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diff --git a/32004-h/32004-h.htm b/32004-h/32004-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0a60679 --- /dev/null +++ b/32004-h/32004-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3874 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /> + + <title>The Knights of Arthur, by Frederik Pohl.</title> + <style type="text/css"> + body { + font-family: Georgia,serif; + margin-left: 15%; + margin-right: 15%; + } + + p { text-align: justify; + margin: 0em; + text-indent:1em; + } + + h1 { + text-align: center; + font-weight: normal; + margin-top:4em; + font-family:sans-serif; + } + + h2 { + text-align: center; + font-weight: normal; + margin-top: 2em; + } + + div.illo {text-align:center; + margin:2em auto; + text-indent:0em;} + + img { border:none;display:block;margin:auto;} + .illo a.img_link {font-family:sans-serif;font-size:.7em;display:block;text-align:right;margin-right:-15%;} + + #transcriber_note {margin: 2em 10%; + padding: 1em 1em; + border:thin gray solid; + background-color:#eee; + color:#000; + text-align:left; + } + + #synopsis { + margin: 3em 10%; + text-align:justify; + font-family:sans-serif; + text-indent:0em; + font-style:italic; + } + + #author { + text-align: left; + font-size:125%; + text-indent:1.5em; + font-family:sans-serif; + } + + #illustrator { + text-align: right; + font-size:100%; + margin-right:1.5em; + font-family:sans-serif; + } + + .pagenum { + position: absolute; + left: 1%; + right: 87%; + font-size: 10px; + text-align: left; + color: gray; + background-color: inherit; + font-weight: normal; + font-style: normal; + font-variant: normal; + letter-spacing: normal; + text-indent: 0em; + } + +/* a[title].pagenum:after { + content: attr(title); + }*/ + + /*Uncomment previous section to show page numbers*/ + + hr.thoughtbreak {display:none;} + + .post_thoughtbreak, .first_paragraph { + margin-top:2em; + text-indent:0em; + } + + .post_thoughtbreak:first-letter, .first_paragraph:first-letter { + font-size:2.5em; + float: left; + clear: left; + margin: -.2em 4px -.2em 0px; + line-height: 1.25em; + } + + .first_word { text-transform:uppercase; } + + blockquote p {text-indent:0;text-align:left;} + + .arthur_speak {font-family:Courier, monospace;} + + .attribution {text-align:right;margin-right:2em;} + + /* framing decoration */ + #the_beginning { border-top:thin gray solid; margin:2em 0em;} + #the_end { border-bottom:thin gray solid; margin:2em 0em;} + + /* no underlines in links */ + + a:link { text-decoration: none; } + a:visited { text-decoration: none; } + + a:hover { + color: red; + background: inherit; + } + </style> +</head> + +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Knights of Arthur, by Frederik Pohl + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Knights of Arthur + +Author: Frederik Pohl + +Illustrator: Martin + +Release Date: April 16, 2010 [EBook #32004] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE KNIGHTS OF ARTHUR *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Barbara Tozier and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + +<div id="transcriber_note"> + This etext was produced from <cite>Galaxy Science Fiction</cite> January 1958. + Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the + U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. +</div> +<div id="the_beginning"> </div> +<div id="cover" class="illo"> + <a href="images/cover.jpg"><img src="images/cover-sm.jpg" width="400" height="526" alt="Cover image: Santa crossing paths in the sky with an Alien Santa and waving" /></a> +</div> +<div id="story"><a class="pagenum" id="page8" title="8"> </a> + <h1>The Knights of Arthur</h1> + <p id="author">By FREDERIK POHL</p> + <p id="illustrator">Illustrated by MARTIN</p> + <p id="synopsis">With one suitcase as his domain, Arthur was + desperately in need of armed henchmen … for + his keys to a kingdom were typewriter keys!</p> + <div id="illo1" class="illo"> + <img src="images/illo1-sm.jpg" width="658" height="388" alt="An eyestalk coming from a case looks at a guy doing something with a screwdriver and a typewriter" /> + <a href="images/illo1-left.png" class="img_link">Left side image</a> + <a href="images/illo1-right.png" class="img_link">Right side image</a> + </div> + + <h2>I</h2> + + <p class="first_paragraph"><span class="first_word">There</span> was three of us—I + mean if you count Arthur. + We split up to avoid attracting + attention. Engdahl just + came in over the big bridge, but I + had Arthur with me so I had to + come the long way around.</p> + + <p>When I registered at the desk, + I said I was from Chicago. You + know how it is. If you say you’re + from Philadelphia, it’s like saying + you’re from St. Louis or + Detroit—I mean <em>nobody</em> lives in + Philadelphia any more. Shows + how things change. A couple years + ago, Philadelphia was all the + fashion. But not now, and I + wanted to make a good impression.</p> + + <p>I even tipped the bellboy a + hundred and fifty dollars. I said: + “Do me a favor. I’ve got my baggage + booby-trapped—”</p> + + <p>“Natch,” he said, only mildly + impressed by the bill and a half, + even less impressed by me.</p> + + <p>“I mean <em>really</em> booby-trapped. + Not just a burglar alarm. Besides + the alarm, there’s a little surprise + <!-- <a class="pagenum" id="page9" title="9"> </a> Original location of right side of Illo 1--> + <a class="pagenum" id="page10" title="10"> </a>on a short fuse. So what I want + you to do, if you hear the alarm go + off, is come running. Right?”</p> + + <p>“And get my head blown off?” + He slammed my bags onto the + floor. “Mister, you can take your + damn money and—”</p> + + <p>“Wait a minute, friend.” I passed + over another hundred. “Please? + It’s only a shaped charge. It won’t + hurt anything except anybody who + messes around, see? But I don’t + want it to go off. So you come + running when you hear the alarm + and scare him away and—”</p> + + <p>“No!” But he was less positive. + I gave him two hundred more and + he said grudgingly: “All right. If + I hear it. Say, what’s in there that’s + worth all that trouble?”</p> + + <p>“Papers,” I lied.</p> + + <p>He leered. “Sure.”</p> + + <p>“No fooling, it’s just personal + stuff. Not worth a penny to anybody + but me, understand? So + don’t get any ideas—”</p> + + <p>He said in an injured tone: + “Mister, naturally the <em>staff</em> won’t + bother your stuff. What kind of a + hotel do you think this is?”</p> + + <p>“Of course, of course,” I said. + But I knew he was lying, because + I knew what kind of hotel it was. + The staff was there only because + being there gave them a chance + to knock down more money than + they could make any other way. + What other kind of hotel was + there?</p> + + <p>Anyway, the way to keep the + staff on my side was by bribery, + and when he left I figured I had + him at least temporarily bought. + He promised to keep an eye on + the room and he would be on duty + for four more hours—which gave + me plenty of time for my errands.</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">I made</span> sure Arthur was + plugged in and cleaned myself + up. They had water running—New + York’s very good that way; + they always have water running. + It was even hot, or nearly hot. I + let the shower splash over me for + a while, because there was a lot + of dust and dirt from the Bronx + that I had to get off me. The way + it looked, hardly anybody had + been up that way since it happened.</p> + + <p>I dried myself, got dressed and + looked out the window. We were + fairly high up—fifteenth floor. I + could see the Hudson and the big + bridge up north of us. There was + a huge cloud of smoke coming + from somewhere near the bridge + on the other side of the river, but + outside of that everything looked + normal. You would have thought + there were people in all those + houses. Even the streets looked + pretty good, until you noticed that + hardly any of the cars were moving.</p> + + <p>I opened the little bag and + loaded my pockets with enough + money to run my errands. At the + door, I stopped and called over + <a class="pagenum" id="page11" title="11"> </a>my shoulder to Arthur: “Don’t + worry if I’m gone an hour or so. + I’ll be back.”</p> + + <p>I didn’t wait for an answer. + That would have been pointless + under the circumstances.</p> + + <p>After Philadelphia, this place + seemed to be bustling with activity. + There were four or five + people in the lobby and a couple + of dozen more out in the street.</p> + + <p>I tarried at the desk for several + reasons. In the first place, I was + expecting Vern Engdahl to try to + contact me and I didn’t want him + messing with the luggage—not + while Arthur might get nervous. + So I told the desk clerk that in + case anybody came inquiring for + Mr. Schlaepfer, which was the + name I was using—my real name + being Sam Dunlap—he was to be + told that on no account was he to + go to my room but to wait in the + lobby; and in any case I would + be back in an hour.</p> + + <p>“Sure,” said the desk clerk, + holding out his hand.</p> + + <p>I crossed it with paper. “One + other thing,” I said. “I need to buy + an electric typewriter and some + other stuff. Where can I get + them?”</p> + + <p>“PX,” he said promptly.</p> + + <p>“PX?”</p> + + <p>“What used to be Macy’s,” he + explained. “You go out that door + and turn right. It’s only about a + block. You’ll see the sign.”</p> + + <p>“Thanks.” That cost me a hundred + more, but it was worth it. + After all, money wasn’t a problem—not + when we had just come from + Philadelphia.</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">The</span> big sign read “PX,” but it + wasn’t big enough to hide an + older sign underneath that said + “Macy’s.” I looked it over from + across the street.</p> + + <p>Somebody had organized it + pretty well. I had to admire them. + I mean I don’t like New York—wouldn’t + live there if you gave me + the place—but it showed a sort of + go-getting spirit. It was no easy + job getting a full staff together to + run a department store operation, + when any city the size of New + York must have a couple thousand + stores. You know what I mean? + It’s like running a hotel or anything + else—how are you going to + get people to work for you when + they can just as easily walk down + the street, find a vacant store and + set up their own operation?</p> + + <p>But Macy’s was fully manned. + There was a guard at every door + and a walking patrol along the + block-front between the entrances + to make sure nobody broke in + through the windows. They all + wore green armbands and uniforms—well, + lots of people wore + uniforms.</p> + + <p>I walked over.</p> + + <p>“Afternoon,” I said affably to the + guard. “I want to pick up some + stuff. Typewriter, maybe a gun, + <a class="pagenum" id="page12" title="12"> </a>you know. How do you work it + here? Flat rate for all you can + carry, prices marked on everything, + or what is it?”</p> + + <p>He stared at me suspiciously. + He was a monster; six inches taller + than I, he must have weighed two + hundred and fifty pounds. He + didn’t look very smart, which + might explain why he was working + for somebody else these days. But + he was smart enough for what he + had to do.</p> + + <p>He demanded: “You new in + town?”</p> + + <p>I nodded.</p> + + <p>He thought for a minute. “All + right, buddy. Go on in. You pick + out what you want, see? We’ll + straighten out the price when you + come out.”</p> + + <p>“Fair enough.” I started past + him.</p> + + <p>He grabbed me by the arm. “No + tricks,” he ordered. “You come + out the same door you went in, + understand?”</p> + + <p>“Sure,” I said, “if that’s the way + you want it.”</p> + + <p>That figured—one way or another: + either they got a commission, + or, like everybody else, they + lived on what they could knock + down. I filed that for further consideration.</p> + + <p>Inside, the store smelled pretty + bad. It wasn’t just rot, though there + was plenty of that; it was musty + and stale and old. It was dark, or + nearly. About one light in twenty + was turned on, in order to conserve + power. Naturally the escalators + and so on weren’t running + at all.