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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/30491-0.txt b/30491-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f455067 --- /dev/null +++ b/30491-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,392 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30491 *** + + _It is man's most precious possession--no living thing can exist + without it. But when they gave it to Orville, it killed him. For the + answer, read 1/M._ + + + Vital + Ingredient + + By Charles V. De Vet + + +"Now watch," Remm said, indicating the native. Macker had been absent, +exploring the countryside in the immediate vicinity of their landing +place, and had not witnessed the capture of the native, or the tests his +two companions made on it. + +Macker followed Remm's gaze to where the biped native sat hunched. The +creature was bent into an ungainly position, its body crooked at +incongruous angles, in such a way as to allow most of its weight to rest +on a packing-box at the base of a middle angle. Its stubby feet, on the +ends of thin, pipelike legs, rested against the floor of the space ship. +Its body was covered, almost entirely, with an artificial skin material +of various colors. Some of the colors hurt Macker's eyes. In the few +places where the flesh showed through the skin was an unhealthy, pallid +white. + +Slowly the creature's head swiveled on its short neck until it faced +them. + +"Those orifices in the upper portion of its skull are evidently organs +of sight," Remm said. "It sees that we are quite a distance away. It +will probably attempt to escape again." + +Slowly--slowly--the native's head rotated away from them in a +half-circle until it faced Toolls, working over his instruments on the +far side of the room. Then it turned its head back until it faced the +door of the ship. + +"It is setting itself for flight now," Remm said. "Notice the evidence +of strain on its face." + +The creature leaned forward and the appendages on the ends of its upper +limbs clutched the sides of the box as it propelled its body forward. + +It raised its right foot in a slow arc, employing a double-jointed, +breaking action of its leg. For a long moment it rested its entire +weight on its lumpy right foot, while its momentum carried its body +sluggishly forward. Then it repeated the motion with its left leg; then +again its right. All the while evidencing great exertion and +concentration of effort. + +"It is making what it considers a mad dash for freedom," Remm said. +"Probably at the ultimate speed of which it is capable. That would be +ridiculous except that it's normal for its own environment. This is +definitely a slow-motion world." + +The creature was a third-way to the door now. Once again its head turned +in its slow quarter-circle, to look at them. As it saw that Remm and +Macker had not moved it altered the expression on its face. + +"It seems to express its emotions through facial contortions," Remm +said. "Though I suspect that the sounds it makes with the upper part of +its trachea during moments of agitation are also outlets of emotional +stress, rather than efforts at communication." He called across the room +to Toolls. "What did you find out about its speech?" + +"Extremely primitive," Toolls replied. "Incredible as it may appear to +us it uses combinations of sounds to form word-symbols. Each word +indicates some action, or object; or denotes degree, time, or shades of +meaning. Other words are merely connectives. It seems to make little use +of inflections, the basis of a rational language. Thoughts which we can +project with a few sounds would take it dozens of words to express." + +"Just how intelligent is it?" Macker asked. + +"Only as intelligent as a high degree of self-preservation instinct +would make it." + +"Are you certain that it is a member of the dominant species of life on +the planet?" + +"There's no doubt about it," Toolls replied. "I've made very careful +observations." + +"This attempt at escape is a pretty good example of its intelligence," +Remm said. "This is the sixth time it has tried to escape--in exactly +the same way. As soon as it sees that we are farther away from it than +it is from the door, it makes its dash." + + * * * * * + +The creature was one step away from the space ship's open portal now and +bringing its foot up to cross the threshold. Remm walked over and lifted +it off the floor. + +"Its legs are still moving in a running motion," Macker said. "Doesn't +it realize yet that you've picked it up?" + +[Illustration: _It was an arm to be proud of--but what good was it?_] + +"Its nervous system and reflexes are evidently as slow as its motor +muscles," Remm replied. "There has not been time for the sensation of my +picking it up to reach the brain, and for the brain to send back its +message to the legs to stop their running motion." + +"How heavy is it?" Macker asked. + +"Only a few ounces," Remm replied. "But that's logical considering that +this is a 'light' planet. If we took it back to our own 'heavy' world, +gravity would crush it to a light film of the liquid which comprises the +greater part of its substance." + +Remm set the creature down on the box in its former queerly contorted +position. Toolls had left his instruments and strolled over beside them +to observe the native. + +"One of its appendages seems bent at a peculiar angle," Macker said. + +"I noticed that," Remm answered. "I think that I may have broken the +bone in several places when I first captured it. I was not aware then of +how fragile it was. But now that you mention it, I should be able to use +that injury to give you a good illustration of the interplay of +emotional expressions on its face. Observe now as I touch it." + +Remm reached over and touched--very lightly--the broken portion of the +native's appendage. The muscles of the creature's face pulled its +flaccid flesh into distorted positions, bunching some and stretching +others. "It is very probably registering pain," Remm said. + +Suddenly the starch seemed to leave the native's body and it slowly +slumped across the packing-box. + +"Why is it doing that, Toolls?" Remm asked. + +Toolls concentrated for a minute, absorbing the feelings and thought +pulsations emanating from the creature. "The conscious plane of its mind +has blanked out," he said. "I presume the pain you caused by touching +its wounded member resulted in a breakdown of its nervous system. The +only thought waves I receive now are disjointed impressions and pictures +following no rational series. However, I'm certain that it will be only +temporary." + +"Don't you think that in justice to the creature we should repair its +wound before we free it?" Macker asked. + +"I had intended to have it done," Remm replied. "You shouldn't have any +trouble fixing it, should you, Toolls?" + +"No," Toolls answered. "I may as well attend to it right now." He rolled +the portable _converter_ over beside the creature and carefully laid its +arm in the "pan." The _converter_ automatically set its gauges and +instruments of calculation, and gave its click of "ready." + +Toolls fed a short length of _basic_ into the machine and it began its +work. The native was still unconscious. + +The bone of the wounded arm slowly evaporated, beginning with the wrist +joint. The evaporated portion was instantly replaced by the +manufactured bone of the _converter_. At the same time it repaired all +ruptured blood vessels and damaged ligaments and muscles. + +"It was not possible, of course, for me to replace the bone with another +of the same composition as its own," Toolls said, after the machine had +completed its work. "But I gave it one of our 'heavy' ones. There will +be no force on this planet powerful enough to break it again." + + * * * * * + +The native's first evidence of a return to consciousness was a faint +fluttering of the lids that covered its organs of vision. The lids +opened and it looked up at them. + +"Its eyesight is as slow as its muscular reactions," Remm said. "Watch." +Remm raised his hand and waved it slowly in front of the native's face. +The eyes of the native, moving in odd, jerking movements, followed the +hand's progress. Remm raised the hand--speeding its action slightly--and +the eyesight faltered and lost it. The native's eyes rolled wildly until +once again they located the hand. + +Remm took three steps forward. The native's eyes were unable to follow +his change of position. Its gaze wandered about the room, until again +its settled on Remm's waiting figure. + +"Can you imagine anything being so slow," Remm said, "and still ..." +Suddenly Macker interrupted. "Something is wrong. It is trying to get +up, but it can't." The native was registering signs of distress, kicking +its legs and twisting its body into new positions of contortion. + +"I see what the trouble is," Toolls said. "It's unable to lift the +appendage with the new bone in. I never thought of that before but its +'light' muscles aren't strong enough to lift the limb. We've got the +poor creature pinned to the box by the weight of its own arm." + +"We can't do that to it," Remm said. "Isn't there any way you can give +it a lighter bone?" + +"None that wouldn't take a retooling of the _converter_," Toolls said. +"I'm not certain that I could do it, and even if I could, we don't have +the time to spare. I could give it stronger muscles in the arm, but that +may throw off the metabolism of the whole body. If it did, the result +would be fatal. I'd hate to chance it." + +"I have an idea," Macker said. By the inflections of his tones the +others knew that some incongruity of the situation had aroused Macker's +sense of humor. "Why don't we give the creature an entirely new body? We +could replace the flesh and viscera, as well as the cartilaginous +structure, with our own type substance. It would probably be an +indestructible being as far as its own world is concerned. And it would +be as powerful as their mightiest machines. We'd leave behind us a +superman that could change the course of this world's history. You could +do it, couldn't you, Toolls?" + +"Quite simply." + +"Our policy has always been not to interfere in anyway with the races we +study," Remm protested. + +"But our policy has also been never to harm any of them, if at all +possible to avoid it," Macker insisted. "In common justice you have to +complete the job Toolls began on the arm, or you're condemning this poor +thing to death." + +"But do we have the right to loose such an unpredictable factor as it +would be among them?" Remm asked. "After all, our purpose is exploration +and observation, not playing the parts of gods to the primitives we +encounter." + +"True, that is the rule which we have always followed in the past," +Macker agreed, "but it is in no way a requirement. We are empowered to +use our judgment in all circumstances. And in this particular instance I +believe I can convince you that the course I suggest is the more just +one." He turned to Toolls. "Just what stage of cultural development +would you say this creature's race has attained?" + +"It still retains more of an animal-like adaptation to its surroundings +than an intellectual one," Toolls replied. "Its civilization is divided +into various sized units of cooperation which it calls governments. Each +unit vies with the others for a greater share of its world's goods. That +same rivalry is carried down to the individual within the unit. Each +strives for acquisition against his neighbor. + +"Further they retain many of their tribal instincts, such as +gregariousness, emotional rather than intellectual propagation, and +worship of the mightiest