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diff --git a/old/60462.txt b/old/60462.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 4ba8920..0000000 --- a/old/60462.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1216 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Conservation, by Charles L. Fontenay - -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: Conservation - -Author: Charles L. Fontenay - -Release Date: October 9, 2019 [EBook #60462] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CONSERVATION *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - CONSERVATION - - BY CHARLES L. FONTENAY - - _The people of Earth had every means of power - at their command, yet they used none of it. Was - it due to lack of knowledge and technique; or - was there a more subtle, dangerous reason?_ - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Worlds of If Science Fiction, April 1958. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -The yellow sands of the spaceport stretched, glaring and empty, in -every direction. There was no sign of life from the little group of -buildings a mile away. - -In the control room of the tall, round-nosed starship, technicians -labored and officers conferred while the red needles that showed rocket -tube temperatures sank slowly toward zero on their dials. - -"Maybe Earth's depopulated, Tom," suggested John Gray, the executive -officer. He ran his fingers through close-cropped red hair and peered -through the port with thoughtful gray eyes. - -"Hardly, John," replied Commander Tom Wallace, frowning. "The scout -rockets showed some good-sized cities, with smoke." - -"I was off duty then and haven't had time to read the log," apologized -John. "What gets me is that they should have a robot-controlled -space relay station orbiting outside the atmosphere, and a deserted -spaceport. It just doesn't jibe." - -"That's why we have to be just as careful as though we were landing -on an alien planet," said the commander. "We don't know what the -conditions on Earth are now. How long has it been, John?" - -"Two hundred and fifty-eight years," answered John. "Ten years, our -time." - -"Pick three for briefing, John. This is going to be a disappointing -homecoming for the crew, but we'll have to send out an exploration -party." - -The landing ramp slid out from just above the rocket tubes, and the -armored car clanked down to the sand. John steered it across the wide -expanse of the spaceport toward the group of buildings. Above and -behind him, a woman swept the terrain with binoculars from the car's -observation turret. In the body of the car, another woman and a man -stood by the guns. - -The buildings were just as lifeless when they drew near, but there -was an ominous atmosphere about them. They were windowless, of heavy -concrete. Through slits in their domed roofs, the noses of a dozen -cannon angled toward the ship. - -"John, there's someone there," said the girl in the turret, tensely. -"You can't see it through the windshield, but there are some smaller -guns poking out near the ground and they're following us." - -John stopped the car and switched on the loudspeaker. - -"Hello, the spaceport!" His amplified voice boomed out across the sand -and reverberated against the buildings. "Is anybody there? We come in -peace." - -There was no reply. The big guns still angled toward the starship, the -little ones focussed on the car. - -"They may be robot-controlled," suggested Phil Maxwell, the gunner on -the side of the car toward the forts. "Any sign of an entrance, Ann?" - -"Nothing but the gunports," replied the girl in the turret. - -"Don't fool with them, John," said Commander Wallace, who was tuned -in from the ship on the car's communications system. "If they're -robot-controlled, they'll be booby-trapped. Move out of range and -continue with your exploration." - - * * * * * - -Two days later, the car emerged from the desert into comparatively -fertile country. The four explorers found a broken concrete highway and -followed it between rolling, treeless grasslands. Near dusk, they saw -smoke on the horizon--and ran into a roadblock. - -A segment of the highway had been thrown up into a ten-foot wall, -barring their progress. Over the edge of the wall, the muzzles of -heat-guns pointed at them as they brought the car to a halt some -distance away. John got the commander on the car radio. - -"We could swing around it, but we don't know whether they have -vehicles that could outrun us," he reported. "And my conception of our -mission is to establish contact." - -"That's right," agreed Tom. "But stay