</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">I passed</span> a counter with pencils + and ball-point pens in a + case. Most of them were gone—somebody + hadn’t bothered to go + around in back and had simply + knocked the glass out—but I found + one that worked and an old order + pad to write on. Over by the + elevators there was a store directory, + so I went over and checked + it, making a list of the departments + worth visiting.</p> + + <p>Office Supplies would be the + typewriter. Garden & Home was a + good bet—maybe I could find a + little wheelbarrow to save carrying + the typewriter in my arms. + What I wanted was one of the + big ones where all the keys are + solenoid-operated instead of the + cam-and-roller arrangement—that + was all Arthur could operate. And + those things were heavy, as I + knew. That was why we had + ditched the old one in the Bronx.</p> + + <p>Sporting Goods—that would be + for a gun, if there were any left. + Naturally, they were about the + first to go after it happened, when + <em>everybody</em> wanted a gun. I mean + everybody who lived through it. + I thought about clothes—it was + pretty hot in New York—and + decided I might as well take a + look.</p> + + <p><a class="pagenum" id="page13" title="13"> </a>Typewriter, clothes, gun, wheelbarrow. + I made one more note on + the pad—try the tobacco counter, + but I didn’t have much hope for + that. They had used cigarettes for + currency around this area for a + while, until they got enough bank + vaults open to supply big bills. It + made cigarettes scarce.</p> + + <p>I turned away and noticed for + the first time that one of the elevators + was stopped on the main floor. + The doors were closed, but they + were glass doors, and although + there wasn’t any light inside, I + could see the elevator was full. + There must have been thirty or + forty people in the car when it + happened.</p> + + <p>I’d been thinking that, if nothing + else, these New Yorkers were + pretty neat—I mean if you don’t + count the Bronx. But here were + thirty or forty skeletons that nobody + had even bothered to clear + away.</p> + + <p>You call that neat? Right in + plain view on the ground floor, + where everybody who came into + the place would be sure to go—I + mean if it had been on one of + the upper floors, what difference + would it have made?</p> + + <p>I began to wish we were out + of the city. But naturally that + would have to wait until we + finished what we came here to do—otherwise, + what was the point + of coming all the way here in the + first place?</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">The</span> tobacco counter was bare. + I got the wheelbarrow easily + enough—there were plenty of those, + all sizes; I picked out a nice light + red-and-yellow one with rubber-tired + wheel. I rolled it over to + Sporting Goods on the same floor, + but that didn’t work out too well. + I found a 30-30 with telescopic + sights, only there weren’t any cartridges + to fit it—or anything else. I + took the gun anyway; Engdahl + would probably have some extra + ammunition.</p> + + <p>Men’s Clothing was a waste of + time, too—I guess these New + Yorkers were too lazy to do + laundry. But I found the typewriter + I wanted.</p> + + <p>I put the whole load into the + wheelbarrow, along with a couple + of odds and ends that caught my + eye as I passed through Housewares, + and I bumped as gently as + I could down the shallow steps + of the motionless escalator to the + ground floor.</p> + + <p>I came down the back way, + and that was a mistake. It led me + right past the food department. + Well, I don’t have to tell you what + <em>that</em> was like, with all the exploded + cans and the rats as big as poodles. + But I found some cologne and + soaked a handkerchief in it, and + with that over my nose, and some + fast footwork for the rats, I managed + to get to one of the doors.</p> + + <p>It wasn’t the one I had come + in, but that was all right. I sized + <a class="pagenum" id="page14" title="14"> </a>up the guard. He looked smart + enough for a little bargaining, but + not too smart; and if I didn’t like + his price, I could always remember + that I was supposed to go out + the other door.</p> + + <p>I said: “Psst!”</p> + + <p>When he turned around, I said + rapidly: “Listen, this isn’t the way + I came in, but if you want to do + business, it’ll be the way I come + out.”</p> + + <p>He thought for a second, and + then he smiled craftily and said: + “All right, come on.”</p> + + <p>Well, we haggled. The gun was + the big thing—he wanted five + thousand for that and he wouldn’t + come down. The wheelbarrow he + was willing to let go for five hundred. + And the typewriter—he + scowled at the typewriter as + though it were contagious.</p> + + <p>“What you want that for?” he + asked suspiciously. I shrugged.</p> + + <p>“Well—” he scratched his head—“a + thousand?”</p> + + <p>I shook my head.</p> + + <p>“Five hundred?”</p> + + <p>I kept on shaking.</p> + + <p>“All right, all right,” he grumbled. + “Look, you take the other + things for six thousand—including + what you got in your pockets that + you don’t think I know about, + see? And I’ll throw this in. How + about it?”</p> + + <p>That was fine as far as I was + concerned, but just on principle + I pushed him a little further. “Forget + it,” I said. “I’ll give you fifty + bills for the lot, take it or leave + it. Otherwise I’ll walk right down + the street to Gimbel’s and—”</p> + + <p>He guffawed.</p> + + <p>“Whats the matter?” I demanded.</p> + + <p>“Pal,” he said, “you kill me. + Stranger in town, hey? You can’t + go anyplace but here.”</p> + + <p>“Why not?”</p> + + <p>“Account of there <em>ain’t</em> anyplace + else. See, the chief here don’t like + competition. So we don’t have to + worry about anybody taking their + trade elsewhere, like—we burned + all the other places down.”</p> + + <p>That explained a couple of + things. I counted out the money, + loaded the stuff back in the wheelbarrow + and headed for the Statler; + but all the time I was counting + and loading, I was talking to + Big Brainless; and by the time I + was actually on the way, I knew + a little more about this “chief.”</p> + + <p>And that was kind of important, + because he was the man we were + going to have to know very well.</p> + + <h2>II</h2> + + <p class="first_paragraph"><span class="first_word">I locked</span> the door of the hotel + room. Arthur was peeping out + of the suitcase at me.</p> + + <p>I said: “I’m back. I got your + typewriter.” He waved his eye at + me.</p> + + <p>I took out the little kit of electricians’ + tools I carried, tipped the + <a class="pagenum" id="page15" title="15"> </a>typewriter on its back and began + sorting out leads. I cut them free + from the keyboard, soldered on a + ground wire, and began taping the + leads to the strands of a yard of + forty-ply multiplex cable.</p> + + <p>It was a slow and dull job. I + didn’t have to worry about which + solenoid lead went to which + strand—Arthur could sort them + out. But all the same it took an + hour, pretty near, and I was getting + hungry by the time I got the + last connection taped. I shifted the + typewriter so that both Arthur and + I could see it, rolled in a sheet of + paper and hooked the cable to + Arthur’s receptors.</p> + + <p>Nothing happened.</p> + + <p>“Oh,” I said. “Excuse me, + Arthur. I forgot to plug it in.”</p> + + <p>I found a wall socket. The typewriter + began to hum and then it + started to rattle and type:</p> + + <p class="arthur_speak">DURA AUK UKOO RQK + MWS AQB</p> + + <p>It stopped.</p> + + <p>“Come on, Arthur,” I ordered + impatiently. “Sort them out, will + you?”</p> + + <p>Laboriously it typed:</p> + + <p class="arthur_speak">!!!</p> + + <p>Then, for a time, there was a + clacking and thumping as he typed + random letters, peeping out of the + suitcase to see what he had typed, + until the sheet I had put in was + used up.</p> + + <p>I replaced it and waited, as patiently + as I could, smoking one of + the last of my cigarettes. After fifteen + minutes or so, he had the hang + of it pretty well. He typed:</p> + + <p class="arthur_speak">YOU DAMQXXX DAMN + FOOL WHUXXX WHY DID + YOU LEAQNXXX LEAVE ME + ALONE Q Q</p> + + <p>“Aw, Arthur,” I said. “Use your + head, will you? I couldn’t carry + that old typewriter of yours all + the way down through the Bronx. + It was getting pretty beat-up. Anyway, + I’ve only got two hands—”</p> + + <p><span class="arthur_speak">YOU LOUSE,</span> it rattled, <span class="arthur_speak">ARE + YOU TRYONXXX TRYING + TO INSULT ME BECAUSE I + DONT HAVE ANY Q Q</span></p> + + <p>“Arthur!” I said, shocked. “You + know better than that!”</p> + + <p>The typewriter slammed its + carriage back and forth ferociously + a couple of times. Then he said: + <span class="arthur_speak">ALL RIGHT SAM YOU KNOW + YOUVE GOT ME BY THE + THROAT SO YOU CAN DO + ANYTHING YOU WANT TO + WITH ME WHO CARES + ABOUT MY FEELINGS ANYHOW</span></p> + + <p>“Please don’t take that attitude,” + I coaxed.</p> + + <p class="arthur_speak">WELL</p> + + <p>“Please?”</p> + + <p>He capitulated. <span class="arthur_speak">ALL RIGHT + SAY HEARD ANYTHING + FROM ENGDAHL Q Q</span></p> + + <p>“No.”</p> + + <p class="arthur_speak">ISNT THAT JUST LIKE + HIM Q Q CANT DEPEND ON + THAT MAN HE WAS THE + <a class="pagenum" id="page16" title="16"> </a>LOUSIEST ELECTRICIANS + MATE ON THE SEA SPRITE + AND HE ISNT MUCH BETTER + NOW SAY SAM REMEMBER + WHEN WE HAD TO GET + HIM OUT OF THE JUG IN + NEWPORT NEWS BECAUSE</p> + + <p>I settled back and relaxed. I + might as well. That was the trouble + with getting Arthur a new typewriter + after a couple of days without + one—he had so much garrulity + stored up in his little brain, and + the only person to spill it on was + me.</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">Apparently</span> I fell asleep. + Well, I mean I must have, because + I woke up. I had been + dreaming I was on guard post outside + the Yard at Portsmouth, and + it was night, and I looked up and + there was something up there, all + silvery and bad. It was a missile—and + that was silly, because you + never see a missile. But this was + a dream.</p> + + <p>And the thing burst, like a + Roman candle flaring out, all sorts + of comet-trails of light, and then + the whole sky was full of bright + and colored snow. Little tiny flakes + of light coming down, a mist of + light, radiation dropping like dew; + and it was so pretty, and I took + a deep breath. And my lungs + burned out like slow fire, and I + coughed myself to death with the + explosions of the missile banging + against my flaming ears….</p> + + <p>Well, it was a dream. It probably + wasn’t like that at all—and if + it had been, I wasn’t there to see + it, because I was tucked away safe + under a hundred and twenty + fathoms of Atlantic water. All of + us were on the <i>Sea Sprite</i>.</p> + + <p>But it was a bad dream and it + bothered me, even when I woke up + and found that the banging explosions + of the missile were the + noise of Arthur’s typewriter carriage + crashing furiously back and + forth.</p> + + + <p>He peeped out of the suitcase + and saw that I was awake. He demanded: + <span class="arthur_speak">HOW CAN YOU FALL + ASLEEP WHEN WERE IN A + PLACE LIKE THIS Q Q ANYTHING + COULD HAPPEN + SAM I KNOW YOU DONT + CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO + ME BUT FOR YOUR OWN + SAKE YOU SHOULDNT</span></p> + + <p>“Oh, dry up,” I said.</p> + + <p>Being awake, I remembered + that I was hungry. There was still + no sign of Engdahl or the others, + but that wasn’t too surprising—they + hadn’t known exactly when + we would arrive. I wished I had + thought to bring some food back + to the room. It looked like long + waiting and I wouldn’t want to + leave Arthur alone again—after all, + he was partly right.</p> + + <p>I thought of the telephone.</p> + + <p>On the off-chance that it might + work, I picked it up. Amazing, a + voice from the desk answered.</p> + + <p><a class="pagenum" id="page17" title="17"> </a>I crossed my fingers and said: + “Room service?”</p> + + <p>And the voice answered amiably + enough: “Hold on, buddy. I’ll see + if they answer.”</p> + + <p>Clicking and a good long wait. + Then a new voice said: “Whaddya + want?”</p> + + <p>There was no sense pressing my + luck by asking for anything like + a complete meal. I would be lucky + if I got a sandwich.</p> + + <p>I said: “Please, may I have a + Spam sandwich on Rye Krisp and + some coffee for Room Fifteen Forty-one?”