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diff --git a/old/53015.txt b/old/53015.txt deleted file mode 100644 index c74f838..0000000 --- a/old/53015.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1515 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Guest of Ganymede, by C. C. MacApp - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: A Guest of Ganymede - -Author: C. C. MacApp - -Illustrator: John Giunta - -Release Date: September 8, 2016 [EBook #53015] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A GUEST OF GANYMEDE *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - A GUEST OF GANYMEDE - - By C. C. MacAPP - - Illustrated by Giunta - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Worlds of Tomorrow June 1963 - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - - - - On Jupiter's moons great treasure awaits - a daring man--and so does Death! - - -I - -His employer had paid enormously to have the small ship camouflaged -as a chunk of asteroid-belt rock, and Gil Murdoch had successfully -maneuvered it past the quarantine. Now it lay snugly melted into the -ice; and if above them enough water had boiled into space to leave a -scar, that was nothing unique on Ganymede's battered surface. In any -case, the Terran patrols weren't likely to come in close. - -Murdoch applied heat forward and moved the ship gingerly ahead. - -"What are you doing now?" Waverill demanded. - -Murdoch glanced at the blind man. "Trying to find a clear spot, sir, so -I can see into the place." - -"What for? Why don't you just contact them?" - -"Just being careful, sir. After all, we don't know much about them." -Murdoch kept the annoyance out of his voice. He had his own reasons -for wanting a preliminary look at the place, though the aliens had -undoubtedly picked them up thousands of miles out and knew exactly -where they were now. - -Something solid, possibly a rock imbedded in the ice, bumped along the -hull. Murdoch stopped the ship, then moved on more slowly. - -The viewscreens brightened. He stopped the drive, then turned off the -heat forward. Water, milky with vapor bubbles, swirled around them, -gradually clearing. In a few minutes it froze solid again and he could -see. - -They were not more than ten feet from the clear area carved out of the -ice. Murdoch had the viewpoint of a fish in murky water, looking into -an immersed glass jar. The place was apparently a perfect cylinder, -walled by a force-field or whatever held back the ice. He could see -the dark translucency of the opposite wall, about fifty yards away -and extending down eighty or ninety feet from the surface. He'd only -lowered the ship a third that far, so that from here he looked down -upon the plain one-story building and the neat lawns and hedges around -it. - -The building and greenery occupied only one-half of the area, the half -near Murdoch being paved entirely with gravel and unplanted. That, he -presumed, was where they'd land. The building was fitted to the shape -of its half-circle, and occupied most of it, like a half cake set in a -round box with a little space around it. A gravel walkway, bordered by -grass, ran along the straight front of the building and around the back -curve of it. The hedges surrounded the half-circle at the outside. - -There was an inconspicuous closed door in the middle of the building. -There were no windows in the flat gray wall. - -The plants looked Terran, and apparently were rooted in soil, though -there must be miles of ice beneath. Artificial sunlight poured on the -whole area from the top. Murdoch had heard, and now was sure, that -something held an atmosphere in the place. - -"What are we waiting for?" Waverill wanted to know. - -Murdoch reached for a switch and said, simply, "Hello." - - * * * * * - -The voice that answered was precise and uninflected. "Who are you." - -"My employer is Frederick Waverill. He has an appointment." - -"And you." - -"Gilbert Murdoch." - -There was a pause, then, "Gilbert Andrew Murdoch. Age thirty-four. Born -in the state called Illinois." - -Murdoch, startled, hesitated, then realized he'd probably been asked a -question. "Er--that's right." - -"There is a price on your head Murdoch." - -Murdoch hesitated again, then said, "There'd be a price on your own if -Earth dared to put it there." - -Waverill gripped the arms of his seat and stood up, too vigorously for -the light gravity. "Never mind all that. I hired this man because he -could make the contact and get me here. Can you give me back my eyes?" - -"We can but first of all I must warn both of you against trying to -steal anything from us or prying into our methods. Several Terrans have -tried but none have escaped alive." - -Waverill made an impatient gesture. "I've already got more money than I -can count. I've spent a lot of it, a very great lot, on the metal you -wanted, and I have it here in the ship." - -"We have already perceived it and we do not care what it has cost you. -We are not altruists." - -That, thought Murdoch, could be believed. He felt clammy. If they knew -so much about him, they might also be aware of the years he'd spent -sifting and assessing the rumors about them that circulated around the -tenuous outlaw community of space. Still, he'd been as discreet as was -humanly possible. - -He wondered if Waverill knew more than he pretended. He thought not; -Murdoch's own knowledge was largely meticulous deduction. This much -Murdoch knew with enough certainty to gamble his life on it: the -treatments here involved a strange virus-like thing which multiplied in -one's veins and, for presumably selfish or instinctive reasons, helped -the body to repair and maintain itself. He knew for dead certain that -the aliens always carefully destroyed the virus in a patient's veins -before letting him go. - -He thought he knew why. - -The problem was to smuggle out any viable amount of the virus. Even a -few cells, he thought, would be enough if he could get away from here -and get them into his own blood. For it would multiply; and what would -be the going price for a drop of one's blood--for a thousandth of a -drop--if it carried virtual immortality? - -A man could very nearly buy Earth. - - * * * * * - -The voice was speaking again. "Move straight ahead. The field will be -opened for you." - -Murdoch got the ship moving. He was blanked out again by the melting -ice until they popped free into air, with an odd hesitation and then a -rush. The ship was borne clear on some sort of a beam. He could hear -water cascading outside the hull for a second, then it was quiet. -He glanced at the aft viewer and could see the tunnel where they'd -come out, with a little water still in the bottom, confined by the -force-field again. The water that had escaped was running off along a -ditch that circled the clearing. - -They were lowered slowly to the gravelled area. "Leave the ship," the -voice directed, "and walk to the doorway you see." - -Murdoch helped Waverill through the inner and outer hatches and led him -toward the building. His information was that a force barrier sliced -off this half of the circle from the other, and he could see that the -hedges along the diameter pressed against some invisible plane surface. -He hesitated as they came to it, and the voice said, "Walk straight -ahead to the door. The field will be opened for you." - -He guided Waverill in the right direction. As they passed the mid-point -he felt an odd reluctance, a tingle and a slight resistance. Waverill -grunted at it, but said nothing. - -The door slid open and they were in a plain room with doors at the left -and right. The outer door closed behind them. The door on the right -opened and Murdoch took Waverill through it. They were in a second room -of the same size, bare except for a bench along one wall. - -The voice said, "Remove your clothing and pile it on the floor." - -Waverill complied without protest, and after a second Murdoch did too. -"Step back," the voice said. They did. - -The clothing dropped through the floor, sluggishly in the light -gravity. Murdoch grunted. There were weapons built into his clothes, -and he felt uneasy without them. - -At the end of the room away from the middle of the building was another -door like the one they'd come through. It opened and a robot walked in. - -It was humanoid in shape, flesh-colored but without animal details. The -head had several features other than the eyes, but none of them was -nose, mouth or ears. It stood looking at them for a minute, then said -in the familiar voice, "Do not be alarmed if you feel something now." - -There was a tingling, then a warmth, then a vibration, and some other -sensations not easy to classify. Murdoch couldn't tell whether they -came from the robot or not. It was obvious, though, that the robot was -scanning them. He resisted an urge to move his hands more behind him. -He'd been well satisfied with the delicate surgery, but now he imagined -it awkward and obvious. - -The robot didn't seem to notice anything. - -After a minute the robot said, "Through the door where I entered you -will find a bedroom and a bath and a place to cook. It is best you -retire now and rest." - -Murdoch offered his arm to Waverill, who grumbled a little but came -along. - -The voice went on, seeming now to come from the ceiling, "Treatment -will begin tomorrow. During convalescence Murdoch will care for -Waverill. Sight will be restored within four days and you will be -here one day after that then you may return to your ship. You will be -protected from each other while you are here. If you keep your bargain -you will be of no concern to us after you leave." - -Murdoch watched Waverill's face but it showed nothing. He was sure the -billionaire already had arrangements to shut him up permanently as soon -as he was no longer needed, and he didn't intend, of course, to let -those arrangements work out. - - -II - -It developed that when the robot spoke of days, it meant a -twenty-four-hour cycle of light and dark, with temperatures to suit. -Under other circumstances, the place would have been comfortable. - -The pantry was stocked with Earthside food that didn't help Murdoch's -confidence any, since it was further evidence of the aliens' contacts -with men. He cooked eggs and bacon, helped Waverill eat, then washed up -the dishes. - -He felt uneasy without his clothes; the more because the weapons in -them, through years of habit, were almost part of himself. He thought, -I'm getting too jumpy too soon. My nerves have to last a long time yet. - -While he was putting the dishes to drain, the robot walked into the -room and watched him for a moment. Then it said to Waverill, "Keep your -hand on my shoulder and walk behind me." It reached for Waverill's -right hand and placed it on its own right shoulder, revealing in the -process that its arm was double-jointed. Then it simply walked through -the wall. The blind man, without flinching and perhaps without being -aware, passed through the seemingly firm substance. - -When they were gone, Murdoch went quickly to the wall and passed his -hands over it. Solid. - -The voice came from the ceiling, "You can not penetrate the walls -except when told to. Any place you can reach in this half of the -grounds is open to you. The half where your ship is will remain cut -off. You may amuse yourself as you wish so long as you do not willfully -damage anything. We have gone to great effort to make this place -comfortable for Terrans. Do not impair it for those who may come later." - -Murdoch smiled inwardly. He'd known the walls would be solid; he'd -only wanted to check the alien's watchfulness. Now he knew that there -was more to it than just the robot, and that the voice was standard -wherever it came from. - -Not that the information helped any. - - * * * * * - -He walked back to the middle of the building and went through the -door across the lobby. In that half of the building were a library, -a gymnasium and what was evidently a Solar System museum. There was -nothing new to him in the museum. Though there were useful tables and -data in the library, he was too tense to study. The gymnasium he'd use -later. - -He went outside, walking gingerly on the gravel. The rear of the -building was a featureless semi-circle, the lawns and hedges unvaried. -He took deep breaths of the air perfumed by flowers. - -He jumped at a sudden buzz near his elbow. A bee circled up from a -blossom and headed for the top of the building to disappear over the -edge. Murdoch considered jumping for a hold and hauling himself up to -the top of the building to see if there were hives there, but decided -not to risk the aliens' displeasure. He realized now that he'd been -hearing the bees all the time without recognizing it, and was annoyed -at himself for not being more alert. He paid more attention now, and -saw that there were other insects too; ants