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diff --git a/32284-h/32284-h.htm b/32284-h/32284-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1da13aa --- /dev/null +++ b/32284-h/32284-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1577 @@ +<!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"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Hitch Hikers, by Vernon L. McCain</title> + +<style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ + /* slight differences for print and screen */ + @media print { + span.pgmark {border: 0 !important; } + hr.pg {display: none; visibility: hidden; } + .main p {margin-bottom: 0.25em; + text-indent: 2em; } + body {margin-right: 0; + margin-left: 0; } + } + @media screen { + span.pgmark {border-top: thin solid silver; + border-bottom: thin solid silver; + display: inline!important; + visibility: visible!important; + position: absolute; left: 1%; } + p {margin-bottom: 0.75em; + text-indent: 0; } + body {margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%;} + } + + body {font-size: medium; } + + h1 {text-indent: 0; + text-align: center; + font-family: sans-serif; + font-weight: normal; + font-size: 320%; + margin: 0 auto; + word-spacing: 0.15em; + padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0.5em; } + + div.main {margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + margin-top: 0; + padding-top: 3em; + padding-bottom: 3em; + max-width: 32em; } + div.main p {text-align: justify; + margin-top: 0; + line-height: 1.3; } + + /* for transcriber's note */ + div.tnote {border: dashed 1px; + padding: .5em; + margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 6em; + page-break-before: always; + page-break-after: always; } + div.tnote p {text-indent: 0; + margin-top: .5em; + font-size: 85%;} + div.tnote h3 {text-indent: 0; + text-align: left; + font-size: 110%; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: bold; + padding-top: 60px; + letter-spacing: 0;} + .clearup {clear: left; line-height: 0; } + + p.blurb {text-indent: 0!important; + text-align: center!important; + font-family: sans-serif; + font-size: 110%; + margin: 2em auto 0 auto!important; + line-height: 2!important; } + p.author {text-indent: 0!important; + text-align: center!important; + font-family: sans-serif; + font-size: 110%; + font-variant: small-caps; + margin: 2em 0 2em auto!important; } + + div.illus {margin: 4em auto; + page-break-before: always; + page-break-after: always; } + + /* links */ + @media print { + a:link {color: black; background-color: inherit; + text-decoration: none;} + a:visited {color: black; background-color: inherit; + text-decoration: none;} + } + + @media screen { + a:link {color: blue; background-color: inherit; + text-decoration: none;} + a:visited {color: blue; background-color: inherit; + text-decoration: none;} + a:hover {color: red; background-color: inherit;} + a:focus {outline: #ffee66 solid 2px; color: inherit; background-color: #ffee66;} + } + + span.pgmark {display: none; visibility: hidden; /* over-ridden for screen devices */ + font-size: x-small; + font-family: serif; + font-variant: normal; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + line-height: 1.2; + letter-spacing: 0; + text-indent: 0; text-align: left; + margin: 0; padding: .05em 0.5em !important; } + + hr {background-color: black; color: inherit; padding: 0;} + + .ns {display: none; visibility: hidden; } + em, cite {font-style: italic; } + .tb {padding-top: 1.7em; } + .noindent {text-indent: 0!important; } + .fltleft {float: left; width: auto; margin-right: 4em; } + .framed {border: thin solid black; } + .uc {text-transform: uppercase; margin-left: -4px; } + .drop {font-size: 275%; + float: left; width: auto; + line-height: 90%; + padding-right: 4px;} + .ctr {text-align: center!important; } + .vspread {padding: 1em 0; } + .rt {text-align: right!important; } + + /* XML end ]]>*/ +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Hitch Hikers, by Vernon L. McCain + +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 Hitch Hikers + +Author: Vernon L. McCain + +Release Date: May 7, 2010 [EBook #32284] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HITCH HIKERS *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, David Wilson and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + +<hr class="pg" /> + +<div class="tnote"> +<img class="framed fltleft" src="images/cover.jpg" width="220" height="296" + alt="If: Worlds of Science Fiction" title="Magazine Cover" /> +<h3>Transcriber’s note:</h3> +<p>This story was published in <cite>If: Worlds of Science Fiction</cite>, + November 1954. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the + U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.</p><p class="clearup"> </p> + + +</div> + +<div class="main"> + +<p class="rt"><a name="png.001" id="png.001" href="#png.001"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">86</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a><small><i>Illustrated by Kelly Freas</i></small></p> + + + + +<h1>The Hitch Hikers</h1> + +<p class="blurb"><i>The Rell, a great and ancient Martian race, faced extinction +when all moisture was swept from their planet.<br + />Then, one day, a lone visitor—a strange, two-legged creature +composed mostly of water—landed on Mars …</i></p> + +<p class="author">BY VERNON L. MC CAIN</p> + +<p class="noindent tb"><br class="ns" + /><span class="drop">T</span><span class="uc">he dehydration</span> of the +planet had taken centuries in +all. The Rell had still been a great +race when the process started. Construction +of the canals was a prodigious +feat but not a truly remarkable +one. But what use are even +canals when there is nothing to fill +them?</p> + +<p>What cosmic influences might +have caused the disaster baffled +even the group-mind of the Rell. +Through the eons the atmosphere +had drifted into space; and with it +went the life-giving moisture. Originally +a liquid paradise, the planet +was now a dry, hostile husk.</p> + +<p>The large groups of Rell had +been the first to suffer. But in time +even the tiny villages containing +mere quadrillions of the submicroscopic<!-- Transcriber's note: + original reads "sub-microscopic" --> +entities had found too little +moisture left to satisfy their thirst +and the journey ever southward toward +the pole had commenced.</p> + +<p>The new life was bitter and difficult +and as their resources were +depleted so also did their numbers +diminish.</p> + +<div class="illus"> +<p class="ctr"><a name="png.002" id="png.002" href="#png.002"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">87</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a><img src="images/illo-002.png" width="438" height="665" + alt="Astronaut and spaceship on surface of planet" title="" /></p> +</div> + +<p>Huddled at their last retreat the +Rell watched the ever smaller ice +cap annually diminish and lived +with the knowledge they faced extinction. +A mere thousand years +<a name="png.003" id="png.003" href="#png.003"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">88</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>more would see even this trifling +remainder gone.</p> + +<p>Oh, you might say there was +hope … of a sort. There might be +Rell in the northern hemisphere. +The canals girdled the globe and +a similar ice cap could well exist +at the opposite pole. Rell perhaps +survived there also.</p> + +<p>But this was scant comfort. The +fate of the Rell in the South was +sealed. What hope of any brighter +future for those in the North? And +if they survived a few hundred +thousand years longer … or if +they had perished a similar period +earlier, what actual difference did +it make?</p> + +<p>There was no one more aware +of this gloomy future than Raeillo/ee13.</p> + +<p>In the old days a single unit of +the group-mind of the Rell would +have possessed but a single function +and exercised this function +perhaps a dozen times during his +life. But due to the inexorable +shrinkage only the most important +problems now could command +mind-action and each unit had +been forced to forsake specialization +for multi-purpose endeavors.</p> + +<p>Thus Raeillo/ee13 and his mate +Raellu//2 were two of the five +thousand units whose task was to +multiply in any group-mind action +involving mathematical prediction. +Naturally Raeillo/ee13 and Raellu//2 +did not waste their abilities +in mundane problems not involving +prediction. Nor did they +divide, add, or subtract. That was +assigned to other units just as +several million of the upper groups +had the task of sorting and interpreting +their results. Raeillo/ee13 +and Raellu//2 multiplied +only. And it must be admitted +they did it very well. It is a pity +the Rell could not have multiplied +physically as easily as Raeillo/ee13 +and Raellu//2 multiplied mentally.