diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 19:55:38 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 19:55:38 -0700 |
| commit | fcaabdeac9d1291b8798b272afc98f213a85f198 (patch) | |
| tree | a3f62a47528a70273239b8426ac92fb0aacd8f8f | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 31355-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 239981 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 31355-h/31355-h.htm | 1081 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 31355-h/images/cover.jpg | bin | 0 -> 40565 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 31355-h/images/image_001.jpg | bin | 0 -> 52001 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 31355-h/images/image_002.jpg | bin | 0 -> 56404 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 31355-h/images/image_003.jpg | bin | 0 -> 58390 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 31355-h/images/image_r.jpg | bin | 0 -> 4930 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 31355-h/images/image_s.jpg | bin | 0 -> 4703 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 31355-h/images/image_t.jpg | bin | 0 -> 4530 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 31355-h/images/image_y1.jpg | bin | 0 -> 4969 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 31355.txt | 985 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 31355.zip | bin | 0 -> 17433 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
15 files changed, 2082 insertions, 0 deletions
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/31355-h.zip b/31355-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c3ae972 --- /dev/null +++ b/31355-h.zip diff --git a/31355-h/31355-h.htm b/31355-h/31355-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5902ca7 --- /dev/null +++ b/31355-h/31355-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1081 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of To Each His Star, by Bryce Walton + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; background-color: #FFFFFF; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +.tr {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; margin-top: 5%; margin-bottom: 5%; padding: 2em; background-color: #f6f2f2; color: black; border: dotted black 1px;} + + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + +.center {text-align: center;} + + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +.figleft { + float: left; + clear: left; + margin-left: 0; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-top: 0.25em; + margin-right: 0.25em; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + + +/* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of To Each His Star, by Bryce Walton + +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: To Each His Star + +Author: Bryce Walton + +Release Date: February 22, 2010 [EBook #31355] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TO EACH HIS STAR *** + + + + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + +<div class="tr"><p class="center">Transcriber's Note:</p> +<p class="center">This etext was produced from Space Science Fiction May 1952. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.</p></div> +<p> </p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="400" height="550" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p> </p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image_001.jpg" width="600" height="317" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p> </p> +<h1>TO EACH HIS STAR</h1> +<p> </p> + +<h2><i>by</i> BRYCE WALTON</h2> +<p> </p> +<div class="blockquot"><p><i>"Nothing around those other suns but ashes and dried +blood," old Dunbar told the space-wrecked, desperate men. +"Only one way to go, where we can float down through the +clouds to Paradise. That's straight ahead to the sun with +the red rim around it."</i></p> + +<p><i>But Dunbar's eyes were old and uncertain. How could they +believe in his choice when every star in this forsaken +section of space was surrounded by a beckoning red rim?</i></p></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_t.jpg" alt="T" width="31" height="40" /></div> +<p>here was just blackness, frosty glimmering terrible blackness, going +out and out forever in all directions. Russell didn't think they could +remain sane in all this blackness much longer. Bitterly he thought of +how they would die—not knowing within maybe thousands of light years +where they were, or where they were going.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/image_002.jpg" width="400" height="575" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>After the wreck, the four of them had floated a while, floated and +drifted together, four men in bulbous pressure suits like small +individual rockets, held together by an awful pressing need for each +other and by the "gravity-rope" beam.</p> + +<p>Dunbar, the oldest of the four, an old space-buster with a face +wrinkled like a dried prune, burned by cosmic rays and the suns of +worlds so far away they were scarcely credible, had taken command. +Suddenly, Old Dunbar had known where they were. Suddenly, Dunbar knew +where they were going.</p> + +<p>They could talk to one another through the etheric transmitters inside +their helmets. They could live ... if this was living ... a long time, +if only a man's brain would hold up, Russell thought. The suits were +complete units. 700 pounds each, all enclosing shelters, with +atmosphere pressure, temperature control, mobility in space, and +electric power. Each suit had its own power-plant, reprocessing +continuously the precious air breathed by the occupants, putting it +back into circulation again after enriching it. Packed with food +concentrates. Each suit a rocket, each human being part of a rocket, +and the special "life-gun" that went with each suit each blast of +which sent a man a few hundred thousand miles further on toward +wherever he was going.</p> + +<p>Four men, thought Russell, held together by an invisible string of +gravity, plunging through a lost pocket of hell's dark where there had +never been any sound or life, with old Dunbar the first in line, +taking the lead because he was older and knew where he was and where +he was going. Maybe Johnson, second in line, and Alvar who was third, +knew too, but were afraid to admit it.</p> + +<p>But Russell knew it and he'd admitted it from the first—that old +Dunbar was as crazy as a Jovian juke-bird.</p> + +<p>A lot of time had rushed past into darkness. Russell had no idea now +how long the four of them had been plunging toward the red-rimmed sun +that never seemed to get any nearer. When the ultra-drive had gone +crazy the four of them had blanked out and nobody could say now how +long an interim that had been. Nobody knew what happened to a man who +suffered a space-time warping like that. When they had regained +consciousness, the ship was pretty banged up, and the meteor-repeller +shields cracked. A meteor ripped the ship down the center like an old +breakfast cannister.</p> + +<p>How long ago that had been, Russell didn't know. All Russell knew was +that they were millions of light years from any place he had ever +heard about, where the galactic space lanterns had absolutely no +recognizable pattern. But Dunbar knew. And Russell was looking at +Dunbar's suit up ahead, watching it more and more intently, thinking +about how Dunbar looked inside that suit—and hating Dunbar more and +more for claiming he knew when he didn't, for his drooling +optimism—because he was taking them on into deeper darkness and +calling their destination Paradise.