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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/29525-h.zip b/29525-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..53b8d06 --- /dev/null +++ b/29525-h.zip diff --git a/29525-h/29525-h.htm b/29525-h/29525-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f513b42 --- /dev/null +++ b/29525-h/29525-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1868 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Leech, by Phillips Barbee + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h2 {text-align: center; clear: both;} + h1 {margin-top: 0; text-align: left; padding-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em; float: left; width: auto;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 2em auto; visibility: hidden;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .rgt {text-align: right;} + .figcenter {margin: 1em auto; width: 511px;} + img {border: none;} + a:link,a:visited {text-decoration: 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;} + .figt {float: left; clear: left; margin: 15px; padding: 0; width: 146px;} + .trn {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; min-height: 230px;} + .trn p {margin: 15px;} + .bk1 {margin: 2em auto 4em; width: 18em;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Leech, by Phillips Barbee + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Leech + +Author: Phillips Barbee + +Illustrator: Connell + +Release Date: July 27, 2009 [EBook #29525] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LEECH *** + + + + +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="511" height="500" alt="" title="" /></div> + +<h1><big>the<br /> +Leech</big></h1> + +<p class="rgt"><big><b>Illustrated by CONNELL</b></big></p> + +<h2>By PHILLIPS BARBEE</h2> + +<div class="bk1"><p><big><b><i>A visitor should be fed, but +this one could eat you out of +house and home ... literally!</i></b></big></p></div> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The</span> leech was waiting for +food. For millennia it had +been drifting across the +vast emptiness of space. Without +consciousness, it had spent the +countless centuries in the void +between the stars. It was unaware +when it finally reached a sun. +Life-giving radiation flared +around the hard, dry spore. +Gravitation tugged at it.</p> + +<p>A planet claimed it, with other +stellar debris, and the leech fell, +still dead-seeming within its +tough spore case.</p> + +<p>One speck of dust among many, +the winds blew it around the +Earth, played with it, and let it +fall.</p> + +<p>On the ground, it began to stir. +Nourishment soaked in, permeating +the spore case. It grew—and +fed.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Frank Conners</span> came up +on the porch and coughed +twice. "Say, pardon me, Professor," +he said.</p> + +<p>The long, pale man didn't stir +from the sagging couch. His horn-rimmed +glasses were perched on +his forehead, and he was snoring +very gently.</p> + +<p>"I'm awful sorry to disturb +you," Conners said, pushing back +his battered felt hat. "I know it's +your restin' week and all, but +there's something damned funny +in the ditch."</p> + +<p>The pale man's left eyebrow +twitched, but he showed no other +sign of having heard.</p> + +<p>Frank Conners coughed again, +holding his spade in one purple-veined +hand. "Didja hear me, +Professor?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I heard you," Micheals +said in a muffled voice, his +eyes still closed. "You found a +pixie."</p> + +<p>"A what?" Conners asked, +squinting at Micheals.</p> + +<p>"A little man in a green suit. +Feed him milk, Conners."</p> + +<p>"No, sir. I think it's a rock."</p> + +<p>Micheals opened one eye and +focused it in Conners' general direction.</p> + +<p>"I'm awfully sorry about it," +Conners said. Professor Micheals' +resting week was a ten-year-old +custom, and his only eccentricity. +All winter Micheals taught anthropology, +worked on half a +dozen committees, dabbled in +physics and chemistry, and still +found time to write a book a year. +When summer came, he was +tired.</p> + +<p>Arriving at his worked-out New +York State farm, it was his invariable +rule to do absolutely nothing +for a week. He hired Frank +Conners to cook for that week +and generally make himself useful, +while Professor Micheals +slept.</p> + +<p>During the second week, Micheals +would wander around, +look at the trees and fish. By the +third week he would be getting a +tan, reading, repairing the sheds +and climbing mountains. At the +end of four weeks, he could hardly +wait to get back to the city.</p> + +<p>But the resting week was sacred.</p> + +<p>"I really wouldn't bother you +for anything small," Conners said +apologetically. "But that damned +rock melted two inches off my +spade."</p> + +<p>Micheals opened both eyes and +sat up. Conners held out the +spade. The rounded end was +sheared cleanly off. Micheals +swung himself off the couch and +slipped his feet into battered moccasins.</p> + +<p>"Let's see this wonder," he said.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The</span> object was lying in the +ditch at the end of the front +lawn, three feet from the main +road. It was round, about the size +of a truck tire, and solid throughout. +It was about an inch thick, +as far as he could tell, grayish +black and intricately veined.</p> + +<p>"Don't touch it," Conners +warned.</p> + +<p>"I'm not going to. Let me have +your spade." Micheals took the +spade and prodded the object experimentally. +It was completely +unyielding. He held the spade to +the surface for a moment, then +withdrew it. Another inch was +gone.</p> + +<p>Micheals frowned, and pushed +his glasses tighter against his +nose. He held the spade against +the rock with one hand, the other +held close to the surface. More of +the spade disappeared.</p> + +<p>"Doesn't seem to be generating +heat," he said to Conners. "Did +you notice any the first time?"</p> + +<p>Conners shook his head.</p> + +<p>Micheals picked up a clod of +dirt and tossed it on the object. +The dirt dissolved quickly, leaving +no trace on the gray-black +surface. A large stone followed +the dirt, and disappeared in the +same way.</p> + +<p>"Isn't that just about the +damnedest thing you ever saw, +Professor?" Conners asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Micheals agreed, standing +up again. "It just about is."</p> + +<p>He hefted the spade and +brought it down smartly on the +object. When it hit, he almost +dropped the spade. He had been +gripping the handle rigidly, +braced for a recoil. But the spade +struck that unyielding surface +and <i>stayed</i>. There was no perceptible +give, but absolutely no recoil.</p> + +<p>"Whatcha think it is?" Conners +asked.</p> + +<p>"It's no stone," Micheals said. +He stepped back. "A leech drinks +blood. This thing seems to be +drinking dirt. And spades." He +struck it a few more times, experimentally. +The two men looked +at each other. On the road, +half a dozen Army trucks rolled +past.</p> + +<p>"I'm going to phone the college +and ask a physics man about it," +Micheals said. "Or a biologist. +I'd like to get rid of that thing +before it spoils my lawn."</p> + +<p>They walked back to the house.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Everything</span> fed the leech. +The wind added its modicum +of kinetic energy, ruffling across +the gray-black surface. Rain fell, +and the force of each individual +drop added to its store. The water +was sucked in by the all-absorbing +surface.</p> + +<p>The sunlight above it was absorbed, +and converted into mass +for its body. Beneath it, the soil +was consumed, dirt, stones and +branches broken down by the +leech's complex cells and changed +into energy. Energy was converted +back into mass, and the leech +grew.</p> + +<p>Slowly, the first flickers of consciousness +began to return. Its +first realization was of the impossible +smallness of its body.</p> + +<p>It grew.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">When</span> Micheals looked the next +day, the leech was eight feet +across, sticking out into the road +and up the side of the lawn. The +following day it was almost eighteen +feet in diameter, shaped to fit +the contour of the ditch, and covering +most of the road. That day +the sheriff drove up in his model +A, followed by half the town.</p> + +<p>"Is that your leech thing, Professor +Micheals?" Sheriff Flynn +asked.</p> + +<p>"That's it," Micheals said. He +had spent the past days looking +unsuccessfully for an acid that +would dissolve the leech.</p> + +<p>"We gotta get it out of the +road," Flynn said, walking truculently +up to the leech. "Something +like this, you can't let it +block the road, Professor. The +Army's gotta use this road."</p> + +<p>"I'm terribly sorry," Micheals +said with a straight face. "Go +right ahead, Sheriff. But be careful. +It's hot." The leech wasn't +hot, but it seemed the simplest +explanation under the circumstances.</p> + +<p>Micheals watched with interest +as the sheriff tried to shove a +crowbar under it. He smiled to +himself when it was removed with +half a foot of its length gone.