</p> + +<p>With the exception of an occasional +comet or meteor the Rell +were seldom diverted by anything +of a physical nature. The ice cap +was their sole concern.</p> + +<p>But one afternoon a rare physical +phenomenon was reported by a +bank of observer Rell.</p> + +<p>“In the sky’s northwest portion,” +an excited injunction came +through. “Observe that patch of +flaming red!”</p> + +<p>More observer Rell were quickly +focused on the novel sight and further +data was rapidly fed into the +interpretive bank.</p> + +<p>The Rell were justifiably proud +of their interpreters. With the race +shrinkage it had proved impossible +to properly train new interpreters. +So, not without a great deal of +sacrifice, the old interpreters, dating +back to when the canals still flowed +with water, had been kept alive.</p> + +<p>They were incredibly ancient but +there was no doubt as to their +ability. It was a truism among the +Rell that the interpretive banks arrived +at their conclusions faster +than any other group and that these +conclusions could be checked to +hundreds of decimal places without +finding inaccuracy.</p> + +<p>So it was no surprise to have the +interpretive bank respond almost +instantly, “It is quite odd but the +flame appears to be of artificial +origin.”</p> + +<p>“Artificial!” came the rough and +questing probe of the speculative +bank. “But how could Rell possibly +be out there?”</p> + +<p><a name="png.004" id="png.004" href="#png.004"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">89</span><span class="ns">]<br + /></span></a>“Who mentioned Rell?” was the +interpretive bank’s smug answer. +They were not utterly averse to +demonstrating their superior mental +abilities on occasion.</p> + +<p>The speculative bank replied, +“Artificial implies intelligence, and +intelligence means Rell …”</p> + +<p>“Does it?” the interpretive bank +interrupted. The speculative +bank waited but the interpretive +bank failed to enlarge on the provocative +query.</p> + +<p>The Rell had found certain disadvantages +accrued to abnormal +prolongation of life and thus were +not unused to the interpretive +bank’s occasional tendency to talk +in riddles.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps not<!-- Transcriber's note: + original lacks comma -->,” the speculative +bank replied after a quick check +with the logical formulae held in +reserve by the historical bank. “It +is theoretically possible that Rell-like +individuals might have developed +elsewhere, and perhaps +even have developed intelligence, +although, according to the historical +bank, such an idea has never +before been subjected to consideration. +But what is the flame doing?” +they continued, a trifle resentful at +having been left to do work properly +in the interpretive bank’s province.</p> + +<p>The observation and interpretive +banks once more came into +play, studying the situation for +several minutes. “The flame appears +to be the exhaust of a fairly +crude vessel,” the interpretive bank +finally reported, “propelled by ignition +of some gaseous mixture.”</p> + +<p>“Is it moving?”</p> + +<p>“Quite rapidly.”</p> + +<p>“Where is it going?”</p> + +<p>This called into play the prophecy +division of the mind and +Raeillo/ee13 and Raellu//2, who +had been merely interested onlookers +before, hurriedly meshed +themselves with the other forty +nine hundred odd of their fellows. +(It was impossible to say at any +given time just how many there +were in their computer section, as +several births and deaths had occurred<!-- Transcriber's note: + original reads "occured" --> +among the group since beginning +the current observations. +These would be suspended for the +next several moments, however, as +there was a strict prohibition +against anyone being born, dying, +or otherwise engaging in extraneous +activity while their particular +bank was either alerted or in action.)</p> + +<p>Raeillo/ee13 and Raellu//2 felt +the group discipline take hold much +more firmly than the free-and-easy +mesh which each unit enjoyed +with the complete group-mind +during periods of leisure.</p> + +<p>With a speed that would have +been dizzying and incomprehensible +to any individual unit, the observing +banks relayed huge masses of +extraneous data to the interpretive +bank. They strained out the salient +facts and in turn passed these to +the computing:prediction section. +Here they were routed to the +groups who would deal with them. +Raeillo/ee13 and Raellu//2 found +their own talents pressed into service +a dozen or more times in the +space of the minute and a half it +took the computing:prediction and +interpretive banks to arrive at the +answer.