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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/26882-h.zip b/26882-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ffb3c60 --- /dev/null +++ b/26882-h.zip diff --git a/26882-h/26882-h.htm b/26882-h/26882-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..14627eb --- /dev/null +++ b/26882-h/26882-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3246 @@ +<!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" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Omega, the Man, by Lowell Howard Morrow + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1,.p1 {margin-top: 2em;} + h2 {margin-bottom: 2em;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 1em auto; clear: both; visibility: hidden;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .center,h1,h2,.p1 {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps; text-transform: lowercase;} + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin: 1em 0 1em 1em; padding: 0; width: 344px; text-align: right;} + .trn {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; padding: 1em; text-align: justify;} + img {border: none;} + p.cap:first-letter {float: left; margin-right: .05em; padding-top: .05em; font-size: 300%; line-height: .8em;} + .dcap {text-transform: uppercase;} +// --> +/* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Omega, the Man, by Lowell Howard Morrow + +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: Omega, the Man + +Author: Lowell Howard Morrow + +Illustrator: Leo Morey + +Release Date: October 11, 2008 [EBook #26882] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OMEGA, THE MAN *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<p class="center"><b><big>A Classic Reprint from AMAZING STORIES, January, 1933</big></b></p> + +<div class="figright"><small><b>Illustrated by MOREY</b></small> +<img src="images/001.png" width="344" height="500" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<h1><big><i>OMEGA, the MAN</i></big></h1> + +<h2><small>By LOWELL HOWARD MORROW</small></h2> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The</span> silver airship cut swiftly +through the hot thin air. The +noonday sun blazed down upon it +and the desert world below. All +about was the solemn silence of +death. No living thing appeared +either in the air or on the drab, +gray earth. Only the aircraft itself +displayed any signs of life. +The sky, blue as indigo, held not +the shadow of a cloud, and on the +horizon the mountains notched +into it like the teeth of a giant +saw.</p> + +<p>The airship finally came to a +hovering stop, then dropped rapidly +toward the salt-encrusted +plain. It came to rest at last on +the bottom of a great, bowl-shaped +hollow situated at the end +of a chasm whose gray, rock-strewn +sides rose in rugged terraces +for miles back into the sky. +In a few moments a panel in the +vessel's side rolled noiselessly +upward, disclosing a brilliant +light, and from the interior of +the airship soon appeared two +figures who paused at the aperture +and gazed out over the +parched earth. Then without fear +or visible effort—although they +were seventy-five feet above the +ground—they emerged from the +ship and floated down to earth.</p> + +<p>These two humans—the sole +survivors of all earth's children—were +man and wife—Omega +and Thalma. They were burned a +deep cherry by the fierce rays of +the sun. In stature they were +above the average man now on +earth. Their legs were slender +and almost fleshless, because for +many centuries man had ceased +to walk. Their feet were mere +toeless protuberances attached to +the ankle bone. Their arms were +long and as spare as their legs, +but their hands, although small, +were well-proportioned and powerful. +Their abdominal regions +were very small, but above them +were enormous chests sheltering +lungs of tremendous power, for +thus nature had armored man +against the rarefaction of the +earth's atmosphere. But the most +remarkable parts about this +truly remarkable couple were +there massive heads set upon +short, slim necks. The cranial development +was extraordinary, +their bulging foreheads denoting +great brain power. Their eyes—set +wide apart—were large and +round, dark and luminous with +intelligence and their ears were +remarkably large, being attuned +to all the music and voices of +life. While their nostrils were +large and dilated, their mouths +were very small, though sensuous +and full-lipped. They were +entirely hairless—for even the +eyebrows and the eyelashes of +man had entirely disappeared +ages before. And when they +smiled they betrayed no gleam of +teeth, for nature had long discarded +teeth in man's evolution.</p> + +<p>The great, silver ship of the +sky now rested in a deep pocket +on the floor of an ancient sea. +Millions of years, under the +sucking energy of the sun and +the whip of many winds, had +sapped its waters, until only a +shallow, brackish lake remained. +Along the shores of this lake, +which covered scarcely more +than a hundred acres, a rim of +yellowish, green grass followed +the water's edge and struggled +against the inevitable, and here +and there among the grasses +flowers of faded colors and attenuated +foliage reared their +heads bravely in the burning +sunshine. And this lone lake, +nestled in the lowest spot among +the mountains and valleys which +once floored the Pacific, now held +the last of earth's waters. Barren +and lifeless the rest of the +world baked under a merciless +sun.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Now</span> clasping hands, like children +at play, Omega and +Thalma approached the lake. +They glided over the ground, +merely touching their feet to +the highest points, and finally +stopped with their feet in the +warm, still water.</p> + +<p>Omega ran his cupped hand +through the water, then drank +eagerly.</p> + +<p>"It is good," he said in a low, +musical voice. "And there is +much of it. Here we may live a +long time."</p> + +<p>Thalma laughed with sheer +joy, her large, red-rimmed eyes +aglow with mother light and +love.</p> + +<p>"I am glad," she cried. "I +know that Alpha will be happy +here."</p> + +<p>"It is so, my love, and—"</p> + +<p>Omega checked and stared out +over the glassy lake. A spot in +its center was stirring uneasily. +Great bubbles rose to the surface +and eddied to one side, then suddenly +huge cascades of water +shot into the air as if ejected by +subterraneous pressure. As they +stared in silent astonishment the +commotion suddenly ceased and +the surface of the lake became as +tranquil as before.</p> + +<p>"There is volcanic action out +there," said Omega fearfully. +"At any time the ground may +open and engulf the lake in a pit +of fire. But no, that cannot be," +he added, staring at Thalma with an +odd light in his eyes. For he suddenly +recalled that no volcanic +action or earth tremor had disturbed +the surface crust for +ages.</p> + +<p>"What is it, Omega?" she whispered +in accents of awe.</p> + +<p>"Nothing to fear, my dear, I +am sure," he replied, averting +his eyes. "Likely some fissure in +the rock has suddenly opened."</p> + +<p>And then he embraced her in +the joy of new-found life. For +long ages mind had communicated +with mind by telepathic +waves, speech being used for its +cheer and companionship.</p> + +<p>"We will make ready for Alpha," +said Omega joyfully. "In +very truth he may be able to carry +on. Moisture may return to +earth, and it is more likely to return +here than elsewhere. Remember +what the Mirror showed +last week over the Sahara plains—the +makings of a cloud!"</p> + +<p>They cheered each other by +this remembrance how, just before +they had consumed the last +of the water in their recent home +and buried the last of their +neighbors and friends, the reflecting +Mirror had brought a +view of a few stray wisps of +vapor above the Great Sahara +which once had been reclaimed +by man, where teeming millions +in by-gone ages had lived their +lives.</p> + +<p>"The inclination of the earth's +axis is changing as we know," he +went on hopefully as they turned +back toward the ship. "The +moisture may come back."</p> + +<p>His was the voice of hope but +not of conviction. Hope, planted +in man's soul in the beginning, +still burned brightly in these last +stout hearts.</p> + +<p>Alpha was still unborn. Omega +and Thalma had willed a male +child. In him was to be the beginning +of a new race which they +hoped with the aid of science +would repeople the earth. Hence +his name, the first letter of the +Greek alphabet, of which "omega" +is the last.</p> + +<p>"I am afraid, my love," said +Thalma, looking back over her +shoulder at the placid lake. "I +wonder what heaved the water +about that way."</p> + +<p>"Don't worry about it, my +dear," he said as they paused beneath +the ship and he put his +arm protectingly about her. "As +I have said, it probably was the +shifting of a rock on the bed of +the lake. It is nothing to worry +about, and I feel that we have +nothing to fear for a long, long +time. And we have so much joy +to look forward to. Remember +Alpha is coming, and think of +his glorious future! Think of his +changing all this!" And he +swept his hand toward the grim, +gray hills. "Just think of again +gardenizing the world!"</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">It</span> was indeed a dreary view +upon which they gazed. On +every side, upon the mountains +and hills, over salt-encrusted +plains and upon the rocks, were +the skeletons and shells of departed +life. Fossils of the animal +and the vegetable kingdoms +greeted one on every hand. Great +fronds of palms of the deep, +draped with weird remains of +marine life long extinct, stood +gaunt and desolate and rust-covered +in the hollows and on the +hills. Long tresses of sea weed +and moss, now crisp and dead as +desert sands, still clung in +wreaths and festoons to rock and +tree and plant just as they had +done in that far-off age, when +washed by the waters of the sea. +Great forests of coral, once white +and pink and red with teeming +life but now drab and dead, still +thrust their arms upward, their +former beauty covered and distorted +by the dust of the ages. +Whales and sharks and serpents +and fish of divers species and +sizes, together with great eels +and monsters of the deep, lay +thickly over the land, their mummified +remains shriveled by the +intense heat, their ghastliness +softened by the ashes of the +years.</p> + +<p>Millions of ages had rolled +away since the struggle began—the +battle of life on earth against +the encroachments of death. And +now death stalked everywhere, +grinning with malicious triumph, +for he had but one more +battle to fight. Already his grisly +clutch was closing on the standard +of victory. Man had mastered +life but he had not conquered +death. With the magic +wand of science he had reached +out into space and viewed the +life of far-off worlds. He had routed +superstition and fear and +selfishness. He had banished disease +and learned all nature's +secrets; had even visited other +worlds and had come to know +and understand his God, but still +death had marched grimly on. +For even the abysmal moment of +creation had marked the world +for his prey. Slowly but surely +death had closed his cold hands +about the earth. The sun flung +forth his hot rays and drew +more and more of the earth's +moisture and dissipated it in +space. Gradually the forests vanished +and then the streams and +lakes dwindled and disappeared. +By this time the atmosphere had +thinned almost imperceptibly—and +only by the aid of his scientific +instruments had man been +able to detect its thinning. Less +and less rain fell, and finally even +the ice-caps about the poles +trickled away. Cold and gaunt +and shadowy those regions lay +silent and lifeless throughout +the long nights, and loomed like +gray ghosts in the hushed light +of the summer. The sun blazed on +relentlessly and the shores of the +seven seas receded age after age, +but with his science and his machines +man had doggedly followed +the retreating waters, husbanded +and harnessed them and +thus retained his grip on life.</p> + +<p>But now at last life on earth +had come to its final battlefield. +The plans of the battle were +sharply drawn, but there could +be no doubt of the issue. No one +knew this better than Omega, for +the sun shone on with undiminished +power. Yet the rotation of +the earth had slackened until +twenty-five hours constituted a +day, while the year was 379 days +and a fraction in length. Man, +gradually adjusting himself to +the new conditions and environment, +had triumphed even in the +face of a losing fight. For he had +learned to smile into the hollow +sockets of death, to laugh at the +empty promises of life.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Back</span> in their ship Omega and +Thalma gazed out over the +dead world, where the salt crystals +gleamed and sparkled in the +sunshine.</p> + +<p>"Will all this ever become +green again and full of joy and +life?" asked Thalma wearily.</p> + +<p>"Why not?" asked Omega. +"Although the race has come to +its last stand, water is here and +before it is gone who knows +what may happen?"</p> + +<p>Omega spoke only to please his +wife, for well he knew in his +heart that the star of hope had +forever set. And always he was +thinking of that commotion in +the waters of the lake. What could +have caused it? What did it portend? +He was sure that the answer +was to be one of tragedy.</p> + +<p>"We know that for uncounted +ages the world was green and +beautiful, was vibrant with life +and joy," he went on. "And why +may it not be so again, even +though now it is garbed in the +clothes of the sepulchre? Let us +trust in the power of our son."</p> + +<p>Thalma did not answer, and +Omega, seeing that she was terribly +depressed, fell silent. So +they sat in their great airship, +strangely dejected despite the +close proximity of the life-giving +water, while the sun flamed +through the cloudless sky and set +in a crimson flood beyond the +lifeless plains. Night fell but still +they sat brooding. The stars +shone out in the purple heavens, +but they noticed not their glory. +The ship was wrapped in an awful +silence. No night wind whispered +its message nor warmed +the cold, desolate earth, stretching +down from the poles, nor +cooled the hot wastes about the +equator. The naked mountains +rose stark and forbidding into +the sky, which hung like a great, +bejeweled bowl over the sun-scorched +plains, where the dust +of many ages lay undisturbed. +The shadows lay deep and dark +over the valleys and among the +streets of cities dead and silent +for many ages, and searched out +deep chasms which when the +world was young had felt the +surge of the restless seas. No form +of life winged its way through +the darkness and called to its +mate. No beast of prey rent the +air with its challenge. No insect +chirped. No slimy shape crawled +over the rocks. Dark and solemn, +mysterious and still, the earth +sped on through the night.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Morning</span> found them in much +better spirits. Over their breakfast, +which consisted almost +wholly of food in tablet form, +they discussed their plans. After +which they went to the lookout +in the bow of the ship and gazed +out at the gray world. There was +no change. The same heart-breaking +monotony of death confronted +them. But despite it all +they finally smiled into each +other's eyes.</p> + +<p>"It is home," said Omega +proudly. "The last home we shall +ever know."</p> + +<p>"My God, look!" suddenly +gasped Thalma, clutching his +arm and pointing a trembling +finger toward the lake. "What—is +that?"</p> + +<p>Following her gesture he +stared in terror and stupefaction. +Rising above the center of +the lake where the day before +they had beheld the agitated waters, +was an enormous, scale-covered +neck surmounted by a +long, snake-like head whose +round, red eyes were sheltered +beneath black, horny hoods. The +horrible creature's head was +swaying back and forth as its +black tongue darted in and out +between wide-open jaws displaying +single rows of sharp teeth. +Fully fifteen feet above the lake +the awful eyes looked toward the +land. And as the neck moved in +unison with the swaying head +the scales seemed to slide under +and over one another a perfect +armor for the neck.</p> + +<p>"A plesiosaurian!" exclaimed +Omega, leveling his glasses at +the beast. "No—how can that +be?" he added in bewilderment. +"Those monsters were supposed +to be extinct ages ago. And they +had a smooth skin, while this +thing has scales, like those of a +brontosaurus, which was really a +land animal. This must be a cross +between the two that through +the process of evolution has been +developed. Anyway it is the last +of the species and it has come +here—to die."</p> + +<p>"Like us it has followed the +water and come here to die," +said Thalma as she also leveled +glasses.</p> + +<p>For several minutes they +watched the swaying head which +every little while twisted from +side to side, as the blazing eyes +seemed to be searching for prey, +while a whitish saliva dripped +from the jaws. The body of the +beast, which they knew to be +enormous, was hidden beneath +the water, but the agitation on +the surface showed that powerful +feet and legs were stirring.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it has come here to die," +repeated Omega, "to fight for the +last drop of earth's water. It +now has possession of the lake, +and unless we kill it, it will kill +us or drive us away."</p> + +<p>Almost with the words Omega +seized an atomic gun and pointed +it at the brute's head. But before +he could sight the weapon and +pull the trigger the monster, as +though sensing danger, suddenly +jerked down its head and a moment +later it had disappeared beneath +the surface.</p> + +<p>"It has gone!" cried Thalma. +She was trembling as with a +chill, and her eyes were wide +with terror.</p> + +<p>"It will appear again," said +Omega, "and then we will kill it, +for the water belongs to man. +Doubtless that huge beast is all +that remains of life on earth save +ourselves. To-night while you +sleep here in the ship, I will take +a gun, take position behind a +rock on the shore of the lake and +watch for its appearance. I think +shortly after nightfall when the +rocks are cool it leaves the water +and comes on land in a vain +search for food, for beyond a +doubt it has devoured everything +in the lake, save marine mosses +and the like. Yet as it has survived +all contemporary life except man, +it may live for centuries +unless we destroy it."</p> + +<p>"But there are not centuries of +water out there," Thalma said. +"As to your hunting this monster +alone, I will not hear of it. I +shall go with you. Together we +will destroy this menace of our +new home."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">All</span> Omega's eloquence could +not dissuade her. So, after +the sun had set and the dry cold +had chilled the hot rocks, they set +out along the shore of the lake +and looked eagerly out over the +still water for a sight of their +enemy. Nothing disturbed the +silvery surface of the water. +Crouching behind a mass of coral +they waited, but throughout the +long, still night they watched +without reward, for nothing +moved within their range of vision. +The stars, wonderfully +large and brilliant in that rarefied +atmosphere, seemed to be +the only link between them and +the unknown. Only their own +hurried breathing and the muffled +thumps of their wildly beating +hearts broke the silence. +And as the sun rose again above +the dead plains, weary and discouraged +they returned to the +ship.</p> + +<p>While keeping up a bold front +for Thalma's sake, Omega's +heart was sad, for he well knew +that unless they could vanquish +that marine monster they were +doomed. That such a dreadful +creature had come to them from +the mists of antiquity, as it were, +was incredible. Yet he had seen +it, Thalma had seen it, and it +resembled some of the sea-monsters +he had heard of in the past. +They could not doubt its existence +and must prepare for the +worst.</p> + +<p>Omega's name had been conferred +on him by an ironical +whim of fate. When he was born +there were still many people on +earth inhabiting the low valleys +of the Pacific's floor where much +water still remained. But the +droughts had increased with the +years, and before Omega had +reached middle-life all rain had +ceased to fall. The atmosphere +became so rare, even near the +ground, that it was difficult for +the people with the aid of their +machines to draw sufficient oxygen +and nitrogen from it to prepare +the food which had been +man's principal sustenance for +ages.