</p> + +<p>The sheriff wasn't so easily discouraged. +He had come prepared +for a stubborn piece of rock. He +went to the rumble seat of his car +and took out a blowtorch and a +sledgehammer, ignited the torch +and focused it on one edge of the +leech.</p> + +<p>After five minutes, there was +no change. The gray didn't turn +red or even seem to heat up. +Sheriff Flynn continued to bake +it for fifteen minutes, then called +to one of the men.</p> + +<p>"Hit that spot with the sledge, +Jerry."</p> + +<p>Jerry picked up the sledgehammer, +motioned the sheriff +back, and swung it over his head. +He let out a howl as the hammer +struck unyieldingly. There wasn't +a fraction of recoil.</p> + +<p>In the distance they heard the +roar of an Army convoy.</p> + +<p>"Now we'll get some action," +Flynn said.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Micheals</span> wasn't so sure. He +walked around the periphery +of the leech, asking himself what +kind of substance would react +that way. The answer was easy—no +substance. No <i>known</i> substance.</p> + +<p>The driver in the lead jeep +held up his hand, and the long +convoy ground to a halt. A hard, +efficient-looking officer stepped +out of the jeep. From the star on +either shoulder, Micheals knew +he was a brigadier general.</p> + +<p>"You can't block this road," +the general said. He was a tall, +spare man in suntans, with a sunburned +face and cold eyes. +"Please clear that thing away."</p> + +<p>"We can't move it," Micheals +said. He told the general what +had happened in the past few +days.</p> + +<p>"It must be moved," the general +said. "This convoy must go +through." He walked closer and +looked at the leech. "You say it +can't be jacked up by a crowbar? +A torch won't burn it?"</p> + +<p>"That's right," Micheals said, +smiling faintly.</p> + +<p>"Driver," the general said over +his shoulder. "Ride over it."</p> + +<p>Micheals started to protest, but +stopped himself. The military +mind would have to find out in +its own way.</p> + +<p>The driver put his jeep in gear +and shot forward, jumping the +leech's four-inch edge. The jeep +got to the center of the leech and +stopped.</p> + +<p>"I didn't tell you to stop!" the +general bellowed.</p> + +<p>"I didn't, sir!" the driver protested.</p> + +<p>The jeep had been yanked to a +stop and had stalled. The driver +started it again, shifted to four-wheel +drive, and tried to ram forward. +The jeep was fixed immovably, +as though set in concrete.</p> + +<p>"Pardon me," Micheals said. +"If you look, you can see that the +tires are melting down."</p> + +<p>The general stared, his hand +creeping automatically toward +his pistol belt. Then he shouted, +"Jump, driver! Don't touch that +gray stuff."</p> + +<p>White-faced, the driver climbed +to the hood of his jeep, looked +around him, and jumped clear.</p> + +<p>There was complete silence as +everyone watched the jeep. First +its tires melted down, and then +the rims. The body, resting on the +gray surface, melted, too.</p> + +<p>The aerial was the last to go.</p> + +<p>The general began to swear +softly under his breath. He turned +to the driver. "Go back and have +some men bring up hand grenades +and dynamite."</p> + +<p>The driver ran back to the +convoy.</p> + +<p>"I don't know what you've got +here," the general said. "But it's +not going to stop a U.S. Army +convoy."</p> + +<p>Micheals wasn't so sure.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The</span> leech was nearly awake +now, and its body was calling +for more and more food. It dissolved +the soil under it at a furious +rate, filling it in with its own +body, flowing outward.</p> + +<p>A large object landed on it, and +that became food also. Then suddenly—</p> + +<p>A burst of energy against its +surface, and then another, and +another. It consumed them gratefully, +converting them into mass. +Little metal pellets struck it, and +their kinetic energy was absorbed, +their mass converted. More explosions +took place, helping to +fill the starving cells.</p> + +<p>It began to sense things—controlled +combustion around it, vibrations +of wind, mass movements.</p> + +<p>There was another, greater explosion, +a taste of <i>real</i> food! +Greedily it ate, growing faster. +It waited anxiously for more explosions, +while its cells screamed +for food.</p> + +<p>But no more came. It continued +to feed on the soil and on the +Sun's energy. Night came, noticeable +for its lesser energy possibilities, +and then more days and +nights. Vibrating objects continued +to move around it.</p> + +<p>It ate and grew and flowed.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Micheals</span> stood on a little +hill, watching the dissolution +of his house. The leech was +several hundred yards across +now, lapping at his front porch.</p> + +<p>Good-by, home, Micheals +thought, remembering the ten +summers he had spent there.</p> + +<p>The porch collapsed into the +body of the leech. Bit by bit, the +house crumpled.</p> + +<p>The leech looked like a field of +lava now, a blasted spot on the +green Earth.</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, sir," a soldier said, +coming up behind him. "General +O'Donnell would like to see you."</p> + +<p>"Right," Micheals said, and +took his last look at the house.</p> + +<p>He followed the soldier through +the barbed wire that had been +set up in a half-mile circle around +the leech. A company of soldiers +was on guard around it, keeping +back the reporters and the hundreds +of curious people who had +flocked to the scene. Micheals +wondered why he was still allowed +inside. Probably, he decided, +because most of this was +taking place on his land.</p> + +<p>The soldier brought him to a +tent. Micheals stooped and went +in. General O'Donnell, still in +suntans, was seated at a small +desk. He motioned Micheals to a +chair.</p> + +<p>"I've been put in charge of +getting rid of this leech," he said +to Micheals.</p> + +<p>Micheals nodded, not commenting +on the advisability of +giving a soldier a scientist's job.</p> + +<p>"You're a professor, aren't +you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. Anthropology."</p> + +<p>"Good. Smoke?" The general +lighted Micheals' cigarette. "I'd +like you to stay around here in +an advisory capacity. You were +one of the first to see this leech. +I'd appreciate your observations +on—" he smiled—"the enemy."</p> + +<p>"I'd be glad to," Micheals said. +"However, I think this is more +in the line of a physicist or a biochemist."</p> + +<p>"I don't want this place cluttered +with scientists," General +O'Donnell said, frowning at the +tip of his cigarette. "Don't get me +wrong. I have the greatest appreciation +for science. I am, if I do +say so, a scientific soldier. I'm +always interested in the latest +weapons. You can't fight any +kind of a war any more without +science."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">O'Donnell's</span> sunburned face +grew firm. "But I can't have +a team of longhairs poking +around this thing for the next +month, holding me up. My job +is to destroy it, by any means in +my power, and at once. I am going +to do just that."</p> + +<p>"I don't think you'll find it +that easy," Micheals said.</p> + +<p>"That's what I want you for," +O'Donnell said. "Tell me why +and I'll figure out a way of doing +it."</p> + +<p>"Well, as far as I can figure +out, the leech is an organic mass-energy +converter, and a frighteningly +efficient one. I would guess +that it has a double cycle. First, +it converts mass into energy, then +back into mass for its body. Second, +energy is converted directly +into the body mass. How this +takes place, I do not know. The +leech is not protoplasmic. It may +not even be cellular—"</p> + +<p>"So we need something big +against it," O'Donnell interrupted. +"Well, that's all right. I've +got some big stuff here."</p> + +<p>"I don't think you understand +me," Micheals said. "Perhaps I'm +not phrasing this very well. <i>The +leech eats energy.</i> It can consume +the strength of any energy +weapon you use against it."</p> + +<p>"What happens," O'Donnell +asked, "if it keeps on eating?"</p> + +<p>"I have no idea what its +growth-limits are," Micheals +said. "Its growth may be limited +only by its food source."</p> + +<p>"You mean it could continue +to grow probably forever?"</p> + +<p>"It could possibly grow as long +as it had something to feed on."</p> + +<p>"This is really a challenge," +O'Donnell said. "That leech can't +be totally impervious to force."</p> + +<p>"It seems to be. I suggest you +get some physicists in here. Some +biologists also. Have them figure +out a way of nullifying it."</p> + +<p>The general put out his cigarette. +"Professor, I cannot wait +while scientists wrangle. There is +an axiom of mine which I am +going to tell you." He paused impressively. +"Nothing is impervious +to force. Muster enough +force and anything will give. +<i>Anything.</i></p> + +<p>"Professor," the general continued, +in a friendlier tone, "you +shouldn't sell short the science +you represent. We have, massed +under North Hill, the greatest accumulation +of energy and radioactive +weapons ever assembled in +one spot. Do you think your leech +can stand the full force of them?"