and a variety of beetles. -There were no birds, mammals, or reptiles that he could see. - -He parted the hedge and leaned close to the clear wall, shading the -surface with his hands to see into the ice. There were a few rocks -in sight. He found one neatly sliced in two by the force-field, or -whatever it was, showing a trail of striations in the ice above it -where it had slowly settled. On Ganymede, the rate of sink of a cool -rock would be very slow in the ice. - -Far back in the dimness he could see a few vague objects that might -have been large rocks or ships. There were some other things with -vaguely suggestive shapes, like long-eroded artifacts. Nothing that -couldn't have been the normal fall-in from space. - -He went to the front of the building again and stood for a while, -looking at the graveled other half of the place. He couldn't see any -insects there, and not a blade of grass. He approached the barrier and -leaned against it, to see how it felt. It was rigid, but didn't feel -glass-hard. Rather it had a very slight surface softness, so he could -press a fingernail in a fraction of a millimeter. - -He remembered that on Earth bees would blunder into a glass pane, and -looked around to see if they hit the barrier. They didn't. An inch or -so from it, they turned in the air and avoided it. Neither could he see -any insects crawling on the invisible surface. He pressed his face -closer, and noticed again the odd reluctance he'd felt when crossing on -the way in. - -At ground level, a dark line not more than a quarter of an inch thick -marked where the barrier split the soil. Gravel heaped up against it on -both sides. - -He looked again toward the ship. If things went according to plan, -the ship's proximity alarm would go off some time within the next two -days. He didn't think the aliens would let him go to the ship, but he -expected the diversion to help him check out something he'd heard about -the barrier. - -He flexed his thumbs, feeling the small lumps implanted in the web of -flesh between thumb and finger on each hand. He'd practiced getting the -tiny instruments in and out until he could do it without thinking. But -now the whole project seemed ridiculously optimistic. - -He felt annoyed at himself again. It's the aliens, he thought, that -are getting my nerves. I've pulled plenty of jobs as intricate as this -without fretting this way. - - * * * * * - -He began another circuit around the building, and was at the rear when -the voice said, almost at his shoulder, "Murdoch, Waverill wants you." - -His employer lay on his cot, looking drowsy. He scowled at Murdoch's -footsteps. "Where you been? I want a drink." - -Murdoch involuntarily glanced around. "Will they let you have it, sir?" - -The voice came from the ceiling this time. "One ounce of hundred-proof -liquor every four hours." - -"Is there any here?" Murdoch asked. - -"Tell us where to find it and we will get it from your ship." - -Murdoch told them where the ship's supply of beverages was stowed, and -headed for the front of the building. The robot was already in the -lobby. It allowed him to follow outside, but said, "Stand back from the -barrier." - -Murdoch leaned against the building, trying not to show his eagerness. -This was an unexpected break. He watched the ground level as the robot -passed through the barrier. The dark line in the ground didn't change. -The gravel stayed in place on both sides. Neither did the plants to the -sides move. Evidently the barrier only opened at one spot to let things -through. - -The robot had no trouble with the hatches, and came out quickly with -a bottle in one hand. Murdoch worried again whether it had discovered -that the ship's alarm was set. If so, it didn't say anything as it drew -near. It handed Murdoch the bottle and disappeared into the building. - -After a few moments Murdoch followed. He found Waverill asleep, but at -his footsteps the older man stirred. "Murdoch? Where's that drink?" - -"Right away, sir." Murdoch got ice from the alien's pantry, put it in -a glass with a little water and poured in about a jigger of rye. He -handed it to Waverill, then poured himself a straight shot. Rye wasn't -his favorite, but it might ease his nerves a little. - -"Mm," said Waverill, "'S better." - -Murdoch couldn't see any marks on him. "Did they stick any needles into -you, sir?" - -"I'm not paying you to be nosey." - -"Of course not, sir. I only wanted to know so I wouldn't touch you in a -sore spot." - -"There are no sore spots," Waverill said. "I want to sleep a couple of -hours, so go away. Then I'll want a steak and a baked potato." - -"Surely, sir." - -Murdoch went outside again and toured the grounds without seeing -anything new. He went to the barrier and stared at the ship for a -while. Then, to work off tension, he went into the gymnasium and took -a workout. He had a shower, looked in on Waverill and found him still -asleep, then went back to the library. The books and tapes were all -Terran, with no clues about the aliens. The museum was no more helpful. -It was a relief when he heard Waverill calling. - -There were steaks in the larder, and potatoes. Waverill grumbled at the -wait while Murdoch cooked. The older man still acted a little drowsy, -but had a good appetite. After eating he wanted to rest again. - -Murdoch wandered some more, then forced himself to sit down in the -library and pretend to study. He went over his plans again and again. - -They were tenuous enough. He had to get a drop of Waverill's blood -sometime within the next day or two, and get it past the barrier. Then -he had to get it into the ship and, once away from Ganymede, inoculate -himself. The problem of Waverill didn't worry him. The drowsiness would -have to be coped with, but based on the time-table Waverill's symptoms -would give him, he should be able to set up a flight plan which would -allow him to nap. - -The time dragged agonizingly. He had two more drinks during the -"afternoon", took another workout and a couple of turns around the -building, and finally saw the sunlamps dimming. After that there was a -time of lying on his bunk trying to force himself to relax. Finally he -did sleep. - - -III - -He was awake again with the first light; got up and wandered restlessly -into the pantry. In a few minutes he heard Waverill stirring. -"Murdoch!" came the older man's voice. - -Murdoch went to him. "Yes, sir. I was just going to get breakfast." - -"I