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diff --git a/29159-h/29159-h.htm b/29159-h/29159-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fe8eb8a --- /dev/null +++ b/29159-h/29159-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1429 @@ +<!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 Acid Bath, by Vaseleos Garson + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1,h2 {text-align: center; clear: both;} + h2 {font-weight: normal;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 1em auto; clear: both; visibility: hidden;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .bk1 {margin: 2em 20%;} + .figcenter {margin: 0 auto; width: 600px;} + .trn {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; padding: 1em; text-align: justify;} + img {border: none;} + p.cap:first-letter {float: left; margin-right: .05em; padding-top: .05em; font-size: 300%; line-height: .8em; width: auto;} + .dcap {text-transform: uppercase;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Acid Bath, by Vaseleos Garson + +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: Acid Bath + +Author: Vaseleos Garson + +Illustrator: Herman Vestal + +Release Date: June 19, 2009 [EBook #29159] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ACID BATH *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/001.png" width="600" height="463" alt="" title="" /></div> + +<h1><big>ACID BATH</big></h1> + +<h2>By VASELEOS GARSON</h2> + +<div class="bk1"><p><i><big><b>The starways' Lone Watcher had expected some odd developments +in his singular, nerve-fraught job on the asteroid. But nothing like the +weird twenty-one-day liquid test devised by the invading Steel-Blues.</b></big></i></p></div> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Jon Karyl</span> was bolting in a new baffle +plate on the stationary rocket engine. +It was a tedious job and took all his +concentration. So he wasn't paying too much +attention to what was going on in other +parts of the little asteroid.</p> + +<p>He didn't see the peculiar blue space +ship, its rockets throttled down, as it drifted +to land only a few hundred yards away from +his plastic igloo.</p> + +<p>Nor did he see the half-dozen steel-blue +creatures slide out of the peculiar vessel's +airlock.</p> + +<p>It was only as he crawled out of the +depths of the rocket power plant that he +realized something was wrong.</p> + +<p>By then it was almost too late. The six +blue figures were only fifty feet away, approaching +him at a lope.</p> + +<p>Jon Karyl took one look and went bounding +over the asteroid's rocky slopes in fifty-foot +bounds.</p> + +<p>When you're a Lone Watcher, and +strangers catch you unawares, you don't +stand still. You move fast. It's the Watcher's +first rule. Stay alive. An Earthship may depend +upon your life.</p> + +<p>As he fled, Jon Karyl cursed softly under +his breath. The automatic alarm should have +shrilled out a warning.</p> + +<p>Then he saved as much of his breath as +he could as some sort of power wave tore +up the rocky sward to his left. He twisted +and zig-zagged in his flight, trying to get +out of sight of the strangers.</p> + +<p>Once hidden from their eyes, he could cut +back and head for the underground entrance +to the service station.</p> + +<p>He glanced back finally.</p> + +<p>Two of the steel-blue creatures were jack-rabbiting +after him, and rapidly closing the +distance.</p> + +<p>Jon Karyl unsheathed the stubray pistol +at his side, turned the oxygen dial up for +greater exertion, increased the gravity pull +in his space-suit boots as he neared the +ravine he'd been racing for.</p> + +<p>The oxygen was just taking hold when +he hit the lip of the ravine and began +sprinting through its man-high bush-strewn +course.</p> + +<p>The power ray from behind ripped out +great gobs of the sheltering bushes. But +running naturally, bent close to the bottom +of the ravine, Jon Karyl dodged the bare +spots. The oxygen made the tremendous +exertion easy for his lungs as he sped down +the dim trail, hidden from the two steel-blue +stalkers.</p> + +<p>He'd eluded them, temporarily at least, +Jon Karyl decided when he finally edged off +the dim trail and watched for movement +along the route behind him.</p> + +<p>He stood up, finally, pushed aside the +leafy overhang of a bush and looked for +landmarks along the edge of the ravine.</p> + +<p>He found one, a stubby bush, shaped like +a Maltese cross, clinging to the lip of the +ravine. The hidden entrance to the service +station wasn't far off.