diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 216829 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-h/25713-h.htm | 3488 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-h/images/001.png | bin | 0 -> 67034 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-h/images/002-1.jpg | bin | 0 -> 16123 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-h/images/002-2.jpg | bin | 0 -> 95967 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/c001.jpg | bin | 0 -> 222634 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p008.png | bin | 0 -> 2064817 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p009.png | bin | 0 -> 2068048 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p010.png | bin | 0 -> 56594 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p011.png | bin | 0 -> 74111 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p012.png | bin | 0 -> 72888 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p013.png | bin | 0 -> 76170 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p014.png | bin | 0 -> 73676 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p015.png | bin | 0 -> 74989 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p016.png | bin | 0 -> 72910 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p017.png | bin | 0 -> 74806 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p018.png | bin | 0 -> 75818 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p019.png | bin | 0 -> 72998 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p020.png | bin | 0 -> 71485 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p021.png | bin | 0 -> 33602 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p022.png | bin | 0 -> 35990 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p110.png | bin | 0 -> 75954 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p111.png | bin | 0 -> 73609 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p112.png | bin | 0 -> 75933 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p113.png | bin | 0 -> 74756 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p114.png | bin | 0 -> 72162 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p115.png | bin | 0 -> 70766 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p116.png | bin | 0 -> 73532 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p117.png | bin | 0 -> 72831 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p118.png | bin | 0 -> 74199 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p119.png | bin | 0 -> 72970 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p120.png | bin | 0 -> 77106 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p121.png | bin | 0 -> 74736 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p122.png | bin | 0 -> 73542 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p123.png | bin | 0 -> 74329 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p124.png | bin | 0 -> 75932 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p125.png | bin | 0 -> 73454 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p126.png | bin | 0 -> 73004 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p127.png | bin | 0 -> 74036 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p128.png | bin | 0 -> 74104 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p129.png | bin | 0 -> 74747 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713-page-images/p130.png | bin | 0 -> 32853 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713.txt | 2012 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 25713.zip | bin | 0 -> 34974 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
47 files changed, 5516 insertions, 0 deletions
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/25713-h.zip b/25713-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..88fefd3 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-h.zip diff --git a/25713-h/25713-h.htm b/25713-h/25713-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bb06004 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-h/25713-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3488 @@ +<!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 The Judas Valley, by Gerald Vance + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1,h2 {text-align: center; clear: both;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 1em auto; clear: both; visibility: hidden;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .blockquot {margin: 1em 15%;} + .figcenter {margin: 0 auto 2em; text-align: center; width: 600px;} + 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: 2em 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;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Judas Valley, by Gerald Vance + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Judas Valley + +Author: Gerald Vance + +Release Date: June 7, 2008 [EBook #25713] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE JUDAS VALLEY *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell, and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/001.png" width="600" height="428" alt="" title="" /> +<b>He had lost all sense of right or wrong. Justice and injustice<br />were the same, and his only thought was, kill—kill—kill!</b></div> + +<h1><big>THE JUDAS VALLEY</big></h1> + +<h2>By GERALD VANCE</h2> + +<div class="tease"><p><i>Why did everybody step off the ship in this strange valley +and promptly drop dead? How could a well-equipped corps of +tough spacemen become a field of rotting skeletons in this +quiet world of peace and contentment? It was a mystery Peter +and Sherri had to solve. If they could live long enough!</i></p></div> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Peter Wayne</span> took the +letter out of the machine, +broke the seal, and examined +it curiously. It was an official +communication from the Interstellar +Exploration Service. +It read:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>FROM: Lieutenant General Martin Scarborough, I.E.S.<br /> +TO: Captain Peter Wayne, Preliminary Survey Corps</p> + +<p>Report immediately to +this office for assignment +to I.E.S. <i>Lord Nelson</i>. Full +briefing will be held at +2200 hours, 14 April 2103.</p> + +<p class="rgt">By order of the Fleet Commandant.</p></div> + +<p>It was short, brief, and to +the point. And it gave no information +whatsoever. Peter +Wayne shrugged resignedly, +put the letter down on his +bed, walked over to the phone, +and dialed a number.</p> + +<p>A moment later, a girl's +face appeared—blonde-haired, +with high cheekbones, deep +blue-green eyes, and an expression +of the lips that +intriguingly combined desirability +and crisp military +bearing.</p> + +<p>"Lieutenant James speaking," +she said formally. Then, +as Wayne's image appeared +on her screen, she grinned. +"Hi, Pete. What's up?"</p> + +<p>"Listen, Sherri," Wayne +said quickly. "I'm going to +have to cancel that date we +had for tomorrow night. I +just got my orders."</p> + +<p>The girl laughed. "I was +just going to call <i>you</i>, I got a +fac-sheet too. Looks as +though we won't see each +other for a while, Pete."</p> + +<p>"What ship are you getting?"</p> + +<p>"The <i>Lord Nelson</i>."</p> + +<p>It was Wayne's turn to +laugh. "It looks as though we +<i>will</i> be seeing each other. +That's my ship too. We can +keep our date in the briefing +room."</p> + +<p>Her face brightened. +"Good! I'll see you there, +then," she said. "I've got to +get my gear packed."</p> + +<p>"Okay," Wayne said. "Let's +be on time, you know how +General Scarborough is."</p> + +<p>She smiled. "Don't worry, +Peter. I'll be there. So long +for now."</p> + +<p>"Bye, Sherri." He cut the +connection, watched the girl's +face melt away into a rainbow-colored +diamond of light, +and turned away. There were +a lot of things to do before he +would be ready to leave +Earth for an interstellar tour +of duty.</p> + +<p>He wondered briefly as he +started to pack just what was +going on. There was usually +much more notice on any big +jump of this order. Something +special was up, he +thought, as he dragged his +duffle-bag out of the closet.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>He was at the briefing room +at 2158 on the nose. The Interstellar +Exploration Service +didn't much go for tardiness, +but they didn't pay extra if +you got there a half-hour early. +Captain Peter Wayne +made it a point of being at +any appointment two minutes +early—no more, no less.</p> + +<p>The room was starting to +fill up, with men and women +Wayne knew well, had worked +with on other expeditions, +had lived with since he'd joined +the IES. They looked just +as puzzled as he probably did, +he saw; they knew they were +being called in on something +big, and in the IES big meant +<i>big</i>.</p> + +<p>At precisely 2200, Lieutenant +General Scarborough +emerged from the inner office, +strode briskly up the aisle of +the briefing room, and took +his customary stance on the +platform in front. His face +looked stern, and he held his +hands clasped behind his +back. His royal blue uniform +was neat and trim. Over his +head, the second hand of the +big clock whirled endlessly. In +the silence of the briefing room, +it seemed to be ticking +much too loudly.</p> + +<p>The general nodded curtly +and said, "Some of you are +probably wondering why the +order to report here wasn't +more specific. There are two +reasons for that. In the first +place, we have reason to believe +that we have found a +substantial deposit of double-nucleus +beryllium."</p> + +<p>There was a murmur of +sound in the briefing room. +Wayne felt his heart starting +to pound; D-N beryllium <i>was</i> +big. So big that a whole fleet +of IES ships did nothing but +search the galaxy for it, full +time.</p> + +<p>"Naturally," the general +continued, "we don't want +any of this information to +leak out, just in case it should +prove false. The prospect of +enough D-N beryllium to +make fusion power really +cheap could cause a panic if +we didn't handle it properly. +The Economics Board has +warned us that we'll have to +proceed carefully if there actually +is a big deposit on this +planet."</p> + +<p>Captain Wayne stared uneasily +at Sherri James, who +frowned and chewed her lip. +To his left, a short, stubby +private named Manetti murmured +worriedly, "That +means trouble. D-N beryllium +always means trouble. +There's a catch somewhere."</p> + +<p>General Scarborough, on +the platform, said, "There's +a second reason for secrecy. +I think it can better be explained +by a man who has the +evidence first-hand."</p> + +<p>He paused and looked +around the room. "Four +weeks ago, the Scout Ship +<i>Mavis</i> came back from Fomalhaut +V." There was a +dead silence in the briefing +room.</p> + +<p>"Lieutenant Jervis, will you +tell the crew exactly what +happened on Fomalhaut V?"</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Lieutenant Jervis stepped +forward and took his place on +the platform. He was small +and wiry, with a hawk nose +and piercingly intense eyes. +He cleared his throat and +smiled a little sheepishly.</p> + +<p>"I've told this story so +many times that it doesn't +even sound real to me any +more. I've told it to the Supreme +Senate Space Committee, +to half the top brass in +the IES, and to a Board of +Physicians from the Medical +Department.</p> + +<p>"As well as I can remember +it, it goes something like +this."</p> + +<p>Laughter rippled through +the room.</p> + +<p>"We orbited around Fomalhaut +V for a Scouting +Survey," Jervis said. "The +planet is hot and rocky, but +it has a breathable atmosphere. +The detectors showed +various kinds of metals in the +crust, some of them in commercially +feasible concentration. +But the crust is so +mountainous and rocky that +there aren't very many places +to land a ship.</p> + +<p>"Then we picked up the +double-nucleus beryllium deposit +on our detectors. Nearby, +there was a small, fairly +level valley, so we brought +the ship down for a closer +check. We wanted to make +absolutely positive that it was +double-nucleus beryllium before +we made our report."</p> + +<p>He paused, as if arranging +the story he wanted to tell in +his mind, and went on. "The +D-N beryllium deposit lies at +the top of a fairly low mountain +about five miles from the +valley. We triangulated it +first, and then we decided we +ought to send up a party to +get samples of the ore if it +were at all possible.</p> + +<p>"I was chosen to go, along +with another member of the +crew, a man named Lee Bellows. +We left the ship at +about five in the morning, and +spent most of the day climbing +up to the spot where we +had detected the beryllium. +We couldn't get a sample; the +main deposit is located several +feet beneath the surface +of the mountaintop, and the +mountain is too rough and +rocky to climb without special +equipment. We got less than +halfway before we had to +stop."</p> + +<p>Wayne felt Sherri nudge +him, and turned to nod. He +knew what she was thinking. +This was where he came in; +it was a job that called for a +specialist, a trained mountaineer—such +as Captain Peter +Wayne. He frowned and +turned his attention back to +the man on the platform.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"We made all the readings +we could," Jervis continued. +"Then we headed back to our +temporary base."</p> + +<p>His face looked troubled. +"When we got back, every +man at the base was dead."</p> + +<p>Silence in the room. Complete, +utter, deafening silence.</p> + +<p>"There were only nine of +us in the ship," Jervis said. +He was obviously still greatly +affected by whatever had taken +place on Fomalhaut V. +"With seven of us dead, that +left only Bellows and myself. +We couldn't find out what had +killed them. They were lying +scattered over the valley floor +for several yards around the +ship. They looked as though +they had suddenly dropped +dead at whatever they were +doing."</p> + +<p>Peter Wayne made use of +his extra few inches of height +to glance around the briefing +room. He saw row on row of +tense faces—faces that reflected +the same emotions he +was feeling. Space exploration +was something still new +and mostly unknown, and +even the experienced men of +IES still knew fear occasionally. +The galaxy was a big +place; unknown terrors lurked +on planets unimaginably +distant. Every now and then, +something like this would +come up—something to give +you pause, before you ventured +into space again.</p> + +<p>"We couldn't find out what +had killed them," Jervis said +again. "They were lying scattered +every which way, with +no clues at all." The small +man's fingers were trembling +from relived fright. "Bellows +and I were pretty scared, I'll +have to admit. We couldn't +find a sign of what had killed +the men—they'd just—just +<i>died</i>."</p> + +<p>There was a quiver in his +voice. It was obvious he could +never take the story lightly, +no matter how many times he +had to tell it.</p> + +<p>Wayne heard Private Manetti +mutter, "There's always +a price for D-N beryllium."</p> + +<p>"The Scout Ship hadn't +been molested," Jervis went +on. "I went inside and checked +it over. It was untouched, +undisturbed in every way. +I checked the control panel, +the cabins, everything. All +unbothered. The ship was +empty and dead. And—outside—</p> + +<p>"When I came out, Bellows +was dead too." He took a deep +breath. "I'm afraid I panicked +then. I locked myself inside +the ship, set the autocontrols, +and headed back to +Earth at top velocity. I set +the ship in an orbit around +the moon and notified headquarters. +I was quarantined +immediately, of course, to +make sure I wasn't carrying +anything. The medics checked +me over carefully. I wasn't +and am not now carrying any +virus or bacteria unknown to +Terrestrial medicine.</p> + +<p>"Since I'm the only one +who knows exactly where this +valley is, the general has +asked me to guide the <i>Lord +Nelson</i> to the exact spot. Actually, +it could be found eventually +with the D-N beryllium +as a guide. But the <i>Mavis</i> was +in orbit around Fomalhaut V +for two weeks before we +found the D-N beryllium deposit, +and the Service feels +that we shouldn't waste any +time."</p> + +<p>The lieutenant sat down, +and General Scarborough resumed +his place on the platform.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"That's the situation," +Scarborough said bluntly. +"You know the setup, now—and +I think some of you see +how your specialities are going +to fit into the operation. +As Lieutenant Jervis pointed +out, we don't know what killed +the crew of the <i>Mavis</i>; +therefore, we are going to +take every possible precaution. +As far as we know, +there are no inimical life +forms on Fomalhaut V—but +it's possible that there are +things we don't know about, +such as airborne viruses that +kill in a very short time. If +so, then Lieutenant Jervis is +immune to the virus and is +not a transmitter or carrier +of it.</p> + +<p>"However, to guard against +such a possibility, no one will +leave the <i>Lord Nelson</i>, once it +has landed, without wearing +a spacesuit. The air is breathable, +but we're taking no +chances. Also, no one will go +out alone; scouting parties +will always be in pairs, with +wide open communication +with the ship. And at no time +will more than ten percent of +the ship's company be outside +at any one time."</p> + +<p>Wayne made a rough mental +computation. <i>The</i> Lord +Nelson <i>holds sixty. That +means no more than six out +at any single time. They really +must be worried.</i></p> + +<p>"Aside from those orders, +which were decided on by the +Service Command, you'll be +under the direct orders of +Colonel Nels Petersen. Colonel +Petersen."</p> + +<p>Petersen was a tall, hard-faced +man with a touch of +gray at his temples. He stepped +forward and stared intently +at the assembled crew.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"Our job is to make the +preliminary preparations for +getting D-N beryllium out of +the crust of Fomalhaut V. +We're supposed to stay alive +while we do it. Therefore, our +secondary job is to find out +what it was that killed the +scouting expedition of the +<i>Mavis</i>. There are sixty of us +going aboard the <i>Lord Nelson</i> +tomorrow, and I'd like to +have sixty aboard when we +come back. Got that?"</p> + +<p>He leaned forward, +stretched upward on his toes, +and smiled mechanically. +"Fine. Now, you all know +your jobs, but we're going to +have to work together as a +team. We're going to have to +correlate our work so that +we'll know what we're doing. +So don't think we won't have +anything to do during the two +weeks it will take us to get to +Fomalhaut V. We're going to +work it as though it were a +shakedown cruise. If anyone +doesn't work out, he'll be replaced, +even if we have to +turn around and come back to +Earth. On a planet which has +wiped out a whole scouting +expedition, we can't afford to +have any slip-ups. And that +means we can't afford to have +anyone aboard who doesn't +know what he's doing or +doesn't care. Is that clear?"</p> + +<p>It was.</p> + +<p>"All right," said the colonel. +"Let's go out and get +acquainted with the <i>Lord +Nelson</i>."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The briefing session broke +up well past midnight, and +the group that shortly would +become the crew of the <i>Lord +Nelson</i> filtered out of the +building and into the cool +spring air. Each man had a +fairly good idea of his job +and each man knew the dangers +involved. No one had +backed out.</p> + +<p>"What d'ye think of it, +Pete?" Sherri James asked, +as they left together. "Sounds +pretty mean."</p> + +<p>"I wish we knew what the +answers were beforehand," +Wayne said. He glanced +down at Sherri. The moon +was full, and its rays glinted +brightly off her golden hair. +"It's a risky deal, as Petersen +said. Nine men go out, and +eight die—of what? Just +dead, that's all."</p> + +<p>"It's the way the game +goes," Sherri said. "You +knew that when you joined +the corps." They turned down +the main road of the IES +compound and headed for the +snack bar.