can see the light!" - -"You--that's wonderful, sir!" - -"I can see the light! Dammit, where are you? Take me outside!" - -"It's no brighter out there, sir." Murdoch was dismayed. He'd counted -on another day before Waverill's sight began to return; with a chance -to arrange a broken drinking glass, a knife in Waverill's way, -something to bring blood in an apparent accident. Now.... - -"Take me outside!" - -"Yes, sir." Murdoch, his mind spinning, guided the older man. - -The door slid open for them and Waverill crowded through. As he stepped -on the gravel with his bare feet, he said, "Ouch! Damn it!" - -"Step lightly, sir, and it won't hurt." Murdoch had a sudden wild hope -that Waverill would cut his feet on a sharp pebble. But there were no -sharp pebbles; they were all rounded; and the light gravity made it -even more unlikely. - -Waverill raised his head and swung it to the side. "I can see spots of -light up there." - -"The sunlamps, sir. They're getting brighter." - -"I can see where they are." The older man's voice was shaky. He looked -toward Murdoch. "I can't see you, though." - -"It'll come back gradually, sir. Why don't you have breakfast now?" - -Waverill told him what to do with breakfast. "I want to stay out here. -How bright is it now? Is it like full daylight yet?" - -"No, sir. It'll be a while yet. You'll be able to feel it on your -skin." Murdoch was clammy with the fear that the other's sight would -improve too fast. He looked around for some sharp corner, some twig he -could maneuver the man into. He didn't see anything. - -"What's that sweet smell?" Waverill wanted to know. - -"Flowers, sir. There's a blossoming hedge around the walkways." - -"I'll be able to see flowers again. I'll...." The older man caught -himself as if ashamed. "Tell me what this place looks like." - -Murdoch described the grounds, meanwhile guiding Waverill slowly around -the curved path. Somewhere, he thought, there'll be something sharp -I can bump him into. He had a wild thought of running the man into a -wall; but a bloody nose would be too obvious. - -"I can feel the warmth now," Waverill said, "and I can tell that -they're brighter." He was swiveling his head and squinting, -experimenting with his new traces of vision. - - * * * * * - -Murdoch carried on a conversation with half his attention, while his -mind churned. He thought, I'll have to resist the feeling that it's -safer here in back of the building. They'll be watching everywhere. -He wished he could get the man inside; under the cover of serving -breakfast he could improvise something. I'm sweating, he thought. I can -just begin to feel the lamps, but I'm wet all over. I've got to-- - -He drew in his breath sharply. From somewhere he heard the buzz of a -bee. His mind leaped upon the sound. He stopped walking, and Waverill -said, "What's wrong with you?" - -"Nothing. I--stepped on a big pebble." - -"They all feel big to me. Damned outrage; taking away a man's...." -Waverill's voice trailed off as he started experimenting with his eyes -again. - -There were more bees now, and presently Murdoch saw one loop over the -edge of the building and search along the hedge. The first of them, -he thought. There'll be more. He looked along the hedge. Most of the -blossoms hadn't really closed for the night, though the petals were -drawn together. He walked as slowly as he dared. The buzzing moved -tantalizingly closer, then away. - -A second buzz added itself. He heard the insect move past them, then -caught it in the corner of his eye. - -Waverill stopped. "Is that a _bee_? Here?" - -"I guess they keep them to fertilize the plants, sir." - -"They bother me. I can't tell where they are." - -"I'll watch out for them, sir." - -He could see the insect plainly now, and thought, I have an excuse to -watch it. The buzz changed pitch as the bee started to settle, then -changed again as it moved on a few feet. Murdoch clamped his teeth in -frustration. He tried to wipe his free hand where trousers should have -been, and discovered that his thigh was sweaty too. He thought, surely -Waverill must feel how sweaty my arm is. - -The bee flirted with another flower, then settled on a petal. Tense, -Murdoch subtly moved Waverill toward the spot. He could see every move -of the insect's legs as it crawled into the bell of the flower. - -"You can smell the blossoms more now, sir," he said. His throat felt -dry, and he thought his voice sounded odd. "It's warming up and -bringing out the smell, I guess." He halted, and tried not to let his -arm tense or tremble. "This is a light blue blossom. Can you see it?" - -"I--I'm not sure. I can see a bright spot a little above my head and -right in front of me." - -"That's a reflection off the ice, sir. The flower's down here." Holding -his breath, he took Waverill's hand and moved it toward the flower. -He found himself gritting his teeth and wincing as Waverill's fingers -explored delicately around the flower. - -The bee crawled out, apparently not aware of anything unusual, and -moved away a few inches. It settled on a leaf and began working its -legs together. - -Murdoch felt like screaming. - -Waverill's fingers stopped their exploration, then, as the bee was -silent, began again. Waverill bent over to bring his eyes closer to his -hand. - - * * * * * - -Shaking with anxiety now, Murdoch executed the small movements of his -right hand that forced the tiny instrument out from between his thumb -and forefinger. He felt a panicky desire to hurry, and forced himself -to move slowly. He transferred the tiny syringe to his left hand, which -was nearer Waverill. Waverill was about to pluck the blossom. Murdoch -moved his right hand forward, trying--in case the aliens could see, -though he had his body in the way--to make the move casual. He flicked -a finger near the bee. - -The bee leaped into the air, its buzz high-pitched and loud. Waverill -tensed. - -Murdoch cried, "Look out, sir!" and grabbed at Waverill's hand. He -jabbed the miniature syringe into the fleshy part of the hand, at the -outside, just below the wrist. - -"Damn you!" Waverill bellowed, slapping at his right hand with his -left. He jerked away from Murdoch. - -"Here, sir! Let me help you!" - -"Get away from me, you clumsy fool!" - -"Please, sir. Let me get the stinger out. You'll squeeze more poison -into your skin." - -Waverill faced him, a hand raised as if to strike. Then he lowered it. -"All right, damn you; and