</p> + +<p>Russell wanted to laugh, but the last time he'd given way to this +impulse, the results inside his helmet had been too unpleasant to +repeat.</p> + +<p>Sometimes Russell thought of other things besides his growing hatred +of the old man. Sometimes he thought about the ship, lost back there +in the void, and he wondered if wrecked space ships were ever found. +Compared with the universe in which one of them drifted, a wrecked +ship was a lot smaller than a grain of sand on a nice warm beach back +on Earth, or one of those specks of silver dust that floated like +strange seeds down the night winds of Venus.</p> + +<p>And a human was smaller still, thought Russell when he was not hating +Dunbar. Out here, a human being is the smallest thing of all. He +thought then of what Dunbar would say to such a thought, how Dunbar +would laugh that high piping squawking laugh of his and say that the +human being was bigger than the Universe itself.</p> + +<p>Dunbar had a big answer for every little thing.</p> + +<p>When the four of them had escaped from that prison colony on a +sizzling hot asteroid rock in the Ronlwhyn system, that wasn't enough +for Dunbar. Hell no—Dunbar had to start talking about a place they +could go where they'd never be apprehended, in a system no one else +had ever heard of, where they could live like gods on a green soft +world like the Earth had been a long time back.</p> + +<p>And Dunbar had spouted endlessly about a world of treasure they would +find, if they would just follow old Dunbar. That's what all four of +them had been trying to find all their lives in the big cold grabbag +of eternity—a rich star, a rich far fertile star where no one else +had ever been, loaded with treasure that had no name, that no one had +ever heard of before. And was, because of that, the richest treasure +of all.</p> + +<p>We all look alike out here in these big rocket pressure suits, Russell +thought. No one for God only knew how many of millions of light years +away could see or care. Still—we might have a chance to live, even +now, Russell thought—if it weren't for old crazy Dunbar.</p> + +<p>They might have a chance if Alvar and Johnson weren't so damn lacking +in self-confidence as to put all their trust in that crazed old +rum-dum. Russell had known now for some time that they were going in +the wrong direction. No reason for knowing. Just a hunch. And Russell +was sure his hunch was right.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_r.jpg" alt="R" width="35" height="40" /></div> +<p>ussell said. "Look—look to your left and to your right and behind +us. Four suns. You guys see those other three suns all around you, +don't you?"</p> + +<p>"Sure," someone said.</p> + +<p>"Well, if you'll notice," Russell said, "the one on the left also now +has a red rim around it. Can't you guys see that?"</p> + +<p>"Yeah, I see it," Alvar said.</p> + +<p>"So now," Johnson said, "there's two suns with red rims around them."</p> + +<p>"We're about in the middle of those four suns aren't we, Dunbar?" +Russell said.</p> + +<p>"That's right, boys!" yelled old Dunbar in that sickeningly optimistic +voice. Like a hysterical old woman's. "Just about in the sweet dark +old middle."</p> + +<p>"You're still sure it's the sun up ahead ... that's the only one with +life on it, Dunbar ... the only one we can live on?" Russell asked.</p> + +<p>"That's right! That's right," Dunbar yelled. "That's the only one—and +it's a paradise. Not just a place to live, boys—but a place you'll +have trouble believing in because it's like a dream!"</p> + +<p>"And none of these other three suns have worlds we could live on, +Dunbar?" Russell asked. Keep the old duck talking like this and maybe +Alvar and Johnson would see that he was cracked.</p> + +<p>"Yeah," said Alvar. "You still say that, Dunbar?"</p> + +<p>"No life, boys, nothing," Dunbar laughed. "Nothing on these other +worlds but ashes ... just ashes and iron and dried blood, dried a +million years or more."</p> + +<p>"When in hell were you ever here?" Johnson said. "You say you were +here before. You never said when, or why or anything!"</p> + +<p>"It was a long time back boys. Don't remember too well, but it was +when we had an old ship called the DOG STAR that I was here. A pirate +ship and I was second in command, and we came through this sector. +That was—hell, it musta' been fifty years ago. I been too many places +nobody's ever bothered to name or chart, to remember where it is, but +I been here. I remember those four suns all spotted to form a perfect +circle from this point, with us squarely in the middle. We explored +all these suns and the worlds that go round 'em. Trust me, boys, and +we'll reach the right one. And that one's just like Paradise."</p> + +<p>"Paradise is it," Russell whispered hoarsely.</p> + +<p>"Paradise and there we'll be like gods, like Mercuries with wings +flying on nights of sweet song. These other suns, don't let them +bother you. They're Jezebels of stars. All painted up in the darkness +and pretty and waiting and calling and lying! They make you think of +nice green worlds all running waters and dews and forests thick as +fleas on a wet dog. But it ain't there, boys. I know this place. I +been here, long time back."</p> + +<p>Russell said tightly. "It'll take us a long time won't it? If it's got +air we can breath, and water we can drink and shade we can rest +in—that'll be paradise enough for us. But it'll take a long time +won't it? And what if it isn't there—what if after all the time we +spend hoping and getting there—there won't be nothing but ashes and +cracked clay?"</p> + +<p>"I know we're going right," Dunbar said cheerfully. "I can tell. Like +I said—you can tell it because of the red rim around it."</p> + +<p>"But the sun on our left, you can see—it's got a red rim too now," +Russell said.</p> + +<p>"Yeah, that's right," said Alvar. "Sometimes I see a red rim around +the one we're going for, sometimes a red rim around that one on the +left. Now, sometimes I'm not sure either of them's got a red rim. You +said that one had a red rim, Dunbar, and I wanted to believe it. So +now maybe we're all seeing a red rim that was never there."</p> + +<p>Old Dunbar laughed. The sound brought blood hotly to Russell's face. +"We're heading to the right one, boys. Don't doubt me ... I been here. +We explored all these sun systems. And I remember it all. The second +planet from that red-rimmed sun. You come down through a soft +atmosphere, floating like in a dream. You see the green lakes coming +up through the clouds and the women dancing and the music playing. I +remember seeing a ship there that brought those women there, a long +long time before ever I got there. A land like heaven and women like +angels singing and dancing and laughing with red lips and arms white +as milk, and soft silky hair floating in the winds."</p> + +<p>Russell was very sick of the old man's voice. He was at least glad he +didn't have to look at the old man now. His bald head, his skinny +bobbing neck, his simpering watery blue eyes. But he still had to +suffer that immutable babbling, that idiotic cheerfulness ... and +knowing all the time the old man was crazy, that he was leading them +wrong.</p> + +<p>I'd break away, go it alone to the right sun, Russell thought—but I'd +never make it alone. A little while out here alone and I'd be nuttier +than old Dunbar will ever be, even if he keeps on getting nuttier all +the time.