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diff --git a/28460.txt b/28460.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ec8fc42 --- /dev/null +++ b/28460.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1236 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Bolden's Pets, by F. L. Wallace + +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: Bolden's Pets + +Author: F. L. Wallace + +Illustrator: Diehl + +Release Date: March 31, 2009 [EBook #28460] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BOLDEN'S PETS *** + + + + +Produced by Adam Buchbinder and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +Transcriber's Note: This e-text was produced from Galaxy Science +Fiction, October, 1955. Extensive research did not reveal any +evidence that the U. S. copyright on this publication was renewed. + + + + +Bolden's Pets + + + +By F. L. WALLACE + + + +Illustrated by DIEHL + + + +_The price of life was a life for a life--which was all the reward the +victim looked for!_ + + + + +His hands were shaking as he exhibited the gifts. If he were on Earth, +he would be certain it was the flu; in the Centaurus system, kranken. +But this was Van Daamas, so Lee Bolden couldn't say what he had. Man +hadn't been here long enough to investigate the diseases with any degree +of thoroughness. There were always different hazards to overcome as new +planets were settled. + +But whatever infection he had, Bolden was not greatly concerned as he +counted out the gifts. He had felt the onset of illness perhaps an hour +before. When he got back to the settlement he'd be taken care of. That +was half a day's flight from here. The base was equipped with the best +medical facilities that had been devised. + +He stacked up the gifts to make an impressive show: five pairs of radar +goggles, seven high-velocity carbines, seven boxes of ammunition. This +was the natives' own rule and was never to be disregarded--it had to be +an odd number of gifts. + +The Van Daamas native gazed impassively at the heap. He carried a rather +strange bow and a quiver was strapped to his thigh. With one exception, +the arrows were brightly colored, mostly red and yellow. Bolden supposed +this was for easy recovery in case the shot missed. But there was always +one arrow that was stained dark blue. Bolden had observed this +before--no native was ever without that one somber-looking arrow. + +The man of Van Daamas stood there and the thin robe that was no +protection against the elements rippled slightly in the chill current of +air that flowed down the mountainside. "I will go talk with the others," +he said in English. + +"Go talk," said Bolden, trying not to shiver. He replied in native +speech, but a few words exhausted his knowledge and he had to revert to +his own language. "Take the gifts with you. They are yours, no matter +what you decide." + +The native nodded and reached for a pair of goggles. He tried them on, +looking out over fog and mist-shrouded slopes. These people of Van +Daamas needed radar less than any race Bolden knew of. Living by +preference in mountains, they had developed a keenness of vision that +enabled them to see through the perpetual fog and mist far better than +any Earthman. Paradoxically it was the goggles they appreciated most. +Extending their sight seemed more precious to them than powerful +carbines. + +The native shoved the goggles up on his forehead, smiling with pleasure. +Noticing that Bolden was shivering, he took his hands and examined them. +"Hands sick?" he queried. + +"A little," said Bolden. "I'll be all right in the morning." + +The native gathered up the gifts. "Go talk," he repeated as he went +away. + + * * * * * + +Lee Bolden sat in the copter and waited. He didn't know how much +influence this native had with his people. He had come to negotiate, but +this might have been because he understood English somewhat better than +the others. + +A council of the natives would make the decision about working for the +Earthmen's settlement. If they approved of the gifts, they probably +would. There was nothing to do now but wait--and shiver. His hands were +getting numb and his feet weren't much better. + +Presently the native came out of the fog carrying a rectangular wicker +basket. Bolden was depressed when he saw it. One gift in return for +goggles, carbines, ammunition. The rate of exchange was not favorable. +Neither would the reply be. + +The man set the basket down and waited for Bolden to speak. "The people +have talked?" asked Bolden. + +"We have talked to come," said the native, holding out his fingers. "In +five or seven days, we come." + +It was a surprise, a pleasant one. Did one wicker basket equal so many +fine products of superlative technology? Apparently it did. The natives +had different values. To them, one pair of goggles was worth more than +three carbines, a package of needles easily the equivalent of a box of +ammunition. + +"It's good you will come. I will