</p> + +<p>His pistol held ready, he moved quietly +on down the ravine until the old water +course made an abrupt hairpin turn.</p> + +<p>Instead of following around the sharp +bend, Jon Karyl moved straight ahead +through the overhanging bushes until he +came to a dense thicket. Dropping to his +hands and knees he worked his way under +the edge of the thicket into a hollowed-out +space in the center.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">There</span>, just ahead of him, was the lock +leading into the service station. Slipping +a key out of a leg pouch on the space suit, +he jabbed it into the center of the lock, +opening the lever housing.</p> + +<p>He pulled strongly on the lever. With a +hiss of escaping air, the lock swung open. +Jon Karyl darted inside, the door closing +softly behind.</p> + +<p>At the end of the long tunnel he stepped +to the televisor which was fixed on the area +surrounding the station.</p> + +<p>Jon Karyl saw none of the steel-blue creatures. +But he saw their ship. It squatted +like a smashed-down kid's top, its lock shut +tight.</p> + +<p>He tuned the televisor to its widest range +and finally spotted one of the Steel-Blues. +He was looking into the stationary rocket +engine.</p> + +<p>As Karyl watched, a second Steel-Blue +came crawling out of the ship.</p> + +<p>The two Steel-Blues moved toward the +center of the televisor range. They're coming +toward the station, Karyl thought grimly.</p> + +<p>Karyl examined the two creatures. They +were of the steel-blue color from the crown +of their egg-shaped heads to the tips of +their walking appendages.</p> + +<p>They were about the height of Karyl—six +feet. But where he tapered from broad +shoulders to flat hips, they were straight up +and down. They had no legs, just appendages, +many-jointed that stretched and +shrank independent of the other, but keeping +the cylindrical body with its four pairs +of tentacles on a level balance.</p> + +<p>Where their eyes would have been was +an elliptical-shaped lens, covering half the +egg-head, with its converging ends curving +around the sides of the head.</p> + +<p>Robots! Jon gauged immediately. But +where were their masters?</p> + +<p>The Steel-Blues moved out of the range +of the televisor. A minute later Jon heard +a pounding from the station upstairs.</p> + +<p>He chuckled. They were like the wolf of +pre-atomic days who huffed and puffed to +blow the house down.</p> + +<p>The outer shell of the station was formed +from stelrylite, the toughest metal in the +solar system. With the self-sealing lock of +the same resistant material, a mere pounding +was nothing.</p> + +<p>Jon thought he'd have a look-see anyway. +He went up the steel ladder leading to the +station's power plant and the televisor that +could look into every room within the +station.</p> + +<p>He heaved a slight sigh when he reached +the power room, for right at his hand were +weapons to blast the ship from the asteroid.</p> + +<p>Jon adjusted one televisor to take in the +lock to the station. His teeth suddenly +clamped down on his lower lip.</p> + +<p>Those Steel-Blues were pounding holes +into the stelrylite with round-headed metal +clubs. But it was impossible. Stelrylite didn't +break up that easily.</p> + +<p>Jon leaped to a row of studs, lining up +the revolving turret which capped the station +so that its thin fin pointed at the +squat ship of the invaders.</p> + +<p>Then he went to the atomic cannon's +firing buttons.</p> + +<p>He pressed first the yellow, then the blue +button. Finally the red one.</p> + +<p>The thin fin—the cannon's sight—split in +half as the turret opened and the coiled nose +of the cannon protruded. There was a +soundless flash. Then a sharp crack.</p> + +<p>Jon was dumbfounded when he saw the +bolt ricochet off the ship. This was no ship +of the solar system. There was nothing that +could withstand even the slight jolt of power +given by the station cannon on any of the +Sun's worlds. But what was this? A piece of +the ship had changed. A bubble of metal, +like a huge drop of blue wax, dripped off +the vessel and struck the rocket of the +asteroid. It steamed and ran in rivulets.</p> + +<p>He pressed the red button again.</p> + +<p>Then abruptly he was on the floor of the +power room, his legs strangely cut out from +under him. He tried to move them. They lay +flaccid. His arms seemed all right and tried +to lever himself to an upright position.</p> + +<p>Damn it, he seemed as if he were paralyzed +from the waist down. But it couldn't +happen that suddenly.</p> + +<p>He turned his head.</p> + +<p>A Steel-Blue stood facing him. A forked +tentacle held a square black box.