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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/26906-h.zip b/26906-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..123cf93 --- /dev/null +++ b/26906-h.zip diff --git a/26906-h/26906-h.htm b/26906-h/26906-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bc3c1d8 --- /dev/null +++ b/26906-h/26906-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2382 @@ +<!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 The Jameson Satellite, by Neil R. Jones + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1,h3 {text-align: center; clear: both;} + h2 {text-align: right;} + h3 {line-height: 2; margin-bottom: 2em;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 1em auto; visibility: hidden;} + .p2 {width: 65%; margin: 2em auto; clear: both;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin: 1em 0 1em 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center; width: 362px;} + .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;} + .bk1 {margin: 2em 0; width: 30em;} + .p1 {margin-top: 2em; text-align: center;} +// --> +/* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Jameson Satellite, by Neil Ronald Jones + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Jameson Satellite + +Author: Neil Ronald Jones + +Release Date: October 13, 2008 [EBook #26906] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE JAMESON SATELLITE *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<h1><big>THE JAMESON SATELLITE</big></h1> + +<h2>By NEIL R. JONES</h2> + +<div class="bk1"><p><i>The mammoths of the ancient world have been wonderfully +preserved in the ice of Siberia. The cold, only a few miles +out in space, will be far more intense than in the polar regions +and its power of preserving the dead body would most probably +be correspondingly increased. When the hero-scientist of +this story knew he must die, he conceived a brilliant idea for +the preservation of his body, the result of which even exceeded +his expectations. What, how, and why are cleverly told here.</i></p></div> + +<h3>PROLOGUE<br /> +<i>The Rocket Satellite</i></h3> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">In</span> the depths of space, some +twenty thousand miles from +the earth, the body of Professor +Jameson within its rocket container +cruised upon an endless +journey, circling the gigantic +sphere. The rocket was a satellite +of the huge, revolving world +around which it held to its orbit. +In the year 1958, Professor +Jameson had sought for a plan +whereby he might preserve his +body indefinitely after his death. +He had worked long and hard +upon the subject.</p> + +<p>Since the time of the Pharaohs, +the human race had looked +for a means by which the dead +might be preserved against the +ravages of time. Great had been +the art of the Egyptians in the +embalming of their deceased, a +practice which was later lost to +humanity of the ensuing mechanical +age, never to be rediscovered. +But even the embalming of +the Egyptians—so Professor +Jameson had argued—would be +futile in the face of millions of +years, the dissolution of the +corpses being just as eventual as +immediate cremation following +death.</p> + +<p>The professor had looked for +a means by which the body could +be preserved perfectly forever. +But eventually he had come to +the conclusion that nothing on +earth is unchangeable beyond a +certain limit of time. Just as +long as he sought an earthly +means of preservation, he was +doomed to disappointment. All +earthly elements are composed of +atoms which are forever breaking +down and building up, but +never destroying themselves. A +match may be burned, but the +atoms are still unchanged, having +resolved themselves into +smoke, carbon dioxide, ashes, +and certain basic elements. It +was clear to the professor that +he could never accomplish his +purpose if he were to employ one +system of atomic structure, such +as embalming fluid or other concoction, +to preserve another system +of atomic structure, such as +the human body, when all atomic +structure is subject to universal +change, no matter how slow.</p> + +<div class="figright"> +<img src="images/001.png" width="362" height="550" alt="" title="" /> +<b><small>It glowed in a haze of light, the interior clearly revealed.</small></b></div> + +<p>He had then soliloquized upon +the possibility of preserving the +human body in its state of death +until the end of all earthly time—to +that day when the earth +would return to the sun from +which it had sprung. Quite suddenly +one day he had conceived +the answer to the puzzling problem +which obsessed his mind, +leaving him awed with its wild, +uncanny potentialities.</p> + +<p>He would have his body shot +into space enclosed in a rocket +to become a satellite of the earth +as long as the earth continued to +exist. He reasoned logically. Any +material substance, whether of +organic or inorganic origin, cast +into the depths of space would +exist indefinitely. He had visualized +his dead body enclosed in +a rocket flying off into the illimitable +maw of space. He would +remain in perfect preservation, +while on earth millions of generations +of mankind would live +and die, their bodies to molder +into the dust of the forgotten +past. He would exist in this unchanged +manner until that day +when mankind, beneath a cooling +sun, should fade out forever in +the chill, thin atmosphere of a +dying world. And still his body +would remain intact and as perfect +in its rocket container as on +that day of the far-gone past +when it had left the earth to be +hurled out on its career. What a +magnificent idea!</p> + +<p>At first he had been assailed +with doubts. Suppose his funeral +rocket landed upon some other +planet or, drawn by the pull of +the great sun, were thrown into +the flaming folds of the incandescent +sphere? Then the rocket +might continue on out of the +solar system, plunging through +the endless seas of space for millions +of years, to finally enter the +solar system of some far-off star, +as meteors often enter ours. Suppose +his rocket crashed upon a +planet, or the star itself, or became +a captive satellite of some +celestial body?</p> + +<p>It had been at this juncture +that the idea of his rocket becoming +the satellite of the earth +had presented itself, and he had +immediately incorporated it into +his scheme. The professor had +figured out the amount of radium +necessary to carry the rocket +far enough away from the earth +so that it would not turn around +and crash, and still be not so far +away but what the earth's gravitational +attraction would keep it +from leaving the vicinity of the +earth and the solar system. Like +the moon, it would forever revolve +around the earth.</p> + +<p>He had chosen an orbit sixty-five +thousand miles from the +earth for his rocket to follow. +The only fears he had entertained +concerned the huge meteors +which careened through +space at tremendous rates of +speed. He had overcome this +obstacle, however, and had eliminated +the possibilities of a +collision with these stellar juggernauts. +In the rocket were installed +radium repulsion rays +which swerved all approaching +meteors from the path of the +rocket as they entered the vicinity +of the space wanderer.</p> + +<p>The aged professor had prepared +for every contingency, and +had set down to rest from his +labors, reveling in the stupendous, +unparalleled results he +would obtain. Never would his +body undergo decay; and never +would his bones bleach to return +to the dust of the earth from +which all men originally came +and to which they must return. +His body would remain millions +of years in a perfectly preserved +state, untouched by the hoary +palm of such time as only geologists +and astronomers can conceive.</p> + +<p>His efforts would surpass even +the wildest dreams of H. Rider +Haggard, who depicted the wondrous, +embalming practices of +the ancient nation of Kor in his +immortal novel, "She," wherein +Holly, under the escort of the incomparable +Ayesha, looked upon +the magnificent, lifelike masterpieces +of embalming by the long-gone +peoples of Kor.</p> + +<p>With the able assistance of a +nephew, who carried out his instructions +and wishes following +his death, Professor Jameson +was sent upon his pilgrimage +into space within the rocket he +himself had built. The nephew +and heir kept the secret forever +locked in his heart.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Generation after generation +had passed upon its way. Gradually +humanity had come to die +out, finally disappearing from +the earth altogether. Mankind +was later replaced by various +other forms of life which dominated +the globe for their allotted +spaces of time before they too +became extinct. The years piled +up on one another, running into +millions, and still the Jameson +Satellite kept its lonely vigil +around the earth, gradually closing +the distance between satellite +and planet, yielding reluctantly +to the latter's powerful attraction.</p> + +<p>Forty million years later, its +orbit ranged some twenty thousand +miles from the earth while +the dead world edged ever nearer +the cooling sun whose dull, red +ball covered a large expanse of +the sky. Surrounding the flaming +sphere, many of the stars could +be perceived through the earth's +thin, rarefied atmosphere. As the +earth cut in slowly and gradually +toward the solar luminary, +so was the moon revolving ever +nearer the earth, appearing like +a great gem glowing in the +twilight sky.</p> + +<p>The rocket containing the remains +of Professor Jameson continued +its endless travel around +the great ball of the earth whose +rotation had now ceased entirely—one +side forever facing the +dying sun. There it pursued its +lonely way, a cosmic coffin, accompanied +by its funeral cortege +of scintillating stars amid the +deep silence of the eternal space +which enshrouded it. Solitary it +remained, except for the occasional +passing of a meteor flitting +by at a remarkable speed +on its aimless journey through +the vacuum between the far-flung +worlds.</p> + +<p>Would the satellite follow its +orbit to the world's end, or would +its supply of radium soon exhaust +itself after so many eons +of time, converting the rocket +into the prey of the first large +meteor which chanced that way? +Would it some day return to the +earth as its nearer approach portended, +and increase its acceleration +in a long arc to crash upon +the surface of the dead planet? +And when the rocket terminated +its career, would the body of +Professor Jameson be found perfectly +preserved or merely a +crumbled mound of dust?</p> + +<hr class="p2" /> +<h3>CHAPTER I<br /> +<i>40,000,000 Years After</i></h3> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Entering</span> within the boundaries +of the solar system, +a long, dark, pointed craft sped +across the realms of space towards +the tiny point of light +which marked the dull red ball of +the dying sun which would some +day lie cold and dark forever. +Like a huge meteor it flashed +into the solar system from another +chain of planets far out in +the illimitable Universe of stars +and worlds, heading towards the +great red sun at an inconceivable +speed.</p> + +<p>Within the interior of the +space traveler, queer creatures +of metal labored at the controls +of the space flyer which juggernauted +on its way towards the +far-off solar luminary. Rapidly +it crossed the orbits of Neptune +and Uranus and headed sunward. +The bodies of these queer creatures +were square blocks of a +metal closely resembling steel, +while for appendages, the metal +cube was upheld by four jointed +legs capable of movement. A set +of six tentacles, all metal, like +the rest of the body, curved outward +from the upper half of the +cubic body. Surmounting it was +a queer-shaped head rising to a +peak in the center and equipped +with a circle of eyes all the way +around the head. The creatures, +with their mechanical eyes +equipped with metal shutters, +could see in all directions. A +single eye pointed directly upward, +being situated in the space +of the peaked head, resting in a +slight depression of the cranium.</p> + +<p>These were the Zoromes of the +planet Zor which rotated on its +way around a star millions of +light years distant from our +solar system. The Zoromes, several +hundred thousand years before, +had reached a stage in +science, where they searched for +immortality and eternal relief +from bodily ills and various deficiencies +of flesh and blood anatomy. +They had sought freedom +from death, and had found it, +but at the same time they had +destroyed the propensities for +birth. And for several hundred +thousand years there had been +no births and few deaths in the +history of the Zoromes.</p> + +<p>This strange race of people +had built their own mechanical +bodies, and by operation upon +one another had removed their +brains to the metal heads from +which they directed the functions +and movements of their inorganic +anatomies. There had +been no deaths due to worn-out +bodies. When one part of the +mechanical men wore out, it was +replaced by a new part, and so +the Zoromes continued living +their immortal lives which saw +few casualties. It was true that, +since the innovation of the machines, +there had been a few accidents +which had seen the destruction +of the metal heads with +their brains. These were irreparable. +Such cases had been +few, however, and the population +of Zor had decreased but little. +The machine men of Zor had no +use for atmosphere, and had it +not been for the terrible coldness +of space, could have just as well +existed in the ether void as upon +some planet. Their metal bodies, +especially their metal-encased +brains, did require a certain +amount of heat even though they +were able to exist comfortably +in temperatures which would instantly +have frozen to death a +flesh-and-blood creature.