</p> + +<p>Gradually the weaker peoples +had succumbed. But the remnants +of the nations gathered +about the receding waters, all +foreseeing the end, but all determined +to defer it as long as possible. +There was no recourse. For +ages before Omega was born the +nations, knowing that the earth +was drying up, had fought one +another for the privilege of migrating +to another planet to fight +its inhabitants for its possession. +The battle had been so bitterly +contested that two-thirds of the +combatants were slain. By the +aid of their space-cars the victors +colonized other planets in +our solar system leaving the vanquished +on earth to shift for +themselves. There was nothing +for them to do but to fight on +and await the end, for no space-car +that man had ever devised +was able to penetrate the cold, +far-reaches of space. Only among +the family of our own sun could +he navigate his ships. And now, +like the earth, every member of +that once glorious family was +dead or dying. For millions of +years, Mars, his ruddy glow +gone forever, had rolled through +space, the tomb of a mighty +civilization. The ashes of Venus +were growing cold. Life on Mercury, +Jupiter and Saturn already +was in the throes of dissolution, +and the cold, barren wastes of +Uranus and Neptune always had +forbidden man.</p> + +<p>So it seemed that the name, +Omega, had been fittingly bestowed. +More than ever the stark +truth made him shudder with +apprehension, and he felt that +only the coming of Alpha would +give him strength to carry on.</p> + +<p>"Now we must make ready for +Alpha," said Omega, even while +thoughts of the sea-monster +chilled his heart. "We will make +our servants prepare the way. +Here in this valley must be born +a new race of men. Life must +come from death. Come, Thalma."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">She</span> smiled back at him, reassured +by his confident manner, +and together they entered a +lower compartment of the ship. +This compartment contained the +servants of which Omega had +spoken—divers machinery and +other marvels of man's construction. +Omega touched several buttons +and a section of the ship's +hull rolled aside. He pressed other +buttons and whirled wheels. +Then great sections of mirror +slid out into the air and without +apparent direction or control +they ranged themselves far up +on a steep hillside. Yet all were +under perfect control. With invisible, +atomic rays Omega made +all do his bidding. For countless +centuries man had mastered the +atom, divided it, harnessed its +electrons. Following the discoveries +of the great French scientist, +Becquerel, man had learned +that the potential energy of all +atoms—especially that of radium—is +almost limitless. And as +the disintegration of the atom +carries an electrical discharge, +man had learned to control this +energy. Omega's machines, utilizing +atoms from everywhere, +even the ether, split them by +radio-activity through electromagnetic +waves, and utilized the +energy of their electrons which +always move in fixed orbits. +There being forty radio-active +substances, Omega took advantage +of them all, and equalizing +the atomic weight of the atoms—whether +those around a hydrogen +nucleus or a helium nucleus—he +broke the atoms down and +directed the charges of their +electrons. Then his motors amplified +the discharges and, through +the medium of an electric current, +projected them in the form +of invisible atomic rays which he +could control and direct against +any object and sustain and move +at will by means of oscillating +currents.</p> + +<p>Soon upon the hillside, perfectly arranged and adjusted, appeared a +giant, parabolic, refracting mirror with which he could obtain a view of +any portion of the earth's surface by sending vibrating currents around +the world and reproducing impressions already recorded on the ether, on +the surface of the mirror. And beneath its center was a receiver, +through which he might have heard the minutest sound around the world, +had there been any to hear.</p> + +<p>The small, atomic motors—which +drew their energy both +from hydrogen nuclei, the ether +of space and the radio-active substances +of all metals—now were +placed on the hillside near the +great mirror. There motors were +capable of creating and focusing +light, without bulb or other container, +whenever and wherever +needed. All were operated with +scarcely any effort by Omega.</p> + +<p>In a measure it seemed strange +that the Greek alphabet and all +the classics of the ancients had +survived antiquity. But the latest +inventions of man explained it +all. For man with his machines +had reached far back into the +shadowy past and proved the immortality +of all thought and action. +All the records of history, +all the triumphs and defeats, the +joys and sorrows and aspirations +of humanity, came out of the +past and marched across the +screen of his historical recorder. +As nothing is ever lost, all sounds +and impressions occurring on +earth since the dawn of its creation, +being already impressed on +the sensitive plastic and all-pervading +ether, the same as a +photograph is recorded on its film +or plate, man had developed a +machine for drawing on these +impressions until at will the history +of the world was before him. +Even the varied life of the ancients +came out of the past. +Saints and sinners, slaves and +masters mingled. Confucius sat +before him in humility; Guatama +counseled his followers to be +humble; Christ died upon the +cross. Warriors and statesmen +shouted their triumphs and bewailed +their defeats. Philosophers +expounded their wisdom +and Socrates drank the hemlock. +Hannibal and Caesar and Alexander +fought their battles, and +Napoleon marched gory and unafraid +from Austerlitz to Waterloo. +All came back at the call of +Omega's science.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">As</span> has been stated it was a +giant craft on which Omega +and Thalma had come to this last +retreat of man. Within its interior +were all the latest marvels +of man's ingenuity and skill. +These instruments of almost +supernatural power not only +reached back into the past but +also penetrated the future. There +was a great atomic-electric motor +used in creating and controlling +climate as long as there +was any to control. Sending forth +electromagnetic waves it massed +and directed the atmospheric +pressure, sending heat waves +here, cold ones there, thus causing +droughts and rainfall at will. +But now, as with the case of +most of the other machines, +Omega needed it no longer. He +kept it because it linked him with +the joy of the past. Besides, +there was the mind-control appliance +by whose aid man's mind +might visit other worlds. This +was done through the development +of the subconscious and the +discipline of the will. But Omega +was weary of these pilgrimages, +because his body could not perform +those far-off flights. As +time went on he realized that the +earth was his natural home. +Even the earth's neighbors, dead +and dying, offered him no haven.</p> + +<p>Yes, Omega and Thalma had +garnered the gist of the world's +treasures before commencing +this last trek. Gold and precious +stones were common objects to +them, because for countless ages +man had made them at will, but +around those they had brought +clustered sacred memories of +loved ones gone before. The biological +machine in the chemical +laboratory of the ship—the machine +that brought forth life +from nature's bountiful storehouse—was +of little use now that +both atmosphere and moisture +were nearly gone. Yet Omega +cherished this machine, and +aside from its associations with +the past, it held for him a fascination +that he could not understand.</p> + +<p>Having set the Mirror and +other mechanical servants in position, +Omega and Thalma returned +to the ship, and slept +throughout the day, for with the +descending sun they must again +go forth to hunt that scaly demon +which had taken possession +of the earth's last water.</p> + +<p>The night was moonless, but +the bright starlight brought all +objects into plain relief against +the dark rocks. Taking position +on the slope several rods above +the beach, Omega and Thalma +watched the lake eagerly, but +nothing disturbed its mirror-like +surface. As on the preceding +night the awful silence appalled +them—even though they were +accustomed to the vast solitude. +It was so calm and still, so full +of death and mystery, that it +seemed they must cry out in the +agony of their emotions. As the +very silence was crushing their +spirits so the knowledge that +only one form of life on earth +stood between them and the water +to which their last hope +clung, was maddening. How they +longed to battle the hideous monster! +But the hours dragged on +with nothing to disturb the dead, +heart-breaking silence. At last +the Great Dipper had swung so +far around that dawn appeared. +Yet there had been not a ripple +on the lake. Omega concluded +that his guess was wrong—the +beast did not leave the water at +night to search for food. Perhaps +it had learned the futility of such +a search in a dead, dust-covered +world.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Wearied</span> by their long and +fruitless vigil they must +have dozed, for suddenly Omega, +who sat but a yard or two from +Thalma, was aroused by a padded +footfall and the exhalations +of a noisome breath. Looking up +he was horrified to see the monster +towering above him, its head +swaying gently to and fro, as its +great, awkward feet sent it lunging +forward and backward for +many feet, its spotted, scale-covered +body trailed over the rocks. +By suddenly rounding the shoulder +of the rock, sheltering Omega +and Thalma, its head held high, +it seemed not to have seen the +two humans, for its terrible unblinking +eyes were fixed ahead on +the water. However, Omega, +paralyzed with fear and astonishment, +and being directly in the +beast's path, believed that his +hour had come. This was to be +the end of all his plans—to be +crushed by the enormous weight +of the monster which challenged +his right to live. But in that tense +moment when he thought that it +was all over, the lithe form of +Thalma reached his side and in a +frenzy of terror pulled him away. +But even then the sloping belly +of the onrushing beast tore him +from her frail hands and dashed +him against the rock.</p> + +<p>While he lay there stunned and +unable to move, Thalma discharged +her weapon at the monster. +Three times she fired in +quick succession but the shots +went wild, and in another moment +the great brute struck the +water with a resounding splash +and disappeared from view. For +a few minutes a trail of surface +bubbles marked its rapid course +toward the lake's center, then all +was motionless and still as before.</p> + +<p>"Are you hurt, Omega?" Thalma +cried anxiously, kneeling by +his side.</p> + +<p>"Just shaken up a bit," he returned, +sitting up with an effort. +"Great hunters are we," he went +on with a laugh. "We almost allowed +the game to catch the +hunters! Well, let's go back to +the ship. We'll get him next +time."</p> + +<p>But their narrow escape had +shaken their nerve. All day long +they remained safely in the ship +and kept their guns trained on +the lake hoping that the beast +would show himself. How or +when it had left the lake they +could not surmise, but that it +was more formidable than they +had thought now seemed certain, +and Omega concluded to bring +science to his aid. In this way he +was sure that he would soon exterminate +the monster.</p> + +<p>So the next day he lay a cable +carrying a high voltage all +around the lake and connected it +with traps of various designs +both in the water and on the +land. No more would they risk +their lives hunting the beast in +the open after nightfall.</p> + +<p>The hot, still days that followed +were anxious ones for +these last children of life. Not a +trap was sprung. The beast did +not drag his slimy body and tail +across the heavily charged cable. +The last of his kind, fighting the +last battle of existence, it seemed +that nature had endowed him +with uncanny cunning. There +was the life-giving water for +whose possession no human kind +challenged them, but this enemy +was more terrible than any man, +savage or civilized whom the +earth had ever known.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">During</span> these anxious, watchful +days Omega and Thalma +went often to the Mirror and +gazed into it in search of vapor +clouds. And more than once those +gossamer-like formations appeared +over different parts of the +world to gladden their hearts +only to fade away before their +vision. The reflections of those +embryo clouds became less frequent +as the days wore on. Omega +and Thalma knew that they +had no right to hope for the return +of water vapor. Their instruments, +so finely attuned as to +appear endowed with intelligence, +the records of the past and +their own common sense told +them that. But nature and life in +the upper reaches of the air were +dying as hard as their own hope. +They knew that the aerial manifestations +they witnessed were +but symptoms of the death struggle. +And yet a real cloud, dark +and pregnant with moisture, +suddenly appeared in the Mirror. +Consulting the chart they saw +that it was hovering over a great +land of plain and mountains +which formerly had been a part +of the United States of America.</p> + +<p>"We will go and examine this +gift from heaven," said Omega. +"It moves over a once beautiful +land, which the voices of history +tell us, harbored a race of the free +millions of years ago."</p> + +<p>"Yes, we will go," agreed +Thalma. "It may be after all that +Alpha will first see the light far +from this dreadful hollow and—and—that +monster out there in +the lake."</p> + +<p>Omega hung his head. Well he +knew that the presence of the +monster was slowly killing his +beloved. She complained not, but +her dreams were disturbed with +frightful visions, and often Omega +awakened to find her at a +window staring out over the lake +with terror-stricken eyes.</p> + +<p>This new cloud was thousands +of miles to the east but with fond +anticipations they entered the +ship and plunged toward it. But +although they reached the spot +in one hour, the last remnant of +vapor dissolved before their eyes, +and they turned sadly homeward, +once more beaten by the +inexorable decrees of fate.</p> + +<p>So having decided at last that +this deep valley must remain +their home forever, Omega looked +about for a suitable building site, +for although the ship was safe +and comfortable they longed for +a home on the earth. But the ever +present menace of the sea-monster +saddened them and filled +them with misgivings, despite +the fact that Omega could guard +the cottage electrically. But +Omega wondered whether electric +safeguards would keep this +creature from coming some night +to the cottage and sticking his +loathsome head in at door or window. +Omega shuddered at the +thought, but refrained from +mentioning such a possibility to +Thalma.</p> + +<p>Having selected a site under +the branches of a great coral tree +standing within the shade of an +overhanging rock, Omega erected +a cottage. It took him but a +few days to build and furnish +this building from supplies on +the ship. It was complete in every +feature, even to running water +from the lake. Grass was brought +from the lake and a lawn laid out +about the cottage in the shadows +of the rock. The grass was kept +watered for Thalma's sake, even +though the water was needed for +other purposes and the lake was +diminishing steadily. But she +was sacred in his eyes—she the +last mother the old earth ever +was to know.</p> + +<p>The interior of the cottage was +embellished like a palace, for +treasures were brought from the +airship to grace its walls. The +richest rugs, curtains, tapestries +and silks the world had ever +known were there for Thalma's +pleasure and comfort. Paintings +of green verdure, of forests and +plains of waving grass, of tumbling +mountain streams and +cool, placid lakes, Omega drew +from the young days of the +earth. The power to portray nature's +moods and beauties had +increased in many men with the +passing of time. He placed these +scenes before Thalma's couch +that their cool and inspiring +presence might comfort her +while she awaited the coming of +the child.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">One</span> morning being weary of +the stark monotony of the +valley, whose eastern wall was +distant many miles, Omega and +Thalma determined to scale the +heights above. For sometimes in +the sinister aspect of the chasm's +walls, it seemed that the rocks +would close together and crush +out their lives. They concluded +not to take the air-car, but to go +on a rambling picnic with the +ever present hope that they +might discover another oasis of +life.</p> + +<p>Hand in hand they rose into +the air, up and up for miles past +frowning cliffs and dark caverns, +yawning like grinning skulls +above the outposts of death. +There was no visible effort in +their flight. They but took advantage +of nature's laws which +man had long understood. At last +on the highest peak they paused +to rest on a dust-covered rock.</p> + +<p>The red sun rose above the +cheerless horizon and blazed on +them from a deep azure sky +slashed across by bars of purple +and gold. More than nine miles +beneath them spread the deep +gorge, where nestled their little +home, looking like a doll-house, +and above it shone the great, silver +ship. The lake shone like a +speck of silver on the drab rocks. +They gazed down upon it in an +attitude of worship, for it alone +in all that vast realm of peaks +and plains and valleys symbolized +life. Then suddenly a dark +speck appeared on the surface of +the lake. Omega looked at Thalma +apprehensively, for well he +knew the meaning of that speck. +Her face was pale and drawn, +and she clung to Omega as they +pointed their glasses at the water.</p> + +<p>The monster was again disporting +himself. He threshed the +water into foam with his long, +sinuous body, while his head +wagged and his terrible eyes +looked toward the land. It was +the first sight they had had of +him since the night he almost +killed Omega.</p> + +<p>"Look!" breathed Thalma, "it +is coming ashore. Oh, I did hope +that it was dead!" And trembling +violently she clung closer to her +lord.</p> + +<p>"Never mind, dear," consoled +Omega as he watched the great +beast waddle toward the shore. +"We will get him this time," he +went on exultingly. "Watch—he +is going to get into the trap!"</p> + +<p>But they were again doomed +to disappointment. Within a few +rods of the shore, with its great, +spotted body nearly all out of the +water, the monster stopped, lifted +its head and looked slowly +around in every direction. Then +apparently scenting danger, it +turned, floundered back to the +center of the lake and submerged.</p> + +<p>"I—I—am afraid," shuddered +Thalma.</p> + +<p>"There is nothing to fear," reassured +Omega. "The beast cannot +get to our home, and one of +these days he will either get +caught in a trap or we will get a +shot at him."</p> + +<p>Although Omega spoke bravely +he was really worried about +the beast and the influence it was +having on Thalma. He realized +that he must at once devise a better +method of extermination. +Even though he did not fear it so +much personally its presence was +disturbing, and it was daily absorbing +so much water needful +for themselves.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">This</span> great gash in the earth's +crust stretching for many +miles below them had been the +deepest part of the Pacific Ocean +when its blue waves still lapped +the shores of continents, and +that little lake, far down in the +earth's bosom, was the pitiful remainder +of that once mighty sea. +Far to the north-west, showing +plainly against the sky in the +focus of their binoculars, were +great ridges of mountain and table +land, rising gaunt and desolate +from the ancient bed of the +sea—the site of the ancient empire +of Japan. Round about them +on every hand were the mute remains +of marine life, for the spot +where they sat had been far below +the surface of the sea. Silent, +mysterious, hopeless and dreary, +the prospect appalled even their +stout hearts. How they yearned +for the sight of some living thing +there upon those high peaks. Silence +supreme and dreadful, in +which even their voices, hushed +and tremulous, sounded profane, +cowed them by its unending +solemnity and the relentless grip. +Gray and nude save for their pall +of dust the mountains rose into +the sky, eternal in their ghostly +majesty. And the dark valleys +between with their gray lips of +death looked like the gaping +mouths of hell.