leave at once to tell them at the +settlement," said Bolden. There was something moving in the basket, but +the weave was close and he couldn't see through it. + +"Stay," the man advised. "A storm blows through the mountains." + +"I will fly around the storm," said Bolden. + +If he hadn't been sick he might have accepted the offer. But he had to +get back to the settlement for treatment. On a strange planet you never +could tell what might develop from a seemingly minor ailment. Besides +he'd already been gone two days searching for this tribe in the +interminable fog that hung over the mountains. Those waiting at the base +would want him back as soon as he could get there. + +"Fly far around," said the man. "It is a big storm." He took up the +basket and held it level with the cabin, opening the top. An animal +squirmed out and disappeared inside. + +Bolden looked askance at the eyes that glowed in the dim interior. He +hadn't seen clearly what the creature was and he didn't like the idea of +having it loose in the cabin, particularly if he had to fly through a +storm. The man should have left it in the basket. But the basket plus +the animal would have been two gifts--and the natives never considered +anything in even numbers. + +"It will not hurt," said the man. "A gentle pet." + + * * * * * + +As far as he knew, there were no pets and very few domesticated animals. +Bolden snapped on the cabin light. It was one of those mysterious +creatures every tribe kept in cages near the outskirts of their camps. +What they did with them no one knew and the natives either found it +impossible to explain or did not care to do so. + +It seemed unlikely that the creatures were used for food and certainly +they were not work animals. And in spite of what this man said, they +were not pets either. No Earthman had ever seen a native touch them nor +had the creatures ever been seen wandering at large in the camp. And +until now, none had been permitted to pass into Earth's possession. The +scientists at the settlement would regard this acquisition with delight. + +"Touch it," said the native. + +Bolden held out his trembling hand and the animal came to him with alert +and friendly yellow eyes. It was about the size of a rather small dog, +but it didn't look much like one. It resembled more closely a tiny +slender bear with a glossy and shaggy cinnamon coat. Bolden ran his +hands through the clean-smelling fur and the touch warmed his fingers. +The animal squirmed and licked his fingers. + +"It has got your taste," said the native. "Be all right now. It is +yours." He turned and walked into the mist. + +Bolden got in and started the motors while the animal climbed into the +seat beside him. It was a friendly thing and he couldn't understand why +the natives always kept it caged. + +He headed straight up, looking for a way over the mountains to avoid the +impending storm. Fog made it difficult to tell where the peaks were and +he had to drop lower, following meandering valleys. He flew as swiftly +as limited visibility would allow, but he hadn't gone far when the storm +broke. He tried to go over the top of it, but this storm seemed to have +no top. The region was incompletely mapped and even radar wasn't much +help in the tremendous electrical display that raged around the ship. + +His arms ached as he clung to the controls. His hands weren't actually +cold, they were numb. His legs were leaden. The creature crept closer to +him and he had to nudge it away. Momentarily the distraction cleared his +head. He couldn't put it off any longer. He had to land and wait out the +storm--if he could find a place to land. + +Flexing his hands until he worked some feeling into them, he inched the +ship lower. A canyon wall loomed at one side and he had to veer away and +keep on looking. + +Eventually he found his refuge--a narrow valley where the force of the +winds was not extreme--and he set the land anchor. Unless something +drastic happened, it would hold. + + * * * * * + +He made the seat into a bed, decided he was too tired to eat, and went +directly to sleep. When he awakened, the storm was still raging and the +little animal was snoozing by his side. + +He felt well enough to eat. The native hadn't explained what the animal +should be fed, but it accepted everything Bolden offered. Apparently it +was as omnivorous as Man. Before lying down again, he made the other +seat into a bed, although it didn't seem to matter. The creature +preferred being as close to him as it could get and he didn't object. +The warmth was comforting. + +Alternately dozing and waking he waited out the storm. It lasted a day +and a half. Finally the sun was shining. This was two days since he had +first fallen ill, four days after leaving the settlement. + +Bolden felt much improved. His hands were nearly normal and his vision +wasn't blurred. He looked at the little animal curled in his lap, gazing +up at him with solemn yellow eyes. If he gave it