</p> + +<p>The most popular pastime +among the machine men of Zor +was the exploration of the Universe. +This afforded them a never +ending source of interest in +the discovery of the variegated +inhabitants and conditions of the +various planets on which they +came to rest. Hundreds of space +ships were sent out in all directions, +many of them being upon +their expeditions for hundreds +of years before they returned +once more to the home planet of +far-off Zor.</p> + +<p>This particular space craft of +the Zoromes had entered the +solar system whose planets were +gradually circling in closer to +the dull red ball of the declining +sun. Several of the machine men +of the space craft's crew, which +numbered some fifty individuals, +were examining the various +planets of this particular planetary +system carefully through +telescopes possessing immense +power.</p> + +<p>These machine men had no +names and were indexed according +to letters and numbers. They +conversed by means of thought +impulses, and were neither capable +of making a sound vocally +nor of hearing one uttered.</p> + +<p>"Where shall we go?" queried +one of the men at the controls +questioning another who stood +by his side examining a chart on +the wall.</p> + +<p>"They all appear to be dead +worlds, 4R-3579," replied the +one addressed, "but the second +planet from the sun appears to +have an atmosphere which might +sustain a few living creatures, +and the third planet may also +prove interesting for it has a +satellite. We shall examine the +inner planets first of all, and +explore the outer ones later if +we decide it is worth the time."</p> + +<p>"Too much trouble for nothing," +ventured 9G-721. "This +system of planets offers us little +but what we have seen many +times before in our travels. The +sun is so cooled that it cannot +sustain the more common life on +its planets, the type of life forms +we usually find in our travels. +We should have visited a planetary +system with a brighter +sun."</p> + +<p>"You speak of common life," +remarked 25X-987. "What of the +uncommon life? Have we not +found life existent on cold, dead +planets with no sunlight and atmosphere +at all?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, we have," admitted 9G-721, +"but such occasions are exceedingly +rare."</p> + +<p>"The possibility exists, however, +even in this case," reminded +4R-3579, "and what if we do +spend a bit of unprofitable time +in this one planetary system—haven't +we all an endless lifetime +before us? Eternity is ours."</p> + +<p>"We shall visit the second +planet first of all," directed 25X-987, +who was in charge of this +particular expedition of the Zoromes, +"and on the way there we +shall cruise along near the third +planet to see what we can of the +surface. We may be able to tell +whether or not it holds anything +of interest to us. If it does, after +visiting the second planet, we +shall then return to the third. +The first world is not worth bothering +with."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The space ship from Zor raced +on in a direction which would +take it several thousand miles +above the earth and then on to +the planet which we know as +Venus. As the space ship rapidly +neared the earth, it slackened its +speed, so that the Zoromes might +examine it closely with their +glasses as the ship passed the +third planet.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, one of the machine +men ran excitedly into the room +where 25X-987 stood watching +the topography of the world beneath +him.</p> + +<p>"We have found something!" +he exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"What?"</p> + +<p>"Another space ship!"</p> + +<p>"Where?"</p> + +<p>"But a short distance ahead +of us on our course. Come into +the foreport of the ship and you +can pick it up with the glass."</p> + +<p>"Which is the way it's going?" +asked 25X-987.</p> + +<p>"It is behaving queerly," replied +the machine man of Zor. +"It appears to be in the act of +circling the planet."</p> + +<p>"Do you suppose that there +really is life on that dead world—intelligent +beings like ourselves, +and that this is one of +their space craft?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps it is another exploration +craft like our own from +some other world," was the suggestion.</p> + +<p>"But not of ours," said 25X-987.</p> + +<p>Together, the two Zoromes now +hastened into the observation +room of the space ship where +more of the machine men were +excitedly examining the mysterious +space craft, their thought +impulses flying thick and fast +like bodiless bullets.</p> + +<p>"It is very small!"</p> + +<p>"Its speed is slow!"</p> + +<p>"The craft can hold but few +men," observed one.</p> + +<p>"We do not yet know of what +size the creatures are," reminded +another. "Perhaps there are +thousands of them in that space +craft out there. They may be of +such a small size that it will be +necessary to look twice before +finding one of them. Such beings +are not unknown."</p> + +<p>"We shall soon overtake it and +see."</p> + +<p>"I wonder if they have seen +us?"</p> + +<p>"Where do you suppose it +came from?"</p> + +<p>"From the world beneath us," +was the suggestion.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps."</p> + +<hr class="p2" /> +<h3>CHAPTER II<br /> +<i>The Mysterious Space Craft</i></h3> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The</span> machine men made way +for their leader, 25X-987, +who regarded the space craft +ahead of them critically.</p> + +<p>"Have you tried communicating +with it yet?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"There is no reply to any of +our signals," came the answer.</p> + +<p>"Come alongside of it then," +ordered their commander. "It is +small enough to be brought inside +our carrying compartment, +and we can see with our penetration +rays just what manner +of creatures it holds. They are +intelligent, that is certain, for +their space ship does imply as +much."</p> + +<p>The space flyer of the Zoromes +slowed up as it approached the +mysterious wanderer of the cosmic +void which hovered in the +vicinity of the dying world.</p> + +<p>"What a queer shape it has," +remarked 25X-987. "It is even +smaller than I had previously +calculated."</p> + +<p>A rare occurrence had taken +place among the machine men of +Zor. They were overcome by a +great curiosity which they could +not allow to remain unsatiated. +Accustomed as they were to witnessing +strange sights and still +stranger creatures, meeting up +with weird adventures in various +corners of the Universe, they +had now become hardened to the +usual run of experiences which +they were in the habit of encountering. +It took a great deal +to arouse their unperturbed attitudes. +Something new, however, +about this queer space craft had +gripped their imaginations, and +perhaps a subconscious influence +asserted to their minds that here +they have come across an adventure +radically unusual.</p> + +<p>"Come alongside it," repeated +25X-987 to the operator as he +returned to the control room and +gazed through the side of the +space ship in the direction of the +smaller cosmic wanderer.</p> + +<p>"I'm trying to," replied the +machine man, "but it seems to +jump away a bit every time I +get within a certain distance of +it. Our ship seems to jump backward +a bit too."</p> + +<p>"Are they trying to elude us?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know. They should +pick up more speed if that is +their object."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps they are now progressing +at their maximum speed +and cannot increase their acceleration +any more."</p> + +<p>"Look!" exclaimed the operator. +"Did you just see that? The +thing has jumped away from us +again!"</p> + +<p>"Our ship moved also," said +25X-987. "I saw a flash of light +shoot from the side of the other +craft as it jumped."</p> + +<p>Another machine man now entered +and spoke to the commander +of the Zorome expedition.</p> + +<p>"They are using radium repellent +rays to keep us from approaching," +he informed.</p> + +<p>"Counteract it," instructed +25X-987.</p> + +<p>The man left, and now the +machine man at the controls of +the craft tried again to close +with the mysterious wanderer +of the space between planets. +The effort was successful, and +this time there was no glow of +repulsion rays from the side of +the long metal cylinder.</p> + +<p>They now entered the compartment +where various objects +were transferred from out the +depths of space to the interplanetary +craft. Then patiently they +waited for the rest of the machine +men to open the side of +their space ship and bring in +the queer, elongated cylinder.</p> + +<p>"Put it under the penetration +ray!" ordered 25X-987. "Then +we shall see what it contains!"</p> + +<p>The entire group of Zoromes +were assembled about the long +cylinder, whose low nickel-plated +sides shone brilliantly. With interest +they regarded the fifteen-foot +object which tapered a bit +towards its base. The nose was +pointed like a bullet. Eight cylindrical +protuberances were affixed +to the base while the four +sides were equipped with fins +such as are seen on aerial bombs +to guide them in a direct, unswerving +line through the atmosphere. +At the base of the +strange craft there projected a +lever, while in one side was a +door which, apparently opened +outward. One of the machine +men reached forward to open it +but was halted by the admonition +of the commander.</p> + +<p>"Do not open it up yet!" he +warned. "We are not aware of +what it contains!"</p> + +<p>Guided by the hand of one of +the machine men, a series of +lights shone down upon the cylinder. +It became enveloped in a +haze of light which rendered +the metal sides of the mysterious +space craft dim and indistinct +while the interior of the cylinder +was as clearly revealed as if +there had been no covering. The +machine men, expecting to see +at least several, perhaps many, +strange creatures moving about +within the metal cylinder, stared +aghast at the sight they beheld. +There was but one creature, and +he was lying perfectly still, +either in a state of suspended +animation or else of death. He +was about twice the height of +the mechanical men of Zor. For a +long time they gazed at him in +a silence of thought, and then +their leader instructed them.</p> + +<p>"Take him out of the container."</p> + +<p>The penetration rays were +turned off, and two of the machine +men stepped eagerly forward +and opened the door. One +of them peered within at the +recumbent body of the weird-looking +individual with the four +appendages. The creature lay +up against a luxuriously upholstered +interior, a strap affixed +to his chin while four more +straps held both the upper and +lower appendages securely to the +insides of the cylinder. The machine +man released these, and +with the help of his comrade removed +the body of the creature +from the cosmic coffin in which +they had found it.</p> + +<p>"He is dead!" pronounced one +of the machine men after a long +and careful examination of the +corpse. "He has been like this +for a long time."</p> + +<p>"There are strange thought +impressions left upon his mind," +remarked another.</p> + +<p>One of the machine men, +whose metal body was of a different +shade than that of his +companions, stepped forward, his +cubic body bent over that of the +strange, cold creature who was +garbed in fantastic accoutrements. +He examined the dead +organism a moment, and then he +turned to his companions.</p> + +<p>"Would you like to hear his +story?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes!" came the concerted reply.</p> + +<p>"You shall, then," was the +ultimatum. "Bring him into my +laboratory. I shall remove his +brain and stimulate the cells into +activity once more. We shall give +him life again, transplanting his +brain into the head of one of our +machines."</p> + +<p>With these words he directed +two of the Zoromes to carry the +corpse into the laboratory.</p> + +<p>As the space ship cruised +about in the vicinity of this +third planet which 25X-987 had +decided to visit on finding the +metal cylinder with its queer +inhabitant, 8B-52, the experimenter, +worked unceasingly in +his laboratory to revive the long-dead +brain cells to action once +more. Finally, after consummating +his desires and having his +efforts crowned with success, he +placed the brain within the head +of a machine. The brain was +brought to consciousness. The +creature's body was discarded +after the all-important brain had +been removed.</p> + +<hr class="p2" /> +<h3>CHAPTER III<br /> +<i>Recalled to Life</i></h3> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">As</span> Professor Jameson +came to, he became aware +of a strange feeling. He was +sick. The doctors had not expected +him to live; they had +frankly told him so—but he had +cared little in view of the long, +happy years stretched out behind +him. Perhaps he was not +to die yet. He wondered how long +he had slept. How strange he +felt—as if he had no body. Why +couldn't he open his eyes? He +tried very hard. A mist swam +before him. His eyes had been +open all the time but he had not +seen before. That was queer, he +ruminated. All was silent about +his bedside. Had all the doctors +and nurses left him to sleep—or +to die?