</p> + +<p>Jon could read nothing in that metallic +face. He said, voice muffled by the confines +of the plastic helmet, "Who are you?"</p> + +<p>"I am"—there was a rising inflection in +the answer—"a Steel-Blue."</p> + +<p>There were no lips on the Steel-Blue's +face to move. "That is what I have named +you," Jon Karyl said. "But what are you?"</p> + +<p>"A robot," came the immediate answer. +Jon was quite sure then that the Steel-Blue +was telepathic. "Yes," the Steel-Blue answered. +"We talk in the language of the +mind. Come!" he said peremptorily, motioning +with the square black box.</p> + +<p>The paralysis left Karyl's legs. He followed +the Steel-Blue, aware that the lens +he'd seen on the creature's face had a +counterpart on the back of the egg-head.</p> + +<p>Eyes in the back of his head, Jon thought. +That's quite an innovation. "Thank you," +Steel-Blue said.</p> + +<p>There wasn't much fear in Jon Karyl's +mind. Psychiatrists had proved that when he +had applied for this high-paying but man-killing +job as a Lone Watcher on the Solar +System's starways.</p> + +<p>He had little fear now, only curiosity. +These Steel-Blues didn't seem inimical. +They could have snuffed out my life very +simply. Perhaps they and Solarians can be +friends.</p> + +<p>Steel-Blue chuckled.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Jon</span> followed him through the sundered +lock of the station. Karyl stopped for a +moment to examine the wreckage of the +lock. It had been punched full of holes as +if it had been some soft cheese instead of a +metal which Earthmen had spent nearly a +century perfecting.</p> + +<p>"We appreciate your compliment," Steel-Blue +said. "But that metal also is found on +our world. It's probably the softest and most +malleable we have. We were surprised you—earthmen, +is it?—use it as protective +metal."</p> + +<p>"Why are you in this system?" Jon asked, +hardly expecting an answer.</p> + +<p>It came anyway. "For the same reason you +Earthmen are reaching out farther into your +system. We need living room. You have +strategically placed planets for our use. We +will use them."</p> + +<p>Jon sighed. For 400 years scientists had +been preaching preparedness as Earth flung +her ships into the reaches of the solar system, +taking the first long step toward the +conquest of space.</p> + +<p>There are other races somewhere, they +argued. As strong and smart as man, many +of them so transcending man in mental and +inventive power that we must be prepared to +strike the minute danger shows.</p> + +<p>Now here was the answer to the scientists' +warning. Invasion by extra-terrestrials.</p> + +<p>"What did you say?" asked Steel-Blue. +"I couldn't understand."</p> + +<p>"Just thinking to myself," Jon answered. +It was a welcome surprise. Apparently his +thoughts had to be directed outward, rather +than inward, in order for the Steel-Blues to +read it.</p> + +<p>He followed the Steel-Blue into the gaping +lock of the invaders' space ship wondering +how he could warn Earth. The Space +Patrol cruiser was due in for refueling at +his service station in 21 days. But by that +time he probably would be mouldering in +the rocky dust of the asteroid.</p> + +<p>It was pitch dark within the ship but the +Steel-Blue seemed to have no trouble at all +maneuvering through the maze of corridors. +Jon followed him, attached to one tentacle.</p> + +<p>Finally Jon and his guide entered a circular +room, bright with light streaming from +a glass-like, bulging skylight. They apparently +were near topside of the vessel.</p> + +<p>A Steel-Blue, more massive than his +guide and with four more pair of tentacles, +including two short ones that grew from the +top of its head, spoke out.</p> + +<p>"This is the violator?" Jon's Steel-Blue +nodded.</p> + +<p>"You know the penalty? Carry it out."</p> + +<p>"He also is an inhabitant of this system," +Jon's guide added.</p> + +<p>"Examine him first, then give him the +death."</p> + +<p>Jon Karyl shrugged as he was led from +the lighted room through more corridors. +If it got too bad he still had the stubray +pistol.</p> + +<p>Anyway, he was curious. He'd taken on +the lonely, nerve-wracking job of service +station attendant just to see what it offered.</p> + +<p>Here was a part of it, and it was certainly +something new.</p> + +<p>"This is the examination room," his +Steel-Blue said, almost contemptuously.</p> + +<p>A green effulgence surrounded him.