encouragement it would +probably be crawling all over him. However, he couldn't have it frisking +around while he was flying. "Come, Pet," he said--there wasn't anything +else to call it--"you're going places." + +Picking it up, half-carrying and half-dragging it, he took it to the +rear of the compartment, improvising a narrow cage back there. He was +satisfied it would hold. He should have done this in the beginning. Of +course he hadn't felt like it then and he hadn't had the time--and +anyway the native would have resented such treatment of a gift. Probably +it was best he had waited. + +His pet didn't like confinement. It whined softly for a while. The noise +stopped when the motors roared. Bolden headed straight up, until he was +high enough to establish communication over the peaks. He made a brief +report about the natives' agreement and his own illness, then he started +home. + +He flew at top speed for ten hours. He satisfied his hunger by nibbling +concentrated rations from time to time. The animal whined occasionally, +but Bolden had learned to identify the sounds it made. It was neither +hungry nor thirsty. It merely wanted to be near him. And all he wanted +was to reach the base. + +The raw sprawling settlement looked good as he sat the copter down. +Mechanics came running from the hangars. They opened the door and he +stepped out. + +And fell on his face. There was no feeling in his hands and none in his +legs. He hadn't recovered. + + * * * * * + +Doctor Kessler peered at him through the microscreen. It gave his face a +narrow insubstantial appearance. The microscreen was a hemispherical +force field enclosing his head. It originated in a tubular circlet that +snapped around his throat at the top of the decontagion suit. The field +killed all microlife that passed through it or came in contact with it. +The decontagion suit was non-porous and impermeable, covering completely +the rest of his body. The material was thinner over his hands and +thicker at the soles. + +Bolden took in the details at a glance. "Is it serious?" he asked, his +voice cracking with the effort. + +"Merely a precaution," said the doctor hollowly. The microscreen +distorted sound as well as sight. "Merely a precaution. We know what it +is, but we're not sure of the best way to treat it." + +Bolden grunted to himself. The microscreen and decontagion suit were +strong precautions. + +The doctor wheeled a small machine from the wall and placed Bolden's +hand in a narrow trough that held it steady. The eyepiece slid into the +microscreen and, starting at the finger tips, Kessler examined the arm, +traveling slowly upward. At last he stopped. "Is this where feeling +ends?" + +"I think so. Touch it. Yeah. It's dead below there." + +"Good. Then we've got it pegged. It's the Bubble Death." + +Bolden showed concern and the doctor laughed. "Don't worry. It's called +that because of the way it looks through the X-ray microscope. It's true +that it killed the scouting expedition that discovered the planet, but +it won't get you." + +"They had antibiotics. Neobiotics, too." + +"Sure. But they had only a few standard kinds. Their knowledge was more +limited and they lacked the equipment we now have." + +The doctor made it sound comforting. But Bolden wasn't comforted. Not +just yet. + +"Sit up and take a look," said Kessler, bending the eyepiece around so +Bolden could use it. "The dark filamented lines are nerves. See what +surrounds them?" + +Bolden watched as the doctor adjusted the focus for him. Each filament +was covered with countless tiny spheres that isolated and insulated the +nerve from contact. That's why he couldn't feel anything. The spherical +microbes did look like bubbles. As yet they didn't seem to have attacked +the nerves directly. + +While he watched, the doctor swiveled out another eyepiece for his own +use and turned a knob on the side of the machine. From the lens next to +his arm an almost invisible needle slid out and entered his flesh. +Bolden could see it come into the field of view. It didn't hurt. Slowly +it approached the dark branching filament, never quite touching it. + +The needle was hollow and as Kessler squeezed the knob it sucked in the +spheres. The needle extended a snout which crept along the nerve, +vacuuming in microbes as it moved. When a section had been cleansed, the +snout was retracted. Bolden could feel the needle then. + + * * * * * + +When the doctor finished, he laid Bolden's hand back at his side and +wheeled the machine to the wall, extracting a small capsule which he +dropped into a slot that led to the outside. He came back and sat down. + +"Is that what you're going to do?" asked Bolden. "Scrape them off?" + +"Hardly. There are too many nerves. If we had ten machines and enough +people to operate them, we might check the advance in one arm. That's +all." The doctor leaned back in the chair. "No. I was collecting a few +more samples. We're trying to find out what the microbes react