diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 02:36:50 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 02:36:50 -0700 |
| commit | cd0d3e62f81ec0b53042f7f91e6527e68312297e (patch) | |
| tree | b38680ebeaa82deb0a3d56a7bd3e82755041b01a | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 25715 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-h/27968-h.htm | 2151 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-page-images/p0115.png | bin | 0 -> 28169 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-page-images/p0116.png | bin | 0 -> 80080 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-page-images/p0117.png | bin | 0 -> 78247 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-page-images/p0118.png | bin | 0 -> 78399 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-page-images/p0119.png | bin | 0 -> 76970 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-page-images/p0120.png | bin | 0 -> 80044 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-page-images/p0121.png | bin | 0 -> 76882 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-page-images/p0122.png | bin | 0 -> 79649 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-page-images/p0123.png | bin | 0 -> 81890 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-page-images/p0124.png | bin | 0 -> 79961 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-page-images/p0125.png | bin | 0 -> 73586 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-page-images/p0126.png | bin | 0 -> 78581 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-page-images/p0127.png | bin | 0 -> 79735 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-page-images/p0128.png | bin | 0 -> 80242 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-page-images/p0129.png | bin | 0 -> 79871 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-page-images/p0130.png | bin | 0 -> 81721 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-page-images/p0131.png | bin | 0 -> 79310 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-page-images/p0132.png | bin | 0 -> 76228 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968-page-images/p0133.png | bin | 0 -> 67267 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968.txt | 1286 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 27968.zip | bin | 0 -> 24188 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
26 files changed, 3453 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/27968-h.zip b/27968-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..78a314d --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-h.zip diff --git a/27968-h/27968-h.htm b/27968-h/27968-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bd6b75c --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-h/27968-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2151 @@ +<!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 Tulan, by C. C. MacApp + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1,h2,.hd1 {text-align: center;} + h2 {font-weight: normal;} + .hd1 {margin-top: 2em;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 1em auto; clear: both; visibility: hidden;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .poem {margin: 2em auto; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; font-size: large; text-align: left; width: 20em;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .i0,.i1,.i2,.i3,.i4,.i5 {display: block; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i0 {margin-left: 0em;} + .poem span.i2 {margin-left: 2em;} + .poem span.i4 {margin-left: 4em;} + .poem span.i1 {margin-left: 1em;} + .poem span.i3 {margin-left: 3em;} + .poem span.i5 {margin-left: 5em;} + .trn {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; padding: 1em; text-align: justify;} + p.cap:first-letter {float: left; margin-right: .05em; padding-top: .05em; font-size: 300%; line-height: .8em;} + .dcap {text-transform: uppercase;} +// --> +/* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Tulan, by Carroll Mather Capps + +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: Tulan + +Author: Carroll Mather Capps + +Release Date: February 2, 2009 [EBook #27968] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TULAN *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<h1><big>TULAN</big></h1> + +<h2>By C. C. MacAPP</h2> + +<div class="poem"> +<span class="i0">To disobey the orders of the<br /></span> +<span class="i3">Council of Four was unthinkable<br /></span> +<span class="i1">to a Space Admiral of the old<br /></span> +<span class="i2">school. But the trouble was,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">the school system had changed.<br /></span> +<span class="i3">A man, a fighter, an Admiral<br /></span> +<span class="i1">had to think for himself now, if<br /></span> +<span class="i5">his people were to live.<br /></span> +</div> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">While</span> facing the Council +of Four his restraint had +not slipped; but afterward, +shaking with fury, the Admiral +of the Fleets of Sennech +slammed halfway down the +long flight of stone steps before +he realized someone was +at his elbow. He slowed. "Forgive +me, Jezef. They made me +so mad I forgot you were +waiting."</p> + +<p>Jezef (adjutant through +most of Tulan's career, and +for some years brother-in-law +as well) was shorter and less +harshly carved than his superior. +"So they wouldn't listen to +you. Not even Grefen?"</p> + +<p>"Even Grefen." That vote +had stabbed deepest of all.</p> + +<p>Jezef took it with the detachment +that still irritated +Tulan. "The end of a hundred +years of dreams; and we +go back under the yoke. Well, +they've always been soft masters."</p> + +<p>They reached the ground +cars. Before getting into his +own Tulan said coldly, "Since +you're so philosophical about +it, you'll be a good one to bear +the sight of men saying good-bye +to their families. We're +to take full crews to Coar and +surrender them with the +ships. Requisition what help +you need and get everybody +aboard by noon tomorrow."</p> + +<p>Jezef saluted with a hint of +amused irony, and left.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Whipping through the dark +icy streets, Tulan smiled sourly, +thinking how Sennech's +scientists had reversed themselves +on the theory of hyperspace +now that Coar had +demonstrated its existence. +Maybe the Council was right +in mistrusting their current +notions. As for himself, he +saw only two things to consider: +that with Coar swinging +behind the sun, the accuracy +of her new weapon had +gone to pot; and that before +she was clear again he could +pound her into surrender.</p> + +<p>His swift campaigns had already +smashed her flabby +fleets and driven the remnants +from space, but the Council, +faced with the destruction +and casualties from just a few +days of the weird surprise +bombardment, was cowed.</p> + +<p>He'd spent the previous +night at home, but wasn't going +back now, having decided +to make his farewell by visiphone. +It was the thing he +dreaded most, or most immediately, +so as soon as he +reached the flagship he went +to his quarters to get it over +with.</p> + +<p>Anatu's eyes—the same +eyes as Jezef's—looked at him +out of the screen, filling him +with the familiar awkward +worship. "You've heard?" he +asked finally.</p> + +<p>"Yes. You won't be home +before you go?"</p> + +<p>"No; I ..." He abandoned +the lie he'd prepared. "I just +didn't feel up to it."</p> + +<p>She accepted that. "I'll +wake the boys."</p> + +<p>"No! It's—" Something +happened to his throat.</p> + +<p>She watched him for a moment. +"You won't be back +from Coar. You've <i>got</i> to +speak to them."</p> + +<p>He nodded. This wasn't going +according to plan; he'd +intended it to be brief and +controlled. Damn it, he told +himself, I'm Admiral of the +Fleets; I've no right to feelings +like this. He straightened, +and knew he looked +right when the two sleepy +stares occupied the screen.</p> + +<p>Their hair was stiff and +stubborn like his own, so that +they wore it cropped in the +same military cut. It could +have stood a brush right now. +They were quiet, knowing +enough of what was wrong +to be frightened.</p> + +<p>He spoke carefully. "I'm going +to Coar to talk to them +about stopping the war. I +want you to look after things +while I'm away. All right?"</p> + +<p>"All right, Dad." The older +one was putting on a brave +front for the benefit of the +younger and his mother, but +the tears showed.</p> + +<p>As Tulan cut the connection +he saw that Anatu's eyes were +moist too, and realized with +surprise that he'd never before, +in all the years, seen her +cry. He watched the last faint +images fade from the screen.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Sometime near dawn he +gave up trying to sleep, dressed, +and began composing +orders. Presently Jezef came +in with cups of steaming +amber liquid. They sipped in +silence for a while, then +Jezef asked "You've heard +about Grefen?"</p> + +<p>Tulan felt something knot +inside him. He shook his head, +dreading what he knew was +coming.</p> + +<p>"He killed himself last +night," Jezef said.</p> + +<p>Tulan remembered the +agony in the old Minister of +War's eyes when he'd voted +for surrender. Grefen had +been Admiral in his day; the +prototype of integrity and a +swift sledgehammer in a +fight; and Tulan's first combat +had been under him. A +symbol of the Fleet, Tulan reflected; +and his death, yes, +that too was a symbol—what +was there but shame in surrender, +for a man or a fleet +or a world?</p> + +<p>His hand clenched, crumpling +the paper it was resting +on. He smoothed the paper +and re-read the order he'd +been writing. He visualized +the proud ranks of his crewmen, +reduced to ragged lines +shuffling toward prison or execution.</p> + +<p>It seemed impossible, +against the laws of nature, +that men should strive mightily +and win, then be awarded +the loser's prize. His anger +began to return. "I've a mind +to defy the Government and +only take skeleton crews," he +said. "Leave the married men, +at least."</p> + +<p>Jezef shrugged. "They'd +only be bundled into transports +and sent after us."</p> + +<p>"Yes. Damn it, I won't be a +party to it! All they did was +carry out their orders, and +superbly, at that!"</p> + +<p>Jezef watched him with +something like curiosity. +"You'd disobey the Council? +You?"</p> + +<p>Tulan felt himself flush. +"I've told you before, discipline's +a necessity to me, not +a religion!" Nevertheless, +Jezef's question wasn't unfair; +up to now it really +hadn't occurred to him that +he might disobey.</p> + +<p>His inward struggle was +brief. He grabbed the whole +pad of orders and ripped them +across. "What's the Council, +with Grefen gone, but three +trembling old men? Get some +guns manned, in case they +get suspicious and try to interfere."</p> + +<p>Blood began to surge faster +in his veins; he felt a vast relief. +How could he have ever +seen it differently? He jabbed +at a button. "All ships' Duty +Officers; scramble communication +circuits. This is the +Admiral. Top Secret Orders...."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Shortly before noon the +four-hundred-odd ships lifted +out of Sennech's frosty atmosphere, +still ignoring the furious +demands from the radio. +Fully armed, they couldn't be +stopped.</p> + +<p>Tulan's viewer gave a vivid +picture of the receding fifth +planet. The white mantle of +ice and snow was a backdrop +for blue artificial lakes and +the dark green of forest-strips +(hardy conifers from Teyr) +alternated with the lighter +shades of surface farms. The +ice had been almost unbroken +until men came, bringing +more heat than Sennech had +ever received from a far-off +sun.