</p> + +<p>Somewhere, sometime then ... Russell got the idea that the only way +was to get rid of Dunbar.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_y1.jpg" alt="Y" width="53" height="40" /></div> +<p>ou mean to tell us there are people living by that red-rimmed sun," +Russell said.</p> + +<p>"Lost people ... lost ... who knows how long," Dunbar said, as the +four of them hurtled along. "You never know where you'll find people +on a world somewhere nobody's ever named or knows about. Places where +a lost ship's landed and never got up again, or wrecked itself so far +off the lanes they'll never be found except by accident for millions +of years. That's what this world is, boys. Must have been a ship load +of beautiful people, maybe actresses and people like that being hauled +to some outpost to entertain. They're like angels now, living in a +land all free from care. Every place you see green forests and fields +and blue lakes, and at nights there's three moons that come around the +sky in a thousand different colors. And it never gets cold ... it's +always spring, always spring, boys, and the music plays all night, +every night of a long long year...."</p> + +<p>Russell suddenly shouted. "Keep quiet, Dunbar. Shut up will you?"</p> + +<p>Johnson said. "Dunbar—how long'll it take us?"</p> + +<p>"Six months to a year, I'd say," Dunbar yelled happily. "That is—of +our hereditary time."</p> + +<p>"What?" croaked Alvar.</p> + +<p>Johnson didn't say anything at all.</p> + +<p>Russell screamed at Dunbar, then quieted down. He whispered. "Six +months to a year—out here—cooped up in these damn suits. You're +crazy as hell, Dunbar. Crazy ... crazy! Nobody could stand it. We'll +all be crazier than you are—"</p> + +<p>"We'll make it, boys. Trust ole' Dunbar. What's a year when we know +we're getting to Paradise at the end of it? What's a year out here ... +it's paradise ain't it, compared with that prison hole we were rotting +in? We can make it. We have the food concentrates, and all the rest. +All we need's the will, boys, and we got that. The whole damn Universe +isn't big enough to kill the will of a human being, boys. I been over +a whole lot of it, and I know. In the old days—"</p> + +<p>"The hell with the old days," screamed Russell.</p> + +<p>"Now quiet down, Russ," Dunbar said in a kind of dreadful crooning +whisper. "You calm down now. You younger fellows—you don't look at +things the way we used to. Thing is, we got to go straight. People +trapped like this liable to start meandering. Liable to start losing +the old will-power."</p> + +<p>He chuckled.</p> + +<p>"Yeah," said Alvar. "Someone says maybe we ought to go left, and +someone says to go right, and someone else says to go in another +direction. And then someone says maybe they'd better go back the old +way. An' pretty soon something breaks, or the food runs out, and +you're a million million miles from someplace you don't care about any +more because you're dead. All frozen up in space ... preserved like a +piece of meat in a cold storage locker. And then maybe in a million +years or so some lousy insect man from Jupiter comes along and finds +you and takes you away to a museum...."</p> + +<p>"Shut up!" Johnson yelled.</p> + +<p>Dunbar laughed. "Boys, boys, don't get panicky. Keep your heads. Just +stick to old Dunbar and he'll see you through. I'm always lucky. Only +one way to go ... an' that's straight ahead to the sun with the +red-rim around it ... and then we tune in the gravity repellers, and +coast down, floating and singing down through the clouds to +paradise."</p> + +<p>After that they traveled on for what seemed months to Russell, but it +couldn't have been over a day or two of the kind of time-sense he had +inherited from Earth.</p> + +<p>Then he saw how the other two stars also were beginning to develop red +rims. He yelled this fact out to the others. And Alvar said. "Russ's +right. That sun to the right, and the one behind us ... now they ALL +have red rims around them. Dunbar—" A pause and no awareness of +motion.</p> + +<p>Dunbar laughed. "Sure, they all maybe have a touch of red, but it +isn't the same, boys. I can tell the difference. Trust me—"</p> + +<p>Russell half choked on his words. "You old goat! With those old eyes +of yours, you couldn't see your way into a fire!"</p> + +<p>"Don't get panicky now. Keep your heads. In another year, we'll be +there—"</p> + +<p>"God, you gotta' be sure," Alvar said. "I don't mind dyin' out here. +But after a year of this, and then to get to a world that was only +ashes, and not able to go any further—"</p> + +<p>"I always come through, boys. I'm lucky. Angel women will take us to +their houses on the edges of cool lakes, little houses that sit there +in the sun like fancy jewels. And we'll walk under colored fountains, +pretty colored fountains just splashing and splashing like pretty rain +on our hungry hides. That's worth waiting for."</p> + +<p>Russell did it before he hardly realized he was killing the old man. +It was something he had had to do for a long time and that made it +easy. There was a flash of burning oxygen from inside the suit of +Dunbar. If he'd aimed right, Russell knew the fire-bullet should have +pierced Dunbar's back. Now the fire was gone, extinguished +automatically by units inside the suit. The suit was still inflated, +self-sealing. Nothing appeared to have changed. The four of them +hurtling on together, but inside that first suit up there on the front +of the gravity rope, Dunbar was dead.</p> + +<p>He was dead and his mouth was shut for good.</p> + +<p>Dunbar's last faint cry from inside his suit still rang in Russell's +ears, and he knew Alvar and Johnson had heard it too. Alvar and +Johnson both called Dunbar's name a few times. There was no answer.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/image_003.jpg" width="600" height="413" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>"Russ—you shouldn't have done that," Johnson whispered. "You +shouldn't have done that to the old man!"</p> + +<p>"No," Alvar said, so low he could barely be heard. "You shouldn't have +done it."</p> + +<p>"I did it for the three of us," Russell said. "It was either him or us. +Lies ... lies that was all he had left in his crazy head. Paradise ... +don't tell me you guys don't see the red rims around all four suns, all +four suns all around us. Don't tell me you guys didn't know he was batty, +that you really believed all that stuff he was spouting all the time!"</p> + +<p>"Maybe he was lying, maybe not," Johnson said. "Now he's dead anyway."</p> + +<p>"Maybe he was wrong, crazy, full of lies," Alvar said. "But now he's +dead."</p> + +<p>"How could he see any difference in those four stars?" Russell said, +louder.</p> + +<p>"He thought he was right," Alvar said. "He wanted to take us to +paradise. He was happy, nothing could stop the old man—but he's dead +now."</p> + +<p>He sighed.</p> + +<p>"He was taking us wrong ... wrong!" Russell screamed. "Angels—music +all night—houses like jewels—and women like angels—"</p> + +<p>"<i>Shhhh</i>," said Alvar. It was quiet. How could it be so quiet, Russell +thought? And up ahead the old man's pressure suit with a corpse inside +went on ahead, leading the other three at the front of the +gravity-rope.</p> + +<p>"Maybe he was wrong," Alvar said. "But now do we know which way is +right?"