to." + +"_More_ samples? Then you must have taken others." + +"Certainly. We put you out for a while to let you rest." The chair came +down on four legs. "You've got a mild case. Either that or you have a +strong natural immunity. It's now been three days since you reported the +first symptoms and it isn't very advanced. It killed the entire scouting +expedition in less time than that." + +Bolden looked at the ceiling. Eventually they'd find a cure. But would +he be alive that long? + +"I suspect what you're thinking," said the doctor. "Don't overlook our +special equipment. We already have specimens in the sonic accelerator. +We've been able to speed up the life processes of the microbes about ten +times. Before the day is over we'll know which of our anti and +neobiotics they like the least. Tough little things so far--unbelievably +tough--but you can be sure we'll smack them." + +His mind was active, but outwardly Bolden was quiescent as the doctor +continued his explanation. + +The disease attacked the superficial nervous system, beginning with the +extremities. The bodies of the crew of the scouting expedition had been +in an advanced state of decomposition when the medical rescue team +reached them and the microbes were no longer active. Nevertheless it was +a reasonable supposition that death had come shortly after the invading +bacteria had reached the brain. Until then, though nerves were the route +along which the microbes traveled, no irreparable damage had been done. + + * * * * * + +This much was good news. Either he would recover completely or he would +die. He would not be crippled permanently. Another factor in his favor +was the sonic accelerator. By finding the natural resonance of the +one-celled creature and gradually increasing the tempo of the sound +field, the doctor could grow and test ten generations in the laboratory +while one generation was breeding in the body. Bolden was the first +patient actually being observed with the disease, but the time element +wasn't as bad as he had thought. + +"That's where you are," concluded Kessler. "Now, among other things, +we've got to find where you've been." + +"The ship has an automatic log," said Bolden. "It indicates every place +I landed." + +"True, but our grid coordinates are not exact. It will be a few years +before we're able to look at a log and locate within ten feet of where a +ship has been." The doctor spread out a large photomap. There were +several marks on it. He fastened a stereoscope viewer over Bolden's eyes +and handed him a pencil. "Can you use this?" + +"I think so." His fingers were stiff and he couldn't feel, but he could +mark with the pencil. Kessler moved the map nearer and the terrain +sprang up in detail. In some cases, he could see it more clearly than +when he had been there, because on the map there was no fog. Bolden made +a few corrections and the doctor took the map away and removed the +viewer. + +"We'll have to stay away from these places until we get a cure. Did you +notice anything peculiar in any of the places you went?" + +"It was all mountainous country." + +"Which probably means that we're safe on the plain. Were there any +animals?" + +"Nothing that came close. Birds maybe." + +"More likely it was an insect. Well, we'll worry about the host and how +it is transmitted. Try not to be upset. You're as safe as you would be +on Earth." + +"Yeah," said Bolden. "Where's the pet?" + +The doctor laughed. "You did very well on that one. The biologists have +been curious about the animal since the day they saw one in a native +camp." + +"They can _look_ at it as much as they want," said Bolden. "Nothing +more on this one, though. It's a personal gift." + +"You're sure it's personal?" + +"The native said it was." + +The doctor sighed. "I'll tell them. They won't like it, but we can't +argue with the natives if we want their cooperation." + +Bolden smiled. The animal was safe for at least six months. He could +understand the biologists' curiosity, but there was enough to keep them +curious for a long time on a new planet. And it was his. In a remarkably +short time, he had become attached to it. It was one of those rare +things that Man happened across occasionally--about once in every five +planets. Useless, completely useless, the creature had one virtue. It +liked Man and Man liked it. It was a pet. "Okay," he said. "But you +didn't tell me where it is." + +The doctor shrugged, but the gesture was lost in the shapeless +decontagion suit. "Do you think we're letting it run in the streets? +It's in the next room, under observation." + +The doctor was more concerned than he was letting on. The hospital was +small and animals were never kept in it. "It's not the carrier. I was +sick before it was given to me." + +"You had something, we know that much, but was it this? Even granting +that you're right, it was in contact with you and may now be infected." + +"I think life on this planet isn't bothered by the