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+ The Project Gutenberg eBook of Competition, by James Causey
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+<pre>
+
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Competition, by James Causey
+
+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: Competition
+
+Author: James Causey
+
+Illustrator: Stone
+
+Release Date: August 7, 2009 [EBook #29632]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK COMPETITION ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+</pre>
+
+
+<div class="bk1"><h1><big>COMPETITION</big></h1>
+
+<h2><small>By JAMES CAUSEY</small></h2>
+
+<div class="bk2"><p><i><big><b>They would learn what caused
+the murderous disease&mdash;if it
+was the last thing they did!</b></big></i></p></div></div>
+
+<h3>GRETA</h3>
+
+<p><i>January 18, Earth Time</i></p>
+
+<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">I&nbsp;wish</span> Max would treat me
+like a <i>woman</i>.</p>
+
+<p>An hour ago, at dinner,
+John Armitage proposed a toast,
+especially for my benefit. He
+loves to play the gallant. Big man,
+silver mane, very blue eyes, a
+porcelain smile. The head of
+WSC, the perfect example of the
+politician-scientist.</p>
+
+<p>"To the colony," he announced,
+raising his glass. "May Epsilon
+love them and keep them.
+May it only be transmittal trouble."</p>
+
+<p>"Amen," Max said.</p>
+
+<p>We drank. Taylor Bishop put
+down his glass precisely. Bishop
+is a gray little man with a diffident
+voice that belies his reputation
+as the best biochemist in
+the system. "Has Farragut hinted
+otherwise?" he asked mildly.</p>
+
+<p>Armitage frowned. "It would
+be scarcely prudent for Senator
+Farragut to alarm the populace
+with disaster rumors."</p>
+
+<p>Bishop looked at him out of
+his pale eyes. "Besides, it's an
+election year."</p>
+
+<p>The silence was suddenly ugly.</p>
+
+<p>Then Armitage chuckled. "All
+right," he said. "So the Senator
+wants to be a national hero. The
+fact still remains that Epsilon
+had better be habitable or Pan-Asia
+will scream we're hogging
+it. They want war anyway. Within
+a month&mdash;boom."</p>
+
+<hr />
+
+<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">For</span> a moment, I was afraid
+he was going to make a speech
+about Earth's suffocating billions,
+the screaming tension of
+the cold war, and the sacred necessity
+of Our Mission. If he had,
+I'd have gotten the weeping
+shrieks. Some responsibilities are
+too great to think about. But instead
+he winked at me. For the
+first time, I began to realize why
+Armitage was the Director of the
+Scientists' World Council.</p>
+
+<p>"Hypothesis, Greta," he said.
+"Epsilon is probably a paradise.
+Why should the test colony let
+the rest of the world in on it?
+They're being selfish."</p>
+
+<p>I giggled. We relaxed.</p>
+
+<p>After supper, Armitage played
+chess with Bishop while I followed
+Max into the control room.</p>
+
+<p>"Soon?" I said.</p>
+
+<p>"Planetfall in eighteen hours,
+Doctor." He said it stiffly, busying
+himself at the controls. Max
+is a small dark man with angry
+eyes and the saddest mouth I've
+ever seen. He is also a fine pilot
+and magnificent bacteriologist. I
+wanted to slap him. I hate these
+professional British types that
+think a female biochemist is some
+sort of freak.</p>
+
+<p>"Honestly," I said. "What do
+you think?"</p>
+
+<p>"Disease," he said bitterly.
+"For the first six months they
+reported on schedule, remember?
+A fine clean planet, no dominant
+life-forms, perfect for immigration;
+unique, one world in a billion.
+Abruptly they stopped sending.
+You figure it."</p>
+
+<p>I thought about it.</p>
+
+<p>"I read your thematic on Venusian
+viruses," he said abruptly.
+"Good show. You should be an
+asset to us, Doctor."</p>
+
+<p>"Thanks!" I snapped. I was
+so furious that I inadvertently
+looked into the cabin viewplate.</p>
+
+<p>Bishop had warned me. It takes
+years of deep-space time to enable
+a person to stare at the
+naked Universe without screaming.</p>
+
+<p>It got me. The crystal thunder
+of the stars, that horrible hungry
+blackness. I remember I was sort
+of crying and fighting, then Max
+had me by the shoulders, holding
+me gently. He was murmuring
+and stroking my hair. After a
+time, I stopped whimpering.</p>
+
+<div class="figr"><img src="images/001.png" width="376" height="550" alt="" title="" />
+<b><small>Illustrated by STONE</small></b></div>
+
+<p>"Thanks," I whispered.</p>
+
+<p>"You'd better get some sleep,
+Greta," he said.</p>
+
+<p>I turned in.</p>
+
+<p>I think I'm falling in love.</p>
+
+<hr />
+
+<p><i>January 19</i></p>
+
+<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Today</span> we made planetfall.