be careful about it." - -Shakily, Murdoch took Waverill's hand. The syringe, dangling from the -skin, held a trace of red in its minute plastic bulb. Murdoch gasped -for breath and fought to make his fingers behave. He got hold of the -syringe and drew it out. Pretending to drop it, he hid it in the -junction of the third and fourth fingers of his left hand. He kept -his body between them and the building, and tried to make his actions -convincing. "There. It's out, sir." - -Waverill was still cursing in a low voice. Presently he stopped, but -his face was still hard with anger. "Take me inside." - -"Yes, sir." Murdoch was weak with reaction. He drew a painful breath, -gave the older man his left arm and led him back. - -The tiny thing between his fingers felt as large and as conspicuous as -a handgun. - - -IV - -Murdoch felt as if the entire place was lined with eyes, all focused on -his left hand. The act of theft clearly begun, his life in the balance, -he felt now the icy nausea of fear; a feeling familiar enough, and -which he knew how to control, but which he still didn't like. Fear. -It's a strange thing, he thought. A peculiar thing. If you analyzed -it, you could resolve it into the physical sick feeling and the wish -in your mind, a very fervent wish, that you were somewhere else. -Sometimes, if it caught you tightly enough, it was almost paralyzing so -that your limbs and even your lungs seemed to be on strike. When fear -gripped him he always remembered back to that turning point, that act -that had made him an outlaw and an exile from Earth. - -He'd been a pilot in the Space Force, young, just out of the Academy, -and the bribe had seemed very large and the treason very small. It -seemed incredibly naive, now, that he should not have understood that a -double-cross was necessarily a part of the arrangement. - -It was in escaping at all, against odds beyond calculating, that he had -learned that he thought faster and deeper than other men, and that he -had guts. Having guts turned out to be a different thing than he had -imagined. It didn't mean that you stood grinning and calm while others -went mad with fear. It meant you suffered all the panic, all the actual -physical agony they did, but that you somehow stuck to the gun, took -the buffeting and still had in a corner of your being enough wit to -throw the counter-punch or think through to the way out. And that's -what he had to do now. Endure the fear and keep his wits. - -The robot had responded to Waverill's loud demand. It barely glanced -at Waverill's hand, said, "It will heal quickly" and left. So far as -Murdoch could tell, it didn't look at him. - -As soon as he dared, he went and took a shower. In the process of -lathering he inserted the syringe into the slit between thumb and -forefinger of his left hand. In that hiding-place was a small plastic -sphere holding a substance which ought to be nutrient to the virus. It -was delicate work, but he'd practiced well and his fingers were under -control now; and he got the point of the syringe into the sphere and -squeezed. He relaxed the squeeze, felt the bulb return slowly to shape -as it drew out some of the gummy stuff. He squeezed it back in, let the -shower rinse the syringe and got that back into the pouch in his right -hand. - -He didn't dare discard it. There was always the possibility of failure -and a second try, though, the timing made it very remote. If the -surgery was right, the pouches in his hand were lined with something -impervious, so that none of the virus would get into his blood too -soon. He lathered very thoroughly and rinsed off, then let a blast of -warm air dry him. He felt neither fear nor elation now. Rather there -was a let-down, and a weary apprehension at the trials ahead. The next -big step was to get the small sphere past the barrier ahead of the time -of leaving. He was pretty sure that he couldn't smuggle it out on his -person. The alien's final examination and sterilization would prevent -that. - - * * * * * - -Now there came the agony of waiting for the next step. He hadn't been -able to rig things tightly enough to predict within several hours -when it would come. It might be in one hour or in ten. A derelict was -drifting in. He'd arranged that, but it might be late or it might be -intercepted. He prepared a meal for Waverill and himself; sweated out -the interval and cooked another. He wandered from library to gymnasium -to out-of-doors, and fought endlessly the desire to stand at the -barrier and stare at the ship. - -The robot examined Waverill and revealed only that things were going -well. Waverill spent most of his time bringing objects before his -eyes, squinting and twisting his face, swallowed up in the ecstasy of -his slowly returning vision. When darkness came the older man slept. -Murdoch lay twisting on his own couch or dozed fitfully, beset with -twisted dreams. - -When the ship's alarm went off he didn't know at first whether it was -real or another of the dreams. - -His mind was sluggish in clearing, and when he sat up he could hear -sounds at the front of the building. Suddenly in a fright that he -would be too late, he jumped up and ran that way. The robot was already -out of the building. It turned toward him with a suggestion of haste. -"What is this." - -Murdoch tried to act startled. "The ship's alarm! There's something -headed in! Maybe Earth Patrol!" - -"Why did you leave the alarm on." - -"We--I guess I forgot in the excitement." - -"That was dangerous stupidity. How is the alarm powered." - -"It's self-powered. Rechargeable batteries." - -"You are fortunate that it is only a dead hull drifting by, otherwise -we would have to dispose of you at once. Stay here. I will shut it off." - -Murdoch pretended to protest mildly, then stood watching the robot -go. His hands were moving in what he hoped looked like a gesture of -futility. He got the plastic sphere out of its hiding-place and thumbed -it like a marble. He held his breath. The robot crossed the barrier. -Murdoch flipped the sphere after it. He saw it arc across the line -and bound once, then he lost it in the gravel. In the dim light from -Jupiter, low on the horizon, he could not find it again. Desperately, -he memorized the place in relation to the hedge. When he and Waverill -left, there would be scant time to look for it. - -The robot didn't take long to solve the ship's hatches, go in through -the lock, and locate the