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">There</span> was a hiss. Simultaneously, as the +tiny microphone on the outside of his +suit picked up the hiss, he felt a chill go +through his body. Then it seemed as if a +half dozen hands were inside him, examining +his internal organs. His stomach contracted. +He felt a squeeze on his heart. His +lungs tickled.</p> + +<p>There were several more queer motions +inside his body.</p> + +<p>Then another Steel-Blue voice said:</p> + +<p>"He is a soft-metal creature, made up of +metals that melt at a very low temperature. +He also contains a liquid whose makeup I +cannot ascertain by ray-probe. Bring him +back when the torture is done."</p> + +<p>Jon Karyl grinned a trifle wryly. What +kind of torture could this be?</p> + +<p>Would it last 21 days? He glanced at the +chronometer on his wrist.</p> + +<p>Jon's Steel-Blue led him out of the alien +ship and halted expectantly just outside the +ship's lock.</p> + +<p>Jon Karyl waited, too. He thought of the +stubray pistol holstered at his hip. Shoot my +way out? It'd be fun while it lasted. But he +toted up the disadvantages.</p> + +<p>He either would have to find a hiding +place on the asteroid, and if the Steel-Blues +wanted him bad enough they could tear the +whole place to pieces, or somehow get +aboard the little life ship hidden in the +service station.</p> + +<p>In that he would be just a sitting duck.</p> + +<p>He shrugged off the slight temptation to +use the pistol. He was still curious.</p> + +<p>And he was interested in staying alive as +long as possible. There was a remote chance +he might warn the SP ship. Unconsciously, +he glanced toward his belt to see the little +power pack which, if under ideal conditions, +could finger out fifty thousand miles into +space.</p> + +<p>If he could somehow stay alive the 21 +days he might be able to warn the patrol. +He couldn't do it by attempting to flee, for +his life would be snuffed out immediately.</p> + +<p>The Steel-Blue said quietly:</p> + +<p>"It might be ironical to let you warn +that SP ship you keep thinking about. But +we know your weapon now. Already our +ship is equipped with a force field designed +especially to deflect your atomic guns."</p> + +<p>Jon Karyl covered up his thoughts +quickly. They can delve deeper than the +surface of the mind. Or wasn't I keeping a +leash on my thoughts?</p> + +<p>The Steel-Blue chuckled. "You get—absent-minded, +is it?—every once in a +while."</p> + +<p>Just then four other Steel-Blues appeared +lugging great sheets of plastic and various +other equipment.</p> + +<p>They dumped their loads and began unbundling +them.</p> + +<p>Working swiftly, they built a plastic +igloo, smaller than the living room in the +larger service station igloo. They ranged instruments +inside—one of them Jon Karyl +recognized as an air pump from within the +station—and they laid out a pallet.</p> + +<p>When they were done Jon saw a miniature +reproduction of the service station, lacking +only the cannon cap and fin, and with clear +plastic walls instead of the opaqueness of the +other.</p> + +<p>His Steel-Blue said: "We have reproduced +the atmosphere of your station so that you +be watched while you undergo the torture +under the normal conditions of your life."</p> + +<p>"What is this torture?" Jon Karyl asked.</p> + +<p>The answer was almost caressing: "It is +a liquid we use to dissolve metals. It causes +joints to harden if even so much as a drop +remains on it long. It eats away the metal, +leaving a scaly residue which crumbles +eventually into dust.</p> + +<p>"We will dilute it with a harmless liquid +for you since No. 1 does not wish you to die +instantly.</p> + +<p>"Enter your"—the Steel-Blue hesitated—"mausoleum. +You die in your own atmosphere. +However, we took the liberty of purifying +it. There were dangerous elements in +it."</p> + +<p>Jon walked into the little igloo. The +Steel-Blues sealed the lock, fingered dials +and switches on the outside. Jon's space suit +deflated. Pressure was building up in the +igloo.</p> + +<p>He took a sample of the air, found that +it was good, although quite rich in oxygen +compared with what he'd been using in the +service station and in his suit.</p> + +<p>With a sigh of relief he took off his helmet +and gulped huge draughts of the air.</p> + +<p>He sat down on the pallet and waited +for the torture to begin.</p> + +<p>The Steel Blues crowded about the igloo, +staring at him through elliptical eyes.</p> + +<p>Apparently, they too, were waiting for the +torture to begin.</p> + +<p>Jon thought the excess of oxygen was +making him light-headed.