</p> + +<p>"I suppose it's possible to overload +the thing," Micheals said +doubtfully. He realized now why +the general wanted him around. +He supplied the trappings of science, +without the authority to +override O'Donnell.</p> + +<p>"Come with me," General +O'Donnell said cheerfully, getting +up and holding back a flap of the +tent. "We're going to crack that +leech in half."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">After</span> a long wait, rich food +started to come again, piped +into one side of it. First there was +only a little, and then more and +more. Radiations, vibrations, explosions, +solids, liquids—an +amazing variety of edibles. It accepted +them all. But the food +was coming too slowly for the +starving cells, for new cells were +constantly adding their demands +to the rest.</p> + +<p>The ever-hungry body screamed +for more food, faster!</p> + +<p>Now that it had reached a fairly +efficient size, it was fully +awake. It puzzled over the energy-impressions +around it, locating +the source of the new food +massed in one spot.</p> + +<p>Effortlessly it pushed itself into +the air, flew a little way and +dropped on the food. Its super-efficient +cells eagerly gulped the +rich radioactive substances. But +it did not ignore the lesser potentials +of metal and clumps of carbohydrates.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">"The</span> damned fools," General +O'Donnell said. "Why did +they have to panic? You'd think +they'd never been trained." He +paced the ground outside his tent, +now in a new location three miles +back.</p> + +<p>The leech had grown to two +miles in diameter. Three farming +communities had been evacuated.</p> + +<p>Micheals, standing beside the +general, was still stupefied by the +memory. The leech had accepted +the massed power of the weapons +for a while, and then its entire +bulk had lifted in the air. The +Sun had been blotted out as it +flew leisurely over North Hill, +and dropped. There should have +been time for evacuation, but the +frightened soldiers had been blind +with fear.</p> + +<p>Sixty-seven men were lost in +Operation Leech, and General +O'Donnell asked permission to +use atomic bombs. Washington +sent a group of scientists to investigate +the situation.</p> + +<p>"Haven't those experts decided +yet?" O'Donnell asked, halting +angrily in front of the tent. +"They've been talking long +enough."</p> + +<p>"It's a hard decision," Micheals +said. Since he wasn't an +official member of the investigating +team, he had given his information +and left. "The physicists +consider it a biological matter, +and the biologists seem to think +the chemists should have the answer. +No one's an expert on this, +because it's never happened before. +We just don't have the +data."</p> + +<p>"It's a military problem," +O'Donnell said harshly. "I'm not +interested in what the thing is—I +want to know what can destroy +it. They'd better give me permission +to use the bomb."</p> + +<p>Micheals had made his own +calculations on that. It was impossible +to say for sure, but taking +a flying guess at the leech's +mass-energy absorption rate, figuring +in its size and apparent +capacity for growth, an atomic +bomb <i>might</i> overload it—if used +soon enough.</p> + +<p>He estimated three days as the +limit of usefulness. The leech was +growing at a geometric rate. It +could cover the United States in +a few months.</p> + +<p>"For a week I've been asking +permission to use the bomb," +O'Donnell grumbled. "And I'll +get it, but not until after those +jackasses end their damned talking." +He stopped pacing and +turned to Micheals. "I am going +to destroy the leech. I am going +to smash it, if that's the last thing +I do. It's more than a matter of +security now. It's personal pride."</p> + +<p>That attitude might make great +generals, Micheals thought, but +it wasn't the way to consider this +problem. It was anthropomorphic +of O'Donnell to see the leech as +an enemy. Even the identification, +"leech," was a humanizing factor. +O'Donnell was dealing with it as +he would any physical obstacle, +as though the leech were the simple +equivalent of a large army.</p> + +<p>But the leech was not human, +not even of this planet, perhaps. +It should be dealt with in its own +terms.</p> + +<p>"Here come the bright boys +now," O'Donnell said.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">From</span> a nearby tent a group of +weary men emerged, led by +Allenson, a government biologist.</p> + +<p>"Well," the general asked, +"have you figured out what it is?"</p> + +<p>"Just a minute, I'll hack off a +sample," Allenson said, glaring +through red-rimmed eyes.</p> + +<p>"Have you figured out some +<i>scientific</i> way of killing it?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, that wasn't too difficult," +Moriarty, an atomic physicist, +said wryly. "Wrap it in a perfect +vacuum. That'll do the trick. Or +blow it off the Earth with anti-gravity."</p> + +<p>"But failing that," Allenson +said, "we suggest you use your +atomic bombs, and use them +fast."</p> + +<p>"Is that the opinion of your +entire group?" O'Donnell asked, +his eyes glittering.</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>The general hurried away. Micheals +joined the scientists.</p> + +<p>"He should have called us in +at the very first," Allenson complained. +"There's no time to consider +anything but force now."</p> + +<p>"Have you come to any conclusions +about the nature of the +leech?" Micheals asked.</p> + +<p>"Only general ones," Moriarty +said, "and they're about the same +as yours. The leech is probably +extraterrestrial in origin. It seems +to have been in a spore-stage until +it landed on Earth." He paused +to light a pipe. "Incidentally, we +should be damned glad it didn't +drop in an ocean. We'd have had +the Earth eaten out from under +us before we knew what we were +looking for."</p> + +<p>They walked in silence for a +few minutes.</p> + +<p>"As you mentioned, it's a perfect +converter—it can transform +mass into energy, and any energy +into mass." Moriarty grinned. +"Naturally that's impossible and +I have figures to prove it."</p> + +<p>"I'm going to get a drink," Allenson +said. "Anyone coming?"</p> + +<p>"Best idea of the week," Micheals +said. "I wonder how long +it'll take O'Donnell to get permission +to use the bomb."</p> + +<p>"If I know politics," Moriarty +said, "too long."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The</span> findings of the government +scientists were checked by +other government scientists. That +took a few days. Then Washington +wanted to know if there +wasn't some alternative to exploding +an atomic bomb in the +middle of New York State. It +took a little time to convince +them of the necessity. After that, +people had to be evacuated, which +took more time.</p> + +<p>Then orders were made out, +and five atomic bombs were +checked out of a cache. A patrol +rocket was assigned, given orders, +and put under General O'Donnell's +command. This took a day +more.</p> + +<p>Finally, the stubby scout rocket +was winging its way over New +York. From the air, the grayish-black +spot was easy to find. Like +a festered wound, it stretched between +Lake Placid and Elizabethtown, +covering Keene and Keene +Valley, and lapping at the edges +of Jay.</p> + +<p>The first bomb was released.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">It</span> had been a long wait after +the first rich food. The greater +radiation of day was followed by +the lesser energy of night many +times, as the leech ate away the +earth beneath it, absorbed the +air around it, and grew. Then one +day—</p> + +<p>An amazing burst of energy!</p> + +<p>Everything was food for the +leech, but there was always the +possibility of choking. The energy +poured over it, drenched it, +battered it, and the leech grew +frantically, trying to contain the +titanic dose. Still small, it quickly +reached its overload limit. The +strained cells, filled to satiation, +were given more and more food. +The strangling body built new +cells at lightning speed. And—</p> + +<p>It held. The energy was controlled, +stimulating further +growth. More cells took over the +load, sucking in the food.</p> + +<p>The next doses were wonderfully +palatable, easily handled. +The leech overflowed its bounds, +growing, eating, and growing.</p> + +<p>That was a taste of real food! +The leech was as near ecstasy as +it had ever been. It waited hopefully +for more, but no more came.</p> + +<p>It went back to feeding on the +Earth. The energy, used to produce +more cells, was soon dissipated. +Soon it was hungry +again.</p> + +<p>It would always be hungry.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">O'Donnell</span> retreated with +his demoralized men. They +camped ten miles from the leech's +southern edge, in the evacuated +town of Schroon Lake. The leech +was over sixty miles in diameter +now and still growing fast. It lay +sprawled over the Adirondack +Mountains, completely blanketing +everything from Saranac +Lake to Port Henry, with one +edge of it over Westport, in Lake +Champlain.