disease. The natives +have been every place I went and none of them seemed to have it." + +"Didn't they?" said the doctor, going to the door. "Maybe. It's too +early to say." He reeled a cord out of the wall and plugged it into the +decontagion suit. He spread his legs and held his arms away from his +sides. In an instant, the suit glowed white hot. Only for an instant, +and it was insulated inside. Even so it must be uncomfortable--and the +process would be repeated outside. The doctor wasn't taking any chances. +"Try to sleep," he said. "Ring if there's a change in your +condition--even if you think it's insignificant." + +"I'll ring," said Bolden. In a short time he fell asleep. It was easy to +sleep. + + * * * * * + +The nurse entered as quietly as she could in the decontagion outfit. It +awakened Bolden. It was evening. He had slept most of the day. "Which +one are you?" he asked. "The pretty one?" + +"All nurses are pretty if you get well. Here. Swallow this." + +It was Peggy. He looked doubtfully at what she held out. "All of it?" + +"Certainly. You get it down and I'll see that it comes back up. The +string won't hurt you." + +She passed a small instrument over his body, reading the dial she held +in the other hand. The information, he knew, was being recorded +elsewhere on a master chart. Apparently the instrument measured neural +currents and hence indirectly the progress of the disease. Already they +had evolved new diagnostic techniques. He wished they'd made the same +advance in treatment. + +After expertly reeling out the instrument he had swallowed, the nurse +read it and deposited it in a receptacle in the wall. She brought a tray +and told him to eat. He wanted to question her, but she was insistent +about it so he ate. Allowance had been made for his partial paralysis. +The food was liquid. It was probably nutritious, but he didn't care for +the taste. + +She took the tray away and came back and sat beside him. "Now we can +talk," she said. + +"What's going on?" he said bluntly. "When do I start getting shots? +Nothing's been done for me so far." + +"I don't know what the doctor's working out for you. I'm just the +nurse." + +"Don't try to tell me that," he said. "You're a doctor yourself. In a +pinch you could take Kessler's place." + +"And I get my share of pinches," she said brightly. "Okay, so I'm a +doctor, but only on Earth. Until I complete my off-planet internship +here, I'm not allowed to practice." + +"You know as much about Van Daamas as anyone does." + +"That may be," she said. "Now don't be alarmed, but the truth ought to +be obvious. None of our anti or neobiotics or combinations of them have +a positive effect. We're looking for something new." + +It should have been obvious; he had been hoping against that, though. He +looked at the shapeless figure sitting beside him and remembered Peggy +as she usually looked. He wondered if they were any longer concerned +with him as an individual. They must be working mainly to keep the +disease from spreading. "What are my chances?" + +"Better than you think. We're looking for an additive that will make the +biotics effective." + + * * * * * + +He hadn't thought of that, though it was often used, particularly on +newly settled planets. He had heard of a virus infection common to +Centaurus that could be completely controlled by a shot of neobiotics +plus aspirin, though separately neither was of any value. But the +discovery of what substance should be added to what antibiotic was +largely one of trial and error. That took time and there wasn't much +time. "What else?" he said. + +"That's about it. We're not trying to make you believe this isn't +serious. But don't forget we're working ten times as fast as the disease +can multiply. We expect a break any moment." She got up. "Want a +sedative for the night?" + +"I've got a sedative inside me. Looks like it will be permanent." + +"That's what I like about you, you're so cheerful," she said, leaning +over and clipping something around his throat. "In case you're +wondering, we're going to be busy tonight checking the microbe. We can +put someone in with you, but we thought you'd rather have all of us +working on it." + +"Sure," he said. + +"This is a body monitor. If you want anything just call and we'll be +here within minutes." + +"Thanks," he said. "I won't panic tonight." + +She plugged in the decontagion uniform, flashed it on and then left the +room. After she was gone, the body monitor no longer seemed reassuring. +It was going to take something positive to pull him through. + +They were going to work through the night, but did they actually hope +for success. What had Peggy said? None of the anti or neobiotics had a +positive reaction. Unknowingly she had let it slip. The reaction was +negative; the bubble microbes actually grew faster in the medium that +was supposed to stop them. It happened occasionally on strange planets. +It was his bad luck that it was happening to him. + +He