</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_s.jpg" alt="S" width="26" height="40" /></div> +<p>ometime later, Johnson said, "We got to decide now. Let's forget the +old man. Let's forget him and all that's gone and let's start now and +decide what to do."</p> + +<p>And Alvar said, "Guess he was crazy all right, and I guess we trusted +him because we didn't have the strength to make up our own minds. Why +does a crazy man's laugh sound so good when you're desperate and don't +know what to do?"</p> + +<p>"I always had a feeling we were going wrong," Johnson said. "Anyway, +it's forgotten, Russ. It's swallowed up in the darkness all around. +It's never been."</p> + +<p>Russell said, "I've had a hunch all along that maybe the old man was +here before, and that he was right about there being a star here with +a world we can live on. But I've known we was heading wrong. I've had +a hunch all along that the right star was the one to the left."</p> + +<p>"I don't know," Johnson sighed. "I been feeling partial toward that +one on the right. What about you, Alvar?"</p> + +<p>"I always thought we were going straight in the opposite direction +from what we should, I guess. I always wanted to turn around and go +back. It won't make over maybe a month's difference. And what does a +month matter anyway out here—hell there never was any time out here +until we came along. We make our own time here, and a month don't +matter to me."</p> + +<p>Sweat ran down Russell's face. His voice trembled. "No—that's wrong. +You're both wrong." He could see himself going it alone. Going crazy +because he was alone. He'd have broken away, gone his own direction, +long ago but for that fear.</p> + +<p>"How can we tell which of us is right?" Alvar said. "It's like +everything was changing all the time out here. Sometimes I'd swear +none of those suns had red rims, and at other times—like the old man +said, they're all pretty and lying and saying nothing, just changing +all the time. Jezebel stars, the old man said."</p> + +<p>"I know I'm right," Russell pleaded. "My hunches always been right. +My hunch got us out of that prison didn't it? Listen—I tell you it's +that star to the left—"</p> + +<p>"The one to the right," said Johnson.</p> + +<p>"We been going away from the right one all the time," said Alvar.</p> + +<p>"We got to stay together," said Russell. "Nobody could spend a year +out here ... alone...."</p> + +<p>"Ah ... in another month or so we'd be lousy company anyway," Alvar +said. "Maybe a guy could get to the point where he'd sleep most of the +time ... just wake up enough times to give himself another boost with +the old life-gun."</p> + +<p>"We got to face it," Johnson said finally. "We three don't go on +together any more."</p> + +<p>"That's it," said Alvar. "There's three suns that look like they might +be right seeing as how we all agree the old man was wrong. But we +believe there is one we can live by, because we all seem to agree that +the old man might have been right about that. If we stick together, +the chance is three to one against us. But if each of us makes for one +star, one of us has a chance to live. Maybe not in paradise like the +old man said, but a place where we can live. And maybe there'll be +intelligent life, maybe even a ship, and whoever gets the right star +can come and help the other two...."</p> + +<p>"No ... God no...." Russell whispered over and over. "None of us can +ever make it alone...."</p> + +<p>Alvar said, "We each take the star he likes best. I'll go back the +other way. Russ, you take the left. And you, Johnson, go to the +right."</p> + +<p>Johnson started to laugh. Russell was yelling wildly at them, and +above his own yelling he could hear Johnson's rising laughter. "Every +guy's got a star of his own," Johnson said when he stopped laughing. +"And we got ours. A nice red-rimmed sun for each of us to call his +very own."</p> + +<p>"Okay," Alvar said. "We cut off the gravity rope, and each to his own +sun."</p> + +<p>Now Russell wasn't saying anything.</p> + +<p>"And the old man," Alvar said, "can keep right on going toward what he +thought was right. And he'll keep on going. Course he won't be able to +give himself another boost with the life-gun, but he'll keep going. +Someday he'll get to that red-rimmed star of his. Out here in space, +once you're going, you never stop ... and I guess there isn't any +other body to pull him off his course. And what will time matter to +old Dunbar? Even less than to us, I guess. He's dead and he won't +care."</p> + +<p>"Ready," Johnson said. "I'll cut off the gravity rope."</p> + +<p>"I'm ready," Alvar said. "To go back toward whatever it was I started +from."</p> + +<p>"Ready, Russ?"</p> + +<p>Russell couldn't say anything. He stared at the endless void which now +he would share with no one. Not even crazy old Dunbar.</p> + +<p>"All right," Johnson said. "Good-bye."</p> + +<p>Russell felt the release, felt the sudden inexplicable isolation and +aloneness even before Alvar and Johnson used their life-guns and shot +out of sight, Johnson toward the left and Alvar back toward that other +red-rimmed sun behind them.</p> + +<p>And old Dunbar shooting right on ahead. And all three of them +dwindling and dwindling and blinking out like little lights.</p> + +<p>Fading, he could hear their voices. "Each to his own star," Johnson +said. "On a bee line."</p> + +<p>"On a bee line," Alvar said.</p> + +<p>Russell used his own life-gun and in a little while he didn't hear +Alvar or Johnson's voices, nor could he see them. They were thousands +of miles away, and going further all the time.</p> + +<p>Russell's head fell forward against the front of his helmet, and he +closed his eyes. "Maybe," he thought, "I shouldn't have killed the old +man. Maybe one sun's as good as another...."</p> + +<p>Then he raised his body and looked out into the year of blackness that +waited for him, stretching away to the red-rimmed sun. Even if he were +right—he was sure now he'd never make it alone.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> +<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_t.jpg" alt="T" width="31" height="40" /></div> +<p>he body inside the pressure suit drifted into a low-level orbit +around the second planet from the sun of its choice, and drifted there +a long time. A strato-cruiser detected it by chance because of the +strong concentration of radio-activity that came from it.</p> + +<p>They took the body down to one of the small, quiet towns on the edge +of one of the many blue lakes where the domed houses were like bright +joyful jewels. They got the leathery, well-preserved body from the +pressure suit.</p> + +<p>"An old man," one of them mused. "A very old man. From one of the lost +sectors. I wonder how and why he came so very far from his home?"</p> + +<p>"Wrecked a ship out there, probably," one of the others said. "But he +managed to get this far. It looks as though a small meteor fragment +pierced his body. Here. You see?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," another of them said. "But what amazes me is that this old man +picked this planet out of all the others. The only one in this entire +sector that would sustain life."</p> + +<p>"Maybe he was just a very lucky old man. Yes ... a man who attains +such an age was usually lucky. Or at least that is what they say about +the lost sectors."</p> + +<p>"Maybe he knew the way here. Maybe he was here before—sometime."