in the car until you get a -friendly reaction. Then you're on your own--and I'm afraid you're -expendable, John." - -John switched on the loudspeaker and made overtures to the roadblock. -After a moment, a lone figure stepped around the edge of the mound of -earth and concrete and approached the car slowly. The man was dressed -in the drab, baggy uniform of a professional soldier. - -"If you come in peace, leave your vehicle and identify yourself," -called the soldier. "You will not be harmed." - -"Take over, Phil," ordered John. He slipped from the driver's seat and -climbed through the turret. Jumping to the ground, he approached the -soldier, his arms swinging freely at his sides. - -"John Gray, executive officer of the starship Discovery, returned from -a colonizing mission to Deneb III," said John, holding out his hand. - -The soldier ignored the out-stretched hand, saluting formally instead. - -"Arrive in peace," he said. "If you will leave your vehicle here, you -will be escorted as deevs to Third Sarge Elfor, commander of the town -of Pebbro." - -John returned to the car and held a brief consultation with his -companions. Although he was in command of the exploration party, -planetary operations of the starship's personnel were conducted on a -somewhat democratic basis. The commander listened in, but left them to -their own judgment. - -"Communications blackout for a while then, commander," said John. "I -see no reason to let them know about the personal radios right now." - -The quartet emerged from the car wearing small packs of emergency -rations and equipment. Behind the roadblock, the sight that met their -eyes was unexpected. - -The robot-controlled space relay station, the heavily armed pillboxes -at the spaceport and the heat-guns poked across the roadblock at them, -all had made it logical to anticipate a powerfully equipped task force. -Instead, they found a troop of 19th century cavalrymen, armed for the -most part with 13th century weapons. There were no more than a dozen -heat-guns in evidence, and their bearers also carried short swords and -long-bows with quivers of arrows. - -The four from the starship were given mounts and, with no outward -indications of hostility, were escorted to the town whose smoke they -had seen. - -The town was another surprise. They had expected either a fortress or -an outpost of brick and log buildings. It was neither. The buildings -were tremendous cubes and domes of steel and concrete, sleek and -modern, windowed with heavy glass bricks. Skeins of cables, coils and -loops of aerials bespoke the power that must be at their command. - -But the people walked. - -Not a car or a truck was to be seen. Men and women in the gray -military uniforms walked or trotted up and down the broad paved -streets. Occasionally a horse-drawn wagon passed, hauling a load of -vegetables or manure. It was as though a cavalry post of the old West -carried on its slow-moving duties in a super-modern setting. - - * * * * * - -Third Sarge Elfor was a middle-aged man of military bearing, with a -sandy handle-bar mustache. He sat behind a huge desk in one of the -town's biggest buildings. There were elevators, open and deserted, in -the lobby, but they had to climb ten flights of stairs to reach his -gleaming office. - -"The Topkick sends you greetings from Kansity, capital of the Earth," -he said. "We have watched your ship since it approached the outer -atmosphere. We have listened to your communications since you left your -ship, and have been interested in the indications that you are of Earth -but unfamiliar with it. We are interested also in your use of a vehicle -that can travel for three days without refueling. But we do not find a -record of any ship named Discovery, and we do not know what you mean by -Deneb III." - -"The Discovery left Earth 258 years ago," replied John. "We established -a colony on Deneb III, the third planet of the star Deneb, before -returning to Earth." - -"You are the descendents of the ship's original crew, then?" - -"No," said John. He explained as well as he could the extension of -subjective time at near-light speeds. - -"Mmm. And you have left a colony on a planet of another star." They -could not tell from the Third Sarge's tone what he thought. After a -moment's meditation, he said: - -"We shall talk again tomorrow. Tonight you are our guests and will be -accorded all courtesy as deevs. Are you husbands and wives, or shall we -billet men and women separately?" - -"However it suits your convenience," answered John. "You may billet us -all together if you prefer." - -Third Sarge Elfor took them at