</p> + +<p>"Death! death! eternal and +triumphant death, thou art everywhere!" +cried Omega, springing +up and gazing with hopeless +eyes about over the desolation.</p> + +<p>Thalma rose and touched his +arm. A smile of faith and confidence +shone on her face. He +looked at her in wonder.</p> + +<p>"Nay, death is not everywhere," +she reproved gently. +"Remember Alpha, our son. In +him life does and will live again."</p> + +<p>"Forgive me, Thalma," said +Omega, taking her in his arms. +"You speak truly. With your +loyalty and courage I know we +will win."</p> + +<p>And so as it had always been +from the beginning of time, even +so in these last days it took woman's +love and devotion to sustain +man.</p> + +<p>Now Omega gazed around on +the abode of death with an expression +of disdain. He challenged +it and dared it to do its +worst. Life still triumphed, for +he had Thalma and Alpha was +coming soon. He would not surrender. +He would fight the dark +forces of death—even that horrible +monster down there in the +lake—and conquer them all. He +would again 'gardenize' the +world. The stubborn power of +hope, that heritage from his +atavistic ancestors, was surging +through his blood.</p> + +<p>"We will change all this," he +went on, waving his hand toward +the far rim of the sky. "We are +still masters of life. But now let +us descend," he added in answer +to her approving smile.</p> + +<p>So saying again hand in hand +they stepped off into space and +floated easily down toward their +last home.</p> + +<p>Omega knew that his first important +task was to get rid of the +beast. The fear-haunted expression +in Thalma's eyes brooked no +delay. Accordingly they went to +the ship, and each taking a small +sack they filled them with depth +bombs. Thus armed they floated +out over the lake in quest of their +enemy. But although quite shallow +the water was opaque for the +most part being discolored by +vegetable matter stirred up by +the monster, and the transparent +portions were too deep for them +to see bottom. Long and carefully +they searched at a safe distance +above the water, but no sight of +the beast could be seen. Then +hoping that a chance shot might +reach and destroy him they +passed to and fro over the lake's +center and dropped their bombs. +Great columns of water were sent +high in air deluging them with +spray. That was all. Still, they +had no way of knowing whether +a bomb had struck home. In +spots the water was so violently +agitated as to suggest that the +monster writhed in a death +struggle. But at last all became +as quiet as before.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">It</span> now occurred to Omega to +surround the lake with an invisible +wall of electricity of such +power as to electrocute the beast +should he attempt to go over or +through it. This was accomplished +by increasing the power +of his motors and by automatic +controls projecting a high voltage +potential through the air +around the lake. And then in addition +to other protective appliances +already installed Omega +put a similar wall about the cottage, +much to Thalma's relief +and delight.</p> + +<p>One night they had retired +early, Thalma being weary and +her time but a few weeks away. +To the sweet strain of music +which had been in the air for +ages, they soon fell asleep. How +long he had slept Omega could +never guess, but he was awakened +suddenly. He sat up bewildered +and stared into the +darkness, because for some reason +all lamps were out. And then +he became aware of a peculiar +sound coming from afar. It was +a queer noise combining the roar +of the surf upon a rock-bound +coast, the sigh of the night wind +through a forest and the rumble +of thunder. Suddenly it seemed +to him that earth and cottage +were trembling, and the walls of +the room swayed and buckled as +though smitten by a great wind.</p> + +<p>Frantically he rubbed his eyes, +convinced that it was all a dream. +But the noise drew nearer, thundered +in his ears. In terror he got +to his feet, tried to cry out. The +words froze on his lips, for just +then the wall before him crashed +in as though struck by an avalanche. +Then came a grinding, +splitting jumble of sounds, the +solid ground shook under the +passage of some mighty force +which increased for a moment +followed by a piercing scream.</p> + +<p>Frozen with horror Omega +stared around the wrecked room +whose tottering walls seemed +about to fall upon him. Where +was Thalma? In a frenzy he +stared into the darkness, felt +over the couch. She was gone!</p> + +<p>In some way he got outside +and there in the direction of the +lake he saw the monster, its great +bulk looming high above the +ground, its head swaying with +the swing of its legs as it lumbered +along. And, merciful God—held +in the grip of the monster's +jaws was Thalma!</p> + +<p>The awful sight galvanized +Omega to action. With a hoarse +scream he launched himself at +the beast, passed rapidly through +the air above the monster and +reached out for his wife. Scream +after scream rent the still air as +he pressed forward and the beast +lurched on in its haste to reach +the lake with its prey. But now +Omega was close to his beloved, +and he reached out to grasp her +as once more he screamed right +into the ears of his enemy. Then +perhaps in sheer terror at the +audacity of man, the great jaws +of the monster relaxed and Thalma +fell limp and unconscious to +the ground.</p> + +<p>As the beast lumbered on +Omega knelt by her side.</p> + +<p>"Thank God," he breathed, +"she lives!"</p> + +<p>Then he took her in his arms +and turned back to the ruined +home just as a great splash informed +him that once more the +monster had entered his element +to challenge them for its possession.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Thalma</span> soon revived, but she +clung to Omega and gazed +about fearfully. How she had +wandered out of doors and had +been snapped up by the beast she +could not tell, but Omega said +that she must have been walking +in her sleep. They went at +once to the ship and there spent +the remainder of the night.</p> + +<p>Every light, including those +about the Mirror, had been extinguished +by the beast breaking +the circuit. Yet it appeared that +the latter's passage through the +electric wall had caused no harm. +Omega explained that likely its +bony scales had acted as an insulator +against the action of the +invisible wall.</p> + +<p>While the cottage was being +repaired they remained on the +ship. But despite their recent +harrowing experience, they went +back to the cottage when the repairs +were complete. It was more +home-like than the ship, and +Thalma had learned to love it, for +it was to be the cradle of a new +race. But before they again took +up their residence there Omega +had erected a high fence around +the cottage yard. This fence was +built of heavy cables securely +fastened to huge posts, and each +cable carried an electric charge +of 75,000 volts. Omega was confident +that the beast could never +break through. His confidence +was shared by Thalma, but as an +additional precaution she suggested +that Omega place a similar +fence about the lake. He did +so, and when the last cable was +in place they stood back and surveyed +the work with satisfaction.</p> + +<p>"We have him now," exulted +Omega. "He can never leave the +lake alive, much less reach the +cottage. Despite his tough armor +of scales this high potential will +penetrate to his vitals."</p> + +<p>"It is well," said Thalma as +they turned away.</p> + +<p>As they neared the cottage +they knew that a crisis was at +hand. Forgetting the dead world +about them and subduing the +fears that sometimes clutched +their hearts, they lived in the joy +of anticipation and made ready +for the advent of a new soul.</p> + +<p>Night came down moonless +and dark save for the light of the +stars. In the recesses of the rocks +and in the bottoms of the valleys +intense darkness held sway. But +the grounds and the home of +Omega and Thalma were ablaze +with a thousand lamps, and +on the near-by hillsides giant +searchlights, which seemed to +have no basis, which were born +in the bosom of the air and +blazed without visible cause, shot +their rays into the sky for miles. +Yet the powerful lights about the +cottage were so tinted as to be +restful to the eye. Thus silent +and with clock-like regularity the +agents of Omega performed their +functions. Man had mastered all +the elements of life. All were his +friends and servants, and none +was his master save one—death.</p> + +<p>In a perfect setting and exactly +at the time set for the event +Alpha came into the world, the +child thrived from its first intake +of earth's air.</p> + +<p>Three weeks from birth Alpha +partook of solid food in tablet +form drawn chiefly from gaseous +sources. At two months his +speech was perfect, and at six +months his education began. By +glandular control Omega nurtured +both his body and his mind +and developed them rapidly. +Small wonder that this child—the +last to grace and bless the +world—became his parent's only +joy and hope. They guarded him +from all dangers, instructed him +in the great part he was to play +in the world's future and set +about to conserve that element +on which all depended—the waters +of the lake.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">But</span> during all these long, hot +days and frigid nights, the +close proximity of the monster +cast a shadow over their souls, +marred their happiness by day +and terrorized their dreams by +night. Often, when the sun beat +down upon the lake, they saw his +hideous head rise high above the +water and regard them with +baleful eyes. Twice while at play +Alpha had seen him and had run +screaming to the protection of +his mother, who had great difficulty +in persuading him that +there was no danger. This seemed +to be true, for the monster made +no attempt to force the fence. +Endowed with more than the +cunning of its remote progenitors, +it seemed to realize that it +was trapped. Many nights Omega +and Thalma, armed with their +ray guns and other implements +of destruction, watched for the +beast to attempt to come on land. +Sometimes he would raise his +head and look at them so long +and steadily that icy chills ran +along their spines and their +hands shook so that they could +not sight their weapons and +therefore shot wild. Then the +head would sink out of sight +again.</p> + +<p>Secure as they felt against his +horrible presence it finally began +to sap their courage. Besides, the +lake fascinated Alpha, now but +three years old but large and +strong. He loved to wander by its +shore and dabble in the water, +but so long as the beast remained, +an ever present danger was in +this play. Besides there was the +fear that he might escape the +watchfulness of his parents and +come in contact with one of the +high tension cables.</p> + +<p>And then Omega determined to +try another plan—he would electrically +charge the water of the +lake. He hoped that this would +reach the monster in his watery +lair and kill him instantly. So he +constructed two giant magnets +and placed one on each end of the +lake. Then harnessing all the +electrical energy at his command +he sent a tremendous current +through the water with high potential, +alternating it at ten second +intervals for an hour.</p> + +<p>Two weeks later he watched +for the carcass of the beast to +rise. He felt now that his problem +was to get rid of it so that it +would not pollute the water, but +it did not appear.</p> + +<p>With fear and trembling Omega +observed that the water of the +lake was receding inch by inch. +Then by chemical action on the +coral beds and on the rocks, he +created a dense cloud and caused +it to form over the lake, thus in a +measure protecting it from the +sun's rays. But day by day, despite +the sheltering cloud, the +water receded. Day after day +Omega moved his gauges hoping +against hope that somehow and +somewhere nature would again +awaken and bring water upon +the earth.</p> + +<p>During all these days and +months the monster did not raise +its head above the surface of the +lake—Omega was certain of this, +for had the water been disturbed +ever so little his water seismograph, +as well as his cameras, +would have recorded it. The monster +was dead at last and they +were profoundly thankful. They +were the undisputed masters of +the earth's last water! Now +Alpha could play about the shore +and swim in the shallow water in +peace and safety. So the dangerous +fence was removed.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Omega</span> knew that in the beginning +the Creator had +made man master of his own +destiny. He had endowed him with +reason and given the earth into +his keeping. Omega thoroughly +understood the Ruling Power of +the universe. He read aright His +commands, blazoned across the +breasts of billions of worlds, and +by the same token he knew that +humanity on earth was doomed. +Yet he was urged on by that unconquerable +spirit which had +made man king of all. He set up +his rain-making machinery with +the smile of a fatalist. For hundreds +of miles its sinuous beams +sprang into the sky, writhed +about like great, hungry serpents +with their tremendous sucking +and receiving maws, then coiled +back to earth bringing not a drop. +But one day the Mirror again +showed small, faint clouds upon +its surface. They were scattered +over various parts of the world +and their presence made Omega +wonder. There appeared to be no +reason for them.</p> + +<p>"I do not understand those +clouds," he said to Thalma as he +sat with her and Alpha in the +shade of the coral tree. "Perhaps +there are hidden places of moisture, +that have escaped the receiving +rays of this mirror."</p> + +<p>"Let us go and see," exclaimed +Thalma, her eyes agleam with a +new hope. "Let us make another +voyage around the world. Alpha +has never been far from home."</p> + +<p>"That is so," he agreed. "We +will go at once."</p> + +<p>So they entered the silver ship +and sailed away over the hot, dry +wastes, on and on over the cities +of antiquity. The ruins of New +York, London, Paris and other +marts of the ancients were visited +in their melancholy quest for +life. But even the sites of these +cities were hard to find. Only the +tops of the tallest structures, +such as the tip of the Washington +monument and the towers of +office buildings stood above the +ashes and sands of centuries. But +not even the shadow of a cloud +was seen. Still they sailed on—even +skirted the dark wastes of +the poles and stopped in deep +valleys to test for water. Twice +around the equatorial regions +they voyaged in search of a new +and better haven, but in vain. +The insistent cry for water +burned in their souls and led +them back to the little lake—the +last sop nature had to offer the +remnant of her children.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Although</span> the days were +still hot and blistering, the +nights were cold, ice often forming +on the lake near the shore +and lingering until touched by +the advancing sun. Omega understood, +and again a cold fear +clutched his heart. Unless by +some miracle of the heavens sufficient +moisture should come back +to the earth, no human soul could +long endure the heat of the day +and the freezing temperature of +night.</p> + +<p>To still further conserve the +precious water of the lake, Omega +now extended the folds of the +cloud curtain down to its shores +thus completely enclosing it. And +as this further reduced the evaporation +to a remarkable extent +the hopes of Omega and Thalma +took on new life. Here they visioned +Alpha and his children +living and dying in peace, now +that the monster was no more. +With the help of additional safeguards +Omega reckoned that the +water might be made to last +many more years, and, before it +could become wholly exhausted, +some whim of nature might +again shower the earth with rain.</p> + +<p>Now to pass the time—for +there was nothing to do except +to direct the appliances about +them—this last trio of mortals +loved to leave the shelter of the +cottage, now that they had nothing +further to fear from the sea-monster, +when the westering sun +was low, and ramble among the +shadows of the cliffs and commune +with the past, until the +chill of night drove them indoors. +Sometimes sitting there in the +dusk Thalma and Alpha would +listen to Omega's rich voice as he +recounted an epic story in the +life of long ago. So to-day seated +together on a cliff above the airship, +they watched the sun descend. +Thalma and Alpha had +asked for a story, but Omega refused. +For some time he had sat +silent, his great, brilliant eyes on +the flaming sun as it sank toward +the rim of the earth. A great +loneliness had suddenly seized +him. He recognized it as a presentiment +of disaster. It was beyond +the analysis of reason, but +for the first time in his life he +longed to hold back that sun. +Somehow he feared the advent of +the night. It seemed to him that +before the morning light would +again flood the earth a dire calamity +would befall them.</p> + +<p>"Why so sad?" asked Thalma +fearfully, and Alpha, at his father's +knees, looked up in wonder.</p> + +<p>"It is nothing," replied Omega +with forced composure as he +caressed the boy. "Some foolish +thoughts of mine. Now as it is +getting chilly I think we had +better go down. Oh, how I dread +this awful cold which is creeping +steadily and mercilessly over the +world!" he added softly, his eyes +lingering on the sun.</p> + +<p>With her usual sweet smile +Thalma agreed. So they rose and +floated down. When they reached +the floor of the valley they paused +and regarded the cloud that +screened the lake.</p> + +<p>"It does well," remarked Omega. +"It will make the water last +into the years."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and all for our boy," +said Thalma proudly. Alpha had +left them and was playing along +the shore.</p> + +<p>"It is now time that a mate for +him be on the way," went on +Omega wistfully. "He must have +a sister, you know."</p> + +<p>"It is true," she agreed with a +glad smile.</p> + +<p>Omega had spoken truly. Without +a mate Alpha could not perpetuate +the race. And so it was +arranged that before the rising +of the morrow's sun a new life +should begin.</p> + +<p>Science had steadily advanced +the span of life. When Alpha was +born Omega was two hundred +years old, but that was only middle +age. Thalma was twenty-five +years his junior. The human +birth-rate had decreased with the +passing of the centuries and nature +now demanded the most +exacting conditions for the propagation +of the human species. +Thalma at her age could not afford +to wait longer. Alpha's mate +must be provided forthwith.</p> + +<p>"Alpha wants to play a while +before going in," Thalma continued +presently. "I will remain +with him."</p> + +<p>"Very well, dear," said Omega. +"I will go on and prepare dinner."</p> + +<p>So saying he set his face toward +the cottage, but before he +had taken a dozen steps he was +startled by a piercing scream +from Thalma. He turned swiftly, +then stood paralyzed with terror +and amazement. Out of the cloud +curtain surrounding the lake +protruded the ugly scale-covered +head and neck of the monster he +had believed dead! And the horrible, +swaying head was darting +down toward the playing boy! +The monster's jaws were spread +wide, its black tongue was leaping +out and in like lightning, the +sickening saliva was dripping +upon the sand, and its awful +eyes were blazing like coals. And +then in a twinkling the huge +jaws seized the child, the head +reared back, the jaws closed, +stifling the lad's screams, and it +started to draw back into the +cloud.