</p> + +<p>“It’s aimed here,” the interpretive +bank reported.</p> + +<p>“Here!” a jumble of incoherent +and anarchistic thoughts resounded +<a name="png.005" id="png.005" href="#png.005"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">90</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>from many shocked and temporarily +out-of-mesh units.</p> + +<p>“Order!” came a sharp command +from the elite corp of three +thousand disciplinary units.</p> + +<p>As stillness settled back over the +group-mind the speculative bank +once more came in. “By here … +do you mean <em>right</em> here?”</p> + +<p>“Approximately<!-- Transcriber's note: + original has period -->,” replied the +interpretive bank with what would +have sounded suspiciously like a +chuckle in a human reply. “According +to calculations the craft +should land within half a mile of +our present location.”</p> + +<p>“Let’s go there then and wait for +it!” That thought from the now +seldom used reservation of impulse.</p> + +<p>The speculative bank murmured, +“I wonder if there would be any +danger. How hot is that exhaust?”</p> + +<p>Calculations were rapidly made +and the answer arrived at. The Rell +prudently decided to remain where +they were for the present.</p> + + +<p class="noindent tb"><br class="ns" + /><span class="drop">C</span><span class="uc">aptain Leonard Brown</span>, +USAF, hunched over the instruments +in the cramped control +cabin which, being the only available +space in the ship, doubled as +living quarters. A larger man would +have found the arrangement impossible. +Brown, being 5' 2" and +weighing 105 pounds found it +merely intolerable.</p> + +<p>At the moment he was temporarily +able to forget his discomfort, +however. The many tiny dials and +indicators told a story all their own +to Brown’s trained vision.</p> + +<p>“Just another half hour,” he +whispered to himself. “Just thirty +more minutes and I’ll land. It may +be just a dead planet but I’ll still +be the first.”</p> + +<p>There really wasn’t a great deal +for Brown to do. The ship was self-guided. +The Air Force had trusted +robot mechanisms more than human +reactions.</p> + +<p>Thus Brown’s entire active contribution +to the flight consisted in +watching the dials (which recorded +everything so even watching them +was unnecessary) and in pressing +the button which would cause the +ship to start its return journey.</p> + +<p>Of course the scientists could +have constructed another mechanism +to press the button and made +it a completely robot ship. But despite +their frailties and imperfections, +human beings have certain +advantages. Humans can talk. +Machines may see and detect far +more than their human creators +but all they can do is record. They +can neither interpret nor satisfactorily +describe.</p> + +<p>Brown was present not only to +report a human’s reactions to the +first Mars flight; he was also along +to see that which the machines +might miss.</p> + +<p>“We’ve never satisfactorily defined +life,” one of his instructors +had told Brown shortly after he +started the three grueling years of +training which had been necessary, +“so we can’t very well build a foolproof +machine for detecting it. +That’s why we’ve left room for 105 +pounds of dead weight.”</p> + +<p>“Meaning me?”</p> + +<p>“Meaning you.”</p> + +<p>“And I’m your foolproof machine +for detecting life?”</p> + +<p>“Let’s say you’re the closest we +can come to it at present. We’re +banking everything on this first +trip. It’ll be at least eighteen +<a name="png.006" id="png.006" href="#png.006"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">91</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>months later before we can get a +second ship into space. So it’s up +to you to get everything you can +… some evidence of life, preferably +animal, if possible. With public +support it’ll be a hell of a lot +easier squeezing appropriations out +of Congress for the next ship and +to get public support we need the +biggest possible play in the newspapers. +If anything is newsworthy +on Mars it should be evidence of +life … even plant life.”</p> + +<p>So here he was, 105 pounds of +concentrated knowledge and anticipation, +itching with the desire for +action and also from more basic +causes having to do with two +months confinement in a small +space with a minimum of water.