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diff --git a/32684.txt b/32684.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dad8ced --- /dev/null +++ b/32684.txt @@ -0,0 +1,716 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Invader, by Alfred Coppel + +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 Invader + +Author: Alfred Coppel + +Release Date: June 4, 2010 [EBook #32684] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE INVADER *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + THE INVADER + + By Alfred Coppel + +[Transcriber Note: This etext was produced from Imagination Stories of +Science and Fantasy February 1953. Extensive research did not uncover +any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] + + +[Sidenote: Invading Earth was going to be a cinch, the Triomed scout +decided. But to make certain he must study its inhabitants--as one of +them!] + + +The Triomed advanced stealthily across the floor of the dark cell toward +the sleeping figure huddled in the corner. After the long, lonely +voyage, the nearness to a host filled the Triomed with eager +anticipation. + +The tiny spaceship that had carried him into this lush planetary system +far from the galaxy's heart lay well hidden behind him. So far as he +could tell, his descent had not been detected, and that was as it should +be--for he was a Triomed and a scientist. One of the finest in the +service of his dying race. Dying that is, until now, he thought. No +longer would the race of Triomeds weaken and die for lack of suitable +hosts. This third planet of the yellow sun was a paradise thick with +warm-blooded biped mammals.... + + * * * * * + +The sleeping creature stirred uneasily, as though sensing the approach +of danger. The Triomed froze into immobility. It was unlikely that he +could be seen, he knew, though the sense of sight was only a synthesized +abstraction to him. It was not one of his own proper senses, but he had +been able to detect at long distance that almost every living creature +on this planet received impressions through certain specialized organs +mounted on and within their structure. There were plants, of course, as +there were on Triom, but they were unimportant. + +There were viruses, too, and he had been afraid when he had discovered +this fact that he had arrived too late. But the first attempts at +establishing communication had relieved the Triomed of his fears. The +indigenous viruses were primitive; not at all like his own illustrious +ancestors of ancient Triom. + +The sleeping biped relaxed and the Triomed inched forward again, a flat, +almost two dimensional smear of glistening matter on the floor in front +of the biped. + +From high above the planet's night side, the Triomed had sensed the +city. He had absorbed its shape and size and meaning while his craft +settled through the heavy, oxygen-rich air. It was not enough that his +instruments told of suitable hosts. He was a scientist and believed in +absolute proof. Also, he had been in space long--without the +satisfaction of a host--and he yearned for the rapport, the domination +of a warm-blooded creature. + +There had been a dark segment in the brilliant pattern of the city. An +island of solitude amid the myriad confluences. It was there that he had +landed his tiny probe ship and hidden it among the thickly wooded +glades. Almost immediately he had sensed the nearness of many creatures. +Insects, plants, warm-blooded quadrupeds and bipeds. There had been +machines and buildings and winding roadways among the trees. Darkness +had covered his progress until at last he found himself near the +sleeping creature, ready to infiltrate and take command. + + * * * * * + +The glistening shape elongated, became a thread-like tendril of almost +gossamer thickness. It touched the flesh of the sleeper and thrilled +with pleasure. Cautiously, the Triomed moved up the hairy leg, an +invisible strand of alien life close to the warm skin. Presently, the +strand found the opening it sought. It slithered imperceptibly into the +moist warmth of the sleeper's nostril, moved through the tear-duct into +the space behind the eyeball. Here it probed through muscle and membrane +along the base of the brain, seeking the pineal gland. + +And found it, penetrated it, coiling like a microscopic serpent within +the gland. A surge of pleasure went through the Triomed. Here was +safety. The host was large, powerful and vibrant with life. Quickly, the +Triomed established dominance. It was shockingly easy. The creature's +mind was immature, primitive. Briefly it struggled and then died as the +alien poisoned the identity centers of the brain. + +New sensations poured in through unfamiliar sense organs. Sounds of the +faraway city, small sounds from the many living creatures in the +darkness. Smells and sights and pressures from all about him presented +themselves--were evaluated and recorded in the atomic structure of the +Triomed. + +He was now equipped, he reflected with satisfaction, to carry out +further exploration. In the guise of the indigenous biped he could roam +among the natives at will. He remained in a sitting position, however, +while he familiarized himself with his host. + +He had two articulated appendages fixed to the trunk at a point near and +below the skull-case. These ended in complex extremities consisting of +five jointed fingers. The same pattern was repeated at the lower end of +the trunk, but the extremities were suited there for the carrying of the +creature's