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">But</span>, after the first onrush of +horror, life came again to +Omega's numbed senses. He darted +forward with a mad cry, and as +he swung through the air rather +than ran, he seized a stone and +hurled it at the brute's head. His +aim was true and the stone +struck the great brute on the +bony hood above the right eye. It +did not harm, but it maddened +the monster. Hissing horribly it +swung Alpha high in the air and +with a fling dashed him down +upon the rocks. Then with a +hoarse bellow it turned upon +Omega. With its first forward +lunge it seemed about to crush +Thalma, who was between it and +its intended victim. But the sight +of her mangled child and the +danger to her lord roused all the +latent fury and courage in her +soul and made of her a fighting +demon. Like Omega she grabbed +the first weapon at hand—a stone +the size of a man's fist—and +with the hot breath of the monster +in her face she hurled the +stone with all her strength +straight into the red, gaping +mouth.</p> + +<p>With a blood-curdling scream +the brute halted, reared backward, +then ran its head back and +forth over the rocks. Its loathsome +body threshed about in the +lake, throwing water far up on +the beach. Then in its contortions +it wallowed up out of the lake as +it swung its terrible head about +in agony, all the while hissing its +challenge.</p> + +<p>Terror-stricken, unable to +move, Omega and Thalma +watched it and could not understand +its writhings. But as it +continued to writhe and groan +they understood at last—the +stone had lodged firmly in its +throat and was choking it to +death.</p> + +<p>Then they sprang to Alpha's +side. Omega gathered him up in +his arms, but he saw with one +agonized glance that he was +dead. His skull was crushed and +it appeared that every bone in +his body was broken.</p> + +<p>Omega's heart was bursting, +but he did not cry out. Holding +the crushed body of his son, he +raised his eyes to that God who +throughout the ages had hidden +His face from man, and smiled a +brave smile of humility and resignation. +While Thalma, understanding +all, looked on dumb and +dry-eyed.</p> + +<p>Leaving the monster floundering +about in its death agony, they +took their beloved son to the cottage +and there injected those +chemicals which would forever +arrest decay. Then they placed +him on his cot that he might be +with them to the end of life. It +was then that Thalma, broken in +spirit, found refuge and relief in +tears which have always been +woman's solace and savior.</p> + +<p>And Omega, gazing out toward +the lake, saw that the monster +lay still. They had won their long +battle, but at an awful cost. Omega +realized that the gigantic +creature, probably deep in a water +cavern, had been only stunned +by the electric charges.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Thalma</span> refused to be comforted. +Day after day she +wept above the lifeless form of +her boy. All Omega's words of +consolation, all his reasoning and +faith in the wisdom and justice +of all things, failed to soothe her +torn heart. Nor did the promise +of another child, rouse her from +her sorrow. She steadfastly refused +to consider another child. +Life had lost its last hold on her +soul, and now she was ready to +surrender to that cruel fate +which had given them mirages of +promise and mocked their misery. +In vain Omega explained +that it was their duty to fight on; +that they, the last of a once noble +race, must not show the white +feather of cowardice. He mentioned +the great consolation they +had of having their beloved son +ever near them, though lifeless. +But Thalma longed for the presence +of the soul, for those words +of endearment and love that had +thrilled her mother heart.</p> + +<p>Before the embalmment it +would have been possible for +Omega to restore life to his boy. +Man had mastered all the secrets +of biology and life. He could have +mended the broken bones and tissues, +revitalized the heart and +lungs and cleared the brain. Alpha +would have walked with +them again. But his personality +would not have been there. That +mysterious something, men call +the soul, had fled forever, and so +far mankind had not been able to +create its counterpart. To have +brought life again to Alpha +would have been a travesty on +the brilliant mind they had +known. Omega recalled many pathetic +examples of such resuscitation +where the living had +walked in death.</p> + +<p>Omega foresaw the end, but he +smiled in the face of it all. He +was the same kind and loving +companion Thalma had always +known, her every want his command +and law. But no more she +realized its inspiration and love. +He seldom left her side any more, +but sometimes overcome with +sorrow he would soar up above +the peaks and commune alone +with the past.</p> + +<p>So to-day he had risen higher +than usual. The red sun beat +upon his body as he hovered in +the hot air, his eyes fixed on the +distant sky line. He gazed like a +famished animal, for it seemed +to him that at last a cloud must +appear above that hopeless shore +of land and sky and bring renewed +life to him and his. Yet he +fully realized the impossibility of +such a thing. Slowly his great, +dark eyes roved around the horizon. +He loathed its dreary monotony, +and still it fascinated +him. Beyond that dead line of +land and sky lay nothing but +ghastly death. His many voyages +in the airship and the reflecting +Mirror told him that, but still he +hoped on.</p> + +<p>When at last he glided down to +the cottage the sun was low. +Having registered the time in his +mind when he left Thalma—for +countless generations man had +dispensed with time-keeping devices—he +realized that he had +been gone just three hours. Reproaching +himself for his negligence +he entered the doorway, +then stared aghast.</p> + +<p>Upon Thalma's wide couch facing +a painting of the ancient, +green world, she had placed the +body of Alpha, then lain down by +his side. Her glazed eyes were +fixed upon the picture, and for +the first time in many weeks +there was a smile about her lips.</p> + +<p>Omega knelt by her side, took +her cold hands in his and feverishly +kissed her brow. With a +grief too deep for tears he smiled +at death, thankful for the love +she had borne him. Nor did he +censure the Plan of the Creator, +the Plan that had led him, Omega, +scion of the world's great, up +to the zenith of life and now left +him alone, the sole representative +of its power. Thalma had +passed on, and in the first crushing +moments of his agony Omega +was tempted to join her. Without +effort and without fear or pain, +his was the power to check the +machinery of life.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Crushed</span> and broken, Omega +sat by his dead, while the +shadows of night entered the valley +and wrapped all in their soft +embrace. When would his own +hour strike? He might retard or +hasten that time, but the real answer +lay in that little lake out +there under the stars, daily +shrinking despite the cloud curtain. +There was nothing more to +live for, yet he determined to +live, to go down fighting like a +valiant knight of old, to set an +example for the sons of other +worlds.</p> + +<p>But despite his brave resolution +his grief for a while seemed +likely to master him. Heart-broken +he finally went out into +the cold dusk and gazed up at the +heavens appealingly.</p> + +<p>"Alone!" he whispered as an +overwhelming sense of his isolation +tore his spirit. "Alone in a +dead world—the sole survivor of +its vanished life!"</p> + +<p>He slumped to the ground and +buried his face in the cold dust. +His thoughts were jumbled in a +maze of pain and sorrow. He +could neither pray nor think. +Gasping, dying a thousand +deaths, he lay there groveling in +the dust. But at last he rose, +dashed the dust from his eyes +and again faced the sky. He +would accept the cruel mandate of +nature. He would live on and try +to conquer all—even death.</p> + +<p>He cast his eyes along the +shore of the lake, and there in +the starlight loomed the form of +the dead monster which, but for +Thalma's unerring aim, would +have been the last of earth's +creatures. Omega sighed and +turned back to his dead.</p> + +<p>But despite his resolution to +live the loneliness was sapping +Omega's spirit. During the following +weeks in a mood of recklessness +and despair he allowed +the cloud curtain to dissolve +above the lake. Once more the +sun's hot rays poured down unhindered +and the lake receded +rapidly.</p> + +<p>As time went on Omega grew +more restless. Only by taking +many voyages around the world +was he able to endure the appalling +silence. He was the last +traveler to visit the ancient marts +of man, he was the last hope and +despair of life. Sometimes he +talked aloud to himself, but his +words sounded hollow and ghostly +in that deep silence, which +only added to his misery.</p> + +<p>And then one day in a fit +of desperation he rebelled. He +cursed the fate that had selected +him to drink the last bitter dregs +of life. In this desperate frame of +mind he evolved a daring plan. +He would not drink those dregs +alone!</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">In</span> the chemical laboratory of +the ship were all the elements +of creative force and life known +to man. From the four corners of +the earth they had been garnered, +and some had come from +sister planets. Here were the ingredients +of creation. For thousands +of years man had been +able to create various forms of +life. He had evolved many pulsing, +squirming things. He had even +made man-like apes possessing +the instinct of obedience, and +which he used for servants, and +much of his animal food also had +been created in this manner.</p> + +<p>Being skilled in all branches of +biology and chemistry Omega +would create a comrade to share +his long wait for death. So he +set to work and the task eased +the pain in his heart. He placed his +chemicals in the test tube and +watched the cell evolve until it +pulsated with life. Carefully +nursing the frail embryo he added +other plasms, then fertilized +the whole with warm spermatozoa +and placed it in the incubator +over which glowed a violet, +radio-active light.</p> + +<p>The young life developed +quickly and soon began to take +form within the glass walls. In a +month it half-filled the incubator, +and at the end of six weeks he +released it, but it still grew +amazingly.</p> + +<p>At first Omega was appalled +by the monstrosity he had created, +for it was a loathsome, repulsive +creature. Its head was +flat and broad and sat upon its +sloping shoulders without a connecting +neck. Its legs were short, +but its arms were long, and when +standing erect it carried them +well in front of an enormous +torso. Its short hands and feet +were webbed like those of a duck. +It had no visible ears, and its +nostrils were mere holes above +a wide, grinning, thin-lipped +mouth, which was always spread +in a grin. Its large, round, red +eyes had no gleam of intelligence, +and its hairless skin, covered +with minute, sucker-like scales, +lay in loose, ugly folds across its +great chest. Most of its movements +were slow and uncertain, +and it hopped about over the +floor like a giant toad, uttering +guttural sounds deep within its +chest. Omega had set out to create +an ape-man, but this thing +was neither man nor beast, bird +or reptile, but a travesty on all—an +unspeakable horror from the +dead womb of the past.</p> + +<p>Yet hideous as this creature +was Omega looked upon it with a +certain degree of gratitude. It +was a companion at least, and it +seemed to reciprocate the respect +of its creator by fawning upon +him and licking his hand. Its red +tongue always hung from its +slavering mouth like that of a +panting dog. Omega named it +The Grinner, because of its habitual +and ghastly smile. He took +it to the cottage that it might +wait on him through the long +hours of solitude. That night it +slept by his side, content and +motionless. But the next morning +after this first night of incongruous +companionship Omega +was awakened by its stertorous +breathing and the touch of a +cold, clammy sweat which was +oozing from its pores and dropping +upon the floor.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Throughout</span> the day Omega +marveled at this phenomenon. He +noticed that the weird thing +went often to the drinking fountain +and wrapped its tongue +about the water jet. That night +he awakened at midnight to find +The Grinner gone. He did not +bother to look for him and mid-forenoon +he returned. His rotund +form seemed to have grown even +larger, and as he ambled about +on all fours the sweat trickled +from his repulsive skin and +trailed across the floor. It was a +strange thing and Omega was at +a loss to account for it, but his +wonder was eclipsed by his appreciation +of The Grinner's companionship. +The Grinner was often +absent for hours at a time, +but he always returned of his own +free will. Omega often saw him +ambling among the rocks or +stretched out in the sun on the +beach. He formed the habit of +letting him have his way, which +was that of extreme laziness. +But during all this time he was +growing prodigiously. In three +months he had become a monster +weighing well over half a ton, +but he still retained his amiable +nature and affection for his master.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Omega</span> seldom left the cottage. +Determined to live as +long as possible—for the age-old +urge of life still persisted—to do +nothing to hasten his end, he, +nevertheless, was doing nothing +to defer it. His soul in the past, +he desired only to be near his +dear ones. For hours he would +sit gazing on their peaceful features, +pouring into their heedless +ears the love songs of his heart. +Living for them, patiently awaiting +the day when he, too, could +enter into rest, he paid less and +less attention to The Grinner, +only noticing that he grew more +horrible and repulsive as his size +increased.</p> + +<p>Lonely and despondent Omega +at last left the cottage only to go +to the airship for supplies. He +seldom even looked toward the +lake. It was a long time since he +had walked about its shores, but +one afternoon the impulse came +to wander that way again. He +was amazed that the water was +disappearing so rapidly. The +body of the monster now lay more +than fifteen rods from the water's +edge, though it had been +killed on the edge of the lake.</p> + +<p>With an indifferent and melancholy +gaze Omega looked across +the lake. Suddenly his stare became +fixed and wild, like that of +one stricken dumb. About twenty +rods out the water was suddenly +agitated as though by the movement +of some great bulk along +its bottom, and then for a fleeting +instant he glimpsed a dark, shining +form heave above the surface, +then sink out of sight before he +could grasp its details.</p> + +<p>"My God," he exclaimed +hoarsely, "there is another sea-monster! +Likely it is the mate of +the one Thalma killed. I might +have known there would be a +mate. We were dealing with two +of the beasts all that time. And +now this thing disputes my right +to the water!"</p> + +<p>Omega's face grew grim and +stern as he glared out over the +water and his heart-beats quickened. +The latent combativeness +of humanity was once more +aroused in him. He had considered +himself the last representative +of life on earth. He should remain +the last. No beast should +claim that honor. He would kill it.</p> + +<p>Then for two weeks he waited +and watched for it to reappear, +waited with all the terrible atomic +weapons at hand, but he saw it +no more. The Grinner sleeping +in the sand was the only form of +life to be seen, and at last he became +weary of the hunt. He figured +that some day he would +charge the lake, but there was no +hurry.</p> + +<p>At last Omega lost all interest +in the things about him. The +Grinner came and went unhindered +and almost unnoticed. He +continued to grow, but Omega +gave him little thought. Even the +treasures in the airship had lost +their lure for him. Disconsolate +and hopeless, yet clinging grimly +to life, he passed his time in the +company of his dead.</p> + +<p>He had not left the cottage for +several weeks, when one cold +morning after a sleepless night, +something impelled him to go in +search of The Grinner who had +been absent all night. As this had +become a frequent occurrence +during the past two months +Omega's curiosity was aroused. +As he glided toward the lake he +wondered why his interest in his +surroundings had been aroused +by thoughts of The Grinner, and +once more he thought of killing +that other sea-monster in the +lake. The lake! He stopped and +stared and stared. The lake was +gone! Only a pool of an acre or +two remained, and in its center, +disporting himself in glee was—not +the monster he was looking +for—but The Grinner! The bloated +creature was rolling about in +the water with all the abandonment +of a mud-wallowing hog.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Omega</span> gazed in astonishment, +then a shrill laugh escaped +him. He had mistaken The +Grinner for another monster of +the deep. It was the last joke of +life, and it was on him.</p> + +<p>Then he realized that this grotesque +child of his hands, having +in its system the combined thirst +of the dry ages—man, animal, +plant, bird and reptile—was +sucking up the lake, absorbing it +through his pores, then sweating +it out only to repeat the process. +Water was his element and food. +From the dim, dry past had come +nature's cry for water to find expression +in this monster of Omega's +making. That which he had +created for a companion had +grown into a terrible menace, +which was rapidly exhausting +his remaining stronghold of life. +But, somehow, Omega did not +care, and as he watched the monstrous +thing finally flounder its +way to the shore and lie down +panting in the sun, he was glad +that it was not another monster +of the deep.</p> + +<p>For a moment Omega's eyes +rested on the drying form of the +dead beast on the slope above +him, then with a shudder he +turned to The Grinner.</p> + +<p>He went up close and stared +into its terrible eyes which +blinked back at him as its mouth +spread in a leer. Already the +sweat was coursing along the +slimy folds of its skin and dripping +off to be swallowed by the +thirsty ground. It was a huge +water sucker. It took water in +enormous quantities, fed upon its +organisms, then discharged it +through its skin. Assisted by the +rays of the sun it was rapidly +drying up the lake.</p> + +<p>Now, as Omega stood regarding +it in awe and wonder, it +showed signs of distress. It began +to writhe and utter hoarse +cries of pain. Its eyes rolled horribly, +its great, barrel-like body +heaved and trembled, and it +waved its long arms and threshed +its feet upon the ground. Omega +realized that it was the victim of +its own abnormal appetite. With +the relish of a gormandizer it had +taken more of its peculiar food +than even its prodigious maw +could assimilate. Soon its struggles +became fiercer. It rolled over +and over in contortions of agony, +the sweat streaming from its +body, while a pitiful moaning +came from its horrid mouth. But +at last it became quiet, its moanings +trailed off into silence, it +jerked spasmodically and lay +still.</p> + +<p>Omega approached and placed +his hand over its heart. There +was no pulsation. The Grinner +was dead.</p> + +<p>With a sigh Omega turned +back to the cottage. Although he +was now alone once more, he did +not care. All he had to do was to +prepare himself for the Great +Adventure, which despite all +man's god-like achievements, still +remained a mystery.</p> + +<p>Now that the lake was almost +gone it again drew his attention. +The sickly grass had long since +given up trying to follow the retreating +water and now was only +a dead and melancholy strip of +yellow far back from the shore. +Every day Omega went to the little +pool and calmly watched it +fade away, watched without +qualms of fear or heartache. He +was ready. But even now, hot and +weary, he refused adequately to +slake his thirst. He must fight on +to the last, for such was the prerogative +and duty of the human +race. He must conserve that precious +fluid.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">At</span> last there came a morning +when Omega, gazing from +his doorway, looked in vain for +the shining pool. Nothing but a +brown expanse of rock and sand +met his view where the lake had +been. Already the salt crystals +were glinting in the sun. A long, +lingering sigh escaped him. It +had come at last! The last water +of those mighty seas which once +had covered nearly the whole +earth, had departed leaving him +alone with the dead of ages.