diff options
Diffstat (limited to '26772.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 26772.txt | 1394 |
1 files changed, 1394 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/26772.txt b/26772.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..253e6ff --- /dev/null +++ b/26772.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1394 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Question of Courage, by Jesse Franklin Bone + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Question of Courage + +Author: Jesse Franklin Bone + +Illustrator: Virgil Finlay + +Release Date: October 4, 2008 [EBook #26772] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A QUESTION OF COURAGE *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + A Question + Of Courage + + By J. F. BONE + + Illustrated by FINLAY + + + _I smelled the trouble the moment I stepped on + the lift and took the long ride up the side of + the "Lachesis." There was something wrong. I + couldn't put my finger on it but_ + +five years in the Navy gives a man a feeling for these things. From the +outside the ship was beautiful, a gleaming shaft of duralloy, polished +until she shone. Her paint and brightwork glistened. The antiradiation +shields on the gun turrets and launchers were folded back exactly +according to regulations. The shore uniform of the liftman was spotless +and he stood at his station precisely as he should. As the lift moved +slowly up past no-man's country to the life section, I noted a work +party hanging precariously from a scaffolding smoothing out meteorite +pits in the gleaming hull, while on the catwalk of the gantry standing +beside the main cargo hatch a steady stream of supplies disappeared into +the ship's belly. + +I returned the crisp salutes of the white-gloved sideboys, saluted the +colors, and shook hands with an immaculate ensign with an O.D. badge on +his tunic. + +"Glad to have you aboard, sir," the ensign said. + +"I'm Marsden," I said. "Lieutenant Thomas Marsden. I have orders posting +me to this ship as Executive." + +"Yes, sir. We have been expecting you. I'm Ensign Halloran." + +"Glad to meet you, Halloran." + +"Skipper's orders, sir. You are to report to him as soon as you come +aboard." + +Then I got it. Everything was SOP. The ship wasn't taut, she was tight! +And she wasn't happy. There was none of the devil-may-care spirit that +marks crews in the Scouting Force and separates them from the stodgy +mass of the Line. Every face I saw on my trip to the skipper's cabin was +blank, hard-eyed, and unsmiling. There was none of the human noise that +normally echoes through a ship, no laughter, no clatter of equipment, no +deviations from the order and precision so dear to admirals' hearts. +This crew was G.I. right down to the last seam tab on their uniforms. +Whoever the skipper was, he was either bucking for another cluster or a +cold-feeling automaton to whom the Navy Code was father, mother, and +Bible. + +[Illustration] + +The O.D. stopped before the closed door, executed a mechanical right +face, knocked the prescribed three times and opened the door smartly on +the heels of the word "Come" that erupted from the inside. I stepped in +followed by the O.D. + +"Commander Chase," the O.D. said. "Lieutenant Marsden." + +Chase! Not Cautious Charley Chase! I could hardly look at the man behind +the command desk. But look I did--and my heart did a ninety degree dive +straight to the thick soles of my space boots. No wonder this ship was +sour. What else could happen with Lieutenant Commander Charles Augustus +Chase in command! He was three classes up on me, but even though he was +a First Classman at the time I crawled out of Beast Barracks, I knew +him well. Every Midshipman in the Academy knew him--Rule-Book +Charley--By-The-Numbers Chase--his nicknames were legion and not one of +them was friendly. "Lieutenant Thomas Marsden reporting for duty," I +said. + +He looked at the O.D. "That'll be all, Mr. Halloran," he said. + +"Aye, sir," Halloran said woodenly. He stepped backward, saluted, +executed a precise about face and closed the hatch softly behind him. + + * * * * * + +"Sit down, Marsden," Chase said. "Have a cigarette." + +He didn't say, "Glad to have you aboard." But other than that he was +Navy right down to the last parenthesis. His voice was the same dry +schoolmaster's voice I remembered from the Academy. And his face was the +same dry gray with the same fishy blue eyes and rat trap jaw. His hair +was thinner, but other than that he hadn't changed. Neither the war nor +the responsibilities of command appeared to have left their mark upon +him. He was still the same lean, undersized square-shouldered blob of +nastiness. + +I took the cigarette, sat down, puffed it into a glow, and looked around +the drab 6 x 8 foot cubicle called the Captain's cabin by ship designers +who must have laughed as they laid out the plans. It had about the room +of a good-sized coffin. A copy of the Navy Code was lying on the desk. +Chase had obviously been reading his bible. + +"You are three minutes late, Marsden," Chase said. "Your orders direct +you to report at 0900. Do you have any explanation?" + +"No, sir," I said. + +"Don't let it happen again. On this ship we are prompt." + +"Aye, sir," I muttered. + +He smiled, a thin quirk of thin lips. "Now let me outline your duties, +Marsden. You are posted to my ship as Executive Officer. An Executive +Officer is the Captain's right hand." + +"So I have heard," I said drily. + +"Belay that, Mr. Marsden. I do not appreciate humor during duty hours." + +You wouldn't, I thought. + +"As I was saying, Marsden, Executive Officer, you will be responsible +for--" He went on and on, covering the Code--chapter, book and verse on +the duties of an Executive Officer. It made no difference that I had +been Exec under Andy Royce, the skipper of the "Clotho," the ship with +the biggest confirmed kill in the entire Fleet Scouting Force. I was +still a new Exec, and the book said I must be briefed on my duties. So +"briefed" I was--for a solid hour. + +Feeling angry and tired, I finally managed to get away from Rule Book +Charley and find my quarters which I shared with the Engineer. I knew +him casually, a glum reservist named Allyn. I had wondered why he always +seemed to have a chip on his shoulder. Now I knew. + +He was lying in his shock-couch as I came in. "Welcome, sucker," he +greeted me. "Glad to have you aboard." + +"The feeling's not mutual," I snapped. + +"What's the matter? Has the Lieutenant Commander been rolling you out on +the red carpet?" + +"You could call it that," I said. "I've just been told the duties of an +Exec. Funny--no?" + +He shook his head. "Not funny. I feel for you. He told me how to be an +engineer six months ago." Allyn's thin face looked glummer than usual. + +"Did I ever tell you about our skip--captain?" Allyn went on. "Or do I +have to tell you? I see you're wearing an Academy ring." + +"You can't tell me much I haven't already heard," I said coldly. I don't +like wardroom gossips as a matter of policy. A few disgruntled men on a +ship can shoot morale to hell, and on a ship this size the Exec is the +morale officer. But I was torn between two desires. I wanted Allyn to go +on, but I didn't want to hear what Allyn had to say. I was like the +proverbial hungry mule standing halfway between two haystacks of equal +size and attractiveness. And like the mule I would stand there turning +my head one way and the other until I starved to death. + +But Allyn solved my problem for me. "You haven't heard _this_," he said +bitterly. "The whole crew applied for transfer when we came back to base +after our last cruise. Of course, they didn't get it, but you get the +idea. Us reservists and draftees get about the same consideration as the +Admiral's dog--No! dammit!--Less than the dog. They wouldn't let a mangy +cur ship out with Gutless Gus." + +Gutless Gus! that was a new one. I wondered how Chase had managed to +acquire that sobriquet. + + * * * * * + +"It was on our last patrol," Allyn went on, answering my question before +I asked it. "We were out at maximum radius when the detectors showed a +disturbance in normal space. Chase ordered us down from Cth for a quick +look--and so help me, God, we broke out right in the middle of a Rebel +supply convoy--big, fat, sitting ducks all around us. We got off about +twenty Mark VII torpedoes before Chase passed the word to change over. +We scooted back into Cth so fast we hardly knew we were gone. And then +he raises hell with Detector section for not identifying every class of +ship in that convoy! + +"And when Bancroft, that's the Exec whom you've relieved, asked for a +quick check to confirm our kills, Chase sat on him like a ton of brick. +'I'm not interested in how many poor devils we blew apart back there,' +our Captain says. 'Our mission is to scout, to obtain information about +enemy movements and get that information back to Base. We cannot +transmit information from a vaporized ship, and that convoy had a naval +escort. Our mission cannot be jeopardized merely to satisfy morbid +curiosity. Request denied. And, Mr. Bancroft, have Communications +contact Fleet. This information should be in as soon as possible.' And +then he turned away leaving Bancroft biting his fingernails. He wouldn't +even push out a probe--scooted right back into the blue where we'd be +safe! + +"You know, we haven't had one confirmed kill posted on the list since +we've been in space. It's getting so we don't want to come in any more. +Like the time--the 'Atropos' came in just after we touched down. She was +battered--looked like she'd been through a meat grinder, but she had ten +confirmed and six probable, and four of them were escorts! Hell! Our +boys couldn't hold their heads up. The 'Lachesis' didn't have a mark on +her and all we had was a few possible hits. You know how it +goes--someone asks where you're from. You say the 'Lachesis' and they +say 'Oh, yes, the cruise ship.' And that's that. It's so true you don't +even feel like resenting it." + +I didn't like the bitter note in Allyn's voice. He was a reservist, +which made it all the worse. Reservists have ten times the outside +contacts we regulars do. In general when a regular and reservist tangle, +the Academy men close ranks like musk-oxen and meet the challenge with +an unbroken ring of horns. But somehow I didn't feel like ringing up. + +I kept hoping there was another side to the story. I'd check around and +find out as soon as I got settled. And if there was another side, I was +going to take Allyn apart as a malicious trouble-maker. I felt sick to +my stomach. + + * * * * * + +We spent the next three days taking on stores and munitions, and I was +too busy supervising the stowage and checking manifests to bother about +running down Allyn's story. I met the other officers--Lt. Pollard the +gunnery officer, Ensign Esterhazy the astrogator, and Ensign Blakiston. +Nice enough guys, but all wearing that cowed, frustrated look that +seemed to be a "Lachesis" trademark. Chase, meanwhile, was up in Flag +Officer's Country picking up the dope on our next mission. I hoped that +Allyn was wrong but the evidence all seemed to be in his favor. Even +more than the officers, the crew was a mess underneath their clean +uniforms. From Communications Chief CPO Haskins to Spaceman Zelinski +there was about as much spirit in them as you'd find in a punishment +detail polishing brightwork in Base Headquarters. I'm a cheerful soul, +and usually I find no trouble getting along with a new command, but this +one was different. They were efficient enough, but one could see that +their hearts weren't in their work. Most crews preparing to go out are +nervous and high tempered. There was none of that here. The men went +through the motions with a mechanical indifference that was frightening. +I had the feeling that they didn't give a damn whether they went or +not--or came back or not. The indifference was so thick you could cut it +with a knife. Yet there was nothing you could put your hand on. You +can't touch people who don't care. + +Four hours after Chase came back, we lifted gravs from Earth. Chase was +sitting in the control chair, and to give him credit, we lifted as +smooth as a silk scarf slipping through the fingers of a pretty woman. +We hypered at eight miles and swept up through the monochromes of Cth +until