</p> + +<p>Everyone within two hundred +miles of the leech was evacuated.</p> + +<p>General O'Donnell was given +permission to use hydrogen +bombs, contingent on the approval +of his scientists.</p> + +<p>"What have the bright boys +decided?" O'Donnell wanted to +know.</p> + +<p>He and Micheals were in the +living room of an evacuated +Schroon Lake house. O'Donnell +had made it his new command +post.</p> + +<p>"Why are they hedging?" +O'Donnell demanded impatiently. +"The leech has to be blown up +quick. What are they fooling +around for?"</p> + +<p>"They're afraid of a chain reaction," +Micheals told him. "A +concentration of hydrogen bombs +might set one up in the Earth's +crust or in the atmosphere. It +might do any of half a dozen +things."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps they'd like me to order +a bayonet attack," O'Donnell +said contemptuously.</p> + +<p>Micheals sighed and sat down +in an armchair. He was convinced +that the whole method was +wrong. The government scientists +were being rushed into a single +line of inquiry. The pressure on +them was so great that they didn't +have a chance to consider any +other approach but force—and +the leech thrived on that.</p> + +<p>Micheals was certain that there +were times when fighting fire with +fire was not applicable.</p> + +<p>Fire. Loki, god of fire. And of +trickery. No, there was no answer +there. But Micheals' mind was in +mythology now, retreating from +the unbearable present.</p> + +<p>Allenson came in, followed by +six other men.</p> + +<p>"Well," Allenson said, "there's +a damned good chance of splitting +the Earth wide open if you +use the number of bombs our +figures show you need."</p> + +<p>"You have to take chances in +war," O'Donnell replied bluntly. +"Shall I go ahead?"</p> + +<p>Micheals saw, suddenly, that +O'Donnell didn't care if he did +crack the Earth. The red-faced +general only knew that he was +going to set off the greatest explosion +ever produced by the +hand of Man.</p> + +<p>"Not so fast," Allenson said. +"I'll let the others speak for +themselves."</p> + +<p>The general contained himself +with difficulty. "Remember," he +said, "according to your own figures, +the leech is growing at the +rate of twenty feet an hour."</p> + +<p>"And speeding up," Allenson +added. "But this isn't a decision +to be made in haste."</p> + +<p>Micheals found his mind wandering +again, to the lightning +bolts of Zeus. That was what +they needed. Or the strength of +Hercules.</p> + +<p>Or—</p> + +<p>He sat up suddenly. "Gentlemen, +I believe I can offer you a +possible alternative, although it's +a very dim one."</p> + +<p>They stared at him.</p> + +<p>"Have you ever heard of Antaeus?" +he asked.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The</span> more the leech ate, the +faster it grew and the hungrier +it became. Although its +birth was forgotten, it did remember +a long way back. It had +eaten a planet in that ancient +past. Grown tremendous, ravenous, +it had made the journey to +a nearby star and eaten that, replenishing +the cells converted +into energy for the trip. But then +there was no more food, and the +next star was an enormous distance +away.</p> + +<p>It set out on the journey, but +long before it reached the food, +its energy ran out. Mass, converted +back to energy to make the +trip, was used up. It shrank.</p> + +<p>Finally, all the energy was +gone. It was a spore, drifting aimlessly, +lifelessly, in space.</p> + +<p>That was the first time. Or was +it? It thought it could remember +back to a distant, misty time +when the Universe was evenly +covered with stars. It had eaten +through them, cutting away +whole sections, growing, swelling. +And the stars had swung off in +terror, forming galaxies and constellations.</p> + +<p>Or was that a dream?</p> + +<p>Methodically, it fed on the +Earth, wondering where the rich +food was. And then it was back +again, but this time above the +leech.</p> + +<p>It waited, but the tantalizing +food remained out of reach. It +was able to sense how rich and +pure the food was.</p> + +<p>Why didn't it fall?</p> + +<p>For a long time the leech waited, +but the food stayed out of +reach. At last, it lifted and followed.</p> + +<p>The food retreated, up, up from +the surface of the planet. The +leech went after as quickly as its +bulk would allow.</p> + +<p>The rich food fled out, into +space, and the leech followed. +Beyond, it could sense an even +richer source.</p> + +<p>The hot, wonderful food of a +sun!</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">O'Donnell</span> served champagne +for the scientists in the +control room. Official dinners +would follow, but this was the +victory celebration.</p> + +<p>"A toast," the general said, +standing. The men raised their +glasses. The only man not drinking +was a lieutenant, sitting in +front of the control board that +guided the drone spaceship.</p> + +<p>"To Micheals, for thinking of—what +was it again, Micheals?"</p> + +<p>"Antaeus." Micheals had been +drinking champagne steadily, but +he didn't feel elated. Antaeus, +born of Ge, the Earth, and Poseidon, +the Sea. The invincible +wrestler. Each time Hercules +threw him to the ground, he arose +refreshed.</p> + +<p>Until Hercules held him in the +air.</p> + +<p>Moriarty was muttering to +himself, figuring with slide rule, +pencil and paper. Allenson was +drinking, but he didn't look too +happy about it.</p> + +<p>"Come on, you birds of evil +omen," O'Donnell said, pouring +more champagne. "Figure it out +later. Right now, drink." He turned +to the operator. "How's it going?"</p> + +<p>Micheals' analogy had been +applied to a spaceship. The ship, +operated by remote control, was +filled with pure radioactives. It +hovered over the leech until, rising +to the bait, it had followed. +Antaeus had left his mother, the +Earth, and was losing his strength +in the air. The operator was allowing +the spaceship to run fast +enough to keep out of the leech's +grasp, but close enough to keep +it coming.</p> + +<p>The spaceship and the leech +were on a collision course with +the Sun.</p> + +<p>"Fine, sir," the operator said. +"It's inside the orbit of Mercury +now."</p> + +<p>"Men," the general said, "I +swore to destroy that thing. This +isn't exactly the way I wanted to +do it. I figured on a more personal +way. But the important +thing is the destruction. You will +all witness it. Destruction is at +times a sacred mission. This is +such a time. Men, I feel wonderful."</p> + +<p>"Turn the spaceship!" It was +Moriarty who had spoken. His +face was white. "Turn the damned +thing!"</p> + +<p>He shoved his figures at them.</p> + +<p>They were easy to read. The +growth-rate of the leech. The +energy-consumption rate, estimated. +Its speed in space, a +constant. The energy it would +receive from the Sun as it approached, +an exponential curve. +Its energy-absorption rate, figured +in terms of growth, expressed +as a hyped-up discontinuous +progression.</p> + +<p>The result—</p> + +<p>"It'll consume the Sun," Moriarty +said, very quietly.</p> + +<p>The control room turned into +a bedlam. Six of them tried to +explain it to O'Donnell at the +same time. Then Moriarty tried, +and finally Allenson.</p> + +<p>"Its rate of growth is so great +and its speed so slow—and it will +get so much energy—that the +leech will be able to consume the +Sun by the time it gets there. Or, +at least, to live off it until it can +consume it."</p> + +<p>O'Donnell didn't bother to understand. +He turned to the operator.</p> + +<p>"Turn it," he said.</p> + +<p>They all hovered over the radar +screen, waiting.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The</span> food turned out of the +leech's path and streaked +away. Ahead was a tremendous +source, but still a long way off. +The leech hesitated.</p> + +<p>Its cells, recklessly expending +energy, shouted for a decision. +The food slowed, tantalizingly +near.</p> + +<p>The closer source or the +greater?</p> + +<p>The leech's body wanted food +<i>now</i>.</p> + +<p>It started after it, away from +the Sun.</p> + +<p>The Sun would come next.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">"Pull</span> it out at right angles to +the plane of the Solar System," +Allenson said.</p> + +<p>The operator touched the controls. +On the radar screen, they +saw a blob pursuing a dot. It had +turned.</p> + +<p>Relief washed over them. It +had been close!</p> + +<p>"In what portion of the sky +would the leech be?" O'Donnell +asked, his face expressionless.</p> + +<p>"Come outside; I believe I can +show you," an astronomer said. +They walked to the door. "Somewhere +in that section," the astronomer +said, pointing.</p> + +<p>"Fine. All right, Soldier," +O'Donnell told the operator. +"Carry out your orders."</p> + +<p>The scientists gasped in unison. +The operator manipulated +the controls and the blob began +to overtake the dot. Micheals +started across the room.</p> + +<p>"Stop," the general said, and +his strong, commanding voice +stopped Micheals. "I know what +I'm doing. I had that ship especially +built."