</p> + +<p>Devil take that mist which +now swam before him, obscuring +everything in line of vision. He +would call his nephew. Vainly +he attempted to shout the word +"Douglas," but to no avail. +Where was his mouth? It seemed +as if he had none. Was it all +delirium? The strange silence—perhaps +he had lost his sense +of hearing along with his ability +to speak—and he could see nothing +distinctly. The mist had +transferred itself into a confused +jumble of indistinct objects, +some of which moved about +before him.</p> + +<p>He was now conscious of some +impulse in his mind which kept +questioning him as to how he +felt. He was conscious of other +strange ideas which seemed to +be impressed upon his brain, but +this one thought concerning his +indisposition clamored insistently +over the lesser ideas. It even +seemed just as if someone was +addressing him, and impulsively +he attempted to utter a sound +and tell them how queer he felt. +It seemed as if speech had been +taken from him. He could not +talk, no matter how hard he +tried. It was no use. Strange to +say, however, the impulse within +his mind appeared to be satisfied +with the effort, and it now put +another question to him. Where +was he from? What a strange +question—when he was at home. +He told them as much. Had he +always lived there? Why, yes, of +course.</p> + +<p>The aged professor was now +becoming more astute as to his +condition. At first it was only a +mild, passive wonderment at his +helplessness and the strange +thoughts which raced through +his mind. Now he attempted to +arouse himself from the lethargy.</p> + +<p>Quite suddenly his sight +cleared, and what a surprise! He +could see all the way around him +without moving his head! And +he could look at the ceiling of +his room! His room? Was it his +room! No— It just couldn't be. +Where was he? What were those +queer machines before him? +They moved on four legs. Six +tentacles curled outward from +their cubical bodies. One of the +machines stood close before him. +A tentacle shot out from the +object and rubbed his head. How +strange it felt upon his brow. +Instinctively he obeyed the impulse +to shove the contraption +of metal from him with his +hands.</p> + +<p>His arms did not rise, instead +six tentacles projected upward +to force back the machine. Professor +Jameson gasped mentally +in surprise as he gazed at the +result of his urge to push the +strange, unearthly looking machine-caricature +from him. With +trepidation he looked down at +his own body to see where the +tentacles had come from, and his +surprise turned to sheer fright +and amazement. His body was +like the moving machine which +stood before him! Where was +he? What ever had happened to +him so suddenly? Only a few +moments ago he had been in his +bed, with the doctors and his +nephew bending over him, expecting +him to die. The last +words he had remembered hearing +was the cryptic announcement +of one of the doctors.</p> + +<p>"He is going now."</p> + +<p>But he hadn't died after all, +apparently. A horrible thought +struck him! Was this the life +after death? Or was it an illusion +of the mind? He became +aware that the machine in front +of him was attempting to communicate +something to him. How +could it, thought the professor, +when he had no mouth. The desire +to communicate an idea to +him became more insistent. The +suggestion of the machine man's +question was in his mind. Telepathy, +thought he.</p> + +<p>The creature was asking about +the place whence he had come. +He didn't know; his mind was +in such a turmoil of thoughts +and conflicting ideas. He allowed +himself to be led to a window +where the machine with waving +tentacle pointed towards an object +outside. It was a queer sensation +to be walking on the four +metal legs. He looked from the +window and he saw that which +caused him to nearly drop over, +so astounded was he.</p> + +<p>The professor found himself +gazing out from the boundless +depths of space across the cosmic +void to where a huge planet lay +quiet. Now he was sure it was +an illusion which made his mind +and sight behave so queerly. He +was troubled by a very strange +dream. Carefully he examined +the topography of the gigantic +globe which rested off in the distance. +At the same time he could +see back of him the concourse +of mechanical creatures crowding +up behind him, and he was +aware of a telepathic conversation +which was being carried on +behind him—or just before him. +Which was it now? Eyes extended +all the way around his head, +while there existed no difference +on any of the four sides of his +cubed body. His mechanical legs +were capable of moving in any +of four given directions with +perfect ease, he discovered.</p> + +<p>The planet was not the earth—of +that he was sure. None of the +familiar continents lay before +his eyes. And then he saw the +great dull red ball of the dying +sun. That was not the sun of his +earth. It had been a great deal +more brilliant.</p> + +<p>"Did you come from that planet?" +came the thought impulse +from the mechanism by his side.</p> + +<p>"No," he returned.</p> + +<p>He then allowed the machine +men—for he assumed that they +were machine men, and he reasoned +that, somehow or other +they had by some marvelous +transformation made him over +just as they were—to lead him +through the craft of which he +now took notice for the first +time. It was an interplanetary +flyer, or space ship, he firmly +believed.</p> + +<p>25X-987 now took him to the +compartment which they had removed +him to from the strange +container they had found wandering +in the vicinity of the +nearby world. There they showed +him the long cylinder.</p> + +<p>"It's my rocket satellite!" exclaimed +Professor Jameson to +himself, though in reality every +one of the machine men received +his thoughts plainly. "What is +it doing here?"</p> + +<p>"We found your dead body +within it," answered 25X-987. +"Your brain was removed to the +machine after having been stimulated +into activity once more. +Your carcass was thrown away."</p> + +<p>Professor Jameson just stood +dumfounded by the words of +the machine man.</p> + +<p>"So I did die!" exclaimed the +professor. "And my body was +placed within the rocket to remain +in everlasting preservation +until the end of all earthly time! +Success! I have now attained unrivaled +success!"</p> + +<p>He then turned to the machine +man.</p> + +<p>"How long have I been that +way?" he asked excitedly.</p> + +<p>"How should we know?" replied +the Zorome. "We picked up +your rocket only a short time +ago, which, according to your +computation, would be less than +a day. This is our first visit to +your planetary system and we +chanced upon your rocket. So it +is a satellite? We didn't watch +it long enough to discover whether +or not it was a satellite. At +first we thought it to be another +traveling space craft, but when +it refused to answer our signals +we investigated."</p> + +<p>"And so that was the earth at +which I looked," mused the professor. +"No wonder I didn't recognize it. +The topography has +changed so much. How different +the sun appears—it must have +been over a million years ago +when I died!"</p> + +<p>"Many millions," corrected +25X-987. "Suns of such size as +this one do not cool in so short +a time as you suggest."</p> + +<p>Professor Jameson, in spite of +all his amazing computations before +his death, was staggered by +the reality.</p> + +<p>"Who are you?" he suddenly +asked.</p> + +<p>"We are the Zoromes from +Zor, a planet of a sun far across +the Universe."</p> + +<p>25X-987 then went on to tell +Professor Jameson something +about how the Zoromes had attained +their high stage of development +and had instantly put a +stop to all birth, evolution and +death of their people, by becoming +machine men.</p> + +<hr class="p2" /> +<h3>CHAPTER IV<br /> +<i>The Dying World</i></h3> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">"And</span> now tell us of yourself," +said 25X-987, "and +about your world."</p> + +<p>Professor Jameson, noted in +college as a lecturer of no mean +ability and perfectly capable of +relating intelligently to them +the story of the earth's history, +evolution and march of events +following the birth of civilization +up until the time when he +died, began his story. The mental +speech hampered him for a +time, but he soon became accustomed +to it so as to use it easily, +and he found it preferable to +vocal speech after a while. The +Zoromes listened interestedly to +the long account until Professor +Jameson had finished.</p> + +<p>"My nephew," concluded the +professor, "evidently obeyed my +instructions and placed my body +in the rocket I had built, shooting +it out into space where I became +the satellite of the earth +for these many millions of +years."</p> + +<p>"Do you really want to know +how long you were dead before +we found you?" asked 25X-987. +"It would be interesting to find +out."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I should like very much +to know," replied the professor.</p> + +<p>"Our greatest mathematician, +459C-79, will tell it to you." The +mathematician stepped forward. +Upon one side of his cube were +many buttons arranged in long +columns and squares.</p> + +<p>"What is your unit of measuring?" +he asked.</p> + +<p>"A mile."</p> + +<p>"How many times more is a +mile than is the length of your +rocket satellite?"</p> + +<p>"My rocket is fifteen feet long. +A mile is five thousand two hundred +and eighty feet."</p> + +<p>The mathematician depressed +a few buttons.</p> + +<p>"How far, or how many miles +from the sun was your planet at +that time?"</p> + +<p>"Ninety-three million miles," +was the reply.</p> + +<p>"And your world's satellite—which +you call moon from your +planet—earth?"</p> + +<p>"Two hundred and forty thousand +miles."</p> + +<p>"And your rocket?"</p> + +<p>"I figured it to go about sixty-five +thousand miles from the +earth."</p> + +<p>"It was only twenty thousand +miles from the earth when we +picked it up," said the mathematician, +depressing a few more +buttons. "The moon and sun are +also much nearer your planet +now."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Professor Jameson gave way +to a mental ejaculation of amazement.</p> + +<p>"Do you know how long you +have cruised around the planet +in your own satellite?" said the +mathematician. "Since you began +that journey, the planet which +you call the earth has revolved +around the sun over forty million +times."</p> + +<p>"Forty—million—years!" exclaimed +Professor Jameson haltingly. +"Humanity must then have +all perished from the earth long +ago! I'm the last man on earth!"</p> + +<p>"It is a dead world now," interjected +25X-987.</p> + +<p>"Of course," elucidated the +mathematician, "those last few +million years are much shorter +than the ones in which you lived. +The earth's orbit is of less diameter +and its speed of revolution +is greatly increased, due to its +proximity to the cooling sun. I +should say that your year was +some four times as long as the +time in which it now takes your +old planet to circumnavigate the +sun.</p> + +<p>"How many days were there +in your year?"</p> + +<p>"Three hundred and sixty-five."</p> + +<p>"The planet has now ceased +rotating entirely."</p> + +<p>"Seems queer that your rocket +satellite should avoid the meteors +so long," observed 459C-79, +the mathematician.</p> + +<p>"Automatic radium repulsion +rays," explained the professor.</p> + +<p>"The very rays which kept us +from approaching your rocket," +stated 25X-987, "until we neutralized +them."</p> + +<p>"You died and were shot out +into space long before any life +occurred on Zor," soliloquized +one of the machine men. "Our +people had not yet even been +born when yours had probably +disappeared entirely from the +face of the earth."</p> + +<p>"Hearken to 72N-4783," said +25X-987, "he is our philosopher, +and he just loves to dwell on the +past life of Zor when we were +flesh and blood creatures with +the threat of death hanging always +over our heads. At that +time, like the life you knew, we +were born, we lived and died, all +within a very short time, comparatively."</p> + +<p>"Of course, time has come to +mean nothing to us, especially +when we are out in space," +observed 72N-4783. "We never +keep track of it on our expeditions, +though back in Zor such +accounts are accurately kept. By +the way, do you know how long +we stood here while you recounted +to us the history of your planet? +Our machine bodies never +get tired, you know."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"Well," ruminated Professor +Jameson, giving a generous allowance +of time. "I should say +about a half a day, although it +seemed scarcely as long as that."</p> + +<p>"We listened to you for four +days," replied 72N-4783.</p> + +<p>Professor Jameson was really +aghast.</p> + +<p>"Really, I hadn't meant to be +such a bore," he apologized.</p> + +<p>"That is nothing," replied the +other. "Your story was interesting, +and if it had been twice as +long, it would not have mattered, +nor would it have seemed any +longer. Time is merely relative, +and in space actual time does not +exist at all, any more than your +forty million years' cessation of +life seemed more than a few +moments to you. We saw that it +was so when your first thought +impressions reached us following +your revival."