</p> + +<p>Hot and feverish he glided +over the dry bed of the lake. Finally +in the lowest depression on +earth he found, in a little hollow +of rock, a mere cupful of water. +Like a thirst-maddened animal he +sucked it up in great gulps, then +licked the rock dry. <span class="smcap">IT WAS THE +LAST DROP!</span></p> + +<p>Omega rose, his face calm and +resigned. With a smile of gratitude +he looked up at the sky. The +water was bitter, but he was +thankful he had been given the +final cup.</p> + +<p>Then he went to the airship +and shot up into the blue and on +around the world in a voyage of +farewell. In a few hours he was +back. Reverently he set the airship +down on its landing place. +He was through with it now. Its +usefulness was gone, its great, +pulsing motors forever silent, +soon to be covered with the dust +of ages, he would leave it a monument +to mankind. For a little +while he wandered among the +treasures of the ship. Sacred as +they were they still mocked him +with their impotency to stay the +hand of death. But he loved them +all. Thalma had loved them and +they had been Alpha's playmates, +and their marvelous powers had +been his hope and inspiration. +With loving caresses and a full +heart he bade good bye to these +treasures of his fathers, soon to +become the keepsakes of death.</p> + +<p>At last having completed the +rounds he let himself out into the +still air. Resolutely he set his +face toward home.</p> + +<p>The hot noonday sun, beating +fiercely down on the dead world, +entered the cottage and fell in a +flood of glory about the couch +where Omega, the last man, lay +between his loved ones. His great +eyes were set and staring, but on +his features rested a smile of +peace—the seal of life's last +dream.</p> + +<p>"The rest is silence."</p> + +<p class="p1"><b>THE END</b></p> + +<div class="trn"><b>Transcriber's Note:</b> +This etext was produced from <i>Amazing Stories</i> January 1963 and was first +published in <i>Amazing Stories</i> January 1933. +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. Significant typesetting +amendments have been made based on the original 1933 publication, +courtesy of www.booksfromthecrypt.com.</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Omega, the Man, by Lowell Howard Morrow + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OMEGA, THE MAN *** + +***** This file should be named 26882-h.htm or 26882-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/8/8/26882/ + +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. 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file mode 100644 index 0000000..7217654 --- /dev/null +++ b/26882-page-images/p0119.png diff --git a/26882.txt b/26882.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..de09d8b --- /dev/null +++ b/26882.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1848 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Omega, the Man, by Lowell Howard Morrow + +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: Omega, the Man + +Author: Lowell Howard Morrow + +Illustrator: Leo Morey + +Release Date: October 11, 2008 [EBook #26882] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OMEGA, THE MAN *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +A Classic Reprint from AMAZING STORIES, January, 1933 + +[Illustration] + + +OMEGA, the MAN + +By LOWELL HOWARD MORROW + +Illustrated by MOREY + + +The silver airship cut swiftly through the hot thin air. The noonday sun +blazed down upon it and the desert world below. All about was the solemn +silence of death. No living thing appeared either in the air or on the +drab, gray earth. Only the aircraft itself displayed any signs of life. +The sky, blue as indigo, held not the shadow of a cloud, and on the +horizon the mountains notched into it like the teeth of a giant saw. + +The airship finally came to a hovering stop, then dropped rapidly toward +the salt-encrusted plain. It came to rest at last on the bottom of a +great, bowl-shaped hollow situated at the end of a chasm whose gray, +rock-strewn sides rose in rugged terraces for miles back into the sky. +In a few moments a panel in the vessel's side rolled noiselessly upward, +disclosing a brilliant light, and from the interior of the airship soon +appeared two figures who paused at the aperture and gazed out over the +parched earth. Then without fear or visible effort--although they were +seventy-five feet above the ground--they emerged from the ship and +floated down to earth. + +These two humans--the sole survivors of all earth's children--were man +and wife--Omega and Thalma. They were burned a deep cherry by the fierce +rays of the sun. In stature they were above the average man now on +earth. Their legs were slender and almost fleshless, because for many +centuries man had ceased to walk. Their feet were mere toeless +protuberances attached to the ankle bone. Their arms were long and as +spare as their legs, but their hands, although small, were +well-proportioned and powerful. Their abdominal regions were very small, +but above them were enormous chests sheltering lungs of tremendous +power, for thus nature had armored man against the rarefaction of the +earth's atmosphere. But the most remarkable parts about this truly +remarkable couple were there massive heads set upon short, slim necks. +The cranial development was extraordinary, their bulging foreheads +denoting great brain power. Their eyes--set wide apart--were large and +round, dark and luminous with intelligence and their ears were +remarkably large, being attuned to all the music and voices of life. +While their nostrils were large and dilated, their mouths were very +small, though sensuous and full-lipped. They were entirely hairless--for +even the eyebrows and the eyelashes of man had entirely disappeared ages +before. And when they smiled they betrayed no gleam of teeth, for nature +had long discarded teeth in man's evolution. + +The great, silver ship of the sky now rested in a deep pocket on the +floor of an ancient sea. Millions of years, under the sucking energy of +the sun and the whip of many winds, had sapped its waters, until only a +shallow, brackish lake remained. Along the shores of this lake, which +covered scarcely more than a hundred acres, a rim of yellowish, green +grass followed the water's edge and struggled against the inevitable, +and here and there among the grasses flowers of faded colors and +attenuated foliage reared their heads bravely in the burning sunshine. +And this lone lake, nestled in the lowest spot among the mountains and +valleys which once floored the Pacific, now held the last of earth's +waters. Barren and lifeless the rest of the world baked under a +merciless sun. + + * * * * * + +Now clasping hands, like children at play, Omega and Thalma approached +the lake. They glided over the ground, merely touching their feet to the +highest points, and finally stopped with their feet in the warm, still +water. + +Omega ran his cupped hand through the water, then drank eagerly. + +"It is good," he said in a low, musical voice. "And there is much of it. +Here we may live a long time." + +Thalma laughed with sheer joy, her large, red-rimmed eyes aglow with +mother light and love. + +"I am glad," she cried. "I know that Alpha will be happy here." + +"It is so, my love, and--" + +Omega checked and stared out over the glassy lake. A spot in its center +was stirring uneasily. Great bubbles rose to the surface and eddied to +one side, then suddenly huge cascades of water shot into the air as if +ejected by subterraneous pressure. As they stared in silent astonishment +the commotion suddenly ceased and the surface of the lake became as +tranquil as before. + +"There is volcanic action out there," said Omega fearfully. "At any time +the ground may open and engulf the lake in a pit of fire. But no, that +cannot be," he added, staring at Thalma with an odd light in his eyes. +For he suddenly recalled that no volcanic action or earth tremor had +disturbed the surface crust for ages. + +"What is it, Omega?" she whispered in accents of awe. + +"Nothing to fear, my dear, I am sure," he replied, averting his eyes. +"Likely some fissure in the rock has suddenly opened." + +And then he embraced her in the joy of new-found life. For long ages +mind had communicated with mind by telepathic waves, speech being used +for its cheer and companionship. + +"We will make ready for Alpha," said Omega joyfully. "In very truth he +may be able to carry on. Moisture may return to earth, and it is more +likely to return here than elsewhere. Remember what the Mirror showed +last week over the Sahara plains--the makings of a cloud!" + +They cheered each other by this remembrance how, just before they had +consumed the last of the water in their recent home and buried the last +of their neighbors and friends, the reflecting Mirror had brought a view +of a few stray wisps of vapor above the Great Sahara which once had been +reclaimed by man, where teeming millions in by-gone ages had lived their +lives. + +"The inclination of the earth's axis is changing as we know," he went on +hopefully as they turned back toward the ship. "The moisture may come +back." + +His was the voice of hope but not of conviction. Hope, planted in man's +soul in the beginning, still burned brightly in these last stout +hearts. + +Alpha was still unborn. Omega and Thalma had willed a male child. In him +was to be the beginning of a new race which they hoped with the aid of +science would repeople the earth. Hence his name, the first letter of +the Greek alphabet, of which "omega" is the last. + +"I am afraid, my love," said Thalma, looking back over her shoulder at +the placid lake. "I wonder what heaved the water about that way." + +"Don't worry about it, my dear," he said as they paused beneath the ship +and he put his arm protectingly about her. "As I have said, it probably +was the shifting of a rock on the bed of the lake. It is nothing to +worry about, and I feel that we have nothing to fear for a long, long +time. And we have so much joy to look forward to. Remember Alpha is +coming, and think of his glorious future! Think of his changing all +this!" And he swept his hand toward the grim, gray hills. "Just think of +again gardenizing the world!" + + * * * * * + +It was indeed a dreary view upon which they gazed. On every side, upon +the mountains and hills, over salt-encrusted plains and upon the rocks, +were the skeletons and shells of departed life. Fossils of the animal +and the vegetable kingdoms greeted one on every hand. Great fronds of +palms of the deep, draped with weird remains of marine life long +extinct, stood gaunt and desolate and rust-covered in the hollows and on +the hills. Long tresses of sea weed and moss, now crisp and dead as +desert sands, still clung in wreaths and festoons to rock and tree and +plant just as they had done in that far-off age, when washed by the +waters of the sea. Great forests of coral, once white and pink and red +with teeming life but now drab and dead, still thrust their arms upward, +their former beauty covered and distorted by the dust of the ages. +Whales and sharks and serpents and fish of divers species and sizes, +together with great eels and monsters of the deep, lay thickly over the +land, their mummified remains shriveled by the intense heat, their +ghastliness softened by the ashes of the years. + +Millions of ages had rolled away since the struggle began--the battle of +life on earth against the encroachments of death. And now death stalked +everywhere, grinning with malicious triumph, for he had but one more +battle to fight. Already his grisly clutch was closing on the standard +of victory. Man had mastered life but he had not conquered death. With +the magic wand of science he had reached out into space and viewed the +life of far-off worlds. He had routed superstition and fear and +selfishness. He had banished disease and learned all nature's secrets; +had even visited other worlds and had come to know and understand his +God, but still death had marched grimly on. For even the abysmal moment +of creation had marked the world for his prey. Slowly but surely death +had closed his cold hands about the earth. The sun flung forth his hot +rays and drew more and more of the earth's moisture and dissipated it in +space. Gradually the forests vanished and then the streams and lakes +dwindled and disappeared. By this time the atmosphere had thinned almost +imperceptibly--and only by the aid of his scientific instruments had man +been able to detect its thinning. Less and less rain fell, and finally +even the ice-caps about the poles trickled away. Cold and gaunt and +shadowy those regions lay silent and lifeless throughout the long +nights, and loomed like gray ghosts in the hushed light of the summer. +The sun blazed on relentlessly and the shores of the seven seas receded +age after age, but with his science and his machines man had doggedly +followed the retreating waters, husbanded and harnessed them and thus +retained his grip on life. + +But now at last life on earth had come to its final battlefield. The +plans of the battle were sharply drawn, but there could be no doubt of +the issue. No one knew this better than Omega, for the sun shone on with +undiminished power. Yet the rotation of the earth had slackened until +twenty-five hours constituted a day, while the year was 379 days and a +fraction in length. Man, gradually adjusting himself to the new +conditions and environment, had triumphed even in the face of a losing +fight. For he had learned to smile into the hollow sockets of death, to +laugh at the empty promises of life. + + * * * * * + +Back in their ship Omega and Thalma gazed out over the dead world, where +the salt crystals gleamed and sparkled in the sunshine. + +"Will all this ever become green again and full of joy and life?" asked +Thalma wearily. + +"Why not?" asked Omega. "Although the race has come to its last stand, +water is here and before it is gone who knows what may happen?" + +Omega spoke only to please his wife, for well he knew in his heart that +the star of hope had forever set. And always he was thinking of that +commotion in the waters of the lake. What could have caused it? What did +it portend? He was sure that the answer was to be one of tragedy. + +"We know that for uncounted ages the world was green and beautiful, was +vibrant with life and joy," he went on. "And why may it not be so again, +even though now it is garbed in the clothes of the sepulchre? Let us +trust in the power of our son." + +Thalma did not answer, and Omega, seeing that she was terribly +depressed, fell silent. So they sat in their great airship, strangely +dejected despite the close proximity of the life-giving water, while the +sun flamed through the cloudless sky and set in a crimson flood beyond +the lifeless plains. Night fell but still they sat brooding. The stars +shone out in the purple heavens, but they noticed not their glory. The +ship was wrapped in an awful silence. No night wind whispered its +message nor warmed the cold, desolate earth, stretching down from the +poles, nor cooled the hot wastes about the equator. The naked mountains +rose stark and forbidding into the sky, which hung like a great, +bejeweled bowl over the sun-scorched plains, where the dust of many ages +lay undisturbed. The shadows lay deep and dark over the valleys and +among the streets of cities dead and silent for many ages, and searched +out deep chasms which when the world was young had felt the surge of the +restless seas. No form of life winged its way through the darkness and +called to its mate. No beast of prey rent the air with its challenge. No +insect chirped. No slimy shape crawled over the rocks. Dark and solemn, +mysterious and still, the earth sped on through the night. + + * * * * * + +Morning found them in much better spirits. Over their breakfast, which +consisted almost wholly of food in tablet form, they discussed their +plans. After which they went to the lookout in the bow of the ship and +gazed out at the gray world. There was no change. The same +heart-breaking monotony of death confronted them. But despite it all +they finally smiled into each other's eyes. + +"It is home," said Omega proudly. "The last home we shall ever know." + +"My God, look!" suddenly gasped Thalma, clutching his arm and pointing a +trembling finger toward the lake. "What--is that?" + +Following her gesture he stared in terror and stupefaction. Rising above +the center of the lake where the day before they had beheld the agitated +waters, was an enormous, scale-covered neck surmounted by a long, +snake-like head whose round, red eyes were sheltered beneath black, +horny hoods. The horrible creature's head was swaying back and forth as +its black tongue darted in and out between wide-open jaws displaying +single rows of sharp teeth. Fully fifteen feet above the lake the awful +eyes looked toward the land. And as the neck moved in unison with the +swaying head the scales seemed to slide under and over one another a +perfect armor for the neck. + +"A plesiosaurian!" exclaimed Omega, leveling his glasses at the beast. +"No--how can that be?" he added in bewilderment. "Those monsters were +supposed to be extinct ages ago. And they had a smooth skin, while this +thing has scales, like those of a brontosaurus, which was really a land +animal. This must be a cross between the two that through the process of +evolution has been developed. Anyway it is the last of the species and +it has come here--to die." + +"Like us it has followed the water and come here to die," said Thalma as +she also leveled glasses. + +For several minutes they watched the swaying head which every little +while twisted from side to side, as the blazing eyes seemed to be +searching for prey, while a whitish saliva dripped from the jaws. The +body of the beast, which they knew to be enormous, was hidden beneath +the water, but the agitation on the surface showed that powerful feet +and legs were stirring. + +"Yes, it has come here to die," repeated Omega, "to fight for the last +drop of earth's water. It now has possession of the lake, and unless we +kill it, it will kill us or drive us away." + +Almost with the words Omega seized an atomic gun and pointed it at the +brute's head. But before he could sight the weapon and pull the trigger +the monster, as though sensing danger, suddenly jerked down its head and +a moment later it had disappeared beneath the surface. + +"It has gone!" cried Thalma. She was trembling as with a chill, and her +eyes were wide with terror. + +"It will appear again," said Omega, "and then we will kill it, for the +water belongs to man. Doubtless that huge beast is all that remains of +life on earth save ourselves. To-night while you sleep here in the ship, +I will take a gun, take position behind a rock on the shore of the lake +and watch for its appearance. I think shortly after nightfall when the +rocks are cool it leaves the water and comes on land in a vain search +for food, for beyond a doubt it has devoured everything in the lake, +save marine mosses and the like. Yet as it has survived all contemporary +life except man, it may live for centuries unless we destroy it." + +"But there are not centuries of water out there," Thalma said. "As to +your hunting this monster alone, I will not hear of it. I shall go with +you. Together we will destroy this menace of our new home." + + * * * * * + +All Omega's eloquence could not dissuade her. So, after the sun had set +and the dry cold had chilled the hot rocks, they set out along the shore +of the lake and looked eagerly out over the still water for a sight of +their enemy. Nothing disturbed the silvery surface of the water. +Crouching behind a mass of coral they waited, but throughout the long, +still night they watched without reward, for nothing moved within their +range of vision. The stars, wonderfully large and brilliant in that +rarefied atmosphere, seemed to be the only link between them and the +unknown. Only their own hurried breathing and the muffled thumps of +their wildly beating hearts broke the silence. And as the sun rose again +above the dead plains, weary and discouraged they returned to the ship. + +While keeping up a bold front for Thalma's sake, Omega's heart was sad, +for he well knew that unless they could vanquish that marine monster +they were doomed. That such a dreadful creature had come to them from +the mists of antiquity, as it were, was incredible. Yet he had seen it, +Thalma had seen it, and it resembled some of the sea-monsters he had +heard of in the past. They could not doubt its existence and must +prepare for the worst. + +Omega's name had been conferred on him by an ironical whim