</p> + +<p>That had been before the +First Solar War, when Teyr +(the race of Aum had originated +there) ruled. That awful +struggle had bludgeoned +the home planet back to savagery, +and left Coar and Sennech +little better off.</p> + +<p>With recovery, Coar had +taken over and prospered immensely. +Teyr stayed wild except +for small colonies planted +there by the other two planets, +and Sennech lagged for a +while.</p> + +<p>Within Tulan's lifetime his +world had found itself ready +to rise against the lax but +profit-taking rule of Coar, and +that rebellion had grown into +the present situation.</p> + +<p>Sennech's wounds were +plainly visible in the viewscreen; +great man-made craters +spewing incandescent destruction +blindly over farm, +city, or virgin ice. The planet +was in three-quarters phase +from here, and Tulan could +see the flecks of fire in the +darkness beyond the twilight +zone. Near the edge of that +darkness he made out the +dimmer, diffused glow of Capitol +City, where Anatu would +be giving two small boys their +supper.</p> + +<p>He checked altitude, found +they were free of the atmosphere, +and ordered an acceleration +that would take them +halfway to the sun in fifty +hours. It was uncomfortable +now, with Sennech's gravity +added, but that would fall off +fast.</p> + +<p>Jezef hauled himself in and +dropped to a pad. "I wish I +had your build," he said. "Do +you really think we can pull +this off?"</p> + +<p>Tulan, in a good mood, grinned +at him. "Have I ever led +you into defeat yet, pessimist?"</p> + +<p>"No; and more than once +I'd have bet ten to one against +us. That's why the Fleet fights +so well for you; we have the +feeling we're following a half-god. +Gods, however, achieve +defeats as terrible as their +victories."</p> + +<p>Tulan laughed and sat +down beside Jezef with some +charts. "I think I'll appoint +you Fleet Poet. Here's the +plan. No one knows what I +intend; we could be on our +way around the sun to overtake +Coar and either fight or +surrender, or we might be diving +into the sun in a mass +suicide. That's why I broke off +the siege and pulled all units +away from Coar; the fact that +they're coming back around +to meet us will suggest something +like that."</p> + +<p>"Are they going to join +up?"</p> + +<p>"No; I want them on this +side of the sun but behind us. +I have a use for them later +that depends on their staying +hidden. Incidentally, I'm designating +them Group Three.</p> + +<p>"In a few hours we're going +to turn hard, this side of the +sun, and intercept Teyr. I +want to evacuate our forces +from the moon, then decoy +whatever the enemy has there +into space where we can get +at them. That's their last +fleet capable of a sortie, and +with that gone we can +combine our whole strength +and go around to Coar. She'll +probably give up immediately, +on the spot."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Jezef thought it over. "Will +they be foolish enough to +leave the moon? As long as +they're safely grounded there, +they constitute a fleet-in-being +and demand attention."</p> + +<p>"We'll give them a reason +to move, then ambush them. +Right now we've a lot of reorganizing +to do, and I want +you to get it started. We're +splitting this Force into +Groups One and Two. Here's +what I want."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>They cut drives and drifted +in free fall while supplies +were transferred between +ships, then Tulan held an inspection +and found crews and +equipment proudly shipshape. +Despite the proliferating rumors, +morale was excellent.</p> + +<p>A few hours later the realignment +began. Space was +full of the disc-shapes; thin, +delicate-looking Lights with +their projecting external +gear, and thicker, smoothly armored +Mediums and Heavies. +He had twenty-three of +the latter in Group One, with +twice as many Mediums and +a swarm of smaller craft.</p> + +<p>Group Two, composed of +the supply ships and a small +escort, was already formed +and diverging away. That was +a vital part of his plan. From +a distance they'd look to telescope +or radar like a full combat +fleet.</p> + +<p>He was almost ready to +swerve toward the third +planet and its moon, but first +he had a speech to make. It +was time to squash all the rumors +and doubts with a dramatic +fighting announcement.</p> + +<p>He checked his appearance, +stepped before the scanner, +and nodded to Communications +to turn it on. "All +hands," he said, then waited +for attention.</p> + +<p>The small monitor screens +showed a motley sampling of +intent faces. He permitted +himself a tight smile. "You +know I have orders to surrender +the Fleet." He paused +for effect. "Those are the orders +of the Council of Four, +and to disobey the Council +would be unthinkable.</p> + +<p>"Yet it is also unthinkable +that a single ship of the Fleet +should surrender under any +circumstances, at any time; +therefore I am faced with a +dilemma in which tradition +must be broken.</p> + +<p>"The Council of Four has +lost courage, and so, perhaps, +have many of the people of +Sennech. We have ways of +knowing that the people of +Coar, far more than our own, +clamor at their government +for any sort of peace.</p> + +<p>"Coar's fleets are smashed +and the remnants have fled +from space.</p> + +<p>"Clearly, courage has all +but vanished from the Solar +System; yet there is one place +where courage has not wavered. +That place is in the +Fleet of Sennech.</p> + +<p>"At this moment we are the +only strength left in the Solar +System. We dominate the +System!</p> + +<p>"Would we have history +record that the Fleet won its +fight gloriously, then cravenly +shrank back from the very +brink of victory?</p> + +<p>"We left Sennech fully +armed, though our orders +were directly opposite. I need +not tell you that I have made +the decision any man of the +Fleet would make.</p> + +<p>"This is our final campaign. +Within a short time we shall +orbit Coar herself and force +her surrender. That is all."</p> + +<p>There was a moment so +quiet that the hum of the circuits +grew loud, then the monitors +shook with a mighty +cheer.</p> + +<p>Later, alone, Jezef congratulated +him amusedly. "They +are certainly with you a hundred +percent now, if there +was any doubt before. Yet +there was one argument you +didn't even hint at; the +strongest argument of all."</p> + +<p>"What was that?"</p> + +<p>"Why, you're offering them +a chance at life and freedom, +where they might be going to +imprisonment or execution."</p> + +<p>That irritated Tulan. "I'm +sure you're not so cynical +about Fleet loyalty and tradition +as you pretend," he said +stiffly. "I wouldn't affront the +men by using that kind of an +argument."</p> + +<p>Jezef grinned more widely. +"Did it even occur to you to +use it?"</p> + +<p>Tulan flushed. "No," he admitted.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Teyr and her moon Luhin, +both in quarter-phase from +here, moved steadily apart in +the viewers.</p> + +<p>Group One's screen of light +craft probed ahead, jamming +enemy radar, and discovering +occasional roboscouts which +were promptly vaporized. Far +behind, Group Two showed as +a small luminescence. It would +never be visible to Luhin +as anything else, and then +only when Tulan was ready.</p> + +<p>They reversed drives, +matched speeds neatly, and +went into forced orbit around +Luhin. On the flagship's first +pass over the beleaguered oval +of ground held by Sennech's +forces—unsupported and unreinforced +since the home +planet's defection—Tulan sent +a message squirting down. +"Tulan commanding. Is Admiral +Galu commanding +there? Report situation."</p> + +<p>The next time around a +long reply came up to them. +"This is Captain Rhu commanding. +Galu killed. Twenty +percent personnel losses. Six +Lights destroyed; moderate +damage to several Mediums +and one Heavy. Ground lines +under heavy pressure. Ships' +crews involved in fighting at +perimeter. Food critical, other +supplies low. Several thousand +wounded. Combat data +follows." There was a good +assessment of the struggle, +with some enemy positions +that were known.</p> + +<p>The Fleet Force that had +escorted nearly one hundred +thousand ground troops included +five Heavies and other +craft in proportion, besides +the transports and supply +ships. Alone, they'd been pinned +down by superior enemy +ground forces and by a sizable +fleet holed up all around +the satellite. With Tulan's +support they could be taken +off.</p> + +<p>Tulan composed orders. +"Withdraw ships' crews from +lines and prepare to lift. Get +wounded aboard transports +and prepare to evacuate +troops. Set up fire control network +to direct our ground +support."</p> + +<p>The tedious job of shrinking +the perimeter, a short +stretch at a time, began, harassed +by the quickly adapting +enemy.</p> + +<p>During the first twenty +hours the hostile fire was all +from ground projectors, the +enemy ships not risking detection +by joining in. By that +time one section of the front +had pulled back to where several +ships, sheltered in a crater, +would have to lift.</p> + +<p>Lines of men and equipment +converged on the ships +and jammed aboard. The actual +lift was preceded by a +diversion a few miles away, +which succeeded in pulling +considerable enemy fire. The +ships got off in unison, slanting +back across friendly territory +and drawing only light +missiles which the defenses +handled easily.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Then, suddenly, a salvo of +heavy stuff came crashing in, +too unexpected and too well +planned to stop. One of the +lifting ships, a transport, vanished +in a great flash.</p> + +<p>Tulan yelled into his communicator. +"Plot! Where did +that come from?"</p> + +<p>"I'm sorting, sir. Here! A +roboscout got a straight five-second +plot before they downed +it!"</p> + +<p>"Intelligence!" Tulan snapped. +"Get the co-ordinates and +bring me photos!"</p> + +<p>There were already pictures +of the area where the +salvo must have originated, +and one of them showed a +cave-like opening in a crater +wall. "That's it!" Tulan jabbed +a pencil at it. "You could +hide a dozen ships in there. +Let's get a strike organized!"</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The strike group included +four Heavies besides the flagship, +with twelve Mediums +and twenty Lights. They +slanted down in a jerky evasive +course while pictures +flashed on screens to be compared +with the actual terrain.</p> + +<p>Ground fire, chemically propelled +missiles, erupted +ahead of them and the small +craft went to work intercepting it. +They were down to a +hundred miles, then fifty, +streaking along the jagged +surface so close they seemed +to scrape it. This was point-blank +range; as the computers +raced with the chaos of +fire and counter-fire, human +senses could only register a +few impressions—the bruising +jerks, the shudder of concussions, +white streaks of +rocket-trails, gushers of dirt +from the surface, winking +flashes of mid-air interception.</p> + +<p>Then the Heavies were on +target. The flagship jumped +as the massive salvo leaped +away—not chemical missiles, +but huge space torpedoes propelled +by Pulsor units like the +ships' drives, directing their +own flocks of smaller defensive +missiles by an intricate +network of controls. The +small stuff, augmented by fire +from the lighter ships, formed +momentarily a visible tube +down which the big stuff +streaked untouched.