considerable weight. Within the trunk were the customary +viscera generally associated with warm-blooded beings: lungs, +intestines, stomach, liver, bladder, reproductive organs and assorted +ducted and ductless glands. It was apparent to the Triomed that his +present body was in excellent health. He was greatly pleased. + +After some careful experiments, the Triomed rose. If there was a proper +method of egress from the cubicle in which he found himself, it was not +imprinted on the biped's brain. For a moment this gave the alien pause. +He could, of course, determine the proper method by a tedious process of +trial and error, but that would take time and he had no desire to waste +the hours of darkness. One wall, he noted, consisted of vertical risers +fixed in the substance of the floor and ceiling. Beyond, he could see +the darkling woods and the sky-glow of the city. The answer, then, was +simple force. He did not doubt there was strength enough in the host's +musculature to distort the risers. + +His assumption was quite correct. + + * * * * * + +Stepping through the bent risers, he picked his way along a narrow +walkway lined with cubicles similar to the one he had left. Within them, +dark shapes moved or lay sleeping. Some were alert, others were not. But +none gave an alarm. The Triomed reached the end of the walk, scaled a +fence easily and stood on a surface of wet grass that sloped away from +the low dark building toward the woods. + +Behind him he heard a shout. A narrow beam of light pierced the night, +swinging to and fro with a searching motion. He had a fleeting glimpse +of a small biped running down the walk toward the cubicle he had +deserted. + +The Triomed broke toward the wood with a long loping pace that covered +the ground with unbelievable swiftness. The probing light did not find +him. Once among the trees he paused and took his bearings. The woods +were not thick. He could see the lights of the city through the foliage. +They began at the very edge of the trees, where a wide open area could +be discerned. Wheeled vehicles moved past with breathtaking speed. + +If there was pursuit, it was inefficient, for the Triomed moved through +the woods undisturbed until he stood at the edge of the avenue, +sheltered by the shadow of a large tree. Most of the traffic was +vehicular, he noted. There were few pedestrians. From the noise and odor +he classified the vehicles as being powered by internal combustion +engines burning hydro-carbons. Primitive. That was good, he reflected. +When the fleets of Triom descended on this planet, there would be no +science worthy of the name to oppose them. + +He waited until there was an interval in the traffic, and then stepped +out confidently, crossing the avenue. As he reached the opposite side he +heard a screech of brakes and a garbled, choking sound. He did not turn +to discover the source of the disturbance until he had reached the +shelter of a building on the far side of the walk bordering the street. + +A vehicle had stopped at an oblique angle to the lane in which it was +travelling, and its single occupant, a very pale-faced biped was +goggling stupidly in the direction of the hidden Triomed. + +For the first time, the alien being felt a twinge of apprehension. +Certainly he had done nothing out of the ordinary in crossing the open +space on foot? But perhaps there were tribal taboos and traditions among +the natives that could not be ignored without attracting attention. + +The Triomed promised himself that he would exercise more caution in such +matters. Too much depended on this reconnaissance to allow it to be +disturbed by carelessness. + +He worked his way through the shadows between the many buildings until +the wide highway was far behind him. He was very aware of the teeming +life all about him--in the buildings, in the vehicles on the streets. +Still, some odd impulse that stemmed from the numbed brain of his host +rather than his own, kept him fairly hidden. This, he decided with +something akin to annoyance, was not as it should be. If his survey were +to be of any value, he must roam at will and without fear of detection, +secure in his disguise. + + * * * * * + +Presently he came upon a street where streams of bipeds jostled one +another, each seemingly intent upon its own particular incomprehensible +errands. For a long while he watched from the shelter of an alley +doorway, classifying and integrating the information his host's sharp +eyes brought him. It was miraculous. Hosts of every size and description +were in abundance--an unlimited supply of them. Enough for the whole +population of Triom. It was beyond belief, but he could not doubt. And +this was but a single concentration. A single city. From the +stratosphere he had seen hundreds of similar cities. Paradise! He +envisioned the fleets of Triom descending, the Triomeds emerging and +infiltrating. The thoughts brought pride and anticipation. It had been +so easy.... + +He decided not to linger. He felt now that he had his proofs and that he +should return at once to his ship. Triom must be told immediately. The +communicator in the ship could carry the message as soon as the craft +reached a suitable distance from planetary mass. He would return, send +the ship aloft, dispatch his message and then return to his host to +await the others of his race. + +His decision made, he stepped confidently out into the throng of bipeds, +seeking the shortest route back to his hidden craft. + +The result was instantaneous and amazing. + +The