we hit middle blue, when Chase slipped off the helmet, unfastened +his webbing, and stood up. + +"Take over, Mr. Marsden," he said. "Lay a course for Parth." + +"Aye, sir," I replied, slipping into the chair and fastening the web. I +slipped the helmet on my head and instantly I was a part of the ship. +It's a strange feeling, this synthesis of man and metal that makes a +fighting ship the metallic extension of the Commander's will. I was +conscious of every man on duty. What they saw I saw, what they heard I +heard, through the magic of modern electronics. The only thing missing +was that I couldn't feel what they felt, which perhaps was a mercy +considering the condition of the crew. Using the sensor circuits in the +command helmet, I let my perception roam through the ship, checking the +engines, the gun crews, the navigation board, the galley--all the +manifold stations of a fighting ship. Everything was secure, the ship +was clean and trimmed, the generators were producing their megawatts of +power without a hitch, and the converters were humming contentedly, +keeping us in the blue as our speed built to fantastic levels. + +I checked the course, noted it was true, set the controls on standby and +relaxed, half dozing in the chair as Lume after Lume dropped astern with +monotonous regularity. + +An hour passed and Halloran came up to relieve me. With a sigh of relief +I surrendered the chair and headset. The unconscious strain of being in +rapport with ship and crew didn't hit me until I was out of the chair. +But when it did, I felt like something was crushing me flat. Not that I +didn't expect it, but the "Lachesis" was worse than the "Clotho" had +ever been. + +I had barely hit my couch when General Quarters sounded. I smothered a +curse as I pounded up the companionway to my station at the bridge. +Chase was there, stopwatch in hand, counting the seconds. + +"Set!" Halloran barked. + +"Fourteen seconds," Chase said. "Not bad. Tell the crew well done." He +put the watch in his pocket and walked away. + +I picked up the annunciator mike and pushed the button. "Skipper says +well done," I said. + +"He got ten seconds out of us once last trip," Halloran said. "And he's +been trying to repeat that fluke ever since. Bet you a munit to an 'F' +ration that he'll be down with the section chief trying to shave off +another second or two. Hey!--what's that--oh ..." He looked at me. +"Disturbance in Cth yellow, straight down--shall we go?" + +"Stop ship," I ordered. "Sound general quarters." There was no +deceleration. We merely swapped ends as the alarm sounded, applied full +power and stopped. That was the advantage of Cth--no inertia. We +backtracked for three seconds and held in middle blue. + + * * * * * + +"What's going on?" Chase demanded as he came up from below. His eyes +raked the instruments. "Why are we stopped?" + +"Disturbance in Cth yellow, sir," I said. "We're positioned above it." + +"Very good, Mr. Marsden." He took the spare helmet from the Exec's +chair, clapped it on, fiddled with the controls for a moment, nodded, +and took the helmet off. "Secure and resume course," he said. "That's +the 'Amphitrite'--fleet supply and maintenance. One of our people." + +"You sure, sir?" I asked, and then looked at the smug grin on Halloran's +face and wished I hadn't asked. + +"Of course," Chase said. "She's a three converter job running at full +output. Since the Rebels have no three converter ships, she has to be +one of ours. And since she's running at full output and only in Cth +yellow, it means she's big, heavy, and awkward--which means a +maintenance or an ammunition supply ship. There's an off phase beat in +her number two converter that gives a twenty cycle pulse to her pattern. +And the only heavy ship in the fleet with this pattern is 'Amphitrite.' +You see?" + +I saw--with respect. "You know all the heavies like that, sir?" I asked. + +"Not all of them--but I'd like to. It's as much a part of a scoutship +commander's work to know our own ships as those of the enemy." + +"Could that trace be a Rebel ruse?" + +"Not likely--travelling in the yellow. A ship would be cold meat this +far inside our perimeter. And besides, there's no Rebel alive who can +tune a converter like a Navy mechanic." + +"You sure?" I persisted. + +"I'm sure. But take her down if you wish." + +I did. And it was the "Amphitrite." + +"I served on her for six months," Chase said drily as we went back +through the components. I understood his certainty now. A man has a +feeling for ships if he's a good officer. But it was a trait I'd never +expected in Chase. I gave the orders and we resumed our band and speed. +Chase looked at me. + +"You acted correctly, Mr. Marsden," he said. "Something I would hardly +expect, but something I was glad to see." + +"I served under Andy Royce," I reminded him. + +"I know," Chase replied. "That's why I'm surprised." He turned away +before I could think of an answer that would combine insolence and +respect for his rank. "Keep her on course, Mr. Halloran," he tossed over +his shoulder as he went out. + +We kept on course--high and hard despite a couple of disturbances that +lumbered by underneath us. Once I made a motion to stop ship and check, +but Halloran shook his head. + +"Don't do it, sir," he warned. + +"Why not?" + +"You heard the Captain's orders. He's a heller for having them obeyed. +Besides, they might be Rebs--and we might get hurt shooting at them. +We'll just report their position and approximate course--and keep on +travelling. Haskins is on the Dirac right now." Halloran's voice was +sarcastic. + +I didn't like the sound of it, and said so. + +"Well, sir--we won't lose them entirely," Halloran said comfortingly. +"Some cruiser will investigate them. Chances are they're ours +anyway--and if they aren't there's no sense in us risking our nice shiny +skin stopping them--even though we could take them like Lundy took +Koromaja. Since the book doesn't say we have to investigate, we won't." +His voice was bitter again. + +At 0840 hours on the fourth day out, my annunciator buzzed. "Sir," the +talker's voice came over the intercom, "Lieutenants Marsden and Allyn +are wanted in the Captain's quarters." + + * * * * * + +Chase