</p> + +<p>The whole crater seemed to +burst upward, reaching out +angry fingers of shattered +rock as they ripped by, rocking +and bucking with the +blasts. Tulan's viewer swivelled +aft to hold the scene. Secondary +blasts went off like +strings of giant firecrackers. +Great black-and-orange fungi-like +clouds swirled upward, +dissipating fast in the thin atmosphere. +Then Tulan spotted +what he was looking for: +three small ships flashing over +the area, to get damage-assessment +pictures. There +was still a lot of ground-fire +from farther out, and it +caught one of the three, which +wobbled crazily then disappeared +in a flash which blanked +out the viewscreen.</p> + +<p>"Intelligence!" Tulan shouted. +"Casualties?"</p> + +<p>Intelligence was listening to +his earphones and punching +buttons. "Two Lights lost, +sir. Slight damage to seven +more and to one Medium."</p> + +<p>"All right. Get a telecopy +of those pictures as soon as +you can; we certainly hit +something. Maybe a Heavy or +two." He relaxed, aching, and +reflected that he was getting +a little mature for actual combat.</p> + +<p>The pull-back went on, +drawing only the local +ground-fire now that the enemy +had been taught his lesson. +Groups of ships lifted +almost constantly. The final +position was an oval forty by +sixty miles, held almost entirely +from the sky. The last +evacuees straggled in like +weary ants, and when the +radio reported no more of +them the last fifty ships lifted +together and ran the gauntlet +with slight losses.</p> + +<p>Tulan pulled the Force +away for rest and repair. +Group Two was idling at extreme +radar range, making a +convincing blip, and he designed +some false messages +to be beamed toward it with +the expectation of interception. +The impression he wanted +to give was that Group +Two was the Force that had +been bombarding Coar, coming +in now to join him. Actually, +the latter fleet was farther +away, hidden in the sun +and, he hoped, unsuspected.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Things were going according +to plan except for one +puzzling item: there was no +message from Sennech's small +garrison on Teyr. All he could +get from the planet was a +steady radar scan, which +might mean that Sennech's +colony had been conquered by +Coar's.</p> + +<p>He'd been hoping to get certain +supplies from Teyr, and +now he took a strong detachment +in close to the planet to +find out what was wrong. The +threat finally raised an answer. +"This is the Chief of +Council. What is it that you +want?"</p> + +<p>"Chief of Council? What +are you talking about? I want +the Garrison Commander."</p> + +<p>"I suppose you're Admiral +Tulan. There's been a change +here, Tulan; Teyr is now an +independent planet. Your garrison, +with Coar's, comprise +our defense forces."</p> + +<p>Tulan stared at the planet's +image. "You're at war with +Coar!"</p> + +<p>"Not any more, we aren't." +There was a chuckle. "Don't +sound so shocked, Admiral; +we understand you're in mutiny +yourself."</p> + +<p>Tulan slapped the microphone +onto its hangar. He +sat, angry and bewildered, until +he remembered something, +then buzzed Communications. +"Get me that connection +again. Hello? Listen. I have +sixty thousand troops in +transports, with almost no +food. I intend to land them."</p> + +<p>"They're welcome as noncombatants, +Admiral. They'll +have to land disarmed, in +areas we designate, and live +off the country. We've already +got more refugees than we +can handle."</p> + +<p>"Refugees from where?"</p> + +<p>"Haven't you been in contact +with Sennech at all?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Oh." There was a thoughtful +pause. "Then you don't +know. There's bad radiation +in the atmosphere and we're +hauling as many away as we +can. We can use your ships +if you're finished playing +soldier."</p> + +<p>Tulan broke the connection +again and turned, fuming, to +Jezef. "We'll blast our way +in and take over!"</p> + +<p>Jezef raised his eyebrows. +"What good would that do?" +he asked.</p> + +<p>"Why; they—for one thing, +we've got to think of those +troops! We can't land them +unarmed and let them be +slaughtered by the savages!"</p> + +<p>Jezef grinned. "I doubt if +they'll refuse to let them have +enough small arms to defend +themselves. They can't stay +where they are."</p> + +<p>"But they're military men, +and loyal!"</p> + +<p>"Are they? The war's over +for them, anyway. Why not +let them vote on it?"</p> + +<p>Tulan jumped up and strode +around the command room, +while Jezef and the staff +watched him silently. Gradually, +the logic of it forced +itself upon him. "All right," +he said wearily, "We'll let +them vote."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>A few hours later he studied +the results gloomily. +"Well, after all, they're not +Fleet. They don't have the tradition."</p> + +<p>Jezef smiled, then lingered, +embarrassed.</p> + +<p>"Well?" Tulan asked.</p> + +<p>"Sir," (that hadn't come +out, in private, for years) +"I'd like to be relieved."</p> + +<p>It was a blow, but Tulan +found he wasn't really surprised. +He stared at his +brother-in-law, feeling as if +he faced an amputation. "You +think I'm wrong about this +whole thing, don't you?"</p> + +<p>"I'm not going to judge +that, but Sennech's in trouble +far worse than any question +of politics, including your +own family."</p> + +<p>"But if we turn back now +Coar will recover! It's only +going to take us a few more +hours!"</p> + +<p>"How long does it take people +to die?"</p> + +<p>Tulan looked at the deck +for a while. "All right. I'll +detach every ship I can spare, +and put you in charge. You'll +have the transports too, as +soon as they're unloaded." He +stared after Jezef, wanting +to call out to him to be sure to +send word about Anatu and +the boys, but somehow feeling +he didn't have the right.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>He took the fighting ships +away from Teyr, to where +Group Two could join up +without being unmasked, then +started sunward as if he were +crossing to intercept Coar. A +few miles in, where they'd +be hidden in the sun, he left +a few scouts.</p> + +<p>As he saw it, the enemy +commander on the satellite, +noting the armada's course +and finding himself apparently +clear, would have no choice +but to lift his ships and start +around the sun by some other +path to help his planet.</p> + +<p>That other path to Coar +could be intercepted, and as +soon as Tulan was lost near +the sun he went into heavy +drive to change direction. He +drifted across the sun, waiting +for word from his scouts. +At about the time he'd expected, +they reported ships +leaving the satellite.</p> + +<p>He looked across the room +toward Plot. "Plot! Feed that +data to Communications as it +comes in, will you?" And to +Communications: "Can we +beam Group Three from +here?"</p> + +<p>"Not quite, sir; but I can +relay through the scouts."</p> + +<p>"All right; but make sure +it's not intercepted. I want +Group Three under maximum +acceleration for Luhin, and I +want them to get running reports +on the enemy."</p> + +<p>"Right, sir."</p> + +<p>Tulan was in the position +he wanted, not needing to use +his own radar, but able to +pick up that of Coar's fleet at +extreme range, too far to give +them a bounce. He'd know +their course, speed, and acceleration +fairly well, without +even being suspected himself.</p> + +<p>He held that position until +the enemy was close enough +to get a bounce, then went +into drive on an intercepting +course.</p> + +<p>One of the basic tenets of +space maneuver was this: if +two fleets were drawing together, +with radar contact, +neither (barring interference +from factors such as the sun +or planets) could escape the +other; for if one applied acceleration +in any direction the +other could simply match it +(human endurance being the +limitation) and maintain the +original relative closing speed.</p> + +<p>When the enemy commander +discovered Tulan's armada +loafing ahead of him, +he'd been accelerating for +about ten hours and had a +velocity of a million miles per +hour, while Tulan was going +the same direction but at +half the speed. The quarry +began decelerating immediately, +knowing it could get +back to Luhin with time +enough to land.</p> + +<p>Tulan didn't quite match +the deceleration, preferring +to waste a few hours and lessen +the strain on his crews. +He let the gap close slowly.</p> + +<p>He could tell almost the +precise instant when the other +jaw of his trap was discovered, +for Plot, Communications, +and Intelligence all jerked up +their heads and looked at him. +He grinned at them. What +they'd picked up would be an +enemy beam from Luhin, +recklessly sweeping space to +find the Coar fleet and warn +it of the onrushing Group +Three.</p> + +<p>The enemy commander reacted +fast. It was obvious he'd +never beat Group Three to +Luhin, and he made no futile +attempts at dodging, but reversed +drives and accelerated +toward the nearest enemy, +which was Tulan. Tulan was +not surprised at that either, +for though Coar's fleets had +bungled the war miserably, +when cornered they'd always +fought and died like men.</p> + +<p>He matched their acceleration +to hold down the relative +speeds. The swift passing +clash would be brief at best. +He formed his forces into an +arrangement he'd schemed up +long ago but never used: a +flat disc of lighter ships out +in front, masking a doughnut-shaped +mass behind. He maneuvered +laterally to keep the +doughnut centered on the line +of approach.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Roboscouts appeared and +blossomed briefly as they +died. The fuzzy patch of light +on the screens swelled, then +began to resolve into individual +points. The first missiles +arrived. Intricate patterns of +incandescence formed and +vanished as fire-control systems +locked wits.</p> + +<p>A sudden, brilliantly planned +salvo came streaking in, +saturating the defenses along +its path. Ships in Tulan's secondary +formation swerved +frantically, but one darting, +corkscrewing missile homed +on a Heavy, and for an instant +there were two suns.</p> + +<p>Tulan, missing Jezef's +smooth help, was caught up +in the daze and strain of battle +now. He punched buttons +and shouted orders as he +played the fleet to match the +enemy's subtle swerving. +Another heavy salvo came in, +but the computers had its +sources pinpointed now, and +it was contained. These first +few seconds favored the enemy, +who was only fighting +the light shield in front of +Tulan's formation.</p> + +<p>Now the swelling mass of +blips streaked apart in the +viewers and space lit up with +the fire and interception. Two +ships met head on; at such +velocities it was like a nuclear +blast.</p> + +<p>Then Coar's ships crashed +through the shield and into +the center of the doughnut. +Ringed, outgunned, outpredicted, +they hit such a concentration +of missiles that it +might as well have been a +solid wall. Ships disintegrated +as if on a common fuse; the +ones that didn't take direct +hits needed none, in that +debris-filled stretch of hell.</p> + +<p>Tulan's flagship rocked in +the wave of expanding hot +gasses. There was a jolt as +some piece of junk hit her; +if she hadn't already been under +crushing acceleration +away from the inferno she'd +have been holed.</p> + +<p>From a safer distance the +path of destruction was a +bright slash across space, +growing into the distance +with its momentum. It was +annihilation, too awful for +triumph; there was only horror +in it. Tulan knew that +with this overwhelming tactic +he'd written a new text-book +for action against an inferior +fleet. He hoped it would never +be printed. Sweating and +weak, he slumped in his +straps and was ill.