</p> + +<p>Wayne nodded. "I know, +kid. It's a job, and it has to +be done. But nobody likes to +walk into an empty planet +like that knowing that eight +of the last nine guys who did +didn't come back."</p> + +<p>He put his arm around her +and they entered the snack +bar that way. Most of the +other crew-members were +there already; Wayne sensed +the heightening tenseness on +their faces.</p> + +<p>"Two nuclear fizzes," he +said to the pfc at the bar. +"With all the trimmings."</p> + +<p>"What's the matter, Captain?" +said a balding, potbellied +major a few stools down, +who was nursing a beer. +"How come the soft drinks +tonight, Wayne?"</p> + +<p>Peter grinned. "I'm in +training, Major Osborne. +Gotta kill the evil green +horde from Rigel Seven, and +I don't dare drink anything +stronger than sarsaparilla."</p> + +<p>"How about the amazon, +then?" Osborne said, gesturing +at Sherri. "Her too?"</p> + +<p>"Me too," Sherri said.</p> + +<p>Osborne stared at his beer. +"You two must be in Scarborough's +new project, then." +He squinted at Peter, who +nodded almost imperceptibly.</p> + +<p>"You'll need luck," Osborne +said.</p> + +<p>"No we won't," Wayne +said. "Not luck. We'll need +more than just luck to pull us +through."</p> + +<p>The nuclear fizzes arrived. +He began to sip it quietly. A +few more members of the +crew entered the snack bar. +Their faces were drawn +tensely.</p> + +<p>He guzzled the drink and +looked up at Sherri, who was +sucking down the last of the +soda. "Let's get going, Lieutenant +James. The noncoms +are coming, and we don't +want them to make nasty remarks +about us."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The <i>Lord Nelson</i> blasted off +the next evening, after a +frenzied day of hurried preparations. +The crew of sixty +filed solemnly aboard, Colonel +Petersen last, and the great +hatch swung closed.</p> + +<p>There was the usual routine +loudspeaker-business +while everyone quickly and +efficiently strapped into his +acceleration cradle, and then +the ship leaped skyward. It +climbed rapidly, broke free of +Earth's grasp, and, out past +the moon, abruptly winked +out of normal space into overdrive. +It would spend the next +two weeks in hyperspace, +short-cutting across the galaxy +to Fomalhaut V.</p> + +<p>It was a busy two weeks +for everyone involved. Captain +Peter Wayne, as a central +part of the team, spent +much of his time planning his +attack. His job would be the +actual climbing of the mountain +where the double-nucleus +beryllium was located. It +wasn't going to be an easy +job; the terrain was rough, +the wind, according to Jervis, +whipped ragingly through the +hills, and the jagged peaks +thrust into the air like the +teeth of some mythical +dragon.</p> + +<p>Study of the three-dimensional +aerial photographs +taken from the <i>Mavis</i> showed +that the best route was +probably up through one end +of the valley, through a narrow +pass that led around the +mountain, and up the west +slope, which appeared to offer +better handholds and was less +perpendicular than the other +sides of the mountain.</p> + +<p>This time, the expedition +would have the equipment to +make the climb. There were +ropes, picks, and crampons, +and sets of metamagnetic +boots and grapples. With +metamagnetic boots, Wayne +thought, they'd be able to +walk up the side of the mountain +almost as easily as if it +were flat.</p> + +<p>He studied the thick, heavy +soles of the boots for a moment, +then set to work polishing. +Wayne liked to keep his +boots mirror-bright; it wasn't +required, but it was a habit +of his nonetheless.</p> + +<p>He set to work vigorously. +Everyone aboard the ship was +working that way. Sherri +James, who was in charge of +the Correlation Section, had +noticed the same thing the +day before. Her job was to +co-ordinate all the information +from various members +of the expedition, run them +through the computers, and +record them. She had been +busy since blastoff, testing +the computers, checking and +rechecking them, being overly +efficient.</p> + +<p>"I know why we're doing +it," she said. "It keeps our +mind off the end of the trip. +When we spend the whole day +working out complicated circuits +for the computers, or +polishing mountain boots, or +cleaning the jet tubes, it's just +so we don't have to think +about Fomalhaut V. It helps +to concentrate on details."</p> + +<p>Wayne nodded and said +nothing. Sherri was right. +There was one thought in +everyone's mind: what was +the deadly secret of the valley?</p> + +<p>There was another thought, +after that:</p> + +<p><i>Will we find it out in time?</i></p> + +<hr /> + +<p>After two weeks of flight +through the vast blackness of +interstellar space, the <i>Lord +Nelson</i> came out of overdrive +and set itself in an orbit +around Fomalhaut V. Lieutenant +Jervis, the sole survivor +of the ill-fated <i>Mavis</i>, +located the small valley between +the giant crags that +covered the planet, and the +huge spherical bulk of the +spaceship settled gently to +the floor of the valley.</p> + +<p>They were gathered in the +central room of the ship +ten minutes after the <i>all-clear</i> +rang through the corridors, +informing everyone that the +landing had been safely accomplished. +From the portholes +they could see the white +bones of the <i>Mavis's</i> crew lying +on the reddish sand of +the valley bottom.</p> + +<p>"There they are," Jervis +said quietly. "Just bones. +Those were my shipmates."</p> + +<p>Wayne saw Sherri repress +a shudder. Little heaps of +bones lay here and there on +the sand, shining brightly in +the hot sun. That was the +crew of the <i>Mavis</i>—or what +was left of them.</p> + +<p>Colonel Petersen entered +the room and confronted the +crew. "We're here," he said. +"You know the schedule from +now on. No one's to leave the +ship until we've made a check +outside, and after that—assuming +it's OK to go out—no +more than six are to leave +the ship at any one time."</p> + +<p>He pointed to a row of +metal magnetic tabs clinging +to the wall nearest the corridor +that led to the airlock. +"When you go out, take one +of those tabs and touch it on +your suit. There are exactly +six tabs. If none are there, +don't go out. It's as simple as +that."</p> + +<p>Four men in spacesuits entered +the room, followed by +two others. The leader of the +group saluted. "We're ready, +sir," he said.</p> + +<p>"Go out and get a look at +the bodies," the colonel told +the men, who were Medical +Corpsmen. "You know the +procedure. Air and sand +samples too, of course."</p> + +<p>The leader saluted again, +turned, and left. Wayne +watched the six spacesuited +figures step one at a time to +the wall, withdraw one of the +metal tabs, and affix it to the +outer skin of his suit. Then +they went outside.</p> + +<p>Captain Wayne and Sherri +James stood by one of the +portholes and watched the six +medics as they bent over the +corpses outside. "I don't get +it, I just don't understand," +Wayne said quietly.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"What don't you get?" +Sherri asked.</p> + +<p>"Those skeletons. Those +men have only been dead for +two months, and they've been +reduced to nothing but bones +already. Even the fabric of +their clothing is gone. Why? +There must be something +here that causes human flesh +to deteriorate much faster +than normal."</p> + +<p>"It does look pretty gruesome," +Sherri agreed. "I'm +glad we've been ordered to +keep our spacesuits on. I +wouldn't want to be exposed +to anything that might be out +there."</p> + +<p>"I wonder—" Wayne muttered.</p> + +<p>"What? What's the matter?"</p> + +<p>Wayne pointed to one figure +lying on the sand. "See +that? What's that over his +head?"</p> + +<p>"Why—it's a space helmet!"</p> + +<p>"Yeah," said Wayne. "The +question is: was he wearing +just the helmet, or the whole +suit? If he was wearing the +whole suit, we're not going to +be as well protected as we +thought, even with our fancy +suits."</p> + +<p>Fifteen minutes passed +slowly before the medics returned, +and five minutes more +before they had passed +through the decontamination +chambers and were allowed +into the ship proper. A ring +of tense faces surrounded +them as they made their report.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The leader, a tall, bespectacled +doctor named Stevelman, +was the spokesman. He +shrugged when Colonel Petersen +put forth the question +whose answer everyone waited +for.</p> + +<p>"I don't know," the medic +replied. "I don't know what +killed them. There's dry bones +out there, but no sign of anything +that might have done it. +It's pretty hard to make a +quick diagnosis on a skeleton, +Colonel."</p> + +<p>"What about the one skeleton +with the bubble helmet?" +Peter Wayne asked. "Did you +see any sign of a full suit on +him?"</p> + +<p>Stevelman shook his head. +"Not a sign, sir."</p> + +<p>Colonel Petersen turned +and glanced at Lieutenant +Jervis. "Do you remember +what the circumstances were, +Lieutenant?"</p> + +<p>Jervis shrugged. "I don't +recall it very clearly, sir. I +honestly couldn't tell you +whether they were wearing +suits or bubble-helmets or +anything. I was too upset at +the time to make careful observations."</p> + +<p>"I understand," Petersen +said.</p> + +<p>But the medic had a different +theory. He pointed at Jervis +and said, "That's a point +I've meant to make, Lieutenant. +You're a trained space +scout. Your psychological +records show that you're not +the sort of man given to panic +or to become confused."</p> + +<p>"Are you implying that +there's something improper +about my statement, Dr. +Stevelman?"</p> + +<p>The medic held up a hand. +"Nothing of the sort, Lieutenant. +But since you're not +the sort to panic, even in such +a crisis as the complete destruction +of the entire crew +of your scout ship, you must +have been ill—partly delirious +from fever. Not delirious +enough to cause hallucinations, +but just enough to impair +your judgment."</p> + +<p>Jervis nodded. "That is +possible," he said.</p> + +<p>"Good," said Stevelman. "I +have two tentative hypotheses, +then." He turned to +the colonel. "Should I state +them now, Colonel Petersen?"</p> + +<p>"There's to be no secrecy +aboard this ship, Doctor. I +want every man and woman +on the ship to know all the +facts at all times."</p> + +<p>"Very well," the medic said. +"I'd suggest the deaths were +caused by some unknown virus—or, +perhaps, by some +virulent poison that occurred +occasionally, a poisonous +smog of some kind that had +settled in the valley for a +time and then dissipated."</p> + +<p>Wayne frowned and shook +his head. Both hypotheses +made sense.</p> + +<p>"Do you have any suggestions, +Doctor?" Petersen said.</p> + +<p>"Since we don't have any +direct information about why +those men died, Colonel, I +can't make any definite statements. +But I can offer one bit +of advice to everyone: <i>wear +your suits and be alert</i>."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>During the week that followed, +several groups went +out without suffering any ill +effects. A short service was +held for the eight of the <i>Mavis</i> +and then the skeletons were +buried in the valley.</p> + +<p>They ran a check on the +double-nucleus beryllium toward +the end of the week, +after it had been fairly safely +established that no apparent +harm was going to come to +them. Wayne and Sherri were +both in the crew that went +outside to set up the detector.</p> + +<p>"You man the detector +plate," said Major MacDougal, +who was in charge of the +group, turning to Wayne.</p> + +<p>He put his hand on the +plate and waited for the guide +coordinates to be set. MacDougal +fumbled at the base +of the detector for a moment, +and the machine began picking +up eloptic radiations.</p> + +<p>Wayne now looked down at +the detector plate. "Here we +are," he said. "The dial's oscillating +between four and eight, +all right. The stuff's here."</p> + +<p>MacDougal whistled gently. +"It's really sending, isn't +it!" He pointed toward the +mountaintop. "From up +there, too. It's going to be a +nice climb. Okay, pack the detector +up and let's get back +inside."</p> + +<p>They entered the airlock +and passed on into the ship.</p> + +<p>"The D-N beryllium up +there, sir," Major MacDougal +said. "It's going to be a devil +of a job to get up to find the +stuff."</p> + +<p>"That's what Captain +Wayne's here for," Petersen +said. "Captain, what do you +think? Can you get up here?"</p> + +<p>"It would have been easier +to bring along a helicopter," +Wayne said wryly. "Pity the +things don't fit into spaceships. +But I think I can get +up there. I'd like to try surveying +the lay of the land, +first. I want to know all the +possible routes before I start +climbing."</p> + +<p>"Good idea," Petersen said. +"I'll send you out with three +men to do some preliminary +exploring. Boggs! Manetti! +MacPherson! Suit up and get +with it!"</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Wayne strode toward the +spacesuit locker, took out his +suit, and donned it. Instead +of the normal space boots, he +put on the special metamagnetic +boots for mountain +climbing. The little reactors +in the back of the calf activated +the thick metal sole of +each boot so that it would +cling tightly to the metallic +rock of the mountain. Unlike +ordinary magnetism, the metamagnetic +field acted on all +metals, even when they were +in combination with other +elements.</p> + +<p>His team of three stood before +him in the airlock room. +He knew all three of them +fairly well from Earthside; +they were capable, level-headed +men, and at least one—Boggs—had +already been out +in the valley surveying once, +and so knew the area pretty +well.</p> + +<p>He pulled on the boots and +looked up. "We're not going +to climb the mountain this +time, men. We'll just take a +look around it to decide which +is the best way."</p> + +<p>"You have any ideas, sir?" +Sergeant Boggs asked.</p> + +<p>"From looking at the photographs, +I'd guess that the +western approach is the best. +But I may be wrong. Little +details are hard to see from +five hundred miles up, even +with the best of instruments, +and there may be things in +our way that will make the +west slope impassible. If so, +we'll try the southern side. It +looks pretty steep, but it also +seems rough enough to offer +plenty of handholds."</p> + +<p>"Too bad we couldn't have +had that helicopter you were +talking about," said Boggs.</p> + +<p>Wayne grinned. "With +these winds? They'd smash us +against the side of the mountain +before we'd get up fifty +feet. You ought to know, Sergeant—you've +been out in +them once already."</p> + +<p>"They're not so bad down +in this valley, sir," Boggs +said. "The only time you really +notice them is when you +climb the escarpment at the +northern end. They get pretty +rough up there."</p> + +<p>Wayne nodded. "You can +see what kind of a job we'll +have. Even with metamagnetic +boots and grapples, we'll +still have to use the old standbys." +He looked at the men. +"Okay; we're all ready. Let's +go."</p> + +<p>They unhooked four of the +six tabs from the wall and +donned them. Then they moved +on into the airlock and +closed the inner door. The air +was pumped out, just as +though the ship were in space +or on a planet with a poisonous +atmosphere. As far as +anyone knew, the atmosphere +of Fomalhaut V actually was +poisonous. Some of the tension +had relaxed after a week +spent in safety, but there was +always the first expedition to +consider; no one took chances.</p> + +<p>When all the air had been +removed, a bleeder valve allowed +the outer air to come +into the chamber. Then the +outer door opened, and the +four men went down the ladder +to the valley floor.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Wayne led the way across +the sand in silence. The four +men made their way toward +the slope on the western side +of the valley. Overhead, the +bright globe of Fomalhaut +shed its orange light over the +rugged landscape.</p> + +<p>When they reached the beginning +of the slope, Wayne +stopped and looked upwards. +"Doesn't look easy," he grunted. +"Damned rough hill, matter +of fact. MacPherson, do +you think you could make it +to the top?"</p> + +<p>Corporal MacPherson was +a small, wiry man who had +the reputation of being a +first-rank mountaineer. He +had been a member of the +eighteenth Mount Everest +Party, and had been the second +of that party to reach the +summit of the towering peak.</p> + +<p>"Sure I can, sir," he said +confidently. "Shall I take the +rope?"</p> + +<p>"Go ahead. You and Manetti +get the rope to the top, +and Sergeant Boggs and I +will follow up."</p> + +<p>"Righto, sir."</p> + +<p>Corporal MacPherson +reached his gloved hands forward +and contracted his fingers. +The tiny microswitches +in his gloves actuated the relays, +and his hands clung to +the rock. Then he put his +boots against the wall and began +to move up the steep escarpment.</p> + +<p>Private Manetti followed +after him. The two men were +lashed together by the light +plastisteel cable. The sergeant +held the end of the cable in +his hands, waiting for the coil +to be paid out.</p> + +<p>Wayne watched the two +men climb, while a chill wind +whipped down out of the +mountains and raised the +sand in the valley. It was less +than eighty feet to the precipice +edge above, but it was +almost perpendicular, and as +they climbed, the buffeting +winds began to press against +their bodies with ever-increasing +force.</p> + +<p>They reached the top and +secured the rope, and then +they peered over the edge and +signalled that Wayne and the +sergeant should start up.</p> + +<p>"We're coming," Wayne +shouted, and returned the signal. +It was at that instant +that he felt something slam +against the sole of his heavy +metamagnetic boot. It was as +though something had kicked +him savagely on the sole of +his right foot.</p> + +<p>He winced sharply at the +impact. Then, somewhat puzzled +he looked down at the +boot. He felt something move +under the sand. He tried to +step back, and almost tripped. +It was as though his right +foot were stuck firmly to the +sand!</p> + +<p>He pushed himself back, +and with a tremendous heave +managed to pull himself free. +He braced his body against +the cliff, lifted his foot, and +looked at it.</p> + +<p>Hanging from his boot sole +was one of the ugliest monstrosities +he had ever seen, +unusually grotesque.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>It was about the size and +shape of a regulation football, +and was covered with a +wrinkled, reddish hide. At one +end was a bright red gash of +a mouth studded with greenish, +gnashing teeth. From the +other end of the creature's +body protruded a long, needle-like +projection which had imbedded +itself in the metal sole +of Wayne's boot.</p> + +<p>"Good God! If I'd been +wearing ordinary boots, that +thing would have stuck clear +into my foot!"</p> + +<p>He hefted the weighted +pick with one hand and +swung, catching the monster +with the point. It sank in and +ripped through the creature, +spilling red-orange blood over +the sand. Shuddering a little, +Wayne put his other foot on +the dead thing and pulled his +right boot free of the needle +beak.</p> + +<p>He started to say something, +but he had a sudden +premonition that made him +look up in time. Sergeant +Boggs put both hands against +the Captain's shoulder and +pushed.</p> + +<p>"What the hell?" Wayne +asked in surprise as he felt +the shove. He almost fell to +the sand, but he had had just +enough warning to allow him +to keep his balance. He put +out a foot and staggered +wildly.</p> + +<p>A sudden strange noise +caused him to turn and look +back. Five needles were jabbing +viciously up out of the +sand in the spot where he +would have fallen.</p> + +<p>"You out of your head, +Boggs?" he started to ask—but +before the last word was +out of his mouth, the sergeant +charged in madly and tried to +push him over again. He was +fighting like a man gone berserk—which +he was.