their word. They were conducted to a -single room, evidently in the heart of officers' quarters. Here again -they ran into the same anomaly that had impressed them since they -landed. - -There were gleaming electric fixtures, but orderlies brought them -tallow candles as dusk fell. There was plumbing of the most advanced -order, but when they turned the taps no water came. The orderlies -brought buckets full of hot water for their baths in the bright-tiled -tub. - -"I don't understand this at all, Ann," said John. He was towelling -himself vigorously, while she brushed the quartet's clothing clean -of the dust of the road. Phil lolled in luxurious undress on one of -the four beds, reading a book from the well-stocked bookcase. Fran, -preparing for her bath, was binding up her hair before a full-length -mirror. "Even the cold water doesn't run a drop." - -"Plumbing gets out of order in the best of families, John," Ann -reminded him with a smile. - -He glanced affectionately at her. Blue-eyed, black-haired Ann had been -John's companion in the six-months exploration of Deneb III, and their -seven-year-old son now was learning to read in the starship's school. -John and Ann clashed like flint and steel in the crowded confines of -the starship and consequently maintained no association while aspace. -But they were a happy team in the free, challenging atmosphere of a -planet. - -"Electricity, too, at the same time?" he asked. "And it's not just -that. The whole place reeks of latent power and high science, but they -use an absolute minimum of it." - -"I've got a partial solution to the garrison state of affairs and the -military set-up, anyhow," said Phil from the bed. "They've had a war -since we've been gone." - -"That's no surprise," commented Fran. Chubby, blonde Fran and dark, -stocky Phil had been companions for a year aboard the Discovery. They -had volunteered jointly for the exploration mission. "They should have -had several of them in 250 years." - -"This was an interplanetary war," retorted Phil mildly. "Or rather, it -wasn't war, but occupation of the Earth by the enemy. The Jovians were -smart enough not to attack Earth directly, but threw their strength -at the crucial moment behind the weaker side in the war between -Eurasia and the American Alliance. Then they moved in to take over the -war-weakened victors." - -"The classic role of the strong neutral," commented John drily. "What -were the Jovians like?" - -"Evidently everybody on Earth knew from first-hand experience when -this book was written a century ago. There are no descriptions and -no illustrations. There are some hints, though: methane-breathing, -cold-loving. They had domed, refrigerated cities." - -"What are you reading--a history book?" asked Ann curiously. - -"Yes, it's the newest book of the whole lot, and the only one that -isn't brittle and dog-eared. At that, it's the worst-made book of them -all. It looks like it was printed on a hand-press and bound by hand." - -"Pioneers, oh pioneers!" trilled Fran softly. "But what are they doing -in the midst of all this technology?" - - * * * * * - -Supper in the officers' mess was a glittering affair in the military -tradition. Their conversation developed some new revelations. Third -Sarge Elfor was commander of the whole area that surrounded Pebbro -for hundreds of miles, including the abandoned spaceport. The Topkick -was ruler of the nation, and the nation was the top echelon in a -co-operating hierarchy of countries of the world. For some reason, the -simplified terms for enlisted men's grades had replaced higher ranks in -Earth's military systems: such titles as "sarge" and "topkick." Inquiry -developed that none of the officers was familiar with such designations -as "captain" and "commander." - -"But why is the spaceport deserted?" asked Phil. "Is space travel at -such a low ebb on Earth now?" - -"You are mistaken in thinking the port deserted," replied Elfor. "The -big guns in the pillboxes are zeroed on your ship. If it tries to blast -off, it will be destroyed." - -There was no enmity in his tone, no threat. It was a simple statement -of fact. He didn't elaborate, and the four from the starship discreetly -asked no more about it. - -After the meal, they retired with Elfor and several members of his -staff to a quiet lounge. Like every other place they had seen in the -building, it was lit with candelabra. They relaxed in comfortable, -leather-covered chairs and the men enjoyed the long-forgotten luxury -of good cigars. White-aproned servitors brought them wine in fragile, -long-stemmed glasses. - -"You asked about space travel from