</p> + +<p>The blob overtook the dot on +the radar screen.</p> + +<p>"I told you this was a personal +matter," O'Donnell said. "I swore +to destroy that leech. We can +never have any security while it +lives." He smiled. "Shall we look +at the sky?"</p> + +<p>The general strolled to the +door, followed by the scientists.</p> + +<p>"Push the button, Soldier!"</p> + +<p>The operator did. For a moment, +nothing happened. Then +the sky lit up!</p> + +<p>A bright star hung in space. +Its brilliance filled the night, +grew, and started to fade.</p> + +<p>"What did you do?" Micheals +gasped.</p> + +<p>"That rocket was built around +a hydrogen bomb," O'Donnell +said, his strong face triumphant. +"I set it off at the contact moment." +He called to the operator +again. "Is there anything showing +on the radar?"</p> + +<p>"Not a speck, sir."</p> + +<p>"Men," the general said, "I +have met the enemy and he is +mine. Let's have some more +champagne."</p> + +<p>But Micheals found that he +was suddenly ill.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">It</span> had been shrinking from the +expenditure of energy, when +the great explosion came. No +thought of containing it. The +leech's cells held for the barest +fraction of a second, and then +spontaneously overloaded.</p> + +<p>The leech was smashed, broken +up, destroyed. It was split into a +thousand particles, and the particles +were split a million times +more.</p> + +<p>The particles were thrown out +on the wave front of the explosion, +and they split further, spontaneously.</p> + +<p>Into spores.</p> + +<p>The spores closed into dry, +hard, seemingly lifeless specks of +dust, billions of them, scattered, +drifting. Unconscious, they floated +in the emptiness of space.</p> + +<p>Billions of them, waiting to be +fed.</p> + +<p class="rgt"><b>—PHILLIPS BARBEE</b></p> + +<div class="trn"><div class="figt"><a href="images/002-2.jpg"><img src="images/002-1.jpg" width="146" height="200" alt="" title="" /></a></div> + +<p><big><b>Transcriber's Note:</b></big></p> + +<p>This etext was produced from <i>Galaxy Science Fiction</i> December 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.</p></div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Leech, by Phillips Barbee + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LEECH *** + +***** This file should be named 29525-h.htm or 29525-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/5/2/29525/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Leech + +Author: Phillips Barbee + +Illustrator: Connell + +Release Date: July 27, 2009 [EBook #29525] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LEECH *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: Illustrated by CONNELL] + + + the + Leech + + By PHILLIPS BARBEE + + + _A visitor should be fed, but + this one could eat you out of + house and home ... literally!_ + + +The leech was waiting for food. For millennia it had been drifting +across the vast emptiness of space. Without consciousness, it had spent +the countless centuries in the void between the stars. It was unaware +when it finally reached a sun. Life-giving radiation flared around the +hard, dry spore. Gravitation tugged at it. + +A planet claimed it, with other stellar debris, and the leech fell, +still dead-seeming within its tough spore case. + +One speck of dust among many, the winds blew it around the Earth, played +with it, and let it fall. + +On the ground, it began to stir. Nourishment soaked in, permeating the +spore case. It grew--and fed. + + * * * * * + +Frank Conners came up on the porch and coughed twice. "Say, pardon me, +Professor," he said. + +The long, pale man didn't stir from the sagging couch. His horn-rimmed +glasses were perched on his forehead, and he was snoring very gently. + +"I'm awful sorry to disturb you," Conners said, pushing back his +battered felt hat. "I know it's your restin' week and all, but there's +something damned funny in the ditch." + +The pale man's left eyebrow twitched, but he showed no other sign of +having heard. + +Frank Conners coughed again, holding his spade in one purple-veined +hand. "Didja hear me, Professor?" + +"Of course I heard you," Micheals said in a muffled voice, his eyes +still closed. "You found a pixie." + +"A what?" Conners asked, squinting at Micheals. + +"A little man in a green suit. Feed him milk, Conners." + +"No, sir. I think it's a rock." + +Micheals opened one eye and focused it in Conners' general direction. + +"I'm awfully sorry about it," Conners said. Professor Micheals' resting +week was a ten-year-old custom, and his only eccentricity. All winter +Micheals taught anthropology, worked on half a dozen committees, dabbled +in physics and chemistry, and still found time to write a book a year. +When summer came, he was tired. + +Arriving at his worked-out New York State farm, it was his invariable +rule to do absolutely nothing for a week. He hired Frank Conners to cook +for that week and generally make himself useful, while Professor +Micheals slept. + +During the second week, Micheals would wander around, look at the trees +and fish. By the third week he would be getting a tan, reading, +repairing the sheds and climbing mountains. At the end of four weeks, he +could hardly wait to get back to the city. + +But the resting week was sacred. + +"I really wouldn't bother you for anything small," Conners said +apologetically. "But that damned rock melted two inches off my spade." + +Micheals opened both eyes and sat up. Conners held out the spade. The +rounded end was sheared cleanly off. Micheals swung himself off the +couch and slipped his feet into battered moccasins. + +"Let's see this wonder," he said. + + * * * * * + +The object was lying in the ditch at the end of the front lawn, three +feet from the main road. It was round, about the size of a truck tire, +and solid throughout. It was about an inch thick, as far as he could +tell, grayish black and intricately veined. + +"Don't touch it," Conners warned. + +"I'm not going to. Let me have your spade." Micheals took the spade and +prodded the object experimentally. It was completely unyielding. He held +the spade to the surface for a moment, then withdrew it. Another inch +was gone. + +Micheals frowned, and pushed his glasses tighter against his nose. He +held the spade against the rock with one hand, the other held close to +the surface. More of the spade disappeared. + +"Doesn't seem to be generating heat," he said to Conners. "Did you +notice any the first time?" + +Conners shook his head. + +Micheals picked up a clod of dirt and tossed it on the object. The dirt +dissolved quickly, leaving no trace on the gray-black surface. A large +stone followed the dirt, and disappeared in the same way. + +"Isn't that just about the damnedest thing you ever saw, Professor?" +Conners asked. + +"Yes," Micheals agreed, standing up again. "It just about is." + +He hefted the spade and brought it down smartly on the object. When it +hit, he almost dropped the spade. He had been gripping the handle +rigidly, braced for a recoil. But the spade struck that unyielding +surface and _stayed_. There was no perceptible give, but absolutely no +recoil. + +"Whatcha think it is?" Conners asked. + +"It's no stone," Micheals said. He stepped back. "A leech drinks blood. +This thing seems to be drinking dirt. And spades." He struck it a few +more times, experimentally. The two men looked at each other. On the +road, half a dozen Army trucks rolled past. + +"I'm going to phone the college and ask a physics man about it," +Micheals said. "Or a biologist. I'd like to get rid of that thing before +it spoils my lawn." + +They walked back to the house. + + * * * * * + +Everything fed the leech. The wind added its modicum of kinetic energy, +ruffling across the gray-black surface. Rain fell, and the force of each +individual drop added to its store. The water was sucked in by the +all-absorbing surface. + +The sunlight above it was absorbed, and converted into mass for its +body. Beneath it, the soil was consumed, dirt, stones and branches +broken down by the leech's complex cells and changed into energy. Energy +was converted back into mass, and the leech grew. + +Slowly, the first flickers of consciousness began to return. Its first +realization was of the impossible smallness of its body. + +It grew. + + * * * * * + +When Micheals looked the next day, the leech was eight feet across, +sticking out into the road and up the side of the lawn. The following +day it was almost eighteen feet in diameter, shaped to fit the contour +of the ditch, and covering most of the road. That day the sheriff drove +up in his model A, followed by half the town. + +"Is that your leech thing, Professor Micheals?" Sheriff Flynn asked. + +"That's it," Micheals said. He had spent the past days looking +unsuccessfully for an acid that would dissolve the leech. + +"We gotta get it out of the road," Flynn said, walking truculently up to +the leech. "Something like this, you can't let it block the road, +Professor. The Army's gotta use this road." + +"I'm terribly sorry," Micheals said with a straight face. "Go right +ahead, Sheriff. But be careful. It's hot." The