</p> + +<p>He stared at a cylinder which was beginning +to sprout tentacles from the circle. +He rubbed his eyes and looked again. An +opening, like the adjustable eye-piece of a +spacescope, was appearing in the center of +the cylinder.</p> + +<p>A square, glass-like tumbler sat in the +opening disclosed in the four-foot cylinder +that had sprouted tentacles. It contained a +yellowish liquid.</p> + +<p>One of the tentacles reached into the +opening and clasped the glass. The opening +closed and the cylinder, propelled by locomotor +appendages, moved toward Jon.</p> + +<p>He didn't like the looks of the liquid in +the tumbler. It looked like an acid of some +sort. He raised to his feet.</p> + +<p>He unsheathed the stubray gun and prepared +to blast the cylinder.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The</span> cylinder moved so fast Jon felt his +eyes jump in his head. He brought the +stubray gun up—but he was helpless. The +pistol kept on going up. With a deft movement, +one of the tentacles had speared it +from his hand and was holding it out of +his reach.</p> + +<p>Jon kicked at the glass in the cylinder's +hand. But he was too slow. Two tentacles +gripped the kicking leg. Another struck him +in the chest, knocking him to the pallet. The +same tentacle, assisted by a new one, +pinioned his shoulders.</p> + +<p>Four tentacles held him supine. The cylinder +lifted a glass-like cap from the tumbler +of liquid.</p> + +<p>Lying there helplessly, Jon was remembering +an old fairy tale he'd read as a kid. +Something about a fellow named Socrates +who was given a cup of hemlock to drink. +It was the finis for Socrates. But the old +hero had been nonchalant and calm about +the whole thing.</p> + +<p>With a sigh, Jon Karyl, who was curious +unto death, relaxed and said, "All right, +bub, you don't have to force-feed me. I'll +take it like a man."</p> + +<p>The cylinder apparently understood him, +for it handed him the tumbler. It even reholstered +his stubray pistol.</p> + +<p>Jon brought the glass of liquid under his +nose. The fumes of the liquid were pungent. +It brought tears to his eyes.</p> + +<p>He looked at the cylinder, then at the +Steel-Blues crowding around the plastic +igloo. He waved the glass at the audience.</p> + +<p>"To Earth, ever triumphant," he toasted. +Then he drained the glass at a gulp.</p> + +<p>Its taste was bitter, and he felt hot +prickles jab at his scalp. It was like eating +very hot peppers. His eyes filled with tears. +He coughed as the stuff went down.</p> + +<p>But he was still alive, he thought in +amazement. He'd drunk the hemlock and +was still alive.</p> + +<p>The reaction set in quickly. He hadn't +known until then how tense he'd been. Now +with the torture ordeal over, he relaxed. He +laid down on the pallet and went to sleep.</p> + +<p>There was one lone Steel-Blue watching +him when he rubbed the sleep out of his +eyes and sat up.</p> + +<p>He vanished almost instantly. He, or another +like him, returned immediately accompanied +by a half-dozen others, including +the multi-tentacled creature known as No. 1.</p> + +<p>One said,</p> + +<p>"You are alive." The thought registered +amazement. "When you lost consciousness, +we thought you had"—there was a hesitation—"as +you say, died."</p> + +<p>"No," Jon Karyl said. "I didn't die. I +was just plain dead-beat so I went to sleep." +The Steel-Blues apparently didn't understand.</p> + +<p>"Good it is that you live. The torture +will continue," spoke No. 1 before loping +away.</p> + +<p>The cylinder business began again. This +time, Jon drank the bitter liquid slowly, trying +to figure out what it was. It had a +familiar, tantalizing taste but he couldn't +quite put a taste-finger on it.</p> + +<p>His belly said he was hungry. He glanced +at his chronometer. Only 20 days left before +the SP ship arrived.</p> + +<p>Would this torture—he chuckled—last +until then? But he was growing more and +more conscious that his belly was screaming +for hunger. The liquid had taken the edge +off his thirst.</p> + +<p>It was on the fifth day of his torture that +Jon Karyl decided that he was going to get +something to eat or perish in the attempt.</p> + +<p>The cylinder sat passively in its niche in +the circle. A dozen Steel-Blues were watching +as Jon put on his helmet and unsheathed +his stubray.</p> + +<p>They merely watched as he pressed the +stubray's firing stud. Invisible rays licked +out of the bulbous muzzle of the pistol. +The plastic splintered.</p> + +<p>Jon was out of his goldfish bowl and +striding toward his own igloo adjacent to +the service station when a Steel-Blue +accosted him.