</p> + + <p>“Please, you go to hell!” the + voice snarled. “What do you think + this is, some damn delicatessen? + You want liquor, we’ll get you + liquor. That’s what room service + is for!”</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">I hung</span> up. What was the use + of arguing? Arthur was clacking + peevishly:</p> + + <p class="arthur_speak">WHATS THE MATTER + SAM YOU THINKING OF + YOUR BELLY AGAIN Q Q</p> + + <p>“You would be if you—” I + started, and then I stopped. + Arthur’s feelings were delicate + enough already. I mean suppose + that all you had left of what you + were born with was a brain in a + kind of sardine can, wouldn’t you + be sensitive? Well, Arthur was + more sensitive than you would be, + believe me. Of course, it was his + own foolish fault—I mean you + don’t get a prosthetic tank unless + you die by accident, or something + like that, because if it’s disease + they usually can’t save even the + brain.</p> + + <p>The phone rang again.</p> + + <p>It was the desk clerk. “Say, did + you get what you wanted?” he + asked chummily.</p> + + <p>“No.”</p> + + <p>“Oh. Too bad,” he said, but + cheerfully. “Listen, buddy, I forgot + to tell you before. That Miss + Engdahl you were expecting, she’s + on her way up.”</p> + + <p>I dropped the phone onto the + cradle.</p> + + <p>“Arthur!” I yelled. “Keep quiet + for a while—trouble!”</p> + + <p>He clacked once, and the typewriter + shut itself off. I jumped + for the door of the bathroom, cursing + the fact that I didn’t have + cartridges for the gun. Still, empty + or not, it would have to do.</p> + + <p>I ducked behind the bathroom + door, in the shadows, covering the + hall door. Because there were two + things wrong with what the desk + clerk had told me. Vern Engdahl + wasn’t a “miss,” to begin with; + and whatever name he used when + he came to call on me, it wouldn’t + be Vern Engdahl.</p> + + <p>There was a knock on the door. + I called: “Come in!”</p> + + <p>The door opened and the girl + who called herself Vern Engdahl + came in slowly, looking around. I + stayed quiet and out of sight until + <a class="pagenum" id="page18" title="18"> </a>she was all the way in. She didn’t + seem to be armed; there wasn’t + anyone with her.</p> + + <p>I stepped out, holding the gun + on her. Her eyes opened wide and + she seemed about to turn.</p> + + <p>“Hold it! Come on in, you. Close + the door!”</p> + + <p>She did. She looked as though + she were expecting me. I looked + her over—medium pretty, not very + tall, not very plump, not very old. + I’d have guessed twenty or so, but + that’s not my line of work; she + could have been almost any age + from seventeen on.</p> + + <p>The typewriter switched itself + on and began to pound agitatedly. + I crossed over toward her and + paused to peer at what Arthur was + yacking about: <span class="arthur_speak">SEARCH HER + YOU DAMN FOOL MAYBE + SHES GOT A GUN</span></p> + + <p>I ordered: “Shut up, Arthur. + I’m <em>going</em> to search her. You! Turn + around!”</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">She</span> shrugged and turned + around, her hands in the air. + Over her shoulder, she said: + “You’re taking this all wrong, Sam. + I came here to make a deal with + you.”</p> + + <p>“Sure you did.”</p> + + <p>But her knowing my name was + a blow, too. I mean what was the + use of all that sneaking around if + people in New York were going to + know we were here?</p> + + <p>I walked up close behind her + and patted what there was to pat. + There didn’t seem to be a gun.</p> + + <p>“You tickle,” she complained.</p> + + <p>I took her pocketbook away + from her and went through it. No + gun. A lot of money—an <em>awful</em> + lot of money. I mean there must + have been two or three hundred + thousand dollars. There was + nothing with a name on it in the + pocketbook.</p> + + <p>She said: “Can I put my hands + down, Sam?”</p> + + <p>“In a minute.” I thought for a + second and then decided to do it—you + know, I just couldn’t afford to + take chances. I cleared my throat + and ordered: “Take off your + clothes.”</p> + + <p>Her head jerked around and she + stared at me. “<em>What?</em>”</p> + + <p>“Take them off. You heard me.”</p> + + <p>“Now wait a minute—” she began + dangerously.</p> + + <p>I said: “Do what I tell you, + hear? How do I know you haven’t + got a knife tucked away?”</p> + + <p>She clenched her teeth. “Why, + you dirty little man! What do you + think—” Then she shrugged. She + looked at me with contempt and + said: “All right. What’s the difference?”</p> + + <p>Well, there was a considerable + difference. She began to unzip and + unbutton and wriggle, and pretty + soon she was standing there in her + underwear, looking at me as + though I were a two-headed worm. + It was interesting, but kind of embarrassing. + <a class="pagenum" id="page19" title="19"> </a>I could see Arthur’s + eye-stalk waving excitedly out of + the opened suitcase.</p> + + <p>I picked up her skirt and blouse + and shook them. I could feel myself + blushing, and there didn’t seem + to be anything in them.</p> + + <p>I growled: “Okay, I guess that’s + enough. You can put your clothes + back on now.”</p> + + <p>“Gee, thanks,” she said.</p> + + <p>She looked at me thoughtfully + and then shook her head as if + she’d never seen anything like me + before and never hoped to again. + Without another word, she began + to get back into her clothes. I had + to admire her poise. I mean she + was perfectly calm about the whole + thing. You’d have thought she was + used to taking her clothes off in + front of strange men.</p> + + <p>Well, for that matter, maybe she + was; but it wasn’t any of my business.</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">Arthur</span> was clacking distractedly, + but I didn’t pay any + attention to him. I demanded: “All + right, now who are you and what + do you want?”</p> + + <p>She pulled up a stocking and + said: “You couldn’t have asked + me that in the first place, could + you? I’m Vern Eng—”</p> + + <p>“<em>Cut it out!</em>”</p> + + <p>She stared at me. “I was only + going to say I’m Vern Engdahl’s + partner. We’ve got a little business + deal cooking and I wanted to talk + to you about this proposition.”</p> + + <p>Arthur squawked: <span class="arthur_speak">WHATS + ENGDAHL UP TO NOW Q Q + SAM IM WARNING YOU I + DONT LIKE THE LOOK OF + THIS THIS WOMAN AND + ENGDAHL ARE PROBABLY + DOUBLECROSSING US</span></p> + + <p>I said: “All right, Arthur, relax. + I’m taking care of things. Now + start over, you. What’s your + name?”</p> + + <p>She finished putting on her shoe + and stood up. “Amy.”</p> + + <p>“Last name?”</p> + + <p>She shrugged and fished in her + purse for a cigarette. “What does + it matter? Mind if I sit down?”</p> + + <p>“Go ahead,” I rumbled. “But + don’t stop talking!”</p> + + <p>“Oh,” she said, “we’ve got plenty + of time to straighten things out.” + She lit the cigarette and walked + over to the chair by the window. + On the way, she gave the luggage + a good long look.</p> + + <p>Arthur’s eyestalk cowered back + into the suitcase as she came close. + She winked at me, grinned, bent + down and peered inside.</p> + + <p>“My,” she said, “he’s a nice + shiny one, isn’t he?”</p> + + <p>The typewriter began to clatter + frantically. I didn’t even bother to + look; I told him: “Arthur, if you + can’t keep quiet, you have to expect + people to know you’re there.”</p> + + <p>She sat down and crossed her + legs. “Now then,” she said. “Frankly, + he’s what I came to see you + <a class="pagenum" id="page20" title="20"> </a>about. Vern told me you had a + pross. I want to buy it.”</p> + + <p>The typewriter thrashed its carriage + back and forth furiously.</p> + + <p>“Arthur isn’t for sale.”</p> + + <p>“No?” She leaned back. “Vern’s + already sold me his interest, you + know. And you don’t really have + any choice. You see, I’m in charge + of materiel procurement for the + Major. If you want to sell your + share, fine. If you don’t, why, we + requisition it anyhow. Do you follow?”</p> + + <p>I was getting irritated—at + Vern Engdahl, for whatever the + hell he thought he was doing; but + at her because she was handy. I + shook my head.</p> + + <p>“Fifty thousand dollars? I mean + for your interest?”</p> + + <p>“No.”</p> + + <p>“Seventy-five?”</p> + + <p>“No!”</p> + + <p>“Oh, come on now. A hundred + thousand?”</p> + + <p>It wasn’t going to make any impression + on her, but I tried to explain: + “Arthur’s a friend of mine. + He isn’t for sale.”</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">She </span>shook her head. “What’s + the matter with you? Engdahl + wasn’t like this. He sold his interest + for forty thousand and was + glad to get it.”</p> + + <p>Clatter-clatter-clatter from Arthur. + I didn’t blame him for having + hurt feelings that time.</p> + + <p>Amy said in a discouraged tone: + “Why can’t people be reasonable? + The Major doesn’t like it when + people aren’t reasonable.”</p> + + <p>I lowered the gun and cleared + my throat. “He doesn’t?” I asked, + cuing her. I wanted to hear more + about this Major, who seemed to + have the city pretty well under his + thumb.</p> + + <p>“No, he doesn’t.” She shook her + head sorrowfully. She said in an + accusing voice: “You out-of-towners + don’t know what it’s like to + try to run a city the size of New + York. There are fifteen thousand + people here, do you know that? It + isn’t one of your hick towns. And + it’s worry, worry, worry all the + time, trying to keep things going.”</p> + + <p>“I bet,” I said sympathetically. + “You’re, uh, pretty close to the + Major?”</p> + + <p>She said stiffly: “I’m not married + to him, if that’s what you + mean. Though I’ve had my + chances…. But you see how + it is. Fifteen thousand people to + run a place the size of New York! + It’s forty men to operate the power + station, and twenty-five on the + PX, and thirty on the hotel here. + And then there are the local groceries, + and the Army, and the + Coast Guard, and the Air Force—though, + really, that’s only two men—and—Well, + you get the picture.”</p> + + <p>“I certainly do. Look, what kind + of a guy <em>is</em> the Major?”</p> + + <p>She shrugged. “A guy.”</p> + + <p>“I mean what does he like?”</p> + + <p><a class="pagenum" id="page21" title="21"> </a>“Women, mostly,” she said, her + expression clouded. “Come on now. + What about it?”</p> + + <p>I stalled. “What do you want + Arthur for?”</p> + + <p>She gave me a disgusted look. + “What do you think? To relieve + the manpower shortage, naturally. + There’s more work than there are + men. Now if the Major could just + get hold of a couple of prosthetics, + like this thing here, why, he could + put them in the big installations. + This one used to be an engineer + or something, Vern said.”</p> + + <p>“Well … <em>like</em> an engineer.”</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">Amy</span> shrugged. “So why couldn’t + we connect him up with + the power station? It’s been done. + The Major knows that—he was in + the Pentagon when they switched + all the aircraft warning net over + from computer to prosthetic control. + So why couldn’t we do the + same thing with our power station + and release forty men for other assignments? + This thing could work + day, night, Sundays—what’s the + difference when you’re just a brain + in a sardine can?”</p> + + <p>Clatter-rattle-<em>bang</em>.</p> + + <p>She looked startled. “Oh. I forgot + he was listening.”</p> + + <p>“No deal,” I said.</p> + + <p>She said: “A hundred and fifty + thousand?”</p> + + <p>A hundred and fifty thousand + dollars. I considered that for a + while. Arthur clattered warningly.</p> + + <p>“Well,” I temporized, “I’d have + to be sure he was getting into good + hands—”</p> + + <p>The typewriter thrashed wildly. + The sheet of paper fluttered out + of the carriage. He’d used it up. + Automatically I picked it up—it + was covered with imprecations, + self-pity and threats—and started + to put a new one in.</p> + + <p>“No,” I said, bending over the + typewriter, “I guess I couldn’t sell + him. It just wouldn’t be right—”</p> + + <p>That was my mistake; it was + the wrong time for me to say that, + because I had taken my eyes off + her.</p> + + <p>The room bent over and clouted + me.</p> + + <p>I half turned, not more than a + fraction conscious, and I saw this + Amy girl, behind me, with the + shoe still in her hand, raised to + give me another blackjacking on + the skull.