fighter. This last, however, is manifested by +reverence for individuals attaining position of authority, or acquiring +large amounts of their medium of exchange, rather than by physical +superiority." + +"That's what I mean," Macker said. "Our policy in the past has been to +avoid tampering, only because of the fear of bringing harm. If we +created a super being among them, to act as a controlling and +harmonizing force, we'd hasten their development by thousands of years. +We'd be granting them the greatest possible boon!" + +"I don't know," Remm said, obviously swayed by Macker's logic. "I'm +still hesitant about introducing a being into their midst whose thought +processes would be so subtle and superior to their own. How do you feel +about it, Toolls?" + +"What would they have to lose?" Toolls asked with his penchant for +striking the core of an argument. + +"The right or wrong of such moral and philosophical considerations has +always been a delicate thing to decide," Remm acquiesced reluctantly. +"Go ahead if you think it is the right thing to do." + + * * * * * + +"All finished?" Macker asked. + +"That depends on how much you want me to do," Toolls replied. "I've +substituted our 'heavy' substances for his entire body structure, +including the brain--at the same time transferring his former memory and +habit impressions. That was necessary if he is to be able to care for +himself. Also I brought his muscular reaction time up to our norm, and +speeded his reflexes." + +"Have you implanted any techniques which he did not possess before, such +as far-seeing, or mental insight?" Macker asked. + +"No," Toolls said. "That is what I want your advice about. Just how much +should I reveal about ourselves and our background? Or should he be left +without any knowledge of us?" + +"Well ..." Now that the others had deferred to Macker's arguments, he +had lost much of his certainty. "Perhaps we should at least let him know +who we are, and what we have done. That would save him much alarm and +perplexity when it comes time to reorient himself. On the other hand, +perhaps we should go even farther and implant the knowledge of some of +our sciences. Then he could do a better job of advancing his people. But +maybe I'm wrong. What do you think about it, Remm?" + +"My personal opinion," Remm said, "is that we can't give him much of our +science, because it would be like giving a baby a high explosive to play +with. His race is much too primitive to handle it wisely. Either he, or +someone to whom he imparts what we teach him, would be certain to bring +catastrophe to his world. And if we let him learn less, but still +remember his contact with us, in time his race would very likely come to +regard us as gods. I would hesitate to drag in any metaphysical +confusion to add to the uncertainties you are already engendering. My +advice would be to wipe his mind of all memory of us. Let him explain +his new found invincibility to himself in his own way." + +Macker had no criticism to offer to this suggestion. "Does he retain any +of his immunity to this world's malignant germs?" he asked. + +"They are too impotent to represent any hazard to his present body +mechanism," Toolls replied. "If and when he dies, it will not be from +disease." + +"He will be subject to the deterioration of old age, the same as we are, +won't he?" Macker asked. + +"Of course," Toolls said, "but that's the only thing that will be able +to bring him down. He cannot be harmed by any force this 'light' world +can produce; he is impervious to sickness; and he will live +indefinitely." + +"Indefinitely?" + +"As his world reckons time. Their normal life span is less than a +hundred years. Ours is over five thousand. He will probably live +approximately twice that long, because he will be subjected to less +stress and strain, living as he does on a world of lighter elements." + +"Then we have truly made a superman," Macker's tones inflected +satisfaction. "I wish we were returning this way in a thousand years or +so. I'd like to see the monumental changes he will effect." + +"We may at that," Remm said, "or others of our people will. He will +probably be a living legend by then. I'd like to hear what his race has +to say about him. Do they have names with which to differentiate +individuals?" + +"Yes," Toolls said. "This one has a family designation of Pollnow, and +a member designation of Orville." + +"It will be necessary for us to leave in exactly ten minutes," Remm +reminded them. "Our next stopping place--the red star--will reach its +nearest conjunction with this planet by the time we meet it out in +space." + +"Then we will have time to do nothing more for him before we go," Macker +said. "But as far as I can see we've forgotten nothing, have we, +Toolls?" + +"Nothing," Toolls answered. "No--we forgot nothing." + + * * * * * + +But Toolls was wrong. They had forgotten one thing. A minor detail, +relatively.... + +On Toolls' world his race, in the course of its evolution, had adjusted +itself to its own particular environment. Logically, the final result +was that they evolved into beings best able to survive in that +environment. As such their food--a "heavy," highly concentrated +food--was ideally suited to supply the needs of their "heavy," +tremendously avid organisms. + +Orville Pollnow had no such food available. His body--no larger than +before--had an Earth mass of one hundred and eighty thousand pounds. One +hundred and eighty thousand pounds--the weight of twelve hundred average +sized men--of fiercely burning, intense virility. Even continuous +eating--of his own world's food--could not supply the demands of that +body. + +Twenty-four hours after the aliens left, Pollnow was dead--of +starvation. + + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _If Worlds of Science Fiction_ July + 1952. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. + copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and + typographical errors have been corrected without note. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Vital Ingredient, by Charles V. De Vet + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30491 *** diff --git a/30491-h.zip b/30491-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b8a66d6 --- /dev/null +++ b/30491-h.zip diff --git a/30491-h/30491-h.htm b/30491-h/30491-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..24479b0 --- /dev/null +++ b/30491-h/30491-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,661 @@ +<!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=UTF-8" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Vital Ingredient, by Charles V. De Vet + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1,h2,.hd1,.figr {text-align: center;} + h2 {margin-bottom: 2em;} + .hd1 {margin-top: 2em;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 2em auto; visibility: hidden;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .figr {float: right; clear: right; margin: 1em 0 1em 1em; padding: 0; width: 359px;} + 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: 136px;} + .trn {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; min-height: 230px;} + .trn p {margin: 15px;} + .bk1 {margin-right: 50%;} + .sp1 {font-size: 125%;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30491 ***</div> + +<div class="bk1"><p><big><i>It is man's most precious possession—no +living thing can exist without it. But +when they gave it to Orville, it killed +him. For the answer, read 1/M.</i></big></p></div> + +<h1><span class="sp1">Vital<br /> +Ingredient</span></h1> + +<h2>By Charles V. De Vet</h2> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">"Now watch</span>," Remm said, indicating +the native. Macker had +been absent, exploring the countryside +in the immediate vicinity of +their landing place, and had not +witnessed the capture of the native, +or the tests his two companions +made on it.</p> + +<p>Macker followed Remm's gaze to +where the biped native sat hunched. +The creature was bent into an ungainly +position, its body crooked at +incongruous angles, in such a way +as to allow most of its weight to +rest on a packing-box at the base +of a middle angle. Its stubby feet, +on the ends of thin, pipelike legs, +rested against the floor of the space +ship. Its body was covered, almost +entirely, with an artificial skin material +of various colors. Some of the +colors hurt Macker's eyes. In the +few places where the flesh showed +through the skin was an unhealthy, +pallid white.</p> + +<p>Slowly the creature's head swiveled +on its short neck until it faced +them.</p> + +<p>"Those orifices in the upper portion +of its skull are evidently organs +of sight," Remm said. "It sees that +we are quite a distance away. It +will probably attempt to escape +again."</p> + +<p>Slowly—slowly—the native's +head rotated away from them in a +half-circle until it faced Toolls, +working over his instruments on the +far side of the room. Then it turned +its head back until it faced the door +of the ship.</p> + +<p>"It is setting itself for flight +now," Remm said. "Notice the evidence +of strain on its face."</p> + +<p>The creature leaned forward and +the appendages on the ends of its +upper limbs clutched the sides of +the box as it propelled its body forward.</p> + +<p>It raised its right foot in a slow +arc, employing a double-jointed, +breaking action of its leg. For a +long moment it rested its entire +weight on its lumpy right foot, +while its momentum carried its +body sluggishly forward. Then it repeated +the motion with its left leg; +then again its right. All the while +evidencing great exertion and concentration +of effort.</p> + +<p>"It is making what it considers a +mad dash for freedom," Remm +said. "Probably at the ultimate +speed of which it is capable. That +would be ridiculous except that it's +normal for its own environment. +This is definitely a slow-motion +world."</p> + +<p>The creature was a third-way to +the door now. Once again its head +turned in its slow quarter-circle, to +look at them. As it saw that Remm +and Macker had not moved it altered +the expression on its face.</p> + +<p>"It seems to express its emotions +through facial contortions," Remm +said. "Though I suspect that the +sounds it makes with the upper part +of its trachea during moments of +agitation are also outlets of emotional +stress, rather than efforts at +communication." He called across +the room to Toolls. "What did you +find out about its speech?"</p> + +<p>"Extremely primitive," Toolls replied. +"Incredible as it may appear +to us it uses combinations of +sounds to form word-symbols. Each +word indicates some action, or object; +or denotes degree, time, or +shades of meaning. Other words are +merely connectives. It seems to +make little use of inflections, the +basis of a rational language. +Thoughts which we can project +with a few sounds would take it +dozens of words to express."</p> + +<p>"Just how intelligent is it?" +Macker asked.</p> + +<p>"Only as intelligent as a high degree +of self-preservation instinct +would make it."</p> + +<p>"Are you certain that it is a member +of the dominant species of life +on the planet?"</p> + +<p>"There's no doubt about it," +Toolls replied. "I've made very +careful observations."</p> + +<p>"This attempt at escape is a pretty +good example of its intelligence," +Remm said. "This is the sixth time +it has tried to escape—in exactly +the same way. As soon as it sees +that we are farther away from it +than it is from the door, it makes its +dash."</p> + +<hr /> + +<div class="figr"><img src="images/001.png" width="359" height="500" alt="" title="" /> +<i><small><b>It was an arm to be proud of—but what good was it?