was there--toying with the seals of a thin, brown envelope. "I +have to open this in the presence of at least two officers," he said +nodding at Allyn who came in behind me. "You two are senior on the ship +and have the first right to know." He slid a finger through the flap. + +"Effective 12, Eightmonth, GY2964," he read, "USN 'Lachesis' will +proceed on offensive mission against enemy vessels as part of advance +covering screen Fleet Four for major effort against enemy via sectors YD +274, YD 275, and YD 276. Entire Scouting Force IV quadrant will be +grouped as Fleet Four Screen Unit under command Rear Admiral SIMMS. +Initial station 'Lachesis' coordinates X 06042 Y 1327 Betelgeuse-Rigel +baseline. ETA Rendezvous point 0830 plus or minus 30, 13/8/64. + +"A. Evars, Fleet Admiral USN Commanding." + +There it was! I could see Allyn stiffen as a peculiar sick look crossed +Chase's dry face. And suddenly I heard all the ugly little +nicknames--Subspace Chase, Gutless Gus, Cautious Charley--and the dozen +others. For Chase was afraid. It was so obvious that not even the gray +mask of his face could cover it. + +Yet his voice when he spoke was the same dry, pedantic voice of old. +"You have the rendezvous point, Mr. Marsden. Have Mr. Esterhazy set the +course and speed to arrive on time." He dismissed us with the +traditional "That's all, gentlemen," and we went out separate ways. I +didn't want to look at the triumphant smile on Allyn's face. + +We hit rendezvous at 0850, picked up a message from the Admiral at 0853, +and at 0855 were on our way. We were part of a broad hemispherical +screen surrounding the Cruiser Force which englobed the Line and supply +train--the heavies that are the backbone of any fleet. We were headed +roughly in the direction of the Rebel's fourth sector, the one top-heavy +with metals industries. Our exact course was known only to the brass and +the computers that planned our interlock. But where we were headed +wasn't important. The "Lachesis" was finally going to war! I could feel +the change in the crew, the nervousness, the anticipation, the adrenal +responses of fear and excitement. After a year in the doldrums, Fleet +was going to try to smash the Rebels again. We hadn't done so well last +time, getting ambushed in the Fifty Suns group and damn near losing our +shirts before we managed to get out. The Rebs weren't as good as we +were, but they were trickier, and they could fight. After all, why +shouldn't they be able to? They were human, just as we were, and any one +of a dozen extinct intelligent races could testify to our fighting +ability, as could others not-quite-extinct. Man ruled this section of +the galaxy, and someday if he didn't kill himself off in the process +he'd rule all of it. He wasn't the smartest race but he was the +hungriest, the fiercest, the most adaptable, and the most unrelenting. +Qualities which, by the way, were exactly the ones needed to conquer a +hostile universe. + +But mankind was slow to learn the greatest lesson, that they _had_ to +cooperate if they were to go further. We were already living on borrowed +time. Before the War, ten of eleven exploration ships sent into the +galactic center had disappeared without a trace. Somewhere, buried deep +in the billions of stars that formed the galactic hub, was a race that +was as tough and tricky as we were--maybe even tougher. This was common +knowledge, for the eleventh ship had returned with the news of the +aliens, a story of hairbreadth escape from destruction, and a pattern of +their culture which was enough like ours to frighten any thinking man. +The worlds near the center of humanity's sphere realized the situation +at once and quickly traded their independence for a Federal Union to +pool their strength against the threat that might come any day. + +But as the Union Space Navy began to take shape on the dockyards of +Earth and a hundred other worlds, the independent worlds of the +periphery began to eye the Union with suspicion. They had never believed +the exploration report and didn't want to unite with the worlds of the +center. They thought that the Union was a trick to deprive them of their +fiercely cherished independence, and when the Union sent embassies to +invite them into the common effort, they rejected them. And when we +suggested that in the interests of racial safety they abandon their +haphazard colonization efforts that resulted in an uncontrolled series +of jumps into the dark, punctuated by minor wars and clashes when +colonists from separate origins landed, more or less simultaneously, on +a promising planet, they were certain we were up to no good. + +Although we explained and showed them copies of the exploration ship's +report, they were not convinced. Demagogues among them screamed about +manifest destiny, independence, interference in internal affairs, and a +thousand other things that made the diplomatic climate between Center +and Periphery unbearably hot. And their colonists kept moving outward. + +Of course the Union was not about to cooperate in this potential race +suicide. We simply couldn't allow them to give that other race knowledge +of our whereabouts until we were ready for them. So we informed each of +the outer worlds that we would consider any further efforts at +colonizing an unfriendly act, and would take steps to discourage it. + +That did it. + + * * * * * + +We halted a few colonizing ships and sent them home under guard. We +uprooted a few advance groups and returned them to their homeworlds. We +established a series of observation posts to check further +expansion--and six months later we were at war. + +The outer worlds formed what they called a defensive league and with +characteristic human rationality promptly attacked us. Naturally, they +didn't get far. We had a bigger and better fleet and we were organized +while they were not. And so they were utterly defeated at the Battle of +Ophiuchus. + +It was then that we had two choices. We could either move in and take +over their defenseless worlds, or we could let them rebuild and get +strong, and with their strength acquire a knowledge of cooperation--and +take the chance that they would ultimately