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>While brief repairs and re-arming +were under way, he +sent scouts spiraling out to +pick up any radio beams from +Sennech or Teyr. There were +none. The telescopes showed +Sennech's albedo down to +a fraction of normal; that, +he supposed, would indicate +smoke in the atmosphere. He +wavered, wondering whether +he should detach more ships +to send out there. Reason and +training told him to stick to +the key objective, which was +Coar's surrender. He waited +only for Group Three to +achieve a converging course, +then started around the sun +again.</p> + +<p>They didn't encounter even +a roboscout. He crossed the +sun, curved into Coar's orbit, +matched speeds, and coasted +along a million miles ahead of +the planet, sending light sorties +in to feel out any ambushes. +Still there was no +sign of fight, so he went in +closer where the enemy could +get a good look at his +strength. Finally he took a +small group in boldly over the +fourth planet's Capitol and +sent a challenge.</p> + +<p>The answer was odd. "This +is Acting President Kliu. +What are your intentions?"</p> + +<p>Tulan realized he was holding +his breath. He let it out +and looked around the silent +command room, meeting the +intent eyes of his staff. He +had an unreal feeling; this +couldn't be the climax, the +consummation—this simple +exchange over the radio. He +lifted the microphone slowly. +"This is Admiral Tulan, commanding +the Fleets of Sennech. +I demand your immediate +and unconditional surrender."</p> + +<p>There was something in the +reply that might have been +dry amusement: "Oh; by all +means; but I hope you're not +going to insist upon an elaborate +ceremony. Right now +we don't give a damn about +the war; we're worried about +the race."</p> + +<p>There was more silence, +and Tulan turned, uncertainly, +looking at the bare spot +where Jezef ought to be +standing. He buzzed for Communications. +"Connect me +with Captain Rhu. Rhu; I'm +advancing you in rank and +leaving you in charge here. +I'm going down to accept the +surrender and find out what +this man's talking about."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Kliu was gaunt and middle-aged, +wearing, to Tulan's surprise, +the gray of Coar's First +Level of Science. He was neither +abject nor hostile, agreeing +impatiently to turn over +the secret of Coar's weapon +and to assist with a token occupation +of the planet. Again +Tulan had the unreal, let-down +feeling, and judging by +Kliu's amused expression, it +showed.</p> + +<p>Tulan sent couriers to get +things started, then turned +back to the scientist. "So you +have had a change of government. +What did you mean, +about the race?"</p> + +<p>Kliu watched him for a moment. +"How much do you +know about the weapon?"</p> + +<p>"Very little. That it projects +matter through hyperspace +and materializes it +where you want it."</p> + +<p>"Not exactly; the materialization +is spontaneous. Mass +somehow distorts hyperspace, +and when the projected matter +has penetrated a certain +distance into such distortion, +it pops back into normal +space. The penetration depends +mainly upon a sort of +internal energy in the missile; +you might think of it more as +a voltage than as velocity. +You've made it very hard for +us to get reports, but I understand +we successfully placed +stuff in Sennech's crust."</p> + +<p>"Yes; causing volcanoes. +Our scientists speculated that +any kind of matter would do +it."</p> + +<p>"That's right. Actually, we +were projecting weighed +chunks of rock. When one bit +of matter, even a single atom, +finds itself materializing +where another already is, unnatural +elements may be +formed, most of them unstable. +That's what blew +holes in your crust and let the +magma out."</p> + +<p>Tulan considered the military +implications of the weapon +for a few moments, then +pulled his mind back. "I see; +but what about the radiation? +It wasn't more than a trace +when I left."</p> + +<p>Kliu looked away for a +while before answering. +"When we learned you'd defied +your government, our +own military got out of hand. +They had a couple of days +before the sun cut us off completely, +and they began throwing +stuff as soon as it could be dug +and hauled to the projectors. +They used high energies to +get it past the sun. As we +realize now, a lot of it hit the +planet deeper than at first, +below the crust. Under such +pressure a different set of fissionables +was formed. Some +of them burst out and poisoned +the atmosphere, but most +of them are still there." He +leaned forward and eyed Tulan +hard. "We've got to get +an expedition out there to +study things. Will you help?"</p> + +<p>There was another of the +palpable silences, and when he +spoke Tulan's voice sounded +unnatural. "I—yes; we'll help. +Whatever you want. Is ... +Sennech finished?"</p> + +<p>Kliu smiled tightly. "Sennech, +for sure; and she may +take the rest of us with her. +Nobody conceived what this +might come to. A lot of those +deep materializations produced +pockets of dense fissionables, +and they're converging +toward the center under their +own weight. When they get +to a certain point, we'll have +a fine monument to Man's ingenuity. +A planet-size nova." +He stood up. "I'll start organizing."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Tulan existed someway +through the preparations, and +when they were in space +again the solid familiarity of +his ship helped. His staff was +carrying on wonderfully; +shielding him, he suspected, +from considerable hostility. +Discipline held up.</p> + +<p>A technology that had spanned +five orbits and probed beyond +was at bay, and the +expedition was tremendous. +Hardly an art or science was +unrepresented. If need be, +whole ships could be built in +space.</p> + +<p>A beam from Teyr as they +passed told of refugees by the +hundreds of thousands, dumped +in the wilderness with a +few ships still trickling in. +Tulan would have traded +everything he could command +to hear a word of Jezef or the +family, but Teyr wasn't concerned +with individuals and +he didn't ask.</p> + +<p>Sennech was dull gray in +the telescopes, showing, as +they neared, flecks of fire. +They went in fast, using her +gravity to help them curve +into a forced orbit as they +strained to decelerate. Thermocouples +gave readings close +to the boiling point of water; +that, probably, was the temperature +of the lower air.</p> + +<p>Roboscouts went down first, +then, as conditions were ascertained, +manned ships. Tulan +took the flagship down +once. Her coolers labored and +her searchlights were swallowed +in murk within a few +feet. Sounds carried through +the hull; the howl of great +winds and the thumps of explosions. +Once a geyser of +glowing lava spattered the +ship.</p> + +<p>Within hours the picture +began to form. The surface +was a boiling sea broken only +by transient mountain peaks +which tumbled down in +quakes or were washed away +by the incessant hot rain. It +would have been hard to find +a single trace of the civilization +that had flourished scant +hours before.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The slower job was learning, +by countless readings and +painful deduction, what was +going on inside the planet. +Tulan occupied himself with +organizational tasks and +clung to what dignity he +could. After an eternity Kliu +had time for him.</p> + +<p>"She'll blow, all right," the +scientist said, sinking tiredly +into a seat. "Within half a +year. Her year."</p> + +<p>"Twenty thousand hours," +Tulan said automatically. +"How about the other planets?"</p> + +<p>"Coar has one chance in a +hundred, Teyr possibly one in +ten."</p> + +<p>Tulan had to keep talking. +"The outer satellites. We can +do a lot in that time."</p> + +<p>Kliu shrugged. "A few +thousand people, and who +knows what will happen to +them afterward? It's going to +be a long time before the System's +inhabitable again, if +ever."</p> + +<p>"Ships ... people can live a +long time in ships."</p> + +<p>"Not that long."</p> + +<p>"There must be something! +The power we've got, and this +hyperspace thing."</p> + +<p>Kliu shook his head. "I can +guess what you're thinking; +we've been all over it. There's +no way to get to the stars, +and no way to move a planet +out of its orbit. Don't think +we haven't been pounding our +skulls, but the figures are +hopeless."</p> + +<p>Tulan stared at the ulcerous +image on the screen, built +up by infra-red probing +through the opaque atmosphere. +"She looks ready to +fall apart right now. How +much of her could you blast +off?"</p> + +<p>Kliu smiled wearily and +without humor. "We've worked +that idea to the bone, too. +If you could build a big +enough projector, and mount +it on an infinitely solid base, +you could push something +deep enough and accurately +enough to throw off stuff at +escape velocity, but it's a matter +of energy and we can't +handle one percent of what +we'd need. Even if you could +generate it fast enough, your +conduits would melt under the +current." He got up and walked +a few steps, then sat down +again. "Ironic, isn't it? All +we can do is destroy ourselves."</p> + +<p>Tulan's mind couldn't accept +it; he was used to thinking +that any amount of energy +could be handled some +way. "There must be something," +he repeated, feeling +foolish as he said it.</p> + +<p>He went over the figures he +knew so well; the acceleration +and the total energy necessary +to drive a ship to the +nearest stars. Even a ship's +Pulsors, pouring energy out +steadily, were pitiful compared +to that job. Schoolboys +knew the figures; mankind +had dreamed for generations ...</p> + +<p>He sat up abruptly. "This +hyperspace; didn't you tell me +there were such things as +velocity and momentum in +it?"</p> + +<p>Kliu's eyes focussed. "Yes; +why?"</p> + +<p>"And that a projector could +be built to put an entire ship +into hyperspace?"</p> + +<p>Kliu stared at him for a second. +"Kinetic energy! Built +up gradually!" He jumped to +his feet. "Come on! Let's get +to the computers!"</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Several hundred hours later +Tulan lay watching the pinpoint +on his viewscreen that +represented Sennech. He'd +been building up speed for a +long time; he ached from the +steady double-gravity. The +ship, vastly beefed up, was +moving at a good fraction of +the speed of light. It wouldn't +be much longer.</p> + +<p>The cargo of carefully chosen +matter, shifting into +hyperspace at the right instant, +would be taken deep into +Sennech by the momentum +he'd accumulated in normal +space. If the calculations were +right, the resulting blast +would knock a chunk completely +out of the planet. Each +of the thousands of other +ships tied to him by robot controls +would take its own bite +at the right time and place. +Providing the plan worked.</p> + +<p>The Solar System would +have a few hot moments, and +would be full of junk for a +long time, but the threatening +fissionables inside Sennech +would be hurled far apart, to +dribble away their potence +gradually. Kliu admitted no +one could calculate for sure +even how much, if any, of +Sennech would remain as a +planet, but Teyr, at least, with +her thick atmosphere, should +withstand the rain of debris.</p> + +<p>He wondered about his +family, and Jezef. Kliu had +tried to get word, but the +tragically few refugees were +scattered.