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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 |