</b></small></i></div> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The creature</span> was one step +away from the space ship's open +portal now and bringing its foot up +to cross the threshold. Remm +walked over and lifted it off the +floor.</p> + +<p>"Its legs are still moving in a +running motion," Macker said. +"Doesn't it realize yet that you've +picked it up?"</p> + +<p>"Its nervous system and reflexes +are evidently as slow as its motor +muscles," Remm replied. "There +has not been time for the sensation +of my picking it up to reach the +brain, and for the brain to send +back its message to the legs to stop +their running motion."</p> + +<p>"How heavy is it?" Macker +asked.</p> + +<p>"Only a few ounces," Remm replied. +"But that's logical considering +that this is a 'light' planet. If +we took it back to our own 'heavy' +world, gravity would crush it to a +light film of the liquid which comprises +the greater part of its substance."</p> + +<p>Remm set the creature down on +the box in its former queerly contorted +position. Toolls had left his +instruments and strolled over beside +them to observe the native.</p> + +<p>"One of its appendages seems +bent at a peculiar angle," Macker +said.</p> + +<p>"I noticed that," Remm answered. +"I think that I may have +broken the bone in several places +when I first captured it. I was not +aware then of how fragile it was. +But now that you mention it, I +should be able to use that injury +to give you a good illustration of +the interplay of emotional expressions +on its face. Observe now as I +touch it."</p> + +<p>Remm reached over and touched—very +lightly—the broken portion +of the native's appendage. The +muscles of the creature's face pulled +its flaccid flesh into distorted positions, +bunching some and stretching +others. "It is very probably registering +pain," Remm said.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the starch seemed to +leave the native's body and it slowly +slumped across the packing-box.</p> + +<p>"Why is it doing that, Toolls?" +Remm asked.</p> + +<p>Toolls concentrated for a minute, +absorbing the feelings and +thought pulsations emanating from +the creature. "The conscious plane +of its mind has blanked out," he +said. "I presume the pain you +caused by touching its wounded +member resulted in a breakdown +of its nervous system. The only +thought waves I receive now are +disjointed impressions and pictures +following no rational series. However, +I'm certain that it will be +only temporary."</p> + +<p>"Don't you think that in justice +to the creature we should repair its +wound before we free it?" Macker +asked.</p> + +<p>"I had intended to have it done," +Remm replied. "You shouldn't +have any trouble fixing it, should +you, Toolls?"</p> + +<p>"No," Toolls answered. "I may +as well attend to it right now." He +rolled the portable <i>converter</i> over +beside the creature and carefully +laid its arm in the "pan." The <i>converter</i> +automatically set its gauges +and instruments of calculation, and +gave its click of "ready."</p> + +<p>Toolls fed a short length of <i>basic</i> +into the machine and it began its +work. The native was still unconscious.</p> + +<p>The bone of the wounded arm +slowly evaporated, beginning with +the wrist joint. The evaporated +portion was instantly replaced by +the manufactured bone of the <i>converter</i>. +At the same time it repaired +all ruptured blood vessels and damaged +ligaments and muscles.</p> + +<p>"It was not possible, of course, +for me to replace the bone with another +of the same composition as +its own," Toolls said, after the machine +had completed its work. "But +I gave it one of our 'heavy' ones. +There will be no force on this +planet powerful enough to break it +again."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The native's</span> first evidence of +a return to consciousness was a +faint fluttering of the lids that covered +its organs of vision. The lids +opened and it looked up at them.</p> + +<p>"Its eyesight is as slow as its muscular +reactions," Remm said. +"Watch." Remm raised his hand +and waved it slowly in front of the +native's face. The eyes of the native, +moving in odd, jerking movements, +followed the hand's progress. +Remm raised the hand—speeding +its action slightly—and the eyesight +faltered and lost it. The native's +eyes rolled wildly until once +again they located the hand.</p> + +<p>Remm took three steps forward. +The native's eyes were unable to +follow his change of position. Its +gaze wandered about the room, until +again its settled on Remm's waiting +figure.</p> + +<p>"Can you imagine anything being +so slow," Remm said, "and +still ..." Suddenly Macker interrupted. +"Something is wrong. It is +trying to get up, but it can't." The +native was registering signs of distress, +kicking its legs and twisting its +body into new positions of contortion.</p> + +<p>"I see what the trouble is," Toolls +said. "It's unable to lift the appendage +with the new bone in. I never +thought of that before but its +'light' muscles aren't strong +enough to lift the limb. We've got +the poor creature pinned to the box +by the weight of its own arm."</p> + +<p>"We can't do that to it," Remm +said. "Isn't there any way you can +give it a lighter bone?"</p> + +<p>"None that wouldn't take a retooling +of the <i>converter</i>," Toolls +said. "I'm not certain that I could +do it, and even if I could, we don't +have the time to spare. I could give +it stronger muscles in the arm, but +that may throw off the metabolism +of the whole body. If it did, the result +would be fatal. I'd hate to +chance it."</p> + +<p>"I have an idea," Macker said. +By the inflections of his tones the +others knew that some incongruity +of the situation had aroused Macker's +sense of humor. "Why don't +we give the creature an entirely +new body? We could replace the +flesh and viscera, as well as the +cartilaginous structure, with our +own type substance. It would probably +be an indestructible being as +far as its own world is concerned. +And it would be as powerful as +their mightiest machines. We'd +leave behind us a superman that +could change the course of this +world's history. You could do it, +couldn't you, Toolls?"</p> + +<p>"Quite simply."</p> + +<p>"Our policy has always been not +to interfere in anyway with the +races we study," Remm protested.</p> + +<p>"But our policy has also been +never to harm any of them, if at +all possible to avoid it," Macker insisted. +"In common justice you +have to complete the job Toolls began +on the arm, or you're condemning +this poor thing to death."</p> + +<p>"But do we have the right to +loose such an unpredictable factor +as it would be among them?" +Remm asked. "After all, our purpose +is exploration and observation, +not playing the parts of gods to the +primitives we encounter."</p> + +<p>"True, that is the rule which we +have always followed in the past," +Macker agreed, "but it is in no way +a requirement. We are empowered +to use our judgment in all circumstances. +And in this particular instance +I believe I can convince you +that the course I suggest is the more +just one." He turned to Toolls. +"Just what stage of cultural development +would you say this creature's +race has attained?"</p> + +<p>"It still retains more of an animal-like +adaptation to its surroundings +than an intellectual one," +Toolls replied. "Its civilization is +divided into various sized units of +cooperation which it calls governments. +Each unit vies with the +others for a greater share of its +world's goods. That same rivalry is +carried down to the individual +within the unit. Each strives for acquisition +against his neighbor.</p> + +<p>"Further they retain many of +their tribal instincts, such as gregariousness, +emotional rather than +intellectual propagation, and worship +of the mightiest fighter. This +last, however, is manifested by reverence +for individuals attaining position +of authority, or acquiring +large amounts of their medium of +exchange, rather than by physical +superiority."</p> + +<p>"That's what I mean," Macker +said. "Our policy in the past has +been to avoid tampering, only because +of the fear of bringing harm. +If we created a super being among +them, to act as a controlling and +harmonizing force, we'd hasten +their development by thousands of +years. We'd be granting them the +greatest possible boon!"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," Remm said, obviously +swayed by Macker's logic. +"I'm still hesitant about introducing +a being into their midst whose +thought processes would be so subtle +and superior to their own. How +do you feel about it, Toolls?"</p> + +<p>"What would they have to lose?" +Toolls asked with his penchant for +striking the core of an argument.</p> + +<p>"The right or wrong of such +moral and philosophical considerations +has always been a delicate +thing to decide," Remm acquiesced +reluctantly. "Go ahead if you think +it is the right thing to do."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">"All finished</span>?" Macker asked.</p> + +<p>"That depends on how much +you want me to do," Toolls replied. +"I've substituted our 'heavy' +substances for his entire body structure, +including the brain—at the +same time transferring his former +memory and habit impressions. +That was necessary if he is to be +able to care for himself. Also I +brought his muscular reaction time +up to our norm, and speeded his reflexes."</p> + +<p>"Have you implanted any techniques +which he did not possess before, +such as far-seeing, or mental +insight?" Macker asked.</p> + +<p>"No," Toolls said. "That is what +I want your advice about. Just how +much should I reveal about ourselves +and our background? Or +should he be left without any +knowledge of us?"</p> + +<p>"Well ..." Now that the others +had deferred to Macker's arguments, +he had lost much of his certainty. +"Perhaps we should at least +let him know who we are, and what +we have done. That would save him +much alarm and perplexity when it +comes time to reorient himself. On +the other hand, perhaps we should +go even farther and implant the +knowledge of some of our sciences. +Then he could do a better job of +advancing his people. But maybe +I'm wrong. What do you think +about it, Remm?"</p> + +<p>"My personal opinion," Remm +said, "is that we can't give him +much of our science, because it +would be like giving a baby a high +explosive to play with. His race is +much too primitive to handle it +wisely. Either he, or someone to +whom he imparts what we teach +him, would be certain to bring +catastrophe to his world. And if +we let him learn less, but still remember +his contact with us, in time +his race would very likely come to +regard us as gods. I would hesitate +to drag in any metaphysical confusion +to add to the uncertainties +you are already engendering. My +advice would be to wipe his mind +of all memory of us. Let him explain +his new found invincibility to +himself in his own way."</p> + +<p>Macker had no criticism to offer +to this suggestion. "Does he retain +any of his immunity to this world's +malignant germs?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"They are too impotent to represent +any hazard to his present body +mechanism," Toolls replied. "If and +when he dies, it will not be from +disease."</p> + +<p>"He will be subject to the deterioration +of old age, the same as +we are, won't he?" Macker asked.</p> + +<p>"Of course," Toolls said, "but +that's the only thing that will be +able to bring him down. He cannot +be harmed by any force this 'light' +world can produce; he is impervious +to sickness; and he will live indefinitely."</p> + +<p>"Indefinitely?"