</p> + +<p>Wayne grabbed him by the +wrist and flipped him desperately +aside. The sergeant fell, +sprawled out for a moment +on the sand, then bounced to +his feet again. His eyes were +alight with a strange, terrifying +flame.</p> + +<p>Silently, he leaped for +Wayne. The captain slammed +his fist forward, sending it +crashing into Boggs's midsection. +The sergeant came back +with a jab to the stomach that +pushed Wayne backward. +Again the deadly needles +flicked up from the ground, +but they did not strike home.</p> + +<p>Wayne gasped for breath +and reached out for Boggs. +Boggs leaped on him, trying +to push Wayne down where +the beaks could get to him. +Wayne sidestepped, threw +Boggs off balance, and clubbed +down hard with his fist.</p> + +<p>Boggs wandered dizzily for +a second before Wayne's other +fist came blasting in, knocking +the breath out of him. A +third blow, and the sergeant +collapsed on the sand.</p> + +<p>Wayne paused and caught +his breath. The sergeant remained +unconscious. Wayne +shook his head uncertainly, +wondering what had come +over the mild-mannered +Boggs. A chilling thought +struck him: <i>was this what +happened to the crew of the +Mavis?</i></p> + +<hr /> + +<p>He looked up the cliff, +where the other two men +were still peering over the +edge.</p> + +<p>"MacPherson! Manetti! +Come down! We're going +back to the ship!"</p> + +<p>He heaved the unconscious +body of Sergeant Boggs over +his shoulder like a potato-sack, +and waited for the two +men to come down. They +drew near.</p> + +<p>"Boggs must have gone out +of his head," Wayne said. "He +jumped me like a madman."</p> + +<p>They had nothing to say, so +he turned and began to trudge +back to the <i>Lord Nelson</i>, trying +to assemble the facts in +his mind. They followed +alongside.</p> + +<p>What was behind the attack? +After seeing the monster, +why had Boggs attempted +to push his superior officer +over into the sand? There +were other little beasts under +that sand; why would Boggs +want one of them—there +seemed to be dozens—to jab +him with its needle of a beak?</p> + +<p>And what were the beastly +little animals, anyway?</p> + +<p>There were no answers. +But the answers would have +to come, soon.</p> + +<p>He tossed Boggs into the +airlock and waited for the +others to catch up. They +climbed up the ladder and +said nothing as the airlock +went through its cycle and +the antibacterial spray covered +them.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Colonel Petersen looked at +him across the desk and put +the palms of his hands together. +"Then, as I understand +it, Captain, Sergeant +Boggs tried to push you over +into the sand when this—ah—<i>monster</i> +jabbed you in the +foot?"</p> + +<p>"That's right, sir," Wayne +said. He felt uncomfortable. +This wasn't a formal court-martial; +it was simply an inquiry +into the sergeant's +actions. Charges would be +preferred later, if there were +any to be preferred.</p> + +<p>Sergeant Boggs stood +stolidly on the far side of the +room. A livid bruise along his +jaw testified to the struggle +that had taken place. One eye +was puffed, and his expression +was an unhappy one. +Near him, MacPherson and +Private Manetti stood stiffly +at attention.</p> + +<p>The colonel looked at +Boggs. "What's your side of +the story, Sergeant?"</p> + +<p>The non-com's face didn't +change. "Sir, the captain's +statement isn't true."</p> + +<p>"<i>What's that?</i>" Wayne +asked angrily.</p> + +<p>"Quiet, Captain," Petersen +said. "Go ahead, Boggs."</p> + +<p>The sergeant licked his +bruised lips. "I was about to +start up the rope when, for +no reason at all, he struck +me in the stomach. Then he +hit me again a few more +times, and I passed out."</p> + +<p>"Did he say anything when +he did this?" the Colonel +asked.</p> + +<p>"No, sir."</p> + +<p>Wayne frowned. What was +the sergeant trying to do? +What the devil was he up to?</p> + +<p>"Corporal MacPherson," +the colonel said, "Did +you witness the fight?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," the small man +said, stepping a pace forward.</p> + +<p>"Describe it."</p> + +<p>"Well, sir, we were up on +top of the cliff, and we called—or +rather, <i>I</i> called for the +captain and the sergeant to +come on up. Sergeant Boggs +took a hold of the rope and +then the captain hit him in +the belly, sir. He hit him +twice more and the sergeant +fell down. Then the captain +told us to come down, which +we did, sir. That was all." He +gestured with his hands to indicate +he had no more to say.</p> + +<p>Wayne could hardly believe +his ears. Making an effort, he +managed to restrain himself.</p> + +<p>"Private Manetti, do you +have anything to add to +that?" the colonel asked.</p> + +<p>"No, sir. It happened just +like that, sir. We both seen +the entire thing. That's the +way it happened. The captain +hauled off and let him +have it."</p> + +<p>The colonel swivelled +around and let his cold eyes +rest on Wayne. "Captain, you +have stated that Sergeant +Boggs did not talk to either +of these two men after you +struck him. That eliminates +any collusion."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," Wayne said +stonily.</p> + +<p>"I talked to both men separately, +and they tell substantially +the same story. The +records of all three of these +men are excellent. The sergeant +claims he never saw +any monster of the type you +describe, and the group I sent +out to check says that there +is no body of any alien animal +anywhere near the spot. How +do you explain the discrepancies +between your story and +theirs?"</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Wayne glared angrily at +the three men. "They're lying, +sir," he said evenly. "I +don't know why they're doing +it. The whole thing took place +exactly as I told you."</p> + +<p>"I find that very difficult to +believe, Captain."</p> + +<p>"Is that a formal accusation, +sir?"</p> + +<p>Petersen shrugged and +rubbed his hands against his +iron-grey temples. "Captain," +he said finally, "you have a +very fine record. You have +never before been known to +strike an enlisted man for +any cause whatever. I hold +that in your favor."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, sir."</p> + +<p>"On the other hand, the +evidence here definitely indicates +that your story is not +quite true. Now, we know +that Lieutenant Jervis acted +peculiarly after the crew of +the <i>Mavis</i> met its mysterious +end, and the Medical Corps +thinks that whatever is causing +the deaths could also +cause mental confusion. +Therefore, I am remanding +you to the custody of the +Medical Corps for observation. +You'll be kept in close +confinement until this thing +is cleared up."</p> + +<p>Wayne frowned bitterly. +"Yes, sir," he said.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Peter Wayne sat in his cell +in the hospital sector and +stared at the wall in confusion. +What in blazes was going +on? What possible motive +would three enlisted men +have to frame him in this +way? It didn't make any +sense.</p> + +<p>Was it possible that he +really <i>had</i> gone off his rocker? +Had he imagined the little +beast under the sand?</p> + +<p>He lifted his foot and looked +again at the sole. There it +was: a little pit about an +eighth of an inch deep.</p> + +<p>The colonel had explained +it away easily enough, saying +that he might possibly have +stepped on a sharp rock. +Wayne shook his head. He +knew he wasn't nuts. But +what the hell was going on?</p> + +<p>There were no answers. +But he knew that the eventual +answer, when it came, +would have something to do +with the mystery of the +<i>Mavis's</i> eight corpses.</p> + +<p>It was late that afternoon +when Sherri James came +storming into the hospital +sector. She was wearing a +spacesuit, and she was brandishing +a pass countersigned +by Colonel Petersen himself. +She was determined to enter.</p> + +<p>"The medics didn't want to +let me in," she explained. +"But I told them I'd wear a +spacesuit if it would make +them any happier."</p> + +<p>"Sherri! What the devil are +you doing here?"</p> + +<p>"I just wanted to check on +you," she said. Her voice +sounded oddly distorted coming +over the speaker in the +helmet. "You're supposed to +have blown your wig or something. +Did you?"</p> + +<p>"No. Of course not."</p> + +<p>"I didn't think so." She unscrewed +her helmet quickly. +"Listen, Peter, there's something +funny going on aboard +this ship."</p> + +<p>"I've known that a long +time," he said.</p> + +<p>"I think Boggs and those +other two are trying to frame +you," she said, her voice low. +"Do you know of anyone +aboard named Masters?"</p> + +<p>"Masters?" Wayne repeated. +"Not that I know of—why?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I overheard Boggs +talking to one of the other +men. I didn't hear very clearly, +but it sounded as though +he said: 'We've got to get +Moore out and turn him over +to Masters.' Bill Moore is one +of my computermen—tall, +skinny fellow."</p> + +<p>Wayne nodded, frowning. +"Yeah, but who is Masters? +This is the queerest thing I +ever heard of."</p> + +<p>Footsteps sounded in the +corridor outside.</p> + +<p>"Better put your helmet +on," Wayne advised. "Whoever's +coming might not like +to see you this way."</p> + +<p>Quickly, she slipped the +helmet back on. "I don't know +what's going on," she said. +"But I intend to find out."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>One of the medics entered +the cell without knocking and +came up to Sherri. "You'll +have to go now, Lieutenant," +he said. "We're going to perform +some tests on the captain +now."</p> + +<p>Sherri bristled. "Tests? +What kind of tests?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing very serious," the +medic said. "Just a routine +checkup to clarify some +points we're interested in."</p> + +<p>"All right," Sherri said. +"You won't find anything the +matter with him." She left.</p> + +<p>"Come with me, Captain," +said the medic politely. He +unlocked the cell door and, +equally politely, drew a +needle-beam pistol. "Don't try +anything, please, sir. I have +my orders."</p> + +<p>Silently, Wayne followed +the medic into the lab. Several +other medics were standing +around watching him, +with Stevelman, the head +man, in the back.</p> + +<p>"Over this way, Captain," +Stevelman called.</p> + +<p>There was a box sitting on +a table in the middle of the +room. It was full of sand.</p> + +<p>"Give me your hand, please, +Captain," the medic said tonelessly.</p> + +<p>In a sudden flash of insight, +Wayne realized what was in +the box. He thought fast but +moved slowly. He held out his +hand, but just as the medic +took it, he twisted suddenly +away.</p> + +<p>His hand flashed out and +grasped the other's wrist in +a steely grip. The medic's fingers +tightened on the needle-beam, +and managed to pull +the trigger. A bright beam +flared briefly against the lab's +plastalloy floor, doing nothing +but scorching it slightly. +Wayne's other hand balled into +a fist and came up hard +against the medic's jaw.</p> + +<p>He grabbed the needle-beam +pistol from the collapsing +man's limp hand and had +the other three men covered +before the slugged medic had +finished sagging to the floor.</p> + +<p>"All of you! Raise your +hands!"</p> + +<p>They paid no attention to +him. Instead of standing +where they were, they began +to move toward him. Wayne +swore and, with a quick flip +of his thumb, turned the +beam down to low power and +pulled the trigger three times +in quick succession.</p> + +<p>The three men fell as +though they'd been pole-axed, +knocked out by the low-power +beam.</p> + +<p>"The whole ship's gone +crazy," he murmured softly, +looking at the three men +slumped together on the lab +floor. "Stark, staring, raving +nuts."</p> + +<p>He took one step and someone +jumped him from behind. +The needle-beam pistol spun +from his hand and slithered +across the floor as Wayne fell +under the impact of the heavy +body. Apparently the whole +Medical Corps was out to +knock him down today.</p> + +<p>He twisted rapidly as an +arm encircled his neck, and +rammed an elbow into the +newcomer's midsection. Then +he jerked his head back, +smashing the back of his skull +into his opponent's nose.</p> + +<p>The hold around his neck +weakened, and Wayne tore +himself loose from the other's +grasp. He jumped to his feet, +but the other man was a long +way from being unconscious. +A stinging right smashed into +Wayne's mouth, and he felt +the taste of blood. Hastily he +wiped the trickle away with +the back of his hand.</p> + +<p>With his nose pouring +blood, Wayne's antagonist +charged in. His eyes burned +with the strange flame that +had been gleaming in Boggs's +face out on the desert in the +valley. He ploughed into +Wayne's stomach with a savage +blow that rocked Wayne +back.</p> + +<p>He grunted and drove back +with a flurry of blows. The +other aimed a wild blow at +Wayne's head; Wayne seized +the wrist as the arm flew past +his ear, and twisted, hard. +The medic flipped through the +air and came to rest against +the wall with a brief crunching +impact. He moaned and +then lapsed into silence.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Quickly, Wayne grabbed +the gun off the floor and +planted his back to the wall, +looking around for new antagonists. +But there was evidently +no one left who cared +to tangle with him, and the +four medics strewn out on the +floor didn't seem to have much +fight left in them.</p> + +<p>Wayne crossed the room in +a couple of strides and bolted +the door. Then he walked over +to the box of sand. If it contained +what he suspected—</p> + +<p>He stepped over to the lab +bench and picked out a long +steel support rod from the +equipment drawer. He placed +the rod gently against the +sand, and pushed downward, +hard. There was a tinny +scream, and a six-inch needle +shot up instantly through the +surface.</p> + +<p>"Just what I thought," +Wayne murmured. "Can you +talk, you nasty little brute?" +He prodded into the sand—more +viciously this time. +There was a flurry of sand, +and the football-shaped thing +came to the surface, clashing +its teeth and screaming +shrilly.</p> + +<p>Wayne cursed. Then he +turned the needle gun back up +to full power and calmly +burned the thing to a crisp. +An odor of singed flesh drifted +up from the ashes on the +sand.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>He stooped and fumbled in +Stevelman's pocket, pulling +out a ring of keys.</p> + +<p>"They better be the right +ones," he told the unconscious +medic. Holstering the needle +gun, he walked over to the +medical stores cabinet, hoping +that the things he needed +would be inside. He knew exactly +what he was facing +now, and what he would have +to do.</p> + +<p>He checked over the labels, +peering through the neatly-arranged +racks for the substance +he was searching for.</p> + +<p>Finally he picked a large +plastine container filled with +a white, crystalline powder. +Then he selected a couple of +bottles filled with a clear, +faintly yellow liquid, and took +a hypodermic gun from the +rack. He relocked the cabinet.</p> + +<p>Suddenly a knock sounded. +He stiffened, sucked in his +breath, and turned to face the +door.</p> + +<p>"Who's there?" he asked +cautiously, trying to counterfeit +Stevelman's voice.</p> + +<p>"Harrenburg," said a rumbling +voice. "I'm on guard +duty. Heard some noise coming +from in there a while +back, and thought I'd look in. +Everything all right, Dr. +Stevelman? I mean—"</p> + +<p>"Everything's fine, Harrenburg," +Wayne said, imitating +the medic's thin, dry +voice. "We're running some +tests on Captain Wayne. +They're pretty complicated +affairs, and I'd appreciate it +if you didn't interrupt again."</p> + +<p>"Sure, sir," the guard said. +"Just a routine check, sir. +Colonel Petersen's orders. +Sorry if I've caused any +trouble, sir."</p> + +<p>"That's all right," Wayne +said. "Just go away and let us +continue, will you?"</p> + +<p>There was the sound of the +guard's footsteps retreating +down the corridor. Wayne +counted to ten and turned +back to the things he had +taken from the cabinet.</p> + +<p>The bottles of liquid and +the hypo gun went into his +belt pouch. He tucked the big +bottle of white powder under +his left arm and cautiously +unbolted and opened the door. +There was no sign of anyone +in the corridor. <i>Good</i>, he +thought. It was a lucky thing +Harrenburg had blundered +along just then, and not two +minutes later.</p> + +<p>He stepped outside the +Medic Section and locked the +door behind him with the key +he'd taken from Stevelman. +After turning the needle gun +back to low power again in +order to keep from killing +anyone, he started on tiptoe +toward the stairway that led +into the bowels of the ship.</p> + +<p>After about ten paces, he +saw a shadow on the stairway, +and cowered in a dark +recess while two crewmen +passed, talking volubly. Once +they were gone, he came out +and continued on his way.</p> + +<p>It took quite a while to get +where he was going, since it +involved hiding and ducking +two or three more times along +the way, but he finally reached +the big compartment where +the water repurifiers were. +He climbed up the ladder to +the top of the reserve tank, +opened the hatch, and emptied +the contents of the jar into +the ship's water supply.</p> + +<p>"That ought to do it," he +said to himself. Smiling, he +carefully smashed the jar and +dropped the fragments down +the waste chute. He surveyed +his handiwork for a moment, +then turned and headed back.</p> + +<p>He hadn't been seen going +down, and he didn't want to +be seen going out. If anyone +even suspected that he had +tampered with the water supply, +all they would have to do +would be to run the water +through the purifiers. That +would undo everything Wayne +had been carefully preparing.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>He made his way safely +back up to the main deck and +headed through the quiet ship +toward the airlock. He wasn't +so lucky this time; a guard +saw him.</p> + +<p>"Where you goin', Captain?" +the guard demanded, +starting to lift his gun. +"Seems to me you ought to be +in the brig, and—"</p> + +<p>Wayne made no reply. He +brought his gun up in a rapid +motion and beamed the man +down. The guard toppled, a +hurt expression on his face.</p> + +<p>Wayne raced to the airlock. +He didn't bother with a spacesuit—not +<i>now</i>, when he knew +that the air was perfectly +harmless outside. He opened +the inner door, closed it, and +opened the outer door.</p> + +<p>Then, grinning gleefully, +he pressed the button that +would start the pumping +cycle. The outer door started +to close automatically, and +Wayne just barely managed +to get outside and onto the +ladder before it clanged shut. +As soon as the great hatch +had sealed itself, the pumps +started exhausting the air +from the airlock. No one could +open the doors until the +pumping cycle was over.</p> + +<p>He climbed down the ladder +and began walking over +toward the western wall. He +would have to keep away +from the ship for a while, and +the rocks were as good a place +as any to hide out.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>It was dark. Fomalhaut +had set, leaving the moonless +planet in utter blackness, +broken only by the cold gleam +of the stars. The lights +streaming from the portholes +of the <i>Lord Nelson</i> gave a +small degree of illumination +to the valley.</p> + +<p>The valley. It was spread +out before him, calm and +peaceful, rippling dunes of +sand curling out toward the +mountains. The valley, he +knew, was a betrayer—calm +and quiet above, alive with an +army of hideous vermin a few +feet below its surface.</p> + +<p>He started to walk, and +moistened his lips. He knew +he was going to get awfully +thirsty in the next few hours, +but there was not the slightest +help for it. There hadn't been +any way to carry water from +the ship.</p> + +<p>"I can wait," he told himself. +He stared back at the +circular bulk of the <i>Lord Nelson</i> +behind him, and his fingers +trembled a little. He had +known, when he joined the +Corps, that space was full of +traps like this one—but this +was the first time he had actually +experienced anything +like this. It was foul.