</p> + + <p>The shoe came down, and it + must have weighed more than it + looked, and even the fractional bit + of consciousness went crashing + away.</p> + + <h2>III</h2> + + <p class="first_paragraph"><span class="first_word">I have</span> to tell you about Vern + Engdahl. We were all from the + <i>Sea Sprite</i>, of course—me and + Vern and even Arthur. The thing + about Vern is that he was the lowest-ranking + one of us all—only an + electricians’ mate third, I mean + <a class="pagenum" id="page22" title="22"> </a>when anybody paid any attention + to things like that—and yet he was + pretty much doing the thinking + for the rest of us. Coming to New + York was his idea—he told us that + was the only place we could get + what we wanted.</p> + + <p>Well, as long as we were carrying + Arthur along with us, we pretty + much needed Vern, because he + was the one who knew how to + keep the lash-up going. You’ve got + no idea what kind of pumps and + plumbing go into a prosthetic tank + until you’ve seen one opened up. + And, naturally, Arthur didn’t want + any breakdowns without somebody + around to fix things up.</p> + + <p>The <i>Sea Sprite</i>, maybe you + know, was one of the old liquid-sodium-reactor + subs—too slow for + combat duty, but as big as a barn, + so they made it a hospital ship. We + were cruising deep when the missiles + hit, and, of course, when we + came up, there wasn’t much for a + hospital ship to do. I mean there + isn’t any sense fooling around with + anybody who’s taken a good deep + breath of fallout.</p> + + <p>So we went back to Newport + News to see what had happened. + And we found out what had happened. + And there wasn’t anything + much to do except pay off the + crew and let them go. But us + three stuck together. Why not? + It wasn’t as if we had any families + to go back to any more.</p> + + <p>Vern just loved all this stuff—he’d + been an Eagle Scout; maybe + that had something to do with it—and + he showed us how to boil + drinking water and forage in the + woods and all like that, because + nobody in his right mind wanted + to go near any kind of a town, + until the cold weather set in, anyway. + And it was always Vern, + Vern, telling us what to do, ironing + out our troubles.</p> + + <p>It worked out, except that there + was this one thing. Vern had bright + ideas. But he didn’t always tell us + what they were.</p> + + <p>So I wasn’t so very surprised + when I came to. I mean there I + was, tied up, with this girl Amy + standing over me, holding the gun + like a club. Evidently she’d found + out that there weren’t any cartridges. + And in a couple of minutes + there was a knock on the door, + and she yelled, “Come in,” and in + came Vern. And the man who was + with him had to be somebody important, + because there were eight + or ten other men crowding in close + behind.</p> + + <p>I didn’t need to look at the oak + leaves on his shoulders to realize + that here was the chief, the fellow + who ran this town, the Major.</p> + + <p>It was just the kind of thing + Vern <em>would</em> do.</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">Vern</span> said, with the look on his + face that made strange officers + wonder why this poor persecuted + man had been forced to spend so + <a class="pagenum" id="page23" title="23"> </a>much time in the brig: “Now, + Major, I’m sure we can straighten + all this out. Would you mind leaving + me alone with my friend here + for a moment?”</p> + + <p>The Major teetered on his heels, + thinking. He was a tall, youngish-bald + type, with a long, worried, + horselike face. He said: “Ah, do + you think we should?”</p> + + <p>“I guarantee there’ll be no + trouble, Major,” Vern promised.</p> + + <p>The Major pulled at his little + mustache. “Very well,” he said. + “Amy, you come along.”</p> + + <p>“We’ll be right here, Major,” + Vern said reassuringly, escorting + him to the door.</p> + + <p>“You bet you will,” said the + Major, and tittered. “Ah, bring + that gun along with you, Amy. + And be sure this man knows that + we have bullets.”</p> + + <p>They closed the door. Arthur + had been cowering in his suitcase, + but now his eyestalk peeped out + and the rattling and clattering + from that typewriter sounded like + the Battle of the Bulge.</p> + + <p>I demanded: “Come on, Vern. + What’s this all about?”</p> + + <p>Vern said: “How much did they + offer you?”</p> + + <p>Clatter-bang-BANG. I peeked, + and Arthur was saying: <span class="arthur_speak">WARNED + YOU SAM THAT ENGDAHL + WAS UP TO TRICKS PLEASE + SAM PLEASE PLEASE + PLEASE HIT HIM ON THE + HEAD KNOCK HIM OUT HE + MUST HAVE A GUN SO GET + IT AND SHOOT OUR WAY + OUT OF HERE</span></p> + + <p>“A hundred and fifty thousand + dollars,” I said.</p> + + <p>Vern looked outraged. “I only + got forty!”</p> + + <p>Arthur clattered: <span class="arthur_speak">VERN I APPEAL + TO YOUR COMMON + DECENCY WERE OLD SHIPMATES + VERN REMEMBER + ALL THE TIMES I</span></p> + + <p>“Still,” Vern mused, “it’s all + common funds anyway, right? + Arthur belongs to both of us.”</p> + + <p class="arthur_speak">I DONT DONT DONT REPEAT + DONT BELONG TO + ANYBODY BUT ME</p> + + <p>“That’s true,” I said grudgingly. + “But I carried him, remember.”</p> + + <p class="arthur_speak">SAM WHATS THE MATTER + WITH YOU Q Q I DONT + LIKE THE EXPRESSION ON + YOUR FACE LISTEN SAM + YOU ARENT</p> + + <p>Vern said, “A hundred and fifty + thousand, remember.”</p> + + <p class="arthur_speak">THINKING OF SELLING</p> + + <p>“And of course we couldn’t get + out of here,” Vern pointed out. + “They’ve got us surrounded.”</p> + + <p class="arthur_speak">ME TO THESE RATS Q Q + SAM VERN PLEASE DONT + SCARE ME</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">I said,</span> pointing to the fluttering + paper in the rattling machine: + “You’re worrying our friend.”</p> + + <p>Vern shrugged impatiently.</p> + + <p><span class="arthur_speak">I KNEW I SHOULDNT + <a class="pagenum" id="page24" title="24"> </a>HAVE TRUSTED YOU</span>, Arthur + wept. <span class="arthur_speak">THATS ALL I MEAN TO + YOU EH</span></p> + + <p>Vern said: “Well, Sam? Let’s + take the cash and get this thing + over with. After all, he <em>will</em> have + the best of treatment.”</p> + + <p>It was a little like selling your + sister into white slavery, but what + else was there to do? Besides, I + kind of trusted Vern.</p> + + <p>“All right,” I said.</p> + + <p>What Arthur said nearly + scorched the paper.</p> + + <p>Vern helped pack Arthur up + for moving. I mean it was just + a matter of pulling the plugs out + and making sure he had a fresh + battery, but Vern wanted to supervise + it himself. Because one of + the little things Vern had up his + sleeve was that he had found a + spot for himself on the Major’s + payroll. He was now the official + Prosthetic (Human) Maintenance + Department Chief.</p> + + <p>The Major said to me: “Ah, + Dunlap. What sort of experience + have you had?”</p> + + <p>“Experience?”</p> + + <p>“In the Navy. Your friend Engdahl + suggested you might want to + join us here.”</p> + + <p>“Oh. I see what you mean.” I + shook my head. “Nothing that + would do you any good, I’m afraid. + I was a yeoman.”</p> + + <p>“Yeoman?”</p> + + <p>“Like a company clerk,” I explained. + “I mean I kept records + and cut orders and made out reports + and all like that.”</p> + + <p>“Company clerk!” The eyes in + the long horsy face gleamed. “Ah, + you’re mistaken, Dunlap! Why, + that’s <em>just</em> what we need. Our + morning reports are in foul shape. + Foul! Come over to HQ. Lieutenant + Bankhead will give you a + lift.”</p> + + <p>“Lieutenant Bankhead?”</p> + + <p>I got an elbow in my ribs for + that. It was that girl Amy, standing + alongside me. “I,” she said, + “am Lieutenant Bankhead.”</p> + + <p>Well, I went along with her, + leaving Engdahl and Arthur behind. + But I must admit I wasn’t + sure of my reception.</p> + + <p>Out in front of the hotel was a + whole fleet of cars—three or four + of them, at least. There was a big + old Cadillac that looked like a + gangsters’ car—thick glass in the + windows, tires that looked like + they belonged on a truck. I was + willing to bet it was bulletproof + and also that it belonged to the + Major. I was right both times. + There was a little MG with the + top down, and a couple of light + trucks. Every one of them was + painted bright orange, and every + one of them had the star-and-bar + of the good old United States + Army on its side.</p> + + <p>It took me back to old times—all + but the unmilitary color. Amy + led me to the MG and pointed.</p> + + <p>“Sit,” she said.</p> + + <p><a class="pagenum" id="page25" title="25"> </a>I sat. She got in the other side + and we were off.</p> + + <p>It was a little uncomfortable on + account of I wasn’t just sure + whether I ought to apologize for + making her take her clothes off. + And then she tramped on the gas + of that little car and I didn’t think + much about being embarrassed or + about her black lace lingerie. I was + only thinking about one thing—how + to stay alive long enough to + get out of that car.</p> + + <h2>IV</h2> + + <p class="first_paragraph"><span class="first_word">See,</span> what we really wanted was + an ocean liner.</p> + + <p>The rest of us probably would + have been happy enough to stay + in Lehigh County, but Arthur was + getting restless.</p> + + <p>He was a terrible responsibility, + in a way. I suppose there were a + hundred thousand people or so + left in the country, and not more + than forty or fifty of them were + like Arthur—I mean if you want + to call a man in a prosthetic tank + a “person.” But we all did. We’d + got pretty used to him. We’d + shipped together in the war—and + survived together, as a few of the + actual fighters did, those who were + lucky enough to be underwater or + high in the air when the ICBMs + landed—and as few civilians did.</p> + + <p>I mean there wasn’t much + chance for surviving, for anybody + who happened to be breathing the + open air when it happened. I mean + you can do just so much about + making a “clean” H-bomb, and + if you cut out the long-life fission + products, the short-life ones get + pretty deadly.</p> + + <p>Anyway, there wasn’t much + damage, except of course that + everybody was dead. All the surface + vessels lost their crews. All + the population of the cities were + gone. And so then, when Arthur + slipped on the gangplank coming + into Newport News and broke his + fool neck, why, we had the whole + staff of the <i>Sea Sprite</i> to work on + him. I mean what else did the + surgeons have to do?</p> + + <p>Of course, that was a long time + ago.</p> + + <p>But we’d stayed together. We + headed for the farm country + around Allentown, Pennsylvania, + because Arthur and Vern Engdahl + claimed to know it pretty + well. I think maybe they had some + hope of finding family or friends, + but naturally there wasn’t any of + that. And when you got into the + inland towns, there hadn’t been + much of an attempt to clean them + up. At least the big cities and the + ports had been gone over, in some + spots anyway, by burial squads. + Although when we finally decided + to move out and went to Philadelphia—</p> + + <p>Well, let’s be fair; there had + been fighting around there after + the big fight. Anyway, that wasn’t + <a class="pagenum" id="page26" title="26"> </a>so very uncommon. That was one + of the reasons that for a long time—four + or five years, at any rate—we + stayed away from big cities.</p> + + <p>We holed up in a big farmhouse + in Lehigh County. It had its own + generator from a little stream, and + that took care of Arthur’s power + needs; and the previous occupants + had been just crazy about stashing + away food. There was enough + to last a century, and that took + care of the two of us. We appreciated + that. We even took the old + folks out and gave them a decent + burial. I mean they’d all been in + the family car, so we just had to + tow it to a gravel pit and push it + in.</p> + + <p>The place had its own well, with + an electric pump and a hot-water + system—oh, it was nice. I was sorry + to leave but, frankly, Arthur + was driving us nuts.</p> + + <p>We never could make the television + work—maybe there weren’t + any stations near enough. But we + pulled in a couple of radio stations + pretty well and Arthur got a big + charge out of listening to them—see, + he could hear four or five at + a time and I suppose that made + him feel better than the rest of us.