</p> + +<p>"As his world reckons time. +Their normal life span is less than +a hundred years. Ours is over five +thousand. He will probably live +approximately twice that long, because +he will be subjected to less +stress and strain, living as he does +on a world of lighter elements."</p> + +<p>"Then we have truly made a +superman," Macker's tones inflected +satisfaction. "I wish we were +returning this way in a thousand +years or so. I'd like to see the monumental +changes he will effect."</p> + +<p>"We may at that," Remm said, +"or others of our people will. He +will probably be a living legend by +then. I'd like to hear what his race +has to say about him. Do they +have names with which to differentiate +individuals?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," Toolls said. "This one has +a family designation of Pollnow, +and a member designation of Orville."</p> + +<p>"It will be necessary for us to +leave in exactly ten minutes," +Remm reminded them. "Our next +stopping place—the red star—will +reach its nearest conjunction with +this planet by the time we meet it +out in space."</p> + +<p>"Then we will have time to do +nothing more for him before we +go," Macker said. "But as far as I +can see we've forgotten nothing, +have we, Toolls?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing," Toolls answered. "No—we +forgot nothing."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">But Toolls</span> was wrong. They +had forgotten one thing. A +minor detail, relatively....</p> + +<p>On Toolls' world his race, in +the course of its evolution, had adjusted +itself to its own particular +environment. Logically, the final result +was that they evolved into +beings best able to survive in that +environment. As such their food—a +"heavy," highly concentrated food—was +ideally suited to supply the +needs of their "heavy," tremendously +avid organisms.</p> + +<p>Orville Pollnow had no such food +available. His body—no larger than +before—had an Earth mass of one +hundred and eighty thousand +pounds. One hundred and eighty +thousand pounds—the weight of +twelve hundred average sized men—of +fiercely burning, intense virility. +Even continuous eating—of his +own world's food—could not supply +the demands of that body.</p> + +<p>Twenty-four hours after the +aliens left, Pollnow was dead—of +starvation.</p> + +<p class="hd1">THE END</p> + +<div class="trn"><div class="figt"><a href="images/002-2.jpg"><img src="images/002-1.jpg" width="136" height="200" alt="" title="" /></a></div> + +<p><b><big>Transcriber's Note:</big></b></p> + +<p>This etext was produced from <i>If Worlds of Science Fiction</i> July 1952. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and +typographical errors have been corrected without note.</p></div> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30491 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/30491-h/images/001.png b/30491-h/images/001.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2802843 --- /dev/null +++ b/30491-h/images/001.png diff --git a/30491-h/images/002-1.jpg b/30491-h/images/002-1.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f2d664b --- /dev/null +++ b/30491-h/images/002-1.jpg diff --git a/30491-h/images/002-2.jpg b/30491-h/images/002-2.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e5a6885 --- /dev/null +++ b/30491-h/images/002-2.jpg diff --git a/30491.txt b/30491.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..653aad9 --- /dev/null +++ b/30491.txt @@ -0,0 +1,786 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Vital Ingredient, by Charles V. De Vet + +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: Vital Ingredient + +Author: Charles V. De Vet + +Illustrator: Bob Martin + +Release Date: November 17, 2009 [EBook #30491] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VITAL INGREDIENT *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + _It is man's most precious possession--no living thing can exist + without it. But when they gave it to Orville, it killed him. For the + answer, read 1/M._ + + + Vital + Ingredient + + By Charles V. De Vet + + +"Now watch," Remm said, indicating the native. Macker had been absent, +exploring the countryside in the immediate vicinity of their landing +place, and had not witnessed the capture of the native, or the tests his +two companions made on it. + +Macker followed Remm's gaze to where the biped native sat hunched. The +creature was bent into an ungainly position, its body crooked at +incongruous angles, in such a way as to allow most of its weight to rest +on a packing-box at the base of a middle angle. Its stubby feet, on the +ends of thin, pipelike legs, rested against the floor of the space ship. +Its body was covered, almost entirely, with an artificial skin material +of various colors. Some of the colors hurt Macker's eyes. In the few +places where the flesh showed through the skin was an unhealthy, pallid +white. + +Slowly the creature's head swiveled on its short neck until it faced +them. + +"Those orifices in the upper portion of its skull are evidently organs +of sight," Remm said. "It sees that we are quite a distance away. It +will probably attempt to escape again." + +Slowly--slowly--the native's head rotated away from them in a +half-circle until it faced Toolls, working over his instruments on the +far side of the room. Then it turned its head back until it faced the +door of the ship. + +"It is setting itself for flight now," Remm said. "Notice the evidence +of strain on its face." + +The creature leaned forward and the appendages on the ends of its upper +limbs clutched the sides of the box as it propelled its body forward. + +It raised its right foot in a slow arc, employing a double-jointed, +breaking action of its leg. For a long moment it rested its entire +weight on its lumpy right foot, while its momentum carried its body +sluggishly forward. Then it repeated the motion with its left leg; then +again its right. All the while evidencing great exertion and +concentration of effort. + +"It is making what it considers a mad dash for freedom," Remm said. +"Probably at the ultimate speed of which it is capable. That would be +ridiculous except that it's normal for its own environment. This is +definitely a slow-motion world." + +The creature was a third-way to the door now. Once again its head turned +in its slow quarter-circle, to look at them. As it saw that Remm and +Macker had not moved it altered the expression on its face. + +"It seems to express its emotions through facial contortions," Remm +said. "Though I suspect that the sounds it makes with the upper part of +its trachea during moments of agitation are also outlets of emotional +stress, rather than efforts at communication." He called across the room +to Toolls. "What did you find out about its speech?" + +"Extremely primitive," Toolls replied. "Incredible as it may appear to +us it uses combinations of sounds to form word-symbols. Each word +indicates some action, or object; or denotes degree, time, or shades of +meaning. Other words are merely connectives. It seems to make little use +of inflections, the basis of a rational language. Thoughts which we can +project with a few sounds would take it dozens of words to express." + +"Just how intelligent is it?" Macker asked. + +"Only as intelligent as a high degree of self-preservation instinct +would make it." + +"Are you certain that it is a member of the dominant species of life on +the planet?" + +"There's no doubt about it," Toolls replied. "I've made very careful +observations." + +"This attempt at escape is a pretty good example of its intelligence," +Remm said. "This is the sixth time it has tried to escape--in exactly +the same way. As soon as it sees that we are farther away from it than +it is from the door, it makes its dash." + + * * * * * + +The creature was one step away from the space ship's open portal now and +bringing its foot up to cross the threshold. Remm walked over and lifted +it off the floor. + +"Its legs are still moving in a running motion," Macker said. "Doesn't +it realize yet that you've picked it up?" + +[Illustration: _It was an arm to be proud of--but what good was it?_] + +"Its nervous system and reflexes are evidently as slow as its motor +muscles," Remm replied. "There has not been time for the sensation of my +picking it up to reach the brain, and for the brain to send back its +message to the legs to stop their running motion." + +"How heavy is it?" Macker asked. + +"Only a few ounces," Remm replied. "But that's logical considering that +this is a 'light' planet. If we took it back to our own 'heavy' world, +gravity would crush it to a light film of the liquid which comprises the +greater part of its substance." + +Remm set the creature down on the box in its former queerly contorted +position. Toolls had left his instruments and strolled over beside them +to observe the native. + +"One of its appendages seems bent at a peculiar angle," Macker said. + +"I noticed that," Remm answered. "I think that I may have broken the +bone in several places when I first captured it. I was not aware then of +how fragile it was. But now that you mention it, I should be able to use +that injury to give you a good illustration of the interplay of +emotional expressions on its face. Observe now as I touch it." + +Remm reached over and touched--very lightly--the broken portion of the +native's appendage. The muscles of the creature's face pulled its +flaccid flesh into distorted positions, bunching some and stretching +others. "It is very probably registering pain," Remm said. + +Suddenly the starch seemed to leave the native's body and it slowly +slumped across the packing-box. + +"Why is it doing that, Toolls?" Remm asked. + +Toolls concentrated for a minute, absorbing the feelings and thought +pulsations emanating from the creature. "The conscious plane of its mind +has blanked out," he said. "I presume the pain you caused by touching +its wounded member resulted in a breakdown of its nervous system. The +only thought waves I receive now are disjointed impressions and pictures +following no rational series. However, I'm certain that it will be only +temporary." + +"Don't you think that in justice to the creature we should repair its +wound before we free it?" Macker asked. + +"I had intended to have it done," Remm replied. "You shouldn't have any +trouble fixing it, should you, Toolls?" + +"No," Toolls answered. "I may as well attend to it right now." He rolled +the portable _converter_ over beside the creature and carefully laid its +arm in the "pan." The _converter_ automatically set its gauges and +instruments of calculation, and gave its click of "ready." + +Toolls fed a short length of _basic_ into the machine and it began its +work. The native was still unconscious. + +The bone of the wounded arm slowly evaporated, beginning with the wrist +joint. The evaporated portion was instantly replaced by the +manufactured bone of the _converter_. At the same time it repaired all +ruptured blood vessels and damaged ligaments and muscles. + +"It was not possible, of course, for me to replace the bone with another +of the same composition as its own," Toolls said, after the machine had +completed its work. "But I gave it one of our 'heavy' ones. There will +be no force on this planet powerful enough to break it again." + + * * * * * + +The native's first evidence of a return to consciousness was a faint +fluttering of the lids that covered its organs of vision. The lids +opened and it looked up at them. + +"Its eyesight is as slow as its muscular reactions," Remm said. "Watch." +Remm raised his hand and waved it slowly in front of the native's face. +The eyes of the