to give his desire free rein. + +He scooped up a handful of jewels. He found a necklace and came close to +Robin and dropped it over her head. The pearls were very white against +her sun-tanned skin. The pearl pendant hung almost to the start of the +dusky valley which cleaved her breasts delightfully and disappeared with +the tanned swell of flesh on either side into the gold-mesh halter. +Glaudot fingered the pendant. His fingers touched flesh. Abruptly he +drew the surprised Robin to him and kissed her lips hungrily. + +For a moment she remained passive. She neither returned his ardor nor +fought it. But when his hands began to stroke her back she pulled away +from him and stood there looking at him. She took the necklace off and +threw it at his feet. + +"I don't want that any more," she said. "Why did you do--what you did?" + + * * * * * + +He felt the fire in his veins. He willed it to subside. He needed his +control now. All of it. But this girl, in the full flower of her youth +... No, she was not a girl, not to Glaudot. He must not think of her as +a girl. She was power. Power. The power was his--if he didn't alienate +the girl. + +"We do such as that on my world," he said. "It is a kind of homage to +loveliness. I hope you didn't mind." + +"I--it was strange. With Charlie sometimes I hope--but with Charlie it +is ... different. Please don't touch me again. Please promise me that." + +Glaudot shrugged. "If you wish, my dear child, if you wish...." + +The dual desire was gone now, truly gone. He knew that. For his will had +been threatened, more by his own foolish desire than by this innocent +girl. He had to think. Clearly. More clearly than he had ever thought +before. He needed the girl as an ally. Not as a slave. She had to be +willing. She had to co-operate. Give her a warped picture of the rest of +the galaxy? Convince her its governments were evil, totalitarian, when +in reality they were democratic? Convince her that he alone, given +unlimited power, could right the wrongs of a thousand worlds? She was +naive enough for that sort of approach, he thought. Besides, it would +strike her as something like creation--moral creation, perhaps. And +creation she would understand. Then, with her as his partner, he could +quickly build a war machine which the combined might of the galaxy +couldn't stand against. And that, he suddenly realized, would even +include an unlimited number of soldiers for occupation and policing +duties. This power would be unparalleled. + +"I have something I want to tell you about," he said. "It will take a +long time and we must be undisturbed, which is why I asked you to bring +me here." + +"What is it you want to tell me?" + +Before Glaudot could answer, they heard a crashing, rending sound not +too far off in the woods. It sounded to Glaudot exactly as if trees were +being uprooted, boulders strewn carelessly. + +"Cyclopes!" Robin screamed in terror, and began to run. + +Glaudot ran after her, stumbling, picking himself up, hurtling in +pursuit. He couldn't let her get away. He had to follow her ... + +Nothing living, he told himself as he ran, could uproot those huge +trees. Of course, there were the saplings, but even the saplings were +the size of full-grown oaks and maples on far Earth. + +Something roared behind him. The sound was pitched almost too low for +human ears. He whirled. The earth shook, great clods of it flying. Bare +tree roots suddenly appeared, and a young tree the size of a towering +oak was lifted skyward. + +Behind it, brandishing it and then hurling it away, was a naked man +whose head towered impossibly a hundred and fifty feet into the air. +Trembling, awestruck, Glaudot looked up at the great savage face. Wild +hair streaming, filthy beard matted with dirt and tree-branches, it was +the most ferocious face Glaudot had ever seen. + +And it had only one eye, one enormous eye in the middle of its head. But +an eye three feet across! + +"A Cyclops!" Robin screamed again. + +A moment later the creature stooped and with a scooping motion of its +great right hand picked up the two tiny creatures on the forest floor +beneath it. Then it ran, uprooting oak-sized saplings, back toward the +rocky hillside where it dwelled, after the Cyclopes of old on which +Robin and Charlie had naively patterned it, in a cave overlooking the +sea. + + * * * * * + +"Where, man? Where?" Captain Purcell demanded. + +"I don't know," Charlie said. "I really don't think she would. You see, +she always threatened she'd go there if we ever had a fight, but she was +usually half-joking. She knows it's dangerous--" + +"But where? Don't you know a drowning man has to grasp at straws? +Haven't I gotten it across to you--the whole galaxy may be in danger!" + +Charlie sighed. "I don't understand much of your galaxy. Robin knows the +encyclopedia--she would understand. And I--I only want to know Robin is +safe." He took a deep breath and said: "She always threatened to