</p> + +<p>"Let us continue on to your +planet earth," then said 25X-987. +"Perhaps we shall find more +startling disclosures there."</p> + +<p>As the space ship of the Zoromes +approached the sphere +from which Professor Jameson +had been hurled in his rocket +forty million years before, the +professor was wondering how the +earth would appear, and what +radical changes he would find. +Already he knew that the geographical +conditions of the various +continents were changed. He +had seen as much from the space +ship.</p> + +<p>A short time later the earth +was reached. The space travelers +from Zor, as well as Professor +Jameson, emerged from the cosmic +flyer to walk upon the surface +of the planet. The earth had +ceased rotating, leaving one-half +its surface always toward the +sun. This side of the earth was +heated to a considerable degree, +while its antipodes, turned always +away from the solar luminary, +was a cold, frigid, desolate +waste. The space travelers from +Zor did not dare to advance very +far into either hemisphere, but +landed on the narrow, thousand-mile +strip of territory separating +the earth's frozen half from +its sun-baked antipodes.</p> + +<p>As Professor Jameson +emerged from the space ship +with 25X-987, he stared in awe +at the great transformation four +hundred thousand centuries had +wrought. The earth's surface, its +sky and the sun were all so +changed and unearthly appearing. +Off to the east the blood red +ball of the slowly cooling sun +rested upon the horizon, lighting +up the eternal day. The earth's +rotation had ceased entirely, and +it hung motionless in the sky as +it revolved around its solar parent, +its orbit slowly but surely +cutting in toward the great body +of the sun. The two inner planets, +Mercury and Venus, were +now very close to the blood red +orb whose scintillating, dazzling +brilliance had been lost in its +cooling process. Soon, the two +nearer planets would succumb to +the great pull of the solar luminary +and return to the flaming +folds, from which they had been +hurled out as gaseous bodies in +the dim, age-old past, when their +careers had just begun.</p> + +<p>The atmosphere was nearly +gone, so rarefied had it become, +and through it Professor Jameson +could view with amazing +clarity without discomfort to his +eyes the bloated body of the dying +sun. It appeared many times +the size he had seen it at the +time of his death, on account of +its relative nearness. The earth +had advanced a great deal closer +to the great star around which +it swung.</p> + +<p>The sky towards the west was +pitch black except for the iridescent +twinkle of the fiery stars +which studded that section of the +heavens. As he watched, a faint +glow suffused the western sky, +gradually growing brighter, the +full moon majestically lifted itself +above the horizon, casting +its pale, ethereal radiance upon +the dying world beneath. It was +increased to many times the size +Professor Jameson had ever seen +it during his natural lifetime. +The earth's greater attraction +was drawing upon the moon just +as the sun was pulling the earth +ever nearer itself.</p> + +<p>This cheerless landscape confronting +the professor represented +the state of existence to which +the earth had come. It was a +magnificent spread of loneliness +which bore no witness to the +fact that it had seen the teeming +of life in better ages long ago. +The weird, yet beautiful scene, +spread in a melancholy panorama +before his eyes, drove his +thoughts into gloomy abstraction +with its dismal, depressing influence. +Its funereal, oppressive +aspect smote him suddenly with +the chill of a terrible loneliness.</p> + +<p>25X-987 aroused Professor +Jameson from his lethargic reverie. +"Let us walk around and see +what we can find. I can understand +how you feel in regard to +the past. It is quite a shock—but +it must happen to all worlds +sooner or later—even to Zor. +When that time comes, the Zoromes +will find a new planet on +which to live. If you travel with +us, you will become accustomed +to the sight of seeing dead, lifeless +worlds as well as new and +beautiful ones pulsating with +life and energy. Of course, this +world being your own, holds a +peculiar sentimental value to +you, but it is really one planet +among billions."</p> + +<p>Professor Jameson was silent.</p> + +<p>"I wonder whether or not +there are any ruins here to be +found?" queried 25X-987.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe so," replied +the professor. "I remember hearing +an eminent scientist of my +day state that, given fifty thousand +years, every structure and +other creation of man would be +obliterated entirely from off the +earth's surface."</p> + +<p>"And he was right," endorsed +the machine man of Zor. "Time +is a great effacer."</p> + +<p>For a long time the machine +men wandered over the dreary +surface of the earth, and then +25X-987 suggested a change of +territory to explore. In the space +ship, they moved around the +earth to the other side, still keeping +to the belt of shadowland +which completely encircled the +globe like some gigantic ring. +Where they now landed arose +a series of cones with hollow +peaks.</p> + +<p>"Volcanoes!" exclaimed the +professor.</p> + +<p>"Extinct ones," added the machine +man.</p> + +<p>Leaving the space ship, the +fifty or more machine men, including +also Professor Jameson, +were soon exploring the curiously +shaped peaks. The professor, +in his wanderings had +strayed away from the rest, and +now advanced into one of the +cup-like depressions of the peak, +out of sight of his companions, +the Zoromes.</p> + +<hr class="p2" /> +<h3>CHAPTER V<br /> +<i>Eternity or Death</i></h3> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">He</span> was well in the center of +the cavity when the soft +ground beneath him gave way +suddenly and he catapulted below +into the darkness. Through the +Stygian gloom he fell in what +seemed to be an endless drop. +He finally crashed upon something +hard. The thin crust of +the volcano's mouth had broken +through, precipitating him into +the deep, hollow interior.</p> + +<p>It must have been a long ways +to fall—or so it had seemed. +Why was he not knocked senseless +or killed? Then he felt himself +over with three tentacles. +His metal legs were four broken, +twisted masses of metal, while +the lower half of his cubic body +was jammed out of shape and +split. He could not move, and +half of his six tentacles were +paralyzed.</p> + +<p>How would he ever get out of +there? he wondered. The machine +men of Zor might never +find him. What would happen to +him, then? He would remain in +this deathless, monotonous state +forever in the black hole of the +volcano's interior unable to +move. What a horrible thought! +He could not starve to death; +eating was unknown among the +Zoromes, the machines requiring +no food. He could not even commit +suicide. The only way for +him to die would be to smash the +strong metal head, and in his +present immovable condition, +this was impossible.</p> + +<p>It suddenly occurred to him to +radiate thoughts for help. Would +the Zoromes receive his messages? +He wondered how far the +telepathic messages would carry. +He concentrated the powers of +his mind upon the call for help, +and repeatedly stated his position +and plight. He then left his +mind clear to receive the thought +answers of the Zoromes. He received +none. Again he tried. Still +he received no welcoming answer. +Professor Jameson became +dejected.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>It was hopeless. The telepathic +messages had not reached the +machine men of Zor. They were +too far away, just as one person +may be out of earshot of another's +voice. He was doomed to +a terrible fate of existence! It +were better that his rocket had +never been found. He wished +that the Zoromes had destroyed +him instead of bringing him +back to life—back to this!</p> + +<p>His thoughts were suddenly +broken in upon.</p> + +<p>"We're coming!"</p> + +<p>"Don't give up hope!"</p> + +<p>If the professor's machine +body had been equipped with a +heart, it would have sung for +joy at these welcome thought impressions. +A short time later +there appeared in the ragged +break of the volcano's mouth, +where he had fallen through, the +metal head of one of the machine +men.</p> + +<p>"We shall have you out of +there soon," he said.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The professor never knew how +they managed it for he lost consciousness +under some strange +ray of light they projected down +upon him in his prison. When he +came to consciousness once more, +it was to find himself inside the +space ship.</p> + +<p>"If you had fallen and had +smashed your head, it would +have been all over with you," +were the first thought impulses +which greeted him. "As it is, +however, we can fix you up first +rate."</p> + +<p>"Why didn't you answer the +first time I called to you?" asked +the professor. "Didn't you hear +me?"</p> + +<p>"We heard you, and we answered, +but you didn't hear us. +You see, your brain is different +than ours, and though you can +send thought waves as far as we +can you cannot receive them +from such a great distance."</p> + +<p>"I'm wrecked," said the professor, +gazing at his twisted +limbs, paralyzed tentacles and +jammed body.</p> + +<p>"We shall repair you," came +the reply. "It is your good fortune +that your head was not +crushed."</p> + +<p>"What are you going to do +with me?" queried the professor. +"Will you remove my brains to +another machine?"</p> + +<p>"No, it isn't necessary. We +shall merely remove your head +and place it upon another machine +body."</p> + +<p>The Zoromes immediately set +to work upon the task, and soon +had Professor Jameson's metal +head removed from the machine +which he had wrecked in his fall +down the crater. All during the +painless operation, the professor +kept up a series of thought exchanges +in conversation with the +Zoromes, and it seemed but a +short time before his head surmounted +a new machine and he +was ready for further exploration. +In the course of his operation, +the space ship had moved +to a new position, and now as +they emerged 25X-987 kept +company with Professor Jameson.</p> + +<p>"I must keep an eye on you," +he said. "You will be getting into +more trouble before you get +accustomed to the metal bodies."</p> + +<p>But Professor Jameson was +doing a great deal of thinking. +Doubtlessly, these strange machine +men who had picked up his +rocket in the depths of space and +had brought him back to life, +were expecting him to travel +with them and become adopted +into the ranks of the Zoromes. +Did he want to go with them? He +couldn't decide. He had forgotten +that the machine men could read +his innermost thoughts.</p> + +<p>"You wish to remain here +alone upon the earth?" asked +25X-987. "It is your privilege if +you really want it so."</p> + +<p>"I don't know," replied Professor +Jameson truthfully.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>He gazed at the dust around +his feet. It had probably been +the composition of men, and had +changed from time to time into +various other atomic structures—of +other queer forms of life +which had succeeded mankind. It +was the law of the atom which +never died. And now he had +within his power perpetual existence. +He could be immortal if he +wished! It would be an immortality +of never-ending adventures +in the vast, endless Universe +among the galaxy of stars +and planets.</p> + +<p>A great loneliness seized him. +Would he be happy among these +machine men of another far-off +world—among these Zoromes? +They were kindly and solicitous +of his welfare. What better fate +could he expect? Still, a longing +for his own kind arose in him—the +call of humanity. It was irresistible. +What could he do? Was +it not in vain? Humanity had +long since disappeared from the +earth—millions of years ago. He +wondered what lay beyond the +pales of death—the real death, +where the body decomposed and +wasted away to return to the +dust of the earth and assume +new atomic structures.</p> + +<p>He had begun to wonder +whether or not he had been dead +all these forty millions of years—suppose +he had been merely +in a state of suspended animation. +He had remembered a scientist +of his day, who had claimed +that the body does not die at +the point of official death. According +to the claims of this +man, the cells of the body did +not die at the moment at which +respiration, heart beats and the +blood circulation ceased, but it +existed in the semblance of life +for several days afterward, especially +in the cells of the bones, +which died last of all.</p> + +<p>Perhaps when he had been +sent out into space in his rocket +right after his death, the action +of the cosmic void was to halt +his slow death of the cells in his +body, and hold him in suspended +animation during the ensuing +millions of years. Suppose he +should really die—destroying his +own brain? What lay beyond real +death? Would it be a better +plane of existence than the Zoromes +could offer him? Would +he rediscover humanity, or had +they long since arisen to higher +planes of existence or reincarnation? +Did time exist beyond the +mysterious portals of death? If +not, then it was possible for him +to join the souls of the human +race. Had he really been dead +all this time? If so, he knew +what to expect in case he really +destroyed his own brain. Oblivion!