</p> + +<p>"Out of my way," grunted Jon, waving +the stubray. "I'm hungry."</p> + +<p>"I'm the first Steel-Blue you met," said +the creature who barred his way. "Go back +to your torture."</p> + +<p>"But I'm so hungry I'll chew off one of +your tentacles and eat it without seasoning."</p> + +<p>"Eat?" The Steel-Blue sounded puzzled.</p> + +<p>"I want to refuel. I've got to have food +to keep my engine going."</p> + +<p>Steel-Blue chuckled. "So the hemlock, as +you call it, is beginning to affect you at +last? Back to the torture room."</p> + +<p>"Like R-dust," Jon growled. He pressed +the firing stud on the stubray gun. One of +Steel-Blue's tentacles broke off and fell to +the rocky sward.</p> + +<p>Steel-Blue jerked out the box he'd used +once before. A tentacle danced over it.</p> + +<p>Abruptly Jon found himself standing on +a pinnacle of rock. Steel-Blue had cut a +swath around him 15 feet deep and five feet +wide.</p> + +<p>"Back to the room," Steel-Blue commanded.</p> + +<p>Jon resheathed the stubray pistol, +shrugged non-committally and leaped the +trench. He walked slowly back and reentered +the torture chamber.</p> + +<p>The Steel-Blues rapidly repaired the damage +he'd done.</p> + +<p>As he watched them, Jon was still curious, +but he was getting mad underneath at +the cold egoism of the Steel-Blues.</p> + +<p>By the shimmering clouds of Earth, by +her green fields, and dark forests, he'd +stay alive to warn the SP ship.</p> + +<p>Yes, he'd stay alive till then. And send +the story of the Steel-Blues' corrosive acid +to it. Then hundreds of Earth's ships could +equip themselves with spray guns and squirt +citric acid and watch the Steel-Blues fade +away.</p> + +<p>It sounded almost silly to Jon Karyl. The +fruit acid of Earth to repel these invaders—it +doesn't sound possible. That couldn't be +the answer.</p> + +<p>Citric acid wasn't the answer, Jon Karyl +discovered a week later.</p> + +<p>The Steel-Blue who had captured him in +the power room of the service station came +in to examine him.</p> + +<p>"You're still holding out, I see," he observed +after poking Jon in every sensitive +part of his body.</p> + +<p>"I'll suggest to No. 1 that we increase +the power of the—ah—hemlock. How do +you feel?"</p> + +<p>Between the rich oxygen and the dizziness +of hunger, Jon was a bit delirious. But he +answered honestly enough: "My guts feel as +if they're chewing each other up. My bones +ache. My joints creak. I can't coordinate I'm +so hungry."</p> + +<p>"That is the hemlock," Steel-Blue said.</p> + +<p>It was when he quaffed the new and +stronger draught that Jon knew that his +hope that it was citric acid was squelched.</p> + +<p>The acid taste was weaker which meant +that the citric acid was the diluting liquid. +It was the liquid he couldn't taste beneath +the tang of the citric acid that was the corrosive +acid.</p> + +<p>On the fourteenth day, Jon was so weak +he didn't feel much like moving around. He +let the cylinder feed him the hemlock.</p> + +<p>No. 1 came again to see him, and went +away chuckling, "Decrease the dilution. +This Earthman at last is beginning to +suffer."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Staying</span> alive had now become a fetish +with Jon.</p> + +<p>On the sixteenth day, the Earthman realized +that the Steel-Blues also were waiting +for the SP ship.</p> + +<p>The extra-terrestrials had repaired the +blue ship where the service station atomic +ray had struck. And they were doing a little +target practice with plastic bubbles only a +few miles above the asteroid.</p> + +<p>When his chronometer clocked off the +beginning of the twenty-first day, Jon received +a tumbler of the hemlock from the +hands of No. 1 himself.</p> + +<p>"It is the hemlock," he chuckled, "undiluted. +Drink it and your torture is over. +You will die before your SP ship is destroyed.</p> + +<p>"We have played with you long enough. +Today we begin to toy with your SP ship. +Drink up, Earthman, drink to enslavement."</p> + +<p>Weak though he was Jon lunged to his +feet, spilling the tumbler of liquid. It ran +cool along the plastic arm of his space suit. +He changed his mind about throwing the +contents on No. 1.</p> + +<p>With a smile he set the glass at his lips +and drank. Then he laughed at No. 1.</p> + +<p>"The SP ship will turn your ship into +jelly."</p> + +<p>No. 1 swept out, chuckling. "Boast if you +will, Earthman, it's your last chance."</p> + +<p>There was an exultation in Jon's heart +that deadened the hunger and washed away +the nausea.</p> + +<p>At last he knew what the hemlock was.