go to +the Land of the Cyclopes." + +"Then take us there at once," Captain Purcell said.... + + * * * * * + +If he shouted and cried now, he would go insane. He knew that. He tried +to hold his fear in check. He was being swung pendulum-like in an +enormous hand as the one-eyed giant loped along. Robin shared the +clenched-fist prison with him. Her hair streamed in the wind as the huge +arm swung the huge hand in time with the giant's enormous strides. + +"Does it eat people?" he managed to ask Robin. He had to shout because +the wind created by the creature's movement was considerable. The ground +spun giddily far, far below them, whirling patches of green, of yellow, +of brown. + +"We made them to eat people. Like in the book. We were just children. +It seemed--it seemed so thrilling." + +The Cyclops loped along, uprooting saplings. After a while it began to +climb a rocky slope and from the heights Glaudot could see the shores of +an unknown sea. Then the Cyclops reached a cave entrance and rolled +aside a huge boulder and took his prisoners within. + +Glaudot heard the bleating of sheep. + + * * * * * + +"Why, it's a fortune in jewels!" Captain Purcell exclaimed. They had +found the glade in the forest, where Robin had created a king's ransom +for Glaudot. The men gathered around, many of them struck dumb by the +sight of all this wealth. + +Charlie said: "Captain, look." + +Purcell went over to him and saw the wide swathe cut through the forest +and curving out of sight. "What went through there?" he gasped. + +"A Cyclops," Charlie said grimly. "A Cyclops has them. Captain, we've +got to hurry. Listen, there are two horses now. I could create horses +for all of us, but all these men coming up would probably be seen by the +Cyclops. You come on foot with your men. Let one of them come with me +on the stallions." As he spoke Charlie unslung the Mannlicher and put it +down. + +"Oh, you want our more modern weapons?" Purcell asked. + +Charlie shook his head. "For fun, Robin and I made the Cyclopes +invulnerable to any kind of attack except the kind mentioned in the +encyclopedia--putting out their single eye with a stake. To protect all +the other people we created, we made the Cyclopes so they'd never want +to leave their homeland. So if we can get Robin and your man Glaudot +free, they'll be safe. Now, who's the volunteer?" + +"I'm already on horseback," Chandler said. Charlie nodded and mounted +the second roan stallion. + +"My men will be coming as fast as they can march," Captain Purcell said. + +Charlie nodded. He did not bother to tell the captain that a Cyclops +could cover in a few minutes ground a marching party could not hope to +cover in as many hours. He set off at a swift gallop with Chandler. + + * * * * * + +"Will he eat us now?" said Glaudot. Strangely, he was not afraid. The +unexpected nature of their impending demise he almost found amusing. + +Robin shook her head. "I don't think so. He'll probably drink himself to +sleep. We made the Cyclopes great drunkards." + +The Cyclops, his tree-trunk sized walking stick leaning against the +wall, was reclining and drinking from a huge bowl of wine. The cave was +torchlit. Seventy or eighty sheep milled about, settling for the night +after three of their number had supplied a meal for the giant, who had +eaten them raw. + +"Isn't there anything we can do?" demanded Glaudot, whose dreams of +galactic conquest were fading before the spectre of being eaten alive. + +"Reserve your strength until he sleeps," Robin said. "Of course there's +something we can do." + +"Yes? What?" + +"His walking stick. You see the end comes almost to a point? We harden +it in the fire--and put his eye out. Then, in the morning, when he +unrolls the stone from the cave-entrance and blindly leads his flock +out, we hide among the sheep and make our escape. At least that's how it +happens in the encyclopedia." + +Glaudot swallowed hard. He had never had a great deal of physical +courage.... + +Just then they heard a great fluttering, groaning sound. Robin said: +"You see, he's asleep. He's snoring." + +"I--I don't think I could possibly--" + +"He's liable to want us for breakfast. Come on." + +They got up swiftly and silently, and crept to the walking stick. It was +the size of a young tree. It would be heavy, perhaps too heavy for them +to handle. + +"Easy now," Robin said. She nimbly climbed the ledges on the cave-wall +and tipped the great walking stick, then leaped down and grabbed the +front end as Glaudot got a grip on the rear of the big pole. + +"Heavy," Glaudot said. + +"But not too heavy, I--I think." + +"Try to lift it," said Glaudot. + +They tried. Together they could barely get it overhead. + +"Try to poke it at something," Glaudot said. + +They could not. Robin sighed. They put it down slowly, quietly. It would +take more than the two of them. It would take them and two or three more +men to do the job. + +"We wait," Glaudot said bleakly. + +Robin