Earth," said Elfor. "Yes, you might -call it at a low ebb. Yours is the first ship to blast down in fifty -years, except the scout ships in the Jupiter sector. - -"It is such an unusual occurrence that the Topkick is being informed -daily of developments. When the men of your starship have been assured -of our peaceful intentions, it will be hangared underground and the -personnel quartered here until further orders from the Topkick. -Meanwhile, you are the deevs of the hour and we shall drink to your -return to Earth." - -He stood and raised his glass. They all arose. The glasses clinked -together. - -"Conserve!" shouted the Third Sarge and gulped his wine. - -It was a warm moment. For the first time, John felt the genuine glow, -the thrill of homecoming, as he and Phil drained their glasses and -performed the ancient rite of the spacemen when he sets foot on Earth -once more. As in one motion, they hurled the empty glasses through the -open door, to smash to pieces against the farther wall of the adjoining -corridor. There was a second crashing tinkle on the heels of the first -as the glasses of the women followed them closely. - -It was only when he turned back to Elfor, his face alight, that John -realized something was wrong. The Third Sarge stood with his mouth open -in astonishment. There was something of horror on the faces of the -other Earthmen. Dead silence hung in the room. - -"Sleep in peace," said Elfor at last, in a strained voice. He turned on -his heel and left the room. The staff members followed, coldly. - -"Well, what do you make of that?" asked John, turning to the others -with outspread hands. "Do you suppose those glasses were valuable -heirlooms or something?" - -"They looked like ordinary wine-glasses to me," said Fran. "I don't get -it, but it looks like we slipped up somewhere." - -The orderly who escorted them to their room cast an occasional -side-long glance, full of awe, at them. Their heat-guns had been taken -from their room. - -"I don't know what we're in for, Tom," John said gravely into his -pocket transmitter when he had tuned in to the ship. "This place is the -biggest mess of contradictions I ever ran into. You'd think from the -way they live that it's a decadent society living on the ruins of a -former civilization. - -"The perplexing thing is that they obviously have power and know how to -use it, but don't." - -"Your job is to find the motivation, John," replied the commander. -"Remember, we couldn't understand the underground living habits of the -Deneb IV natives until we lost half a search party in one of their -semi-annual meteor showers. Do you have any recommendations for the -ship?" - -"I'd advise you blasting off and taking an orbit," answered John, "but -every gun at the spaceport is trained on the ship. I wouldn't take any -chances that they don't have atomic weapons. Despite these swords and -spears, we've seen several regulation heat-guns around here." - -"It might interest you to know that they're keeping us awake aboard -with a battery of spotlights on us all night," said Tom drily. - -"Spotlights." John swore softly. "And all we have to see by are -candles!" - -They didn't sleep well that night. They had the distinct impression -that armed guards clanked by occasionally outside in the corridor. - - * * * * * - -There was no indication that they were prisoners the next day, however. -Third Sarge Elfor and the other officers were cordial at breakfast and -lunch, although they caught some quizzical glances directed at them -from time to time. Their movements were not hampered. They were given -the run of the town. - -After noon their armored car was brought in, hauled by four teams of -horses. Flanked by a troop of soldiers, it was pulled around a corner -and vanished from their sight. - -"If they're so curious about how it runs, why aren't they quizzing us -instead of letting us go on a sight-seeing tour?" wondered Ann, staring -after the disappearing vehicle. - -"I've built up a theory on these Earthmen...." began Phil. But he was -interrupted as an officer and a squad of soldiers approached them. The -officer saluted smartly. - -"Deev John Gray, Third Sarge Elfor sends greetings and desires that you -confer with him. The others will be free to continue their inspection -of the military city of Pebbro." - -"Very well," agreed John. "Ann, you'd better come along with me to take -notes on the conference. We'll see you two tonight, if not sooner." - -He motioned to the officer to lead the way, and the group went up the -street, leaving Phil and Fran standing in the shadow of a towering -building. - -"What's