</p> + +<p>Something slammed into +his boot sole, and this time +Wayne knew what it was.</p> + +<p>"Persistent, aren't you!" +He jerked his foot up. This +monster hadn't stuck as the +other one had, but he saw the +tip of the needle-beak thrashing +around wildly in the loose +sand. Wayne thumbed the +gun up to full power, and +there was a piercing shriek +as the gun burned into the +sand. There was a sharp +shrill sound, and the odor of +something burning. He spat.</p> + +<p>The little beasts must be all +over the floor of the valley! +Scurrying frantically, like +blood-red giant crabs, sidling +up and down beneath the valley, +searching upward for +things to strike at. How they +must hate his metamagnetic +boots, he thought!</p> + +<p>He kept on walking, expecting +to feel the impact of +another thrust momentarily, +but he was not molested +again. <i>They must be getting +wise</i>, he thought. <i>They know +they can't get through my +boots, and so they're leaving +me alone. That way they don't +call attention to themselves.</i></p> + +<p>A new, more chilling question +struck him:</p> + +<p><i>Just how smart are they?</i></p> + +<p>He had made it to the wall +and was climbing up the +treacherous slope when the +airlock door opened, and +someone stood outlined in the +bright circle of light that cut +into the inky blackness. An +amplified voice filled the valley +and ricocheted back off +the walls of the mountains, +casting eerie echoes down on +the lone man on the desert.</p> + +<p>"CAPTAIN WAYNE! +THIS IS COLONEL PETERSEN +SPEAKING. DON'T +YOU REALIZE THAT +YOU'RE A SICK MAN? +YOU MAY DIE OUT +THERE. COME BACK. +THAT'S AN ORDER, CAPTAIN. +REPEAT: COME +BACK. THAT'S AN +ORDER!"</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid an order from +you just doesn't hold much +weight for me right now, +Colonel," Wayne said quietly, +to himself. Silently he +went on climbing the escarpment, +digging into the rough +rock.</p> + +<p>He kept on climbing until +he found the niche for which +he had been heading. He +dragged himself in and sat +down, as comfortably as possible. +He began to wait.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Dawn came in less than +three hours, as Fomalhaut +burst up over the horizon and +exploded in radiance over the +valley. With dawn came a +patrol of men, slinking surreptitiously +across the valley, +probably with orders to bring +him in. Wayne was ensconced +comfortably in his little rock +niche, hidden from the men in +the valley below, but with a +perfect view of everything +that went on. The wind +whistled around the cliffs, +ceaselessly moaning a tuneless +song. He felt like standing +up and shouting wildly, +"Here I am! Here I am!" but +he repressed the perverse +urge.</p> + +<p>The patrol group stood in a +small clump in the valley below, +seemingly waiting for +something. Moments passed, +and then it became apparent +what that something was. +Hollingwood, the metallurgist, +appeared, dragging with +him the detector. They were +going to look for Captain +Wayne with it, just as they +had searched out the double-nucleus +beryllium.</p> + +<p>Wayne frowned. It was a +possibility he hadn't thought +about. They could easily detect +the metal in his boots! +And he didn't dare take them +off; he'd never make it back +across that hellish stretch of +sand without them. He glanced +uneasily at his watch. <i>How +much longer do I have to keep +evading them?</i> he wondered. +It was a wearing task.</p> + +<p>It looked as though it would +be much too long.</p> + +<p>The muzzle of the detector +began to swing back and forth +slowly and precisely, covering +the valley inch by inch. He +heard their whispered consultations +drifting up from below, +though he couldn't make +out what they were saying.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>They finished with the valley, +evidently concluding he +wasn't there, and started +searching the walls. Wayne +decided it was time to get out +while the getting was good. +He crawled slowly out of the +niche and wriggled along the +escarpment, heading south, +keeping low so the men in the +valley wouldn't see him.</p> + +<p>Unfortunately, he couldn't +see them either. He kept moving, +hoping they wouldn't +spot him with the detector. +He wished he had the metamagnetic +hand grapples with +him. For one thing, the sharp +rock outcroppings sliced +his hands like so much meat. +For another, he could have +dropped the grapples somewhere +as a decoy.</p> + +<p><i>Oh, well, you can't think of +everything</i>, Wayne told himself. +He glanced at his watch. +How long was it going to +take?</p> + +<p>He heard the scrape of +boot leather on a rock somewhere +ahead of him. He +glanced up sharply, seeing +nothing, and scowled. They +had spotted him.</p> + +<p>They were laying a trap.</p> + +<p>Cautiously, he climbed over +a huge boulder, making no +sound. There was one man +standing behind it, waiting, +apparently, for Wayne to step +around into view. He peered +down, trying to see who it +was. It seemed to be Hollingwood, +the dignified, austere +metallurgist.</p> + +<p>Wayne smiled grimly, picked +up a heavy rock, and dropped +it straight down, square +on the man's helmet. The +plexalloy rang like a bell +through the clear early-morning +air, and the man dropped +to his knees, dazed by the +shock.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Knowing he had just a moment +to finish the job, Wayne +pushed off against the side of +the rock and plummeted +down, landing neatly on the +metallurgist's shoulders. The +man reeled and fell flat. +Wayne spun him over and delivered +a hard punch to the +solar plexus. "Sorry, Dave," +he said softly. The metallurgist +gasped and curled up in a +tight ball. Wayne stood up. It +was brutal, but it was the only +place you could hit a man +wearing a space helmet.</p> + +<p><i>One down</i>, Wayne thought. +<i>Fifty-eight to go.</i> He was +alone against the crew—and, +for all he knew, against all +fifty-nine of them.</p> + +<p>Hollingwood groaned and +stretched. Wayne bent and, +for good measure, took off the +man's helmet and tapped him +none too gently on the skull.</p> + +<p>There was the sound of +footsteps, the harsh <i>chitch-chitch</i> +of feet against the +rock. "He's up that way," he +heard a deep voice boom.</p> + +<p>That meant the others had +heard the rock hitting Hollingwood's +plexalloy helmet. +They were coming toward +him.</p> + +<p>Wayne sprang back defensively +and glanced around. He +hoped there were only five of +them, that the rule of six was +still being maintained. Otherwise +things could become +really complicated, as they +hunted him relentlessly +through the twisted gulleys.</p> + +<p>He hated to have to knock +out too many of the men; it +just meant more trouble later. +Still, there was no help for it, +if he wanted there to be any +later. He thought of the +bleached bones of the crew of +the <i>Mavis</i>, and shuddered.</p> + +<p>It was something of an advantage +not to be wearing a +helmet. Even with the best of +acoustical systems, hearing +inside a helmet tended to be +distorted and dimmed. The +men couldn't hear him as well +as he could hear them. And +since they couldn't hear themselves +too well, they made a +little more noise than he did.</p> + +<p>A space boot came into +view around a big rock, and +Wayne aimed his needle-beam +at the spot where the man's +head would appear.</p> + +<p>When the head came +around the rock, Wayne fired. +The man dropped instantly. +<i>Sorry, friend</i>, Wayne apologized +mentally. <i>Two down. +Fifty-seven to go.</i> The odds +were still pretty heavy.</p> + +<p>He knew he had to move +quickly now; the others had +seen the man drop, and by +now they should have a pretty +good idea exactly where +Wayne was.</p> + +<p>He picked up a rock and +lobbed it over a nearby boulder, +then started moving cat-like +in the other direction. He +climbed up onto another boulder +and watched two men +move away from him. They +were stepping warily, their +beam guns in their hands. +Wayne wiped away a bead of +perspiration, aimed carefully, +and squeezed the firing stud +twice.</p> + +<p><i>Four down. Fifty-five to go.</i></p> + +<hr /> + +<p>A moment later, something +hissed near his ear. Without +waiting, he spun and rolled +off the boulder, landing cat-like +on his feet. Another +crewman was standing on top +of a nearby boulder. Wayne +began to sweat; this pursuit +seemed to be indefinitely prolonged, +and it was beginning +to look unlikely that he could +avoid them forever.</p> + +<p>He had dropped his pistol +during the fall; it was wedged +between a couple of rocks +several feet away.</p> + +<p>He heard someone call: "I +got him. He fell off the rock. +We'll take him back down below."</p> + +<p>Then another voice—ominously. +"He won't mind. He'll +be glad we did it for him—afterwards."</p> + +<p>"I'll go get him," said the +first voice. The man stepped +around the side of the boulder—just +in time to have a +hard-pitched rock come +thunking into his midsection.</p> + +<p>"Oof!" he grunted, took a +couple of steps backwards, +and collapsed.</p> + +<p><i>Five down. Fifty-four to +go.</i> It could go on forever this +way.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?" asked +the man who had replied +to the first one with those +chilling words.</p> + +<p>"Nothing," said Wayne, in +a fair imitation of the prostrate +crewman's voice. "He's +heavy. Come help me."</p> + +<p>Then he reached down and +picked up the fallen man's +beam gun. He took careful +aim.</p> + +<p>When the sixth man stepped +around the rock, he fired. +The beam went wide of the +mark, slowing the other +down, and Wayne charged +forward. He pounded two +swift punches into the amazed +crewman, who responded +with a woozy, wild blow. +Wayne ducked and let the +fist glide past his ear, then +came in hard with a solid +body-blow and let the man +sag to the ground. He took a +deep breath.</p> + +<p><i>Six down and only fifty-three +to go.</i></p> + +<hr /> + +<p>He crawled back to the +edge of the precipice and +peered down into the valley. +There was no one to be seen. +It was obvious that Colonel +Petersen was still enforcing +the six-man rule.</p> + +<p>As he watched, he saw the +airlock door open. A spacesuited +figure scrambled down +the ladder and sprinted across +the deadly sand of the valley +floor.</p> + +<p>It was Sherri! Wayne held +his breath, expecting at any +moment that one of the little +monsters beneath the sand +would sink its vicious needle +upward into Sherri's foot. +But her stride never faltered.</p> + +<p>As she neared the precipice, +another figure appeared at +the airlock door and took aim +with a gun.</p> + +<p>Wayne thumbed his own +needle-beam pistol up to full +and fired hastily at the distant +figure. At that distance, even +the full beam would only +stun. The figure collapsed +backwards into the airlock, +and Wayne grinned in satisfaction.</p> + +<p><i>Seven down. Fifty-two to +go.</i></p> + +<p>He kept an eye on the airlock +door and a finger on his +firing stud, waiting to see if +anyone else would come out. +No one else did.</p> + +<p>As soon as Sherri was safely +up to the top of the precipice, +Wayne ran to meet her.</p> + +<p>"Sherri! What the devil did +you come out here for?"</p> + +<p>"I had to see you," she said, +panting for breath. "If you'll +come back to the ship before +they beam you down, we can +prove to Colonel Petersen that +you're all right. We can show +them that the Masters—"</p> + +<p>She realized suddenly what +she said and uttered a little +gasp. She had her pistol out +before the surprised Wayne +could move.</p> + +<p>He stared coldly at the pistol, +thinking bitterly that this +was a hell of a way for it all +to finish. "So they got you +too," he said. "That little display +at the airlock was a +phony. You were sent out +here to lure me back into the +ship. Just another Judas."</p> + +<p>She nodded slowly. "That's +right," she said. "We all have +to go to the Masters. It is—it—is—is—"</p> + +<p>Her eyes glazed, and she +swayed on her feet. The pistol +wavered and swung in a +feeble spiral, no longer pointed +at Wayne. Gently, he took +it from her nerveless fingers +and caught her supple body +as she fell.</p> + +<p>He wiped his forehead dry. +Up above, the sun was climbing +toward the top of the sky, +and its beams raked the planet +below, pouring down heat.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>He glanced at his wristwatch +while waiting for his +nerves to stop tingling. Sherri +must have been the last one—the +drug must have taken +effect at last, and not a moment +too soon. He decided to +wait another half hour before +he tried to get into the spaceship, +just the same.</p> + +<p>The huge globe of the <i>Lord +Nelson</i> stood forlornly in the +center of the valley. The airlock +door stayed open; no one +tried to close it.</p> + +<p>Wayne's mouth was growing +dry; his tongue felt like +sandpaper. Nevertheless, he +forced himself to sit quietly, +watching the ship closely for +the full half hour, before he +picked up Sherri, tied his +rope around her waist, and +lowered her to the valley +floor. Then he wandered +around the rocks, collecting +the six unconscious men, and +did the same for them.</p> + +<p>He carried them all, one by +one, across the sand, burning +a path before him with the +needle beam.</p> + +<p>Long before he had finished +his task, the sand was churning +loathsomely with the +needles of hundreds and +thousands of the monstrous +little beasts. They were trying +frantically to bring down +the being that was so effectively +thwarting their plans, +jabbing viciously with their +upthrust beaks. The expanse +of sand that was the valley +looked like a pincushion, with +the writhing needles ploughing +through the ground one +after another. Wayne kept the +orifice of his beam pistol hot +as he cut his way back and +forth from the base of the +cliff to the ship.</p> + +<p>When he had dumped the +seven unconscious ones all inside +the airlock, he closed the +outer door and opened the inner +one. There was not a +sound from within.</p> + +<p><i>Fifty-nine down</i>, he +thought, <i>and none to go</i>.</p> + +<p>He entered the ship and +dashed down the winding +staircase to the water purifiers +to change the water in the +reservoir tanks. Thirsty as he +was, he was not going to take +a drink until the water had +been cleared of the knockout +drug he had dropped into the +tanks.</p> + +<p>After that came the laborious +job of getting everyone +in the ship strapped into their +bunks for the takeoff. It took +the better part of an hour to +get all sixty of them up—they +had fallen all over the ship—and +nestled in the acceleration +cradles. When the job +was done, he went to the main +control room and set the +autopilot to lift the spaceship +high into the ionosphere.</p> + +<p>Then, sighting carefully on +the valley far below, he dropped +a flare bomb.</p> + +<p>"Goodbye, little monsters," +he said exultantly.</p> + +<p>For a short space of time, +nothing happened. Then the +viewplate was filled with a +deadly blue-white glare. Unlike +an ordinary atomic bomb, +the flare bomb would not explode +violently; it simply +burned, sending out a brilliant +flare of deadly radiation +that would crisp all life +dozens of feet below the +ground.</p> + +<p>He watched the radiation +blazing below. Then it began +to die down, and when the +glare cleared away, all was +quiet below.</p> + +<p>The valley was dead.</p> + +<p>When it was all over, +Wayne took the hypodermic +gun from his pouch, filled it +with the anti-hypnotic drug +that he had taken from the +medical cabinet, and began +to make his rounds. He fired +a shot into each and every +one aboard. He had no way of +knowing who had been injected +by the small monsters and +who had not, so he was taking +no chances.</p> + +<p>Then he went to the colonel's +room. He wanted to be +there when the Commanding +Officer awoke.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The entire crew of the <i>Lord +Nelson</i> was gathered in the +big mess hall. Wayne stared +down at the tired, frightened +faces of the puzzled people +looking up at him, and continued +his explanation.</p> + +<p>"Those of you who were +under the control of the monsters +know what it was like. +They had the ability to inject +a hypnotic drug into a human +being through a normal space +boot with those stingers of +theirs. The drug takes effect +so fast that the victim hardly +has any idea of what has happened +to him."</p> + +<p>"But why do they do it?" +It was Hollingwood, the metallurgist, +looking unhappy +with a tremendous bruise on +his head where Wayne had +clobbered him.</p> + +<p>"Why does a wasp sting a +spider? It doesn't kill the +spider, it simply stuns it. That +way, the spider remains alive +and fresh so that young wasps +can feed upon it at their leisure."</p> + +<p>Wayne glanced over to his +right. "Lieutenant Jervis, +you've been under the effect +of the drug longer than any +of us. Would you explain what +<i>really</i> happened when the +<i>Mavis</i> landed?"</p> + +<p>The young officer stood up. +He was pale and shaken, but +his voice was clear and +steady.</p> + +<p>"Just about the same thing +that almost happened here," +Jervis said. "We all walked +around the valley floor and +got stung one at a time. The +things did it so quietly that +none of us knew what was going +on until we got hit ourselves. +When we had all been +enslaved, we were ready to +do their bidding. They can't +talk, but they can communicate +by means of nerve messages +when that needle is +stuck into you."</p> + +<p>Nearly half the crew +nodded in sympathy. Wayne +studied them, wondering what +it must have been like. They +<i>knew</i>; he could only guess.</p> + +<p>"Naturally," Jervis went +on, "those who have already +been injected with the drug +try to get others injected. +When everyone aboard the +<i>Mavis</i> had been stung, they +ordered me to take the ship +home and get another load of +Earthmen. Apparently they +like our taste. I had to obey; +I was completely under their +power. You know what it's +like."</p> + +<p>"And what happened to the +others—the eight men you +left behind?" asked Colonel +Petersen.</p> + +<p>Jervis clenched his teeth +bitterly. "They just laid down +on the sand—and waited."</p> + +<p>"Horrible!" Sherri said.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Jervis fell silent. Wayne +was picturing the sight, and +knew everyone else was, too—the +sight of hordes of carnivorous +little aliens burrowing +up through the sand +and approaching the eight +Earthmen who lay there, +alive but helpless. Approaching +them—and beginning to +feed.</p> + +<p>Just when the atmosphere +began to grow too depressing, +Wayne decided to break the +spell. "I'd like to point out +that the valley's been completely +cauterized," he said. +"The aliens have been wiped +out. And I propose to lead a +mission out to reconnoitre for +the double-nucleus beryllium."</p> + +<p>He looked around. "MacPherson? +Boggs? Manetti? +You three want to start over +where we left off the last +time?"</p> + +<p>Sergeant Boggs came up to +him. "Sir, I want you to understand +that—"</p> + +<p>"I know, Boggs," Wayne +said. "Let's forget all about +it. There's work to be done."</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry I misjudged you, +Wayne. If it hadn't been for +your quick action, this crew +would have gone the way of +the <i>Mavis</i>."</p> + +<p>"Just luck, Colonel," +Wayne said. "If it hadn't been +for those heavy-soled climbing +boots, I'd probably be lying +out there with the rest of +you right now."</p> + +<p>Colonel Petersen grinned. +"Thanks to your boots, then."</p> + +<p>Wayne turned to his team +of three. "Let's get moving, +fellows. We've wasted enough +time already."</p> + +<p>"Do we need spacesuits, +sir?" Manetti asked.</p> + +<p>"No, Manetti. The air's +perfectly fine out there," +Wayne said. "But I'd suggest +you wear your climbing +boots." He grinned. "You +never can tell when they'll +come in handy."