</p> + + <p>He heard that the big cities + were cleaned up and every one of + them seemed to want immigrants—they + were pleading, pleading all + the time, like the TV-set and + vacuum-cleaner people used to in + the old days; they guaranteed + we’d like it if we only came to live + in Philly, or Richmond, or Baltimore, + or wherever. And I guess + Arthur kind of hoped we might + find another pross. And then—well, + Engdahl came up with this idea + of an ocean liner.</p> + + <p>It figured. I mean you get out + in the middle of the ocean and + what’s the difference what it’s like + on land? And it especially appealed + to Arthur because he + wanted to do some surface sailing. + He never had when he was real—I + mean when he had arms and + legs like anybody else. He’d gone + right into the undersea service the + minute he got out of school.</p> + + <p>And—well, sailing was what + Arthur knew something about and + I suppose even a prosthetic man + wants to feel useful. It was like + Amy said: He could be hooked + up to an automated factory—</p> + + <p>Or to a ship.</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak">HQ for the Major’s Temporary + Military Government—that’s + what the sign said—was on the + 91st floor of the Empire State + Building, and right there that tells + you something about the man. I + mean you know how much power + it takes to run those elevators all + the way up to the top? But the + Major must have liked being able + to look down on everybody else.</p> + + <p>Amy Bankhead conducted me + to his office and sat me down to + wait for His Military Excellency + <a class="pagenum" id="page27" title="27"> </a>to arrive. She filled me in on him, + to some degree. He’d been an absolute + nothing before the war; but + he had a reserve commission in + the Air Force, and when things + began to look sticky, they’d called + him up and put him in a Missile + Master control point, underground + somewhere up around Ossining.</p> + + <p>He was the duty officer when it + happened, and naturally he hadn’t + noticed anything like an enemy + aircraft, and naturally the anti-missile + missiles were still rusting + in their racks all around the city; + but since the place had been operating + on sealed ventilation, the + duty complement could stay there + until the short half-life radioisotopes + wore themselves out.</p> + + <p>And then the Major found out + that he was not only in charge + of the fourteen men and women of + his division at the center—he was + ranking United States Military Establishment + officer farther than the + eye could see. So he beat it, fast + as he could, for New York, because + what Army officer doesn’t + dream about being stationed in + New York? And he set up his + Temporary Military Government—and + that was nine years ago.</p> + + <p>If there hadn’t been plenty to + go around, I don’t suppose he + would have lasted a week—none + of these city chiefs would have. + But as things were, he was in on + the ground floor, and as newcomers + trickled into the city, his + boys already had things nicely organized.</p> + + <p>It was a soft touch.</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">Well</span>, we were about a week + getting settled in New York + and things were looking pretty + good. Vern calmed me down by + pointing out that, after all, we had + to sell Arthur, and hadn’t we come + out of it plenty okay?</p> + + <p>And we had. There was no + doubt about it. Not only did we + have a fat price for Arthur, which + was useful because there were a + lot of things we would have to buy, + but we both had jobs working + for the Major.</p> + + <p>Vern was his specialist in the + care and feeding of Arthur and + I was his chief of office routine—and, + as such, I delighted his fussy + little soul, because by adding what + I remembered of Navy protocol + to what he was able to teach me + of Army routine, we came up with + as snarled a mass of red tape as + any field-grade officer in the whole + history of all armed forces had + been able to accumulate. Oh, I + tell you, nobody sneezed in New + York without a report being made + out in triplicate, with eight endorsements.</p> + + <p>Of course there wasn’t anybody + to send them to, but that didn’t + stop the Major. He said with determination: + “Nobody’s ever going + to chew <em>me</em> out for non-compliance + with regulations—even if I + <a class="pagenum" id="page28" title="28"> </a>have to invent the regulations myself!”</p> + + <p>We set up in a bachelor apartment + on Central Park South—the + Major had the penthouse; the + whole building had been converted + to barracks—and the first chance + we got, Vern snaffled some transportation + and we set out to find + an ocean liner.</p> + + <p>See, the thing was that an ocean + liner isn’t easy to steal. I mean + we’d scouted out the lay of the land + before we ever entered the city + itself, and there were plenty of + liners, but there wasn’t one that + looked like we could just jump in + and sail it away. For that we + needed an organization. Since we + didn’t have one, the best thing to + do was borrow the Major’s.</p> + + <p>Vern turned up with Amy Bankhead’s + MG, and he also turned up + with Amy. I can’t say I was displeased, + because I was beginning + to like the girl; but did you ever + try to ride three people in the seats + of an MG? Well, the way to do it + is by having one passenger sit + in the other passenger’s lap, which + would have been all right except + that Amy insisted on driving.</p> + + <p>We headed downtown and over + to the West Side. The Major’s + Topographical Section—one former + billboard artist—had prepared road + maps with little red-ink Xs marking + the streets that were blocked, + which was most of the streets; but + we charted a course that would + take us where we wanted to go. + Thirty-fourth Street was open, and + so was Fifth Avenue all of its + length, so we scooted down Fifth, + crossed over, got under the Elevated + Highway and whined along + uptown toward the Fifties.</p> + + <p>“There’s one,” cried Amy, pointing.</p> + + <p>I was on Vern’s lap, so I was + making the notes. It was a Fruit + Company combination freighter-passenger + vessel. I looked at Vern, + and Vern shrugged as best he + could, so I wrote it down; but it + wasn’t exactly what we wanted. + No, not by a long shot.</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">Still</span>, the thing to do was to + survey our resources, and then + we could pick the one we liked + best. We went all the way up to + the end of the big-ship docks, and + then turned and came back down, + all the way to the Battery. It + wasn’t pleasure driving, exactly—half + a dozen times we had to get + out the map and detour around + impenetrable jams of stalled and + empty cars—or anyway, if they + weren’t exactly empty, the people + in them were no longer in shape + to get out of our way. But we + made it.</p> + + <p>We counted sixteen ships in + dock that looked as though they + might do for our purposes. We had + to rule out the newer ones and + the reconverted jobs. I mean, after + all, U-235 just lasts so long, and + <a class="pagenum" id="page29" title="29"> </a>you can steam around the world + on a walnut-shell of it, or whatever + it is, but you can’t store it. + So we had to stick with the ships + that were powered with conventional + fuel—and, on consideration, + only oil at that.</p> + + <p>But that left sixteen, as I say. + Some of them, though, had suffered + visibly from being left untended + for nearly a decade, so that + for our purposes they might as + well have been abandoned in the + middle of the Atlantic; we didn’t + have the equipment or ambition + to do any great amount of salvage + work.</p> + + <p>The <i>Empress of Britain</i> would + have been a pretty good bet, for + instance, except that it was lying + at pretty nearly a forty-five-degree + angle in its berth. So was the + <i>United States</i>, and so was the + <i>Caronia</i>. The <i>Stockholm</i> was + straight enough, but I took a good + look, and only one tier of portholes + was showing above the water—evidently + it had settled nice and + even, but it was on the bottom + all the same. Well, that mud + sucks with a fine tight grip, and + we weren’t going to try to loosen + it.</p> + + <p>All in all, eleven of the sixteen + ships were out of commission just + from what we could see driving + by.</p> + + <p>Vern and I looked at each other. + We stood by the MG, while Amy + sprawled her legs over the side + and waited for us to make up our + minds.</p> + + <p>“Not good, Sam,” said Vern, + looking worried.</p> + + <p>I said: “Well, that still leaves + five. There’s the <i>Vulcania</i>, the + <i>Cristobal</i>—”</p> + + <p>“Too small.”</p> + + <p>“All right. The <i>Manhattan</i>, the + <i>Liberté</i> and the <i>Queen Elizabeth</i>.”</p> + + <p>Amy looked up, her eyes + gleaming. “Where’s the question?” + she demanded. “Naturally, it’s the + <i>Queen</i>.”</p> + + <p>I tried to explain. “Please, Amy. + Leave these things to us, will + you?”</p> + + <p>“But the Major won’t settle for + anything but the best!”</p> + + <p>“The <em>Major</em>?”</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">I glanced</span> at Vern, who + wouldn’t meet my eyes. “Well,” + I said, “look at the problems, Amy. + First we have to check it over. + Maybe it’s been burned out—how + do we know? Maybe the channel + isn’t even deep enough to float it + any more—how do we know? + Where are we going to get the oil + for it?”</p> + + <p>“We’ll get the oil,” Amy said + cheerfully.</p> + + <p>“And what if the channel isn’t + deep enough?”</p> + + <p>“She’ll float,” Amy promised. + “At high tide, anyway. Even if + the channel hasn’t been dredged in + ten years.”</p> + + <p>I shrugged and gave up. What + <a class="pagenum" id="page30" title="30"> </a>was the use of arguing?</p> + + <p>We drove back to the <i>Queen + Elizabeth</i> and I had to admit that + there was a certain attraction + about that big old dowager. We + all got out and strolled down the + pier, looking over as much as we + could see.</p> + + <p>The pier had never been + cleaned out. It bothered me a little—I + mean I don’t like skeletons + much—but Amy didn’t seem to + mind. The <i>Queen</i> must have just + docked when it happened, because + you could still see bony queues, + as though they were waiting for + customs inspection.</p> + + <p>Some of the bags had been + opened and the contents scattered + around—naturally, somebody was + bound to think of looting the + <i>Queen</i>. But there were as many + that hadn’t been touched as that + had been opened, and the whole + thing had the look of an amateur + attempt. And that was all to the + good, because the fewer persons + who had boarded the <i>Queen</i> in the + decade since it happened, the more + chance of our finding it in usable + shape.</p> + + <p>Amy saw a gangplank still up, + and with cries of girlish glee ran + aboard.</p> + + <p>I plucked at Vern’s sleeve. + “You,” I said. “What’s this about + what the <em>Major</em> won’t settle for + less than?”</p> + + <p>He said: “Aw, Sam, I had to + tell her something, didn’t I?”</p> + + <p>“But what about the Major—”</p> + + <p>He said patiently: “You don’t + understand. It’s all part of my + plan, see? The Major is the big + thing here and he’s got a birthday + coming up next month. Well, the + way I put it to Amy, we’ll fix + him up with a yacht as a birthday + present, see? And, of course, when + it’s all fixed up and ready to lift + anchor—”</p> + + <p>I said doubtfully: “That’s the + hard way, Vern. Why couldn’t we + just sort of get steam up and take + off?”</p> + + <p>He shook his head. “<em>That</em> is the + hard way. This way we get all the + help and supplies we need, understand?”</p> + + <p>I shrugged. That was the way + it was, so what was the use of arguing?</p> + + <p>But there was one thing more + on my mind. I said: “How come + Amy’s so interested in making + the Major happy?”</p> + + <p>Vern chortled. “Jealous, eh?”</p> + + <p>“I asked a question!”</p> + + <p>“Calm down, boy. It’s just that + he’s in charge of things here so + naturally she wants to keep in + good with him.”</p> + + <p>I scowled. “I keep hearing + stories about how the Major’s + chief interest in life is women. + You sure she isn’t ambitious to be + one of them?”</p> + + <p>He said: “The reason she wants + to keep him happy is so she <em>won’t</em> + be one of them.”