your theory, Phil?" asked Fran. - -"Simple," he answered. "The Jovian war wiped out civilization. They've -just climbed back up part of the way, but they still don't know how to -operate the machinery and use the power they have available." - -"I don't know about that," said Fran doubtfully. "They seem to know -how to handle those cannon and searchlights at the spaceport all right." - -"Automatic control, probably, or--" Phil paused. He was peering through -a barred window at street level. "Say, Fran, look here! Unless I miss -my guess, this is a central power station!" - -Fran stooped to look. - -"I think you're right," she said. "But it's deserted." - -"Proof of my theory," he said triumphantly. "Now, if we can just find a -door somewhere...." - - * * * * * - -John and Ann had been back from a very routine conference with Elfor -for more than an hour, and were enjoying the informality of the -officers' cocktail lounge in their building. They were aroused by -a commotion in the street outside and, along with several off-duty -officers in the lounge, ran to the window to see what was up. - -Phil and Fran, seated in a military jeep, were surrounded by excited -soldiers. Some sort of argument was in progress, and John and Ann heard -the word "credentials" mentioned. - -Just as several of the soldiers, with drawn swords, dragged the -couple from the jeep, one of the officers from the lounge hurried to -the scene. The soldiers stood aside and saluted. There was a heated -discussion, with much gesticulating, then Phil and Fran were released -and headed for the lounge. - -The officer got into the jeep and shifted gears. All the soldiers -whipped out their swords and stood rigid, presenting arms, as he drove -it to the curb at the opposite side of the street. Then he turned off -the engine and got out. A guard was posted around it, and a little -later a team of horses arrived to pull it away. - -"How did you people get into such a predicament?" asked John when the -show was over and the four of them were enjoying drinks. - -"Oh, I don't think it was as serious as it looked," said Phil lightly. -"We ran across a whole garage full of jeeps. We drove that one all -over town before this gang stopped us and wanted to see our written -authority for driving it. Everybody else saluted us. That's the -military mind for you." - -"Didn't it occur to you that their objections might be something other -than mere military regulations?" asked John in some asperity. - -"Phil has a theory--" began Fran, but Phil silenced her with a shake of -the head. - -"My theory can wait until I have proof for it, and I expect that in -short order," said Phil, winking at Fran. "We've made good use of our -time while you and Ann were in conference." - -Phil and Fran were eager to know what John and Ann had learned from -their conference with Elfor. - -"Not much," he confessed. "Elfor is pretty close-mouthed. He's more -anxious to learn about us than to give us information about their -set-up. - -"We did find out, though, that they've located the records of the -Discovery's departure in the archives of Kansity. There seems to be -something irregular about it, but I couldn't get Elfor to go into -detail." - -The first hint John and Ann had of Phil's method of proving his theory -was when he quietly stripped and went into the bathroom as they were -preparing for supper that evening. Ann was about to remind him he had -forgotten to get the orderly to bring his bath water, when they heard -the sound of a shower roaring. All three crowded to the door, to find -Phil luxuriating under a steaming downpour. - -"What goes on here?" demanded John. "Phil, how did you know they'd -started the water pumps?" - -Phil smiled triumphantly. - -"Try the lights," he suggested. - -The others trooped back into the bedroom and Ann flicked the switches. -White light blazed in the room, overpowering the feeble gleam of the -candles. - -"What is this, Fran?" asked John. "You were with Phil." - -"We found proof of Phil's theory that these people just don't know how -to operate their own machinery," replied Fran happily. "We found their -main pumping station. It was in good shape, and it didn't take us long -to get the engines started and the main switches thrown." - -The electric lights suddenly faded and died, leaving them in -candle-light again. At the same time, the sound of the shower gurgled -to a stop in the bathroom. Phil appeared at the door with a towel, -dripping. - -"Don't tell me their machinery's given out so soon," he growled. - -"Phil, this is no time to talk about discipline," snapped John angrily, -"but you