pushed the thoughts out of his mind and tried to sleep. He did for a +time. When he awakened he thought, at first, it was his arms that had +aroused him. They seemed to be on fire, deep inside. To a limited +extent, he still had control. He could move them though there was no +surface sensation. Interior nerves had not been greatly affected until +now. But outside the infection had crept up. It was no longer just above +the wrists. It had reached his elbows and passed beyond. A few inches +below his shoulder he could feel nothing. The illness was accelerating. +If they had ever thought of amputation, it was too late, now. + + * * * * * + +He resisted an impulse to cry out. A nurse would come and sit beside +him, but he would be taking her from work that might save his life. The +infection would reach his shoulders and move across his chest and back. +It would travel up his throat and he wouldn't be able to move his lips. +It would paralyze his eyelids so that he couldn't blink. Maybe it would +blind him, too. And then it would find ingress to his brain. + +The result would be a metabolic explosion. Swiftly each bodily function +would stop altogether or race wildly as the central nervous system was +invaded, one regulatory center after the other blanking out. His body +would be aflame or it would smolder and flicker out. Death might be +spectacular or it could come very quietly. + +That was one reason he didn't call the nurse. + +The other was the noise. + +It was a low sound, half purr, half a coaxing growl. It was the animal +the native had given him, confined in the next room. Bolden was not sure +why he did what he did next. Instinct or reason may have governed his +actions. But instinct and reason are divisive concepts that cannot apply +to the human mind, which is actually indivisible. + +He got out of bed. Unable to stand, he rolled to the floor. He couldn't +crawl very well because his hands wouldn't support his weight so he +crept along on his knees and elbows. It didn't hurt. Nothing hurt except +the fire in his bones. He reached the door and straightened up on his +knees. He raised his hand to the handle, but couldn't grasp it. After +several trials, he abandoned the attempt and hooked his chin on the +handle, pulling it down. The door opened and he was in the next room. +The animal was whining louder now that he was near. Yellow eyes glowed +at him from the corner. He crept to the cage. + +It was latched. The animal shivered eagerly, pressing against the side, +striving to reach him. His hands were numb and he couldn't work the +latch. The animal licked his fingers. + +It was easier after that. He couldn't feel what he was doing, but +somehow he managed to unlatch it. The door swung open and the animal +bounded out, knocking him to the floor. + +He didn't mind at all because now he was sure he was right. The natives +had given him the animal for a purpose. Their own existence was meager, +near the edge of extinction. They could not afford to keep something +that wasn't useful. And this creature was useful. Tiny blue sparks +crackled from the fur as it rubbed against him in the darkness. It was +not whining. It rumbled and purred as it licked his hands and arms and +rolled against his legs. + +After a while he was strong enough to crawl back to bed, leaning against +the animal for support. He lifted himself up and fell across the bed in +exhaustion. Blood didn't circulate well in his crippled body. The animal +bounded up and tried to melt itself into his body. He couldn't push it +away if he wanted. He didn't want to. He stirred and got himself into a +more comfortable position. He wasn't going to die. + + * * * * * + +In the morning, Bolden was awake long before the doctor came in. +Kessler's face was haggard and the smile was something he assumed solely +for the patient's benefit. If he could have seen what the expression +looked like after filtering through the microscreen, he would have +abandoned it. "I see you're holding your own," he said with hollow +cheerfulness. "We're doing quite well ourselves." + +"I'll bet," said Bolden. "Maybe you've got to the point where one of the +antibiotics doesn't actually stimulate the growth of the microbes?" + +"I was afraid you'd find it out," sighed the doctor. "We can't keep +everything from you." + +"You could have given me a shot of plasma and said it was a powerful new +drug." + +"That idea went out of medical treatment a couple of hundred years ago," +said the doctor. "You'd feel worse when you failed to show improvement. +Settling a planet isn't easy and the dangers aren't imaginary. You've +got to be able to face facts as they come." + +He peered uncertainly at Bolden. The microscreen distorted his vision, +too. "We're making progress though it may not seem so to you. When a +mixture of a calcium salt plus two antihistamines is added to a certain +neobiotic, the result is that the microbe grows no faster than it +should. Switching the ingredients