</p> + + <h2><a class="pagenum" id="page31" title="31"> </a>V</h2> + + <p class="first_paragraph"><span class="first_word">The</span> name of the place was + Bayonne.</p> + + <p>Vern said: “One of them’s <em>got</em> + to have oil, Sam. It <em>has</em> to.”</p> + + <p>“Sure,” I said.</p> + + <p>“There’s no question about it. + Look, this is where the tankers + came to discharge oil. They’d come + in here, pump the oil into the refinery + tanks and—”</p> + + <p>“Vern,” I said. “Let’s look, shall + we?”</p> + + <p>He shrugged, and we hopped off + the little outboard motorboat onto + a landing stage. The tankers + towered over us, rusty and screeching + as the waves rubbed them + against each other.</p> + + <p>There were fifty of them there + at least, and we poked around + them for hours. The hatches were + rusted shut and unmanageable, + but you could tell a lot by sniffing. + Gasoline odor was out; smell + of seaweed and dead fish was out; + but the heavy, rank smell of fuel + oil, that was what we were sniffing + for. Crews had been aboard + these ships when the missiles + came, and crews were still aboard.</p> + + <p>Beyond the two-part superstructures + of the tankers, the skyline + of New York was visible. I + looked up, sweating, and saw the + Empire State Building and + imagined Amy up there, looking + out toward us.</p> + + <p>She knew we were here. It was + her idea. She had scrounged up a + naval engineer, or what she called + a naval engineer—he had once been + a stoker on a ferryboat. But he + claimed he knew what he was + talking about when he said the + only thing the <i>Queen</i> needed to + make ’er go was oil. And so we + left him aboard to tinker and + polish, with a couple of helpers + Amy detached from the police + force, and we tackled the oil + problem.</p> + + <p>Which meant Bayonne. Which + was where we were.</p> + + <p>It had to be a tanker with at + least a fair portion of its cargo + intact, because the <i>Queen</i> was a + thirsty creature, drinking fuel not + by the shot or gallon but by the + ton.</p> + + <p>“Saaam! Sam <em>Dunlap</em>!”</p> + + <p>I looked up, startled. Five ships + away, across the U of the mooring, + Vern Engdahl was bellowing + at me through cupped hands.</p> + + <p>“I found it!” he shouted. “Oil, + lots of oil! Come look!”</p> + + <p>I clasped my hands over my + head and looked around. It was a + long way around to the tanker + Vern was on, hopping from deck + to deck, detouring around open + stretches.</p> + + <p>I shouted: “I’ll get the boat!”</p> + + <p>He waved and climbed up on + the rail of the ship, his feet dangling + over, looking supremely happy + and pleased with himself. He + lit a cigarette, leaned back against + <a class="pagenum" id="page32" title="32"> </a>the upward sweep of the rail and + waited.</p> + + <p>It took me a little time to get + back to the boat and a little more + time than that to get the damn + motor started. Vern! “Let’s not + take that lousy little twelve horse-power, + Sam,” he’d said reasonably. + “The twenty-five’s more what + we need!” And maybe it was, but + none of the motors had been + started in most of a decade, and + the twenty-five was just that much + harder to start now.</p> + + <p>I struggled over it, swearing, + for twenty minutes or more.</p> + + <p>The tanker by whose side we + had tied up began to swing toward + me as the tide changed to outgoing.</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">For</span> a moment there, I was + counting seconds, expecting to + have to make a jump for it before + the big red steel flank squeezed + the little outboard flat against the + piles.</p> + + <p>But I got it started—just about + in time. I squeezed out of the trap + with not much more than a yard + to spare and threaded my way + into open water.</p> + + <p>There was a large, threatening + sound, like an enormous slow + cough.</p> + + <p>I rounded the stern of the last + tanker between me and open + water, and looked into the eye of + a fire-breathing dragon.</p> + + <p>Vern and his cigarettes! The + tanker was loose and ablaze, bearing + down on me with the slow + drift of the ebbing tide. From the + hatches on the forward deck, two + fountains of fire spurted up and + out, like enormous nostrils spouting + flame. The hawsers had been + burned through, the ship was + adrift, I was in its path—</p> + + <p>And so was the frantically + splashing figure of Vern Engdahl, + trying desperately to swim out of + the way in the water before it.</p> + + <p>What kept it from blowing up + in our faces I will never know, + unless it was the pressure in the + tanks forcing the flame out; but + it didn’t. Not just then. Not until + I had Engdahl aboard and we + were out in the middle of the Hudson, + staring back; and then it + went up all right, all at once, like + a missile or a volcano; and there + had been fifty tankers in that one + mooring, but there weren’t any + any more, or not in shape for us + to use.</p> + + <p>I looked at Engdahl.</p> + + <p>He said defensively: “Honest, + Sam, I thought it was oil. It + <em>smelled</em> like oil. How was I to + know—”</p> + + <p>“Shut up,” I said.</p> + + <p>He shrugged, injured. “But it’s + all right, Sam. No fooling. There + are plenty of other tankers + around. Plenty. Down toward the + Amboys, maybe moored out in the + channel. There must be. We’ll find + them.”</p> + + <div id="illo2" class="illo"><a class="pagenum" id="page33" title="33"> </a> + <a href="images/illo2.jpg"><img src="images/illo2-sm.jpg" width="393" height="556" alt="Two men in a small boat with billowing smoke in the distance." /></a> + </div> + + <p><a class="pagenum" id="page34" title="34"> </a>“No,” I said. “<em>You</em> will.”</p> + + <p>And that was all I said, because + I am forgiving by nature; + but I thought a great deal more.</p> + + <p>Surprisingly, though, he did find + a tanker with a full load, the + very next day.</p> + + <p>It became a question of getting + the tanker to the <i>Queen</i>. I left + that part up to Vern, since he + claimed to be able to handle it.</p> + + <p>It took him two weeks. First + it was finding the tanker, then it + was locating a tug in shape to + move, then it was finding someone + to pilot the tug. Then it was + waiting for a clear and windless + day—because the pilot he found + had got all his experience sailing + Star boats on Long Island Sound—and + then it was easing the tanker + out of Newark Bay, into the channel, + down to the pier in the North + River—</p> + + <p>Oh, it was work and no fooling. + I enjoyed it very much, because + I didn’t have to do it.</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">But</span> I had enough to keep + me busy at that. I found a + man who claimed he used to be + a radio engineer. And if he was an + engineer, I was Albert Einstein’s + mother, but at least he knew which + end of a soldering iron was hot. + There was no need for any great + skill, since there weren’t going to + be very many vessels to communicate + with.</p> + + <p>Things began to move.</p> + + <p>The advantage of a ship like + the <i>Queen</i>, for our purposes, was + that the thing was pretty well automated + to start out with. I mean + never mind what the seafaring + unions required in the way of + flesh-and-blood personnel. What it + came down to was that one man in + the bridge or wheelhouse could + pretty well make any part of the + ship go or not go.</p> + + <p>The engine-room telegraph + wasn’t hooked up to control the + engines, no. But the wiring diagram + needed only a few little + changes to get the same effect, + because where in the original concept + a human being would take a + look at the repeater down in the + engine room, nod wisely, and push + a button that would make the + engines stop, start, or whatever—why, + all we had to do was cut + out the middleman, so to speak.</p> + + <p>Our genius of the soldering iron + replaced flesh and blood with some + wiring and, presto, we had centralized + engine control.</p> + + <p>The steering was even easier. + Steering was a matter of electronic + control and servomotors to begin + with. Windjammers in the old + movies might have a man lashed + to the wheel whose muscle power + turned the rudder, but, believe me, + a big superliner doesn’t. The rudders + weigh as much as any old + windjammer ever did from stem + to stern; you have to have motors + to turn them; and it was only a + <a class="pagenum" id="page35" title="35"> </a>matter of getting out the old soldering + iron again.</p> + + <p>By the time we were through, + we had every operational facility + of the <i>Queen</i> hooked up to a single + panel on the bridge.</p> + + <p>Engdahl showed up with the oil + tanker just about the time we got + the wiring complete. We rigged up + a pump and filled the bunkers till + they were topped off full. We + guessed, out of hope and ignorance, + that there was enough in there to + take us half a dozen times around + the world at normal cruising speed, + and maybe there was. Anyway, + it didn’t matter, for surely we had + enough to take us anywhere we + wanted to go, and then there + would be more.</p> + + <p>We crossed our fingers, turned + our ex-ferry-stoker loose, pushed a + button—</p> + + <p>Smoke came out of the stacks.</p> + + <p>The antique screws began to + turn over. Astern, a sort of hump + of muddy water appeared. The + <i>Queen</i> quivered underfoot. The + mooring hawsers creaked and sang.</p> + + <p>“Turn her off!” screamed Engdahl. + “She’s headed for Times + Square!”</p> + + <p>Well, that was an exaggeration, + but not much of one; and there + wasn’t any sense in stirring up + the bottom mud. I pushed buttons + and the screws stopped. I pushed + another button, and the big engines + quietly shut themselves off, + and in a few moments the stacks + stopped puffing their black smoke.</p> + + <p>The ship was alive.</p> + + <p>Solemnly Engdahl and I shook + hands. We had the thing licked. + All, that is, except for the one + small problem of Arthur.</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">The</span> thing about Arthur was + they had put him to work.</p> + + <p>It was in the power station, just + as Amy had said, and Arthur + didn’t like it. The fact that he + didn’t like it was a splendid reason + for staying away from there, but + I let my kind heart overrule my + good sense and paid him a visit.</p> + + <p>It was way over on the East + Side, miles and miles from any + civilized area. I borrowed Amy’s + MG, and borrowed Amy to go + with it, and the two of us packed + a picnic lunch and set out. There + were reports of deer on Avenue + A, so I brought a rifle, but we + never saw one; and if you want + my opinion, those reports were + nothing but wishful thinking. I + mean if people couldn’t survive, + how could deer?</p> + + <p>We finally threaded our way + through the clogged streets and + parked in front of the power station.</p> + + <p>“There’s supposed to be a + guard,” Amy said doubtfully.</p> + + <p>I looked. I looked pretty carefully, + because if there was a guard, + I wanted to see him. The Major’s + orders were that vital defense installations—such + as the power station, + <a class="pagenum" id="page36" title="36"> </a>the PX and his own barracks + building—were to be guarded + against trespassers on a shoot-on-sight + basis and I wanted to make + sure that the guard knew we were + privileged persons, with passes + signed by the Major’s own hand. + But we couldn’t find him. So we + walked in through the big door, + peered around, listened for the + sounds of machinery and walked + in that direction.</p> + + <p>And then we found him; he was + sound asleep. Amy, looking indignant, + shook him awake.</p> + + <p>“Is that how you guard military + property?” she scolded. “Don’t + you know the penalty for sleeping + at your post?”</p> + + <p>The guard said something irritable + and unhappy. I got her off + his back with some difficulty, and + we located Arthur.</p> + + <p>Picture a shiny four-gallon tomato + can, with the label stripped + off, hanging by wire from the + flashing-light panels of an electric + computer. That was Arthur. The + shiny metal cylinder was his prosthetic + tank; the wires were the + leads that served him for fingers, + ears and mouth; the glittering + panel was the control center for + the Consolidated Edison Eastside + Power Plant No. 1.