and Fran probably have pulled something a lot worse than the -jeep this time. Neither of you is qualified in social psychology, but -even so you should have been able to read the signs that they do know -how to operate their machines. For some reason, they just don't operate -them." - -In less than five minutes, Third Sarge Elfor appeared at their door -with a squad of armed men. All of these soldiers carried heat-guns. - -"Two of you were observed in the vicinity of the power station today," -said Elfor. "You are warned that you are suspected of having activated -the power supply of the military city of Pebbro." - -"We don't deny that," admitted John carefully. "We are ignorant of your -customs, and hope no harm has been done." - -"Your claim to ignorance will be determined at a formal hearing," -retorted Elfor sternly. "We have given you the benefit of every doubt -and treated you as honored deevs. I regret that this makes it necessary -that all of you be placed under arrest. Your meal will be served to you -in your quarters." - -As soon as Elfor had gone, leaving armed guards outside their door, -John tuned in the starship on his pocket transmitter. - -"I would have advised against Phil's action, in view of our lack of -understanding of the situation," he reported to Commander Wallace. "But -I confess I wouldn't have anticipated that the result would be so -extreme. - -"I can't fathom their reactions, Tom. In a crazy sort of way, I suppose -they fit in with all the other contradictions of their social set-up. -Have you had any luck with the ship's calculator?" - -"Not enough data," answered Tom. "Maybe this new stuff will help, and -you might scrape for everything else you can transmit. I'd hate to try -a rescue operation, because that might force us to head back for Deneb -III. But if they don't decide to blast the ship in the next hour or so, -there's a chance we can pull out of this trap at our end." - -John did not ask for details, for he knew their conversation probably -was monitored. - - * * * * * - -The four of them sat up half the night poring over the books in their -room. They gleaned nothing except from the "history" Phil had been -reading the night before. Unfortunately, it was not a general history, -but the flowery story of a high military family. The sort of references -they found were, "after the Jovian invaders had been driven from Earth" -and "Second Sarge Vesix participated in the bombardment that destroyed -the Jovian tyrants." No details. - -What did emerge from their study was a picture of the rise of a -military aristocracy on the ashes of an earlier civilization which had -been ground to pieces under the heels of alien rulers. - -There was good news from the starship at dawn. - -"We're orbiting," said Commander Wallace with quiet pride. "Shortly -after I talked with you last night, they called on us to surrender or -be blasted. I asked time for a conference of officers and promised to -fire a rocket from the nose if we decided to surrender. - -"I fired the rocket all right, but it was an instantaneous smoke -screen rocket. I still don't know whether their guns are manned or -robot-controlled, but I gambled that their firing was keyed to the -sight of the ship blasting off instead of to vibration. We were half -a mile up before they could swing into action, and we didn't get a -scratch." - -A rescue mission with one of the scout rockets was too risky against -the strong forces of the Earthmen. Tom mentioned that fast planes had -followed them into the stratosphere. But one thing was done for the -imprisoned four. - -Soon after breakfast, they were taken under guard to a Spartan -courtroom, presided over by Third Sarge Elfor. - -"We have received a warning from your colleagues," Elfor said grimly. -"They broadcast to us a short time ago that if harm came to you, this -city and others will be destroyed before they leave the solar system. -In case you knew of this and it has in any way raised your hopes, I -wish to remind you that Earth's cities have been destroyed before. This -threat will not affect our decision to mete strict justice to you. - -"You are charged with being enemies of the people of Earth, and with -having landed on Earth under false colors with the intent of sabotage -and espionage. Your prosecutor will be Fifth Tech Jatoo, representing -the nations of Earth. You will be permitted to speak in your own -defense." - -Jatoo was a slender, thin-faced man with the air of an experienced -attorney. - -"The governments of Earth make these charges against the joint -defendants," he began matter-of-factly: "That they are members