</p> + +<p>He smiled, recalling how +severely he'd had to order his +staff to abandon him. He was +proud to remember that much +of the fleet would have come +along, if he'd let them; but +live men were going to be at +more of a premium on Teyr +than heroic atoms drifting in +space. Machines could handle +this assault. He himself had +not had to touch a single control.</p> + +<p>The indicators began to +flash, and, sweating with the +effort, he hauled himself erect +to attention. It was good to +be winding up here in his +own command room, where +he'd lived his moments of +triumph. Still, as the red light +winked on, he couldn't help +thinking how very quiet and +lonely it was without Jezef +and the staff.</p> + +<p class="hd1"><b>THE END</b></p> + +<div class="trn"><b>Transcriber's Note:</b> +This etext was produced from <i>Amazing Stories</i> June 1960. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and +typographical errors have been corrected without note.</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Tulan, by Carroll Mather Capps + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TULAN *** + +***** This file should be named 27968-h.htm or 27968-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/7/9/6/27968/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/27968-page-images/p0115.png b/27968-page-images/p0115.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1c50a5f --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-page-images/p0115.png diff --git a/27968-page-images/p0116.png b/27968-page-images/p0116.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..20000f7 --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-page-images/p0116.png diff --git a/27968-page-images/p0117.png b/27968-page-images/p0117.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..78ee4d9 --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-page-images/p0117.png diff --git a/27968-page-images/p0118.png b/27968-page-images/p0118.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ca9e1fd --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-page-images/p0118.png diff --git a/27968-page-images/p0119.png b/27968-page-images/p0119.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cd46401 --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-page-images/p0119.png diff --git a/27968-page-images/p0120.png b/27968-page-images/p0120.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..81becb4 --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-page-images/p0120.png diff --git a/27968-page-images/p0121.png b/27968-page-images/p0121.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5dccab5 --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-page-images/p0121.png diff --git a/27968-page-images/p0122.png b/27968-page-images/p0122.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1c70ec4 --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-page-images/p0122.png diff --git a/27968-page-images/p0123.png b/27968-page-images/p0123.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8c884fc --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-page-images/p0123.png diff --git a/27968-page-images/p0124.png b/27968-page-images/p0124.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b486876 --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-page-images/p0124.png diff --git a/27968-page-images/p0125.png b/27968-page-images/p0125.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b54c830 --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-page-images/p0125.png diff --git a/27968-page-images/p0126.png b/27968-page-images/p0126.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4df1f32 --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-page-images/p0126.png diff --git a/27968-page-images/p0127.png b/27968-page-images/p0127.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..50e1e20 --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-page-images/p0127.png diff --git a/27968-page-images/p0128.png b/27968-page-images/p0128.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9d25a3a --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-page-images/p0128.png diff --git a/27968-page-images/p0129.png b/27968-page-images/p0129.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..80d207e --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-page-images/p0129.png diff --git a/27968-page-images/p0130.png b/27968-page-images/p0130.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4548734 --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-page-images/p0130.png diff --git a/27968-page-images/p0131.png b/27968-page-images/p0131.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b9f153b --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-page-images/p0131.png diff --git a/27968-page-images/p0132.png b/27968-page-images/p0132.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2a5fc45 --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-page-images/p0132.png diff --git a/27968-page-images/p0133.png b/27968-page-images/p0133.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c9c4763 --- /dev/null +++ b/27968-page-images/p0133.png diff --git a/27968.txt b/27968.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d17c084 --- /dev/null +++ b/27968.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1286 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Tulan, by Carroll Mather Capps + +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: Tulan + +Author: Carroll Mather Capps + +Release Date: February 2, 2009 [EBook #27968] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TULAN *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +TULAN + +By C. C. MacAPP + + + _To disobey the orders of the + Council of Four was unthinkable + to a Space Admiral of the old + school. But the trouble was, + the school system had changed. + A man, a fighter, an Admiral + had to think for himself now, if + his people were to live._ + + +While facing the Council of Four his restraint had not slipped; but +afterward, shaking with fury, the Admiral of the Fleets of Sennech +slammed halfway down the long flight of stone steps before he realized +someone was at his elbow. He slowed. "Forgive me, Jezef. They made me so +mad I forgot you were waiting." + +Jezef (adjutant through most of Tulan's career, and for some years +brother-in-law as well) was shorter and less harshly carved than his +superior. "So they wouldn't listen to you. Not even Grefen?" + +"Even Grefen." That vote had stabbed deepest of all. + +Jezef took it with the detachment that still irritated Tulan. "The end +of a hundred years of dreams; and we go back under the yoke. Well, +they've always been soft masters." + +They reached the ground cars. Before getting into his own Tulan said +coldly, "Since you're so philosophical about it, you'll be a good one to +bear the sight of men saying good-bye to their families. We're to take +full crews to Coar and surrender them with the ships. Requisition what +help you need and get everybody aboard by noon tomorrow." + +Jezef saluted with a hint of amused irony, and left. + + * * * * * + +Whipping through the dark icy streets, Tulan smiled sourly, thinking how +Sennech's scientists had reversed themselves on the theory of hyperspace +now that Coar had demonstrated its existence. Maybe the Council was +right in mistrusting their current notions. As for himself, he saw only +two things to consider: that with Coar swinging behind the sun, the +accuracy of her new weapon had gone to pot; and that before she was +clear again he could pound her into surrender. + +His swift campaigns had already smashed her flabby fleets and driven the +remnants from space, but the Council, faced with the destruction and +casualties from just a few days of the weird surprise bombardment, was +cowed. + +He'd spent the previous night at home, but wasn't going back now, having +decided to make his farewell by visiphone. It was the thing he dreaded +most, or most immediately, so as soon as he reached the flagship he went +to his quarters to get it over with. + +Anatu's eyes--the same eyes as Jezef's--looked at him out of the screen, +filling him with the familiar awkward worship. "You've heard?" he asked +finally. + +"Yes. You won't be home before you go?" + +"No; I ..." He abandoned the lie he'd prepared. "I just didn't feel up +to it." + +She accepted that. "I'll wake the boys." + +"No! It's--" Something happened to his throat. + +She watched him for a moment. "You won't be back from Coar. You've _got_ +to speak to them." + +He nodded. This wasn't going according to plan; he'd intended it to be +brief and controlled. Damn it, he told himself, I'm Admiral of the +Fleets; I've no right to feelings like this. He straightened, and knew +he looked right when the two sleepy stares occupied the screen. + +Their hair was stiff and stubborn like his own, so that they wore it +cropped in the same military cut. It could have stood a brush right now. +They were quiet, knowing enough of what was wrong to be frightened. + +He spoke carefully. "I'm going to Coar to talk to them about stopping +the war. I want you to look after things while I'm away. All right?" + +"All right, Dad." The older one was putting on a brave front for the +benefit of the younger and his mother, but the tears showed. + +As Tulan cut the connection he saw that Anatu's eyes were moist too, and +realized with surprise that he'd never before, in all the years, seen +her cry. He watched the last faint images fade from the screen. + + * * * * * + +Sometime near dawn he gave up trying to sleep, dressed, and began +composing orders. Presently Jezef came in with cups of steaming amber +liquid. They sipped in silence for a while, then Jezef asked "You've +heard about Grefen?" + +Tulan felt something knot inside him. He shook his head, dreading what +he knew was coming. + +"He killed himself last night," Jezef said. + +Tulan remembered the agony in the old Minister of War's eyes when he'd +voted for surrender. Grefen had been Admiral in his day; the prototype +of integrity and a swift sledgehammer in a fight; and Tulan's first +combat had been under him. A symbol of the Fleet, Tulan reflected; and +his death, yes, that too was a symbol--what was there but shame in +surrender, for a man or a fleet or a world? + +His hand clenched, crumpling the paper it was resting on. He smoothed +the paper and re-read the order he'd been writing. He visualized the +proud ranks of his crewmen, reduced to ragged lines shuffling toward +prison or execution. + +It seemed impossible, against the laws of nature, that men should strive +mightily and win, then be awarded the loser's prize. His anger began to +return. "I've a mind to defy the Government and only take skeleton +crews," he said. "Leave the married men, at least." + +Jezef shrugged. "They'd only be bundled into transports and sent after +us." + +"Yes. Damn it, I won't be a party to it! All they did was carry out +their orders, and superbly, at that!" + +Jezef watched him with something like curiosity. "You'd disobey the +Council? You?" + +Tulan felt himself flush. "I've told you before, discipline's a +necessity to me, not a religion!" Nevertheless, Jezef's question wasn't +unfair; up to now it really hadn't occurred to him that he might +disobey. + +His inward struggle was brief. He grabbed the whole pad of orders and +ripped them across. "What's the Council, with Grefen gone, but three +trembling old men? Get some guns manned, in case they get suspicious and +try to interfere." + +Blood began to surge faster in his veins; he felt a vast relief. How +could he have ever seen it differently? He jabbed at a button. "All +ships' Duty Officers; scramble communication circuits. This is the +Admiral. Top Secret Orders...." + + * * * * * + +Shortly before noon the four-hundred-odd ships lifted out of Sennech's +frosty atmosphere, still ignoring the furious demands from the radio. +Fully armed, they couldn't be stopped. + +Tulan's viewer gave a vivid picture of the receding fifth planet. The +white mantle of ice and snow was a backdrop for blue artificial lakes +and the dark green of forest-strips (hardy conifers from Teyr) +alternated with the lighter shades of surface farms. The ice had been +almost unbroken until men came, bringing more heat than Sennech had ever +received from a far-off sun. + +That had been before the First Solar War, when Teyr (the race of Aum had +originated there) ruled. That awful struggle had bludgeoned the home +planet back to savagery, and left Coar and Sennech little better off. + +With recovery, Coar had taken over and prospered immensely. Teyr stayed +wild except for small colonies planted there by the other two planets, +and Sennech lagged for a while. + +Within Tulan's lifetime his world had found itself ready to rise against +the lax but profit-taking rule of Coar, and that rebellion had grown +into the present situation. + +Sennech's wounds were plainly visible in the viewscreen; great man-made +craters spewing incandescent destruction blindly over farm, city, or +virgin ice. The planet was in three-quarters phase from here, and Tulan +could see the flecks of fire in the darkness beyond the twilight zone. +Near the edge of that darkness he made out the dimmer, diffused glow of +Capitol City, where Anatu would be giving two small boys their supper. + +He checked altitude, found they were free of the atmosphere, and ordered +an acceleration that would take them halfway to the sun in fifty hours. +It was uncomfortable now, with Sennech's gravity added, but that would +fall off fast. + +Jezef hauled himself in and dropped to a pad. "I wish I had your build," +he said. "Do you really think we can pull this off?" + +Tulan, in a good mood, grinned at him. "Have I ever led you into defeat +yet, pessimist?" + +"No; and more than once I'd have bet ten to one against us. That's why +the Fleet fights so well for you; we have the feeling we're following a +half-god. Gods, however, achieve defeats as terrible as their +victories." + +Tulan laughed and sat down beside Jezef with some charts. "I think I'll +appoint you Fleet Poet. Here's the plan. No one knows what I intend; we +could be on our way around the sun to overtake Coar and either fight or +surrender, or we might be diving into the sun in a mass suicide. That's +why I broke off the siege and pulled all units away from Coar; the fact +that they're coming back around to meet us will suggest something like +that." + +"Are they going to join up?" + +"No; I want them on this side of the sun but behind us. I have a use for +them later that depends on their staying hidden. Incidentally, I'm +designating them Group Three. + +"In a few hours we're going to turn hard, this side of the sun, and +intercept Teyr. I want to evacuate our forces from the moon, then decoy +whatever the enemy has there into space where we can get at them. That's +their last fleet capable of a sortie, and with that gone we can combine +our whole strength and go around to Coar. She'll probably give up +immediately, on the spot." + + * * * * * + +Jezef thought it over. "Will they be foolish enough to leave the moon? +As long as they're safely grounded there, they constitute a +fleet-in-being and demand attention." + +"We'll give them a reason to move, then ambush them. Right now we've a +lot of reorganizing to do, and I want you to get it started. We're +splitting this Force into Groups One and Two. Here's what I want." + + * * * * * + +They cut drives and drifted in free fall while supplies were transferred +between ships, then Tulan held an inspection and found crews and +equipment proudly shipshape. Despite the proliferating rumors, morale +was excellent. + +A few hours later the realignment began. Space was full of the +disc-shapes; thin, delicate-looking Lights with their projecting +external gear, and thicker, smoothly armored Mediums and Heavies. He had +twenty-three of the latter in Group One, with twice as many Mediums and +a swarm of smaller craft. + +Group Two, composed of the supply ships and a small escort, was already +formed and diverging away. That was a vital part of his plan. From a +distance they'd look to telescope or radar like a full combat fleet. + +He was almost ready to swerve toward the third planet and its moon, but +first he had a speech to make. It was time to squash all the rumors and +doubts with a dramatic fighting announcement. + +He checked his appearance, stepped before the scanner, and nodded to +Communications to turn it on. "All hands," he said, then waited for +attention. + +The small monitor screens showed a motley sampling of intent faces. He +permitted himself a tight smile. "You know I have orders to surrender +the Fleet." He paused for effect. "Those are the orders of the Council +of Four, and to disobey the Council would be unthinkable. + +"Yet it is also unthinkable that a single ship of the Fleet should +surrender under any circumstances, at any time; therefore I am faced +with a dilemma in which tradition must be broken. + +"The Council of Four has lost courage, and so, perhaps, have many of the +people of Sennech. We have ways of knowing that the people of Coar, far +more than our own, clamor at their government for any sort of peace. + +"Coar's fleets are smashed and the remnants have fled from space. + +"Clearly, courage has all but vanished from the Solar System; yet there +is one place where courage has not wavered. That place is in the Fleet +of Sennech. + +"At this moment we are the only strength left in the Solar System. We +dominate the System! + +"Would we have history record that the Fleet won its fight gloriously, +then cravenly shrank back from the very brink of victory? + +"We left Sennech fully armed, though our orders were directly opposite. +I need not tell you that I have made the decision any man of the Fleet +would make. + +"This is our final campaign. Within a short time we shall orbit Coar +herself and force her surrender. That is all." + +There was a moment so quiet that the hum of the circuits grew loud, then +the monitors shook with a mighty cheer. + +Later, alone, Jezef congratulated him amusedly. "They are certainly with +you a hundred percent now, if there was any doubt before. Yet there was +one argument you didn't even hint at; the strongest argument of all." + +"What was that?" + +"Why, you're offering them a chance at life and freedom, where they +might be going to imprisonment or execution." + +That irritated Tulan. "I'm sure you're not so cynical about Fleet +loyalty and tradition as you pretend," he said stiffly. "I wouldn't +affront the men by using that kind of an argument." + +Jezef grinned more widely. "Did it even occur to you to use it?" + +Tulan flushed. "No," he admitted. + + * * * * * + +Teyr and her moon Luhin, both in quarter-phase from here, moved steadily +apart in the viewers. + +Group One's screen of light craft probed ahead, jamming enemy radar, and +discovering occasional roboscouts which were promptly vaporized. Far +behind, Group Two showed as a small luminescence. It would never be +visible to Luhin as anything else, and then only when Tulan was ready. + +They reversed drives, matched speeds neatly, and went into forced orbit +around Luhin. On the flagship's first pass over the beleaguered oval of +ground held by Sennech's forces--unsupported and unreinforced since the +home planet's defection--Tulan sent a message squirting down. "Tulan +commanding. Is Admiral Galu commanding there? Report situation." + +The next time around a long reply came up to them. "This is Captain Rhu +commanding. Galu killed. Twenty percent personnel losses. Six Lights +destroyed; moderate damage to several Mediums and one Heavy. Ground +lines under heavy pressure. Ships' crews involved in fighting at +perimeter. Food critical, other supplies low. Several thousand wounded. +Combat data follows." There was a good assessment of the struggle, with +some enemy positions that were known. + +The Fleet Force that had escorted nearly one hundred thousand ground +troops included five Heavies and other craft in proportion, besides the +transports and supply ships. Alone, they'd been pinned down by superior +enemy ground forces and by a sizable fleet holed up all around the +satellite. With Tulan's support they could be taken off. + +Tulan composed orders. "Withdraw ships' crews from lines and prepare to +lift. Get wounded aboard transports and prepare to evacuate troops. Set +up fire control network to direct our ground support." + +The tedious job of shrinking the perimeter, a short stretch at a time, +began, harassed by the quickly adapting enemy. + +During the first twenty hours the hostile fire was all from ground +projectors, the enemy ships not risking detection by joining in. By that +time one section of the front had pulled back to where several ships, +sheltered in a crater, would have to lift. + +Lines of men and equipment converged on the ships and jammed aboard. The +actual lift was preceded by a diversion a few miles away, which +succeeded in pulling considerable enemy fire. The ships got off in +unison, slanting back across friendly territory and drawing only light +missiles which the defenses handled easily. + + * * * * * + +Then, suddenly, a salvo of heavy stuff came crashing in, too unexpected +and too well planned to stop. One of the lifting ships, a transport, +vanished in a great flash. + +Tulan yelled into his communicator. "Plot! Where did that come from?" + +"I'm sorting, sir. Here! A roboscout got a straight five-second plot +before they downed it!" + +"Intelligence!" Tulan snapped. "Get the co-ordinates and bring me +photos!" + +There were already pictures of the area where the salvo must have +originated, and one of them showed a cave-like opening in a crater +wall. "That's it!" Tulan jabbed a pencil at it. "You could hide a dozen +ships in there. Let's get a strike organized!" + + * * * * * + +The strike group included four Heavies besides the flagship, with twelve +Mediums and twenty Lights. They slanted down in a jerky evasive course +while pictures flashed on screens to be compared with the actual +terrain. + +Ground fire, chemically propelled missiles, erupted ahead of them and +the small craft went to work intercepting it. They were down to a +hundred miles, then fifty, streaking along the jagged surface so close +they seemed to scrape it. This was point-blank range; as the computers +raced with the chaos of fire and counter-fire, human senses could only +register a few impressions--the bruising jerks, the shudder of +concussions, white streaks of rocket-trails, gushers of dirt from the +surface, winking flashes of mid-air interception. + +Then the Heavies were on target. The flagship jumped as the massive +salvo leaped away--not chemical missiles, but huge space torpedoes +propelled by Pulsor units like the ships' drives, directing their own +flocks of smaller defensive missiles by an intricate network of +controls. The small stuff, augmented by fire from the lighter ships, +formed momentarily a visible tube down which the big stuff streaked +untouched. + +The whole crater seemed to burst upward, reaching out angry fingers of +shattered rock as they ripped by, rocking