</p> + +<p>Again the intense feeling of +loneliness surged over him and +held him within its melancholy +grasp. Desperately, he decided to +find the nearest cliff and jump +from it—head-first! Humanity +called; no man lived to companion +him. His four metal limbs +carried him swiftly to the summit +of a nearby precipice. Why +not gamble on the hereafter? +25X-987, understanding his +trend of thought, did not attempt +to restrain him. Instead, +the machine man of Zor waited +patiently.</p> + +<p>As Professor Jameson stood +there meditating upon the jump +which would hurl him now into +a new plane of existence—or into +oblivion, the thought transference +of 25X-987 reached him. +It was laden with the wisdom +born of many planets and thousands +of centuries' experience.</p> + +<p>"Why jump?" asked the machine +man. "The dying world +holds your imagination within a +morbid clutch. It is all a matter +of mental condition. Free your +mind of this fascinating influence +and come with us to visit +other worlds, many of them are +both beautiful and new. You will +then feel a great difference.</p> + +<p>"Will you come?"</p> + +<p>The professor considered for a +moment as he resisted the impulse +to dive off the declivity to +the enticing rocks far below. An +inspiration seized him. Backing +away from the edge of the cliff, +he joined 25X-987 once more.</p> + +<p>"I shall come," he stated.</p> + +<p>He would become an immortal +after all and join the Zoromes in +their never-ending adventures +from world to world. They hastened +to the space ship to escape +the depressing, dreary influence +of the dying world, which had +nearly driven Professor Jameson +to take the fatal leap to +oblivion.</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> April 1956 and +was first published in <i>Amazing Stories</i> July 1931. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and +typographical errors have been corrected without note.</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Jameson Satellite, by Neil Ronald Jones + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE JAMESON SATELLITE *** + +***** This file should be named 26906-h.htm or 26906-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/9/0/26906/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Jameson Satellite + +Author: Neil Ronald Jones + +Release Date: October 13, 2008 [EBook #26906] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE JAMESON SATELLITE *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +THE JAMESON SATELLITE + +By NEIL R. JONES + + _The mammoths of the ancient world have been wonderfully preserved + in the ice of Siberia. The cold, only a few miles out in space, will + be far more intense than in the polar regions and its power of + preserving the dead body would most probably be correspondingly + increased. When the hero-scientist of this story knew he must die, + he conceived a brilliant idea for the preservation of his body, the + result of which even exceeded his expectations. What, how, and why + are cleverly told here._ + + + + +PROLOGUE + +_The Rocket Satellite_ + + +In the depths of space, some twenty thousand miles from the earth, the +body of Professor Jameson within its rocket container cruised upon an +endless journey, circling the gigantic sphere. The rocket was a +satellite of the huge, revolving world around which it held to its +orbit. In the year 1958, Professor Jameson had sought for a plan whereby +he might preserve his body indefinitely after his death. He had worked +long and hard upon the subject. + +Since the time of the Pharaohs, the human race had looked for a means by +which the dead might be preserved against the ravages of time. Great had +been the art of the Egyptians in the embalming of their deceased, a +practice which was later lost to humanity of the ensuing mechanical age, +never to be rediscovered. But even the embalming of the Egyptians--so +Professor Jameson had argued--would be futile in the face of millions of +years, the dissolution of the corpses being just as eventual as +immediate cremation following death. + +The professor had looked for a means by which the body could be +preserved perfectly forever. But eventually he had come to the +conclusion that nothing on earth is unchangeable beyond a certain limit +of time. Just as long as he sought an earthly means of preservation, he +was doomed to disappointment. All earthly elements are composed of atoms +which are forever breaking down and building up, but never destroying +themselves. A match may be burned, but the atoms are still unchanged, +having resolved themselves into smoke, carbon dioxide, ashes, and +certain basic elements. It was clear to the professor that he could +never accomplish his purpose if he were to employ one system of atomic +structure, such as embalming fluid or other concoction, to preserve +another system of atomic structure, such as the human body, when all +atomic structure is subject to universal change, no matter how slow. + +[Illustration: It glowed in a haze of light, the interior clearly +revealed.] + +He had then soliloquized upon the possibility of preserving the human +body in its state of death until the end of all earthly time--to that +day when the earth would return to the sun from which it had sprung. +Quite suddenly one day he had conceived the answer to the puzzling +problem which obsessed his mind, leaving him awed with its wild, uncanny +potentialities. + +He would have his body shot into space enclosed in a rocket to become a +satellite of the earth as long as the earth continued to exist. He +reasoned logically. Any material substance, whether of organic or +inorganic origin, cast into the depths of space would exist +indefinitely. He had visualized his dead body enclosed in a rocket +flying off into the illimitable maw of space. He would remain in perfect +preservation, while on earth millions of generations of mankind would +live and die, their bodies to molder into the dust of the forgotten +past. He would exist in this unchanged manner until that day when +mankind, beneath a cooling sun, should fade out forever in the chill, +thin atmosphere of a dying world. And still his body would remain intact +and as perfect in its rocket container as on that day of the far-gone +past when it had left the earth to be hurled out on its career. What a +magnificent idea! + +At first he had been assailed with doubts. Suppose his funeral rocket +landed upon some other planet or, drawn by the pull of the great sun, +were thrown into the flaming folds of the incandescent sphere? Then the +rocket might continue on out of the solar system, plunging through the +endless seas of space for millions of years, to finally enter the solar +system of some far-off star, as meteors often enter ours. Suppose his +rocket crashed upon a planet, or the star itself, or became a captive +satellite of some celestial body? + +It had been at this juncture that the idea of his rocket becoming the +satellite of the earth had presented itself, and he had immediately +incorporated it into his scheme. The professor had figured out the +amount of radium necessary to carry the rocket far enough away from the +earth so that it would not turn around and crash, and still be not so +far away but what the earth's gravitational attraction would keep it +from leaving the vicinity of the earth and the solar system. Like the +moon, it would forever revolve around the earth. + +He had chosen an orbit sixty-five thousand miles from the earth for his +rocket to follow. The only fears he had entertained concerned the huge +meteors which careened through space at tremendous rates of speed. He +had overcome this obstacle, however, and had eliminated the +possibilities of a collision with these stellar juggernauts. In the +rocket were installed radium repulsion rays which swerved all +approaching meteors from the path of the rocket as they entered the +vicinity of the space wanderer. + +The aged professor had prepared for every contingency, and had set down +to rest from his labors, reveling in the stupendous, unparalleled +results he would obtain. Never would his body undergo decay; and never +would his bones bleach to return to the dust of the earth from which all +men originally came and to which they must return. His body would remain +millions of years in a perfectly preserved state, untouched by the hoary +palm of such time as only geologists and astronomers can conceive. + +His efforts would surpass even the wildest dreams of H. Rider Haggard, +who depicted the wondrous, embalming practices of the ancient nation of +Kor in his immortal novel, "She," wherein Holly, under the escort of the +incomparable Ayesha, looked upon the magnificent, lifelike masterpieces +of embalming by the long-gone peoples of Kor. + +With the able assistance of a nephew, who carried out his instructions +and wishes following his death, Professor Jameson was sent upon his +pilgrimage into space within the rocket he himself had built. The nephew +and heir kept the secret forever locked in his heart. + + * * * * * + +Generation after generation had passed upon its way. Gradually humanity +had come to die out, finally disappearing from the earth altogether. +Mankind was later replaced by various other forms of life which +dominated the globe for their allotted spaces of time before they too +became extinct. The years piled up on one another, running into +millions, and still the Jameson Satellite kept its lonely vigil around +the earth, gradually closing the distance between satellite and planet, +yielding reluctantly to the latter's powerful attraction. + +Forty million years later, its orbit ranged some twenty thousand miles +from the earth while the dead world edged ever nearer the cooling sun +whose dull, red ball covered a large expanse of the sky. Surrounding +the flaming sphere, many of the stars could be perceived through the +earth's thin, rarefied atmosphere. As the earth cut in slowly and +gradually toward the solar luminary, so was the moon revolving ever +nearer the earth, appearing like a great gem glowing in the twilight +sky. + +The rocket containing the remains of Professor Jameson continued its +endless travel around the great ball of the earth whose rotation had now +ceased entirely--one side forever facing the dying sun. There it pursued +its lonely way, a cosmic coffin, accompanied by its funeral cortege of +scintillating stars amid the deep silence of the eternal space which +enshrouded it. Solitary it remained, except for the occasional passing +of a meteor flitting by at a remarkable speed on its aimless journey +through the vacuum between the far-flung worlds. + +Would the satellite follow its orbit to the world's end, or would its +supply of radium soon exhaust itself after so many eons of time, +converting the rocket into the prey of the first large meteor which +chanced that way? Would it some day return to the earth as its nearer +approach portended, and increase its acceleration in a long arc to crash +upon the surface of the dead planet? And when the rocket terminated its +career, would the body of Professor Jameson be found perfectly preserved +or merely a crumbled mound of dust? + + + + +CHAPTER I + +_40,000,000 Years After_ + + +Entering within the boundaries of the solar system, a long, dark, +pointed craft sped across the realms of space towards the tiny point of +light which marked the dull red ball of the dying sun which would some +day lie cold and dark forever. Like a huge meteor it flashed into the +solar system from another chain of planets far out in the illimitable +Universe of stars and worlds, heading towards the great red sun at an +inconceivable speed. + +Within the interior of the space traveler, queer creatures of metal +labored at the controls of the space flyer which juggernauted on its way +towards the far-off solar luminary. Rapidly it crossed the orbits of +Neptune and Uranus and headed sunward. The bodies of these queer +creatures were square blocks of a metal closely resembling steel, while +for appendages, the metal cube was upheld by four jointed legs capable +of movement. A set of six tentacles, all metal, like the rest of the +body, curved outward from the upper half of the cubic body. Surmounting +it was a queer-shaped head rising to a peak in the center and equipped +with a circle of eyes all the way around the head. The creatures, with +their mechanical eyes equipped with metal shutters, could see in all +directions. A single eye pointed directly upward, being situated in the +space of the peaked head, resting in a slight depression of the cranium. + +These were the Zoromes of the planet Zor which rotated on its way around +a star millions of light years distant from our solar system. The +Zoromes, several hundred thousand years before, had reached a stage in +science, where they searched for immortality and eternal relief from +bodily ills and various deficiencies of flesh and blood anatomy. They +had sought freedom from death, and had found it, but at the same time +they had destroyed the propensities for birth. And for several hundred +thousand years there had been no births and few deaths in the history of +the Zoromes. + +This strange race of people had built their own mechanical bodies, and +by operation upon one another had removed their brains to the metal +heads from which they directed the functions and movements of their +inorganic anatomies. There had been no deaths due to worn-out bodies. +When one part of the mechanical men wore out, it was replaced by a new +part, and so the Zoromes continued living their immortal lives