here and there--maybe it ought to be a +potassium salt--and the first thing you know we'll have it stopped +cold." + +"I doubt the effectiveness of those results," said Bolden. "In fact, I +think you're on the wrong track. Try investigating the effects of neural +induction." + +"What are you talking about?" said the doctor, coming closer and +glancing suspiciously at the lump beside Bolden. "Do you feel dizzy? Is +there anything else unusual that you notice?" + +"Don't shout at the patient." Bolden waggled his finger reprovingly. He +was proud of the finger. He couldn't feel what he was doing, but he had +control over it. "You, Kessler, should face the fact that a doctor can +learn from a patient what the patient learned from the natives." + +But Kessler didn't hear what he said. He was looking at the upraised +hand. "You're moving almost normally," he said. "Your own immunity +factor is controlling the disease." + +"Sure. I've got an immunity factor," said Bolden. "The same one the +natives have. Only it's not inside my body." He rested his hand on the +animal beneath the covers. It never wanted to leave him. It wouldn't +have to. + +"I can set your mind at rest on one thing, Doctor. Natives are +susceptible to the disease, too. That's why they were able to recognize +I had it. They gave me the cure and told me what it was, but I was +unable to see it until it was nearly too late. Here it is." He turned +back the covers and the exposed animal sleeping peacefully on his legs +which raised its head and licked his fingers. He felt that. + + * * * * * + +After an explanation the doctor tempered his disapproval. It was an +unsanitary practice, but he had to admit that the patient was much +improved. Kessler verified the state of Bolden's health by extensive use +of the X-ray microscope. Reluctantly he wheeled the machine to the wall +and covered it up. + +"The infection is definitely receding," he said. "There are previously +infected areas in which I find it difficult to locate a single microbe. +What I can't understand is how it's done. According to you, the animal +doesn't break the skin with its tongue and therefore nothing is released +into the bloodstream. All that seems necessary is that the animal be +near you." He shook his head behind the microscreen. "I don't think much +of the electrical analogy you used." + +"I said the first thing I thought of. I don't know if that's the way it +works, but it seems to me like a pretty fair guess." + +"The microbes _do_ cluster around nerves," said the doctor. "We know +that neural activity is partly electrical. If the level of that activity +can be increased, the bacteria might be killed by ionic dissociation." +He glanced speculatively at Bolden and the animal. "Perhaps you do +borrow nervous energy from the animal. We might also find it possible to +control the disease with an electrical current." + +"Don't try to find out on me," said Bolden. "I've been an experimental +specimen long enough. Take somebody who's healthy. I'll stick with the +natives' method." + +"I wasn't thinking of experiments in your condition. You're still not +out of danger." Nevertheless he showed his real opinion when he left the +room. He failed to plug in and flash the decontagion suit. + +Bolden smiled at the doctor's omission and ran his hand through the fur. +He was going to get well. + + * * * * * + +But his progress was somewhat slower than he'd anticipated though it +seemed to satisfy the doctor who went on with his experiments. The +offending bacteria could be killed electrically. But the current was +dangerously large and there was no practical way to apply the treatment +to humans. The animal was the only effective method. + +Kessler discovered the microbe required an intermediate host. A tick or +a mosquito seemed indicated. It would take a protracted search of the +mountains to determine just what insect was the carrier. In any event +the elaborate sanitary precautions were unnecessary. Microscreens came +down and decontagion suits were no longer worn. Bolden could not pass +the disease on to anyone else. + +Neither could the animal. It seemed wholly without parasites. It was +clean and affectionate, warm to the touch. Bolden was fortunate that +there was such a simple cure for the most dreaded disease on Van Daamas. + +It was several days before he was ready to leave the small hospital at +the edge of the settlement. At first he sat up in bed and then he was +allowed to walk across the room. As his activity increased, the animal +became more and more content to lie on the bed and follow him with its +eyes. It no longer frisked about as it had in the beginning. As Bolden +told the nurse, it was becoming housebroken. + +The time came when the doctor failed to find a single microbe. Bolden's +newly returned strength and the sensitivity of his skin where before +there had been numbness confirmed the diagnosis. He was well. Peggy came +to walk him home. It was pleasant to