</p> + +<p>The other shook his head. "I don't think so. They say some humans from +that far sector did land here—but that's probably only a myth. And if +they did, it was well over a thousand years ago."</p> + +<p>Another said. "He has a fine face, this old man. A noble face. Whoever +he is ... wherever he came from, he died bravely and he knew the way, +though he never reached this haven of the lost alive."</p> + +<p>"Nor is it irony that he reached here dead," said the Lake Chieftain. +He had been listening and he stepped forward and raised his arm. "He +was old. It is obvious that he fought bravely, that he had great +courage, and that he knew the way. He will be given a burial suitable +to his stature, and he will rest here among the brave.</p> + +<p>"Let the women dance and the music play for this old man. Let the +trumpets speak, and the rockets fly up. And let flowers be strewn over +the path above which the women will carry him to rest."</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of To Each His Star, by Bryce Walton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TO EACH HIS STAR *** + +***** This file should be named 31355-h.htm or 31355-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/1/3/5/31355/ + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +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 + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/31355-h/images/cover.jpg b/31355-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b242eb8 --- /dev/null +++ b/31355-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/31355-h/images/image_001.jpg b/31355-h/images/image_001.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e2a2752 --- /dev/null +++ b/31355-h/images/image_001.jpg diff --git a/31355-h/images/image_002.jpg b/31355-h/images/image_002.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e59aa0d --- /dev/null +++ b/31355-h/images/image_002.jpg diff --git a/31355-h/images/image_003.jpg b/31355-h/images/image_003.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e1fe656 --- /dev/null +++ b/31355-h/images/image_003.jpg diff --git a/31355-h/images/image_r.jpg b/31355-h/images/image_r.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0016b0d --- /dev/null +++ b/31355-h/images/image_r.jpg diff --git a/31355-h/images/image_s.jpg b/31355-h/images/image_s.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..534c874 --- /dev/null +++ b/31355-h/images/image_s.jpg diff --git a/31355-h/images/image_t.jpg b/31355-h/images/image_t.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d30d6bd --- /dev/null +++ b/31355-h/images/image_t.jpg diff --git a/31355-h/images/image_y1.jpg b/31355-h/images/image_y1.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e71e7a3 --- /dev/null +++ b/31355-h/images/image_y1.jpg diff --git a/31355.txt b/31355.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..547518d --- /dev/null +++ b/31355.txt @@ -0,0 +1,985 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of To Each His Star, by Bryce Walton + +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: To Each His Star + +Author: Bryce Walton + +Release Date: February 22, 2010 [EBook #31355] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TO EACH HIS STAR *** + + + + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from Space Science Fiction May 1952. Extensive + research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this + publication was renewed. + + + [Illustration] + + + TO EACH HIS STAR + + + _by_ BRYCE WALTON + + + _"Nothing around those other suns but ashes and dried + blood," old Dunbar told the space-wrecked, desperate men. + "Only one way to go, where we can float down through the + clouds to Paradise. That's straight ahead to the sun with + the red rim around it."_ + + _But Dunbar's eyes were old and uncertain. How could they + believe in his choice when every star in this forsaken + section of space was surrounded by a beckoning red rim?_ + + * * * * * + + + + +There was just blackness, frosty glimmering terrible blackness, going +out and out forever in all directions. Russell didn't think they could +remain sane in all this blackness much longer. Bitterly he thought of +how they would die--not knowing within maybe thousands of light years +where they were, or where they were going. + +[Illustration] + +After the wreck, the four of them had floated a while, floated and +drifted together, four men in bulbous pressure suits like small +individual rockets, held together by an awful pressing need for each +other and by the "gravity-rope" beam. + +Dunbar, the oldest of the four, an old space-buster with a face +wrinkled like a dried prune, burned by cosmic rays and the suns of +worlds so far away they were scarcely credible, had taken command. +Suddenly, Old Dunbar had known where they were. Suddenly, Dunbar knew +where they were going. + +They could talk to one another through the etheric transmitters inside +their helmets. They could live ... if this was living ... a long time, +if only a man's brain would hold up, Russell thought. The suits were +complete units. 700 pounds each, all enclosing shelters, with +atmosphere pressure, temperature control, mobility in space, and +electric power. Each suit had its own power-plant, reprocessing +continuously the precious air breathed by the occupants, putting it +back into circulation again after enriching it. Packed with food +concentrates. Each suit a rocket, each human being part of a rocket, +and the special "life-gun" that went with each suit each blast of +which sent a man a few hundred thousand miles further on toward +wherever he was going. + +Four men, thought Russell, held together by an invisible string of +gravity, plunging through a lost pocket of hell's dark where there had +never been any sound or life, with old Dunbar the first in line, +taking the lead because he was older and knew where he was and where +he was going. Maybe Johnson, second in line, and Alvar who was third, +knew too, but were afraid to admit it. + +But Russell knew it and he'd admitted it from the first--that old +Dunbar was as crazy as a Jovian juke-bird. + +A lot of time had rushed past into darkness. Russell had no idea now +how long the four of them had been plunging toward the red-rimmed sun +that never seemed to get any nearer. When the ultra-drive had gone +crazy the four of them had blanked out and nobody could say now how +long an interim that had been. Nobody knew what happened to a man who +suffered a space-time warping like that. When they had regained +consciousness, the ship was pretty banged up, and the meteor-repeller +shields cracked. A meteor ripped the ship down the center like an old +breakfast cannister. + +How long ago that had been, Russell didn't know. All Russell knew was +that they were millions of light years from any place he had ever +heard about, where the galactic space lanterns had absolutely no +recognizable pattern. But Dunbar knew. And Russell was looking at +Dunbar's suit up ahead, watching it more and more intently, thinking +about how Dunbar looked inside that suit--and hating Dunbar more and +more for claiming he knew when he didn't, for his drooling +optimism--because he was taking them on into deeper darkness and +calling their destination Paradise. + +Russell wanted to laugh, but the last time he'd given way to this +impulse, the results inside his helmet had been too unpleasant to +repeat. + +Sometimes Russell thought of other things besides his growing hatred +of the old man. Sometimes he thought about the