</p> + +<p>“Life is most probable at the +poles<!-- Transcriber's note: + original has period -->,” the instructor had said. +“You won’t be able to stay long so +we’ll try to set you down right at +the South Pole. You won’t have +room to bring back specimens. So +keep your eyes open and absorb +everything you see. Don’t forget +anything. What you bring back in +your mind weighs nothing.”</p> + + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />“It’s just sitting there,” the observing +banks reported, “and the +red flame has gone out.”</p> + +<p>“Is it safe now?” enquired the +speculative bank.</p> + +<p>“In what way?”</p> + +<p>“Is it safe to go near that thing?”</p> + +<p>“It’s very huge,” ventured the +observing banks unasked. There +was a stir of activity which encompassed +practically all except +the most simple units and which +lasted for perhaps five minutes +while the speculative bank’s last +question was processed.</p> + +<p>Finally the interpretive bank reluctantly +admitted, “We can’t arrive +at a positive answer. Too many +unknown elements are present. We +don’t know for sure what caused +the flame, when it might start +again, or what, if anything, is inside.”</p> + +<p>“But you said it was a work of +intelligence. Doesn’t that mean +Rell would be inside?”</p> + +<p>“Not necessarily. They could +have constructed the thing to operate +itself.”</p> + +<p>It was just then that the observing +banks reported, “It’s opening.”</p> + +<p>The speculative bank quickly +responded, “This is an emergency. +We must be able to observe from +close up. We’ll have to approach +it.”</p> + +<p>“The entire mind?” enquired +the disciplinary corps.</p> + +<p>The speculative bank hesitated. +“No, we’ll need to split up. One-fifth +of us will go, the rest remain +here. It’s a short distance and +we’ll still be able to continue in +complete contact.”</p> + +<p>Those who were to go were +quickly sorted out and Raeillo/ee13 +was quite thrilled to find he and +Raellu//2 were included in the +scouting party.</p> + +<p>The group set off briskly toward +their objective but had moved +hardly one hundred yards when a +vertigo seemed to overtake them. +Raeillo/ee13 found himself swimming +helplessly in a vortex of darkness +and isolation, blanked off from +not only the group-mind and his +bank but also from Raellu//2. +Frantically he grasped for some sort +of stasis, but dependence on the +group-mind was too ingrained and +he was unable to stir his +<a name="png.007" id="png.007" href="#png.007"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">92</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>long-dormant powers of sight and education.</p> + +<p>Then the isolation cleared to be +replaced by a brief impression of +chaos with perhaps a tinge of +alienness. Another instant of vertigo +followed and then everything +was normal once more as the comfortable +familiar mesh took hold.</p> + +<p>“What was that?” Even the +speculative bank sounded frightened.</p> + +<p>“Sorry.” The usually silent meshing +bank sounded abashed. “We +weren’t prepared for that. Some +sort of thought wave is issuing from +the opening and it disrupted the +group mesh till we were able to +take it into calculation and rebuild +the mesh around it.”</p> + +<p>“Thought wave? Then there <em>are</em> +Rell in that thing.”</p> + +<p>“Do not compute before the +mesh is set<!-- Transcriber's note: + original has period -->,” the interpretive bank +cautioned. “The presence of Rell, +while extremely probable, is not +yet entirely certain.”</p> + +<p>Without waiting for a suggestion +from elsewhere the disciplinary +group ordered the entire mind forward.</p> + +<p>Perhaps, in time of stress, dormant +qualities tend to emerge, +Raeillo/ee13 mused. Certainly +everyone, himself included, appeared +to be exercising speculative +qualities. Not that specialization +isn’t a marvelous blessing, he +hastily added, in case the disciplinary +corps might be scanning his +bank. But the disciplinary corps +itself was as fascinated by the phenomenon +ahead as Raeillo/ee13.</p> + +<p>Emerging from the infinitely +huge upright thing was a mobile +being, also infinitely huge. Not that +they were the same size. The mobile +one was small enough to fit easily +through the opening in the lower +portion of the larger. But beyond +a certain point words lose meaning +and infinitely huge was the closest +measurement the tiny Rell could +find for either the upright pointed +thing or the knobby one which had +emerged and was quickly identified +as the source of the disrupting +thought patterns.