have her near. + +"I see you're ready," she said, laughing at his eagerness. + +"Except for one thing," he said. "Come, Pet." The animal raised its head +from the bed where it slept. + +"Pet?" she said quizzically. "You ought to give it a name. You've had it +long enough to decide on something." + +"Pet's a name," he said. "What can I call it? Doc? Hero?" + +She made a face. "I can't say I care for either choice, although it did +save your life." + +"Yes, but that's an attribute it can't help. The important thing is that +if you listed what you expect of a pet you'd find it in this creature. +Docile, gentle, lively at times; all it wants is to be near you, to have +you touch it. And it's very clean." + +"All right, call it Pet if you want," said Peggy. "Come on, Pet." + +It paid no attention to her. It came when Bolden called, getting slowly +off the bed. It stayed as close as it could get to Bolden. He was still +weak so they didn't walk fast and, at first, the animal was able to keep +up. + + * * * * * + +It was almost noon when they went out. The sun was brilliant and Van +Daamas seemed a wonderful place to be alive in. Yes, with death behind +him, it was a very wonderful place. Bolden chatted gaily with Peggy. She +was fine company. + +And then Bolden saw the native who had given him the animal. Five to +seven days, and he had arrived on time. The rest of the tribe must be +elsewhere in the settlement. Bolden smiled in recognition while the man +was still at some distance. For an answer the native shifted the bow in +his hand and glanced behind the couple, in the direction of the +hospital. + +The movement with the bow might have been menacing, but Bolden ignored +that gesture. It was the sense that something was missing that caused +him to look down. The animal was not at his side. He turned around. + +The creature was struggling in the dust. It got to its feet and wobbled +toward him, staggering crazily as it tried to reach him. It spun around, +saw him, and came on again. The tongue lolled out and it whined once. +Then the native shot it through the heart, pinning it to the ground. The +short tail thumped and then it died. + +Bolden couldn't move. Peggy clutched his arm. The native walked over to +the animal and looked down. He was silent for a moment. "Die anyway +soon," he said to Bolden. "Burned out inside." + +He bent over. The bright yellow eyes had faded to nothingness in the +sunlight. "Gave you its health," said the man of Van Daamas respectfully +as he broke off the protruding arrow. + +It was a dark blue arrow. + + * * * * * + +Now every settlement on the planet has Bolden's pets. They have been +given a more scientific name, but nobody remembers what it is. The +animals are kept in pens, exactly as is done by the natives, on one side +of town, not too near any habitation. + +For a while, there was talk that it was unscientific to use the animal. +It was thought that an electrical treatment could be developed to +replace it. Perhaps this was true. But settling a planet is a big task. +As long as one method works there isn't time for research. And it +works--the percentage of recovery is as high as in other common +ailments. + +But in any case the animal can never become a pet, though it may be in +the small but bright spark of consciousness that is all the little +yellow-eyed creature wants. The quality that makes it so valuable is the +final disqualification. Strength can be a weakness. Its nervous system +is too powerful for a man in good health, upsetting the delicate balance +of the human body in a variety of unusual ways. How the energy-transfer +takes place has never been determined exactly, but it does occur. + +It is only when he is stricken with the Bubble Death and needs +additional energy to drive the invading microbes from the tissue around +his nerves that the patient is allowed to have one of Bolden's pets. + +In the end, it is the animal that dies. As the natives knew, it is +kindness to kill it quickly. + +It is highly regarded and respectfully spoken of. Children play as close +as they can get, but are kept well away from the pens by a high, sturdy +fence. Adults walk by and nod kindly to it. + +Bolden never goes there nor will he speak of it. His friends say he's +unhappy about being the first Earthman to discover the usefulness of the +little animal. They are right. It is a distinction he doesn't care for. +He still has the blue arrow. There are local craftsmen who can mend it, +but he has refused their services. He wants to keep it as it is. + +--F. L. WALLACE + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Bolden's Pets, by F. L. Wallace + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BOLDEN'S PETS *** + +***** This file should be named 28460.txt or 28460.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/8/4/6/28460/ + +Produced by Adam Buchbinder and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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