native, moving in odd, jerking movements, followed the +hand's progress. Remm raised the hand--speeding its action slightly--and +the eyesight faltered and lost it. The native's eyes rolled wildly until +once again they located the hand. + +Remm took three steps forward. The native's eyes were unable to follow +his change of position. Its gaze wandered about the room, until again +its settled on Remm's waiting figure. + +"Can you imagine anything being so slow," Remm said, "and still ..." +Suddenly Macker interrupted. "Something is wrong. It is trying to get +up, but it can't." The native was registering signs of distress, kicking +its legs and twisting its body into new positions of contortion. + +"I see what the trouble is," Toolls said. "It's unable to lift the +appendage with the new bone in. I never thought of that before but its +'light' muscles aren't strong enough to lift the limb. We've got the +poor creature pinned to the box by the weight of its own arm." + +"We can't do that to it," Remm said. "Isn't there any way you can give +it a lighter bone?" + +"None that wouldn't take a retooling of the _converter_," Toolls said. +"I'm not certain that I could do it, and even if I could, we don't have +the time to spare. I could give it stronger muscles in the arm, but that +may throw off the metabolism of the whole body. If it did, the result +would be fatal. I'd hate to chance it." + +"I have an idea," Macker said. By the inflections of his tones the +others knew that some incongruity of the situation had aroused Macker's +sense of humor. "Why don't we give the creature an entirely new body? We +could replace the flesh and viscera, as well as the cartilaginous +structure, with our own type substance. It would probably be an +indestructible being as far as its own world is concerned. And it would +be as powerful as their mightiest machines. We'd leave behind us a +superman that could change the course of this world's history. You could +do it, couldn't you, Toolls?" + +"Quite simply." + +"Our policy has always been not to interfere in anyway with the races we +study," Remm protested. + +"But our policy has also been never to harm any of them, if at all +possible to avoid it," Macker insisted. "In common justice you have to +complete the job Toolls began on the arm, or you're condemning this poor +thing to death." + +"But do we have the right to loose such an unpredictable factor as it +would be among them?" Remm asked. "After all, our purpose is exploration +and observation, not playing the parts of gods to the primitives we +encounter." + +"True, that is the rule which we have always followed in the past," +Macker agreed, "but it is in no way a requirement. We are empowered to +use our judgment in all circumstances. And in this particular instance I +believe I can convince you that the course I suggest is the more just +one." He turned to Toolls. "Just what stage of cultural development +would you say this creature's race has attained?" + +"It still retains more of an animal-like adaptation to its surroundings +than an intellectual one," Toolls replied. "Its civilization is divided +into various sized units of cooperation which it calls governments. Each +unit vies with the others for a greater share of its world's goods. That +same rivalry is carried down to the individual within the unit. Each +strives for acquisition against his neighbor. + +"Further they retain many of their tribal instincts, such as +gregariousness, emotional rather than intellectual propagation, and +worship of the mightiest fighter. This last, however, is manifested by +reverence for individuals attaining position of authority, or acquiring +large amounts of their medium of exchange, rather than by physical +superiority." + +"That's what I mean," Macker said. "Our policy in the past has been to +avoid tampering, only because of the fear of bringing harm. If we +created a super being among them, to act as a controlling and +harmonizing force, we'd hasten their development by thousands of years. +We'd be granting them the greatest possible boon!" + +"I don't know," Remm said, obviously swayed by Macker's logic. "I'm +still hesitant about introducing a being into their midst whose thought +processes would be so subtle and superior to their own. How do you feel +about it, Toolls?" + +"What would they have to lose?" Toolls asked with his penchant for +striking the core of an argument. + +"The right or wrong of such moral and philosophical considerations has +always been a delicate thing to decide," Remm acquiesced reluctantly. +"Go ahead if you think it is the right thing to do." + + * * * * * + +"All finished?" Macker asked. + +"That depends on how much you want me to do," Toolls replied. "I've +substituted our 'heavy' substances for his entire body structure, +including the brain--at the same time transferring his former memory and +habit impressions. That was necessary if he is to be able to care for +himself. Also I brought his muscular reaction time up to our norm, and +speeded his reflexes." + +"Have you implanted any techniques which he did not possess before, such +as far-seeing, or mental insight?" Macker asked. + +"No," Toolls said. "That is what I want your advice about. Just how much +should I reveal about ourselves and our background? Or should he be left +without any knowledge of us?" + +"Well ..." Now that the others had deferred to Macker's arguments, he +had lost much of his certainty. "Perhaps we should at least let him know +who we are, and what we have done. That would save him much alarm and +perplexity when it comes time to reorient himself. On the other hand, +perhaps we should go even farther and implant the knowledge of some of +our sciences. Then he could do a better job of advancing his people. But +maybe I'm wrong. What do you think about it, Remm?" + +"My personal opinion," Remm said, "is that we can't give him much of our +science, because it would be like giving a baby a high explosive to play +with. His race is much too primitive to handle it wisely. Either he, or +someone to whom he imparts what we teach him, would be certain to bring +catastrophe to his world. And if we let him learn less, but still +remember his contact with us, in time his race would very likely come to +regard us as gods. I would hesitate to drag in any metaphysical +confusion to add to the uncertainties you are already engendering. My +advice would be to wipe his mind of all memory of us. Let him explain +his new found invincibility to himself in his own way." + +Macker had no criticism to offer to this suggestion. "Does he retain any +of his immunity to this world's malignant germs?" he asked. + +"They are too impotent to represent any hazard to his present body +mechanism," Toolls replied. "If and when he dies, it will not be from +disease." + +"He will be subject to the deterioration of old age, the same as we are, +won't he?" Macker asked. + +"Of course," Toolls said, "but that's the only thing that will be able +to bring him down. He cannot be harmed by any force this 'light' world +can produce; he is impervious to sickness; and he will live +indefinitely." + +"Indefinitely?" + +"As his world reckons time. Their normal life span is less than a +hundred years. Ours is over five thousand. He will probably live +approximately twice that long, because he will be subjected to less +stress and strain, living as he does on a world of lighter elements." + +"Then we have truly made a superman," Macker's tones inflected +satisfaction. "I wish we were returning this way in a thousand years or +so. I'd like to see the monumental changes he will effect." + +"We may at that," Remm said, "or others of our people will. He will +probably be a living legend by then. I'd like to hear what his race has +to say about him. Do they have names with which to differentiate +individuals?" + +"Yes," Toolls said. "This one has a family designation of Pollnow, and +a member designation of Orville." + +"It will be necessary for us to leave in exactly ten minutes," Remm +reminded them. "Our next stopping place--the red star--will reach its +nearest conjunction with this planet by the time we meet it out in +space." + +"Then we will have time to do nothing more for him before we go," Macker +said. "But as far as I can see we've forgotten nothing, have we, +Toolls?" + +"Nothing," Toolls answered. "No--we forgot nothing." + + * * * * * + +But Toolls was wrong. They had forgotten one thing. A minor detail, +relatively.... + +On Toolls' world his race, in the course of its evolution, had adjusted +itself to its own particular environment. Logically, the final result +was that they evolved into beings best able to survive in that +environment. As such their food--a "heavy," highly concentrated +food--was ideally suited to supply the needs of their "heavy," +tremendously avid organisms. + +Orville Pollnow had no such food available. His body--no larger than +before--had an Earth mass of one hundred and eighty thousand pounds. One +hundred and eighty thousand pounds--the weight of twelve hundred average +sized men--of fiercely burning, intense virility. Even continuous +eating--of his own world's food--could not supply the demands of that +body. + +Twenty-four hours after the aliens left, Pollnow was dead--of +starvation. + + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _If Worlds of Science Fiction_ July + 1952. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. + copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and + typographical errors have been corrected without note. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Vital Ingredient, by Charles V. 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De Vet + +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: Vital Ingredient + +Author: Charles V. De Vet + +Illustrator: Bob Martin + +Release Date: November 17, 2009 [EBook #30491] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VITAL INGREDIENT *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="bk1"><p><big><i>It is man's most precious possession—no +living thing can exist without it. But +when they gave it to Orville, it killed +him. For the answer, read 1/M.</i></big></p></div> + +<h1><span class="sp1">Vital<br /> +Ingredient</span></h1> + +<h2>By Charles V. De Vet</h2> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">"Now watch</span>," Remm said, indicating +the native. Macker had +been absent, exploring the countryside +in the immediate vicinity of +their landing place, and had not +witnessed the capture of the native, +or the tests his two companions +made on it.</p> + +<p>Macker followed Remm's gaze to +where the biped native sat hunched. +The creature was bent into an ungainly +position, its body crooked at +incongruous angles, in such a way +as to allow most of its weight to +rest on a packing-box at the base +of a middle angle. Its stubby feet, +on the ends of thin, pipelike legs, +rested against the floor of the space +ship. Its body was covered, almost +entirely, with an artificial skin material +of various colors. Some of the +colors hurt Macker's eyes. In the +few places where the flesh showed +through the skin was an unhealthy, +pallid white.</p> + +<p>Slowly the creature's head swiveled +on its short neck until it faced +them.</p> + +<p>"Those orifices in the upper portion +of its skull are evidently organs +of sight," Remm said. "It sees that +we are quite a distance away. It +will probably attempt to escape +again."</p> + +<p>Slowly—slowly—the native's +head rotated away from them in a +half-circle until it faced Toolls, +working over his instruments on the +far side of the room. Then it turned +its head back until it faced the door +of the ship.