alarm. The siren chopped off in mid-scream. -The robot came back out and started toward him. Involuntarily, he -backed up against the building, wondering what the robot (or its -masters) right deduce with alien senses, and whether swift punishment -might strike him the next instant. But the robot passed him silently -and disappeared indoors. - -After a while he followed it inside, lay down on his couch, and resumed -the fitful wait. - - * * * * * - -The next morning Waverill's eyes followed him as he fixed breakfast. -There was life in them now, and purpose. The man looked younger, more -vigorous, too. - -Murdoch, trying not to sound nervous, asked, "Can you see more now, -sir?" - -"A little. Sit me so the light falls on my plate." - -Murdoch watched the other's attempts to eat by sight rather than feel, -adding mentally to his own time-table of the older man's recovery. -Apparently Waverill could see his plate, but no details of the food -on it. There was no more drowsiness, though. The movements were deft -except that they didn't yet correlate with the eyes. The eyes seemed -to have a little trouble matching up too, sometimes. No doubt it would -take a while to restore the reflexes lost over the years. - -Waverill walked the grounds alone in mid-morning. Murdoch, following -far enough behind not to draw a rebuff, took the opportunity to spot -his small treasure in the gravel beyond the barrier. Once found, it -was dismayingly visible. But there was nothing he could do now. He was -sweating again, and hoped with a sort of half-prayer to Fortune that -his nerves wouldn't start to shatter once more. - -He made lunch, then set himself the job of waiting out the afternoon. -Ages later he cooked dinner. He managed to eat most of his steak, -envying Waverill the wolfish appetite that made quick work of the meal. - -The long night somehow wore through, and he embraced eagerly the small -respite of breakfast. - -He felt unreal when the alien voice said, "Do not bother to wash the -dishes. Lie down on your bunks for your final examination. When you -awake you may leave." - -The fear spread through him again as he moved slowly to his couch. He -thought, If they've caught me, this is when they'll kill me. He was -afraid, no doubt of that; all the old symptoms were there. But, oddly, -there was a trace of perverse comfort in the thought: Maybe I've lost. -Maybe I'll just never wake up. Then dizziness hit him. He was aware of -a brief, feeble effort to resist it, then he slid into darkness. - - * * * * * - -He came awake still dizzy, and with a drugged feeling. His mouth was -dry. Breath came hard at first. He tried to open his eyes, but his -lids were too stiff. He spent a few minutes just getting his breath to -working, then he was able to open his eyes a little. When he sat up -there was a wash of nausea. He sat on the edge of the bunk, head hung, -until it lessened. Gradually he felt stronger. - -Waverill was sitting up too, looking no better than Murdoch felt. -He seemed to recover faster, though. Murdoch thought. He's actually -healthier than I am now. I hope he hasn't become a superman. - -The voice from the ceiling said, "Your clothes are in the next room. -Dress and leave at once. The barriers will be opened for you." - -Murdoch got to his feet and headed for the other room. He paused to let -Waverill go ahead, and noticed that Waverill had no trouble finding the -door. The older man wasn't talking this morning, and the jubilation he -must feel at seeing again was confined, outwardly, to a tight grin. - -They dressed quickly, Murdoch noting in the process that his clothes -had been gone over carefully and all weapons removed. It didn't matter. -But it did matter that he had to collect his prize on the way to the -ship, and the sweaty anxiety was with him. - -As they went out the door, Waverill stopped and let his eyes sweep -about the grounds. What a cool character he is, Murdoch thought. Not a -word. Not a sign of emotion. - -Waverill turned and started toward the ship. Murdoch let him get a step -ahead. His own eyes were searching the gravel. For a moment he had the -panicky notion that it was gone; then he spotted it. He wouldn't have -to alter his course to reach it. He saw Waverill flinch a little as -they crossed the barrier, then he too felt the odd sensation. He kept -going, trying to bring his left foot down on the capsule. He managed to -do it. - -Taut with anxiety, he paused and half-turned as if for a last look back -at the place. He could feel the sphere give a little; or maybe it was -a pebble sinking into the ground. He twisted his foot. He thought he -could feel something crush. He hesitated, in the agony of trying to -decide whether to go on or to make more sure by dropping something and -pretending to pick it up. He didn't have anything to drop. He thought, -I've got to go on or they'll suspect. He turned. Waverill had stopped -and was looking back at him keenly. Murdoch gripped himself, kept his -face straight, and went on. - -Waverill had to grope a little getting into the ship, as though his -hands still didn't correlate with his eyes, but it was clear that he -could see all right, even in the ship's dim interior. Murdoch said, -"Your eyes seem to be completely well, sir." - -Waverill was playing it cool too. "They don't match up very well yet, -and I have to experiment to focus. It'll come back, though." He went -casually to his seat and lowered himself into it. - -Murdoch got into the pilot's seat. "Better strap in, sir." - - * * * * * - -He didn't have long to wonder how they'd be sent off; the ship lifted -and simply passed through whatever served as a ceiling. - -There was no restraint when Murdoch turned on the gravs and took over. -He moved off toward Ganymede's north pole, gaining altitude slowly, -watching his screens, listening to the various hums and whines as the -ship came alive. The radar would have to stay off until they were away -from Ganymede, but the optical system showed nothing threatening. He -moved farther from the satellite, keeping it between him and Jupiter. - -"Hold it here," Waverill said. - -Letting the ship move ahead on automatic, Murdoch turned in pretended -surprise. "What...." - -Waverill had a heat gun trained steadily on him. "I'll give you the -course." - -Murdoch casually reached down beside the pilot's chair. A compartment -opened under his fingers, and he lifted a gun of his own. - -Waverill's mouth went