</p> + + <p>“Hi, Arthur,” I said, and a sudden + ear-splitting thunderous hiss was + his way of telling me that he knew + I was there.</p> + + <p>I didn’t know exactly what it + was he was trying to say and I + didn’t want to; fortune spares me + few painful moments, and I accept + with gratitude the ones it does. + The Major’s boys hadn’t bothered + to bring Arthur’s typewriter along—I + mean who cares what a generator-governor + had to offer in the + way of conversation?—so all he + could do was blow off steam from + the distant boilers.</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">Well</span>, not quite all. Light + flashed; a bucket conveyor + began crashingly to dump loads of + coal; and an alarm gong began to + pound.</p> + + <p>“Please, Arthur,” I begged. + “Shut up a minute and listen, will + you?”</p> + + <p>More lights. The gong rapped + half a dozen times sharply, and + stopped.</p> + + <p>I said: “Arthur, you’ve got to + trust Vern and me. We have this + thing figured out now. We’ve got + the <i>Queen Elizabeth</i>—”</p> + + <p>A shattering hiss of steam—meaning + delight this time, I + thought. Or anyway hoped.</p> + + <p>“—and its only a question of + time until we can carry out the + plan. Vern says to apologize for + not looking in on you—” <em>hiss</em>—“but + he’s been busy. And after all, you + know it’s more important to get + everything ready so you can get + out of this place, right?”</p> + + <p>“Psst,” said Amy.</p> + + <p>She nodded briefly past my + <a class="pagenum" id="page37" title="37"> </a>shoulder. I looked, and there was + the guard, looking sleepy and surly + and definitely suspicious.</p> + + <p>I said heartily: “So as soon as + I fix it up with the Major, we’ll + arrange for something better for + you. Meanwhile, Arthur, you’re + doing a capital job and I want you + to know that all of us loyal New + York citizens and public servants + deeply appreciate—”</p> + + <p>Thundering crashes, bangs, + gongs, hisses, and the scream of a + steam whistle he’d found somewhere.</p> + + <p>Arthur was mad.</p> + + <p>“So long, Arthur,” I said, and + we got out of there—just barely + in time. At the door, we found that + Arthur had reversed the coal + scoops and a growing mound of + it was pouring into the street where + we’d left the MG parked. We got + the car started just as the heap + was beginning to reach the bumpers, + and at that the paint would + never again be the same.</p> + + <p>Oh, yes, he was mad. I could + only hope that in the long run he + would forgive us, since we were + acting for his best interests, after + all.</p> + + <p>Anyway, I <em>thought</em> we were.</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">Still</span>, things worked out pretty + well—especially between Amy + and me. Engdahl had the theory + that she had been dodging the + Major so long that <em>anybody</em> looked + good to her, which was hardly + flattering. But she and I were + getting along right well.</p> + + <p>She said worriedly: “The only + thing, Sam, is that, frankly, the + Major has just about made up his + mind that he wants to marry me—”</p> + + <p>“He <em>is</em> married!” I yelped.</p> + + <p>“Naturally he’s married. He’s + married to—so far—one hundred + and nine women. He’s been hitting + off a marriage a month for a good + many years now and, to tell you + the truth, I think he’s got the habit + Anyway, he’s got his eye on me.”</p> + + <p>I demanded jealously: “Has he + said anything?”</p> + + <p>She picked a sheet of onionskin + paper out of her bag and handed + it to me. It was marked <i>Top + Secret</i>, and it really was, because + it hadn’t gone through his regular + office—I knew that because I was + his regular office. It was only two + lines of text and sloppily typed + at that:</p> + + <blockquote> + <p>Lt. Amy Bankhead will report + to HQ at 1700 hours 1 July to + carry out orders of the Commanding + Officer.</p> + </blockquote> + + <p>The first of July was only a + week away. I handed the orders + back to her.</p> + + <p>“And the orders of the Commanding + Officer will be—” I + wanted to know.</p> + + <p>She nodded. “You guessed it.”</p> + + <p>I said: “We’ll have to work + fast.”</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><a class="pagenum" id="page38" title="38"> </a><span class="first_word">On</span> the thirtieth of June, we + invited the Major to come + aboard his palatial new yacht.</p> + + <p>“Ah, thank you,” he said gratefully. + “A surprise? For my birthday? + Ah, you loyal members of + my command make up for all that + I’ve lost—all of it!” He nearly + wept.</p> + + <p>I said: “Sir, the pleasure is all + ours,” and backed out of his presence. + What’s more, I meant every + word.</p> + + <p>It was a select party of slightly + over a hundred. All of the wives + were there, barring twenty or thirty + who were in disfavor—still, that + left over eighty. The Major + brought half a dozen of his favorite + officers. His bodyguard and our + crew added up to a total of thirty + men.</p> + + <p>We were set up to feed a hundred + and fifty, and to provide + liquor for twice that many, so it + looked like a nice friendly brawl. + I mean we had our radio operator + handing out highballs as the guests + stepped on board. The Major was + touched and delighted; it was + exactly the kind of party he liked.</p> + + <p>He came up the gangplank with + his face one great beaming smile. + “Eat! Drink!” he cried. “Ah, and + be merry!” He stretched out his + hands to Amy, standing by behind + the radio op. “For tomorrow we + wed,” he added, and sentimentally + kissed his proposed bride.</p> + + <p>I cleared my throat. “How about + inspecting the ship, Major?” I interrupted.</p> + + <p>“Plenty of time for that, my + boy,” he said. “Plenty of time for + that.” But he let go of Amy and + looked around him. Well, it was + worth looking at. Those Englishmen + really knew how to build a + luxury liner. God rest them.</p> + + <p>The girls began roaming around.</p> + + <p>It was a hot day and late afternoon, + and the girls began discarding + jackets and boleros, and that + began to annoy the Major.</p> + + <p>“Ah, cover up there!” he ordered + one of his wives. “You too + there, what’s-your-name. Put that + blouse back on!”</p> + + <p>It gave him something to think + about. He was a very jealous man, + Amy had said, and when you stop + to think about it, a jealous man + with a hundred and nine wives to + be jealous of really has a job. Anyway, + he was busy watching his + wives and keeping his military + cabinet and his bodyguard busy + too, and that made him too busy + to notice when I tipped the high + sign to Vern and took off.</p> + + <h2>VI</h2> + + <p class="first_paragraph"><span class="first_word">In</span> Consolidated Edison’s big + power plant, the guard was + friendly. “I hear the Major’s over + on your boat, pal. Big doings. Got + a lot of the girls there, hey?”</p> + + <p>He bent, sniggering, to look at + my pass.</p> + + <p><a class="pagenum" id="page39" title="39"> </a>“That’s right, pal,” I said, and + slugged him.</p> + + <p>Arthur screamed at me with a + shrill blast of steam as I came in. + But only once. I wasn’t there for + conversation. I began ripping apart + his comfy little home of steel + braces and copper wires, and it + didn’t take much more than a + minute before I had him free. And + that was very fortunate because, + although I had tied up the guard, + I hadn’t done it very well, and it + was just about the time I had + Arthur’s steel case tucked under + my arm that I heard a yelling and + bellowing from down the stairs.</p> + + <p>The guard had got free.</p> + + <p>“Keep calm, Arthur!” I ordered + sharply. “We’ll get out of this, + don’t you worry!”</p> + + <p>But he wasn’t worried, or anyway + didn’t show it, since he + couldn’t. I was the one who was + worried. I was up on the second + floor of the plant, in the control + center, with only one stairway going + down that I knew about, and + that one thoroughly guarded by + a man with a grudge against me. + Me, I had Arthur, and no weapon, + and I hadn’t a doubt in the world + that there were other guards + around and that my friend would + have them after me before long.</p> + + <p>Problem. I took a deep breath + and swallowed and considered + jumping out the window. But it + wasn’t far enough to the ground.</p> + + <p>Feet pounded up the stairs, + more than two of them. With + Arthur dragging me down on one + side, I hurried, fast as I could, + along the steel galleries that surrounded + the biggest boiler. It was + a nice choice of alternatives—if I + stayed quiet, they would find me; + if I ran, they would hear me, and + then find me.</p> + + <p>But ahead there was—what? + Something. A flight of stairs, it + looked like, going out and, yes, <em>up</em>. + Up? But I was already on the + second floor.</p> + + <p>“Hey, you!” somebody bellowed + from behind me.</p> + + <p>I didn’t stop to consider. I ran. + It wasn’t steps, not exactly; it was + a chain of coal scoops on a long + derrick arm, a moving bucket arrangement + for unloading fuel from + barges. It did go up, though, and + more important it went <em>out</em>. The + bucket arm was stretched across + the clogged roadway below to a + loading tower that hung over the + water.</p> + + <p>If I could get there, I might + be able to get down. If I could get + down—yes, I could see it; there + were three or four mahogany + motor launches tied to the foot of + the tower.</p> + + <p>And nobody around.</p> + + <p>I looked over my shoulder, and + didn’t like what I saw, and scuttled + up that chain of enormous + buckets like a roach on a washboard, + one hand for me and one + hand for Arthur.</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><a class="pagenum" id="page40" title="40"> </a><span class="first_word">Thank</span> heaven, I had a good + lead on my pursuers—I needed + it. I was on the bucket chain while + they were still almost a city block + behind me, along the galleries. I + was halfway across the roadway, + afraid to look down, before they + reached the butt end of the chain.</p> + + <p>Clash-clatter. <em>Clank!</em> The bucket + under me jerked and clattered and + nearly threw me into the street. + One of those jokers had turned on + the conveyor! It was a good trick, + all right, but not quite in time. I + made a flying jump and I was on + the tower.</p> + + <p>I didn’t stop to thumb my nose + at them, but I thought of it.</p> + + <p>I was down those steel steps, + breathing like a spouting whale, + in a minute flat, and jumping out + across the concrete, coal-smeared + yard toward the moored launches. + Quickly enough, I guess, but with + nothing at all to spare, because although + I hadn’t seen anyone + there, there was a guard.</p> + + <p>He popped out of a doorway, + blinking foolishly; and overhead + the guards at the conveyor belt + were screaming at him. It took him + a second to figure out what was + going on, and by that time I was + in a launch, cast off the rope, + kicked it free, and fumbled for + the starting button.</p> + + <p>It took me several seconds to + realize that a rope was required, + that in fact there was no button; + and by then I was floating yards + away, but the pudgy pop-eyed + guard was also in a launch, and he + didn’t have to fumble. He knew. + He got his motor started a fraction + of a second before me, and + there he was, coming at me, set + to ram. Or so it looked.</p> + + <p>I wrenched at the wheel and + brought the boat hard over; but + he swerved too, at the last moment, + and brought up something + that looked a little like a spear + and a little like a sickle and turned + out to be a boathook. I ducked, + just in time. It sizzled over my + head as he swung and crashed + against the windshield. Hunks of + safety glass splashed out over the + forward deck, but better that than + my head.</p> + + <p>Boathooks, hey? I had a boathook + too! If he didn’t have another + weapon, I was perfectly willing + to play; I’d been sitting and taking + it long enough and I was very + much attracted by the idea of + fighting back. The guard recovered + his balance, swore at me, fought + the wheel around and came back.</p> + + <p>We both curved out toward the + center of the East River in intersecting + arcs. We closed. He + swung first. I ducked—</p> + + <p>And from a crouch, while he + was off balance, I caught him in + the shoulder with the hook.