leech wasn't hot, but it +seemed the simplest explanation under the circumstances. + +Micheals watched with interest as the sheriff tried to shove a crowbar +under it. He smiled to himself when it was removed with half a foot of +its length gone. + +The sheriff wasn't so easily discouraged. He had come prepared for a +stubborn piece of rock. He went to the rumble seat of his car and took +out a blowtorch and a sledgehammer, ignited the torch and focused it on +one edge of the leech. + +After five minutes, there was no change. The gray didn't turn red or +even seem to heat up. Sheriff Flynn continued to bake it for fifteen +minutes, then called to one of the men. + +"Hit that spot with the sledge, Jerry." + +Jerry picked up the sledgehammer, motioned the sheriff back, and swung +it over his head. He let out a howl as the hammer struck unyieldingly. +There wasn't a fraction of recoil. + +In the distance they heard the roar of an Army convoy. + +"Now we'll get some action," Flynn said. + + * * * * * + +Micheals wasn't so sure. He walked around the periphery of the leech, +asking himself what kind of substance would react that way. The answer +was easy--no substance. No _known_ substance. + +The driver in the lead jeep held up his hand, and the long convoy ground +to a halt. A hard, efficient-looking officer stepped out of the jeep. +From the star on either shoulder, Micheals knew he was a brigadier +general. + +"You can't block this road," the general said. He was a tall, spare man +in suntans, with a sunburned face and cold eyes. "Please clear that +thing away." + +"We can't move it," Micheals said. He told the general what had happened +in the past few days. + +"It must be moved," the general said. "This convoy must go through." He +walked closer and looked at the leech. "You say it can't be jacked up by +a crowbar? A torch won't burn it?" + +"That's right," Micheals said, smiling faintly. + +"Driver," the general said over his shoulder. "Ride over it." + +Micheals started to protest, but stopped himself. The military mind +would have to find out in its own way. + +The driver put his jeep in gear and shot forward, jumping the leech's +four-inch edge. The jeep got to the center of the leech and stopped. + +"I didn't tell you to stop!" the general bellowed. + +"I didn't, sir!" the driver protested. + +The jeep had been yanked to a stop and had stalled. The driver started +it again, shifted to four-wheel drive, and tried to ram forward. The +jeep was fixed immovably, as though set in concrete. + +"Pardon me," Micheals said. "If you look, you can see that the tires are +melting down." + +The general stared, his hand creeping automatically toward his pistol +belt. Then he shouted, "Jump, driver! Don't touch that gray stuff." + +White-faced, the driver climbed to the hood of his jeep, looked around +him, and jumped clear. + +There was complete silence as everyone watched the jeep. First its tires +melted down, and then the rims. The body, resting on the gray surface, +melted, too. + +The aerial was the last to go. + +The general began to swear softly under his breath. He turned to the +driver. "Go back and have some men bring up hand grenades and dynamite." + +The driver ran back to the convoy. + +"I don't know what you've got here," the general said. "But it's not +going to stop a U.S. Army convoy." + +Micheals wasn't so sure. + + * * * * * + +The leech was nearly awake now, and its body was calling for more and +more food. It dissolved the soil under it at a furious rate, filling it +in with its own body, flowing outward. + +A large object landed on it, and that became food also. Then suddenly-- + +A burst of energy against its surface, and then another, and another. It +consumed them gratefully, converting them into mass. Little metal +pellets struck it, and their kinetic energy was absorbed, their mass +converted. More explosions took place, helping to fill the starving +cells. + +It began to sense things--controlled combustion around it, vibrations of +wind, mass movements. + +There was another, greater explosion, a taste of _real_ food! Greedily +it ate, growing faster. It waited anxiously for more explosions, while +its cells screamed for food. + +But no more came. It continued to feed on the soil and on the Sun's +energy. Night came, noticeable for its lesser energy possibilities, and +then more days and nights. Vibrating objects continued to move around +it. + +It ate and grew and flowed. + + * * * * * + +Micheals stood on a little hill, watching the dissolution of his house. +The leech was several hundred yards across now, lapping at his front +porch. + +Good-by, home, Micheals thought, remembering the ten summers he had +spent there. + +The porch collapsed into the body of the leech. Bit by bit, the house +crumpled. + +The leech looked like a field of lava now, a blasted spot on the green +Earth. + +"Pardon me, sir," a soldier said, coming up behind him. "General +O'Donnell would like to see you." + +"Right," Micheals said, and took his last look at the house. + +He followed the soldier through the barbed wire that had been set up in +a half-mile circle around the leech. A company of soldiers was on guard +around it, keeping back the reporters and the hundreds of curious people +who had flocked to the scene. Micheals wondered why he was still allowed +inside. Probably, he decided, because most of this was taking place on +his land. + +The soldier brought him to a tent. Micheals stooped and went in. +General O'Donnell, still in suntans, was seated at a small desk. He +motioned Micheals to a chair. + +"I've been put in charge of getting rid of this leech," he said to +Micheals. + +Micheals nodded, not commenting on the advisability of giving a soldier +a scientist's job. + +"You're a professor, aren't you?" + +"Yes. Anthropology." + +"Good. Smoke?" The general lighted Micheals' cigarette. "I'd like you to +stay around here in an advisory capacity. You were one of the first to +see this leech. I'd appreciate your observations on--" he smiled--"the +enemy." + +"I'd be glad to," Micheals said. "However, I think this is more in the +line of a physicist or a biochemist." + +"I don't want this place cluttered with scientists," General O'Donnell +said, frowning at the tip of his cigarette. "Don't get me wrong. I have +the greatest appreciation for science. I am, if I do say so, a +scientific soldier. I'm always interested in the latest weapons. You +can't fight any kind of a war any more without science." + + * * * * * + +O'Donnell's sunburned face grew firm. "But I can't have a team of +longhairs poking around this thing for the next month, holding me up. My +job is to destroy it, by any means in my power, and at once. I am going +to do just that." + +"I don't think you'll find it that easy," Micheals said. + +"That's what I want you for," O'Donnell said. "Tell me why and I'll +figure out a way of doing it." + +"Well, as far as I can figure out, the leech is an organic mass-energy +converter, and a frighteningly efficient one. I would guess that it has +a double cycle. First, it converts mass into energy, then back into mass +for its body. Second, energy is converted directly into the body mass. +How this takes place, I do not know. The leech is not protoplasmic. It +may not even be cellular--" + +"So we need something big against it," O'Donnell interrupted. "Well, +that's all right. I've got some big stuff here." + +"I don't think you understand me," Micheals said. "Perhaps I'm not +phrasing this very well. _The leech eats energy._ It can consume the +strength of any energy weapon you use against it." + +"What happens," O'Donnell asked, "if it keeps on eating?" + +"I have no idea what its growth-limits are," Micheals said. "Its growth +may be limited only by its food source." + +"You mean it could continue to grow probably forever?" + +"It could possibly grow as long as it had something to feed on." + +"This is really a challenge," O'Donnell said. "That leech can't be +totally impervious to force." + +"It seems to be. I suggest you get some physicists in here. Some +biologists also. Have them figure out a way of nullifying it." + +The general put out his cigarette. "Professor, I cannot wait while +scientists wrangle. There is an axiom of mine which I am going to tell +you." He paused impressively. "Nothing is impervious to force. Muster +enough force and anything will give. _Anything._ + +"Professor," the general continued, in a friendlier tone, "you shouldn't +sell short the science you represent. We have, massed under North Hill, +the greatest accumulation of energy and radioactive weapons ever +assembled in one spot. Do you think your leech can stand the full force +of them?" + +"I suppose it's possible to overload the thing," Micheals said +doubtfully. He realized now why the general wanted him around. He +supplied the trappings of science, without the authority to override +O'Donnell. + +"Come with me," General O'Donnell said cheerfully, getting up and +holding back a flap of the tent. "We're going to crack that leech in +half." + + * * * * * + +After a long wait, rich food started to come again, piped into one side +of it. First there