of fate. When +he was born there were still many people on earth inhabiting the low +valleys of the Pacific's floor where much water still remained. But the +droughts had increased with the years, and before Omega had reached +middle-life all rain had ceased to fall. The atmosphere became so rare, +even near the ground, that it was difficult for the people with the aid +of their machines to draw sufficient oxygen and nitrogen from it to +prepare the food which had been man's principal sustenance for ages. + +Gradually the weaker peoples had succumbed. But the remnants of the +nations gathered about the receding waters, all foreseeing the end, but +all determined to defer it as long as possible. There was no recourse. +For ages before Omega was born the nations, knowing that the earth was +drying up, had fought one another for the privilege of migrating to +another planet to fight its inhabitants for its possession. The battle +had been so bitterly contested that two-thirds of the combatants were +slain. By the aid of their space-cars the victors colonized other +planets in our solar system leaving the vanquished on earth to shift for +themselves. There was nothing for them to do but to fight on and await +the end, for no space-car that man had ever devised was able to +penetrate the cold, far-reaches of space. Only among the family of our +own sun could he navigate his ships. And now, like the earth, every +member of that once glorious family was dead or dying. For millions of +years, Mars, his ruddy glow gone forever, had rolled through space, the +tomb of a mighty civilization. The ashes of Venus were growing cold. +Life on Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn already was in the throes of +dissolution, and the cold, barren wastes of Uranus and Neptune always +had forbidden man. + +So it seemed that the name, Omega, had been fittingly bestowed. More +than ever the stark truth made him shudder with apprehension, and he +felt that only the coming of Alpha would give him strength to carry on. + +"Now we must make ready for Alpha," said Omega, even while thoughts of +the sea-monster chilled his heart. "We will make our servants prepare +the way. Here in this valley must be born a new race of men. Life must +come from death. Come, Thalma." + + * * * * * + +She smiled back at him, reassured by his confident manner, and together +they entered a lower compartment of the ship. This compartment contained +the servants of which Omega had spoken--divers machinery and other +marvels of man's construction. Omega touched several buttons and a +section of the ship's hull rolled aside. He pressed other buttons and +whirled wheels. Then great sections of mirror slid out into the air and +without apparent direction or control they ranged themselves far up on a +steep hillside. Yet all were under perfect control. With invisible, +atomic rays Omega made all do his bidding. For countless centuries man +had mastered the atom, divided it, harnessed its electrons. Following +the discoveries of the great French scientist, Becquerel, man had +learned that the potential energy of all atoms--especially that of +radium--is almost limitless. And as the disintegration of the atom +carries an electrical discharge, man had learned to control this energy. +Omega's machines, utilizing atoms from everywhere, even the ether, split +them by radio-activity through electromagnetic waves, and utilized the +energy of their electrons which always move in fixed orbits. There being +forty radio-active substances, Omega took advantage of them all, and +equalizing the atomic weight of the atoms--whether those around a +hydrogen nucleus or a helium nucleus--he broke the atoms down and +directed the charges of their electrons. Then his motors amplified the +discharges and, through the medium of an electric current, projected +them in the form of invisible atomic rays which he could control and +direct against any object and sustain and move at will by means of +oscillating currents. + +Soon upon the hillside, perfectly arranged and adjusted, appeared a +giant, parabolic, refracting mirror with which he could obtain a view of +any portion of the earth's surface by sending vibrating currents around +the world and reproducing impressions already recorded on the ether, on +the surface of the mirror. And beneath its center was a receiver, +through which he might have heard the minutest sound around the world, +had there been any to hear. + +The small, atomic motors--which drew their energy both from hydrogen +nuclei, the ether of space and the radio-active substances of all +metals--now were placed on the hillside near the great mirror. There +motors were capable of creating and focusing light, without bulb or +other container, whenever and wherever needed. All were operated with +scarcely any effort by Omega. + +In a measure it seemed strange that the Greek alphabet and all the +classics of the ancients had survived antiquity. But the latest +inventions of man explained it all. For man with his machines had +reached far back into the shadowy past and proved the immortality of all +thought and action. All the records of history, all the triumphs and +defeats, the joys and sorrows and aspirations of humanity, came out of +the past and marched across the screen of his historical recorder. As +nothing is ever lost, all sounds and impressions occurring on earth +since the dawn of its creation, being already impressed on the sensitive +plastic and all-pervading ether, the same as a photograph is recorded on +its film or plate, man had developed a machine for drawing on these +impressions until at will the history of the world was before him. Even +the varied life of the ancients came out of the past. Saints and +sinners, slaves and masters mingled. Confucius sat before him in +humility; Guatama counseled his followers to be humble; Christ died upon +the cross. Warriors and statesmen shouted their triumphs and bewailed +their defeats. Philosophers expounded their wisdom and Socrates drank +the hemlock. Hannibal and Caesar and Alexander fought their battles, +and Napoleon marched gory and unafraid from Austerlitz to Waterloo. All +came back at the call of Omega's science. + + * * * * * + +As has been stated it was a giant craft on which Omega and Thalma had +come to this last retreat of man. Within its interior were all the +latest marvels of man's ingenuity and skill. These instruments of almost +supernatural power not only reached back into the past but also +penetrated the future. There was a great atomic-electric motor used in +creating and controlling climate as long as there was any to control. +Sending forth electromagnetic waves it massed and directed the +atmospheric pressure, sending heat waves here, cold ones there, thus +causing droughts and rainfall at will. But now, as with the case of most +of the other machines, Omega needed it no longer. He kept it because it +linked him with the joy of the past. Besides, there was the mind-control +appliance by whose aid man's mind might visit other worlds. This was +done through the development of the subconscious and the discipline of +the will. But Omega was weary of these pilgrimages, because his body +could not perform those far-off flights. As time went on he realized +that the earth was his natural home. Even the earth's neighbors, dead +and dying, offered him no haven. + +Yes, Omega and Thalma had garnered the gist of the world's treasures +before commencing this last trek. Gold and precious stones were common +objects to them, because for countless ages man had made them at will, +but around those they had brought clustered sacred memories of loved +ones gone before. The biological machine in the chemical laboratory of +the ship--the machine that brought forth life from nature's bountiful +storehouse--was of little use now that both atmosphere and moisture were +nearly gone. Yet Omega cherished this machine, and aside from its +associations with the past, it held for him a fascination that he could +not understand. + +Having set the Mirror and other mechanical servants in position, Omega +and Thalma returned to the ship, and slept throughout the day, for with +the descending sun they must again go forth to hunt that scaly demon +which had taken possession of the earth's last water. + +The night was moonless, but the bright starlight brought all objects +into plain relief against the dark rocks. Taking position on the slope +several rods above the beach, Omega and Thalma watched the lake eagerly, +but nothing disturbed its mirror-like surface. As on the preceding +night the awful silence appalled them--even though they were accustomed +to the vast solitude. It was so calm and still, so full of death and +mystery, that it seemed they must cry out in the agony of their +emotions. As the very silence was crushing their spirits so the +knowledge that only one form of life on earth stood between them and the +water to which their last hope clung, was maddening. How they longed to +battle the hideous monster! But the hours dragged on with nothing to +disturb the dead, heart-breaking silence. At last the Great Dipper had +swung so far around that dawn appeared. Yet there had been not a ripple +on the lake. Omega concluded that his guess was wrong--the beast did not +leave the water at night to search for food. Perhaps it had learned the +futility of such a search in a dead, dust-covered world. + + * * * * * + +Wearied by their long and fruitless vigil they must have dozed, for +suddenly Omega, who sat but a yard or two from Thalma, was aroused by a +padded footfall and the exhalations of a noisome breath. Looking up he +was horrified to see the monster towering above him, its head swaying +gently to and fro, as its great, awkward feet sent it lunging forward +and backward for many feet, its spotted, scale-covered body trailed over +the rocks. By suddenly rounding the shoulder of the rock, sheltering +Omega and Thalma, its head held high, it seemed not to have seen the two +humans, for its terrible unblinking eyes were fixed ahead on the water. +However, Omega, paralyzed with fear and astonishment, and being directly +in the beast's path, believed that his hour had come. This was to be the +end of all his plans--to be crushed by the enormous weight of the +monster which challenged his right to live. But in that tense moment +when he thought that it was all over, the lithe form of Thalma reached +his side and in a frenzy of terror pulled him away. But even then the +sloping belly of the onrushing beast tore him from her frail hands and +dashed him against the rock. + +While he lay there stunned and unable to move, Thalma discharged her +weapon at the monster. Three times she fired in quick succession but the +shots went wild, and in another moment the great brute struck the water +with a resounding splash and disappeared from view. For a few minutes a +trail of surface bubbles marked its rapid course toward the lake's +center, then all was motionless and still as before. + +"Are you hurt, Omega?" Thalma cried anxiously, kneeling by his side. + +"Just shaken up a bit," he returned, sitting up with an effort. "Great +hunters are we," he went on with a laugh. "We almost allowed the game to +catch the hunters! Well, let's go back to the ship. We'll get him next +time." + +But their narrow escape had shaken their nerve. All day long they +remained safely in the ship and kept their guns trained on the lake +hoping that the beast would show himself. How or when it had left the +lake they could not surmise, but that it was more formidable than they +had thought now seemed certain, and Omega concluded to bring science to +his aid. In this way he was sure that he would soon exterminate the +monster. + +So the next day he lay a cable carrying a high voltage all around the +lake and connected it with traps of various designs both in the water +and on the land. No more would they risk their lives hunting the beast +in the open after nightfall. + +The hot, still days that followed were anxious ones for these last +children of life. Not a trap was sprung. The beast did not drag his +slimy body and tail across the heavily charged cable. The last of his +kind, fighting the last battle of existence, it seemed that nature had +endowed him with uncanny cunning. There was the life-giving water for +whose possession no human kind challenged them, but this enemy was more +terrible than any man, savage or civilized whom the earth had ever +known. + + * * * * * + +During these anxious, watchful days Omega and Thalma went often to the +Mirror and gazed into it in search of vapor clouds. And more than once +those gossamer-like formations appeared over different parts of the +world to gladden their hearts only to fade away before their vision. The +reflections of those embryo clouds became less frequent as the days wore +on. Omega and Thalma knew that they had no right to hope for the return +of water vapor. Their instruments, so finely attuned as to appear +endowed with intelligence, the records of the past and their own common +sense told them that. But nature and life in the upper reaches of the +air were dying as hard as their own hope. They knew that the aerial +manifestations they witnessed were but symptoms of the death struggle. +And yet a real cloud, dark and pregnant with moisture, suddenly appeared +in the Mirror. Consulting the chart they saw that it was hovering over a +great land of plain and mountains which formerly had been a part of the +United States of America. + +"We will go and examine this gift from heaven," said Omega. "It moves +over a once beautiful land, which the voices of history tell us, +harbored a race of the free millions of years ago." + +"Yes, we will go," agreed Thalma. "It may be after all that Alpha will +first see the light far from this dreadful hollow and--and--that monster +out there in the lake." + +Omega hung his head. Well he knew that the presence of the monster was +slowly killing his beloved. She complained not, but her dreams were +disturbed with frightful visions, and often Omega awakened to find her +at a window staring out over the lake with terror-stricken eyes. + +This new cloud was thousands of miles to the east but with fond +anticipations they entered the ship and plunged toward it. But although +they reached the spot in one hour, the last remnant of vapor dissolved +before their eyes, and they turned sadly homeward, once more beaten by +the inexorable decrees of fate. + +So having decided at last that this deep valley must remain their home +forever, Omega looked about for a suitable building site, for although +the ship was safe and comfortable they longed for a home on the earth. +But the ever present menace of the sea-monster saddened them and filled +them with misgivings, despite the fact that Omega could guard the +cottage electrically. But Omega wondered whether electric safeguards +would keep this creature from coming some night to the cottage and +sticking his loathsome head in at door or window. Omega shuddered at the +thought, but refrained from mentioning such a possibility to Thalma. + +Having selected a site under the branches of a great coral tree standing +within the shade of an overhanging rock, Omega erected a cottage. It +took him but a few days to build and furnish this building from supplies +on the ship. It was complete in every feature, even to running water +from the lake. Grass was brought from the lake and a lawn laid out about +the cottage in the shadows of the rock. The grass was kept watered for +Thalma's sake, even though the water was needed for other purposes and +the lake was diminishing steadily. But she was sacred in his eyes--she +the last mother the old earth ever was to know. + +The interior of the cottage was embellished like a palace, for treasures +were brought from the airship to grace its walls. The richest rugs, +curtains, tapestries and silks the world had ever known were there for +Thalma's pleasure and comfort. Paintings of green verdure, of forests +and plains of waving grass, of tumbling mountain streams and cool, +placid lakes, Omega drew from the young days of the earth. The power to +portray nature's moods and beauties had increased in many men with the +passing of time. He placed these scenes before Thalma's couch that their +cool and inspiring presence might comfort her while she awaited the +coming of the child. + + * * * * * + +One morning being weary of the stark monotony of the valley, whose +eastern wall was distant many miles, Omega and Thalma determined to +scale the heights above. For sometimes in the sinister aspect of the +chasm's walls, it seemed that the rocks would close together and crush +out their lives. They concluded not to take the air-car, but to go on a +rambling picnic with the ever present hope that they might discover +another oasis of life. + +Hand in hand they rose into the air, up and up for miles past frowning +cliffs and dark caverns, yawning like grinning skulls above the outposts +of death. There was no visible effort in their flight. They but took +advantage of nature's laws which man had long understood. At last on the +highest peak they paused to rest on a dust-covered rock. + +The red sun rose above the cheerless horizon and blazed on them from a +deep azure sky slashed across by bars of purple and gold. More than nine +miles beneath them spread the deep gorge, where nestled their little +home, looking like a doll-house, and above it shone the great, silver +ship. The lake shone like a speck of silver on the drab rocks. They +gazed down upon it in an attitude of worship, for it alone in all that +vast realm of peaks and plains and valleys symbolized life. Then +suddenly a dark speck appeared on the surface of the lake. Omega looked +at Thalma apprehensively, for well he knew the meaning of that speck. +Her face was pale and drawn, and she clung to Omega as they pointed +their glasses at the water. + +The monster was again disporting himself. He threshed the water into +foam with his long, sinuous body, while his head wagged and his terrible +eyes looked toward the land. It was the first sight they had had of him +since the night he almost killed Omega. + +"Look!" breathed Thalma, "it is coming ashore. Oh, I did hope that it +was dead!" And trembling violently she clung closer to her lord. + +"Never mind, dear," consoled Omega as he watched the great beast waddle +toward the shore. "We will get him this time," he went on exultingly. +"Watch--he is going to get into the trap!" + +But they were again doomed to disappointment. Within a few rods of the +shore, with its great, spotted body nearly all out of the water, the +monster stopped, lifted its head and looked slowly around in every +direction. Then apparently scenting danger, it turned, floundered back +to the center of the lake and submerged. + +"I--I--am afraid," shuddered Thalma. + +"There is nothing to fear," reassured Omega. "The beast cannot get to +our home, and one of these days he will either get caught in a trap or +we will get a shot at him." + +Although Omega spoke bravely he was really worried about the beast and +the influence it was having on Thalma. He realized that he must at once +devise a better method of extermination. Even though he did not fear it +so much personally its presence was disturbing, and it was daily +absorbing so much water needful for themselves. + + * * * * * + +This great gash in the earth's crust stretching for many miles below +them had been the deepest part of the Pacific Ocean when its blue waves +still lapped the shores of continents, and that little lake, far down in +the earth's bosom, was the pitiful remainder of that once mighty sea. +Far to the north-west, showing plainly against the sky in the focus of +their binoculars, were great ridges of mountain and table land, rising +gaunt and desolate from the ancient bed of the sea--the site of the +ancient empire of Japan. Round about them on every hand were the mute +remains of marine life, for the spot where they sat had been far below +the surface of the sea. Silent, mysterious, hopeless and dreary, the +prospect appalled even their stout hearts. How they yearned for the +sight of some living thing there upon those high peaks. Silence supreme +and dreadful, in which even their voices, hushed and tremulous, sounded +profane, cowed them by its unending solemnity and the relentless grip. +Gray and nude save for their pall of dust the mountains rose into the +sky, eternal in their ghostly majesty. And the dark valleys between with +their gray lips of death looked like the gaping mouths of hell. + +"Death! death! eternal