</p> + + +<p class="noindent tb"><br class="ns" + /><span class="drop">L</span><span class="uc">eonard Brown</span> was enjoying +himself thoroughly. The inside +of a space suit can scarcely be +termed comfortable but at least you +can move around in it and Brown +was making the most of this sensation +after two months cramped in +his tiny cell. He was, in fact, comporting +himself much as a three-year-old +might have done after a +similar release.</p> + +<p>But before long he settled down +to the serious business of observing +and mentally recording everything +in sight.</p> + +<p>There were none of the mysterious +‘canals’ in view, which was +disappointing; one piece of glamour +the publicity boys would necessarily +forego until the next trip. The ice +cap itself, if such it could be called, +was almost equally disappointing. +On Earth it would have been dismissed +as a mere frost patch, if this +section was typical. For a radius of +many yards the ground was blasted +bare by the action of the exhaust +and nowhere in sight did there appear +to be more than the flimsiest +covering of white over the brown +sandy soil.</p> + +<p>“Not even lichens,” muttered +Brown in disgust.</p> + +<p>But disgust cannot long stand +<a name="png.008" id="png.008" href="#png.008"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">93</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>against the magic of a fresh new +planet and Brown continued his +avid, though barren, search until +hunger forced his return to the +ship. He had been able to detect +no life and was completely unaware +of his close proximity to the +planet’s dominant species. It had +been considered neither practical +nor particularly desirable to build +a microscope into the space suit. +Simplicity and the least possible +weight had been the watchwords +here as with everything designed +to go aboard the ship.</p> + +<p>In any case, a microscope would +have done Brown little good in +trying to detect the submicroscopic +beings of the Rell.</p> + + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />The Rell, who had somewhat +lost their fear of Brown, hastily retreated +when they saw him returning +to the still awesome ship.</p> + +<p>“But are you <em>sure</em> he’s <em>completely</em> +self-powered?” the speculative bank +queried. “No Rell inside him at +all?”</p> + +<p>“There are many Rell-like beings +in various parts of him<!-- Transcriber's note: + original has period -->,” replied +the interpretive bank. “Some help +digest his food, others are predators, +and still others their enemies. +But most are too big and +clumsy to have developed intelligence, +and even the small ones +appear completely mindless.”</p> + +<p>“But where do the thought +waves come from? We all felt +them.”</p> + +<p>“It’s hard to accept but we are +almost forced to conclude they are +emanating from the mobile unit +itself, or rather from the living part +within the cocoon.”</p> + +<p>“You’re positive they aren’t the +product of some of the Rell-beings +inside?”</p> + +<p>“Almost positive. The mesh insists +not. In fact, it claims this is +an un-Rell like type of intelligence, +though that appears to be a contradiction +in terms. The thought +pattern is completely outside our +experience. In fact, it is so alien +we haven’t broken it down yet to +the meaning behind it.”</p> + +<p>“But if the Rell inside are too +large to have developed intelligence, +how could this gigantic +monster in which they live have +done so?”</p> + +<p>“We cannot yet say. Remember, +the theory that intelligence cannot +develop in creatures above a certain +size is unproven, even though +never before challenged. We’ve +watched other races die through +failure to adapt to change so apparently +it is true of Rell-like +creatures on this world. But who +can say about organisms on another +world or of the unprecedented +size of this one? Completely different +physical laws may apply.”</p> + +<p>It was later that afternoon after +the Rell had spent much time observing +Brown while Brown was +busy observing the landscape that +the interpretive bank made the +triumphant announcement, “We +have it! We’ve broken the thought +waves down to their meanings and +know what he’s thinking. What +would you like to know first?”