which saw +few casualties. It was true that, since the innovation of the machines, +there had been a few accidents which had seen the destruction of the +metal heads with their brains. These were irreparable. Such cases had +been few, however, and the population of Zor had decreased but little. +The machine men of Zor had no use for atmosphere, and had it not been +for the terrible coldness of space, could have just as well existed in +the ether void as upon some planet. Their metal bodies, especially their +metal-encased brains, did require a certain amount of heat even though +they were able to exist comfortably in temperatures which would +instantly have frozen to death a flesh-and-blood creature. + +The most popular pastime among the machine men of Zor was the +exploration of the Universe. This afforded them a never ending source of +interest in the discovery of the variegated inhabitants and conditions +of the various planets on which they came to rest. Hundreds of space +ships were sent out in all directions, many of them being upon their +expeditions for hundreds of years before they returned once more to the +home planet of far-off Zor. + +This particular space craft of the Zoromes had entered the solar system +whose planets were gradually circling in closer to the dull red ball of +the declining sun. Several of the machine men of the space craft's crew, +which numbered some fifty individuals, were examining the various +planets of this particular planetary system carefully through telescopes +possessing immense power. + +These machine men had no names and were indexed according to letters and +numbers. They conversed by means of thought impulses, and were neither +capable of making a sound vocally nor of hearing one uttered. + +"Where shall we go?" queried one of the men at the controls questioning +another who stood by his side examining a chart on the wall. + +"They all appear to be dead worlds, 4R-3579," replied the one addressed, +"but the second planet from the sun appears to have an atmosphere which +might sustain a few living creatures, and the third planet may also +prove interesting for it has a satellite. We shall examine the inner +planets first of all, and explore the outer ones later if we decide it +is worth the time." + +"Too much trouble for nothing," ventured 9G-721. "This system of planets +offers us little but what we have seen many times before in our travels. +The sun is so cooled that it cannot sustain the more common life on its +planets, the type of life forms we usually find in our travels. We +should have visited a planetary system with a brighter sun." + +"You speak of common life," remarked 25X-987. "What of the uncommon +life? Have we not found life existent on cold, dead planets with no +sunlight and atmosphere at all?" + +"Yes, we have," admitted 9G-721, "but such occasions are exceedingly +rare." + +"The possibility exists, however, even in this case," reminded 4R-3579, +"and what if we do spend a bit of unprofitable time in this one +planetary system--haven't we all an endless lifetime before us? Eternity +is ours." + +"We shall visit the second planet first of all," directed 25X-987, who +was in charge of this particular expedition of the Zoromes, "and on the +way there we shall cruise along near the third planet to see what we can +of the surface. We may be able to tell whether or not it holds anything +of interest to us. If it does, after visiting the second planet, we +shall then return to the third. The first world is not worth bothering +with." + + * * * * * + +The space ship from Zor raced on in a direction which would take it +several thousand miles above the earth and then on to the planet which +we know as Venus. As the space ship rapidly neared the earth, it +slackened its speed, so that the Zoromes might examine it closely with +their glasses as the ship passed the third planet. + +Suddenly, one of the machine men ran excitedly into the room where +25X-987 stood watching the topography of the world beneath him. + +"We have found something!" he exclaimed. + +"What?" + +"Another space ship!" + +"Where?" + +"But a short distance ahead of us on our course. Come into the foreport +of the ship and you can pick it up with the glass." + +"Which is the way it's going?" asked 25X-987. + +"It is behaving queerly," replied the machine man of Zor. "It appears to +be in the act of circling the planet." + +"Do you suppose that there really is life on that dead +world--intelligent beings like ourselves, and that this is one of their +space craft?" + +"Perhaps it is another exploration craft like our own from some other +world," was the suggestion. + +"But not of ours," said 25X-987. + +Together, the two Zoromes now hastened into the observation room of the +space ship where more of the machine men were excitedly examining the +mysterious space craft, their thought impulses flying thick and fast +like bodiless bullets. + +"It is very small!" + +"Its speed is slow!" + +"The craft can hold but few men," observed one. + +"We do not yet know of what size the creatures are," reminded another. +"Perhaps there are thousands of them in that space craft out there. They +may be of such a small size that it will be necessary to look twice +before finding one of them. Such beings are not unknown." + +"We shall soon overtake it and see." + +"I wonder if they have seen us?" + +"Where do you suppose it came from?" + +"From the world beneath us," was the suggestion. + +"Perhaps." + + + + +CHAPTER II + +_The Mysterious Space Craft_ + + +The machine men made way for their leader, 25X-987, who regarded the +space craft ahead of them critically. + +"Have you tried communicating with it yet?" he asked. + +"There is no reply to any of our signals," came the answer. + +"Come alongside of it then," ordered their commander. "It is small +enough to be brought inside our carrying compartment, and we can see +with our penetration rays just what manner of creatures it holds. They +are intelligent, that is certain, for their space ship does imply as +much." + +The space flyer of the Zoromes slowed up as it approached the mysterious +wanderer of the cosmic void which hovered in the vicinity of the dying +world. + +"What a queer shape it has," remarked 25X-987. "It is even smaller than +I had previously calculated." + +A rare occurrence had taken place among the machine men of Zor. They +were overcome by a great curiosity which they could not allow to remain +unsatiated. Accustomed as they were to witnessing strange sights and +still stranger creatures, meeting up with weird adventures in various +corners of the Universe, they had now become hardened to the usual run +of experiences which they were in the habit of encountering. It took a +great deal to arouse their unperturbed attitudes. Something new, +however, about this queer space craft had gripped their imaginations, +and perhaps a subconscious influence asserted to their minds that here +they have come across an adventure radically unusual. + +"Come alongside it," repeated 25X-987 to the operator as he returned to +the control room and gazed through the side of the space ship in the +direction of the smaller cosmic wanderer. + +"I'm trying to," replied the machine man, "but it seems to jump away a +bit every time I get within a certain distance of it. Our ship seems to +jump backward a bit too." + +"Are they trying to elude us?" + +"I don't know. They should pick up more speed if that is their object." + +"Perhaps they are now progressing at their maximum speed and cannot +increase their acceleration any more." + +"Look!" exclaimed the operator. "Did you just see that? The thing has +jumped away from us again!" + +"Our ship moved also," said 25X-987. "I saw a flash of light shoot from +the side of the other craft as it jumped." + +Another machine man now entered and spoke to the commander of the Zorome +expedition. + +"They are using radium repellent rays to keep us from approaching," he +informed. + +"Counteract it," instructed 25X-987. + +The man left, and now the machine man at the controls of the craft tried +again to close with the mysterious wanderer of the space between +planets. The effort was successful, and this time there was no glow of +repulsion rays from the side of the long metal cylinder. + +They now entered the compartment where various objects were transferred +from out the depths of space to the interplanetary craft. Then patiently +they waited for the rest of the machine men to open the side of their +space ship and bring in the queer, elongated cylinder. + +"Put it under the penetration ray!" ordered 25X-987. "Then we shall see +what it contains!" + +The entire group of Zoromes were assembled about the long cylinder, +whose low nickel-plated sides shone brilliantly. With interest they +regarded the fifteen-foot object which tapered a bit towards its base. +The nose was pointed like a bullet. Eight cylindrical protuberances were +affixed to the base while the four sides were equipped with fins such as +are seen on aerial bombs to guide them in a direct, unswerving line +through the atmosphere. At the base of the strange craft there projected +a lever, while in one side was a door which, apparently opened outward. +One of the machine men reached forward to open it but was halted by the +admonition of the commander. + +"Do not open it up yet!" he warned. "We are not aware of what it +contains!" + +Guided by the hand of one of the machine men, a series of lights shone +down upon the cylinder. It became enveloped in a haze of light which +rendered the metal sides of the mysterious space craft dim and +indistinct while the interior of the cylinder was as clearly revealed as +if there had been no covering. The machine men, expecting to see at +least several, perhaps many, strange creatures moving about within the +metal cylinder, stared aghast at the sight they beheld. There was but +one creature, and he was lying perfectly still, either in a state of +suspended animation or else of death. He was about twice the height of +the mechanical men of Zor. For a long time they gazed at him in a +silence of thought, and then their leader instructed them. + +"Take him out of the container." + +The penetration rays were turned off, and two of the machine men stepped +eagerly forward and opened the door. One of them peered within at the +recumbent body of the weird-looking individual with the four appendages. +The creature lay up against a luxuriously upholstered interior, a strap +affixed to his chin while four more straps held both the upper and lower +appendages securely to the insides of the cylinder. The machine man +released these, and with the help of his comrade removed the body of the +creature from the cosmic coffin in which they had found it. + +"He is dead!" pronounced one of the machine men after a long and careful +examination of the corpse. "He has been like this for a long time." + +"There are strange thought impressions left upon his mind," remarked +another. + +One of the machine men, whose metal body was of a different shade than +that of his companions, stepped forward, his cubic body bent over that +of the strange, cold creature who was garbed in fantastic accoutrements. +He examined the dead organism a moment, and then he turned to his +companions. + +"Would you like to hear his story?" he asked. + +"Yes!" came the concerted reply. + +"You shall, then," was the ultimatum. "Bring him into my laboratory. I +shall remove his brain and stimulate the cells into activity once more. +We shall give him life again, transplanting his brain into the head of +one of our machines." + +With these words he directed two of the Zoromes to carry the corpse into +the laboratory. + +As the space ship cruised about in the vicinity of this third planet +which 25X-987 had decided to visit on finding the metal cylinder with +its queer inhabitant, 8B-52, the experimenter, worked unceasingly in his +laboratory to revive the long-dead brain cells to action once more. +Finally, after consummating his desires and having his efforts crowned +with success, he placed the brain within the head of a machine. The +brain was brought to consciousness. The creature's body was discarded +after the all-important brain had been removed. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +_Recalled to Life_ + + +As Professor Jameson came to, he became aware of a strange feeling. He +was sick. The doctors had not expected him to live; they had frankly +told him so--but he had cared little in view of the long, happy years +stretched out behind him. Perhaps he was not to die yet. He wondered how +long he had slept. How strange he felt--as if he had no body. Why +couldn't he open his eyes? He tried very hard. A mist swam before him. +His eyes had been open all the time but he had not seen before. That was +queer, he ruminated. All was silent about his bedside. Had all the +doctors and nurses left him to sleep--or to die? + +Devil take that mist which now swam before him, obscuring everything in +line of vision. He would call his nephew. Vainly he attempted to shout +the word "Douglas," but to no avail. Where was his mouth? It seemed as +if he had none. Was it all delirium? The strange silence--perhaps he had +lost his sense of hearing along with his ability to speak--and he could +see nothing distinctly. The mist had transferred itself into a confused +jumble of indistinct objects, some of which moved about before him. + +He was now conscious of some impulse in his mind which kept questioning +him as to how he felt. He was conscious of other strange ideas which +seemed to be impressed upon his brain, but this one thought concerning +his indisposition clamored insistently over the lesser ideas. It even +seemed just as if someone was addressing him, and impulsively he +attempted to utter a sound and tell them how queer he felt. It seemed as +if speech had been taken from him. He could not talk, no matter how hard +he tried. It was no use. Strange to say, however, the impulse within his +mind appeared to be satisfied with the effort, and it now put another +question to him. Where was he from? What a strange question--when he was +at home. He told them as much. Had he always lived there? Why, yes, of +course. + +The aged professor was now becoming more astute as to his condition. At +first it was only a mild, passive wonderment at his helplessness and the +strange thoughts which raced through his mind. Now he attempted to +arouse himself from the lethargy. + +Quite suddenly his sight cleared, and what a surprise! He could see all +the way around him without moving his head! And he could look at the +ceiling of his room! His room? Was it his room! No-- It just couldn't +be. Where was he? What were those queer machines before him? They moved +on four legs. Six tentacles curled outward from their cubical bodies. +One of the machines stood close before him. A tentacle shot out from the +object and rubbed his head. How strange it felt upon his brow. +Instinctively he obeyed the impulse to shove the contraption of metal +from him with his hands. + +His arms did not rise, instead six tentacles projected upward to force +back the machine. Professor Jameson gasped mentally in surprise as he +gazed at the result of his urge to push the strange, unearthly looking +machine-caricature from him. With trepidation he looked down at his own +body to see where the tentacles had come from, and his surprise turned +to sheer fright and amazement. His body was like the moving machine +which stood before him! Where was he? What ever had happened to him so +suddenly? Only a few moments ago he had been in his bed, with the +doctors and his nephew bending over him, expecting him to die. The last +words he had remembered hearing was the cryptic announcement of one of +the doctors. + +"He is going now." + +But he hadn't died after all, apparently. A horrible thought struck him! +Was this the life after death? Or was it an illusion of the mind? He +became aware that the machine in front of him was attempting to +communicate something to him. How could it, thought the professor, when +he had no mouth. The desire to communicate an idea to him became more +insistent. The suggestion of the machine man's question was in his mind. +Telepathy, thought he. + +The creature was asking about the place whence he had come. He didn't +know; his mind was in such a turmoil of thoughts and conflicting ideas. +He allowed himself to be led to a window where the machine with waving +tentacle pointed towards an object outside. It was a queer sensation to +be walking on the four metal legs. He looked from the window and he saw +that which caused him to nearly drop over, so astounded was he. + +The professor found himself gazing out from the boundless depths of +space across the cosmic void to where a huge planet lay quiet. Now he +was sure it was an illusion which made his mind and sight behave so +queerly. He was troubled by a very strange dream. Carefully he examined +the topography of the gigantic globe which rested off in the distance. +At the same time he could see back of him the concourse of mechanical +creatures crowding up behind him, and he was aware of a telepathic +conversation which was being carried on behind him--or just before him. +Which was it now? Eyes extended all the way around his head, while there +existed no difference on any of the four sides of his cubed body. His +mechanical legs were capable of moving in any of four given directions +with perfect ease, he discovered. + +The planet was not the earth--of that he was sure. None of the familiar +continents lay before his eyes. And then he saw the great dull red ball +of the dying sun. That was not the sun of his earth. It had been a great +deal more brilliant. + +"Did you come from that planet?" came the thought impulse from the +mechanism by his side. + +"No," he returned. + +He then allowed the machine men--for he assumed that they were machine +men, and he reasoned that, somehow or other they had by some marvelous +transformation made him over just as they were--to lead him through the +craft of which he now took notice for the first time. It was an +interplanetary flyer, or space ship, he firmly believed. + +25X-987 now took him to the compartment which they had removed him to +from the strange container they had found wandering in the vicinity of +the nearby world. There they showed him the long cylinder. + +"It's my rocket satellite!" exclaimed Professor Jameson to himself, +though in reality every one of the machine men received his thoughts +plainly. "What is it doing here?" + +"We found your dead body within it," answered 25X-987. "Your brain was +removed to the machine after having been stimulated into activity once +more. Your carcass was thrown away." + +Professor Jameson just stood dumfounded by the words of the machine man. + +"So I did die!" exclaimed the professor. "And my body was placed within +the rocket to remain in everlasting preservation until the end of all +earthly time! Success! I have now attained unrivaled success!" + +He then turned to the machine man. + +"How long have I been that way?" he asked excitedly. + +"How should we know?" replied the Zorome. "We picked up your rocket only +a short time ago, which, according to your computation, would be less +than a day. This is our first visit to your planetary system and we +chanced upon your rocket. So it is a satellite? We didn't watch it long +enough to discover whether or not it was a satellite. At first we +thought it to be another traveling space craft, but when it refused to +answer our signals we investigated." + +"And so that was the earth at which I looked," mused the professor. "No +wonder I didn't recognize it. The topography has changed so much. How +different the sun appears--it must have been over a million years ago +when I died!" + +"Many millions," corrected 25X-987. "Suns of such size as this one do +not cool in so short a time as you suggest." + +Professor Jameson, in spite of all his amazing computations before his +death, was staggered by the reality. + +"Who are you?" he suddenly asked. + +"We are the Zoromes from Zor, a planet of a sun far across the +Universe." + +25X-987 then went on to tell Professor Jameson something about how the +Zoromes had attained their high stage of development and had instantly +put a stop to all birth, evolution and death of their people, by +becoming machine men. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +_The Dying World_ + + +"And now tell us of yourself," said 25X-987, "and about your world." + +Professor Jameson, noted in college as a lecturer of no mean ability and +perfectly capable of relating intelligently to them the story of the +earth's history, evolution and march of events following the birth of +civilization up until the time when he died, began his story. The mental +speech hampered him for a time, but he soon became accustomed to it so +as to use it easily, and he found it preferable to vocal speech after a +while. The Zoromes listened interestedly to the long account until +Professor Jameson had finished. + +"My nephew," concluded the professor, "evidently obeyed my instructions +and placed my body in the rocket I had built, shooting it out into space +where I became the satellite of the earth for these many millions of +years." + +"Do you really want to know how long you were dead before we found you?" +asked 25X-987. "It would be interesting to find out." + +"Yes, I should like very much to know," replied the professor. + +"Our greatest mathematician, 459C-79, will tell it to you." The +mathematician stepped forward. Upon one side of his cube were many +buttons arranged in long columns and squares. + +"What is your unit of measuring?" he asked. + +"A mile." + +"How many times more is a mile than is the length of your rocket +satellite?" + +"My rocket is fifteen feet long. A mile is five thousand two hundred and +eighty feet." + +The mathematician depressed a few buttons. + +"How far, or how many miles from the sun was your planet at that time?" + +"Ninety-three million miles," was the reply. + +"And your world's satellite--which you call moon from your +planet--earth?" + +"Two hundred and forty thousand miles." + +"And your rocket?" + +"I figured it to go about sixty-five thousand miles from the earth." + +"It was only twenty thousand miles from the earth when we picked it up," +said the mathematician, depressing a few more buttons. "The moon and +sun are also much nearer your planet now." + + * * * * * + +Professor Jameson gave way to a mental ejaculation of amazement. + +"Do you know how long you have cruised around the planet in your own +satellite?" said the mathematician. "Since you began that journey, the +planet which you call the earth has revolved around the sun over forty +million times." + +"Forty--million--years!" exclaimed Professor Jameson haltingly. +"Humanity must then have all perished from the earth long ago! I'm the +last man on earth!" + +"It is a dead world now," interjected 25X-987. + +"Of course," elucidated the mathematician, "those last few million years +are much shorter than the ones in which you lived. The earth's orbit is +of less diameter and its speed of revolution is greatly increased, due +to its proximity to the cooling sun. I should say that your year was +some four times as long as the time in which it now takes your old +planet to circumnavigate the sun. + +"How many days were there in your year?" + +"Three hundred and sixty-five." + +"The planet has now ceased rotating entirely." + +"Seems queer that your rocket satellite should avoid the meteors so +long," observed 459C-79, the mathematician. + +"Automatic radium repulsion rays," explained the professor. + +"The very rays which kept us from approaching your rocket," stated +25X-987, "until we neutralized them." + +"You died and were shot out into space long before any life occurred on +Zor," soliloquized one of the machine men. "Our people had not yet even +been born when yours had probably disappeared entirely from the face of +the earth." + +"Hearken to 72N-4783," said 25X-987, "he is our philosopher, and he just +loves to dwell on the past life of Zor when we were flesh and blood +creatures with the threat of death hanging always over our heads. At +that time, like the life you knew, we were born, we lived and died, all +within a very short time, comparatively." + +"Of course, time has come to mean nothing to us, especially when we are +out in space," observed 72N-4783. "We never keep track of it on our +expeditions, though back in Zor such accounts are accurately kept. By +the way, do you know how long we stood here while you recounted to us +the history of your planet? Our machine bodies never get tired, you +know." + + * * * * * + +"Well," ruminated Professor Jameson, giving a generous allowance of +time. "I should say about a half a day, although it seemed scarcely as +long as that." + +"We listened to you for four days," replied 72N-4783. + +Professor Jameson was really aghast. + +"Really, I hadn't meant to be such a bore," he apologized. + +"That is nothing," replied the other. "Your story was interesting, and +if it had been twice as long, it would not have mattered, nor would it +have seemed any longer. Time is merely relative, and in space actual +time does not exist at all, any more than your forty million years' +cessation of life seemed more than a few moments to you. We saw that it +was so when your first thought impressions reached us following your +revival." + +"Let us continue on to your planet earth," then said 25X-987. "Perhaps +we shall find more startling disclosures there." + +As the space ship of the Zoromes approached the sphere from which +Professor Jameson had been hurled in his rocket forty million years +before, the professor was wondering how the earth would appear, and what +radical changes he would find. Already he knew that the geographical +conditions of the various continents were changed. He had seen as much +from the space ship. + +A short time later the earth was reached. The space travelers from Zor, +as well as Professor Jameson, emerged from the cosmic flyer to walk upon +the surface of the planet. The earth had ceased rotating, leaving +one-half its surface always toward the sun. This side of the earth was +heated to a considerable degree, while its antipodes, turned always away +from the solar luminary, was a cold, frigid, desolate waste. The space +travelers from Zor did not dare to advance very far into either +hemisphere, but landed on the narrow, thousand-mile strip of territory +separating the earth's frozen half from its sun-baked antipodes. + +As Professor Jameson emerged from the space ship with 25X-987, he stared +in awe at the great transformation four hundred thousand centuries had +wrought. The earth's surface, its sky and the sun were all so changed +and unearthly appearing. Off to the east the blood red ball of the +slowly cooling sun rested upon the horizon, lighting up the eternal day. +The earth's rotation had ceased entirely, and it hung motionless in the +sky as it revolved around its