beat us. Knowing this, we +wisely chose the second course and set about teaching our fellow men a +lesson that was now fifteen years along and not ended yet. + +By applying pressure at the right places we turned their attention +inward to us rather than to the outside, and by making carefully timed +sorties here and there about the periphery we forced them through sheer +military necessity to gradually tighten their loosely organized League +into tightly centralized authority, with the power to demand and +obtain--to meet our force with counterforce. By desperate measures and +straining of all their youthful resources they managed to hold us off. +And with every strain they were welded more tightly together. And +slowly they were learning through war what we could not teach through +peace. + +Curiously enough, they wouldn't believe our aims even when captured +crews told them. They thought it was some sort of tricky mental +conditioning designed to frustrate their lie detectors. Even while they +tightened their organization and built new fleets, they would not +believe that we were forcing them into the paths they must travel to +avoid future annihilation. + +It was one of the ironies of this war that it was fought and would be +fought with the best of intentions. For it was obvious now that we could +never win--nor could they. The Rebels, as we called them, were every +whit as strong as we, and while we enjoyed the advantages of superior +position and technology they had the advantage of superior numbers. It +was stalemate,--the longest, fiercest stalemate in man's bloody history. +But it was stalemate with a purpose. It was a crazy war--a period of +constant hostilities mingled with sporadic offensive actions like the +one we were now engaged in--but to us, at least, it was war with a +purpose--the best and noblest of human purposes--the preservation of the +race. + +The day was coming, not too many years away, when the first of the +aliens would strike the Outer worlds. Then we would unite--on the +League's terms if need be--to crush the invaders and establish mankind +as the supreme race in the galaxy. + +But this wasn't important right now. Right now I was the Executive +Officer of a scout ship commanded by a man I didn't trust. He smelled +too much like a stinking coward. I shook my head. Having Chase running +the ship was like putting a moron in a jet car on one of the +superhighways--and then sabotaging the automatics. Just one fearful +mistake and a whole squadron could be loused up. But Chase was the +commander--the ultimate authority on this ship. All I could do was pray +that things were going to come out all right. + +We moved out in the lower red. Battles weren't fought in Cth. There was +no way to locate a unit at firing range in that monochromatic madness. +Normal physical laws simply didn't apply. A ship had to come out into +threespace to do any damage. All Cth was was a convenient road to the +battlefront. + +With one exception. + +By hanging in the infra band, on the ragged edge of threespace, a scout +ship could remain concealed until a critical moment, breakout into +threespace--discharge her weapons--and flick back into Cth before an +enemy could get a fix on her. Scouts, with their high capacity +converters, could perform this maneuver, but the ponderous battlewagons +and cruisers with their tremendous weight of armor, screens, and +munitions couldn't maneuver like this. They simply didn't have the +agility. Yet only they had the ability to penetrate defensive screens +and kill the Rebel heavies. So space battle was conducted on the classic +pattern--the Lines slugging it out at medium range while the screen of +scouts buzzed around and through the battle trying to add their weight +of metal against some overstrained enemy and ensure his destruction. A +major battle could go on for days--and it often did. In the Fifty Suns +action the battle had lasted nearly two weeks subjective before we +withdrew to lick our wounds. + + * * * * * + +For nearly a day we ran into nothing, and such are the distances that +separate units of a fleet, we had the impression that we were alone. We +moved quietly, detectors out, scanning the area for a light-day around +as we moved forward at less than one Lume through Cth. More would have +been fatal for had we been forced to resort to a quick breakout to avoid +enemy action, and if we were travelling above one Lume when we hit +threespace, we'd simply disappear, leaving a small spatial vortex in our +wake. + +On the "morning" of the third day the ships at the apex of Quadrant One +ran into a flight of Rebel scouts. There was a brief flurry of action, +the Rebels were englobed, a couple of cruisers drove in, latched onto +the helplessly straining Rebel scouts and dragged them into threespace. +The Rebs kept broadcasting right up to the end--after which they +surrendered before the cruisers could annihilate them. Smart boys. + +But the Rebels were warned. We couldn't catch all their scouts and the +disturbance our Line was making in Cth would register on any detector +within twenty parsecs. So they would be waiting to meet us. But that was +to be expected. There is no such thing as surprise in a major action. + +We went on until we began to run into major opposition. Half a dozen +scouts were caught in englobements at half a dozen different places +along the periphery as they came in contact with the Rebels' covering +forces. And that was that. The advance halted waiting for the Line to +come up, and a host of small actions took place as the forward screening +forces collided. Chase was in the control chair, hanging in the +blackness of the infra band on the edge of normal space. But we weren't +flicking in and out of threespace like some of the others. We had a +probe out and the main buffeting was taken by the duralloy tube with its +tiny converter at its bulbous tip. With consummate pilotage Chase was +holding us in infra. It was a queasy sensation, hanging halfway between +normalcy and chaos, and I had to admire his skill. The infra band was +black as ink and hot as the hinges of hell--and since the edges of +threespace and Cth are not as knife sharp as they are further up in