</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="145" height="200" alt="" title="" /></a> +<b><big>Transcriber's Note:</big></b><br /><br /> +This etext was produced from <i>Amazing Stories</i> October 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 /> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Judas Valley, by Gerald Vance + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE JUDAS VALLEY *** + +***** This file should be named 25713-h.htm or 25713-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/5/7/1/25713/ + +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. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +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 + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/25713-h/images/001.png b/25713-h/images/001.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8c1a7c5 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-h/images/001.png diff --git a/25713-h/images/002-1.jpg b/25713-h/images/002-1.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..be9da87 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-h/images/002-1.jpg diff --git a/25713-h/images/002-2.jpg b/25713-h/images/002-2.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1508eb1 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-h/images/002-2.jpg diff --git a/25713-page-images/c001.jpg b/25713-page-images/c001.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4ee29ca --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/c001.jpg diff --git a/25713-page-images/p008.png b/25713-page-images/p008.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ee1f646 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p008.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p009.png b/25713-page-images/p009.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5ea6e72 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p009.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p010.png b/25713-page-images/p010.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3455292 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p010.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p011.png b/25713-page-images/p011.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0152d22 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p011.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p012.png b/25713-page-images/p012.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4fa3afd --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p012.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p013.png b/25713-page-images/p013.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4eced9e --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p013.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p014.png b/25713-page-images/p014.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4bfb663 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p014.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p015.png b/25713-page-images/p015.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..34d14db --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p015.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p016.png b/25713-page-images/p016.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..125e9ff --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p016.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p017.png b/25713-page-images/p017.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2c2c9fe --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p017.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p018.png b/25713-page-images/p018.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..21316bf --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p018.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p019.png b/25713-page-images/p019.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4d46956 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p019.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p020.png b/25713-page-images/p020.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e1e6419 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p020.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p021.png b/25713-page-images/p021.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..880ff1f --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p021.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p022.png b/25713-page-images/p022.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..eeb4418 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p022.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p110.png b/25713-page-images/p110.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5c0f8af --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p110.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p111.png b/25713-page-images/p111.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..627bb7d --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p111.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p112.png b/25713-page-images/p112.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1369694 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p112.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p113.png b/25713-page-images/p113.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..07e8f7e --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p113.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p114.png b/25713-page-images/p114.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4da795c --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p114.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p115.png b/25713-page-images/p115.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..304c159 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p115.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p116.png b/25713-page-images/p116.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e61e271 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p116.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p117.png b/25713-page-images/p117.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..15d8ba8 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p117.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p118.png b/25713-page-images/p118.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3eaac6a --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p118.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p119.png b/25713-page-images/p119.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..52e0242 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p119.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p120.png b/25713-page-images/p120.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3eb1ba8 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p120.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p121.png b/25713-page-images/p121.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6e66ceb --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p121.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p122.png b/25713-page-images/p122.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..264f946 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p122.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p123.png b/25713-page-images/p123.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..243a5b3 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p123.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p124.png b/25713-page-images/p124.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0fc87bf --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p124.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p125.png b/25713-page-images/p125.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f7b3fa7 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p125.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p126.png b/25713-page-images/p126.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..01bd60e --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p126.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p127.png b/25713-page-images/p127.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5bd0acb --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p127.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p128.png b/25713-page-images/p128.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..187a2df --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p128.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p129.png b/25713-page-images/p129.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d2731ad --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p129.png diff --git a/25713-page-images/p130.png b/25713-page-images/p130.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0087ee3 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713-page-images/p130.png diff --git a/25713.txt b/25713.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e76febc --- /dev/null +++ b/25713.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2012 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Judas Valley, by Gerald Vance + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Judas Valley + +Author: Gerald Vance + +Release Date: June 7, 2008 [EBook #25713] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE JUDAS VALLEY *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell, and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: He had lost all sense of right or wrong. Justice and +injustice were the same, and his only thought was, kill--kill--kill!] + + + + + THE JUDAS VALLEY + + By GERALD VANCE + + + _Why did everybody step off the ship in this strange valley + and promptly drop dead? How could a well-equipped corps of + tough spacemen become a field of rotting skeletons in this + quiet world of peace and contentment? It was a mystery Peter + and Sherri had to solve. If they could live long enough!_ + + +Peter Wayne took the letter out of the machine, broke the seal, and +examined it curiously. It was an official communication from the +Interstellar Exploration Service. It read: + + FROM: Lieutenant General Martin Scarborough, I.E.S. + TO: Captain Peter Wayne, Preliminary Survey Corps + + Report immediately to this office for assignment to I.E.S. _Lord + Nelson_. Full briefing will be held at 2200 hours, 14 April 2103. + + By order of the Fleet Commandant. + +It was short, brief, and to the point. And it gave no information +whatsoever. Peter Wayne shrugged resignedly, put the letter down on his +bed, walked over to the phone, and dialed a number. + +A moment later, a girl's face appeared--blonde-haired, with high +cheekbones, deep blue-green eyes, and an expression of the lips that +intriguingly combined desirability and crisp military bearing. + +"Lieutenant James speaking," she said formally. Then, as Wayne's image +appeared on her screen, she grinned. "Hi, Pete. What's up?" + +"Listen, Sherri," Wayne said quickly. "I'm going to have to cancel that +date we had for tomorrow night. I just got my orders." + +The girl laughed. "I was just going to call _you_, I got a fac-sheet +too. Looks as though we won't see each other for a while, Pete." + +"What ship are you getting?" + +"The _Lord Nelson_." + +It was Wayne's turn to laugh. "It looks as though we _will_ be seeing +each other. That's my ship too. We can keep our date in the briefing +room." + +Her face brightened. "Good! I'll see you there, then," she said. "I've +got to get my gear packed." + +"Okay," Wayne said. "Let's be on time, you know how General Scarborough +is." + +She smiled. "Don't worry, Peter. I'll be there. So long for now." + +"Bye, Sherri." He cut the connection, watched the girl's face melt away +into a rainbow-colored diamond of light, and turned away. There were a +lot of things to do before he would be ready to leave Earth for an +interstellar tour of duty. + +He wondered briefly as he started to pack just what was going on. There +was usually much more notice on any big jump of this order. Something +special was up, he thought, as he dragged his duffle-bag out of the +closet. + + * * * * * + +He was at the briefing room at 2158 on the nose. The Interstellar +Exploration Service didn't much go for tardiness, but they didn't pay +extra if you got there a half-hour early. Captain Peter Wayne made it a +point of being at any appointment two minutes early--no more, no less. + +The room was starting to fill up, with men and women Wayne knew well, +had worked with on other expeditions, had lived with since he'd joined +the IES. They looked just as puzzled as he probably did, he saw; they +knew they were being called in on something big, and in the IES big +meant _big_. + +At precisely 2200, Lieutenant General Scarborough emerged from the inner +office, strode briskly up the aisle of the briefing room, and took his +customary stance on the platform in front. His face looked stern, and he +held his hands clasped behind his back. His royal blue uniform was neat +and trim. Over his head, the second hand of the big clock whirled +endlessly. In the silence of the briefing room, it seemed to be ticking +much too loudly. + +The general nodded curtly and said, "Some of you are probably wondering +why the order to report here wasn't more specific. There are two reasons +for that. In the first place, we have reason to believe that we have +found a substantial deposit of double-nucleus beryllium." + +There was a murmur of sound in the briefing room. Wayne felt his heart +starting to pound; D-N beryllium _was_ big. So big that a whole fleet of +IES ships did nothing but search the galaxy for it, full time. + +"Naturally," the general continued, "we don't want any of this +information to leak out, just in case it should prove false. The +prospect of enough D-N beryllium to make fusion power really cheap could +cause a panic if we didn't handle it properly. The Economics Board has +warned us that we'll have to proceed carefully if there actually is a +big deposit on this planet." + +Captain Wayne stared uneasily at Sherri James, who frowned and chewed +her lip. To his left, a short, stubby private named Manetti murmured +worriedly, "That means trouble. D-N beryllium always means trouble. +There's a catch somewhere." + +General Scarborough, on the platform, said, "There's a second reason for +secrecy. I think it can better be explained by a man who has the +evidence first-hand." + +He paused and looked around the room. "Four weeks ago, the Scout Ship +_Mavis_ came back from Fomalhaut V." There was a dead silence in the +briefing room. + +"Lieutenant Jervis, will you tell the crew exactly what happened on +Fomalhaut V?" + + * * * * * + +Lieutenant Jervis stepped forward and took his place on the platform. He +was small and wiry, with a hawk nose and piercingly intense eyes. He +cleared his throat and smiled a little sheepishly. + +"I've told this story so many times that it doesn't even sound real to +me any more. I've told it to the Supreme Senate Space Committee, to half +the top brass in the IES, and to a Board of Physicians from the Medical +Department. + +"As well as I can remember it, it goes something like this." + +Laughter rippled through the room. + +"We orbited around Fomalhaut V for a Scouting Survey," Jervis said. "The +planet is hot and rocky, but it has a breathable atmosphere. The +detectors showed various kinds of metals in the crust, some of them in +commercially feasible concentration. But the crust is so mountainous and +rocky that there aren't very many places to land a ship. + +"Then we picked up the double-nucleus beryllium deposit on our +detectors. Nearby, there was a small, fairly level valley, so we brought +the ship down for a closer check. We wanted to make absolutely positive +that it was double-nucleus beryllium before we made our report." + +He paused, as if arranging the story he wanted to tell in his mind, and +went on. "The D-N beryllium deposit lies at the top of a fairly low +mountain about five miles from the valley. We triangulated it first, and +then we decided we ought to send up a party to get samples of the ore if +it were at all possible. + +"I was chosen to go, along with another member of the crew, a man named +Lee Bellows. We left the ship at about five in the morning, and spent +most of the day climbing up to the spot where we had detected the +beryllium. We couldn't get a sample; the main deposit is located several +feet beneath the surface of the mountaintop, and the mountain is too +rough and rocky to climb without special equipment. We got less than +halfway before we had to stop." + +Wayne felt Sherri nudge him, and turned to nod. He knew what she was +thinking. This was where he came in; it was a job that called for a +specialist, a trained mountaineer--such as Captain Peter Wayne. He +frowned and turned his attention back to the man on the platform. + + * * * * * + +"We made all the readings we could," Jervis continued. "Then we headed +back to our temporary base." + +His face looked troubled. "When we got back, every man at the base was +dead." + +Silence in the room. Complete, utter, deafening silence. + +"There were only nine of us in the ship," Jervis said. He was obviously +still greatly affected by whatever had taken place on Fomalhaut V. "With +seven of us dead, that left only Bellows and myself. We couldn't find +out what had killed them. They were lying scattered over the valley +floor for several yards around the ship. They looked as though they had +suddenly dropped dead at whatever they were doing." + +Peter Wayne made use of his extra few inches of height to glance around +the briefing room. He saw row on row of tense faces--faces that +reflected the same emotions he was feeling. Space exploration was +something still new and mostly unknown, and even the experienced men of +IES still knew fear occasionally. The galaxy was a big place; unknown +terrors lurked on planets unimaginably distant. Every now and then, +something like this would come up--something to give you pause, before +you ventured into space again. + +"We couldn't find out what had killed them," Jervis said again. "They +were lying scattered every which way, with no clues at all." The small +man's fingers were trembling from relived fright. "Bellows and I were +pretty scared, I'll have to admit. We couldn't find a sign of what had +killed the men--they'd just--just _died_." + +There was a quiver in his voice. It was obvious he could never take the +story lightly, no matter how many times he had to tell it. + +Wayne heard Private Manetti mutter, "There's always a price for D-N +beryllium." + +"The Scout Ship hadn't been molested," Jervis went on. "I went inside +and checked it over. It was untouched, undisturbed in every way. I +checked the control panel, the cabins, everything. All unbothered. The +ship was empty and dead. And--outside-- + +"When I came out, Bellows was dead too." He took a deep breath. "I'm +afraid I panicked then. I locked myself inside the ship, set the +autocontrols, and headed back to Earth at top velocity. I set the ship +in an orbit around the moon and notified headquarters. I was quarantined +immediately, of course, to make sure I wasn't carrying anything. The +medics checked me over carefully. I wasn't and am not now carrying any +virus or bacteria unknown to Terrestrial medicine. + +"Since I'm the only one who knows exactly where this valley is, the +general has asked me to guide the _Lord Nelson_ to the exact spot. +Actually, it could be found eventually with the D-N beryllium as a +guide. But the _Mavis_ was in orbit around Fomalhaut V for two weeks +before we found the D-N beryllium deposit, and the Service feels that we +shouldn't waste any time." + +The lieutenant sat down, and General Scarborough resumed his place on +the platform. + + * * * * * + +"That's the situation," Scarborough said bluntly. "You know the setup, +now--and I think some of you see how your specialities are going to fit +into the operation. As Lieutenant