solar parent, its orbit slowly but surely +cutting in toward the great body of the sun. The two inner planets, +Mercury and Venus, were now very close to the blood red orb whose +scintillating, dazzling brilliance had been lost in its cooling process. +Soon, the two nearer planets would succumb to the great pull of the +solar luminary and return to the flaming folds, from which they had been +hurled out as gaseous bodies in the dim, age-old past, when their +careers had just begun. + +The atmosphere was nearly gone, so rarefied had it become, and through +it Professor Jameson could view with amazing clarity without discomfort +to his eyes the bloated body of the dying sun. It appeared many times +the size he had seen it at the time of his death, on account of its +relative nearness. The earth had advanced a great deal closer to the +great star around which it swung. + +The sky towards the west was pitch black except for the iridescent +twinkle of the fiery stars which studded that section of the heavens. As +he watched, a faint glow suffused the western sky, gradually growing +brighter, the full moon majestically lifted itself above the horizon, +casting its pale, ethereal radiance upon the dying world beneath. It was +increased to many times the size Professor Jameson had ever seen it +during his natural lifetime. The earth's greater attraction was drawing +upon the moon just as the sun was pulling the earth ever nearer itself. + +This cheerless landscape confronting the professor represented the state +of existence to which the earth had come. It was a magnificent spread of +loneliness which bore no witness to the fact that it had seen the +teeming of life in better ages long ago. The weird, yet beautiful scene, +spread in a melancholy panorama before his eyes, drove his thoughts into +gloomy abstraction with its dismal, depressing influence. Its funereal, +oppressive aspect smote him suddenly with the chill of a terrible +loneliness. + +25X-987 aroused Professor Jameson from his lethargic reverie. "Let us +walk around and see what we can find. I can understand how you feel in +regard to the past. It is quite a shock--but it must happen to all +worlds sooner or later--even to Zor. When that time comes, the Zoromes +will find a new planet on which to live. If you travel with us, you will +become accustomed to the sight of seeing dead, lifeless worlds as well +as new and beautiful ones pulsating with life and energy. Of course, +this world being your own, holds a peculiar sentimental value to you, +but it is really one planet among billions." + +Professor Jameson was silent. + +"I wonder whether or not there are any ruins here to be found?" queried +25X-987. + +"I don't believe so," replied the professor. "I remember hearing an +eminent scientist of my day state that, given fifty thousand years, +every structure and other creation of man would be obliterated entirely +from off the earth's surface." + +"And he was right," endorsed the machine man of Zor. "Time is a great +effacer." + +For a long time the machine men wandered over the dreary surface of the +earth, and then 25X-987 suggested a change of territory to explore. In +the space ship, they moved around the earth to the other side, still +keeping to the belt of shadowland which completely encircled the globe +like some gigantic ring. Where they now landed arose a series of cones +with hollow peaks. + +"Volcanoes!" exclaimed the professor. + +"Extinct ones," added the machine man. + +Leaving the space ship, the fifty or more machine men, including also +Professor Jameson, were soon exploring the curiously shaped peaks. The +professor, in his wanderings had strayed away from the rest, and now +advanced into one of the cup-like depressions of the peak, out of sight +of his companions, the Zoromes. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +_Eternity or Death_ + + +He was well in the center of the cavity when the soft ground beneath him +gave way suddenly and he catapulted below into the darkness. Through the +Stygian gloom he fell in what seemed to be an endless drop. He finally +crashed upon something hard. The thin crust of the volcano's mouth had +broken through, precipitating him into the deep, hollow interior. + +It must have been a long ways to fall--or so it had seemed. Why was he +not knocked senseless or killed? Then he felt himself over with three +tentacles. His metal legs were four broken, twisted masses of metal, +while the lower half of his cubic body was jammed out of shape and +split. He could not move, and half of his six tentacles were paralyzed. + +How would he ever get out of there? he wondered. The machine men of Zor +might never find him. What would happen to him, then? He would remain in +this deathless, monotonous state forever in the black hole of the +volcano's interior unable to move. What a horrible thought! He could not +starve to death; eating was unknown among the Zoromes, the machines +requiring no food. He could not even commit suicide. The only way for +him to die would be to smash the strong metal head, and in his present +immovable condition, this was impossible. + +It suddenly occurred to him to radiate thoughts for help. Would the +Zoromes receive his messages? He wondered how far the telepathic +messages would carry. He concentrated the powers of his mind upon the +call for help, and repeatedly stated his position and plight. He then +left his mind clear to receive the thought answers of the Zoromes. He +received none. Again he tried. Still he received no welcoming answer. +Professor Jameson became dejected. + + * * * * * + +It was hopeless. The telepathic messages had not reached the machine men +of Zor. They were too far away, just as one person may be out of earshot +of another's voice. He was doomed to a terrible fate of existence! It +were better that his rocket had never been found. He wished that the +Zoromes had destroyed him instead of bringing him back to life--back to +this! + +His thoughts were suddenly broken in upon. + +"We're coming!" + +"Don't give up hope!" + +If the professor's machine body had been equipped with a heart, it would +have sung for joy at these welcome thought impressions. A short time +later there appeared in the ragged break of the volcano's mouth, where +he had fallen through, the metal head of one of the machine men. + +"We shall have you out of there soon," he said. + + * * * * * + +The professor never knew how they managed it for he lost consciousness +under some strange ray of light they projected down upon him in his +prison. When he came to consciousness once more, it was to find himself +inside the space ship. + +"If you had fallen and had smashed your head, it would have been all +over with you," were the first thought impulses which greeted him. "As +it is, however, we can fix you up first rate." + +"Why didn't you answer the first time I called to you?" asked the +professor. "Didn't you hear me?" + +"We heard you, and we answered, but you didn't hear us. You see, your +brain is different than ours, and though you can send thought waves as +far as we can you cannot receive them from such a great distance." + +"I'm wrecked," said the professor, gazing at his twisted limbs, +paralyzed tentacles and jammed body. + +"We shall repair you," came the reply. "It is your good fortune that +your head was not crushed." + +"What are you going to do with me?" queried the professor. "Will you +remove my brains to another machine?" + +"No, it isn't necessary. We shall merely remove your head and place it +upon another machine body." + +The Zoromes immediately set to work upon the task, and soon had +Professor Jameson's metal head removed from the machine which he had +wrecked in his fall down the crater. All during the painless operation, +the professor kept up a series of thought exchanges in conversation with +the Zoromes, and it seemed but a short time before his head surmounted a +new machine and he was ready for further exploration. In the course of +his operation, the space ship had moved to a new position, and now as +they emerged 25X-987 kept company with Professor Jameson. + +"I must keep an eye on you," he said. "You will be getting into more +trouble before you get accustomed to the metal bodies." + +But Professor Jameson was doing a great deal of thinking. Doubtlessly, +these strange machine men who had picked up his rocket in the depths of +space and had brought him back to life, were expecting him to travel +with them and become adopted into the ranks of the Zoromes. Did he want +to go with them? He couldn't decide. He had forgotten that the machine +men could read his innermost thoughts. + +"You wish to remain here alone upon the earth?" asked 25X-987. "It is +your privilege if you really want it so." + +"I don't know," replied Professor Jameson truthfully. + + * * * * * + +He gazed at the dust around his feet. It had probably been the +composition of men, and had changed from time to time into various other +atomic structures--of other queer forms of life which had succeeded +mankind. It was the law of the atom which never died. And now he had +within his power perpetual existence. He could be immortal if he wished! +It would be an immortality of never-ending adventures in the vast, +endless Universe among the galaxy of stars and planets. + +A great loneliness seized him. Would he be happy among these machine men +of another far-off world--among these Zoromes? They were kindly and +solicitous of his welfare. What better fate could he expect? Still, a +longing for his own kind arose in him--the call of humanity. It was +irresistible. What could he do? Was it not in vain? Humanity had long +since disappeared from the earth--millions of years ago. He wondered +what lay beyond the pales of death--the real death, where the body +decomposed and wasted away to return to the dust of the earth and assume +new atomic structures. + +He had begun to wonder whether or not he had been dead all these forty +millions of years--suppose he had been merely in a state of suspended +animation. He had remembered a scientist of his day, who had claimed +that the body does not die at the point of official death. According to +the claims of this man, the cells of the body did not die at the moment +at which respiration, heart beats and the blood circulation ceased, but +it existed in the semblance of life for several days afterward, +especially in the cells of the bones, which died last of all. + +Perhaps when he had been sent out into space in his rocket right after +his death, the action of the cosmic void was to halt his slow death of +the cells in his body, and hold him in suspended animation during the +ensuing millions of years. Suppose he should really die--destroying his +own brain? What lay beyond real death? Would it be a better plane of +existence than the Zoromes could offer him? Would he rediscover +humanity, or had they long since arisen to higher planes of existence or +reincarnation? Did time exist beyond the mysterious portals of death? If +not, then it was possible for him to join the souls of the human race. +Had he really been dead all this time? If so, he knew what to expect in +case he really destroyed his own brain. Oblivion! + +Again the intense feeling of loneliness surged over him and held him +within its melancholy grasp. Desperately, he decided to find the nearest +cliff and jump from it--head-first! Humanity called; no man lived to +companion him. His four metal limbs carried him swiftly to the summit of +a nearby precipice. Why not gamble on the hereafter? 25X-987, +understanding his trend of thought, did not attempt to restrain him. +Instead, the machine man of Zor waited patiently. + +As Professor Jameson stood there meditating upon the jump which would +hurl him now into a new plane of existence--or into oblivion, the +thought transference of 25X-987 reached him. It was laden with the +wisdom born of many planets and thousands of centuries' experience. + +"Why jump?" asked the machine man. "The dying world holds your +imagination within a morbid clutch. It is all a matter of mental +condition. Free your mind of this fascinating influence and come with us +to visit other worlds, many of them are both beautiful and new. You will +then feel a great difference. + +"Will you come?" + +The professor considered for a moment as he resisted the impulse to dive +off the declivity to the enticing rocks far below. An inspiration seized +him. Backing away from the edge of the cliff, he joined 25X-987 once +more. + +"I shall come," he stated. + +He would become an immortal after all and join the Zoromes in their +never-ending adventures from world to world. They hastened to the space +ship to escape the depressing, dreary influence of the dying world, +which had nearly driven Professor Jameson to take the fatal leap to +oblivion. + + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _Amazing Stories_ April 1956 and was + first published in _Amazing Stories_ July 1931. Extensive research + did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this + publication was renewed. Minor spelling and typographical errors + have been corrected without note. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Jameson Satellite, by Neil Ronald Jones + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE JAMESON SATELLITE *** + +***** This file should be named 26906.txt or 26906.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/9/0/26906/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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