and bucking with the blasts. +Tulan's viewer swivelled aft to hold the scene. Secondary blasts went +off like strings of giant firecrackers. Great black-and-orange +fungi-like clouds swirled upward, dissipating fast in the thin +atmosphere. Then Tulan spotted what he was looking for: three small +ships flashing over the area, to get damage-assessment pictures. There +was still a lot of ground-fire from farther out, and it caught one of +the three, which wobbled crazily then disappeared in a flash which +blanked out the viewscreen. + +"Intelligence!" Tulan shouted. "Casualties?" + +Intelligence was listening to his earphones and punching buttons. "Two +Lights lost, sir. Slight damage to seven more and to one Medium." + +"All right. Get a telecopy of those pictures as soon as you can; we +certainly hit something. Maybe a Heavy or two." He relaxed, aching, and +reflected that he was getting a little mature for actual combat. + +The pull-back went on, drawing only the local ground-fire now that the +enemy had been taught his lesson. Groups of ships lifted almost +constantly. The final position was an oval forty by sixty miles, held +almost entirely from the sky. The last evacuees straggled in like weary +ants, and when the radio reported no more of them the last fifty ships +lifted together and ran the gauntlet with slight losses. + +Tulan pulled the Force away for rest and repair. Group Two was idling at +extreme radar range, making a convincing blip, and he designed some +false messages to be beamed toward it with the expectation of +interception. The impression he wanted to give was that Group Two was +the Force that had been bombarding Coar, coming in now to join him. +Actually, the latter fleet was farther away, hidden in the sun and, he +hoped, unsuspected. + + * * * * * + +Things were going according to plan except for one puzzling item: there +was no message from Sennech's small garrison on Teyr. All he could get +from the planet was a steady radar scan, which might mean that Sennech's +colony had been conquered by Coar's. + +He'd been hoping to get certain supplies from Teyr, and now he took a +strong detachment in close to the planet to find out what was wrong. The +threat finally raised an answer. "This is the Chief of Council. What is +it that you want?" + +"Chief of Council? What are you talking about? I want the Garrison +Commander." + +"I suppose you're Admiral Tulan. There's been a change here, Tulan; Teyr +is now an independent planet. Your garrison, with Coar's, comprise our +defense forces." + +Tulan stared at the planet's image. "You're at war with Coar!" + +"Not any more, we aren't." There was a chuckle. "Don't sound so shocked, +Admiral; we understand you're in mutiny yourself." + +Tulan slapped the microphone onto its hangar. He sat, angry and +bewildered, until he remembered something, then buzzed Communications. +"Get me that connection again. Hello? Listen. I have sixty thousand +troops in transports, with almost no food. I intend to land them." + +"They're welcome as noncombatants, Admiral. They'll have to land +disarmed, in areas we designate, and live off the country. We've already +got more refugees than we can handle." + +"Refugees from where?" + +"Haven't you been in contact with Sennech at all?" + +"No." + +"Oh." There was a thoughtful pause. "Then you don't know. There's bad +radiation in the atmosphere and we're hauling as many away as we can. We +can use your ships if you're finished playing soldier." + +Tulan broke the connection again and turned, fuming, to Jezef. "We'll +blast our way in and take over!" + +Jezef raised his eyebrows. "What good would that do?" he asked. + +"Why; they--for one thing, we've got to think of those troops! We can't +land them unarmed and let them be slaughtered by the savages!" + +Jezef grinned. "I doubt if they'll refuse to let them have enough small +arms to defend themselves. They can't stay where they are." + +"But they're military men, and loyal!" + +"Are they? The war's over for them, anyway. Why not let them vote on +it?" + +Tulan jumped up and strode around the command room, while Jezef and the +staff watched him silently. Gradually, the logic of it forced itself +upon him. "All right," he said wearily, "We'll let them vote." + + * * * * * + +A few hours later he studied the results gloomily. "Well, after all, +they're not Fleet. They don't have the tradition." + +Jezef smiled, then lingered, embarrassed. + +"Well?" Tulan asked. + +"Sir," (that hadn't come out, in private, for years) "I'd like to be +relieved." + +It was a blow, but Tulan found he wasn't really surprised. He stared at +his brother-in-law, feeling as if he faced an amputation. "You think I'm +wrong about this whole thing, don't you?" + +"I'm not going to judge that, but Sennech's in trouble far worse than +any question of politics, including your own family." + +"But if we turn back now Coar will recover! It's only going to take us a +few more hours!" + +"How long does it take people to die?" + +Tulan looked at the deck for a while. "All right. I'll detach every +ship I can spare, and put you in charge. You'll have the transports too, +as soon as they're unloaded." He stared after Jezef, wanting to call out +to him to be sure to send word about Anatu and the boys, but somehow +feeling he didn't have the right. + + * * * * * + +He took the fighting ships away from Teyr, to where Group Two could join +up without being unmasked, then started sunward as if he were crossing +to intercept Coar. A few miles in, where they'd be hidden in the sun, he +left a few scouts. + +As he saw it, the enemy commander on the satellite, noting the armada's +course and finding himself apparently clear, would have no choice but to +lift his ships and start around the sun by some other path to help his +planet. + +That other path to Coar could be intercepted, and as soon as Tulan was +lost near the sun he went into heavy drive to change direction. He +drifted across the sun, waiting for word from his scouts. At about the +time he'd expected, they reported ships leaving the satellite. + +He looked across the room toward Plot. "Plot! Feed that data to +Communications as it comes in, will you?" And to Communications: "Can we +beam Group Three from here?" + +"Not quite, sir; but I can relay through the scouts." + +"All right; but make sure it's not intercepted. I want Group Three under +maximum acceleration for Luhin, and I want them to get running reports +on the enemy." + +"Right, sir." + +Tulan was in the position he wanted, not needing to use his own radar, +but able to pick up that of Coar's fleet at extreme range, too far to +give them a bounce. He'd know their course, speed, and acceleration +fairly well, without even being suspected himself. + +He held that position until the enemy was close enough to get a bounce, +then went into drive on an intercepting course. + +One of the basic tenets of space maneuver was this: if two fleets were +drawing together, with radar contact, neither (barring interference from +factors such as the sun or planets) could escape the other; for if one +applied acceleration in any direction the other could simply match it +(human endurance being the limitation) and maintain the original +relative closing speed. + +When the enemy commander discovered Tulan's armada loafing ahead of +him, he'd been accelerating for about ten hours and had a velocity of a +million miles per hour, while Tulan was going the same direction but at +half the speed. The quarry began decelerating immediately, knowing it +could get back to Luhin with time enough to land. + +Tulan didn't quite match the deceleration, preferring to waste a few +hours and lessen the strain on his crews. He let the gap close slowly. + +He could tell almost the precise instant when the other jaw of his trap +was discovered, for Plot, Communications, and Intelligence all jerked up +their heads and looked at him. He grinned at them. What they'd picked up +would be an enemy beam from Luhin, recklessly sweeping space to find the +Coar fleet and warn it of the onrushing Group Three. + +The enemy commander reacted fast. It was obvious he'd never beat Group +Three to Luhin, and he made no futile attempts at dodging, but reversed +drives and accelerated toward the nearest enemy, which was Tulan. Tulan +was not surprised at that either, for though Coar's fleets had bungled +the war miserably, when cornered they'd always fought and died like men. + +He matched their acceleration to hold down the relative speeds. The +swift passing clash would be brief at best. He formed his forces into an +arrangement he'd schemed up long ago but never used: a flat disc of +lighter ships out in front, masking a doughnut-shaped mass behind. He +maneuvered laterally to keep the doughnut centered on the line of +approach. + + * * * * * + +Roboscouts appeared and blossomed briefly as they died. The fuzzy patch +of light on the screens swelled, then began to resolve into individual +points. The first missiles arrived. Intricate patterns of incandescence +formed and vanished as fire-control systems locked wits. + +A sudden, brilliantly planned salvo came streaking in, saturating the +defenses along its path. Ships in Tulan's secondary formation swerved +frantically, but one darting, corkscrewing missile homed on a Heavy, and +for an instant there were two suns. + +Tulan, missing Jezef's smooth help, was caught up in the daze and strain +of battle now. He punched buttons and shouted orders as he played the +fleet to match the enemy's subtle swerving. Another heavy salvo came +in, but the computers had its sources pinpointed now, and it was +contained. These first few seconds favored the enemy, who was only +fighting the light shield in front of Tulan's formation. + +Now the swelling mass of blips streaked apart in the viewers and space +lit up with the fire and interception. Two ships met head on; at such +velocities it was like a nuclear blast. + +Then Coar's ships crashed through the shield and into the center of the +doughnut. Ringed, outgunned, outpredicted, they hit such a concentration +of missiles that it might as well have been a solid wall. Ships +disintegrated as if on a common fuse; the ones that didn't take direct +hits needed none, in that debris-filled stretch of hell. + +Tulan's flagship rocked in the wave of expanding hot gasses. There was a +jolt as some piece of junk hit her; if she hadn't already been under +crushing acceleration away from the inferno she'd have been holed. + +From a safer distance the path of destruction was a bright slash across +space, growing into the distance with its momentum. It was annihilation, +too awful for triumph; there was only horror in it. Tulan knew that with +this overwhelming tactic he'd written a new text-book for action against +an inferior fleet. He hoped it would never be printed. Sweating and +weak, he slumped in his straps and was ill. + + * * * * * + +While brief repairs and re-arming were under way, he sent scouts +spiraling out to pick up any radio beams from Sennech or Teyr. There +were none. The telescopes showed Sennech's albedo down to a fraction of +normal; that, he supposed, would indicate smoke in the atmosphere. He +wavered, wondering whether he should detach more ships to send out +there. Reason and training told him to stick to the key objective, which +was Coar's surrender. He waited only for Group Three to achieve a +converging course, then started around the sun again. + +They didn't encounter even a roboscout. He crossed the sun, curved into +Coar's orbit, matched speeds, and coasted along a million miles ahead of +the planet, sending light sorties in to feel out any ambushes. Still +there was no sign of fight, so he went in closer where the enemy could +get a good look at his strength. Finally he took a small group in boldly +over the fourth planet's Capitol and sent a challenge. + +The answer was odd. "This is Acting President Kliu. What are your +intentions?" + +Tulan realized he was holding his breath. He let it out and looked +around the silent command room, meeting the intent eyes of his staff. He +had an unreal feeling; this couldn't be the climax, the +consummation--this simple exchange over the radio. He lifted the +microphone slowly. "This is Admiral Tulan, commanding the Fleets of +Sennech. I demand your immediate and unconditional surrender." + +There was something in the reply that might have been dry amusement: +"Oh; by all means; but I hope you're not going to insist upon an +elaborate ceremony. Right now we don't give a damn about the war; we're +worried about the race." + +There was more silence, and Tulan turned, uncertainly, looking at the +bare spot where Jezef ought to be standing. He buzzed for +Communications. "Connect me with Captain Rhu. Rhu; I'm advancing you in +rank and leaving you in charge here. I'm going down to accept the +surrender and find out what this man's talking about." + + * * * * * + +Kliu was gaunt and middle-aged, wearing, to Tulan's surprise, the gray +of Coar's First Level of Science. He was neither abject nor hostile, +agreeing impatiently to turn over the secret of Coar's weapon and to +assist with a token occupation of the planet. Again Tulan had the +unreal, let-down feeling, and judging by Kliu's amused expression, it +showed. + +Tulan sent couriers to get things started, then turned back to the +scientist. "So you have had a change of government. What did you mean, +about the race?" + +Kliu watched him for a moment. "How much do you know about the weapon?" + +"Very little. That it projects matter through hyperspace and +materializes it where you want it." + +"Not exactly; the materialization is spontaneous. Mass somehow distorts +hyperspace, and when the projected matter has penetrated a certain +distance into such distortion, it pops back into normal space. The +penetration depends mainly upon a sort of internal energy in the +missile; you might think of it more as a voltage than as velocity. +You've made it very hard for us to get reports, but I understand we +successfully placed stuff in Sennech's crust." + +"Yes; causing volcanoes. Our scientists speculated that any kind of +matter would do it." + +"That's right. Actually, we were projecting weighed chunks of rock. When +one bit of matter, even a single atom, finds itself materializing where +another already is, unnatural elements may be formed, most of them +unstable. That's what blew holes in your crust and let the magma out." + +Tulan considered the military implications of the weapon for a few +moments, then pulled his mind back. "I see; but what about the +radiation? It wasn't more than a trace when I left." + +Kliu looked away for a while before answering. "When we learned you'd +defied your government, our own military got out of hand. They had a +couple of days before the sun cut us off completely, and they began +throwing stuff as soon as it could be dug and hauled to the projectors. +They used high energies to get it past the sun. As we realize now, a lot +of it hit the planet deeper than at first, below the crust. Under such +pressure a different set of fissionables was formed. Some of them burst +out and poisoned the atmosphere, but most of them are still there." He +leaned forward and eyed Tulan hard. "We've got to get an expedition out +there to study things. Will you help?" + +There was another of the palpable silences, and when he spoke Tulan's +voice sounded unnatural. "I--yes; we'll help. Whatever you want. Is ... +Sennech finished?" + +Kliu smiled tightly. "Sennech, for sure; and she may take the rest of us +with her. Nobody conceived what this might come to. A lot of those deep +materializations produced pockets of dense fissionables, and they're +converging toward the center under their own weight. When they get to a +certain point, we'll have a fine monument to Man's ingenuity. A +planet-size nova." He stood up. "I'll start organizing." + + * * * * * + +Tulan existed someway through the preparations, and when they were in +space again the solid familiarity of his ship helped. His staff was +carrying on wonderfully; shielding him, he suspected, from considerable +hostility. Discipline held up. + +A technology that had spanned five orbits and probed beyond was at bay, +and the expedition was tremendous. Hardly an art or science was +unrepresented. If need be, whole ships could be built in space. + +A beam from Teyr as they passed told of refugees by the hundreds of +thousands, dumped in the wilderness with a few ships still trickling in. +Tulan would have traded everything he could command to hear a word of +Jezef or the family, but Teyr wasn't concerned with individuals and he +didn't ask. + +Sennech was dull gray in the telescopes, showing, as they neared, flecks +of fire. They went in fast, using her gravity to help them curve into a +forced orbit as they strained to decelerate. Thermocouples gave readings +close to the boiling point of water; that, probably, was the temperature +of the lower air. + +Roboscouts went down first, then, as conditions were ascertained, manned +ships. Tulan took the flagship down once. Her coolers labored and her +searchlights were swallowed in murk within a few feet. Sounds carried +through the hull; the howl of great winds and the thumps of explosions. +Once a geyser of glowing lava spattered the ship. + +Within hours the picture began to form. The surface was a boiling sea +broken only by transient mountain peaks which tumbled down in quakes or +were washed away by the incessant hot rain. It would have been hard to +find a single trace of the civilization that had flourished scant hours +before. + + * * * * * + +The slower job was learning, by countless readings and painful +deduction, what was going on inside the planet. Tulan occupied himself +with organizational tasks and clung to what dignity he could. After an +eternity Kliu had time for him. + +"She'll blow, all right," the scientist said, sinking tiredly into a +seat. "Within half a year. Her year." + +"Twenty thousand hours," Tulan said automatically. "How about the other +planets?" + +"Coar has one chance in a hundred, Teyr possibly one in ten." + +Tulan had to keep talking. "The outer satellites. We can do a lot in +that time." + +Kliu shrugged. "A few thousand people, and who knows what will happen to +them afterward? It's going to be a long time before the System's +inhabitable again, if ever." + +"Ships ... people can live a long time in ships." + +"Not that long." + +"There must be something! The power we've got, and this hyperspace +thing." + +Kliu shook his head. "I can guess what you're thinking; we've been all +over it. There's no way to get to the stars, and no way to move a planet +out of its orbit. Don't think we haven't been pounding our skulls, but +the figures are hopeless." + +Tulan stared at the ulcerous image on the screen, built up by infra-red +probing through the opaque atmosphere. "She looks ready to fall apart +right now. How much of her could you blast off?" + +Kliu smiled wearily and without humor. "We've worked that idea to the +bone, too. If you could build a big enough projector, and mount it on an +infinitely solid base, you could push something deep enough and +accurately enough to throw off stuff at escape velocity, but it's a +matter of energy and we can't handle one percent of what we'd need. Even +if you could generate it fast enough, your conduits would melt under the +current." He got up and walked a few steps, then sat down again. +"Ironic, isn't it? All we can do is destroy ourselves." + +Tulan's mind couldn't accept it; he was used to thinking that any amount +of energy could be handled some way. "There must be something," he +repeated, feeling foolish as he said it. + +He went over the figures he knew so well; the acceleration and the total +energy necessary to drive a ship to the nearest stars. Even a ship's +Pulsors, pouring energy out steadily, were pitiful compared to that job. +Schoolboys knew the figures; mankind had dreamed for generations ... + +He sat up abruptly. "This hyperspace; didn't you tell me there were such +things as velocity and momentum in it?" + +Kliu's eyes focussed. "Yes; why?" + +"And that a projector could be built to put an entire ship into +hyperspace?" + +Kliu stared at him for a second. "Kinetic energy! Built up gradually!" +He jumped to his feet. "Come on! Let's get to the computers!" + + * * * * * + +Several hundred hours later Tulan lay watching the pinpoint on his +viewscreen that represented Sennech. He'd been building up speed for a +long time; he ached from the steady double-gravity. The ship, vastly +beefed up, was moving at a good fraction of the speed of light. It +wouldn't be much longer. + +The cargo of carefully chosen matter, shifting into hyperspace at the +right instant, would be taken deep into Sennech by the momentum he'd +accumulated in normal space. If the calculations were right, the +resulting blast would knock a chunk completely out of the planet. Each +of the thousands of other ships tied to him by robot controls would take +its own bite at the right time and place. Providing the plan worked. + +The Solar System would have a few hot moments, and would be full of junk +for a long time, but the threatening fissionables inside Sennech would +be hurled far apart, to dribble away their potence gradually. Kliu +admitted no one could calculate for sure even how much, if any, of +Sennech would remain as a planet, but Teyr, at least, with her thick +atmosphere, should withstand the rain of debris. + +He wondered about his family, and Jezef. Kliu had tried to get word, but +the tragically few refugees were scattered. + +He smiled, recalling how severely he'd had to order his staff to abandon +him. He was proud to remember that much of the fleet would have come +along, if he'd let them; but live men were going to be at more of a +premium on Teyr than heroic atoms drifting in space. Machines could +handle this assault. He himself had not had to touch a single control. + +The indicators began to flash, and, sweating with the effort, he hauled +himself erect to attention. It was good to be winding up here in his own +command room, where he'd lived his moments of triumph. Still, as the red +light winked on, he couldn't help thinking how very quiet and lonely it +was without Jezef and the staff. + + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _Amazing Stories_ June 1960. Extensive + research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on + this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and typographical + errors have been corrected without note. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Tulan, by Carroll Mather Capps + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TULAN *** + +***** This file should be named 27968.txt or 27968.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/7/9/6/27968/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/27968.zip b/27968.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0f2f2ba --- /dev/null +++ b/27968.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f604176 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #27968 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/27968) |