Jervis pointed out, we don't know what +killed the crew of the _Mavis_; therefore, we are going to take every +possible precaution. As far as we know, there are no inimical life forms +on Fomalhaut V--but it's possible that there are things we don't know +about, such as airborne viruses that kill in a very short time. If so, +then Lieutenant Jervis is immune to the virus and is not a transmitter +or carrier of it. + +"However, to guard against such a possibility, no one will leave the +_Lord Nelson_, once it has landed, without wearing a spacesuit. The air +is breathable, but we're taking no chances. Also, no one will go out +alone; scouting parties will always be in pairs, with wide open +communication with the ship. And at no time will more than ten percent +of the ship's company be outside at any one time." + +Wayne made a rough mental computation. _The_ Lord Nelson _holds sixty. +That means no more than six out at any single time. They really must be +worried._ + +"Aside from those orders, which were decided on by the Service Command, +you'll be under the direct orders of Colonel Nels Petersen. Colonel +Petersen." + +Petersen was a tall, hard-faced man with a touch of gray at his temples. +He stepped forward and stared intently at the assembled crew. + + * * * * * + +"Our job is to make the preliminary preparations for getting D-N +beryllium out of the crust of Fomalhaut V. We're supposed to stay alive +while we do it. Therefore, our secondary job is to find out what it was +that killed the scouting expedition of the _Mavis_. There are sixty of +us going aboard the _Lord Nelson_ tomorrow, and I'd like to have sixty +aboard when we come back. Got that?" + +He leaned forward, stretched upward on his toes, and smiled +mechanically. "Fine. Now, you all know your jobs, but we're going to +have to work together as a team. We're going to have to correlate our +work so that we'll know what we're doing. So don't think we won't have +anything to do during the two weeks it will take us to get to Fomalhaut +V. We're going to work it as though it were a shakedown cruise. If +anyone doesn't work out, he'll be replaced, even if we have to turn +around and come back to Earth. On a planet which has wiped out a whole +scouting expedition, we can't afford to have any slip-ups. And that +means we can't afford to have anyone aboard who doesn't know what he's +doing or doesn't care. Is that clear?" + +It was. + +"All right," said the colonel. "Let's go out and get acquainted with the +_Lord Nelson_." + + * * * * * + +The briefing session broke up well past midnight, and the group that +shortly would become the crew of the _Lord Nelson_ filtered out of the +building and into the cool spring air. Each man had a fairly good idea +of his job and each man knew the dangers involved. No one had backed +out. + +"What d'ye think of it, Pete?" Sherri James asked, as they left +together. "Sounds pretty mean." + +"I wish we knew what the answers were beforehand," Wayne said. He +glanced down at Sherri. The moon was full, and its rays glinted brightly +off her golden hair. "It's a risky deal, as Petersen said. Nine men go +out, and eight die--of what? Just dead, that's all." + +"It's the way the game goes," Sherri said. "You knew that when you +joined the corps." They turned down the main road of the IES compound +and headed for the snack bar. + +Wayne nodded. "I know, kid. It's a job, and it has to be done. But +nobody likes to walk into an empty planet like that knowing that eight +of the last nine guys who did didn't come back." + +He put his arm around her and they entered the snack bar that way. Most +of the other crew-members were there already; Wayne sensed the +heightening tenseness on their faces. + +"Two nuclear fizzes," he said to the pfc at the bar. "With all the +trimmings." + +"What's the matter, Captain?" said a balding, potbellied major a few +stools down, who was nursing a beer. "How come the soft drinks tonight, +Wayne?" + +Peter grinned. "I'm in training, Major Osborne. Gotta kill the evil +green horde from Rigel Seven, and I don't dare drink anything stronger +than sarsaparilla." + +"How about the amazon, then?" Osborne said, gesturing at Sherri. "Her +too?" + +"Me too," Sherri said. + +Osborne stared at his beer. "You two must be in Scarborough's new +project, then." He squinted at Peter, who nodded almost imperceptibly. + +"You'll need luck," Osborne said. + +"No we won't," Wayne said. "Not luck. We'll need more than just luck to +pull us through." + +The nuclear fizzes arrived. He began to sip it quietly. A few more +members of the crew entered the snack bar. Their faces were drawn +tensely. + +He guzzled the drink and looked up at Sherri, who was sucking down the +last of the soda. "Let's get going, Lieutenant James. The noncoms are +coming, and we don't want them to make nasty remarks about us." + + * * * * * + +The _Lord Nelson_ blasted off the next evening, after a frenzied day of +hurried preparations. The crew of sixty filed solemnly aboard, Colonel +Petersen last, and the great hatch swung closed. + +There was the usual routine loudspeaker-business while everyone quickly +and efficiently strapped into his acceleration cradle, and then the ship +leaped skyward. It climbed rapidly, broke free of Earth's grasp, and, +out past the moon, abruptly winked out of normal space into overdrive. +It would spend the next two weeks in hyperspace, short-cutting across +the galaxy to Fomalhaut V. + +It was a busy two weeks for everyone involved. Captain Peter Wayne, as a +central part of the team, spent much of his time planning his attack. +His job would be the actual climbing of the mountain where the +double-nucleus beryllium was located. It wasn't going to be an easy job; +the terrain was rough, the wind, according to Jervis, whipped ragingly +through the hills, and the jagged peaks thrust into the air like the +teeth of some mythical dragon. + +Study of the three-dimensional aerial photographs taken from the _Mavis_ +showed that the best route was probably up through one end of the +valley, through a narrow pass that led around the mountain, and up the +west slope, which appeared to offer better handholds and was less +perpendicular than the other sides of the mountain. + +This time, the expedition would have the equipment to make the climb. +There were ropes, picks, and crampons, and sets of metamagnetic boots +and grapples. With metamagnetic boots, Wayne thought, they'd be able to +walk up the side of the mountain almost as easily as if it were flat. + +He studied the thick, heavy soles of the boots for a moment, then set to +work polishing. Wayne liked to keep his boots mirror-bright; it wasn't +required, but it was a habit of his nonetheless. + +He set to work vigorously. Everyone aboard the ship was working that +way. Sherri James, who was in charge of the Correlation Section, had +noticed the same thing the day before. Her job was to co-ordinate all +the information from various members of the expedition, run them through +the computers, and record them. She had been busy since blastoff, +testing the computers, checking and rechecking them, being overly +efficient. + +"I know why we're doing it," she said. "It keeps our mind off the end of +the trip. When we spend the whole day working out complicated circuits +for the computers, or polishing mountain boots, or cleaning the jet +tubes, it's just so we don't have to think about Fomalhaut V. It helps +to concentrate on details." + +Wayne nodded and said nothing. Sherri was right. There was one thought +in everyone's mind: what was the deadly secret of the valley? + +There was another thought, after that: + +_Will we find it out in time?_ + + * * * * * + +After two weeks of flight through the vast blackness of interstellar +space, the _Lord Nelson_ came out of overdrive and set itself in an +orbit around Fomalhaut V. Lieutenant Jervis, the sole survivor of the +ill-fated _Mavis_, located the small valley between the giant crags that +covered the planet, and the huge spherical bulk of the spaceship settled +gently to the floor of the valley. + +They were gathered in the central room of the ship ten minutes after the +_all-clear_ rang through the corridors, informing everyone that the +landing had been safely accomplished. From the portholes they could see +the white bones of the _Mavis's_ crew lying on the reddish sand of the +valley bottom. + +"There they are," Jervis said quietly. "Just bones. Those were my +shipmates." + +Wayne saw Sherri repress a shudder. Little heaps of bones lay here and +there on the sand, shining brightly in the hot sun. That was the crew of +the _Mavis_--or what was left of them. + +Colonel Petersen entered the room and confronted the crew. "We're here," +he said. "You know the schedule from now on. No one's to leave the ship +until we've made a check outside, and after that--assuming it's OK to go +out--no more than six are to leave the ship at any one time." + +He pointed to a row of metal magnetic tabs clinging to the wall nearest +the corridor that led to the airlock. "When you go out, take one of +those tabs and touch it on your suit. There are exactly six tabs. If +none are there, don't go out. It's as simple as that." + +Four men in spacesuits entered the room, followed by two others. The +leader of the group saluted. "We're ready, sir," he said. + +"Go out and get a look at the bodies," the colonel told the men, who +were Medical Corpsmen. "You know the procedure. Air and sand samples +too, of course." + +The leader saluted again, turned, and left. Wayne watched the six +spacesuited figures step one at a time to the wall, withdraw one of the +metal tabs, and affix it to the outer skin of his suit. Then they went +outside. + +Captain Wayne and Sherri James stood by one of the portholes and +watched the six medics as they bent over the corpses outside. "I don't +get it, I just don't understand," Wayne said quietly. + + * * * * * + +"What don't you get?" Sherri asked. + +"Those skeletons. Those men have only been dead for two months, and +they've been reduced to nothing but bones already. Even the fabric of +their clothing is gone. Why? There must be something here that causes +human flesh to deteriorate much faster than normal." + +"It does look pretty gruesome," Sherri agreed. "I'm glad we've been +ordered to keep our spacesuits on. I wouldn't want to be exposed to +anything that might be out there." + +"I wonder--" Wayne muttered. + +"What? What's the matter?" + +Wayne pointed to one figure lying on the sand. "See that? What's that +over his head?" + +"Why--it's a space helmet!" + +"Yeah," said Wayne. "The question is: was he wearing just the helmet, or +the whole suit? If he was wearing the whole suit, we're not going to be +as well protected as we thought, even with our fancy suits." + +Fifteen minutes passed slowly before the medics returned, and five +minutes more before they had passed through the decontamination chambers +and were allowed into the ship proper. A ring of tense faces surrounded +them as they made their report. + + * * * * * + +The leader, a tall, bespectacled doctor named Stevelman, was the +spokesman. He shrugged when Colonel Petersen put forth the question +whose answer everyone waited for. + +"I don't know," the medic replied. "I don't know what killed them. +There's dry bones out there, but no sign of anything that might have +done it. It's pretty hard to make a quick diagnosis on a skeleton, +Colonel." + +"What about the one skeleton with the bubble helmet?" Peter Wayne asked. +"Did you see any sign of a full suit on him?" + +Stevelman shook his head. "Not a sign, sir." + +Colonel Petersen turned and glanced at Lieutenant Jervis. "Do you +remember what the circumstances were, Lieutenant?" + +Jervis shrugged. "I don't recall it very clearly, sir. I honestly +couldn't tell you whether they were wearing suits or bubble-helmets or +anything. I was too upset at the time to make careful observations." + +"I understand," Petersen said. + +But the medic had a different theory. He pointed at Jervis and said, +"That's a point I've meant to make, Lieutenant. You're a trained space +scout. Your psychological records show that you're not the sort of man +given to panic or to become confused." + +"Are you implying that there's something improper about my statement, +Dr. Stevelman?" + +The medic held up a hand. "Nothing of the sort, Lieutenant. But since +you're not the sort to panic, even in such a crisis as the complete +destruction of the entire crew of your scout ship, you must have been +ill--partly delirious from fever. Not delirious enough to cause +hallucinations, but just enough to impair your judgment." + +Jervis nodded. "That is possible," he said. + +"Good," said Stevelman. "I have two tentative hypotheses, then." He +turned to the colonel. "Should I state them now, Colonel Petersen?" + +"There's to be no secrecy aboard this ship, Doctor. I want every man and +woman on the ship to know all the facts at all times." + +"Very well," the medic said. "I'd suggest the deaths were caused by some +unknown virus--or, perhaps, by some virulent poison that occurred +occasionally, a poisonous smog of some kind that had settled in the +valley for a time and then dissipated." + +Wayne frowned and shook his head. Both hypotheses made sense. + +"Do you have any suggestions, Doctor?" Petersen said. + +"Since we don't have any direct information about why those men died, +Colonel, I can't make any definite statements. But I can offer one bit +of advice to everyone: _wear your suits and be alert_." + + * * * * * + +During the week that followed, several groups went out without suffering +any ill effects. A short service was held for the eight of the _Mavis_ +and then the skeletons were buried in the valley. + +They ran a check on the double-nucleus beryllium toward the end of the +week, after it had been fairly safely established that no apparent harm +was going to come to them. Wayne and Sherri were both in the crew that +went outside to set up the detector. + +"You man the detector plate," said Major MacDougal, who was in charge of +the group, turning to Wayne. + +He put his hand on the plate and waited for the guide coordinates to be +set. MacDougal fumbled at the base of the detector for a moment, and the +machine began picking up eloptic radiations. + +Wayne now looked down at the detector plate. "Here we are," he said. +"The dial's oscillating between four and eight, all right. The stuff's +here." + +MacDougal whistled gently. "It's really sending, isn't it!" He pointed +toward the mountaintop. "From up there, too. It's going to be a nice +climb. Okay, pack the detector up and let's get back inside." + +They entered the airlock and passed on into the ship. + +"The D-N beryllium up there, sir," Major MacDougal said. "It's going to +be a devil of a job to get up to find the stuff." + +"That's what Captain Wayne's here for," Petersen said. "Captain, what +do you think? Can you get up here?" + +"It would have been easier to bring along a helicopter," Wayne said +wryly. "Pity the things don't fit into spaceships. But I think I can get +up there. I'd like to try surveying the lay of the land, first. I want +to know all the possible routes before I start climbing." + +"Good idea," Petersen said. "I'll send you out with three men to do some +preliminary exploring. Boggs! Manetti! MacPherson! Suit up and get with +it!" + + * * * * * + +Wayne strode toward the spacesuit locker, took out his suit, and donned +it. Instead of the normal space boots, he put on the special +metamagnetic boots for mountain climbing. The little reactors in the +back of the calf activated the thick metal sole of each boot so that it +would cling tightly to the metallic rock of the mountain. Unlike +ordinary magnetism, the metamagnetic field acted on all metals, even +when they were in combination with other elements. + +His team of three stood before him in the airlock room. He knew all +three of them fairly well from Earthside; they were capable, +level-headed men, and at least one--Boggs--had already been out in the +valley surveying once, and so knew the area pretty well. + +He pulled on the boots and looked up. "We're not going to climb the +mountain this time, men. We'll just take a look around it to decide +which is the best way." + +"You have any ideas, sir?" Sergeant Boggs asked. + +"From looking at the photographs, I'd guess that the western approach is +the best. But I may be wrong. Little details are hard to see from five +hundred miles up, even with the best of instruments, and there may be +things in our way that will make the west slope impassible. If so, we'll +try the southern side. It looks pretty steep, but it also seems rough +enough to offer plenty of handholds." + +"Too bad we couldn't have had that helicopter you were talking about," +said Boggs. + +Wayne grinned. "With these winds? They'd smash us against the side of +the mountain before we'd get up fifty feet. You ought to know, +Sergeant--you've been out in them once already." + +"They're not so bad down in this valley, sir," Boggs said. "The only +time you really notice them is when you climb the escarpment at the +northern end. They get pretty rough up there." + +Wayne nodded. "You can see what kind of a job we'll have. Even with +metamagnetic boots and grapples, we'll still have to use the old +standbys." He looked at the men. "Okay; we're all ready. Let's go." + +They unhooked four of the six tabs from the wall and donned them. Then +they moved on into the airlock and closed the inner door. The air was +pumped out, just as though the ship were in space or on a planet with a +poisonous atmosphere. As far as anyone knew, the atmosphere of Fomalhaut +V actually was poisonous. Some of the tension had relaxed after a week +spent in safety, but there was always the first expedition to consider; +no one took chances. + +When all the air had been removed, a bleeder valve allowed the outer air +to come into the chamber. Then the outer door opened, and the four men +went down the ladder to the valley floor. + + * * * * * + +Wayne led the way across the sand in silence. The four men made their +way toward the slope on the western side of the valley. Overhead, the +bright globe of Fomalhaut shed its orange light over the rugged +landscape. + +When they reached the beginning of the slope, Wayne stopped and looked +upwards. "Doesn't look easy," he grunted. "Damned rough hill, matter of +fact. MacPherson, do you think you could make it to the top?" + +Corporal MacPherson was a small, wiry man who had the reputation of +being a first-rank mountaineer. He had been a member of the eighteenth +Mount Everest Party, and had been the second of that party to reach the +summit of the towering peak. + +"Sure I can, sir," he said confidently. "Shall I take the rope?" + +"Go ahead. You and Manetti get the rope to the top, and Sergeant Boggs +and I will follow up." + +"Righto, sir." + +Corporal MacPherson reached his gloved hands forward and contracted his +fingers. The tiny microswitches in his gloves actuated the relays, and +his hands clung to the rock. Then he put his boots against the wall and +began to move up the steep escarpment. + +Private Manetti followed after him. The two men were lashed together by +the light plastisteel cable. The sergeant held the end of the cable in +his hands, waiting for the coil to be paid out. + +Wayne watched the two men climb, while a chill wind whipped down out of +the mountains and raised the sand in the valley. It was less than eighty +feet to the precipice edge above, but it was almost perpendicular, and +as they climbed, the buffeting winds began to press against their bodies +with ever-increasing force. + +They reached the top and secured the rope, and then they peered over the +edge and signalled that Wayne and the sergeant should start up. + +"We're coming," Wayne shouted, and returned the signal. It was at that +instant that he felt something slam against the sole of his heavy +metamagnetic boot. It was as though something had kicked him savagely on +the sole of his right foot. + +He winced sharply at