+It took Max a few hours to
+home in on the test colony ship.
+He finally found it, on the shore
+of an inland sea that gleamed like
+wrinkled blue satin. For a time
+we cruised in widening spirals,
+trying to detect some signs of
+life. There was nothing.</p>
+
+<p>We finally landed. Max and
+Armitage donned spacesuits and
+went toward the colony ship.
+They came back in a few hours,
+very pale.</p>
+
+<p>"They're dead." Armitage's
+voice cracked as he came out of
+the airlock. "All of them."</p>
+
+<p>"Skeletons," Max said.</p>
+
+<p>"How?" Bishop said.</p>
+
+<p>Armitage's hands were shaking
+as he poured a drink. "Looks like
+civil war."</p>
+
+<p>"But there were a hundred of
+them," I whispered. "They were
+<i>dedicated</i>&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I wonder," Bishop said
+thoughtfully. "White and brown
+and yellow. Russian and British
+and French and German and
+Chinese and Spanish. They were
+chosen for technical background
+rather than emotional stability."</p>
+
+<p>"Rot!" Armitage said like
+drums beating. "It's some alien
+bug, some toxin. We've got to
+isolate it, find an antibody."</p>
+
+<p>He went to work.</p>
+
+<hr />
+
+<p><i>January 22</i></p>
+
+<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">I'm</span> scared.</p>
+
+<p>It's taken three days to finalize
+the atmospheric tests. Oxygen,
+nitrogen, helium, with trace
+gases. Those trace gases are
+stinkers. Bishop discovered a new
+inert gas, heavier than Xenon.
+He's excited. I'm currently checking
+stuff that looks like residual
+organic, and am not too happy
+about it. Still, this atmosphere
+seems pure.</p>
+
+<p>Armitage is chafing.</p>
+
+<p>"It's in the flora," he insisted
+today. "Something, perhaps, that
+they ate." He stood with a strained
+tautness, staring feverishly at
+the chronometer. "Senator Farragut's
+due to make contact soon.
+What'll I tell him?"</p>
+
+<p>"That we're working on it,"
+Bishop said dryly. "That the
+four best scientists in the Galaxy
+are working toward the solution."</p>
+
+<p>"That's good," Armitage said
+seriously. "But they'll worry.
+You <i>are</i> making progress?"</p>
+
+<p>I wanted to wrap a pestle
+around his neck.</p>
+
+<p>We were all in the control
+room an hour later. Armitage
+practically stood at attention
+while Farragut's voice boomed
+from the transmitter.</p>
+
+<p>It was very emetic. The Senator
+said the entire hemisphere
+was waiting for us to announce
+the planet was safe for immigration.
+He said the stars were a
+challenge to Man. He spoke fearfully
+of the Coming World Crisis.
+Epsilon was Man's last chance
+for survival. Armitage assured
+him our progress was satisfactory,
+that within a few days we
+would have something tangible
+to report. The Senator said we
+were heroes.</p>
+
+<p>Finally it was over. Max yawned.
+"Wonder how many voters
+start field work at once."</p>
+
+<p>Armitage frowned. "It's not
+funny, Cizon. Not funny at all.
+Inasmuch as we've checked out
+the atmosphere, I suggest we
+start field work at once."</p>
+
+<p>Taylor blinked. "We're still
+testing a few residual&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I happen to be nominal leader
+of this party." Armitage stood
+very tall, very determined. "Obviously
+the atmosphere is pure.
+Let's make some progress!"</p>
+
+<hr />
+
+<p><i>February 2</i></p>
+
+<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">This</span> is progress?</p>
+
+<p>For the past ten days, we've
+worked the clock around. Quantitative
+analysis, soil, water,
+flora, fauna, cellular, microscopic.
+Nothing. Max has discovered a
+few lethal alkaloids in some
+greenish tree fungus, but I doubt
+if the colony were indiscriminate
+fungus eaters. Bishop has found
+a few new unicellular types, but
+nothing dangerous. There's one
+tentacled thing that reminds me
+of a frightened rotifer. Max
+named it <i>Armitagium</i>. Armitage
+is pleased.</p>
+
+<p>Perhaps the fate of the hundred
+colonists will remain one of
+those forever unsolved mysteries,
+like the fate of the <i>Mary Celeste</i>
+or the starship <i>Prometheus</i>.</p>
+
+<p>This planet's <i>clean</i>.</p>
+
+<hr />
+
+<p><i>February 4</i></p>
+
+<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Today</span> Max and I went specimen-hunting.</p>
+
+<p>It must be autumn on Epsilon.