and triumphant death, thou art everywhere!" cried +Omega, springing up and gazing with hopeless eyes about over the +desolation. + +Thalma rose and touched his arm. A smile of faith and confidence shone +on her face. He looked at her in wonder. + +"Nay, death is not everywhere," she reproved gently. "Remember Alpha, +our son. In him life does and will live again." + +"Forgive me, Thalma," said Omega, taking her in his arms. "You speak +truly. With your loyalty and courage I know we will win." + +And so as it had always been from the beginning of time, even so in +these last days it took woman's love and devotion to sustain man. + +Now Omega gazed around on the abode of death with an expression of +disdain. He challenged it and dared it to do its worst. Life still +triumphed, for he had Thalma and Alpha was coming soon. He would not +surrender. He would fight the dark forces of death--even that horrible +monster down there in the lake--and conquer them all. He would again +'gardenize' the world. The stubborn power of hope, that heritage from +his atavistic ancestors, was surging through his blood. + +"We will change all this," he went on, waving his hand toward the far +rim of the sky. "We are still masters of life. But now let us descend," +he added in answer to her approving smile. + +So saying again hand in hand they stepped off into space and floated +easily down toward their last home. + +Omega knew that his first important task was to get rid of the beast. +The fear-haunted expression in Thalma's eyes brooked no delay. +Accordingly they went to the ship, and each taking a small sack they +filled them with depth bombs. Thus armed they floated out over the lake +in quest of their enemy. But although quite shallow the water was opaque +for the most part being discolored by vegetable matter stirred up by the +monster, and the transparent portions were too deep for them to see +bottom. Long and carefully they searched at a safe distance above the +water, but no sight of the beast could be seen. Then hoping that a +chance shot might reach and destroy him they passed to and fro over the +lake's center and dropped their bombs. Great columns of water were sent +high in air deluging them with spray. That was all. Still, they had no +way of knowing whether a bomb had struck home. In spots the water was so +violently agitated as to suggest that the monster writhed in a death +struggle. But at last all became as quiet as before. + + * * * * * + +It now occurred to Omega to surround the lake with an invisible wall of +electricity of such power as to electrocute the beast should he attempt +to go over or through it. This was accomplished by increasing the power +of his motors and by automatic controls projecting a high voltage +potential through the air around the lake. And then in addition to other +protective appliances already installed Omega put a similar wall about +the cottage, much to Thalma's relief and delight. + +One night they had retired early, Thalma being weary and her time but a +few weeks away. To the sweet strain of music which had been in the air +for ages, they soon fell asleep. How long he had slept Omega could never +guess, but he was awakened suddenly. He sat up bewildered and stared +into the darkness, because for some reason all lamps were out. And then +he became aware of a peculiar sound coming from afar. It was a queer +noise combining the roar of the surf upon a rock-bound coast, the sigh +of the night wind through a forest and the rumble of thunder. Suddenly +it seemed to him that earth and cottage were trembling, and the walls of +the room swayed and buckled as though smitten by a great wind. + +Frantically he rubbed his eyes, convinced that it was all a dream. But +the noise drew nearer, thundered in his ears. In terror he got to his +feet, tried to cry out. The words froze on his lips, for just then the +wall before him crashed in as though struck by an avalanche. Then came a +grinding, splitting jumble of sounds, the solid ground shook under the +passage of some mighty force which increased for a moment followed by a +piercing scream. + +Frozen with horror Omega stared around the wrecked room whose tottering +walls seemed about to fall upon him. Where was Thalma? In a frenzy he +stared into the darkness, felt over the couch. She was gone! + +In some way he got outside and there in the direction of the lake he saw +the monster, its great bulk looming high above the ground, its head +swaying with the swing of its legs as it lumbered along. And, merciful +God--held in the grip of the monster's jaws was Thalma! + +The awful sight galvanized Omega to action. With a hoarse scream he +launched himself at the beast, passed rapidly through the air above the +monster and reached out for his wife. Scream after scream rent the still +air as he pressed forward and the beast lurched on in its haste to reach +the lake with its prey. But now Omega was close to his beloved, and he +reached out to grasp her as once more he screamed right into the ears of +his enemy. Then perhaps in sheer terror at the audacity of man, the +great jaws of the monster relaxed and Thalma fell limp and unconscious +to the ground. + +As the beast lumbered on Omega knelt by her side. + +"Thank God," he breathed, "she lives!" + +Then he took her in his arms and turned back to the ruined home just as +a great splash informed him that once more the monster had entered his +element to challenge them for its possession. + + * * * * * + +Thalma soon revived, but she clung to Omega and gazed about fearfully. +How she had wandered out of doors and had been snapped up by the beast +she could not tell, but Omega said that she must have been walking in +her sleep. They went at once to the ship and there spent the remainder +of the night. + +Every light, including those about the Mirror, had been extinguished by +the beast breaking the circuit. Yet it appeared that the latter's +passage through the electric wall had caused no harm. Omega explained +that likely its bony scales had acted as an insulator against the action +of the invisible wall. + +While the cottage was being repaired they remained on the ship. But +despite their recent harrowing experience, they went back to the cottage +when the repairs were complete. It was more home-like than the ship, and +Thalma had learned to love it, for it was to be the cradle of a new +race. But before they again took up their residence there Omega had +erected a high fence around the cottage yard. This fence was built of +heavy cables securely fastened to huge posts, and each cable carried an +electric charge of 75,000 volts. Omega was confident that the beast +could never break through. His confidence was shared by Thalma, but as +an additional precaution she suggested that Omega place a similar fence +about the lake. He did so, and when the last cable was in place they +stood back and surveyed the work with satisfaction. + +"We have him now," exulted Omega. "He can never leave the lake alive, +much less reach the cottage. Despite his tough armor of scales this high +potential will penetrate to his vitals." + +"It is well," said Thalma as they turned away. + +As they neared the cottage they knew that a crisis was at hand. +Forgetting the dead world about them and subduing the fears that +sometimes clutched their hearts, they lived in the joy of anticipation +and made ready for the advent of a new soul. + +Night came down moonless and dark save for the light of the stars. In +the recesses of the rocks and in the bottoms of the valleys intense +darkness held sway. But the grounds and the home of Omega and Thalma +were ablaze with a thousand lamps, and on the near-by hillsides giant +searchlights, which seemed to have no basis, which were born in the +bosom of the air and blazed without visible cause, shot their rays into +the sky for miles. Yet the powerful lights about the cottage were so +tinted as to be restful to the eye. Thus silent and with clock-like +regularity the agents of Omega performed their functions. Man had +mastered all the elements of life. All were his friends and servants, +and none was his master save one--death. + +In a perfect setting and exactly at the time set for the event Alpha +came into the world, the child thrived from its first intake of earth's +air. + +Three weeks from birth Alpha partook of solid food in tablet form drawn +chiefly from gaseous sources. At two months his speech was perfect, and +at six months his education began. By glandular control Omega nurtured +both his body and his mind and developed them rapidly. Small wonder that +this child--the last to grace and bless the world--became his parent's +only joy and hope. They guarded him from all dangers, instructed him in +the great part he was to play in the world's future and set about to +conserve that element on which all depended--the waters of the lake. + + * * * * * + +But during all these long, hot days and frigid nights, the close +proximity of the monster cast a shadow over their souls, marred their +happiness by day and terrorized their dreams by night. Often, when the +sun beat down upon the lake, they saw his hideous head rise high above +the water and regard them with baleful eyes. Twice while at play Alpha +had seen him and had run screaming to the protection of his mother, who +had great difficulty in persuading him that there was no danger. This +seemed to be true, for the monster made no attempt to force the fence. +Endowed with more than the cunning of its remote progenitors, it seemed +to realize that it was trapped. Many nights Omega and Thalma, armed with +their ray guns and other implements of destruction, watched for the +beast to attempt to come on land. Sometimes he would raise his head and +look at them so long and steadily that icy chills ran along their spines +and their hands shook so that they could not sight their weapons and +therefore shot wild. Then the head would sink out of sight again. + +Secure as they felt against his horrible presence it finally began to +sap their courage. Besides, the lake fascinated Alpha, now but three +years old but large and strong. He loved to wander by its shore and +dabble in the water, but so long as the beast remained, an ever present +danger was in this play. Besides there was the fear that he might escape +the watchfulness of his parents and come in contact with one of the high +tension cables. + +And then Omega determined to try another plan--he would electrically +charge the water of the lake. He hoped that this would reach the monster +in his watery lair and kill him instantly. So he constructed two giant +magnets and placed one on each end of the lake. Then harnessing all the +electrical energy at his command he sent a tremendous current through +the water with high potential, alternating it at ten second intervals +for an hour. + +Two weeks later he watched for the carcass of the beast to rise. He felt +now that his problem was to get rid of it so that it would not pollute +the water, but it did not appear. + +With fear and trembling Omega observed that the water of the lake was +receding inch by inch. Then by chemical action on the coral beds and on +the rocks, he created a dense cloud and caused it to form over the lake, +thus in a measure protecting it from the sun's rays. But day by day, +despite the sheltering cloud, the water receded. Day after day Omega +moved his gauges hoping against hope that somehow and somewhere nature +would again awaken and bring water upon the earth. + +During all these days and months the monster did not raise its head +above the surface of the lake--Omega was certain of this, for had the +water been disturbed ever so little his water seismograph, as well as +his cameras, would have recorded it. The monster was dead at last and +they were profoundly thankful. They were the undisputed masters of the +earth's last water! Now Alpha could play about the shore and swim in the +shallow water in peace and safety. So the dangerous fence was removed. + + * * * * * + +Omega knew that in the beginning the Creator had made man master of his +own destiny. He had endowed him with reason and given the earth into his +keeping. Omega thoroughly understood the Ruling Power of the universe. +He read aright His commands, blazoned across the breasts of billions of +worlds, and by the same token he knew that humanity on earth was doomed. +Yet he was urged on by that unconquerable spirit which had made man king +of all. He set up his rain-making machinery with the smile of a +fatalist. For hundreds of miles its sinuous beams sprang into the sky, +writhed about like great, hungry serpents with their tremendous sucking +and receiving maws, then coiled back to earth bringing not a drop. But +one day the Mirror again showed small, faint clouds upon its surface. +They were scattered over various parts of the world and their presence +made Omega wonder. There appeared to be no reason for them. + +"I do not understand those clouds," he said to Thalma as he sat with her +and Alpha in the shade of the coral tree. "Perhaps there are hidden +places of moisture, that have escaped the receiving rays of this +mirror." + +"Let us go and see," exclaimed Thalma, her eyes agleam with a new hope. +"Let us make another voyage around the world. Alpha has never been far +from home." + +"That is so," he agreed. "We will go at once." + +So they entered the silver ship and sailed away over the hot, dry +wastes, on and on over the cities of antiquity. The ruins of New York, +London, Paris and other marts of the ancients were visited in their +melancholy quest for life. But even the sites of these cities were hard +to find. Only the tops of the tallest structures, such as the tip of the +Washington monument and the towers of office buildings stood above the +ashes and sands of centuries. But not even the shadow of a cloud was +seen. Still they sailed on--even skirted the dark wastes of the poles +and stopped in deep valleys to test for water. Twice around the +equatorial regions they voyaged in search of a new and better haven, but +in vain. The insistent cry for water burned in their souls and led them +back to the little lake--the last sop nature had to offer the remnant of +her children. + + * * * * * + +Although the days were still hot and blistering, the nights were cold, +ice often forming on the lake near the shore and lingering until touched +by the advancing sun. Omega understood, and again a cold fear clutched +his heart. Unless by some miracle of the heavens sufficient moisture +should come back to the earth, no human soul could long endure the heat +of the day and the freezing temperature of night. + +To still further conserve the precious water of the lake, Omega now +extended the folds of the cloud curtain down to its shores thus +completely enclosing it. And as this further reduced the evaporation to +a remarkable extent the hopes of Omega and Thalma took on new life. Here +they visioned Alpha and his children living and dying in peace, now that +the monster was no more. With the help of additional safeguards Omega +reckoned that the water might be made to last many more years, and, +before it could become wholly exhausted, some whim of nature might again +shower the earth with rain. + +Now to pass the time--for there was nothing to do except to direct the +appliances about them--this last trio of mortals loved to leave the +shelter of the cottage, now that they had nothing further to fear from +the sea-monster, when the westering sun was low, and ramble among the +shadows of the cliffs and commune with the past, until the chill of +night drove them indoors. Sometimes sitting there in the dusk Thalma and +Alpha would listen to Omega's rich voice as he recounted an epic story +in the life of long ago. So to-day seated together on a cliff above the +airship, they watched the sun descend. Thalma and Alpha had asked for a +story, but Omega refused. For some time he had sat silent, his great, +brilliant eyes on the flaming sun as it sank toward the rim of the +earth. A great loneliness had suddenly seized him. He recognized it as a +presentiment of disaster. It was beyond the analysis of reason, but for +the first time in his life he longed to hold back that sun. Somehow he +feared the advent of the night. It seemed to him that before the morning +light would again flood the earth a dire calamity would befall them. + +"Why so sad?" asked Thalma fearfully, and Alpha, at his father's knees, +looked up in wonder. + +"It is nothing," replied Omega with forced composure as he caressed the +boy. "Some foolish thoughts of mine. Now as it is getting chilly I think +we had better go down. Oh, how I dread this awful cold which is creeping +steadily and mercilessly over the world!" he added softly, his eyes +lingering on the sun. + +With her usual sweet smile Thalma agreed. So they rose and floated down. +When they reached the floor of the valley they paused and regarded the +cloud that screened the lake. + +"It does well," remarked Omega. "It will make the water last into the +years." + +"Yes, and all for our boy," said Thalma proudly. Alpha had left them and +was playing along the shore. + +"It is now time that a mate for him be on the way," went on Omega +wistfully. "He must have a sister, you know." + +"It is true," she agreed with a glad smile. + +Omega had spoken truly. Without a mate Alpha could not perpetuate the +race. And so it was arranged that before the rising of the morrow's sun +a new life should begin. + +Science had steadily advanced the span of life. When Alpha was born +Omega was two hundred years old, but that was only middle age. Thalma +was twenty-five years his junior. The human birth-rate had decreased +with the passing of the centuries and nature now demanded the most +exacting conditions for the propagation of the human species. Thalma at +her age could not afford to wait longer. Alpha's mate must be provided +forthwith. + +"Alpha wants to play a while before going in," Thalma continued +presently. "I will remain with him." + +"Very well, dear," said Omega. "I will go on and prepare dinner." + +So saying he set his face toward the cottage, but before he had taken a +dozen steps he was startled by a piercing scream from Thalma. He turned +swiftly, then stood paralyzed with terror and amazement. Out of the +cloud curtain surrounding the lake protruded the ugly scale-covered head +and neck of the monster he had believed dead! And the horrible, swaying +head was darting down toward the playing boy! The monster's jaws were +spread wide, its black tongue was leaping out and in like lightning, the +sickening saliva was dripping upon the sand, and its awful eyes were +blazing like coals. And then in a twinkling the huge jaws seized the +child, the head reared back, the jaws closed, stifling the lad's +screams, and it started to draw back into the cloud. + + * * * * * + +But, after the first onrush of horror, life came again to Omega's numbed +senses. He darted forward with a mad cry, and as he swung through the +air rather than ran, he seized a stone and hurled it at the brute's +head. His aim was true and the stone struck the great brute on the bony +hood above the right eye. It did not harm, but it maddened the monster. +Hissing horribly it swung Alpha high in the air and with a fling dashed +him down upon the rocks. Then with a hoarse bellow it turned upon Omega. +With its first forward lunge it seemed about to crush Thalma, who was +between it and its intended victim. But the sight of her mangled child +and the danger to her lord roused all the latent fury and courage in her +soul and made of her a fighting demon. Like Omega she grabbed the first +weapon at hand--a stone the size of a man's fist--and with the hot +breath of the monster in her face she hurled the stone with all her +strength straight into the red, gaping mouth. + +With a blood-curdling scream the brute halted, reared backward, then ran +its head back and forth over the rocks. Its loathsome body threshed +about in the lake, throwing water far up on the beach. Then in its +contortions it wallowed up out of the lake as it swung its terrible head +about in agony, all the while hissing its challenge. + +Terror-stricken, unable to move, Omega and Thalma watched it and could +not understand its writhings. But as it continued to writhe and groan +they understood at last--the stone had lodged firmly in its throat and +was choking it to death. + +Then they sprang to Alpha's side. Omega gathered him up in his arms, but +he saw with one agonized glance that he was dead. His skull was crushed +and it appeared that every bone