</p> + +<p>“Check and see if there are any +Rell inside the other thing or on +his home world. They might have +constructed him.”</p> + +<p>“Apparently there are none, or at +least no intelligent Rell, on his +world. We can’t guide his mind +but the memory bank recorded all +<a name="png.009" id="png.009" href="#png.009"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">94</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>the thoughts we’ve received and +some time ago he was thinking of +something he termed ‘vermin’. +Apparently these are sometimes +Rell-like creatures, although far +larger. He regards them as a great +nuisance, but mindless. The big +thing, by the way, he calls a ‘ship’ +and it is utterly lifeless. We needn’t +fear the flame until this creature +leaves.”</p> + +<p>“What about him? What is he +like?”</p> + +<p>“That’s the most exciting part! +He thought of his bodily needs once +and we glimpsed<!-- Transcriber's note: + original reads "glimsed" --> a concept dealing +with his physical construction. It’s +incredible! His body is composed +almost entirely of water … there’s +enough water in him alone to +prolong the life of the Rell many +ages. Further, the air in his ‘ship’ +is heavily impregnated with moisture +and he even has reserve supplies +of water for his needs.”</p> + + +<p class="tb"><br class="ns" + />At this, not only Raeillo/ee13, +but all except perhaps the most +responsible units felt a shiver of +primitive longing and perhaps even +greed. Not for millennia<!-- Transcriber's note: + original reads "millenia" --> had there +been such a plentitude of water so +close!</p> + +<p>“Then can’t we appropriate at +least part of it?” asked the speculative +bank.</p> + +<p>“Unfortunately both the ‘man’, +as he calls himself, and his ‘ship’ +are sealed so tightly that we could +not penetrate either. Worse yet, +almost half his time here is already +gone. We don’t quite understand +his purpose here. His thoughts seem +to say he is searching for Rell for +some unfathomable reason yet he +seems to know nothing of the Rell +and cannot even detect us.”</p> + + +<p class="noindent tb"><br class="ns" + /><span class="drop">I</span><span class="uc">t was</span> the next day when the +time was almost all gone that +the two big discoveries were made. +During a routine check, the mesh +came across a thought of the man’s +return and a visualization of his +home world. It was so startling +that the interpretive bank was recalled +from its effort to try to devise +a means through the spacesuit +and set at the new problem.</p> + +<p>A hasty check of the man’s subconscious +thoughts revealed the big +news. “Do you know,” the interpretive +bank announced, “not only +does this being’s home world have +a moist atmosphere like that in his +ship but two thirds of the surface +of his world is <em>liquid water</em>!”</p> + +<p>Even the speculative bank was +silent for a full two seconds after +this news. Then a hasty impulse +was sent to the disciplinary corps +and the entire mind called into +action. An extreme emergency upon +which the fate of the race hinged +called for the utmost effort by even +the humblest members of the +group.</p> + +<p>The Rell worked diligently and +many blind alleys were explored, +but it was not for some time that +anyone thought of enquiring of the +not-too-bright feeding bank how +they were managing to keep the +mind operating at considerably +more than normal power with no +frost within feeding distance.</p> + +<p>“We’re taking moisture from the +air<!-- Transcriber's note: + original has period -->,” was the answer.</p> + +<p>“Where is the moisture coming +from?” the interpretive bank was +asked.</p> + +<p>The answer didn’t take long. +Rapid measurements supplied it. +“Some of it is vaporized frost but +that wouldn’t be enough for our +<a name="png.010" id="png.010" href="#png.010"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">95</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>needs. The only other possibility is +that moisture must be seeping +away from either the man or his +ship despite his sureness that they +were both airtight and our own +investigations which confirmed it.”</p> + +<p>They had maintained a cautious +distance from the ship for the most +part despite the interpretive bank’s +assurance of no immediate danger. +But now they swarmed over both +it and the spacesuit determined to +detect the leak.