+Everywhere the trees are a riot
+of scarlet and ocher, the scrubby
+bushes are shedding their leaves.
+Once we came upon a field of
+thistlelike plants with spiny seed-pods
+that opened as we watched,
+the purple spores drifting afield
+in an eddy of tinted mist. Max
+said it reminded him of Scotland.
+He kissed me.</p>
+
+<p>On the way back to the ship
+we saw two skeletons. Each had
+its fingers tightly locked about
+the other's throat.</p>
+
+<hr />
+
+<p><i>February 20</i></p>
+
+<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">We</span> have, to date, analyzed
+nine hundred types of plant
+life for toxin content. Bishop has
+tested innumerable spores and
+bacteria. Our slide file is immense
+and still growing. Max has
+captured several insects. There
+is one tiny yellow bush-spider
+with a killing bite, but the species
+seem to be rare. Bishop has isolated
+a mold bacterium that
+could cause a high fever, but its
+propagation rate is far too low
+to enable it to last long in the
+bloodstream.</p>
+
+<p>The most dangerous animal
+seems to be a two-foot-tall arthropod.
+They're rare and peaceable.
+Bishop vivisected one yesterday
+and found nothing alarming.</p>
+
+<p>Last night I dreamed about the
+first expedition. I dreamed they
+all committed suicide because
+Epsilon was too good for them.</p>
+
+<p>This is ridiculous!</p>
+
+<p>We're working in a sort of
+quiet madness getting no closer
+to the solution.</p>
+
+<p>Armitage talked to Senator
+Farragut yesterday and hinted
+darkly that the first ship's hydroponics
+system went haywire and
+that an improper carbohydrate
+imbalance killed the colony.
+Pretty thin. Farragut's getting
+impatient. Bishop looks haggard.
+Max looks grim.</p>
+
+<hr />
+
+<p><i>February 23</i></p>
+
+<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Our</span> quantitative tests are
+slowing down. We play a
+rubber of bridge each night before
+retiring. Last night I trumped
+Max's ace and he snarled at
+me. We had a fight. This morning
+I found a bouquet of purple
+spore-thistles at my cabin door.
+Max is sweet.</p>
+
+<p>This afternoon, by mutual consent,
+we all knocked off work and
+played bridge. Bishop noticed the
+thistle bouquet in a vase over the
+chronometer. He objected.</p>
+
+<p>"They're harmless," Max said.
+"Besides, they smell nice."</p>
+
+<p>I can hardly wait for tomorrow's
+rubber. Our work is important,
+but one does need relaxation.</p>
+
+<hr />
+
+<p><i>February 25</i></p>
+
+<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Armitage</span> is cheating.</p>
+
+<p>Yesterday he failed to score
+one of my overtricks. We argued
+bitterly about it. Taylor, of
+course, sided with him. Three
+hands later, Armitage got the bid
+in hearts. "One hundred and fifty
+honors," he announced.</p>
+
+<p>"That's a lie," I said.</p>
+
+<p>"It was only a hundred," he
+grinned. "But thank you, Greta.
+Now I shan't try the queen finesse."</p>
+
+<p>No wonder they've won the
+last three evenings! Max is furious
+with them both.</p>
+
+<hr />
+
+<p><i>February 28</i></p>
+
+<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">We</span> played all day. Max and I
+kept losing. I always knew
+Armitage was a pompous toad,
+but I never realized he was <i>slimy</i>.</p>
+
+<p>This afternoon it was game all,
+and Armitage overcalled my
+diamond opener with three
+spades. Bishop took him to four
+and I doubled, counting on my
+ace-king of hearts and diamonds.</p>
+
+<p>I led out my diamond ace and
+Armitage trumped from his
+hand. Bishop laid down his dummy.
+He had clubs and spades
+solid, with doubleton heart and
+diamonds.</p>
+
+<p>"None?" Max asked Armitage
+dangerously.</p>
+
+<p>Armitage tittered. I wanted to
+scratch his eyes out. He drew
+trump immediately and set up
+clubs on board, dumping the
+heart losers from his hand, and
+finally sluffing&mdash;<i>two diamonds</i>.</p>
+
+<p>"Made seven," he said complacently,
+"less two for the diamond
+renege makes five, one
+overtrick doubled. We were vulnerable,
+so it's game and rubber."</p>
+
+<p>I gasped. "You reneged deliberately!"</p>
+
+<p>"Certainly. Doubleton in
+hearts and diamonds in my hand.