</p> + +<p>"It is setting itself for flight +now," Remm said. "Notice the evidence +of strain on its face."</p> + +<p>The creature leaned forward and +the appendages on the ends of its +upper limbs clutched the sides of +the box as it propelled its body forward.</p> + +<p>It raised its right foot in a slow +arc, employing a double-jointed, +breaking action of its leg. For a +long moment it rested its entire +weight on its lumpy right foot, +while its momentum carried its +body sluggishly forward. Then it repeated +the motion with its left leg; +then again its right. All the while +evidencing great exertion and concentration +of effort.</p> + +<p>"It is making what it considers a +mad dash for freedom," Remm +said. "Probably at the ultimate +speed of which it is capable. That +would be ridiculous except that it's +normal for its own environment. +This is definitely a slow-motion +world."</p> + +<p>The creature was a third-way to +the door now. Once again its head +turned in its slow quarter-circle, to +look at them. As it saw that Remm +and Macker had not moved it altered +the expression on its face.</p> + +<p>"It seems to express its emotions +through facial contortions," Remm +said. "Though I suspect that the +sounds it makes with the upper part +of its trachea during moments of +agitation are also outlets of emotional +stress, rather than efforts at +communication." He called across +the room to Toolls. "What did you +find out about its speech?"</p> + +<p>"Extremely primitive," Toolls replied. +"Incredible as it may appear +to us it uses combinations of +sounds to form word-symbols. Each +word indicates some action, or object; +or denotes degree, time, or +shades of meaning. Other words are +merely connectives. It seems to +make little use of inflections, the +basis of a rational language. +Thoughts which we can project +with a few sounds would take it +dozens of words to express."</p> + +<p>"Just how intelligent is it?" +Macker asked.</p> + +<p>"Only as intelligent as a high degree +of self-preservation instinct +would make it."</p> + +<p>"Are you certain that it is a member +of the dominant species of life +on the planet?"</p> + +<p>"There's no doubt about it," +Toolls replied. "I've made very +careful observations."</p> + +<p>"This attempt at escape is a pretty +good example of its intelligence," +Remm said. "This is the sixth time +it has tried to escape—in exactly +the same way. As soon as it sees +that we are farther away from it +than it is from the door, it makes its +dash."</p> + +<hr /> + +<div class="figr"><img src="images/001.png" width="359" height="500" alt="" title="" /> +<i><small><b>It was an arm to be proud of—but what good was it?</b></small></i></div> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The creature</span> was one step +away from the space ship's open +portal now and bringing its foot up +to cross the threshold. Remm +walked over and lifted it off the +floor.</p> + +<p>"Its legs are still moving in a +running motion," Macker said. +"Doesn't it realize yet that you've +picked it up?"</p> + +<p>"Its nervous system and reflexes +are evidently as slow as its motor +muscles," Remm replied. "There +has not been time for the sensation +of my picking it up to reach the +brain, and for the brain to send +back its message to the legs to stop +their running motion."</p> + +<p>"How heavy is it?" Macker +asked.</p> + +<p>"Only a few ounces," Remm replied. +"But that's logical considering +that this is a 'light' planet. If +we took it back to our own 'heavy' +world, gravity would crush it to a +light film of the liquid which comprises +the greater part of its substance."</p> + +<p>Remm set the creature down on +the box in its former queerly contorted +position. Toolls had left his +instruments and strolled over beside +them to observe the native.</p> + +<p>"One of its appendages seems +bent at a peculiar angle," Macker +said.</p> + +<p>"I noticed that," Remm answered. +"I think that I may have +broken the bone in several places +when I first captured it. I was not +aware then of how fragile it was. +But now that you mention it, I +should be able to use that injury +to give you a good illustration of +the interplay of emotional expressions +on its face. Observe now as I +touch it."</p> + +<p>Remm reached over and touched—very +lightly—the broken portion +of the native's appendage. The +muscles of the creature's face pulled +its flaccid flesh into distorted positions, +bunching some and stretching +others. "It is very probably registering +pain," Remm said.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the starch seemed to +leave the native's body and it slowly +slumped across the packing-box.</p> + +<p>"Why is it doing that, Toolls?" +Remm asked.</p> + +<p>Toolls concentrated for a minute, +absorbing the feelings and +thought pulsations emanating from +the creature. "The conscious plane +of its mind has blanked out," he +said. "I presume the pain you +caused by touching its wounded +member resulted in a breakdown +of its nervous system. The only +thought waves I receive now are +disjointed impressions and pictures +following no rational series. However, +I'm certain that it will be +only temporary."</p> + +<p>"Don't you think that in justice +to the creature we should repair its +wound before we free it?" Macker +asked.</p> + +<p>"I had intended to have it done," +Remm replied. "You shouldn't +have any trouble fixing it, should +you, Toolls?"</p> + +<p>"No," Toolls answered. "I may +as well attend to it right now." He +rolled the portable <i>converter</i> over +beside the creature and carefully +laid its arm in the "pan." The <i>converter</i> +automatically set its gauges +and instruments of calculation, and +gave its click of "ready."</p> + +<p>Toolls fed a short length of <i>basic</i> +into the machine and it began its +work. The native was still unconscious.</p> + +<p>The bone of the wounded arm +slowly evaporated, beginning with +the wrist joint. The evaporated +portion was instantly replaced by +the manufactured bone of the <i>converter</i>. +At the same time it repaired +all ruptured blood vessels and damaged +ligaments and muscles.</p> + +<p>"It was not possible, of course, +for me to replace the bone with another +of the same composition as +its own," Toolls said, after the machine +had completed its work. "But +I gave it one of our 'heavy' ones. +There will be no force on this +planet powerful enough to break it +again."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The native's</span> first evidence of +a return to consciousness was a +faint fluttering of the lids that covered +its organs of vision. The lids +opened and it looked up at them.</p> + +<p>"Its eyesight is as slow as its muscular +reactions," Remm said. +"Watch." Remm raised his hand +and waved it slowly in front of the +native's face. The eyes of the native, +moving in odd, jerking movements, +followed the hand's progress. +Remm raised the hand—speeding +its action slightly—and the eyesight +faltered and lost it. The native's +eyes rolled wildly until once +again they located the hand.</p> + +<p>Remm took three steps forward. +The native's eyes were unable to +follow his change of position. Its +gaze wandered about the room, until +again its settled on Remm's waiting +figure.</p> + +<p>"Can you imagine anything being +so slow," Remm said, "and +still ..." Suddenly Macker interrupted. +"Something is wrong. It is +trying to get up, but it can't." The +native was registering signs of distress, +kicking its legs and twisting its +body into new positions of contortion.</p> + +<p>"I see what the trouble is," Toolls +said. "It's unable to lift the appendage +with the new bone in. I never +thought of that before but its +'light' muscles aren't strong +enough to lift the limb. We've got +the poor creature pinned to the box +by the weight of its own arm."</p> + +<p>"We can't do that to it," Remm +said. "Isn't there any way you can +give it a lighter bone?"</p> + +<p>"None that wouldn't take a retooling +of the <i>converter</i>," Toolls +said. "I'm not certain that I could +do it, and even if I could, we don't +have the time to spare. I could give +it stronger muscles in the arm, but +that may throw off the metabolism +of the whole body. If it did, the result +would be fatal. I'd hate to +chance it."</p> + +<p>"I have an idea," Macker said. +By the inflections of his tones the +others knew that some incongruity +of the situation had aroused Macker's +sense of humor. "Why don't +we give the creature an entirely +new body? We could replace the +flesh and viscera, as well as the +cartilaginous structure, with our +own type substance. It would probably +be an indestructible being as +far as its own world is concerned. +And it would be as powerful as +their mightiest machines. We'd +leave behind us a superman that +could change the course of this +world's history. You could do it, +couldn't you, Toolls?"</p> + +<p>"Quite simply."</p> + +<p>"Our policy has always been not +to interfere in anyway with the +races we study," Remm protested.</p> + +<p>"But our policy has also been +never to harm any of them, if at +all possible to avoid it," Macker insisted. +"In common justice you +have to complete the job Toolls began +on the arm, or you're condemning +this poor thing to death."</p> + +<p>"But do we have the right to +loose such an unpredictable factor +as it would be among them?" +Remm asked. "After all, our purpose +is exploration and observation, +not playing the parts of gods to the +primitives we encounter."</p> + +<p>"True, that is the rule which we +have always followed in the past," +Macker agreed, "but it is in no way +a requirement. We are empowered +to use our judgment in all circumstances. +And in this particular instance +I believe I can convince you +that the course I suggest is the more +just one." He turned to Toolls. +"Just what stage of cultural development +would you say this creature's +race has attained?"</p> + +<p>"It still retains more of an animal-like +adaptation to its surroundings +than an intellectual one," +Toolls replied. "Its civilization is +divided into various sized units of +cooperation which it calls governments. +Each unit vies with the +others for a greater share of its +world's goods. That same rivalry is +carried down to the individual +within the unit. Each strives for acquisition +against his neighbor.</p> + +<p>"Further they retain many of +their tribal instincts, such as gregariousness, +emotional rather than +intellectual propagation, and worship +of the mightiest fighter. This +last, however, is manifested by reverence +for individuals attaining position +of authority, or acquiring +large amounts of their medium of +exchange, rather than by physical +superiority."</p> + +<p>"That's what I mean," Macker +said. "Our policy in the past has +been to avoid tampering, only because +of the fear of bringing harm. +If we created a super being among +them, to act as a controlling and +harmonizing force, we'd hasten +their development by thousands of +years. We'd be granting them the +greatest possible boon!"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," Remm said, obviously +swayed by Macker's logic. +"I'm still hesitant about introducing +a being into their midst whose +thought processes would be so subtle +and superior to their own. How +do you feel about it, Toolls?"</p> + +<p>"What would they have to lose?" +Toolls asked with his penchant for +striking the core of an argument.</p> + +<p>"The right or wrong of such +moral and philosophical considerations +has always been a delicate +thing to decide," Remm acquiesced +reluctantly. "Go ahead if you think +it is the right thing to do."