the +Cth components, we bucked and shuddered on the border, but avoided the +bone-crushing slams and gut-wrenching twists that less skillful skippers +were giving their ships as they flicked back and forth between +threespace and Cth. Our scouting line must have been a peculiar sight to +a threespace observer with the thousand or so scouts flickering in and +out of sight across a huge hemisphere of space. + +And then we saw them. Our probe picked up the flicker of enemy scouts. + +"Action imminent," Chase said drily. "Stand by." + +I clapped the other control helmet over my head and dropped into the +Exec's chair. A quick check showed the crew at their stations, the +torpedo hatches clear, the antiradiation shields up and the ship in +fighting trim. I stole a quick glance at Chase. Sweat stood out on his +gray forehead. His lips were drawn back into a thin line, showing his +teeth. His face was tense, but whether with fear or excitement I didn't +know. + +"Stand by," he said, and then we hit threespace, just as the enormous +cone of the Rebel Line flicked into sight. The enemy line had taken the +field, and under the comparatively slow speeds of threespace was rushing +forward to meet our Line which had emerged a few minutes ago. Our +launchers flamed as we sent a salvo of torpedoes whistling toward the +Rebel fleet marking perhaps the opening shots of the main battle. We +twisted back into Cth as one of the scanner men doubled over with agony, +heaving his guts out into a disposal cone. I felt sorry for him. The +tension, the racking agony of our motion, and the fact that he was +probably in his first major battle had all combined to take him for the +count. He grinned greenly at me and turned back to his dials and +instruments. Good man! + +"Target--range one eight zero four, azimuth two four oh, elevation one +oh seven," the rangefinder reported. "Mass four." Mass four:--a cruiser. + +"Stand by," Chase said. "All turrets prepare to fire." And he took us +down. We slammed into threespace and our turrets flamed. To our left +rear and above hung the mass of an enemy cruiser, her screens glowing on +standby as she drove forward to her place in the line. We had caught her +by surprise, a thousand to one shot, and our torpedoes were on their way +before her detectors spotted us. We didn't stay to see what happened, +but the probe showed an enormous fireball which blazed briefly in the +blackness, shooting out globs of scintillating molten metal that cooled +and disappeared as we watched. + +"Scratch one cruiser," someone in fire control yelped. + + * * * * * + +The effect on morale was electric. In that instant all doubts of Chase's +ability disappeared. All except mine. One lucky shot isn't a battle, and +I guess Chase figured the same way because his hands were shaking as he +jockeyed us along on the edge of Cth. He looked like he wanted to vomit. + +"Take it easy, skipper," I said. + +"Mind your own business, Marsden--and I'll mind mine," Chase snapped. +"Stand by," he ordered, and we dove into threespace again--loosed +another salvo at another Reb, and flicked out of sight. And that was the +way it went for hour after hour until we pulled out, our last torpedo +fired and the crew on the ragged edge of exhaustion. Somehow, by some +miracle compounded of luck and good pilotage, we were unmarked. And +Chase, despite his twitching face and shaking hands, was one hell of a +combat skipper! I didn't wonder about him any more. He had the guts all +right. But it was a different sort of courage from the icy contempt for +danger that marked Andy Royce. Even so, I couldn't help thinking that I +was glad to be riding with Chase. We drove to the rear, heading for the +supply train, our ammunition expended, while behind us the battlewagons +and cruisers were hammering each other to metal pulp. + +In the quiet of the rear area it was hardly believable that a major +battle was going on ahead of us. We raised the "Amphitrite," identified +ourselves, and put in a request for supply. + +"Lay aboard," "Amphitrite" signalled back. "How's the war going?" + +"Don't know. We've been too busy," our signalman replied. + +"I'll bet--you're 'Lachesis,' aren't you?" + +"Affirmative." + +"How'd you lose your ammo? Jettison it?" + +"Stow that, you unprintable obscenity," Haskins replied. "We're a +fighting ship." + +"Amphitrite" chuckled nastily. "That I'll believe when I see it!" + +"Communications," Chase snapped. "This isn't a social call. Get our +heading and approach instructions." He sounded as schoolmasterish as +ever, but there was a sickly smile on his face, and the gray-green look +was gone. + +"Morale seems a little better, doesn't it, Marsden?" he said to me as +the "Amphitrite" flicked out into threespace and we followed. + +I nodded. "Yes, sir," I agreed. "Quite a little." + +Our cargo hatches snapped open and we cuddled up against "Amphitrite's" +bulging belly while our crew and the supply echelon worked like demons +to transfer ammunition. We had fifty torpedoes aboard when the I.F.F. +detector shrilled alarm. + +Three hundred feet above us the "Amphitrite's" main battery let loose a +salvo at three Rebel scouts that had flickered into being less than +fifty miles away. Their launchers flared with a glow that lighted the +blackness of space. + +"Stand by!" Chase yelled as he threw the converter on. + +"Hatches!" I screamed as we shimmered and vanished. + +Somehow we got most of them closed, losing only the crew on number two +port turret which was still buttoning up as we slipped over into the +infra band. I ordered the turret sealed. Cth had already ruined the +unshielded sighting mechanisms and I had already seen what happened to +men caught in Cth unprotected. I had no desire to see it again--or let +our crew see it if it could be avoided. A human body turned inside out +isn't the most wholesome of sights. + +"How did _they_ get through?" Chase muttered as we put out our probe. + +"I don't know--maybe someone wasn't looking." + +"What's it like down there?" Chase asked. "See anything?" + +"'Amphitrite's' still there," I said. + +"She's _what_?" + +"Still there," I repeated. "And she's in trouble." + +"She's big. She can take it--but--" + +"Here, you