+If you get in, I'm down one. As
+it was, I made an overtrick. The
+only penalty for a renege is two
+tricks. The rule book does not
+differentiate between deliberate
+and accidental reneges. Sorry."</p>
+
+<p>I stared at his florid throat, at
+his jugular. I could feel my
+mouth twitching.</p>
+
+<p>On the next hand I was dummy.
+I excused myself and went
+into the lab. I found a scalpel. I
+came up quietly behind Armitage
+and Bishop saw what I was going
+to do and shouted and I was not
+nearly fast enough. Armitage
+ducked and Bishop tackled me.</p>
+
+<p>"Thanks, dear," Max said
+thoughtfully, looking at the cards
+scattered on the floor. "We would
+have been set one trick. Club finesse
+fails."</p>
+
+<p>"She's crazy!" Armitage's
+mouth worked. "The strain's too
+much for her!"</p>
+
+<p>I cried. I apologized hysterically.
+After a while, I convinced
+them I was all right. Max gave
+me a sedative. We did not play
+any more bridge. Over supper I
+kept staring at Armitage's throat.</p>
+
+<p>After eating, I went for a long
+walk. When I got back to the
+ship, everyone was sleeping.</p>
+
+<hr />
+
+<p><i>March 1</i></p>
+
+<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Bishop</span> found Armitage this
+morning, in his cabin. He
+came out, very pale, staring at
+me.</p>
+
+<p>"You bitch," he said. "Ear to
+ear. Now what'll I do for a partner?"</p>
+
+<p>"You can't prove it," I said.</p>
+
+<p>"We'll have to confine her to
+quarters," Max said wearily. "I'll
+tell Farragut."</p>
+
+<p>"And let him know the expedition
+is failing?"</p>
+
+<p>Max sighed. "You're right.
+We'll tell them Armitage had an
+accident."</p>
+
+<p>I said seriously, "It was obviously
+suicide. His mind snapped."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, God," Max said.</p>
+
+<p>They buried Armitage this
+afternoon. From my cabin, I
+watched them dig the grave.</p>
+
+<p>Cheaters never prosper.</p>
+
+<hr />
+
+<p><i>March 2</i></p>
+
+<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Max</span> talked with Senator Farragut
+this morning. He said
+Armitage had died a hero's death.
+Farragut sounds worried. The
+Pan-Asians have withdrawn their
+embassy from Imperial Africa.
+Tension is mounting on the home
+front. Immigration <i>must</i> start
+this week. Max was very reassuring.
+"Just a few final tests,
+Senator. We want to make sure."</p>
+
+<p>We puttered in our laboratories
+all afternoon. Bishop seemed
+bored. After dinner he suggested
+three-handed bridge and Max
+said he knew a better game, a
+friendly game his grandmother
+had taught him&mdash;hearts.</p>
+
+<hr />
+
+<p><i>March 5</i></p>
+
+<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">It's</span> a plot!</p>
+
+<p>All day long Bishop and Max
+have managed to give me the
+queen of spades. It's deliberate,
+of course. Three times I've tried
+for the moon and Bishop has held
+out one damned little heart at
+the end. Once Max was slightly
+ahead on points and Bishop demanded
+to see the score. I
+thought for a moment they would
+come to blows, but Bishop apologized.</p>
+
+<p>"It's just that I hate to lose,"
+he said.</p>
+
+<p>"Quite," Max said.</p>
+
+<p>When we finally turned in,
+Bishop was ahead on points.</p>
+
+<p>Too far ahead.</p>
+
+<hr />
+
+<p><i>March 6</i></p>
+
+<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">I&nbsp;suppose</span> it's Bishop's laugh.
+It has a peculiar horselike
+stridency that makes me want to
+tear out his throat. Twice today
+I've broken down and cried when
+he made a jackpot.</p>
+
+<p>I'm not going to cry any more.</p>
+
+<p>Supper was the usual, beef-yeast
+and vita-ale. I remember
+setting Bishop's plate in front of
+him, and the way his pale eyes
+gleamed between mouthfuls.
+"Three thousand points ahead,"
+he gloated. "You'll never catch
+me now. Never, never!"</p>
+
+<p>That was when he gripped his
+throat and began writhing on the
+floor.</p>
+
+<p>Max felt his pulse. He stared at
+me.</p>
+
+<p>"Very nice," he said. "Quick.