</p> + +<p>He sat on the pallet adjusting the little +power-pack radio. The SP ship should now +be within range of the set. The space patrol +was notorious for its accuracy in keeping to +schedule. Seconds counted like years. They +had to be on the nose, or it meant disaster +or death.</p> + +<p>He sent out the call letters.</p> + +<p>"AX to SP-101 ... AX to SP-101 ... AX +to SP-101 ..."</p> + +<p>Three times he sent the call, then began +sending his message, hoping that his signal +was reaching the ship. He couldn't know if +they answered. Though the power pack +could get out a message over a vast distance, +it could not pick up messages even +when backed by an SP ship's power unless +the ship was only a few hundred miles +away.</p> + +<p>The power pack was strictly a distress +signal.</p> + +<p>He didn't know how long he'd been +sending, nor how many times his weary +voice had repeated the short but desperate +message.</p> + +<p>He kept watching the heavens and hoping.</p> + +<p>Abruptly he knew the SP ship was coming, +for the blue ship of the Steel-Blues was +rising silently from the asteroid.</p> + +<p>Up and up it rose, then flames flickered +in a circle about its curious shape. The ship +disappeared, suddenly accelerating.</p> + +<p>Jon Karyl strained his eyes.</p> + +<p>Finally he looked away from the heavens +to the two Steel-Blues who stood negligently +outside the goldfish bowl.</p> + +<p>Once more, Jon used the stubray pistol. +He marched out of the plastic igloo and ran +toward the service station.</p> + +<p>He didn't know how weak he was until +he stumbled and fell only a few feet from +his prison.</p> + +<p>The Steel-Blues just watched him.</p> + +<p>He crawled on, around the circular pit in +the sward of the asteroid where one Steel-Blue +had shown him the power of his +weapon.</p> + +<p>He'd been crawling through a nightmare +for years when the quiet voice penetrated +his dulled mind.</p> + +<p>"Take it easy, Karyl. You're among +friends."</p> + +<p>He pried open his eyes with his will. He +saw the blue and gold of a space guard's +uniform. He sighed and drifted into unconsciousness.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">He was</span> still weak days later when +Capt. Ron Small of SP-101 said,</p> + +<p>"Yes, Karyl, it's ironical. They fed you +what they thought was sure death, and it's +the only thing that kept you going long +enough to warn us."</p> + +<p>"I was dumb for a long time," Karyl said. +"I thought that it was the acid, almost to +the very last. But when I drank that last +glass, I knew they didn't have a chance.</p> + +<p>"They were metal monsters. No wonder +they feared that liquid. It would rust their +joints, short their wiring, and kill them. +No wonder they stared when I kept alive +after drinking enough to completely annihilate +a half-dozen of them.</p> + +<p>"But what happened when you met the +ship?"</p> + +<p>The space captain grinned.</p> + +<p>"Not much. Our crew was busy creating +a hollow shell filled with <i>water</i> to be shot +out of a rocket tube converted into a projectile +thrower.</p> + +<p>"These Steel-Blues, as you call them, put +traction beams on us and started tugging us +toward the asteroid. We tried a couple of +atomic shots but when they just glanced off, +we gave up.</p> + +<p>"They weren't expecting the shell of +water. When it hit that blue ship, you could +almost see it oxidize before your eyes.</p> + +<p>"I guess they knew what was wrong right +away. They let go the traction beams and +tried to get away. They forgot about the +force field, so we just poured atomic fire +into the weakening ship. It just melted +away."</p> + +<p>Jon Karyl got up from the divan where +he'd been lying. "They thought I was a +metal creature, too. But where do you suppose +they came from?"</p> + +<p>The captain shrugged. "Who knows?"</p> + +<p>Jon set two glasses on the table.</p> + +<p>"Have a drink of the best damn water in +the solar system?" He asked Capt. Small.</p> + +<p>"Don't mind if I do."</p> + +<p>The water twinkled in the two glasses, +winking as if it knew just what it had +done.</p> + +<div class="trn"><b>Transcriber's Note:</b> +This etext was produced from <i>Planet Stories</i> July 1952. +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 Acid Bath, by Vaseleos Garson + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ACID BATH *** + +***** This file should be named 29159-h.htm or 29159-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/1/5/29159/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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