was only a little, and then more and more. +Radiations, vibrations, explosions, solids, liquids--an amazing variety +of edibles. It accepted them all. But the food was coming too slowly for +the starving cells, for new cells were constantly adding their demands +to the rest. + +The ever-hungry body screamed for more food, faster! + +Now that it had reached a fairly efficient size, it was fully awake. It +puzzled over the energy-impressions around it, locating the source of +the new food massed in one spot. + +Effortlessly it pushed itself into the air, flew a little way and +dropped on the food. Its super-efficient cells eagerly gulped the rich +radioactive substances. But it did not ignore the lesser potentials of +metal and clumps of carbohydrates. + + * * * * * + +"The damned fools," General O'Donnell said. "Why did they have to panic? +You'd think they'd never been trained." He paced the ground outside his +tent, now in a new location three miles back. + +The leech had grown to two miles in diameter. Three farming communities +had been evacuated. + +Micheals, standing beside the general, was still stupefied by the +memory. The leech had accepted the massed power of the weapons for a +while, and then its entire bulk had lifted in the air. The Sun had been +blotted out as it flew leisurely over North Hill, and dropped. There +should have been time for evacuation, but the frightened soldiers had +been blind with fear. + +Sixty-seven men were lost in Operation Leech, and General O'Donnell +asked permission to use atomic bombs. Washington sent a group of +scientists to investigate the situation. + +"Haven't those experts decided yet?" O'Donnell asked, halting angrily in +front of the tent. "They've been talking long enough." + +"It's a hard decision," Micheals said. Since he wasn't an official +member of the investigating team, he had given his information and left. +"The physicists consider it a biological matter, and the biologists seem +to think the chemists should have the answer. No one's an expert on +this, because it's never happened before. We just don't have the data." + +"It's a military problem," O'Donnell said harshly. "I'm not interested +in what the thing is--I want to know what can destroy it. They'd better +give me permission to use the bomb." + +Micheals had made his own calculations on that. It was impossible to say +for sure, but taking a flying guess at the leech's mass-energy +absorption rate, figuring in its size and apparent capacity for growth, +an atomic bomb _might_ overload it--if used soon enough. + +He estimated three days as the limit of usefulness. The leech was +growing at a geometric rate. It could cover the United States in a few +months. + +"For a week I've been asking permission to use the bomb," O'Donnell +grumbled. "And I'll get it, but not until after those jackasses end +their damned talking." He stopped pacing and turned to Micheals. "I am +going to destroy the leech. I am going to smash it, if that's the last +thing I do. It's more than a matter of security now. It's personal +pride." + +That attitude might make great generals, Micheals thought, but it wasn't +the way to consider this problem. It was anthropomorphic of O'Donnell to +see the leech as an enemy. Even the identification, "leech," was a +humanizing factor. O'Donnell was dealing with it as he would any +physical obstacle, as though the leech were the simple equivalent of a +large army. + +But the leech was not human, not even of this planet, perhaps. It should +be dealt with in its own terms. + +"Here come the bright boys now," O'Donnell said. + + * * * * * + +From a nearby tent a group of weary men emerged, led by Allenson, a +government biologist. + +"Well," the general asked, "have you figured out what it is?" + +"Just a minute, I'll hack off a sample," Allenson said, glaring through +red-rimmed eyes. + +"Have you figured out some _scientific_ way of killing it?" + +"Oh, that wasn't too difficult," Moriarty, an atomic physicist, said +wryly. "Wrap it in a perfect vacuum. That'll do the trick. Or blow it +off the Earth with anti-gravity." + +"But failing that," Allenson said, "we suggest you use your atomic +bombs, and use them fast." + +"Is that the opinion of your entire group?" O'Donnell asked, his eyes +glittering. + +"Yes." + +The general hurried away. Micheals joined the scientists. + +"He should have called us in at the very first," Allenson complained. +"There's no time to consider anything but force now." + +"Have you come to any conclusions about the nature of the leech?" +Micheals asked. + +"Only general ones," Moriarty said, "and they're about the same as +yours. The leech is probably extraterrestrial in origin. It seems to +have been in a spore-stage until it landed on Earth." He paused to light +a pipe. "Incidentally, we should be damned glad it didn't drop in an +ocean. We'd have had the Earth eaten out from under us before we knew +what we were looking for." + +They walked in silence for a few minutes. + +"As you mentioned, it's a perfect converter--it can transform mass into +energy, and any energy into mass." Moriarty grinned. "Naturally that's +impossible and I have figures to prove it." + +"I'm going to get a drink," Allenson said. "Anyone coming?" + +"Best idea of the week," Micheals said. "I wonder how long it'll take +O'Donnell to get permission to use the bomb." + +"If I know politics," Moriarty said, "too long." + + * * * * * + +The findings of the government scientists were checked by other +government scientists. That took a few days. Then Washington wanted to +know if there wasn't some alternative to exploding an atomic bomb in the +middle of New York State. It took a little time to convince them of the +necessity. After that, people had to be evacuated, which took more time. + +Then orders were made out, and five atomic bombs were checked out of a +cache. A patrol rocket was assigned, given orders, and put under +General O'Donnell's command. This took a day more. + +Finally, the stubby scout rocket was winging its way over New York. From +the air, the grayish-black spot was easy to find. Like a festered wound, +it stretched between Lake Placid and Elizabethtown, covering Keene and +Keene Valley, and lapping at the edges of Jay. + +The first bomb was released. + + * * * * * + +It had been a long wait after the first rich food. The greater radiation +of day was followed by the lesser energy of night many times, as the +leech ate away the earth beneath it, absorbed the air around it, and +grew. Then one day-- + +An amazing burst of energy! + +Everything was food for the leech, but there was always the possibility +of choking. The energy poured over it, drenched it, battered it, and the +leech grew frantically, trying to contain the titanic dose. Still small, +it quickly reached its overload limit. The strained cells, filled to +satiation, were given more and more food. The strangling body built new +cells at lightning speed. And-- + +It held. The energy was controlled, stimulating further growth. More +cells took over the load, sucking in the food. + +The next doses were wonderfully palatable, easily handled. The leech +overflowed its bounds, growing, eating, and growing. + +That was a taste of real food! The leech was as near ecstasy as it had +ever been. It waited hopefully for more, but no more came. + +It went back to feeding on the Earth. The energy, used to produce more +cells, was soon dissipated. Soon it was hungry again. + +It would always be hungry. + + * * * * * + +O'Donnell retreated with his demoralized men. They camped ten miles from +the leech's southern edge, in the evacuated town of Schroon Lake. The +leech was over sixty miles in diameter now and still growing fast. It +lay sprawled over the Adirondack Mountains, completely blanketing +everything from Saranac Lake to Port Henry, with one edge of it over +Westport, in Lake Champlain. + +Everyone within two hundred miles of the leech was evacuated. + +General O'Donnell was given permission to use hydrogen bombs, contingent +on the approval of his scientists. + +"What have the bright boys decided?" O'Donnell wanted to know. + +He and Micheals were in the living room of an evacuated Schroon Lake +house. O'Donnell had made it his new command post. + +"Why are they hedging?" O'Donnell demanded impatiently. "The leech has +to be blown up quick. What are they fooling around for?" + +"They're afraid of a chain reaction," Micheals told him. "A +concentration of hydrogen bombs might set one up in the Earth's crust or +in the atmosphere. It might do any of half a dozen things." + +"Perhaps they'd like me to order a bayonet attack," O'Donnell said +contemptuously. + +Micheals sighed and sat down in an armchair. He was convinced that the +whole method was wrong. The government scientists were being rushed into +a single line of inquiry. The pressure on them was so great that they +didn't have a chance to consider any other approach but force--and the +leech thrived on that. + +Micheals was certain that there were times when fighting fire with fire +was not applicable. + +Fire. Loki, god of fire. And of trickery. No, there was no answer there. +But