of a -rebellious and traitorous group who are allied with the Jovians and -maintain an illegal, secret base on some planet or moon of the solar -system; that they came here under the guise of strangers, with the -specific intent of espionage and sabotage of Earth's defense against -the Jovian enemy; and that they actually began such operations. - -"We shall present the following major evidence in support of these -charges: - -"First, that the defendants did travel from the Numex spaceport to the -military town of Pebbro in a vehicle, the motive power of which is -still unknown but which obviously must utilize fuel, in violation of -the conservation laws; - -"Second, that the defendants' colleagues did not approach the peoples -of Earth in peace, but remained enfortressed in an armed space vessel; - -"Third, that the defendants Phil Alcorn and Fran Golden did throw the -switches activating the electrical system and powered water system of -the military town of Pebbro, that the above-named two defendants did -utilize a military power vehicle for pleasure purposes and that all the -defendants did unnecessarily destroy glass drinking vessels, all in -violation of the conservation laws; - -"And, fourth, that the starship Discovery, listed in ancient records as -having departed on a colonizing mission to the third planet of the star -Deneb, was not scheduled to return to Earth for another seventy-five -years and therefore could not be the ship in which the defendants -arrived, as claimed." - -Elfor inclined his head toward the quartet from the starship, who sat -behind a long table on the side of the room opposite Jatoo. - -"You may state what your defense will be," he said. - -"Our defense to the first three items of evidence," answered John, who -had been taking notes, "is that we have been absent from Earth for -more than 250 Earth-years and that we were, and are, ignorant of your -laws and customs. Thus, we are innocent of intent to violate them. Our -defense to the fourth item of evidence is that certain improvements -were made in the engines of the starship Discovery while colonization -of Deneb III was in progress, making it possible for us to return to -Earth ahead of schedule. Our defense to all three charges made against -us is that they are false." - -It was a monotonous trial, with a parade of witnesses brought to the -stand by Jatoo, all of whom testified to seeing the defendants perform -one or more acts of "unconservation." - -"In the courts of Earth, a case can be decided only on the evidence -presented," said Third Sarge Elfor when John had offered his brief -defense for the quartet. "The defendants have presented no evidence, -only argument. The fact that the defendants' clothing corresponds -to that in use two and a half centuries ago cannot be considered -competent, as it could be copied easily. - -"For the safety of Earth, the defendants are found guilty and remanded -for immediate execution. In view of the existence of doubt as to -their treasonable intent and their previous status as deevs, they are -accorded the honor of death by power weapons. Conserve!" - - * * * * * - -Shocked and silent, the four were led to a courtyard outside. As they -walked, John switched on his pocket transmitter with a casual, almost -unnoticeable gesture, and murmured a report to the ship. - -"I'm sorry, John," said the commander, his voice tense with emotion. -"There's no possibility of rescue, and I know it's small satisfaction -to you that your deaths will be avenged." - -The quartet's hands were bound behind them and they were lined up -against a wall. The Third Sarge, attended by a good-sized retinue, -stood at ease nearby, smoking a cigar, to direct the execution -personally. - -"'Power weapons' to them apparently mean regulation heat-guns," -remarked Phil, almost jocularly. "That's what the fellow has." - -A soldier was standing square in the center of the courtyard, a pistol -dangling from his grip. At a signal from Elfor, he lifted it. - -"Looks like I'm first," said John, bracing himself. "Be seeing you, -somewhere." - -He gritted his teeth for the wave of unbearable heat that was sure -to come. Instead, there was a silent explosion in the midst of the -courtyard and the soldier who had held the gun writhed on the ground, -incinerated. - -"John! The gun exploded!" cried Phil in amazement. "I've only seen -that happen once before!