stared up in frustration at the smoke hole, through which smoke +from the Cyclops's fire poured out into the gathering night. It was +hopelessly over their head, although help could reach them through it +from the outside. But how could they possibly expect help to come...? + +"We wait," Glaudot said again, hopelessly. + +"For breakfast," Robin said. + +Glaudot broke suddenly. "I don't want to die!" he cried. "I don't want +to die ..." + + * * * * * + +The feeblest of Crimson's three suns came over the horizon, lighting the +landscape with the illumination of three or four full moons on Earth. + +"I told you I smelled smoke!" Charlie cried, pointing triumphantly at +the thin tendril of smoke that rose through the cooling air against the +weak sunlight. + +"Is it a campfire?" Chandler asked. + +"Chimney hole, probably. Come on." + +They left the two stallions grazing at the base of the rocky escarpment. +They began to climb. Once Chandler stumbled and went sliding down the +rocky slope, but Charlie caught his arm, all but wrenching it from the +socket. Charlie thought: we have to hurry. Their lives may depend on it. +Already we may be too late.... + +The smoke from the chimney hole was acrid. It was very strong now. +Suddenly Charlie could feel the slightly increased slope of the rocks. +The slope was precipitous now, almost perpendicular. + +"I can't--can't go much further!" Chandler groaned. + +"We've got to, man. We've got to." + + * * * * * + +"He's waking," said Robin. + +Glaudot had broken completely. The confident would-be conqueror was +reduced to trembling and whining now. "M-maybe he's hungry. Oh, God, +maybe he's hungry ..." + +But the Cyclops only turned over in its sleep and began to snore again. +The fire had burned low. The sheep were resting. Robin thought of +Charlie, probably many miles away. There would be a late moonrise +tonight, she thought. They often spoke of the feeblest of Crimson's +three suns as the moon, although it really wasn't. Then dawn would come. +If the Cyclops were hungry and wanted a change in diet ... + + * * * * * + +"But you'll choke to death going down there," Chandler protested. + +"It's only a chimney hole. Nobody's going to choke to death." + +"Can you see down it?" + +"No. Too much smoke." + +"Then how do you know how far we'll have to fall?" + +"I don't. I'll have to take the chance. You don't have to, though." + +"I'll go where you go. That's what I volunteered for." + +"Good. It's almost morning, so the fire's probably almost burned down +from now. If you land in the embers, jump aside quickly. You +understand?" + +"Yes," Chandler said. + +Without another word, Charlie suddenly lowered himself into the smoke +and let go. + + * * * * * + +Dim fiery light lit the cave. He alighted in embers and quickly jumped +clear. Embers flew. A ram bleated. Charlie saw the enormous sleeping +bulk of the Cyclops against one wall of the cave. He heard something +behind him, and whirled. It was Chandler. More sparks flew. The sheep +bleated again, louder this time. + +Robin and a spaceman who was probably Glaudot came toward them. There +was amazement on Robin's face. Glaudot looked like a child in the grip +of terror he couldn't quite understand. + +Charlie held Robin close for a moment. "Quiet," he whispered. "Listen." + +The slight disturbance had bothered the Cyclops. He was half awake. He +made noises with his lips. One great arm lifted and fell. It could have +crushed the four of them. + +"There's a stake," Robin said. "Just like in the book." + +They got it and took it to the embers of the fire between them. Glaudot, +who brought up the rear, dragged his end, the wood scraping on the rocky +floor. + +"Lift it up," Charlie said. + +Glaudot giggled and then began to cry. He was hysterical. "The three of +us?" Charlie asked. + +"I don't know," Robin said. + +Glaudot laughed hysterically. The Cyclops stirred. That made up +Charlie's mind. He placed his end of the stake carefully on the floor +and went back to Glaudot. He struck Glaudot neatly and precisely on the +point of the jaw and Glaudot collapsed in his arms. + +Then they returned with the stake to the fire. Charlie scraped and +pushed the embers together with a charcoal log. They began to toast the +point of the stake. + +"We've got to hurry," Robin said. + +"The skin of his eyelid is like armor plate," Charlie told her. "We've +got to make sure it doesn't turn the point aside." + +The flock stirred and began to grow more lively. It was now dawn +outside. The Cyclops yawned in his sleep and stretched out an arm the +size of an oak tree. + +"Hurry!" Robin said urgently. + +The Cyclops rolled over, its face to the wall. + +"The eye!" Charlie groaned. "We'll never be able to reach the eye now." + +They kept at their work, though. There was nothing else they could do. +The surface wood of the big stake was taking on a dull cherry-red color. +Finally Charlie said: "That's enough, I guess." + +The Cyclops