Micheals' mind was in mythology now, retreating from the unbearable +present. + +Allenson came in, followed by six other men. + +"Well," Allenson said, "there's a damned good chance of splitting the +Earth wide open if you use the number of bombs our figures show you +need." + +"You have to take chances in war," O'Donnell replied bluntly. "Shall I +go ahead?" + +Micheals saw, suddenly, that O'Donnell didn't care if he did crack the +Earth. The red-faced general only knew that he was going to set off the +greatest explosion ever produced by the hand of Man. + +"Not so fast," Allenson said. "I'll let the others speak for +themselves." + +The general contained himself with difficulty. "Remember," he said, +"according to your own figures, the leech is growing at the rate of +twenty feet an hour." + +"And speeding up," Allenson added. "But this isn't a decision to be made +in haste." + +Micheals found his mind wandering again, to the lightning bolts of Zeus. +That was what they needed. Or the strength of Hercules. + +Or-- + +He sat up suddenly. "Gentlemen, I believe I can offer you a possible +alternative, although it's a very dim one." + +They stared at him. + +"Have you ever heard of Antaeus?" he asked. + + * * * * * + +The more the leech ate, the faster it grew and the hungrier it became. +Although its birth was forgotten, it did remember a long way back. It +had eaten a planet in that ancient past. Grown tremendous, ravenous, it +had made the journey to a nearby star and eaten that, replenishing the +cells converted into energy for the trip. But then there was no more +food, and the next star was an enormous distance away. + +It set out on the journey, but long before it reached the food, its +energy ran out. Mass, converted back to energy to make the trip, was +used up. It shrank. + +Finally, all the energy was gone. It was a spore, drifting aimlessly, +lifelessly, in space. + +That was the first time. Or was it? It thought it could remember back to +a distant, misty time when the Universe was evenly covered with stars. +It had eaten through them, cutting away whole sections, growing, +swelling. And the stars had swung off in terror, forming galaxies and +constellations. + +Or was that a dream? + +Methodically, it fed on the Earth, wondering where the rich food was. +And then it was back again, but this time above the leech. + +It waited, but the tantalizing food remained out of reach. It was able +to sense how rich and pure the food was. + +Why didn't it fall? + +For a long time the leech waited, but the food stayed out of reach. At +last, it lifted and followed. + +The food retreated, up, up from the surface of the planet. The leech +went after as quickly as its bulk would allow. + +The rich food fled out, into space, and the leech followed. Beyond, it +could sense an even richer source. + +The hot, wonderful food of a sun! + + * * * * * + +O'Donnell served champagne for the scientists in the control room. +Official dinners would follow, but this was the victory celebration. + +"A toast," the general said, standing. The men raised their glasses. The +only man not drinking was a lieutenant, sitting in front of the control +board that guided the drone spaceship. + +"To Micheals, for thinking of--what was it again, Micheals?" + +"Antaeus." Micheals had been drinking champagne steadily, but he didn't +feel elated. Antaeus, born of Ge, the Earth, and Poseidon, the Sea. The +invincible wrestler. Each time Hercules threw him to the ground, he +arose refreshed. + +Until Hercules held him in the air. + +Moriarty was muttering to himself, figuring with slide rule, pencil and +paper. Allenson was drinking, but he didn't look too happy about it. + +"Come on, you birds of evil omen," O'Donnell said, pouring more +champagne. "Figure it out later. Right now, drink." He turned to the +operator. "How's it going?" + +Micheals' analogy had been applied to a spaceship. The ship, operated by +remote control, was filled with pure radioactives. It hovered over the +leech until, rising to the bait, it had followed. Antaeus had left his +mother, the Earth, and was losing his strength in the air. The operator +was allowing the spaceship to run fast enough to keep out of the leech's +grasp, but close enough to keep it coming. + +The spaceship and the leech were on a collision course with the Sun. + +"Fine, sir," the operator said. "It's inside the orbit of Mercury now." + +"Men," the general said, "I swore to destroy that thing. This isn't +exactly the way I wanted to do it. I figured on a more personal way. But +the important thing is the destruction. You will all witness it. +Destruction is at times a sacred mission. This is such a time. Men, I +feel wonderful." + +"Turn the spaceship!" It was Moriarty who had spoken. His face was +white. "Turn the damned thing!" + +He shoved his figures at them. + +They were easy to read. The growth-rate of the leech. The +energy-consumption rate, estimated. Its speed in space, a constant. The +energy it would receive from the Sun as it approached, an exponential +curve. Its energy-absorption rate, figured in terms of growth, expressed +as a hyped-up discontinuous progression. + +The result-- + +"It'll consume the Sun," Moriarty said, very quietly. + +The control room turned into a bedlam. Six of them tried to explain it +to O'Donnell at the same time. Then Moriarty tried, and finally +Allenson. + +"Its rate of growth is so great and its speed so slow--and it will get +so much energy--that the leech will be able to consume the Sun by the +time it gets there. Or, at least, to live off it until it can consume +it." + +O'Donnell didn't bother to understand. He turned to the operator. + +"Turn it," he said. + +They all hovered over the radar screen, waiting. + + * * * * * + +The food turned out of the leech's path and streaked away. Ahead was a +tremendous source, but still a long way off. The leech hesitated. + +Its cells, recklessly expending energy, shouted for a decision. The food +slowed, tantalizingly near. + +The closer source or the greater? + +The leech's body wanted food _now_. + +It started after it, away from the Sun. + +The Sun would come next. + + * * * * * + +"Pull it out at right angles to the plane of the Solar System," Allenson +said. + +The operator touched the controls. On the radar screen, they saw a blob +pursuing a dot. It had turned. + +Relief washed over them. It had been close! + +"In what portion of the sky would the leech be?" O'Donnell asked, his +face expressionless. + +"Come outside; I believe I can show you," an astronomer said. They +walked to the door. "Somewhere in that section," the astronomer said, +pointing. + +"Fine. All right, Soldier," O'Donnell told the operator. "Carry out your +orders." + +The scientists gasped in unison. The operator manipulated the controls +and the blob began to overtake the dot. Micheals started across the +room. + +"Stop," the general said, and his strong, commanding voice stopped +Micheals. "I know what I'm doing. I had that ship especially built." + +The blob overtook the dot on the radar screen. + +"I told you this was a personal matter," O'Donnell said. "I swore to +destroy that leech. We can never have any security while it lives." He +smiled. "Shall we look at the sky?" + +The general strolled to the door, followed by the scientists. + +"Push the button, Soldier!" + +The operator did. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the sky lit up! + +A bright star hung in space. Its brilliance filled the night, grew, and +started to fade. + +"What did you do?" Micheals gasped. + +"That rocket was built around a hydrogen bomb," O'Donnell said, his +strong face triumphant. "I set it off at the contact moment." He called +to the operator again. "Is there anything showing on the radar?" + +"Not a speck, sir." + +"Men," the general said, "I have met the enemy and he is mine. Let's +have some more champagne." + +But Micheals found that he was suddenly ill. + + * * * * * + +It had been shrinking from the expenditure of energy, when the great +explosion came. No thought of containing it. The leech's cells held for +the barest fraction of a second, and then spontaneously overloaded. + +The leech was smashed, broken up, destroyed. It was split into a +thousand particles, and the particles were split a million times more. + +The particles were thrown out on the wave front of the explosion, and +they split further, spontaneously. + +Into spores. + +The spores closed into dry, hard, seemingly lifeless specks of dust, +billions of them, scattered, drifting. Unconscious, they floated in the +emptiness of space. + +Billions of them, waiting to be fed. + + --PHILLIPS BARBEE + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _Galaxy Science Fiction_ December 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. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Leech, by Phillips Barbee + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LEECH *** + +***** This file should be named 29525.txt or 29525.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/5/2/29525/ + +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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