tight as he squeezed the trigger. Nothing -happened. Waverill glanced at the weapon. Rage moved across his face. -He hoisted the gun as if to throw it, then stopped as Murdoch lifted -his own gun a little higher. - -"You got to them," Waverill said flatly. - -"The ones that did the remodeling job on this crate and hid that gun -for you? Of course. Did you think you were playing with an idiot?" - -"I could have sworn they were beyond reach." - -"I reached them." Murdoch got unstrapped and stood up. He had the -ship's acceleration just as he wanted it. "And naturally I went over -the ship while you were blind. Get into your suit now, Waverill." - -"Why?" - -"I'm giving you a better break than you were going to give me. I'm -putting you where the Patrol will pick you up." - -"You won't make it, you son of a bitch. I've got some cards left." - -"I know where you planned to rendezvous. By the time you buy your way -out of jail, I'll be out of your reach." - -"You _never_ will." - -"Talk hard enough and I may decide to kill you right now." - -Waverill studied his face for a moment, then slowly got to his feet. -He went to the suit locker, got out his suit, and squirmed into it. -Murdoch grinned as he saw the disappointment on the other's face. The -weapons were gone from the suit, too. - -He said, "Zip up and get the helmet on, and get into the lock." - -Waverill, face contorted with hate, complied slowly. Murdoch secured -the inner hatch behind the man, then got on the ship's intercom. "Now, -Waverill, you'll notice it's too far for a jump back to Ganymede. I'm -going to spend about forty minutes getting into an orbit that'll give -you a good chance. When I say shove off, you can either do it or stay -where you are. If you stay, we'll be headed a different direction and -I'll have to kill you for my own safety." He left the circuit open, -and activated a spy cell so he could see into the lock. Waverill was -leaning against the inner hatch, conserving what heat he could. - - -V - -Murdoch set up a quick flight program, waited a minute to get farther -from Ganymede and the aliens, then turned on a radar search and set the -alarm. He unzipped his left shoe, got it off and stood staring at it -for a moment, almost afraid to turn it over. - -Then he turned it slowly. There was a sticky spot on the sole. - -The muscles around his middle got so taut they ached. He hurried to -the ship's med cabinet, chose a certain package of bandages and tore -it open with unsteady fingers. There was a small vial hidden there. He -unstoppered it and poured the contents onto the shoe sole. - -He let it soak while he checked the pilot panel, then hurried back. -With a probe, he mulled the liquid around on the shoe sole and waited -a minute longer. Then he scraped all he could back into the vial and -looked at it. There were a few bits of shoe sole in it, but none big -enough to worry him. He got out a hypodermic and drew some of the fluid -into it. The needle plugged. He swore, ejected a little to clear it and -drew in some more. - -When he had his left sleeve pushed up, he looked at the vein in the -bend of his elbow for a little while, then he took a deep breath and -plunged the needle in. He hit it the first time. He was very careful -not to get any air into the vein. - -He sighed, put the rest of the fluid back in the vial and stoppered it, -and cleaned out the needle. Then he put a small bandage on his arm and -went back to the pilot's seat. He felt tired now that it was done. - -The scan showed nothing dangerous. Waverill hadn't moved. Murdoch -opened his mouth to speak to him, then decided not to. He flexed his -arm and found it barely sore, then went over his flight program again. -He made a small adjustment. The acceleration was just over one G, and -it made him a little dizzy. He wondered if he could risk a drink. It -hadn't hurt Waverill. He went to the small sink and cabinet that served -as a galley, poured out a stiff shot into a glass, and mixed it with -condensed milk. He took it back to the pilot's seat, not bothering with -the free-fall cap, and drank it slowly. - -It was nearly time to unload Waverill. - -He checked course again, then thumbed the mike. "All right, Waverill. -Get going. You should be picked up within nine or ten hours." - -Waverill didn't answer, but the panel lights showed the outer hatch -activated. Through the spy cell Murdoch could see the stars as the -hatch slowly opened. Waverill jumped off without hesitating. Murdoch -liked the tough old man's guts, and hoped he'd make it all right. - - * * * * * - -He closed the hatch and fed new data into the autopilot. He sagged into -the seat as the ship strained into a new course, then it eased off to -a steady forward acceleration. He was ready to loop around another of -Jupiter's moons, then around the giant planet itself, on a course that -should defy pursuit unless it were previously known. - -He flexed his arm. It was a little sorer now. He wondered when the -drowsiness would hit him. He didn't want to trust the autopilot until -he was safely past Jupiter; if a meteor or a derelict got in the way, -it might take human wits to set up a new course safely. - -He had all the radar units on now. The conic sweep forward showed the -great bulge of Jupiter at one side; no blips in space. The three Plan -Position screens, revolving through cross-sections of the sphere of -space around him, winked and faded with blips but none near the center. -He thought, I've made it. I've gotten away with it, and I ought to feel -excited. Instead, he was only tired. He thought, I'll get up and fill a -thermos with coffee, then I can sit here. - -He unstrapped and began to rise. Then his eyes returned to one of the -scopes. - -This particular one was seldom used in space; it was for planet -landings. It scanned ahead in a narrow horizontal band, like a sea -vessel's surface sweep. He'd planned only to use it as he transited -Jupiter, to cut his course in near to the atmosphere, and it was only -habit that had made him glance at it. The bright green line showed no -peaks, but at the middle, and for a little way to each side, it was -very slightly uneven. - -He thought, It's just something in the system, out of adjustment. He -looked at the forward sweep. There were no blips dead ahead. He moved -the adjustments of the horizontal sweep, blurred the line, then brought -it back to sharpness. Except in the middle. The blurriness there -remained. - -He opened a panel and punched automatic cross-checks, got a report that -the instrument was in perfect order. He looked at the scope again. -The blurred length had grown to either side. Clammy sweat began to -form on his skin. He punched at the computers, set up a program that -would curve the ship off its path, punched for safety verification, -and activated the autopilot. He heard the drive's whine move higher, -but felt no answering lateral acceleration. He punched for three -G deceleration, working frantically to get strapped in. The drive -shrieked but there was no tug at his body. - -The blurred part of the green line was spreading. - -He realized he was pressing against the side of his seat. That meant -the ship was finally swerving. But he'd erased that program. And now, -abruptly, deceleration hit him. He sagged forward against his straps, -gasping for air. He heard a new whine as his seat automatically began -to turn, pulling in the straps on one side, as it maneuvered to face -him away from the deceleration. He was crushed sideways for a while, -then the seat locked and he pressed hard against the back of it. This -he could take, though he judged it was five or six G's. He labored for -breath. - -The deceleration cut off and he was in free fall. His screens and -scopes were dark. The drive no longer whined. He thought, Something's -got me. Something that can hide from radar, and control a ship from a -distance like a fish on the end of a spear. - -He tore at the straps, got free and leaped for the suit locker. He -dressed in frantic haste, cycled the air lock ... and found himself on -the surface of a planet. - -He had been returned to Ganymede. - -Panicked, he fled; then abruptly, where nothing had been, there was -something solid in his path. He turned his face to avoid the impact and -tried to get his arms in front of him. He crashed into something that -did not yield. His arms slid around something, and without opening his -eyes he knew the robot had him. He tried to fight, but his strength was -pitiful. He relaxed and tried to think. - -In his suit helmet radio the voice of the robot said, "We will put you -to sleep now." - -He fought frantically to break loose. His mind screamed, No! If you go -to sleep now you'll never.... - - * * * * * - -He was wrong. - -His first waking sensation was delicious comfort. He felt good all -over. He came a little more awake and his spaceman's mind began to -reason: There's light gravity, and I'm supported by the armpits. No -acceleration. I'm breathing something heavier than air, but it feels -good in my lungs, and tastes good. - -His eyelids unlocked themselves, and the shock of seeing was like a -knife in his middle. - -He was buried in the ice, looking out at the place where he and -Waverill had stayed. He was far into the ice and could only see -distortedly. Between him and the open were various things; rocks, -eroded artifacts. At the edge of his vision on the right was a vaguely -animal shape. - -Terror made him struggle to turn his head. He couldn't; he was encased -in something just tight enough to hold him. His nose and mouth were -free, and a draft of the cloying atmosphere moved past them so that he -could breath. There was enough space before his eyes for him to see -the stuff swirling like a heavy fog. He thought, I'm being fed by what -I breathe. I don't feel hungry. In horror, he forced the stuff out of -his lungs. It was hard to exhale. He resisted taking any back in, but -eventually he had to give up and then he fought to get it in. He tried -to cry out, but the sound was a muffled nothing. - -He yielded to panic and struggled for a while without accomplishing -anything, except that he found that his casing did yield, very slowly, -if he applied pressure long enough. That brought a little sanity, and -he relaxed again until the exhaustion wore off. - -There was movement in the vague shape at his right, and he felt a -compulsion to see it more plainly. Even after it was in his vision, -horrified fascination kept him straining until his head was turned -toward it. - -It was alive; obscenely alive, a caricature of parts of a man. There -was no proper skin, but an ugly translucent membrane covered it. The -whole was encased as Murdoch himself must be, and from the casing -several pipes stretched back into the dark ice. The legs were entirely -gone, and only stubs of arms remained, sufficient for the thing to hang -from in its casing. Bloated lungs pulsed slowly, breathing in and out a -misty something like what Murdoch breathed. The stomach was shrunken to -a small repugnant sack, hanging at the bottom with what might be things -evolved from liver and kidneys. Blood moved from the lungs through -the loathsome mess, pumped by an overgrown heart that protruded from -between the lungs. A little blood circulated up to what had once been -the head. The skull was gone. The nose and mouth were one round hole -where the nutrient vapor puffed in and out. The brain showed horrible -and shrunk through the membrane. A pair of lidless idiot eyes stared -unmovingly in Murdoch's direction. The whole jawless head was the size -of Murdoch's two fists doubled up, if he could judge the size through -the distortion of the ice. - - * * * * * - -Sick but unable to vomit, Murdoch forced his eyes away from the thing. -Now the aliens spoke to him, from somewhere. "Pretty isn't he Murdoch. -He makes a good bank for the virus. You were right you know it does -offer great longevity but it has its own ideas of what a host should -be." - -Murdoch produced a garbled sound and the aliens spoke again. "Your -words are indistinct but perhaps you are asking how long it took him to -become this way. He was one of our first visitors the very first who -tried to steal from us. His plan was not as clever as your own which we -found diverting though of course you had no chance against our science -which is beyond your understanding." And, in answer to his moan, they -said, "Do not be unphilosophical Murdoch you will find many thoughts to -occupy your time." - -I'll go mad, he thought. That's the way out! - -But he doubted that even the escape of madness would be allowed. - -END - -[Transcriber's Note: Original text had two sections labeled "III". -Sections after first III have been renumbered.] - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Guest of Ganymede, by C. C. 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