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">"All finished</span>?" Macker asked.</p> + +<p>"That depends on how much +you want me to do," Toolls replied. +"I've substituted our 'heavy' +substances for his entire body structure, +including the brain—at the +same time transferring his former +memory and habit impressions. +That was necessary if he is to be +able to care for himself. Also I +brought his muscular reaction time +up to our norm, and speeded his reflexes."</p> + +<p>"Have you implanted any techniques +which he did not possess before, +such as far-seeing, or mental +insight?" Macker asked.</p> + +<p>"No," Toolls said. "That is what +I want your advice about. Just how +much should I reveal about ourselves +and our background? Or +should he be left without any +knowledge of us?"</p> + +<p>"Well ..." Now that the others +had deferred to Macker's arguments, +he had lost much of his certainty. +"Perhaps we should at least +let him know who we are, and what +we have done. That would save him +much alarm and perplexity when it +comes time to reorient himself. On +the other hand, perhaps we should +go even farther and implant the +knowledge of some of our sciences. +Then he could do a better job of +advancing his people. But maybe +I'm wrong. What do you think +about it, Remm?"</p> + +<p>"My personal opinion," Remm +said, "is that we can't give him +much of our science, because it +would be like giving a baby a high +explosive to play with. His race is +much too primitive to handle it +wisely. Either he, or someone to +whom he imparts what we teach +him, would be certain to bring +catastrophe to his world. And if +we let him learn less, but still remember +his contact with us, in time +his race would very likely come to +regard us as gods. I would hesitate +to drag in any metaphysical confusion +to add to the uncertainties +you are already engendering. My +advice would be to wipe his mind +of all memory of us. Let him explain +his new found invincibility to +himself in his own way."</p> + +<p>Macker had no criticism to offer +to this suggestion. "Does he retain +any of his immunity to this world's +malignant germs?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"They are too impotent to represent +any hazard to his present body +mechanism," Toolls replied. "If and +when he dies, it will not be from +disease."</p> + +<p>"He will be subject to the deterioration +of old age, the same as +we are, won't he?" Macker asked.</p> + +<p>"Of course," Toolls said, "but +that's the only thing that will be +able to bring him down. He cannot +be harmed by any force this 'light' +world can produce; he is impervious +to sickness; and he will live indefinitely."</p> + +<p>"Indefinitely?"</p> + +<p>"As his world reckons time. +Their normal life span is less than +a hundred years. Ours is over five +thousand. He will probably live +approximately twice that long, because +he will be subjected to less +stress and strain, living as he does +on a world of lighter elements."</p> + +<p>"Then we have truly made a +superman," Macker's tones inflected +satisfaction. "I wish we were +returning this way in a thousand +years or so. I'd like to see the monumental +changes he will effect."</p> + +<p>"We may at that," Remm said, +"or others of our people will. He +will probably be a living legend by +then. I'd like to hear what his race +has to say about him. Do they +have names with which to differentiate +individuals?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," Toolls said. "This one has +a family designation of Pollnow, +and a member designation of Orville."</p> + +<p>"It will be necessary for us to +leave in exactly ten minutes," +Remm reminded them. "Our next +stopping place—the red star—will +reach its nearest conjunction with +this planet by the time we meet it +out in space."</p> + +<p>"Then we will have time to do +nothing more for him before we +go," Macker said. "But as far as I +can see we've forgotten nothing, +have we, Toolls?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing," Toolls answered. "No—we +forgot nothing."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">But Toolls</span> was wrong. They +had forgotten one thing. A +minor detail, relatively....</p> + +<p>On Toolls' world his race, in +the course of its evolution, had adjusted +itself to its own particular +environment. Logically, the final result +was that they evolved into +beings best able to survive in that +environment. As such their food—a +"heavy," highly concentrated food—was +ideally suited to supply the +needs of their "heavy," tremendously +avid organisms.</p> + +<p>Orville Pollnow had no such food +available. His body—no larger than +before—had an Earth mass of one +hundred and eighty thousand +pounds. One hundred and eighty +thousand pounds—the weight of +twelve hundred average sized men—of +fiercely burning, intense virility. +Even continuous eating—of his +own world's food—could not supply +the demands of that body.</p> + +<p>Twenty-four hours after the +aliens left, Pollnow was dead—of +starvation.</p> + +<p class="hd1">THE END</p> + +<div class="trn"><div class="figt"><a href="images/002-2.jpg"><img src="images/002-1.jpg" width="136" height="200" alt="" title="" /></a></div> + +<p><b><big>Transcriber's Note:</big></b></p> + +<p>This etext was produced from <i>If Worlds of Science Fiction</i> July 1952. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and +typographical errors have been corrected without note.</p></div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Vital Ingredient, by Charles V. 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De Vet + +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: Vital Ingredient + +Author: Charles V. De Vet + +Illustrator: Bob Martin + +Release Date: November 17, 2009 [EBook #30491] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VITAL INGREDIENT *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + _It is man's most precious possession--no living thing can exist + without it. But when they gave it to Orville, it killed him. For the + answer, read 1/M._ + + + Vital + Ingredient + + By Charles V. De Vet + + +"Now watch," Remm said, indicating the native. Macker had been absent, +exploring the countryside in the immediate vicinity of their landing +place, and had not witnessed the capture of the native, or the tests his +two companions made on it. + +Macker followed Remm's gaze to where the biped native sat hunched. The +creature was bent into an ungainly position, its body crooked at +incongruous angles, in such a way as to allow most of its weight to rest +on a packing-box at the base of a middle angle. Its stubby feet, on the +ends of thin, pipelike legs, rested against the floor of the space ship. +Its body was covered, almost entirely, with an artificial skin material +of various colors. Some of the colors hurt Macker's eyes. In the few +places where the flesh showed through the skin was an unhealthy, pallid +white. + +Slowly the creature's head swiveled on its short neck until it faced +them. + +"Those orifices in the upper portion of its skull are evidently organs +of sight," Remm said. "It sees that we are quite a distance away. It +will probably attempt to escape again." + +Slowly--slowly--the native's head rotated away from them in a +half-circle until it faced Toolls, working over his instruments on the +far side of the room. Then it turned its head back until it faced the +door of the ship. + +"It is setting itself for flight now," Remm said. "Notice the evidence +of strain on its face." + +The creature leaned forward and the appendages on the ends of its upper +limbs clutched the sides of the box as it propelled its body forward. + +It raised its right foot in a slow arc, employing a double-jointed, +breaking action of its leg. For a long moment it rested its entire +weight on its lumpy right foot, while its momentum carried its body +sluggishly forward. Then it repeated the motion with its left leg; then +again its right. All the while evidencing great exertion and +concentration of effort. + +"It is making what it considers a mad dash for freedom," Remm said. +"Probably at the ultimate speed of which it is capable. That would be +ridiculous except that it's normal for its own environment. This is +definitely a slow-motion world." + +The creature was a third-way to the door now. Once again its head turned +in its slow quarter-circle, to look at them. As it saw that Remm and +Macker had not moved it altered the expression on its face. + +"It seems to express its emotions through facial contortions," Remm +said. "Though I suspect that the sounds it makes with the upper part of +its trachea during moments of agitation are also outlets of emotional +stress, rather than efforts at communication." He called across the room +to Toolls. "What did you find out about its speech?" + +"Extremely primitive," Toolls replied. "Incredible as it may appear to +us it uses combinations of sounds to form word-symbols. Each word +indicates some action, or object; or denotes degree, time, or shades of +meaning. Other words are merely connectives. It seems to make little use +of inflections, the basis of a rational language. Thoughts which we can +project with a few sounds would take it dozens of words to express." + +"Just how intelligent is it?" Macker asked. + +"Only as intelligent as a high degree of self-preservation instinct +would make it." + +"Are you certain that it is a member of the dominant species of life on +the planet?" + +"There's no doubt about it," Toolls replied. "I've made very careful +observations." + +"This attempt at escape is a pretty good example of its intelligence," +Remm said. "This is the sixth time it has tried to escape--in exactly +the same way. As soon as it sees that we are farther away from it than +it is from the door, it makes its dash." + + * * * * * + +The creature was one step away from the space ship's open portal now and +bringing its foot up to cross the threshold. Remm walked over and lifted +it off the floor. + +"Its legs are still moving in a running motion," Macker said. "Doesn't +it realize yet that you've picked it up?" + +[Illustration: _It was an arm to be proud of--but what good was it?