the impact. Then, somewhat puzzled he looked down +at the boot. He felt something move under the sand. He tried to step +back, and almost tripped. It was as though his right foot were stuck +firmly to the sand! + +He pushed himself back, and with a tremendous heave managed to pull +himself free. He braced his body against the cliff, lifted his foot, and +looked at it. + +Hanging from his boot sole was one of the ugliest monstrosities he had +ever seen, unusually grotesque. + + * * * * * + +It was about the size and shape of a regulation football, and was +covered with a wrinkled, reddish hide. At one end was a bright red gash +of a mouth studded with greenish, gnashing teeth. From the other end of +the creature's body protruded a long, needle-like projection which had +imbedded itself in the metal sole of Wayne's boot. + +"Good God! If I'd been wearing ordinary boots, that thing would have +stuck clear into my foot!" + +He hefted the weighted pick with one hand and swung, catching the +monster with the point. It sank in and ripped through the creature, +spilling red-orange blood over the sand. Shuddering a little, Wayne put +his other foot on the dead thing and pulled his right boot free of the +needle beak. + +He started to say something, but he had a sudden premonition that made +him look up in time. Sergeant Boggs put both hands against the +Captain's shoulder and pushed. + +"What the hell?" Wayne asked in surprise as he felt the shove. He almost +fell to the sand, but he had had just enough warning to allow him to +keep his balance. He put out a foot and staggered wildly. + +A sudden strange noise caused him to turn and look back. Five needles +were jabbing viciously up out of the sand in the spot where he would +have fallen. + +"You out of your head, Boggs?" he started to ask--but before the last +word was out of his mouth, the sergeant charged in madly and tried to +push him over again. He was fighting like a man gone berserk--which he +was. + +Wayne grabbed him by the wrist and flipped him desperately aside. The +sergeant fell, sprawled out for a moment on the sand, then bounced to +his feet again. His eyes were alight with a strange, terrifying flame. + +Silently, he leaped for Wayne. The captain slammed his fist forward, +sending it crashing into Boggs's midsection. The sergeant came back with +a jab to the stomach that pushed Wayne backward. Again the deadly +needles flicked up from the ground, but they did not strike home. + +Wayne gasped for breath and reached out for Boggs. Boggs leaped on him, +trying to push Wayne down where the beaks could get to him. Wayne +sidestepped, threw Boggs off balance, and clubbed down hard with his +fist. + +Boggs wandered dizzily for a second before Wayne's other fist came +blasting in, knocking the breath out of him. A third blow, and the +sergeant collapsed on the sand. + +Wayne paused and caught his breath. The sergeant remained unconscious. +Wayne shook his head uncertainly, wondering what had come over the +mild-mannered Boggs. A chilling thought struck him: _was this what +happened to the crew of the Mavis?_ + + * * * * * + +He looked up the cliff, where the other two men were still peering over +the edge. + +"MacPherson! Manetti! Come down! We're going back to the ship!" + +He heaved the unconscious body of Sergeant Boggs over his shoulder like +a potato-sack, and waited for the two men to come down. They drew near. + +"Boggs must have gone out of his head," Wayne said. "He jumped me like +a madman." + +They had nothing to say, so he turned and began to trudge back to the +_Lord Nelson_, trying to assemble the facts in his mind. They followed +alongside. + +What was behind the attack? After seeing the monster, why had Boggs +attempted to push his superior officer over into the sand? There were +other little beasts under that sand; why would Boggs want one of +them--there seemed to be dozens--to jab him with its needle of a beak? + +And what were the beastly little animals, anyway? + +There were no answers. But the answers would have to come, soon. + +He tossed Boggs into the airlock and waited for the others to catch up. +They climbed up the ladder and said nothing as the airlock went through +its cycle and the antibacterial spray covered them. + + * * * * * + +Colonel Petersen looked at him across the desk and put the palms of his +hands together. "Then, as I understand it, Captain, Sergeant Boggs tried +to push you over into the sand when this--ah--_monster_ jabbed you in +the foot?" + +"That's right, sir," Wayne said. He felt uncomfortable. This wasn't a +formal court-martial; it was simply an inquiry into the sergeant's +actions. Charges would be preferred later, if there were any to be +preferred. + +Sergeant Boggs stood stolidly on the far side of the room. A livid +bruise along his jaw testified to the struggle that had taken place. One +eye was puffed, and his expression was an unhappy one. Near him, +MacPherson and Private Manetti stood stiffly at attention. + +The colonel looked at Boggs. "What's your side of the story, Sergeant?" + +The non-com's face didn't change. "Sir, the captain's statement isn't +true." + +"_What's that?_" Wayne asked angrily. + +"Quiet, Captain," Petersen said. "Go ahead, Boggs." + +The sergeant licked his bruised lips. "I was about to start up the rope +when, for no reason at all, he struck me in the stomach. Then he hit me +again a few more times, and I passed out." + +"Did he say anything when he did this?" the Colonel asked. + +"No, sir." + +Wayne frowned. What was the sergeant trying to do? What the devil was he +up to? + +"Corporal MacPherson," the colonel said, "Did you witness the fight?" + +"Yes, sir," the small man said, stepping a pace forward. + +"Describe it." + +"Well, sir, we were up on top of the cliff, and we called--or rather, +_I_ called for the captain and the sergeant to come on up. Sergeant +Boggs took a hold of the rope and then the captain hit him in the belly, +sir. He hit him twice more and the sergeant fell down. Then the captain +told us to come down, which we did, sir. That was all." He gestured with +his hands to indicate he had no more to say. + +Wayne could hardly believe his ears. Making an effort, he managed to +restrain himself. + +"Private Manetti, do you have anything to add to that?" the colonel +asked. + +"No, sir. It happened just like that, sir. We both seen the entire +thing. That's the way it happened. The captain hauled off and let him +have it." + +The colonel swivelled around and let his cold eyes rest on Wayne. +"Captain, you have stated that Sergeant Boggs did not talk to either of +these two men after you struck him. That eliminates any collusion." + +"Yes, sir," Wayne said stonily. + +"I talked to both men separately, and they tell substantially the same +story. The records of all three of these men are excellent. The sergeant +claims he never saw any monster of the type you describe, and the group +I sent out to check says that there is no body of any alien animal +anywhere near the spot. How do you explain the discrepancies between +your story and theirs?" + + * * * * * + +Wayne glared angrily at the three men. "They're lying, sir," he said +evenly. "I don't know why they're doing it. The whole thing took place +exactly as I told you." + +"I find that very difficult to believe, Captain." + +"Is that a formal accusation, sir?" + +Petersen shrugged and rubbed his hands against his iron-grey temples. +"Captain," he said finally, "you have a very fine record. You have never +before been known to strike an enlisted man for any cause whatever. I +hold that in your favor." + +"Thank you, sir." + +"On the other hand, the evidence here definitely indicates that your +story is not quite true. Now, we know that Lieutenant Jervis acted +peculiarly after the crew of the _Mavis_ met its mysterious end, and the +Medical Corps thinks that whatever is causing the deaths could also +cause mental confusion. Therefore, I am remanding you to the custody of +the Medical Corps for observation. You'll be kept in close confinement +until this thing is cleared up." + +Wayne frowned bitterly. "Yes, sir," he said. + + * * * * * + +Peter Wayne sat in his cell in the hospital sector and stared at the +wall in confusion. What in blazes was going on? What possible motive +would three enlisted men have to frame him in this way? It didn't make +any sense. + +Was it possible that he really _had_ gone off his rocker? Had he +imagined the little beast under the sand? + +He lifted his foot and looked again at the sole. There it was: a little +pit about an eighth of an inch deep. + +The colonel had explained it away easily enough, saying that he might +possibly have stepped on a sharp rock. Wayne shook his head. He knew he +wasn't nuts. But what the hell was going on? + +There were no answers. But he knew that the eventual answer, when it +came, would have something to do with the mystery of the _Mavis's_ eight +corpses. + +It was late that afternoon when Sherri James came storming into the +hospital sector. She was wearing a spacesuit, and she was brandishing a +pass countersigned by Colonel Petersen himself. She was determined to +enter. + +"The medics didn't want to let me in," she explained. "But I told them +I'd wear a spacesuit if it would make them any happier." + +"Sherri! What the devil are you doing here?" + +"I just wanted to check on you," she said. Her voice sounded oddly +distorted coming over the speaker in the helmet. "You're supposed to +have blown your wig or something. Did you?" + +"No. Of course not." + +"I didn't think so." She unscrewed her helmet quickly. "Listen, Peter, +there's something funny going on aboard this ship." + +"I've known that a long time," he said. + +"I think Boggs and those other two are trying to frame you," she said, +her voice low. "Do you know of anyone aboard named Masters?" + +"Masters?" Wayne repeated. "Not that I know of--why?" + +"Well, I overheard Boggs talking to one of the other men. I didn't hear +very clearly, but it sounded as though he said: 'We've got to get Moore +out and turn him over to Masters.' Bill Moore is one of my +computermen--tall, skinny fellow." + +Wayne nodded, frowning. "Yeah, but who is Masters? This is the queerest +thing I ever heard of." + +Footsteps sounded in the corridor outside. + +"Better put your helmet on," Wayne advised. "Whoever's coming might not +like to see you this way." + +Quickly, she slipped the helmet back on. "I don't know what's going on," +she said. "But I intend to find out." + + * * * * * + +One of the medics entered the cell without knocking and came up to +Sherri. "You'll have to go now, Lieutenant," he said. "We're going to +perform some tests on the captain now." + +Sherri bristled. "Tests? What kind of tests?" + +"Nothing very serious," the medic said. "Just a routine checkup to +clarify some points we're interested in." + +"All right," Sherri said. "You won't find anything the matter with +him." She left. + +"Come with me, Captain," said the medic politely. He unlocked the cell +door and, equally politely, drew a needle-beam pistol. "Don't try +anything, please, sir. I have my orders." + +Silently, Wayne followed the medic into the lab. Several other medics +were standing around watching him, with Stevelman, the head man, in the +back. + +"Over this way, Captain," Stevelman called. + +There was a box sitting on a table in the middle of the room. It was +full of sand. + +"Give me your hand, please, Captain," the medic said tonelessly. + +In a sudden flash of insight, Wayne realized what was in the box. He +thought fast but moved slowly. He held out his hand, but just as the +medic took it, he twisted suddenly away. + +His hand flashed out and grasped the other's wrist in a steely grip. The +medic's fingers tightened on the needle-beam, and managed to pull the +trigger. A bright beam flared briefly against the lab's plastalloy +floor, doing nothing but scorching it slightly. Wayne's other hand +balled into a fist and came up hard against the medic's jaw. + +He grabbed the needle-beam pistol from the collapsing man's limp hand +and had the other three men covered before the slugged medic had +finished sagging to the floor. + +"All of you! Raise your hands!" + +They paid no attention to him. Instead of standing where they were, they +began to move toward him. Wayne swore and, with a quick flip of his +thumb, turned the beam down to low power and pulled the trigger three +times in quick succession. + +The three men fell as though they'd been pole-axed, knocked out by the +low-power beam. + +"The whole ship's gone crazy," he murmured softly, looking at the three +men slumped together on the lab floor. "Stark, staring, raving nuts." + +He took one step and someone jumped him from behind. The needle-beam +pistol spun from his hand and slithered across the floor as Wayne fell +under the impact of the heavy body. Apparently the whole Medical Corps +was out to knock him down today. + +He twisted rapidly as an arm encircled his neck, and rammed an elbow +into the newcomer's midsection. Then he jerked his head back, smashing +the back of his skull into his opponent's nose. + +The hold around his neck weakened, and Wayne tore himself loose from the +other's grasp. He jumped to his feet, but the other man was a long way +from being unconscious. A stinging right smashed into Wayne's mouth, and +he felt the taste of blood. Hastily he wiped the trickle away with the +back of his hand. + +With his nose pouring blood, Wayne's antagonist charged in. His eyes +burned with the strange flame that had been gleaming in Boggs's face out +on the desert in the valley. He ploughed into Wayne's stomach with a +savage blow that rocked Wayne back. + +He grunted and drove back with a flurry of blows. The other aimed a wild +blow at Wayne's head; Wayne seized the wrist as the arm flew past his +ear, and twisted, hard. The medic flipped through the air and came to +rest against the wall with a brief crunching impact. He moaned and then +lapsed into silence. + + * * * * * + +Quickly, Wayne grabbed the gun off the floor and planted his back to the +wall, looking around for new antagonists. But there was evidently no one +left who cared to tangle with him, and the four medics strewn out on +the floor didn't seem to have much fight left in them. + +Wayne crossed the room in a couple of strides and bolted the door. Then +he walked over to the box of sand. If it contained what he suspected-- + +He stepped over to the lab bench and picked out a long steel support rod +from the equipment drawer. He placed the rod gently against the sand, +and pushed downward, hard. There was a tinny scream, and a six-inch +needle shot up instantly through the surface. + +"Just what I thought," Wayne murmured. "Can you talk, you nasty little +brute?" He prodded into the sand--more viciously this time. There was a +flurry of sand, and the football-shaped thing came to the surface, +clashing its teeth and screaming shrilly. + +Wayne cursed. Then he turned the needle gun back up to full power and +calmly burned the thing to a crisp. An odor of singed flesh drifted up +from the ashes on the sand. + + * * * * * + +He stooped and fumbled in Stevelman's pocket, pulling out a ring of +keys. + +"They better be the right ones," he told the unconscious medic. +Holstering the needle gun, he walked over to the medical stores cabinet, +hoping that the things he needed would be inside. He knew exactly what +he was facing now, and what he would have to do. + +He checked over the labels, peering through the neatly-arranged racks +for the substance he was searching for. + +Finally he picked a large plastine container filled with a white, +crystalline powder. Then he selected a couple of bottles filled with a +clear, faintly yellow liquid, and took a hypodermic gun from the rack. +He relocked the cabinet. + +Suddenly a knock sounded. He stiffened, sucked in his breath, and turned +to face the door. + +"Who's there?" he asked cautiously, trying to counterfeit Stevelman's +voice. + +"Harrenburg," said a rumbling voice. "I'm on guard duty. Heard some +noise coming from in there a while back, and thought I'd look in. +Everything all right, Dr. Stevelman? I mean--" + +"Everything's fine, Harrenburg," Wayne said, imitating the medic's thin, +dry voice. "We're running some tests on Captain Wayne. They're pretty +complicated affairs, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't interrupt +again." + +"Sure, sir," the guard said. "Just a routine check, sir. Colonel +Petersen's orders. Sorry if I've caused any trouble, sir." + +"That's all right," Wayne said. "Just go away and let us continue, will +you?" + +There was the sound of the guard's footsteps retreating down the +corridor. Wayne counted to ten and turned back to the things he had +taken from the cabinet. + +The bottles of liquid and the hypo gun went into his belt pouch. He +tucked the big bottle of white powder under his left arm and cautiously +unbolted and opened the door. There was no sign of anyone in the +corridor. _Good_, he thought. It was a lucky thing Harrenburg had +blundered along just then, and not two minutes later. + +He stepped outside the Medic Section and locked the door behind him with +the key he'd taken from Stevelman. After turning the needle gun back to +low power again in order to keep from killing anyone, he started on +tiptoe toward the stairway that led into the bowels of the ship. + +After about ten paces, he saw a shadow on the stairway, and cowered in a +dark recess while two crewmen passed, talking volubly. Once they were +gone, he came out and continued on his way. + +It took quite a while to get where he was going, since it involved +hiding and ducking two or three more times along the way, but he finally +reached the big compartment where the water repurifiers were. He climbed +up the ladder to the top of the reserve tank, opened the hatch, and +emptied the contents of the jar into the ship's water supply. + +"That ought to do it," he said to himself. Smiling, he carefully smashed +the jar and dropped the fragments down the waste chute. He surveyed his +handiwork for a moment, then turned and headed back. + +He hadn't been seen going down, and he didn't want to be seen going out. +If anyone even suspected that he had tampered with the water supply, all +they would have to do would be to run the water through the purifiers. +That would undo everything Wayne had been carefully preparing. + + * * * * * + +He made his way safely back up to the main deck and headed through the +quiet ship toward the airlock. He wasn't so lucky this time; a guard saw +him. + +"Where you goin', Captain?" the guard demanded, starting to lift his +gun. "Seems to me you ought to be in the brig, and--" + +Wayne made no reply. He brought his gun up in a rapid motion and beamed +the man down. The guard toppled, a hurt expression on his face. + +Wayne raced to the airlock. He didn't bother with a spacesuit--not +_now_, when he knew that the air was perfectly harmless outside. He +opened the inner door, closed it, and opened the outer door. + +Then, grinning gleefully, he pressed the button that would start the +pumping cycle. The outer door started to close automatically, and Wayne +just barely managed to get outside and onto the ladder before it clanged +shut. As soon as the great hatch had sealed itself, the pumps started +exhausting the air from the airlock. No one could open the doors until +the pumping cycle was over. + +He climbed down the ladder and began walking over toward the western +wall. He would have to keep away from the ship for a while, and the +rocks were as good a place as any to hide out. + + * * * * * + +It was dark. Fomalhaut had set, leaving the moonless planet in utter +blackness, broken only by the cold gleam of the stars. The lights +streaming from the portholes of the _Lord Nelson_ gave a small degree of +illumination to the valley. + +The valley. It was spread out before him, calm and peaceful, rippling +dunes of sand curling out toward the mountains. The valley, he knew, was +a betrayer--calm and quiet above, alive with an army of hideous vermin a +few feet below its surface. + +He started to walk, and moistened his lips. He knew he was going to get +awfully thirsty in the next few hours, but there was not the slightest +help for it. There hadn't been any way to carry water from the ship. + +"I can wait," he told himself. He stared back at the circular bulk of +the _Lord Nelson_ behind him, and his fingers trembled a little. He had +known, when he joined the Corps, that space was full of traps like this +one--but this was the first time he had actually experienced anything +like this. It was foul. + +Something slammed into his boot sole, and this time Wayne knew what it +was. + +"Persistent, aren't you!" He jerked his foot up. This monster hadn't +stuck as the other one had, but he saw the tip of the needle-beak +thrashing around wildly in the loose sand. Wayne thumbed the gun up to +full power, and there was a piercing shriek as the gun burned into the +sand. There was a sharp shrill sound, and the odor of something burning. +He spat. + +The little beasts must be all over the floor of the valley! Scurrying +frantically, like blood-red giant crabs, sidling up and down beneath the +valley, searching upward for things to strike at. How they must hate his +metamagnetic boots, he thought! + +He kept on walking, expecting to feel the impact of another thrust +momentarily, but he was not molested again. _They must be getting wise_, +he thought. _They know they can't get through my boots, and so they're +leaving me alone. That way they don't call attention to themselves._ + +A new, more chilling question struck him: + +_Just how smart are they?