ship, lost back there +in the void, and he wondered if wrecked space ships were ever found. +Compared with the universe in which one of them drifted, a wrecked +ship was a lot smaller than a grain of sand on a nice warm beach back +on Earth, or one of those specks of silver dust that floated like +strange seeds down the night winds of Venus. + +And a human was smaller still, thought Russell when he was not hating +Dunbar. Out here, a human being is the smallest thing of all. He +thought then of what Dunbar would say to such a thought, how Dunbar +would laugh that high piping squawking laugh of his and say that the +human being was bigger than the Universe itself. + +Dunbar had a big answer for every little thing. + +When the four of them had escaped from that prison colony on a +sizzling hot asteroid rock in the Ronlwhyn system, that wasn't enough +for Dunbar. Hell no--Dunbar had to start talking about a place they +could go where they'd never be apprehended, in a system no one else +had ever heard of, where they could live like gods on a green soft +world like the Earth had been a long time back. + +And Dunbar had spouted endlessly about a world of treasure they would +find, if they would just follow old Dunbar. That's what all four of +them had been trying to find all their lives in the big cold grabbag +of eternity--a rich star, a rich far fertile star where no one else +had ever been, loaded with treasure that had no name, that no one had +ever heard of before. And was, because of that, the richest treasure +of all. + +We all look alike out here in these big rocket pressure suits, Russell +thought. No one for God only knew how many of millions of light years +away could see or care. Still--we might have a chance to live, even +now, Russell thought--if it weren't for old crazy Dunbar. + +They might have a chance if Alvar and Johnson weren't so damn lacking +in self-confidence as to put all their trust in that crazed old +rum-dum. Russell had known now for some time that they were going in +the wrong direction. No reason for knowing. Just a hunch. And Russell +was sure his hunch was right. + + * * * * * + +Russell said. "Look--look to your left and to your right and behind +us. Four suns. You guys see those other three suns all around you, +don't you?" + +"Sure," someone said. + +"Well, if you'll notice," Russell said, "the one on the left also now +has a red rim around it. Can't you guys see that?" + +"Yeah, I see it," Alvar said. + +"So now," Johnson said, "there's two suns with red rims around them." + +"We're about in the middle of those four suns aren't we, Dunbar?" +Russell said. + +"That's right, boys!" yelled old Dunbar in that sickeningly optimistic +voice. Like a hysterical old woman's. "Just about in the sweet dark +old middle." + +"You're still sure it's the sun up ahead ... that's the only one with +life on it, Dunbar ... the only one we can live on?" Russell asked. + +"That's right! That's right," Dunbar yelled. "That's the only one--and +it's a paradise. Not just a place to live, boys--but a place you'll +have trouble believing in because it's like a dream!" + +"And none of these other three suns have worlds we could live on, +Dunbar?" Russell asked. Keep the old duck talking like this and maybe +Alvar and Johnson would see that he was cracked. + +"Yeah," said Alvar. "You still say that, Dunbar?" + +"No life, boys, nothing," Dunbar laughed. "Nothing on these other +worlds but ashes ... just ashes and iron and dried blood, dried a +million years or more." + +"When in hell were you ever here?" Johnson said. "You say you were +here before. You never said when, or why or anything!" + +"It was a long time back boys. Don't remember too well, but it was +when we had an old ship called the DOG STAR that I was here. A pirate +ship and I was second in command, and we came through this sector. +That was--hell, it musta' been fifty years ago. I been too many places +nobody's ever bothered to name or chart, to remember where it is, but +I been here. I remember those four suns all spotted to form a perfect +circle from this point, with us squarely in the middle. We explored +all these suns and the worlds that go round 'em. Trust me, boys, and +we'll reach the right one. And that one's just like Paradise." + +"Paradise is it," Russell whispered hoarsely. + +"Paradise and there we'll be like gods, like Mercuries with wings +flying on nights of sweet song. These other suns, don't let them +bother you. They're Jezebels of stars. All painted up in the darkness +and pretty and waiting and calling and lying! They make you think of +nice green worlds all running waters and dews and forests thick as +fleas on a wet dog. But it ain't there, boys. I know this place. I +been here, long time back." + +Russell said tightly. "It'll take us a long time won't it? If it's got +air we can breath, and water we can drink and shade we can rest +in--that'll be paradise enough for us. But it'll take a long time +won't it? And what if it isn't there--what if after all the time we +spend hoping and getting there--there won't be nothing but ashes and +cracked clay?" + +"I know we're going right," Dunbar said cheerfully. "I can tell. Like +I said--you can tell it because of the red rim around it." + +"But the sun on our left, you can see--it's got a red rim too now," +Russell said. + +"Yeah, that's right," said Alvar. "Sometimes I see a red rim around +the one we're going for, sometimes a red rim around that one on the +left. Now, sometimes I'm not sure either of them's got a red rim. You +said that one had a red rim, Dunbar, and I wanted to believe it. So +now maybe we're all seeing a red rim that was never there." + +Old Dunbar laughed. The sound brought blood hotly to Russell's face. +"We're heading to the right one, boys. Don't doubt me ... I been here. +We explored all these sun systems. And I remember it all. The second +planet from that red-rimmed sun. You come down through a soft +atmosphere, floating like in a dream. You see the green lakes coming +up through the clouds and the women dancing and the music playing. I +remember seeing a ship there that brought those women there, a long +long time before ever I got there. A land like heaven and women like +angels singing and dancing and laughing with red lips and arms white +as milk, and soft silky hair floating in the winds." + +Russell was very sick of the old man's voice. He was at least glad he +didn't have to look at the old man now. His bald head, his skinny +bobbing neck, his simpering watery blue eyes. But he still had to +suffer that immutable babbling, that idiotic cheerfulness ... and +knowing all the time the old man was crazy, that he was leading them +wrong. + +I'd break away, go it alone to the right sun, Russell thought--but I'd +never make it alone. A little while out here alone and I'd be nuttier +than old Dunbar will ever be, even if he keeps on getting nuttier all +the time. + +Somewhere, sometime then ... Russell got the idea that the only way +was to get rid of Dunbar. + + * * * * * + +"You mean to tell us there are people living by that red-rimmed sun," +Russell said. + +"Lost people ... lost ... who knows how long," Dunbar said, as the +four of them hurtled along. "You never know where you'll find people +on a world somewhere nobody's ever named or knows about. Places where +a lost ship's landed and never got up again, or wrecked itself so far +off the lanes they'll never be found except by accident for millions +of years. That's