look," I said, flipping the probe switch. + +"My God!" Chase muttered--as he took one look at the supply ship lying +dead in space, her protective batteries flaming. She had gotten one of +the Rebel scouts but the other two had her bracketed and were pouring +fire against her dim screens. + +"She can't keep this up," I said. "She's been hulled--and it looks like +her power's taken it." + +"Action imminent," Chase ordered, and the rangefinder took up his +chant. + +We came storming out of Cth right on top of one of the Rebel scouts. A +violent shock raced through the ship, slamming me against my web. The +rebound sent us a good two miles away before our starboard battery +flamed. The enemy scout, disabled by the shock, stunned and unable to +maneuver took the entire salvo amidships and disappeared in a puff of +flame. + +The second Rebel disappeared and we did too. She was back in Cth looking +for a better chance at the "Amphitrite." The big ship was wallowing like +a wounded whale, half of one section torn away, her armor dented, and +her tubes firing erratically. + +We took one long look and jumped back into Cth. But not before Haskins +beamed a message to the supply ship. "Now you've seen it, you damned +storekeeper," he gloated. "What do you think?" "Amphitrite" didn't +answer. + +"Probe out," Chase ordered, neglecting, I noticed, to comment on the +signalman's act. + + * * * * * + +I pushed the proper buttons but nothing happened. I pushed again and +then turned on the scanners. The one aft of the probe was half covered +with a twisted mass of metal tubing that had once been our probe. We +must have smashed it when we rammed. Quickly I shifted to the auxiliary +probe, but the crumpled mass had jammed the hatch. It wouldn't open. + +"No probes, sir," I announced. + +"Damn," Chase said. "Well, we'll have to do without them. Hold tight, +we're going down." + +We flicked into threespace just in time to see a volcano of fire erupt +from "Amphitrite's" side and the metallic flick of the Rebel scout +slipping back into Cth. + +"What's your situation, 'Amphitrite'?" our signal asked. + +"Not good," the faint answer came back. "They've got us in the power +room and our accumulators aren't going to stand this load very long. +That last salvo went through our screens, but our armor stopped it. But +if the screens go down--" + +Our batteries flared at the Rebel as he again came into sight. He didn't +wait, but flicked right back into Cth without firing a shot. Pollard was +on the ball. + +"Brave lad, that Reb," Chase said. There was a sneer in his voice. + +For the moment it was stalemate. The Reb wasn't going to come into close +range with a warship of equal power to his own adding her metal to the +"Amphitrite's," but he could play cat and mouse with us, drawing our +fire until we had used up our torpedoes, and then come in to finish +the supply ship. Or he could harass us with long range fire. Or he could +go away. + +[Illustration] + +It was certain he wouldn't do the last, and he'd be a fool if he did the +second. "Amphitrite" could set up a mine screen that would take care of +any long range stuff,--and we could dodge it. His probe was still +working and he had undoubtedly seen ours crushed against our hull. If he +hadn't he was blind--and that wasn't a Rebel characteristic. We could +hyper, of course, but we were blind up there in Cth. His best was to +keep needling us, and take the chance that we'd run out of torps. + +"What's our munition?" Chase asked almost as an echo to my thought. I +switched over to Pollard. + +"Thirty mark sevens," Pollard said, "and a little small arms." + +"One good salvo," Chase said, thoughtfully. + +The Rebel flashed in and out again, and we let go a burst. + +"Twenty, now," I said. + +Chase didn't hear me. He was busy talking to Allyn on damage control. +"You can't cut it, hey?--All right--disengage the converter on the +auxiliary probe and break out that roll of duralloy cable in the +stores--Pollard! don't fire over one torp at a time when that lad shows +up. Load the other launchers with blanks. Make him think we're shooting. +We have to keep him hopping. Now listen to me--Yes, Allyn, I mean you. +Fasten that converter onto the cable and stand by. We're going to make a +probe." Chase turned to me. + +"You were Exec with Royce," he said. "You should know how to fight a +ship." + +"What are you planning to do?" I asked. + +"We can't hold that Rebel off. Maybe with ammunition we could, but +there's less than a salvo aboard and he has the advantage of position. +We can't be sure he won't try to take us in spite of 'Amphitrite's' +support and if he does finish us, 'Amphitrite's' a dead duck." The +"Lachesis" quivered as the port turrets belched flame. "That leaves +nineteen torpedoes," he said. "In Cth we're safe enough but we're +helpless without a probe. Yet we can only get into attack position from +Cth. That leaves us only one thing to do--improvise a probe." + +"And how do you do that?" I asked. + +"Put a man out on a line--with the converter from the auxiliary. Give +him a command helmet and have him talk the ship in." + +"But that's suicide!" + +"No, Marsden, not suicide--just something necessary. A necessary +sacrifice, like this whole damned war! I don't believe in killing men. +It makes me sick. But I kill if I have to, and sacrifice if I must." His +face twisted and the gray-green look came back. "There are over a +thousand men on the 'Amphitrite,' and a vital cargo of munitions. One +life, I think, is fair trade for a thousand, just as a few hundred +thousand is fair trade for a race." The words were schoolmasterish and +would have been dead wrong coming from anyone except Chase. But he gave +them an air of reasonable inevitability. And for a moment I forgot that +he was cold-bloodedly planning someone's death. For a moment I felt the +spirit of sacrifice that made heroes out of ordinary people. + + * * * * * + +"Look, skipper," I said. "How about letting me do it?" I could have +kicked myself a moment later, but the words were out before I could stop +them. He had me acting noble, and that trait isn't one of my strong +suits. + +He smiled. "You know, Marsden," he said, "I was