crowd drew back with a howling, shrieking noise, leaving him +standing in the center of a circle of dead white faces. + +Behind the first row of bipeds, he could see others running in every +direction, and screaming at the top of their voices. The racket, +combined with the noises of the city, was most unpleasant. The Triomed +began to be afraid. + +[Illustration] + +He broke into a rapid walk, and the crowd parted before him with much +louder screeching. Here and there a biped, apparently braver than the +rest, made threatening motions with bundles or knotted fists. A package +struck him on the shoulder. + +The Triomed began to run. He noted for the first time that he towered +head and shoulders over most of the bipeds nearby, and his host's brain +interpreted the smells of hate and fear all about him. + +The crowd scattered wildly at his approach, but he was being followed. +Panic began to clutch at the alien. What had he done wrong? Somewhere a +wailing sound began--vehicles with glaring red lights swept past him +with vicious, explosive noises. He felt a stinging pain in one leg, and +glanced down to see it streaked with red. + +Ahead of him a line of bipeds all clothed in identical blue sacs of +fabric had formed, spilling from the vehicles as they halted. The +Triomed stopped, sensing mortal danger. Behind him, the mob rumbled. +Ahead the blue bipeds stood holding artifacts that the Triomed did not +for an instant doubt were weapons. + +No street opened on either side of him. He was trapped between the +weapons, the mob, and two tall buildings. He hesitated only for a +moment. With a desperate leap, he reached the second level of windows of +the building nearest him and clung there, gasping. + +A white-faced creature appeared and began poking at him with a steel rod +that burned like fire when it touched his host's flesh. The creature +screamed shrilly all the while. + +With a sob, the Triomed swung himself onto the window ledge and began +climbing upward, toward the roof of the building. It was slow work and +the pain in his leg and burned shoulder slowed him down. He dare not +free himself of his host now, for he was much too far from his ship to +be able to return in his natural form. + + * * * * * + +There were searchlights in the street below, probing at him as he clung +to the sheer facade of the building. Panic drove him upward. A +continuous, wailing roar rose from the canyon below, a fear-laden +hideous cacophony. The Triomed felt himself weak with terror, part of +which was his host's and part of which stemmed from within himself. The +terror and fear of not knowing what had gone wrong and why he stood now +in such peril. + +At last he reached the roof. He heaved himself over the parapet and lay +for a moment, flanks heaving painfully. Then he stiffened with a new +fear. He was not alone. The roof was occupied. A score or more of armed +bipeds blocked him into a triangular corner of the roof. He got to his +feet and stumbled backward. Their weapons were aimed at him. He +retreated until the parapet stopped him, warning of the sheer drop to +the street far below. + +A figure separated itself from the armed mass. A flash of recognition +came--partially his own, partially his host's. It was the small biped he +had seen in the searchlight beam running toward the cubicle he had +deserted so long ago it seemed. + +The small creature began speaking, making soft, soothing noises, +advancing all the while, a tiny glass vial in his hands. + +Without knowing why, the Triomed felt his lips pull away from his teeth +in a snarl. He heard a deep, rumbling growling sound in his own throat. +The biped stopped, and the Triomed could smell his sudden fear. + +He felt a surge of incomprehensible rage come over him--he crouched +menacingly. + +The creature took a step closer. Another. The Triomed tensed. + +The creature was within reach, extending the vial. The alien could see +that it was tipped with a sliver of steel. He sprang-- + +The weapons crashed. The alien felt the thudding impact of projectiles +penetrating the brain case. In a panic he began to extrude from the +pineal gland. If death overcame the host while he had rapport, he, too, +would die. And if he died, Triom would die. + +He felt his huge body totter. There was another blast from the weapons +and he sensed the projectile coming--with what seemed to be agonizing +slowness to his quickened senses. It was spinning in the darkness. It +struck the eye, smashed it, moved inward, along the base of the +brain.... + +The Triomed felt one deep, searing agony that was his alone as the +bullet crushed him. The hot metal acrid touch was the last thing he knew +before death came.... + + * * * * * + +The policemen stood about in a circle, staring down in mixed awe and +relief at the huge body on the roof. + +"I've seen him a dozen times in the park," one said. "He always seemed +so--so peaceable." He shook his head. "What in hell do you suppose came +over him?" + +The keeper looked up from where he knelt over the deep, still chest, +bloody and riddled with bullets. "It happens like this sometimes," he +said. "You can never tell about gorillas." + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Invader, by Alfred Coppel + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE INVADER *** + +***** This file should be named 32684.txt or 32684.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/6/8/32684/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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