</p> + + <p>He made a mighty splash.</p> + + <p>I throttled down the motor long + enough to see that he was still conscious.</p> + + <p><a class="pagenum" id="page41" title="41"> </a>“<em lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">Touché</em>, buster,” I said, and set + course for the return trip down + around the foot of Manhattan, + back toward the <i>Queen</i>.</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">It</span> took a while, but that was + all right; it gave everybody a + nice long time to get plastered. I + sneaked aboard, carrying Arthur, + and turned him over to Vern. Then + I rejoined the Major. He was + making an inspection tour of the + ship—what he called an inspection, + after his fashion.</p> + + <p>He peered into the engine + rooms and said: “Ah, fine.”</p> + + <p>He stared at the generators that + were turning over and nodded + when I explained we needed them + for power for lights and everything + and said: “Ah, of course.”</p> + + <p>He opened a couple of stateroom + doors at random and said: + “Ah, nice.”</p> + + <p>And he went up on the flying + bridge with me and such of his + officers as still could walk and + said: “Ah.”</p> + + <p>Then he said in a totally different + tone: “What the devil’s the + matter over there?”</p> + + <p>He was staring east through the + muggy haze. I saw right away + what it was that was bothering him—easy, + because I knew where to + look. The power plant way over + on the East Side was billowing + smoke.</p> + + <p>“Where’s Vern Engdahl? That + gadget of his isn’t working right!”</p> + + <p>“You mean Arthur?”</p> + + <p>“I mean that brain in a bottle. + It’s Engdahl’s responsibility, you + know!”</p> + + <p>Vern came up out of the wheelhouse + and cleared his throat. + “Major,” he said earnestly, “I + think there’s some trouble over + there. Maybe you ought to go + look for yourself.”</p> + + <p>“Trouble?”</p> + + <p>“I, uh, hear there’ve been power + failures,” Vern said lamely. “Don’t + you think you ought to inspect it? + I mean just in case there’s something + serious?”</p> + + <p>The Major stared at him + frostily, and then his mood + changed. He took a drink from the + glass in his hand, quickly finishing + it off.</p> + + <p>“Ah,” he said, “hell with it. + Why spoil a good party? If there + are going to be power failures, + why, let them be. That’s my + motto!”</p> + + <p>Vern and I looked at each other. + He shrugged slightly, meaning, + well, we tried. And I shrugged + slightly, meaning, what did you + expect? And then he glanced upward, + meaning, take a look at + what’s there.</p> + + <p>But I didn’t really have to look + because I heard what it was. In + fact, I’d been hearing it for some + time. It was the Major’s entire air + force—two helicopters, swirling + around us at an average altitude of + a hundred feet or so. They showed + <a class="pagenum" id="page42" title="42"> </a>up bright against the gathering + clouds overhead, and I looked at + them with considerable interest—partly + because I considered it an + even-money bet that one of them + would be playing crumple-fender + with our stacks, partly because I + had an idea that they were not + there solely for show.</p> + + <p>I said to the Major: “Chief, + aren’t they coming a little close? + I mean it’s <em>your</em> ship and all, but + what if one of them takes a spill + into the bridge while you’re here?”</p> + + <p>He grinned. “They know better,” + he bragged. “Ah, besides, I want + them close. I mean if anything + went wrong.”</p> + + <p>I said, in a tone that showed as + much deep hurt as I could + manage: “Sir, what could go + wrong?”</p> + + <p>“Oh, you know.” He patted my + shoulder limply. “Ah, no offense?” + he asked.</p> + + <p>I shook my head. “Well,” I said, + “let’s go below.”</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">All</span> of it was done carefully, + carefully as could be. The + only thing was, we forgot about + the typewriters. We got everybody, + or as near as we could, into + the Grand Salon where the food + was, and right there on a table at + the end of the hall was one of the + typewriters clacking away. Vern + had rigged them up with rolls of + paper instead of sheets, and maybe + that was ingenious, but it was + also a headache just then. Because + the typewriter was banging out:</p> + + <p class="arthur_speak">LEFT FOUR THIRTEEN + FOURTEEN AND TWENTYONE + BOILERS WITH A FULL + HEAD OF STEAM AND THE + SAFETY VALVES LOCKED + BOY I TELL YOU WHEN + THOSE THINGS LET GO + YOURE GOING TO HEAR A + NOISE THATLL KNOCK + YOUR HAT OFF</p> + + <p>The Major inquired politely: + “Something to do with the ship?”</p> + + <p>“Oh, <em>that</em>,” said Vern. “Yeah. + Just a little, uh, something to do + with the ship. Say, Major, here’s + the bar. Real scotch, see? Look + at the label!”</p> + + <p>The Major glanced at him with + faint contempt—well, he’d had the + pick of the greatest collection of + high-priced liquor stores in the + world for ten years, so no wonder. + But he allowed Vern to press a + drink on him.</p> + + <p>And the typewriter kept rattling:</p> + + <p class="arthur_speak">LOOKS LIKE RAIN ANY + MINUTE NOW HOO BOY IM + GLAD I WONT BE IN THOSE + WHIRLYBIRDS WHEN THE + STORM STARTS SAY VERN + WHY DONT YOU EVER ANSWER + ME Q Q ISNT IT + ABOUT TIME TO TAKE + OFF XXX I MEAN GET UNDER + WEIGH Q Q</p> + + <p>Some of the “clerks, typists, domestic + personnel and others”—that + was the way they were listed on + <a class="pagenum" id="page43" title="43"> </a>the T/O; it was only coincidence + that the Major had married them + all—were staring at the typewriter.</p> + + <p>“Drinks!” Vern called nervously. + “Come on, girls! Drinks!”</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">The</span> Major poured himself a + stiff shot and asked: “What <em>is</em> + that thing? A teletype or something?”</p> + + <p>“That’s right,” Vern said, trailing + after him as the Major wandered + over to inspect it.</p> + + <p class="arthur_speak">I GIVE THOSE BOILERS + ABOUT TEN MORE MINUTES + SAM WELL WHAT + ABOUT IT Q Q READY TO + SHOVE OFF Q Q</p> + + <p>The Major said, frowning faintly: + “Ah, that reminds me of something. + Now what is it?”</p> + + <p>“More scotch?” Vern cried. + “Major, a little more scotch?”</p> + + <p>The Major ignored him, scowling. + One of the “clerks, typists” + said: “Honey, you know what it + is? It’s like that pross you had, + remember? It was on our wedding + night, and you’d just got it, and + you kept asking it to tell you + limericks.”</p> + + <p>The Major snapped his fingers. + “Knew I’d get it,” he glowed. + Then abruptly he scowled again + and turned to face Vern and me. + “Say—” he began.</p> + + <p>I said weakly: “The boilers.”</p> + + <p>The Major stared at me, then + glanced out the window. “What + boilers?” he demanded. “It’s just + a thunderstorm. Been building up + all day. Now what about this? Is + that thing—”</p> + + <p>But Vern was paying him no + attention. “Thunderstorm?” he + yelled. “Arthur, you listening? Are + the helicopters gone?”</p> + + <p class="arthur_speak">YESYESYES</p> + + <p>“Then shove off, Arthur! Shove + off!”</p> + + <p>The typewriter rattled and + slammed madly.</p> + + <p>The Major yelled angrily: + “Now listen to me, you! I’m + asking you a question!”</p> + + <p>But we didn’t have to answer, + because there was a thrumming + and a throbbing underfoot, and + then one of the “clerks, typists” + screamed: “The dock!” She + pointed at a porthole. “It’s + moving!”</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">Well</span>, we got out of there—barely + in time. And then it + was up to Arthur. We had the + whole ship to roam around in + and there were plenty of places + to hide. They had the whole ship + to search. And Arthur was the + whole ship.</p> + + <p>Because it was Arthur, all right, + brought in and hooked up by + Vern, attained to his greatest + dream and ambition. He was skipper + of a superliner, and more than + any skipper had ever been—the + ship was his body, as the prosthetic + tank had never been; the keel his + belly, the screws his feet, the engines + <a class="pagenum" id="page44" title="44"> </a>his heart and lungs, and + every moving part that could be + hooked into central control his + many, many hands.</p> + + <div id="illo3" class="illo"> + <img src="images/illo3.jpg" width="860" height="342" alt="A suitcase with an eyestalk is wired into a big control panel; two men look on." /> + <a href="images/illo3-left.jpg" class="img_link">Left side image</a> + <a href="images/illo3-right.jpg" class="img_link">Right side image</a> + </div> + + <!-- Original location of left side of illo 3 --> + + <p>Search for us? They were + lucky they could move at all! + Fire Control washed them with + salt water hoses, directed by Arthur’s + brain. Watertight doors, + proof against sinking, locked them + away from us at Arthur’s whim.</p> + + <p>The big bull whistle overhead + brayed like a clamoring Gabriel, + and the ship’s bells tinkled and + clanged. Arthur backed that enormous + ship out of its berth like a + racing scull on the Schuylkill. The + four giant screws lashed the water + into white foam, and then the thin + mud they sucked up into tan; and + the ship backed, swerved, lashed + the water, stopped, and staggered + crazily forward.</p> + + <p>Arthur brayed at the Statue of + Liberty, tooted good-by to Staten + Island, feinted a charge at Sandy + Hook and really laid back his ears + and raced once he got to deep + <a class="pagenum" id="page45" title="45"> </a><!-- Original location of right side of illo 3 -->water past the moored lightship.</p> + + <p>We were off!</p> + + <p>Well, from there on, it was easy. + We let Arthur have his fun with + the Major and the bodyguards—and + by the sodden, whimpering + shape they were in when they + came out, it must really have been + fun for him. There were just the + three of us and only Vern and I + had guns—but Arthur had the + <i>Queen Elizabeth</i>, and that put the + odds on our side.</p> + + <p>We gave the Major a choice: + row back to Coney Island—we + offered him a boat, free of charge—or + come along with us as cabin + boy. He cast one dim-eyed look + at the hundred and nine “clerks, + typists” and at Amy, who would + never be the hundred and tenth.</p> + + <p>And then he shrugged and, + game loser, said: “Ah, why not? + I’ll come along.”</p> + + <hr class="thoughtbreak" /> + + <p class="post_thoughtbreak"><span class="first_word">And</span> why not, when you come + to think of it? I mean ruling + a city is nice and all that, but a + <a class="pagenum" id="page46" title="46"> </a>sea voyage is a refreshing change. + And while a hundred and nine to + one is a respectable female-male + ratio, still it must be wearing; and + eighty to thirty isn’t so bad, either. + At least, I guess that was what + was in the Major’s mind. I know it + was what was in mine.</p> + + <p>And I discovered that it was in + Amy’s, for the first thing she did + was to march me over to the typewriter + and say: “You’ve had it, + Sam. We’ll dispose with the wedding + march—just get your friend + Arthur here to marry us.”</p> + + <p>“Arthur?”</p> + + <p>“The captain,” she said. “We’re + on the high seas and he’s empowered + to perform marriages.”</p> + + <p>Vern looked at me and shrugged, + meaning, you asked for this one, + boy. And I looked at him and + shrugged, meaning, it could be + worse.</p> + + <p>And indeed it could. We’d got + our ship; we’d got our ship’s company—because, + naturally, there + wasn’t any use stealing a big ship + for just a couple of us. We’d had + to manage to get a sizable colony + aboard. That was the whole idea.</p> + + <p>The world, in fact, was ours. It + could have been very much worse + indeed, even though Arthur was + laughing so hard as he performed + the ceremony that he jammed up + all his keys.</p> + +</div> + +<p class="attribution">—FREDERIK POHL</p> + +<div id="the_end"> </div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Knights of Arthur, by Frederik Pohl + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE KNIGHTS OF ARTHUR *** + +***** This file should be named 32004-h.htm or 32004-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/0/0/32004/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Barbara Tozier and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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