what this world is, boys. Must have been a ship load +of beautiful people, maybe actresses and people like that being hauled +to some outpost to entertain. They're like angels now, living in a +land all free from care. Every place you see green forests and fields +and blue lakes, and at nights there's three moons that come around the +sky in a thousand different colors. And it never gets cold ... it's +always spring, always spring, boys, and the music plays all night, +every night of a long long year...." + +Russell suddenly shouted. "Keep quiet, Dunbar. Shut up will you?" + +Johnson said. "Dunbar--how long'll it take us?" + +"Six months to a year, I'd say," Dunbar yelled happily. "That is--of +our hereditary time." + +"What?" croaked Alvar. + +Johnson didn't say anything at all. + +Russell screamed at Dunbar, then quieted down. He whispered. "Six +months to a year--out here--cooped up in these damn suits. You're +crazy as hell, Dunbar. Crazy ... crazy! Nobody could stand it. We'll +all be crazier than you are--" + +"We'll make it, boys. Trust ole' Dunbar. What's a year when we know +we're getting to Paradise at the end of it? What's a year out here ... +it's paradise ain't it, compared with that prison hole we were rotting +in? We can make it. We have the food concentrates, and all the rest. +All we need's the will, boys, and we got that. The whole damn Universe +isn't big enough to kill the will of a human being, boys. I been over +a whole lot of it, and I know. In the old days--" + +"The hell with the old days," screamed Russell. + +"Now quiet down, Russ," Dunbar said in a kind of dreadful crooning +whisper. "You calm down now. You younger fellows--you don't look at +things the way we used to. Thing is, we got to go straight. People +trapped like this liable to start meandering. Liable to start losing +the old will-power." + +He chuckled. + +"Yeah," said Alvar. "Someone says maybe we ought to go left, and +someone says to go right, and someone else says to go in another +direction. And then someone says maybe they'd better go back the old +way. An' pretty soon something breaks, or the food runs out, and +you're a million million miles from someplace you don't care about any +more because you're dead. All frozen up in space ... preserved like a +piece of meat in a cold storage locker. And then maybe in a million +years or so some lousy insect man from Jupiter comes along and finds +you and takes you away to a museum...." + +"Shut up!" Johnson yelled. + +Dunbar laughed. "Boys, boys, don't get panicky. Keep your heads. Just +stick to old Dunbar and he'll see you through. I'm always lucky. Only +one way to go ... an' that's straight ahead to the sun with the +red-rim around it ... and then we tune in the gravity repellers, and +coast down, floating and singing down through the clouds to +paradise." + +After that they traveled on for what seemed months to Russell, but it +couldn't have been over a day or two of the kind of time-sense he had +inherited from Earth. + +Then he saw how the other two stars also were beginning to develop red +rims. He yelled this fact out to the others. And Alvar said. "Russ's +right. That sun to the right, and the one behind us ... now they ALL +have red rims around them. Dunbar--" A pause and no awareness of +motion. + +Dunbar laughed. "Sure, they all maybe have a touch of red, but it +isn't the same, boys. I can tell the difference. Trust me--" + +Russell half choked on his words. "You old goat! With those old eyes +of yours, you couldn't see your way into a fire!" + +"Don't get panicky now. Keep your heads. In another year, we'll be +there--" + +"God, you gotta' be sure," Alvar said. "I don't mind dyin' out here. +But after a year of this, and then to get to a world that was only +ashes, and not able to go any further--" + +"I always come through, boys. I'm lucky. Angel women will take us to +their houses on the edges of cool lakes, little houses that sit there +in the sun like fancy jewels. And we'll walk under colored fountains, +pretty colored fountains just splashing and splashing like pretty rain +on our hungry hides. That's worth waiting for." + +Russell did it before he hardly realized he was killing the old man. +It was something he had had to do for a long time and that made it +easy. There was a flash of burning oxygen from inside the suit of +Dunbar. If he'd aimed right, Russell knew the fire-bullet should have +pierced Dunbar's back. Now the fire was gone, extinguished +automatically by units inside the suit. The suit was still inflated, +self-sealing. Nothing appeared to have changed. The four of them +hurtling on together, but inside that first suit up there on the front +of the gravity rope, Dunbar was dead. + +He was dead and his mouth was shut for good. + +Dunbar's last faint cry from inside his suit still rang in Russell's +ears, and he knew Alvar and Johnson had heard it too. Alvar and +Johnson both called Dunbar's name a few times. There was no answer. + +[Illustration] + +"Russ--you shouldn't have done that," Johnson whispered. "You +shouldn't have done that to the old man!" + +"No," Alvar said, so low he could barely be heard. "You shouldn't have +done it." + +"I did it for the three of us," Russell said. "It was either him or us. +Lies ... lies that was all he had left in his crazy head. Paradise ... +don't tell me you guys don't see the red rims around all four suns, all +four suns all around us. Don't tell me you guys didn't know he was batty, +that you really believed all that stuff he was spouting all the time!" + +"Maybe he was lying, maybe not," Johnson said. "Now he's dead anyway." + +"Maybe he was wrong, crazy, full of lies," Alvar said. "But now he's +dead." + +"How could he see any difference in those four stars?" Russell said, +louder. + +"He thought he was right," Alvar said. "He wanted to take us to +paradise. He was happy, nothing could stop the old man--but he's dead +now." + +He sighed. + +"He was taking us wrong ... wrong!" Russell screamed. "Angels--music +all night--houses like jewels--and women like angels--" + +"_Shhhh_," said Alvar. It was quiet. How could it be so quiet, Russell +thought? And up ahead the old man's pressure suit with a corpse inside +went on ahead, leading the other three at the front of the +gravity-rope. + +"Maybe he was wrong," Alvar said. "But now do we know which way is +right?" + + * * * * * + +Sometime later, Johnson said, "We got to decide now. Let's forget the +old man. Let's forget him and all that's gone and let's start now and +decide what to do." + +And Alvar said, "Guess he was crazy all right, and I guess we trusted +him because we didn't have the strength to make up our own minds. Why +does a crazy man's laugh sound so good when you're desperate and don't +know what to do?" + +"I always had a feeling we were going wrong," Johnson said. "Anyway, +it's forgotten, Russ. It's swallowed up in the darkness all around. +It's never been." + +Russell said, "I've had a hunch all along that maybe the old man was +here before, and that he was right about there being a star here with +a world we can live on. But I've known we was heading wrong. I've had +a hunch all along that the right star was the one to the left." + +"I don't know," Johnson sighed. "I been feeling partial toward that +one on the right. What about you, Alvar?" + +"I always thought we were going straight in the opposite direction +from what we should, I guess. I always wanted to turn around and go +back. It won't make over