--Remember that crewman who wouldn't take the -trouble to keep his gun clean?" - -John was thinking fast. - -"I remember," he said in a low voice. His heart was still racing from -the reaction of his near brush with death. "There's a pattern here. If -I could only get a chance to talk over things sensibly with this Third -Sarge...." - -There was great excitement among the soldiery. Several of the men were -crowded around the corpse of the marksman. Elfor stood nervously, his -hand on his own holstered gun. - -"They're concealing weapons," he barked to his aides. "Search them!" - -A squad of guards swarmed over the four prisoners. There was an excited -twitter when they discovered the pocket transmitters. They removed the -little packets, snapping the aerial wires, and carried them to Elfor. -He glanced at them, took one in his hand, and ordered: - -"Execute them!" - -Another guard with a heat-gun took his position in the center of the -courtyard. He handled the weapon somewhat gingerly, but checked its -mechanism and prepared to follow orders. - -He waited for the command from Elfor. But the Third Sarge now was -staring hard at the little transmitter in his hand. Instead of ordering -the guard to fire, he strode across the courtyard and thrust the tiny -radio before John's face. - -"Is this true?" he demanded. He pointed at the well-known symbol -stamped on the packet, the red diagram of an atom that warned against -opening the lead-shielded mechanism without precaution. - -"You mean, is it atomic-powered?" asked John. "Yes it is." - -"It is a weapon?" - -"No, it's a radio transmitter." - -"But it operates?" - -"Certainly it operates. Why in thunder do you think I'd be carrying a -useless transmitter?" - -"It has been many years since this sign was seen on a working mechanism -on Earth," said Elfor soberly. "You are familiar, then, with atomic -power?" - -"I'm not an atomic technician," answered John carefully, "but there -are several on the Discovery who can build anything from one of these -little transmitters to the engines of a spaceship, with the proper -equipment." - -The Third Sarge stood in silent thought for several minutes. He -was high in the councils of his country, or he would not have been -commander of the zone that guarded Numex spaceport. He knew the reason -for the basic slogan "Conserve!" and he knew, as 99 per cent of his -subordinates did not, what circumstances would make that slogan -meaningless. - -"Guard!" he growled. "Unbind the deevs! John Gray, come with me in -peace." - -"You'd better give me back that transmitter, first," suggested John -drily. "I'd hate to escape execution just to get H-bombed by my own -ship." - - * * * * * - -It was the next afternoon that the four were escorted by a -trim-uniformed guard of honor across the flat spaceport to the -Discovery. - -"The Jovians wanted to reduce Earth to colonial status, to be exploited -for its natural resources," John explained to his companions as they -walked. "All atomic installations were destroyed, all technicians and -scientists exterminated systematically and all scientific books burned. -They were very thorough about it. - -"The successful revolt was accomplished with a concealed stock-pile -of atomic weapons. Since that time, they've been garrisoned against -the return of the Jovians. But atomic power was gone and so were -the scientists who could bring it back and the books from which new -scientists could learn. - -"It's because they can't replace even so small a thing as an electric -light bulb that destruction or unnecessary use of any sort of equipment -is the rankest sort of treason. They've been saving all their -technological capital for a last-ditch stand against the expected -invasion. - -"And it was their faulty, groping sort of maintenance that saved our -lives, because even a heat-gun deteriorates in 150 years. That gun -hadn't been fired since the Revolt!" - -"Then we can be their salvation?" suggested Phil. - -"Yes. The scientists who built the Deneb colony can rebuild the -technology of our own Earth. It will take a long time ... there'll have -to be schools and we'll all have to work hard ... but maybe some of us -will be able to go back, in 30 or 40 years, say, when the Discovery -can return to Deneb." - -They were nearing the ship, and John saw the officers crowding the main -port, watching them come. - -"It's sort of inconsequential, I know," said Ann then. "But several -times the Third Sarge referred to us as 'deevs.' Did he mention to you -what a deev is?" - -John smiled. - -"It's an ancient military slang term, just like 'sarge' and 'topkick,'" -he replied. "'Deev' is just plain old D.V. Distinguished Visitor. And I -suppose we are, at that." - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Conservation, by Charles L. 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