in his body was broken. + +Omega's heart was bursting, but he did not cry out. Holding the crushed +body of his son, he raised his eyes to that God who throughout the ages +had hidden His face from man, and smiled a brave smile of humility and +resignation. While Thalma, understanding all, looked on dumb and +dry-eyed. + +Leaving the monster floundering about in its death agony, they took +their beloved son to the cottage and there injected those chemicals +which would forever arrest decay. Then they placed him on his cot that +he might be with them to the end of life. It was then that Thalma, +broken in spirit, found refuge and relief in tears which have always +been woman's solace and savior. + +And Omega, gazing out toward the lake, saw that the monster lay still. +They had won their long battle, but at an awful cost. Omega realized +that the gigantic creature, probably deep in a water cavern, had been +only stunned by the electric charges. + + * * * * * + +Thalma refused to be comforted. Day after day she wept above the +lifeless form of her boy. All Omega's words of consolation, all his +reasoning and faith in the wisdom and justice of all things, failed to +soothe her torn heart. Nor did the promise of another child, rouse her +from her sorrow. She steadfastly refused to consider another child. Life +had lost its last hold on her soul, and now she was ready to surrender +to that cruel fate which had given them mirages of promise and mocked +their misery. In vain Omega explained that it was their duty to fight +on; that they, the last of a once noble race, must not show the white +feather of cowardice. He mentioned the great consolation they had of +having their beloved son ever near them, though lifeless. But Thalma +longed for the presence of the soul, for those words of endearment and +love that had thrilled her mother heart. + +Before the embalmment it would have been possible for Omega to restore +life to his boy. Man had mastered all the secrets of biology and life. +He could have mended the broken bones and tissues, revitalized the heart +and lungs and cleared the brain. Alpha would have walked with them +again. But his personality would not have been there. That mysterious +something, men call the soul, had fled forever, and so far mankind had +not been able to create its counterpart. To have brought life again to +Alpha would have been a travesty on the brilliant mind they had known. +Omega recalled many pathetic examples of such resuscitation where the +living had walked in death. + +Omega foresaw the end, but he smiled in the face of it all. He was the +same kind and loving companion Thalma had always known, her every want +his command and law. But no more she realized its inspiration and love. +He seldom left her side any more, but sometimes overcome with sorrow he +would soar up above the peaks and commune alone with the past. + +So to-day he had risen higher than usual. The red sun beat upon his body +as he hovered in the hot air, his eyes fixed on the distant sky line. He +gazed like a famished animal, for it seemed to him that at last a cloud +must appear above that hopeless shore of land and sky and bring renewed +life to him and his. Yet he fully realized the impossibility of such a +thing. Slowly his great, dark eyes roved around the horizon. He loathed +its dreary monotony, and still it fascinated him. Beyond that dead line +of land and sky lay nothing but ghastly death. His many voyages in the +airship and the reflecting Mirror told him that, but still he hoped on. + +When at last he glided down to the cottage the sun was low. Having +registered the time in his mind when he left Thalma--for countless +generations man had dispensed with time-keeping devices--he realized +that he had been gone just three hours. Reproaching himself for his +negligence he entered the doorway, then stared aghast. + +Upon Thalma's wide couch facing a painting of the ancient, green world, +she had placed the body of Alpha, then lain down by his side. Her glazed +eyes were fixed upon the picture, and for the first time in many weeks +there was a smile about her lips. + +Omega knelt by her side, took her cold hands in his and feverishly +kissed her brow. With a grief too deep for tears he smiled at death, +thankful for the love she had borne him. Nor did he censure the Plan of +the Creator, the Plan that had led him, Omega, scion of the world's +great, up to the zenith of life and now left him alone, the sole +representative of its power. Thalma had passed on, and in the first +crushing moments of his agony Omega was tempted to join her. Without +effort and without fear or pain, his was the power to check the +machinery of life. + + * * * * * + +Crushed and broken, Omega sat by his dead, while the shadows of night +entered the valley and wrapped all in their soft embrace. When would his +own hour strike? He might retard or hasten that time, but the real +answer lay in that little lake out there under the stars, daily +shrinking despite the cloud curtain. There was nothing more to live for, +yet he determined to live, to go down fighting like a valiant knight of +old, to set an example for the sons of other worlds. + +But despite his brave resolution his grief for a while seemed likely to +master him. Heart-broken he finally went out into the cold dusk and +gazed up at the heavens appealingly. + +"Alone!" he whispered as an overwhelming sense of his isolation tore his +spirit. "Alone in a dead world--the sole survivor of its vanished life!" + +He slumped to the ground and buried his face in the cold dust. His +thoughts were jumbled in a maze of pain and sorrow. He could neither +pray nor think. Gasping, dying a thousand deaths, he lay there groveling +in the dust. But at last he rose, dashed the dust from his eyes and +again faced the sky. He would accept the cruel mandate of nature. He +would live on and try to conquer all--even death. + +He cast his eyes along the shore of the lake, and there in the starlight +loomed the form of the dead monster which, but for Thalma's unerring +aim, would have been the last of earth's creatures. Omega sighed and +turned back to his dead. + +But despite his resolution to live the loneliness was sapping Omega's +spirit. During the following weeks in a mood of recklessness and despair +he allowed the cloud curtain to dissolve above the lake. Once more the +sun's hot rays poured down unhindered and the lake receded rapidly. + +As time went on Omega grew more restless. Only by taking many voyages +around the world was he able to endure the appalling silence. He was the +last traveler to visit the ancient marts of man, he was the last hope +and despair of life. Sometimes he talked aloud to himself, but his words +sounded hollow and ghostly in that deep silence, which only added to his +misery. + +And then one day in a fit of desperation he rebelled. He cursed the fate +that had selected him to drink the last bitter dregs of life. In this +desperate frame of mind he evolved a daring plan. He would not drink +those dregs alone! + + * * * * * + +In the chemical laboratory of the ship were all the elements of creative +force and life known to man. From the four corners of the earth they had +been garnered, and some had come from sister planets. Here were the +ingredients of creation. For thousands of years man had been able to +create various forms of life. He had evolved many pulsing, squirming +things. He had even made man-like apes possessing the instinct of +obedience, and which he used for servants, and much of his animal food +also had been created in this manner. + +Being skilled in all branches of biology and chemistry Omega would +create a comrade to share his long wait for death. So he set to work and +the task eased the pain in his heart. He placed his chemicals in the +test tube and watched the cell evolve until it pulsated with life. +Carefully nursing the frail embryo he added other plasms, then +fertilized the whole with warm spermatozoa and placed it in the +incubator over which glowed a violet, radio-active light. + +The young life developed quickly and soon began to take form within the +glass walls. In a month it half-filled the incubator, and at the end of +six weeks he released it, but it still grew amazingly. + +At first Omega was appalled by the monstrosity he had created, for it +was a loathsome, repulsive creature. Its head was flat and broad and sat +upon its sloping shoulders without a connecting neck. Its legs were +short, but its arms were long, and when standing erect it carried them +well in front of an enormous torso. Its short hands and feet were webbed +like those of a duck. It had no visible ears, and its nostrils were mere +holes above a wide, grinning, thin-lipped mouth, which was always spread +in a grin. Its large, round, red eyes had no gleam of intelligence, and +its hairless skin, covered with minute, sucker-like scales, lay in +loose, ugly folds across its great chest. Most of its movements were +slow and uncertain, and it hopped about over the floor like a giant +toad, uttering guttural sounds deep within its chest. Omega had set out +to create an ape-man, but this thing was neither man nor beast, bird or +reptile, but a travesty on all--an unspeakable horror from the dead womb +of the past. + +Yet hideous as this creature was Omega looked upon it with a certain +degree of gratitude. It was a companion at least, and it seemed to +reciprocate the respect of its creator by fawning upon him and licking +his hand. Its red tongue always hung from its slavering mouth like that +of a panting dog. Omega named it The Grinner, because of its habitual +and ghastly smile. He took it to the cottage that it might wait on him +through the long hours of solitude. That night it slept by his side, +content and motionless. But the next morning after this first night of +incongruous companionship Omega was awakened by its stertorous +breathing and the touch of a cold, clammy sweat which was oozing from +its pores and dropping upon the floor. + + * * * * * + +Throughout the day Omega marveled at this phenomenon. He noticed that +the weird thing went often to the drinking fountain and wrapped its +tongue about the water jet. That night he awakened at midnight to find +The Grinner gone. He did not bother to look for him and mid-forenoon he +returned. His rotund form seemed to have grown even larger, and as he +ambled about on all fours the sweat trickled from his repulsive skin and +trailed across the floor. It was a strange thing and Omega was at a loss +to account for it, but his wonder was eclipsed by his appreciation of +The Grinner's companionship. The Grinner was often absent for hours at a +time, but he always returned of his own free will. Omega often saw him +ambling among the rocks or stretched out in the sun on the beach. He +formed the habit of letting him have his way, which was that of extreme +laziness. But during all this time he was growing prodigiously. In three +months he had become a monster weighing well over half a ton, but he +still retained his amiable nature and affection for his master. + + * * * * * + +Omega seldom left the cottage. Determined to live as long as +possible--for the age-old urge of life still persisted--to do nothing to +hasten his end, he, nevertheless, was doing nothing to defer it. His +soul in the past, he desired only to be near his dear ones. For hours he +would sit gazing on their peaceful features, pouring into their heedless +ears the love songs of his heart. Living for them, patiently awaiting +the day when he, too, could enter into rest, he paid less and less +attention to The Grinner, only noticing that he grew more horrible and +repulsive as his size increased. + +Lonely and despondent Omega at last left the cottage only to go to the +airship for supplies. He seldom even looked toward the lake. It was a +long time since he had walked about its shores, but one afternoon the +impulse came to wander that way again. He was amazed that the water was +disappearing so rapidly. The body of the monster now lay more than +fifteen rods from the water's edge, though it had been killed on the +edge of the lake. + +With an indifferent and melancholy gaze Omega looked across the lake. +Suddenly his stare became fixed and wild, like that of one stricken +dumb. About twenty rods out the water was suddenly agitated as though by +the movement of some great bulk along its bottom, and then for a +fleeting instant he glimpsed a dark, shining form heave above the +surface, then sink out of sight before he could grasp its details. + +"My God," he exclaimed hoarsely, "there is another sea-monster! Likely +it is the mate of the one Thalma killed. I might have known there would +be a mate. We were dealing with two of the beasts all that time. And now +this thing disputes my right to the water!" + +Omega's face grew grim and stern as he glared out over the water and his +heart-beats quickened. The latent combativeness of humanity was once +more aroused in him. He had considered himself the last representative +of life on earth. He should remain the last. No beast should claim that +honor. He would kill it. + +Then for two weeks he waited and watched for it to reappear, waited with +all the terrible atomic weapons at hand, but he saw it no more. The +Grinner sleeping in the sand was the only form of life to be seen, and +at last he became weary of the hunt. He figured that some day he would +charge the lake, but there was no hurry. + +At last Omega lost all interest in the things about him. The Grinner +came and went unhindered and almost unnoticed. He continued to grow, but +Omega gave him little thought. Even the treasures in the airship had +lost their lure for him. Disconsolate and hopeless, yet clinging grimly +to life, he passed his time in the company of his dead. + +He had not left the cottage for several weeks, when one cold morning +after a sleepless night, something impelled him to go in search of The +Grinner who had been absent all night. As this had become a frequent +occurrence during the past two months Omega's curiosity was aroused. As +he glided toward the lake he wondered why his interest in his +surroundings had been aroused by thoughts of The Grinner, and once more +he thought of killing that other sea-monster in the lake. The lake! He +stopped and stared and stared. The lake was gone! Only a pool of an acre +or two remained, and in its center, disporting himself in glee was--not +the monster he was looking for--but The Grinner! The bloated creature +was rolling about in the water with all the abandonment of a +mud-wallowing hog. + + * * * * * + +Omega gazed in astonishment, then a shrill laugh escaped him. He had +mistaken The Grinner for another monster of the deep. It was the last +joke of life, and it was on him. + +Then he realized that this grotesque child of his hands, having in its +system the combined thirst of the dry ages--man, animal, plant, bird +and reptile--was sucking up the lake, absorbing it through his pores, +then sweating it out only to repeat the process. Water was his element +and food. From the dim, dry past had come nature's cry for water to find +expression in this monster of Omega's making. That which he had created +for a companion had grown into a terrible menace, which was rapidly +exhausting his remaining stronghold of life. But, somehow, Omega did not +care, and as he watched the monstrous thing finally flounder its way to +the shore and lie down panting in the sun, he was glad that it was not +another monster of the deep. + +For a moment Omega's eyes rested on the drying form of the dead beast on +the slope above him, then with a shudder he turned to The Grinner. + +He went up close and stared into its terrible eyes which blinked back at +him as its mouth spread in a leer. Already the sweat was coursing along +the slimy folds of its skin and dripping off to be swallowed by the +thirsty ground. It was a huge water sucker. It took water in enormous +quantities, fed upon its organisms, then discharged it through its skin. +Assisted by the rays of the sun it was rapidly drying up the lake. + +Now, as Omega stood regarding it in awe and wonder, it showed signs of +distress. It began to writhe and utter hoarse cries of pain. Its eyes +rolled horribly, its great, barrel-like body heaved and trembled, and it +waved its long arms and threshed its feet upon the ground. Omega +realized that it was the victim of its own abnormal appetite. With the +relish of a gormandizer it had taken more of its peculiar food than even +its prodigious maw could assimilate. Soon its struggles became fiercer. +It rolled over and over in contortions of agony, the sweat streaming +from its body, while a pitiful moaning came from its horrid mouth. But +at last it became quiet, its moanings trailed off into silence, it +jerked spasmodically and lay still. + +Omega approached and placed his hand over its heart. There was no +pulsation. The Grinner was dead. + +With a sigh Omega turned back to the cottage. Although he was now alone +once more, he did not care. All he had to do was to prepare himself for +the Great Adventure, which despite all man's god-like achievements, +still remained a mystery. + +Now that the lake was almost gone it again drew his attention. The +sickly grass had long since given up trying to follow the retreating +water and now was only a dead and melancholy strip of yellow far back +from the shore. Every day Omega went to the little pool and calmly +watched it fade away, watched without qualms of fear or heartache. He +was ready. But even now, hot and weary, he refused adequately to slake +his thirst. He must fight on to the last, for such was the prerogative +and duty of the human race. He must conserve that precious fluid. + + * * * * * + +At last there came a morning when Omega, gazing from his doorway, looked +in vain for the shining pool. Nothing but a brown expanse of rock and +sand met his view where the lake had been. Already the salt crystals +were glinting in the sun. A long, lingering sigh escaped him. It had +come at last! The last water of those mighty seas which once had covered +nearly the whole earth, had departed leaving him alone with the dead of +ages. + +Hot and feverish he glided over the dry bed of the lake. Finally in the +lowest depression on earth he found, in a little hollow of rock, a mere +cupful of water. Like a thirst-maddened animal he sucked it up in great +gulps, then licked the rock dry. IT WAS THE LAST DROP! + +Omega rose, his face calm and resigned. With a smile of gratitude he +looked up at the sky. The water was bitter, but he was thankful he had +been given the final cup. + +Then he went to the airship and shot up into the blue and on around the +world in a voyage of farewell. In a few hours he was back. Reverently he +set the airship down on its landing place. He was through with it now. +Its usefulness was gone, its great, pulsing motors forever silent, soon +to be covered with the dust of ages, he would leave it a monument to +mankind. For a little while he wandered among the treasures of the ship. +Sacred as they were they still mocked him with their impotency to stay +the hand of death. But he loved them all. Thalma had loved them and they +had been Alpha's playmates, and their marvelous powers had been his hope +and inspiration. With loving caresses and a full heart he bade good bye +to these treasures of his fathers, soon to become the keepsakes of +death. + +At last having completed the rounds he let himself out into the still +air. Resolutely he set his face toward home. + +The hot noonday sun, beating fiercely down on the dead world, entered +the cottage and fell in a flood of glory about the couch where Omega, +the last man, lay between his loved ones. His great eyes were set and +staring, but on his features rested a smile of peace--the seal of life's +last dream. + +"The rest is silence." + + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _Amazing Stories_ January 1963 and was + first published in _Amazing Stories_ January 1933. 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. Significant typesetting + amendments have been made based on the original 1933 publication, + courtesy of www.booksfromthecrypt.com. + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Omega, the Man, by Lowell Howard Morrow + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OMEGA, THE MAN *** + +***** This file should be named 26882.txt or 26882.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/8/8/26882/ + +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. 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