_ + +He had made it to the wall and was climbing up the treacherous slope +when the airlock door opened, and someone stood outlined in the bright +circle of light that cut into the inky blackness. An amplified voice +filled the valley and ricocheted back off the walls of the mountains, +casting eerie echoes down on the lone man on the desert. + +"CAPTAIN WAYNE! THIS IS COLONEL PETERSEN SPEAKING. DON'T YOU REALIZE +THAT YOU'RE A SICK MAN? YOU MAY DIE OUT THERE. COME BACK. THAT'S AN +ORDER, CAPTAIN. REPEAT: COME BACK. THAT'S AN ORDER!" + +"I'm afraid an order from you just doesn't hold much weight for me right +now, Colonel," Wayne said quietly, to himself. Silently he went on +climbing the escarpment, digging into the rough rock. + +He kept on climbing until he found the niche for which he had been +heading. He dragged himself in and sat down, as comfortably as possible. +He began to wait. + + * * * * * + +Dawn came in less than three hours, as Fomalhaut burst up over the +horizon and exploded in radiance over the valley. With dawn came a +patrol of men, slinking surreptitiously across the valley, probably with +orders to bring him in. Wayne was ensconced comfortably in his little +rock niche, hidden from the men in the valley below, but with a perfect +view of everything that went on. The wind whistled around the cliffs, +ceaselessly moaning a tuneless song. He felt like standing up and +shouting wildly, "Here I am! Here I am!" but he repressed the perverse +urge. + +The patrol group stood in a small clump in the valley below, seemingly +waiting for something. Moments passed, and then it became apparent what +that something was. Hollingwood, the metallurgist, appeared, dragging +with him the detector. They were going to look for Captain Wayne with +it, just as they had searched out the double-nucleus beryllium. + +Wayne frowned. It was a possibility he hadn't thought about. They could +easily detect the metal in his boots! And he didn't dare take them off; +he'd never make it back across that hellish stretch of sand without +them. He glanced uneasily at his watch. _How much longer do I have to +keep evading them?_ he wondered. It was a wearing task. + +It looked as though it would be much too long. + +The muzzle of the detector began to swing back and forth slowly and +precisely, covering the valley inch by inch. He heard their whispered +consultations drifting up from below, though he couldn't make out what +they were saying. + + * * * * * + +They finished with the valley, evidently concluding he wasn't there, and +started searching the walls. Wayne decided it was time to get out while +the getting was good. He crawled slowly out of the niche and wriggled +along the escarpment, heading south, keeping low so the men in the +valley wouldn't see him. + +Unfortunately, he couldn't see them either. He kept moving, hoping they +wouldn't spot him with the detector. He wished he had the metamagnetic +hand grapples with him. For one thing, the sharp rock outcroppings +sliced his hands like so much meat. For another, he could have dropped +the grapples somewhere as a decoy. + +_Oh, well, you can't think of everything_, Wayne told himself. He +glanced at his watch. How long was it going to take? + +He heard the scrape of boot leather on a rock somewhere ahead of him. He +glanced up sharply, seeing nothing, and scowled. They had spotted him. + +They were laying a trap. + +Cautiously, he climbed over a huge boulder, making no sound. There was +one man standing behind it, waiting, apparently, for Wayne to step +around into view. He peered down, trying to see who it was. It seemed to +be Hollingwood, the dignified, austere metallurgist. + +Wayne smiled grimly, picked up a heavy rock, and dropped it straight +down, square on the man's helmet. The plexalloy rang like a bell through +the clear early-morning air, and the man dropped to his knees, dazed by +the shock. + + * * * * * + +Knowing he had just a moment to finish the job, Wayne pushed off against +the side of the rock and plummeted down, landing neatly on the +metallurgist's shoulders. The man reeled and fell flat. Wayne spun him +over and delivered a hard punch to the solar plexus. "Sorry, Dave," he +said softly. The metallurgist gasped and curled up in a tight ball. +Wayne stood up. It was brutal, but it was the only place you could hit a +man wearing a space helmet. + +_One down_, Wayne thought. _Fifty-eight to go._ He was alone against the +crew--and, for all he knew, against all fifty-nine of them. + +Hollingwood groaned and stretched. Wayne bent and, for good measure, +took off the man's helmet and tapped him none too gently on the skull. + +There was the sound of footsteps, the harsh _chitch-chitch_ of feet +against the rock. "He's up that way," he heard a deep voice boom. + +That meant the others had heard the rock hitting Hollingwood's plexalloy +helmet. They were coming toward him. + +Wayne sprang back defensively and glanced around. He hoped there were +only five of them, that the rule of six was still being maintained. +Otherwise things could become really complicated, as they hunted him +relentlessly through the twisted gulleys. + +He hated to have to knock out too many of the men; it just meant more +trouble later. Still, there was no help for it, if he wanted there to be +any later. He thought of the bleached bones of the crew of the _Mavis_, +and shuddered. + +It was something of an advantage not to be wearing a helmet. Even with +the best of acoustical systems, hearing inside a helmet tended to be +distorted and dimmed. The men couldn't hear him as well as he could hear +them. And since they couldn't hear themselves too well, they made a +little more noise than he did. + +A space boot came into view around a big rock, and Wayne aimed his +needle-beam at the spot where the man's head would appear. + +When the head came around the rock, Wayne fired. The man dropped +instantly. _Sorry, friend_, Wayne apologized mentally. _Two down. +Fifty-seven to go._ The odds were still pretty heavy. + +He knew he had to move quickly now; the others had seen the man drop, +and by now they should have a pretty good idea exactly where Wayne was. + +He picked up a rock and lobbed it over a nearby boulder, then started +moving cat-like in the other direction. He climbed up onto another +boulder and watched two men move away from him. They were stepping +warily, their beam guns in their hands. Wayne wiped away a bead of +perspiration, aimed carefully, and squeezed the firing stud twice. + +_Four down. Fifty-five to go._ + + * * * * * + +A moment later, something hissed near his ear. Without waiting, he spun +and rolled off the boulder, landing cat-like on his feet. Another +crewman was standing on top of a nearby boulder. Wayne began to sweat; +this pursuit seemed to be indefinitely prolonged, and it was beginning +to look unlikely that he could avoid them forever. + +He had dropped his pistol during the fall; it was wedged between a +couple of rocks several feet away. + +He heard someone call: "I got him. He fell off the rock. We'll take him +back down below." + +Then another voice--ominously. "He won't mind. He'll be glad we did it +for him--afterwards." + +"I'll go get him," said the first voice. The man stepped around the side +of the boulder--just in time to have a hard-pitched rock come thunking +into his midsection. + +"Oof!" he grunted, took a couple of steps backwards, and collapsed. + +_Five down. Fifty-four to go._ It could go on forever this way. + +"What's the matter?" asked the man who had replied to the first one with +those chilling words. + +"Nothing," said Wayne, in a fair imitation of the prostrate crewman's +voice. "He's heavy. Come help me." + +Then he reached down and picked up the fallen man's beam gun. He took +careful aim. + +When the sixth man stepped around the rock, he fired. The beam went +wide of the mark, slowing the other down, and Wayne charged forward. He +pounded two swift punches into the amazed crewman, who responded with a +woozy, wild blow. Wayne ducked and let the fist glide past his ear, then +came in hard with a solid body-blow and let the man sag to the ground. +He took a deep breath. + +_Six down and only fifty-three to go._ + + * * * * * + +He crawled back to the edge of the precipice and peered down into the +valley. There was no one to be seen. It was obvious that Colonel +Petersen was still enforcing the six-man rule. + +As he watched, he saw the airlock door open. A spacesuited figure +scrambled down the ladder and sprinted across the deadly sand of the +valley floor. + +It was Sherri! Wayne held his breath, expecting at any moment that one +of the little monsters beneath the sand would sink its vicious needle +upward into Sherri's foot. But her stride never faltered. + +As she neared the precipice, another figure appeared at the airlock door +and took aim with a gun. + +Wayne thumbed his own needle-beam pistol up to full and fired hastily +at the distant figure. At that distance, even the full beam would only +stun. The figure collapsed backwards into the airlock, and Wayne grinned +in satisfaction. + +_Seven down. Fifty-two to go._ + +He kept an eye on the airlock door and a finger on his firing stud, +waiting to see if anyone else would come out. No one else did. + +As soon as Sherri was safely up to the top of the precipice, Wayne ran +to meet her. + +"Sherri! What the devil did you come out here for?" + +"I had to see you," she said, panting for breath. "If you'll come back +to the ship before they beam you down, we can prove to Colonel Petersen +that you're all right. We can show them that the Masters--" + +She realized suddenly what she said and uttered a little gasp. She had +her pistol out before the surprised Wayne could move. + +He stared coldly at the pistol, thinking bitterly that this was a hell +of a way for it all to finish. "So they got you too," he said. "That +little display at the airlock was a phony. You were sent out here to +lure me back into the ship. Just another Judas." + +She nodded slowly. "That's right," she said. "We all have to go to the +Masters. It is--it--is--is--" + +Her eyes glazed, and she swayed on her feet. The pistol wavered and +swung in a feeble spiral, no longer pointed at Wayne. Gently, he took it +from her nerveless fingers and caught her supple body as she fell. + +He wiped his forehead dry. Up above, the sun was climbing toward the top +of the sky, and its beams raked the planet below, pouring down heat. + + * * * * * + +He glanced at his wristwatch while waiting for his nerves to stop +tingling. Sherri must have been the last one--the drug must have taken +effect at last, and not a moment too soon. He decided to wait another +half hour before he tried to get into the spaceship, just the same. + +The huge globe of the _Lord Nelson_ stood forlornly in the center of the +valley. The airlock door stayed open; no one tried to close it. + +Wayne's mouth was growing dry; his tongue felt like sandpaper. +Nevertheless, he forced himself to sit quietly, watching the ship +closely for the full half hour, before he picked up Sherri, tied his +rope around her waist, and lowered her to the valley floor. Then he +wandered around the rocks, collecting the six unconscious men, and did +the same for them. + +He carried them all, one by one, across the sand, burning a path before +him with the needle beam. + +Long before he had finished his task, the sand was churning loathsomely +with the needles of hundreds and thousands of the monstrous little +beasts. They were trying frantically to bring down the being that was so +effectively thwarting their plans, jabbing viciously with their upthrust +beaks. The expanse of sand that was the valley looked like a pincushion, +with the writhing needles ploughing through the ground one after +another. Wayne kept the orifice of his beam pistol hot as he cut his way +back and forth from the base of the cliff to the ship. + +When he had dumped the seven unconscious ones all inside the airlock, he +closed the outer door and opened the inner one. There was not a sound +from within. + +_Fifty-nine down_, he thought, _and none to go_. + +He entered the ship and dashed down the winding staircase to the water +purifiers to change the water in the reservoir tanks. Thirsty as he +was, he was not going to take a drink until the water had been cleared +of the knockout drug he had dropped into the tanks. + +After that came the laborious job of getting everyone in the ship +strapped into their bunks for the takeoff. It took the better part of an +hour to get all sixty of them up--they had fallen all over the ship--and +nestled in the acceleration cradles. When the job was done, he went to +the main control room and set the autopilot to lift the spaceship high +into the ionosphere. + +Then, sighting carefully on the valley far below, he dropped a flare +bomb. + +"Goodbye, little monsters," he said exultantly. + +For a short space of time, nothing happened. Then the viewplate was +filled with a deadly blue-white glare. Unlike an ordinary atomic bomb, +the flare bomb would not explode violently; it simply burned, sending +out a brilliant flare of deadly radiation that would crisp all life +dozens of feet below the ground. + +He watched the radiation blazing below. Then it began to die down, and +when the glare cleared away, all was quiet below. + +The valley was dead. + +When it was all over, Wayne took the hypodermic gun from his pouch, +filled it with the anti-hypnotic drug that he had taken from the medical +cabinet, and began to make his rounds. He fired a shot into each and +every one aboard. He had no way of knowing who had been injected by the +small monsters and who had not, so he was taking no chances. + +Then he went to the colonel's room. He wanted to be there when the +Commanding Officer awoke. + + * * * * * + +The entire crew of the _Lord Nelson_ was gathered in the big mess hall. +Wayne stared down at the tired, frightened faces of the puzzled people +looking up at him, and continued his explanation. + +"Those of you who were under the control of the monsters know what it +was like. They had the ability to inject a hypnotic drug into a human +being through a normal space boot with those stingers of theirs. The +drug takes effect so fast that the victim hardly has any idea of what +has happened to him." + +"But why do they do it?" It was Hollingwood, the metallurgist, looking +unhappy with a tremendous bruise on his head where Wayne had clobbered +him. + +"Why does a wasp sting a spider? It doesn't kill the spider, it simply +stuns it. That way, the spider remains alive and fresh so that young +wasps can feed upon it at their leisure." + +Wayne glanced over to his right. "Lieutenant Jervis, you've been under +the effect of the drug longer than any of us. Would you explain what +_really_ happened when the _Mavis_ landed?" + +The young officer stood up. He was pale and shaken, but his voice was +clear and steady. + +"Just about the same thing that almost happened here," Jervis said. "We +all walked around the valley floor and got stung one at a time. The +things did it so quietly that none of us knew what was going on until we +got hit ourselves. When we had all been enslaved, we were ready to do +their bidding. They can't talk, but they can communicate by means of +nerve messages when that needle is stuck into you." + +Nearly half the crew nodded in sympathy. Wayne studied them, wondering +what it must have been like. They _knew_; he could only guess. + +"Naturally," Jervis went on, "those who have already been injected with +the drug try to get others injected. When everyone aboard the _Mavis_ +had been stung, they ordered me to take the ship home and get another +load of Earthmen. Apparently they like our taste. I had to obey; I was +completely under their power. You know what it's like." + +"And what happened to the others--the eight men you left behind?" asked +Colonel Petersen. + +Jervis clenched his teeth bitterly. "They just laid down on the +sand--and waited." + +"Horrible!" Sherri said. + + * * * * * + +Jervis fell silent. Wayne was picturing the sight, and knew everyone +else was, too--the sight of hordes of carnivorous little aliens +burrowing up through the sand and approaching the eight Earthmen who lay +there, alive but helpless. Approaching them--and beginning to feed. + +Just when the atmosphere began to grow too depressing, Wayne decided to +break the spell. "I'd like to point out that the valley's been +completely cauterized," he said. "The aliens have been wiped out. And I +propose to lead a mission out to reconnoitre for the double-nucleus +beryllium." + +He looked around. "MacPherson? Boggs? Manetti? You three want to start +over where we left off the last time?" + +Sergeant Boggs came up to him. "Sir, I want you to understand that--" + +"I know, Boggs," Wayne said. "Let's forget all about it. There's work to +be done." + +"I'm sorry I misjudged you, Wayne. If it hadn't been for your quick +action, this crew would have gone the way of the _Mavis_." + +"Just luck, Colonel," Wayne said. "If it hadn't been for those +heavy-soled climbing boots, I'd probably be lying out there with the +rest of you right now." + +Colonel Petersen grinned. "Thanks to your boots, then." + +Wayne turned to his team of three. "Let's get moving, fellows. We've +wasted enough time already." + +"Do we need spacesuits, sir?" Manetti asked. + +"No, Manetti. The air's perfectly fine out there," Wayne said. "But I'd +suggest you wear your climbing boots." He grinned. "You never can tell +when they'll come in handy." + + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _Amazing Stories_ October 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 the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Judas Valley, by Gerald Vance + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE JUDAS VALLEY *** + +***** This file should be named 25713.txt or 25713.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/5/7/1/25713/ + +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. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +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 + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/25713.zip b/25713.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4b1acb6 --- /dev/null +++ b/25713.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ff83a93 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #25713 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/25713) |