rolled over again. They were in luck, Charlie thought, but +changed his mind immediately. The Cyclops sat up, its eye blinking +sleepily. It yawned and stretched mightily, then stared stupidly for a +few moments at the flock of sheep. Charlie and the others stood frozen, +not daring to move. The Cyclops brushed at the sheep with its hand, and +two of them crashed with bone-crushing thuds and death-rattle bleats +against the wall. The Cyclops glared stupidly about, its one great eye +squinting. Clearly, it was looking for something else to eat. Not sheep. +People ... + +It got down on hands and knees and groped on the floor. The arm swept +out. The hand flashed ponderously by, missing Robin by only a few feet. +The Cyclops advanced on its knees, searching, its mouth slavering now. +It was hungry and soon it would eat ... + +The hand swept by again, caught a sheep. The hand lifted, the sheep +bleated, the jaws crunched once and the sheep disappeared. The Cyclops +wiped a trace of blood from its lips. The hand came down again, +closer ... + + * * * * * + +"The stake!" Charlie whispered fiercely. + +They brought it up horizontally. Charlie stood just behind the point, +Robin behind him, Chandler in the rear. They jabbed with the stake as +the Cyclops's hand swept along the floor again. The Cyclops roared with +pain and rage and beat both mighty hands on the rocky floor, attempting +to crush its tormentors. + +Just then Glaudot regained consciousness and stood up groggily. "Don't +move!" Charlie warned, taking the chance of revealing their own position +in an attempt to save Glaudot's life. + +But Glaudot, seeing the huge creature so close, began to run. It was +like running on a treadmill. He ran and he ran and after a while the +Cyclops reached down and plucked him off the floor. He screamed thinly. +There was the same crunching as before--and no Glaudot ... + +Now the Cyclops, its appetite whetted, searched the floor in a frenzy of +earnest on hands and knees. The great head swung low, close to the +floor, the single eye stared myopically. Once the huge hand clubbed the +rock so close to them that Charlie could feel the floor shaking. They +retreated slowly toward the far wall of the cave, the monster following +relentlessly. They still held the heavy stake between them but had not +yet gathered either the strength or the courage for their one try. If +they failed-- + +They had backed up as far as they could. The wall was behind them. The +monster came on, its head low, its nose practically scraping the ground. +It swept the floor with a giant hand, a fingertip barely touching +Charlie and almost knocking him senseless. He shook his head and took +deep breaths until his strength returned. + +"Now," he said, as the hand began its swinging arc again. + + * * * * * + +They ran forward toward the creature's single eye with the stake. + +Charlie barely remembered the contact, or the bath of eye-fluid and +blood which followed, or the wild roaring of the brute creature, or its +frantic charging back and forth, blinded, across the cave, while the +flock bleated and stampeded. After a while the crazed Cyclops ran to the +cave entrance and shouldered the great door-rock aside, rushing out into +the day. + +It went tearing down the slope and did not stop until, battered and +bleeding, it reached the sea. It stood on the narrow strand of beach for +a moment, scooping great handfuls of water for its stricken eye. Then +it plunged into the surf. + +They went outside and watched it. They made their way down the slope +while it advanced into the sea. Finally only the great head remained +above the waves. + +They reached the shore. + +The Cyclops was gone. + +Moments later, Captain Purcell and the others joined them. + + * * * * * + +"Then you mean you won't come back to Earth with us?" Purcell asked +later, in the spaceship. + +"Not if all you say about this world is true," Charlie said. "We're +needed here." + +"Yes," Purcell agreed. "With your help, the galaxy could be made into a +universe of plenty for everyone." + +"Besides," said Robin. "We'll have to think of training children to take +over after we're gone." She looked at Charlie. She blushed. "Such as our +own," she said, very quickly, and added: "You can marry us, can't you, +Captain?" + +Purcell beamed, and nodded, and did so. + +Later, Charlie said: "It isn't only that we're needed here, is it, +darling?" + +Robin shook her head. "We like it here," she said. + + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _Amazing Stories_ September 1956. + 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 World Called Crimson, by Darius John Granger + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A WORLD CALLED CRIMSON *** + +***** This file should be named 25684.txt or 25684.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/5/6/8/25684/ + +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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