_] + +"Its nervous system and reflexes are evidently as slow as its motor +muscles," Remm replied. "There has not been time for the sensation of my +picking it up to reach the brain, and for the brain to send back its +message to the legs to stop their running motion." + +"How heavy is it?" Macker asked. + +"Only a few ounces," Remm replied. "But that's logical considering that +this is a 'light' planet. If we took it back to our own 'heavy' world, +gravity would crush it to a light film of the liquid which comprises the +greater part of its substance." + +Remm set the creature down on the box in its former queerly contorted +position. Toolls had left his instruments and strolled over beside them +to observe the native. + +"One of its appendages seems bent at a peculiar angle," Macker said. + +"I noticed that," Remm answered. "I think that I may have broken the +bone in several places when I first captured it. I was not aware then of +how fragile it was. But now that you mention it, I should be able to use +that injury to give you a good illustration of the interplay of +emotional expressions on its face. Observe now as I touch it." + +Remm reached over and touched--very lightly--the broken portion of the +native's appendage. The muscles of the creature's face pulled its +flaccid flesh into distorted positions, bunching some and stretching +others. "It is very probably registering pain," Remm said. + +Suddenly the starch seemed to leave the native's body and it slowly +slumped across the packing-box. + +"Why is it doing that, Toolls?" Remm asked. + +Toolls concentrated for a minute, absorbing the feelings and thought +pulsations emanating from the creature. "The conscious plane of its mind +has blanked out," he said. "I presume the pain you caused by touching +its wounded member resulted in a breakdown of its nervous system. The +only thought waves I receive now are disjointed impressions and pictures +following no rational series. However, I'm certain that it will be only +temporary." + +"Don't you think that in justice to the creature we should repair its +wound before we free it?" Macker asked. + +"I had intended to have it done," Remm replied. "You shouldn't have any +trouble fixing it, should you, Toolls?" + +"No," Toolls answered. "I may as well attend to it right now." He rolled +the portable _converter_ over beside the creature and carefully laid its +arm in the "pan." The _converter_ automatically set its gauges and +instruments of calculation, and gave its click of "ready." + +Toolls fed a short length of _basic_ into the machine and it began its +work. The native was still unconscious. + +The bone of the wounded arm slowly evaporated, beginning with the wrist +joint. The evaporated portion was instantly replaced by the +manufactured bone of the _converter_. At the same time it repaired all +ruptured blood vessels and damaged ligaments and muscles. + +"It was not possible, of course, for me to replace the bone with another +of the same composition as its own," Toolls said, after the machine had +completed its work. "But I gave it one of our 'heavy' ones. There will +be no force on this planet powerful enough to break it again." + + * * * * * + +The native's first evidence of a return to consciousness was a faint +fluttering of the lids that covered its organs of vision. The lids +opened and it looked up at them. + +"Its eyesight is as slow as its muscular reactions," Remm said. "Watch." +Remm raised his hand and waved it slowly in front of the native's face. +The eyes of the native, moving in odd, jerking movements, followed the +hand's progress. Remm raised the hand--speeding its action slightly--and +the eyesight faltered and lost it. The native's eyes rolled wildly until +once again they located the hand. + +Remm took three steps forward. The native's eyes were unable to follow +his change of position. Its gaze wandered about the room, until again +its settled on Remm's waiting figure. + +"Can you imagine anything being so slow," Remm said, "and still ..." +Suddenly Macker interrupted. "Something is wrong. It is trying to get +up, but it can't." The native was registering signs of distress, kicking +its legs and twisting its body into new positions of contortion. + +"I see what the trouble is," Toolls said. "It's unable to lift the +appendage with the new bone in. I never thought of that before but its +'light' muscles aren't strong enough to lift the limb. We've got the +poor creature pinned to the box by the weight of its own arm." + +"We can't do that to it," Remm said. "Isn't there any way you can give +it a lighter bone?" + +"None that wouldn't take a retooling of the _converter_," Toolls said. +"I'm not certain that I could do it, and even if I could, we don't have +the time to spare. I could give it stronger muscles in the arm, but that +may throw off the metabolism of the whole body. If it did, the result +would be fatal. I'd hate to chance it." + +"I have an idea," Macker said. By the inflections of his tones the +others knew that some incongruity of the situation had aroused Macker's +sense of humor. "Why don't we give the creature an entirely new body? We +could replace the flesh and viscera, as well as the cartilaginous +structure, with our own type substance. It would probably be an +indestructible being as far as its own world is concerned. And it would +be as powerful as their mightiest machines. We'd leave behind us a +superman that could change the course of this world's history. You could +do it, couldn't you, Toolls?" + +"Quite simply." + +"Our policy has always been not to interfere in anyway with the races we +study," Remm protested. + +"But our policy has also been never to harm any of them, if at all +possible to avoid it," Macker insisted. "In common justice you have to +complete the job Toolls began on the arm, or you're condemning this poor +thing to death." + +"But do we have the right to loose such an unpredictable factor as it +would be among them?" Remm asked. "After all, our purpose is exploration +and observation, not playing the parts of gods to the primitives we +encounter." + +"True, that is the rule which we have always followed in the past," +Macker agreed, "but it is in no way a requirement. We are empowered to +use our judgment in all circumstances. And in this particular instance I +believe I can convince you that the course I suggest is the more just +one." He turned to Toolls. "Just what stage of cultural development +would you say this creature's race has attained?" + +"It still retains more of an animal-like adaptation to its surroundings +than an intellectual one," Toolls replied. "Its civilization is divided +into various sized units of cooperation which it calls governments. Each +unit vies with the others for a greater share of its world's goods. That +same rivalry is carried down to the individual within the unit. Each +strives for acquisition against his neighbor. + +"Further they retain many of their tribal instincts, such as +gregariousness, emotional rather than intellectual propagation, and +worship of the mightiest fighter. This last, however, is manifested by +reverence for individuals attaining position of authority, or acquiring +large amounts of their medium of exchange, rather than by physical +superiority." + +"That's what I mean," Macker said. "Our policy in the past has been to +avoid tampering, only because of the fear of bringing harm. If we +created a super being among them, to act as a controlling and +harmonizing force, we'd hasten their development by thousands of years. +We'd be granting them the greatest possible boon!" + +"I don't know," Remm said, obviously swayed by Macker's logic. "I'm +still hesitant about introducing a being into their midst whose thought +processes would be so subtle and superior to their own. How do you feel +about it, Toolls?" + +"What would they have to lose?" Toolls asked with his penchant for +striking the core of an argument. + +"The right or wrong of such moral and philosophical considerations has +always been a delicate thing to decide," Remm acquiesced reluctantly. +"Go ahead if you think it is the right thing to do." + + * * * * * + +"All finished?" Macker asked. + +"That depends on how much you want me to do," Toolls replied. "I've +substituted our 'heavy' substances for his entire body structure, +including the brain--at the same time transferring his former memory and +habit impressions. That was necessary if he is to be able to care for +himself. Also I brought his muscular reaction time up to our norm, and +speeded his reflexes." + +"Have you implanted any techniques which he did not possess before, such +as far-seeing, or mental insight?" Macker asked. + +"No," Toolls said. "That is what I want your advice about. Just how much +should I reveal about ourselves and our background? Or should he be left +without any knowledge of us?" + +"Well ..." Now that the others had deferred to Macker's arguments, he +had lost much of his certainty. "Perhaps we should at least let him know +who we are, and what we have done. That would save him much alarm and +perplexity when it comes time to reorient himself. On the other hand, +perhaps we should go even farther and implant the knowledge of some of +our sciences. Then he could do a better job of advancing his people. But +maybe I'm wrong. What do you think about it, Remm?" + +"My personal opinion," Remm said, "is that we can't give him much of our +science, because it would be like giving a baby a high explosive to play +with. His race is much too primitive to handle it wisely. Either he, or +someone to whom he imparts what we teach him, would be certain to bring +catastrophe to his world. And if we let him learn less, but still +remember his contact with us, in time his race would very likely come to +regard us as gods. I would hesitate to drag in any metaphysical +confusion to add to the uncertainties you are already engendering. My +advice would be to wipe his mind of all memory of us. Let him explain +his new found invincibility to himself in his own way." + +Macker had no criticism to offer to this suggestion. "Does he retain any +of his immunity to this world's malignant germs?" he asked. + +"They are too impotent to represent any hazard to his present body +mechanism," Toolls replied. "If and when he dies, it will not be from +disease." + +"He will be subject to the deterioration of old age, the same as we are, +won't he?" Macker asked. + +"Of course," Toolls said, "but that's the only thing that will be able +to bring him down. He cannot be harmed by any force this 'light' world +can produce; he is impervious to sickness; and he will live +indefinitely." + +"Indefinitely?" + +"As his world reckons time. Their normal life span is less than a +hundred years. Ours is over five thousand. He will probably live +approximately twice that long, because he will be subjected to less +stress and strain, living as he does on a world of lighter elements." + +"Then we have truly made a superman," Macker's tones inflected +satisfaction. "I wish we were returning this way in a thousand years or +so. I'd like to see the monumental changes he will effect." + +"We may at that," Remm said, "or others of our people will. He will +probably be a living legend by then. I'd like to hear what his race has +to say about him. Do they have names with which to differentiate +individuals?" + +"Yes," Toolls said. "This one has a family designation of Pollnow, and +a member designation of Orville." + +"It will be necessary for us to leave in exactly ten minutes," Remm +reminded them. "Our next stopping place--the red star--will reach its +nearest conjunction with this planet by the time we meet it out in +space." + +"Then we will have time to do nothing more for him before we go," Macker +said. "But as far as I can see we've forgotten nothing, have we, +Toolls?" + +"Nothing," Toolls answered. "No--we forgot nothing." + + * * * * * + +But Toolls was wrong. They had forgotten one thing. A minor detail, +relatively.... + +On Toolls' world his race, in the course of its evolution, had adjusted +itself to its own particular environment. Logically, the final result +was that they evolved into beings best able to survive in that +environment. As such their food--a "heavy," highly concentrated +food--was ideally suited to supply the needs of their "heavy," +tremendously avid organisms. + +Orville Pollnow had no such food available. His body--no larger than +before--had an Earth mass of one hundred and eighty thousand pounds. One +hundred and eighty thousand pounds--the weight of twelve hundred average +sized men--of fiercely burning, intense virility. Even continuous +eating--of his own world's food--could not supply the demands of that +body. + +Twenty-four hours after the aliens left, Pollnow was dead--of +starvation. + + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _If Worlds of Science Fiction_ July + 1952. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. + copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and + typographical errors have been corrected without note. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Vital Ingredient, by Charles V. 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