</p> + +<p>They found none.</p> + +<p>And now the man was returning +to his ship.</p> + +<p>“This is the last time<!-- Transcriber's note: + original has period -->,” the mesh +warned. It was now or never.</p> + +<p>For a second there was conflict +over control of the circuits to the +disciplinary corps which carried +with it command of the organism +during the emergency. The speculative +bank customarily assumed +this responsibility, but a slight +schism had developed between +it and the interpretive bank. +The latter’s greater age and skill +came into play and victory was +quickly won.</p> + +<p>From the disciplinary corps came +the order, “Stay close to the ‘man’.”</p> + +<p>The interpretive bank explained, +“He breathes the air so he’ll have +to get to it some way.”</p> + +<p>The defeated speculative bank +maintained a sulky silence.</p> + +<p>Thus it was that the entire mind +of the Rell rode into the interior +of the ship through the airlock +while clustered around Brown.</p> + +<p>The Rell had grasped that the +man lived and traveled inside his +ship and the necessity for it to be +airtight<!-- Transcriber's note: + original reads "air tight" -->. But so desperate were the +two races’ needs that the necessity +for an airlock and the consequent +slight seepage each time it was used +had not occurred<!-- Transcriber's note: + original reads "occured" --> to even the interpretive +bank.</p> + +<p>Inside, many Rell, suddenly intoxicated +by the heady moisture-laden +air, commenced uniting with +each other then splitting away, each +such union resulting in another unit +of Rell, naturally. The interpretive +bank again seized control.</p> + +<p>“Stop it! Stop it this instant!” +it snapped. “Reproduction must be +kept to the former minimum for +now. That is a firm order.”</p> + +<p>Reluctantly the process was +halted. The interpretive bank explained, +“It would not take long +for us to use up the entire supply of +water if we indulged in uncontrolled +reproduction. That might endanger +the whole trip.”</p> + +<p>“What do we do now?” the +speculative bank finally asked.</p> + +<p>“There is no way of knowing +positively whether the man uses +this same atmosphere until he returns +to his world or not. For our +own safety it would seem best, since +Rell-like creatures already inhabit +him, that we join them. If any +place is safe it will be his interior. +And there is plenty of moisture +within to sustain us. But we must be +good parasites,” the interpretive +bank warned. “Remember, no undue +reproduction no matter how +many quarts of moisture seem to be +going to waste inside this ‘man’. +He may need it himself and if he +does not survive the ship might +not complete its trip.”</p> + +<p>Brown was just emerging from +his space suit so the Rell chose his +closest available body opening and +flowed as a group into his mouth +and nostrils.</p> + +<p>“Ahchoo!” sneezed Brown, +<a name="png.011" id="png.011" href="#png.011"><span class="ns">[</span><span + class="pgmark">96</span><span class="ns">] + </span></a>violently evicting half the Rell.</p> + +<p>They re-entered a bit more cautiously +in order not to irritate the +sensitive membrane again.</p> + +<p>“Dammit,” said Brown, “don’t +tell me I’ve caught a cold clear out +here on Mars. Hope I didn’t pick +up any Martian germs.”</p> + +<p>But he needn’t have worried. By +the time he reached Earth he was +far less germ-ridden, even if considerably +more itchy on the exterior, +than when he’d left. The +Rell were good at self defense and a +surprising number of mindless but +voracious creatures in Brown’s interior +had been eliminated.</p> + +<p>Brown dreaded having to give +the news he carried but he needn’t +have. He was a conquering hero.</p> + +<p>So much fuss was made over the +first flight to Mars that Congress +promptly voted twice the appropriation +for the second ship that +the Air Force had requested, despite +strong opposition from the Navy +and headlines which read:</p> + +<p class="ctr vspread">NO LIFE ON MARS</p> + +<p>Actually, as it happened, the +headlines were one hundred percent +correct, but they neglected to +mention, chiefly because the headline +writers didn’t know it, that +there were now two races of intelligent +life on Earth.</p> + +</div> + +<hr class="pg" /> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Hitch Hikers, by Vernon L. 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