+Did you use a derivative of that
+green fungus?"</p>
+
+<p>I said nothing. Max's nostrils
+were white and pinched. "Must I
+make an autopsy?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why bother?" I said. "It's
+obviously heart failure."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, why bother?" he said.
+He looked tired. "Stay in your
+cabin, Greta. I'll bring your
+meals."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't trust you."</p>
+
+<p>His laughter had a touch of
+madness.</p>
+
+<hr />
+
+<p><i>March 10</i></p>
+
+<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Max</span> unlocked my cabin door
+this morning. He looked
+drawn. "Listen," he said. "I've
+checked my respiration, pulse,
+saliva, temperature. All normal."</p>
+
+<p>"So?"</p>
+
+<p>"Come here," he said. I followed
+him into the lab. He indicated
+a microscope. His eyes were
+bright.</p>
+
+<p>"Well?"</p>
+
+<p>"A drop of my blood," he said.
+"Look."</p>
+
+<p>I squinted into the microscope.
+I saw purple discs. Oddly, they
+did not attack the red blood cells.
+There was no fission, no mitosis.
+The leucocytes, strangely enough,
+let them alone.</p>
+
+<p>My hands were shaking as I
+took a sterile slide and pricked
+my finger. I put the slide under
+the microscope. I adjusted the
+lens and stared.</p>
+
+<p>Purple discs, swimming in my
+bloodstream. Thriving. Minding
+their own business.</p>
+
+<p>"Me, too," I said.</p>
+
+<p>"They're inert," Max said
+hoarsely. "They don't affect metabolism,
+cause fever, or interfere
+with the body chemistry in
+any way. Do they remind you of
+anything?"</p>
+
+<p>I thought about it. Then I went
+to the slide file that was marked
+<i>flora&mdash;negative</i>.</p>
+
+<p>"Right," Max said. "The purple
+thistle. Spores! The atmosphere
+is clogged with them.
+Greta, my sweet, we're infected."</p>
+
+<p>"I feel fine," I said.</p>
+
+<p>All day long we ran tests. Negative
+tests. We seem to be disgustingly
+healthy. "Symbiosis,"
+Max said finally. "Live and let
+live. Apparently we're hosts."</p>
+
+<p>Only one thing disturbs me.</p>
+
+<p>Most symbiotes <i>do</i> something
+for their host. Something to enhance
+the host's survival potential.</p>
+
+<p>We played chess this evening.
+I won. Max is furious. He's such
+a poor sport.</p>
+
+<hr />
+
+<p><i>March 11</i></p>
+
+<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Max</span> talked with Senator Farragut
+this morning. He gave
+Epsilon a clean bill of health and
+the Senator thanked God. "The
+first starship will leave tonight,"
+the Senator said. "Right on
+schedule, with ten thousand colonists
+aboard. You're world heroes!"</p>
+
+<p>Max and I played chess the
+rest of the day. Max won consistently.
+He utilizes a fianchetto
+that is utterly impregnable. If he
+wins tomorrow, I shall have to
+kill him.</p>
+
+<hr />
+
+<h3>MAX</h3>
+
+<p><i>March 13</i></p>
+
+<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">It</span> was, of course, necessary for
+me to destroy Armitage and
+Bishop. They won far too often.
+But I am sorry about Greta. Yet
+I had to strangle her.</p>
+
+<p>If she hadn't started that infernal
+queen's pawn opening it
+would have been different. She
+beat me six times running, and
+on the last game I pulled a superb
+orang-outang, but it was too
+late. She saw mate in four and
+gave me that serpent smirk I
+know so well.</p>
+
+<p>How could I have ever been in
+love with her?</p>
+
+<hr />
+
+<p><i>March 14</i></p>
+
+<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Frightfully</span> boring to be
+alone. I have a thought.
+Chess. Right hand against left.
+White and black. Jolly good.</p>
+
+<hr />
+
+<p><i>March 16</i></p>
+
+<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">I&nbsp;haven't</span> much time.</p>
+
+<p>Left was black this morning
+and I beat him, four out of five.
+We're in the lab now. He's watching
+me scribble this. His thumb
+and forefinger are twitching in
+fury. He looks like some great
+white spider about to spring.</p>
+
+<p>He sees the scalpel, by the microscope.
+Now his fingers are
+inching toward it. Treacherous
+beast. I'm stronger. If he tries
+to amputate ...</p>
+
+<p class="rgt"><b>&mdash;JAMES CAUSEY</b></p>
+
+<div class="trn"><div class="figt"><a href="images/002-2.jpg"><img src="images/002-1.jpg" width="152" 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> May 1955.
+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 Competition, by James Causey
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