maybe a month's difference. And what does a +month matter anyway out here--hell there never was any time out here +until we came along. We make our own time here, and a month don't +matter to me." + +Sweat ran down Russell's face. His voice trembled. "No--that's wrong. +You're both wrong." He could see himself going it alone. Going crazy +because he was alone. He'd have broken away, gone his own direction, +long ago but for that fear. + +"How can we tell which of us is right?" Alvar said. "It's like +everything was changing all the time out here. Sometimes I'd swear +none of those suns had red rims, and at other times--like the old man +said, they're all pretty and lying and saying nothing, just changing +all the time. Jezebel stars, the old man said." + +"I know I'm right," Russell pleaded. "My hunches always been right. +My hunch got us out of that prison didn't it? Listen--I tell you it's +that star to the left--" + +"The one to the right," said Johnson. + +"We been going away from the right one all the time," said Alvar. + +"We got to stay together," said Russell. "Nobody could spend a year +out here ... alone...." + +"Ah ... in another month or so we'd be lousy company anyway," Alvar +said. "Maybe a guy could get to the point where he'd sleep most of the +time ... just wake up enough times to give himself another boost with +the old life-gun." + +"We got to face it," Johnson said finally. "We three don't go on +together any more." + +"That's it," said Alvar. "There's three suns that look like they might +be right seeing as how we all agree the old man was wrong. But we +believe there is one we can live by, because we all seem to agree that +the old man might have been right about that. If we stick together, +the chance is three to one against us. But if each of us makes for one +star, one of us has a chance to live. Maybe not in paradise like the +old man said, but a place where we can live. And maybe there'll be +intelligent life, maybe even a ship, and whoever gets the right star +can come and help the other two...." + +"No ... God no...." Russell whispered over and over. "None of us can +ever make it alone...." + +Alvar said, "We each take the star he likes best. I'll go back the +other way. Russ, you take the left. And you, Johnson, go to the +right." + +Johnson started to laugh. Russell was yelling wildly at them, and +above his own yelling he could hear Johnson's rising laughter. "Every +guy's got a star of his own," Johnson said when he stopped laughing. +"And we got ours. A nice red-rimmed sun for each of us to call his +very own." + +"Okay," Alvar said. "We cut off the gravity rope, and each to his own +sun." + +Now Russell wasn't saying anything. + +"And the old man," Alvar said, "can keep right on going toward what he +thought was right. And he'll keep on going. Course he won't be able to +give himself another boost with the life-gun, but he'll keep going. +Someday he'll get to that red-rimmed star of his. Out here in space, +once you're going, you never stop ... and I guess there isn't any +other body to pull him off his course. And what will time matter to +old Dunbar? Even less than to us, I guess. He's dead and he won't +care." + +"Ready," Johnson said. "I'll cut off the gravity rope." + +"I'm ready," Alvar said. "To go back toward whatever it was I started +from." + +"Ready, Russ?" + +Russell couldn't say anything. He stared at the endless void which now +he would share with no one. Not even crazy old Dunbar. + +"All right," Johnson said. "Good-bye." + +Russell felt the release, felt the sudden inexplicable isolation and +aloneness even before Alvar and Johnson used their life-guns and shot +out of sight, Johnson toward the left and Alvar back toward that other +red-rimmed sun behind them. + +And old Dunbar shooting right on ahead. And all three of them +dwindling and dwindling and blinking out like little lights. + +Fading, he could hear their voices. "Each to his own star," Johnson +said. "On a bee line." + +"On a bee line," Alvar said. + +Russell used his own life-gun and in a little while he didn't hear +Alvar or Johnson's voices, nor could he see them. They were thousands +of miles away, and going further all the time. + +Russell's head fell forward against the front of his helmet, and he +closed his eyes. "Maybe," he thought, "I shouldn't have killed the old +man. Maybe one sun's as good as another...." + +Then he raised his body and looked out into the year of blackness that +waited for him, stretching away to the red-rimmed sun. Even if he were +right--he was sure now he'd never make it alone. + + * * * * * + +The body inside the pressure suit drifted into a low-level orbit +around the second planet from the sun of its choice, and drifted there +a long time. A strato-cruiser detected it by chance because of the +strong concentration of radio-activity that came from it. + +They took the body down to one of the small, quiet towns on the edge +of one of the many blue lakes where the domed houses were like bright +joyful jewels. They got the leathery, well-preserved body from the +pressure suit. + +"An old man," one of them mused. "A very old man. From one of the lost +sectors. I wonder how and why he came so very far from his home?" + +"Wrecked a ship out there, probably," one of the others said. "But he +managed to get this far. It looks as though a small meteor fragment +pierced his body. Here. You see?" + +"Yes," another of them said. "But what amazes me is that this old man +picked this planet out of all the others. The only one in this entire +sector that would sustain life." + +"Maybe he was just a very lucky old man. Yes ... a man who attains +such an age was usually lucky. Or at least that is what they say about +the lost sectors." + +"Maybe he knew the way here. Maybe he was here before--sometime." + +The other shook his head. "I don't think so. They say some humans from +that far sector did land here--but that's probably only a myth. And if +they did, it was well over a thousand years ago." + +Another said. "He has a fine face, this old man. A noble face. Whoever +he is ... wherever he came from, he died bravely and he knew the way, +though he never reached this haven of the lost alive." + +"Nor is it irony that he reached here dead," said the Lake Chieftain. +He had been listening and he stepped forward and raised his arm. "He +was old. It is obvious that he fought bravely, that he had great +courage, and that he knew the way. He will be given a burial suitable +to his stature, and he will rest here among the brave. + +"Let the women dance and the music play for this old man. Let the +trumpets speak, and the rockets fly up. And let flowers be strewn over +the path above which the women will carry him to rest." + + * * * * * + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of To Each His Star, by Bryce Walton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TO EACH HIS STAR *** + +***** This file should be named 31355.txt or 31355.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/1/3/5/31355/ + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +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 + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/31355.zip b/31355.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..999ffa2 --- /dev/null +++ b/31355.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7799ebf --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #31355 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/31355) |