expecting that." His +voice was oddly soft. "Thanks." Then it became dry and impersonal. +"Request denied," he said. "This is my party." + +I shivered inside. While I'm no coward, I didn't relish the thought of +slamming around at the end of a duralloy cable stretching into a nowhere +where there was no inertia. A hair too heavy a hand on the throttle in +Cth would crush the man on the end to a pulp. But he shouldn't go +either. It was his responsibility to command the ship. + +"Who else is qualified?" Chase said answering the look on my face. "I +know more about maneuver than any man aboard, and I'll be controlling +the ship until the last moment. Once I order the attack I'll cut free, +and you can pick me up later." + +"You won't have time," I protested. + +"Just in case I don't make it," Chase continued, making the +understatement of the war with a perfectly straight face, "take care of +the crew. They're a good bunch--just a bit too eager for the _real_ +Navy--but good. I've tried to make them into spacemen and they've +resented me for it. I've tried to protect them and they've hated me--" + +"They won't now--" I interrupted. + +"I've tried to make them a unit." He went on as though I hadn't said a +thing. "Maybe I've tried too hard, but I'm responsible for every life +aboard this ship." He picked up his helmet. "Take command of the ship, +Mr. Marsden," he said, and strode out of the room. The "Lachesis" +shuddered to the recoil from the port turrets. Eighteen torpedoes left, +I thought. + +We lowered Chase a full hundred feet on the thin strand of duralloy. He +dangled under the ship, using his converter to keep the line taut. + +"You hear me, skipper?" I asked. + +"Clearly--and you?" + +"Four-four. Hang on now--we're going up." I eased the "Lachesis" into +Cth and hung like glue to the border. "How's it going, skipper?" + +"A bit rough but otherwise all right. Now steer right--easy now--aagh!" + +"Skipper!" + +"Okay, Marsden. You nearly pulled me in half--that's all. You did fine. +We're in good position in relation to 'Amphitrite.' Now let's get our +signals straight. Front is the way we're going now--base all my +directions on that--got it?" + +"Aye, sir." + +"Good, Marsden, throttle back and hang on your converters." + +I did as I was told. + +"Ah--there she is--bear left a little. Hmm--she's looking for us--looks +suspicious. Now she's turning toward 'Amphitrite.' Guess she figures we +are gone. She's in position preparing to fire. _Now!_ Drop out and +fire--elevation zero, azimuth three sixty--_Move!_" + +I moved. The "Lachesis" dropped like a stone. Chase was dead now. +Nothing made of flesh could survive that punishment but we--we came out +right on top of them, just like Chase had done to the other--except that +we fired before we collided. And as with the other Rebel we gained +complete surprise. Our eighteen torpedoes crashed home, her magazines +exploded, and into that hell of molten and vaporized metal that had once +been a Rebel scout we crashed a split second later. Two thousand miles +per second relative is too fast for even an explosion to hurt much if +there isn't any solid material in the way, and we passed through only +the outer edges of the blast, but even so, the vaporized metal scoured +our starboard plating down to the insulation. It was like a giant emery +wheel had passed across our flank. The shock slammed us out of control +and we went tumbling in crazy gyrations across space for several minutes +before I could flip the "Lachesis" into Cth, check the speed and motion, +and get back into threespace. + + * * * * * + +Chase was gone--and "Lachesis" was done. A week in drydock and she'd be +as good as new, but she was no longer a fighting ship. She was a wreck. +For us the battle was over--but somehow it didn't make me happy. The +"Amphitrite" hung off our port bow, a tiny silver dot in the distance, +and as I watched two more silver dots winked into being beside her. +Haskins reported the I.F.F. readings. + +"They're ours," he said. "A couple of cruisers." + +"They should have been here ten minutes ago," I replied bitterly. I +couldn't see very well. You can't when emotion clogs your tubes. +Chase--coward?--not him. He was man clear through--a better one than I'd +ever be even if I lived out my two hundred years. I wondered if the crew +knew what sort of man their skipper was. I turned up the command helmet. +"Men--" I began, but I didn't finish. + +"We know," the blended thoughts and voices came back at me. Sure they +knew! Chase had been on command circuit too. It was enough to make you +cry--the mixture of pride, sadness and shame that rang through the +helmet. It seemed to echo and reecho for a long time before I shut it +off. + +I sat there, thinking. I wasn't mad at the Rebels. I wasn't anything. +All I could think was that we were paying a pretty grim price for +survival. Those aliens had better show up pretty soon--and they'd better +be as nasty as their reputation. There was a score--a big score--and I +wanted to be there when it was added up and settled. + + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _Amazing Stories_ December 1960. + Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. + copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and + typographical errors have been corrected without note. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's A Question of Courage, by Jesse Franklin Bone + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A QUESTION OF COURAGE *** + +***** This file should be named 26772.txt or 26772.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/7/7/26772/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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 +http://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 http://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 +http://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 http://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 http://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 checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is 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: + + http://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. |