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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..65c87bd --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #60928 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/60928) diff --git a/old/60928-h.zip b/old/60928-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index fa2fded..0000000 --- a/old/60928-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/60928-h/60928-h.htm b/old/60928-h/60928-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index b6e86c4..0000000 --- a/old/60928-h/60928-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,992 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=us-ascii" /> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Contact Point, by Jack Sharkey. - </title> - <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> - - <style type="text/css"> - -body { - margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - - h1,h2 { - text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ - clear: both; -} - -p { - margin-top: .51em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: .49em; -} - -hr { - width: 33%; - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 2em; - margin-left: 33.5%; - margin-right: 33.5%; - clear: both; -} - -hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} -hr.tb {width: 45%; margin-left: 27.5%; margin-right: 27.5%;} - -.center {text-align: center;} - -.right {text-align: right;} - -.caption {font-weight: bold;} - -/* Images */ -.figcenter { - margin: auto; - text-align: center; -} - -div.titlepage { - text-align: center; - page-break-before: always; - page-break-after: always; -} - -div.titlepage p { - text-align: center; - text-indent: 0em; - font-weight: bold; - line-height: 1.5; - margin-top: 3em; -} - -.ph1 { text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; font-weight: bold; } -.ph1 { font-size: large; margin: .83em auto; } - - - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Contact Point, by Jack Sharkey - -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: The Contact Point - -Author: Jack Sharkey - -Release Date: December 15, 2019 [EBook #60928] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CONTACT POINT *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/cover.jpg" width="347" height="500" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1>the contact point</h1> - -<h2>By JACK SHARKEY</h2> - -<p class="ph1"><i>Somewhere on Mars there had<br /> -to be a meeting of the minds....</i></p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Worlds of If Science Fiction, January 1961.<br /> -Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that<br /> -the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]</p> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>Lieutenant Lloyd spotted the first alien in the ruins of the strange -red Martian city on the second day of exploration. His first impulse -was to call out to the other men—but then, afraid his voice would -startle the creature down at the end of the rubble-strewn street, he -silently unholstered his military service pistol and crept forward -toward the back (he hoped it was the back) of the alien, his breath -rasping behind his faceplate.</p> - -<p>He was a mere ten paces short of his goal when loose gravel beneath his -heavy boot betrayed him. Even in the thin Martian atmosphere, the sound -was a sharp one. The creature spun about, one appendage gripping the -haft of a slim crystal tube. He froze there, watching Lloyd with odd -oval-shaped eyes, yellow-orange in color. Lloyd's thumb slid back the -safety catch on his automatic, slowly, carefully.</p> - -<p>Then the creature lowered the tube and its wide lipless mouth curled -in what had to be a grin. "Ookl okkl?" it said distinctly.</p> - -<p>Lloyd looked into the alien eyes and was pleased to see the -intelligence within their depths. He reholstered his pistol and held -out his hand. "Lieutenant Lloyd of the <i>Sherlock II</i>," he said.</p> - -<p>The alien hesitated, then inserted the four flaccid stalk-things at the -end of its "arm" into Lloyd's hand. They shook these clasped appendages -solemnly, then withdrew their own with relief.</p> - -<p>"Boy, am I glad you Martians are friendly!" Lloyd laughed. "When I -saw you up the street, I envisioned a full-scale guerrilla attack -and—Damn, you're not getting a word of this, are you?"</p> - -<p>In reply, the creature pointed to its thoracic region and said, "Ulkay -Blet." It pointed to Lloyd again and enunciated carefully, "Lieutenant -Lloyd."</p> - -<p>"Glad to know you, Ulkay. Or do I call you by both names? Or just -Mister Blet?"</p> - -<p>"Ulkay," the alien said. "Blet," he added. "Ulkay Blet," he clarified, -with an almost Earthlike shrug.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>It was strictly a take-your-pick name, Lloyd saw. He took his pick. -"Ulkay, tell me, are you the last of your race, or are there others of -your kind still left alive on Mars?"</p> - -<p>Ulkay just stared, friendly but lost.</p> - -<p>Lloyd tried again. "I—" he pointed to himself—"am here with more like -me—" he pointed to himself, held up one finger to Ulkay, then pointed -in a long sweep behind himself toward the end of the street and held -up four fingers. His only success was an envious look from Ulkay at -Lloyd's extra finger.</p> - -<p>"Hoo boy!" said Lloyd, smacking his brow in chagrin. "This is a rough -one. Look, Ulkay, you hold on and don't be scared." He laid a hand -upon Ulkay's shoulder for assurance, then turned his head and shouted, -"<i>Here! This way, men!</i>"</p> - -<p>The sound of heavy booted feet began, far up the cluttered street. -Lloyd felt Ulkay grow tense. "It's all right," he said slowly, -soothingly, as one talks to a horse or dog, knowing the tone conveys -what the words cannot. Ulkay seemed to sense the assurance and relaxed -a little.</p> - -<p>In another minute, Kroner, Harrison, Tandy and Craig were beside their -commanding officer, gaping with unconcealed glee at the slightly under -five-foot form of Ulkay, who stared right back, steadily if not boldly.</p> - -<p>"Our first contact with a Martian!" Kroner exulted, his voice metallic -through the oxygen helmet.</p> - -<p>"Does he talk?" Harrison wanted to know immediately.</p> - -<p>"Where are his friends?" asked Tandy, frowning.</p> - -<p>Craig, unable to think of a question, was silent. But it was to Craig -that Lloyd addressed his first statement. "He speaks a language. His -name is Ulkay Blet. Think you can rig a written or oral Rosetta Stone -for us, Craig?"</p> - -<p>Craig shuffled his feet bashfully. "I can try."</p> - -<p>"Is he <i>alone</i>, though?" said Tandy, irked that his question had gone -unanswered. "His buddies might be around here waiting to pick us off. -This is their city, after all, and we're trespassers."</p> - -<p>Lloyd shook his head dubiously. "I think you're wrong, Tandy. Ulkay's -got some sort of weapon with him and he put it away without trying to -use it. If there are others, they're probably intelligent and friendly, -too."</p> - -<p>"Unless I'm mistaken," Kroner remarked dryly, "we're about to put your -statement to the test."</p> - -<p>"What—?" said Lloyd, and looked where Kroner was now facing.</p> - -<p>Seven creatures like Ulkay were on their way toward the group, each -bearing one of those long crystal rods. At first glance, they all -looked alike to Lloyd. Then, as they drew nearer, he saw that they were -as different from one another as he from his own men.</p> - -<p>"Ulkay," he said softly, "would you tell <i>your</i> friends that we're -<i>their</i> friends? They look kind of trigger-happy and...."</p> - -<p>Ulkay, catching Lloyd's meaning from the way he looked toward the -approaching squad, turned and babbled something at them. They -hesitated. Then all put their crystal rods into short scabbards hanging -from their belts.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Behind him, Lloyd heard Tandy's sigh of relief. He turned to Craig. -"You and Ulkay see if you can set up something to bridge the language -barrier, while Kroner and I go back to the ship and radio the news back -to Earth."</p> - -<p>"Okay," said Craig. He was the expedition's linguist, but extremely -shy, considering he was the liaison man with any aliens they -encountered. "I'll start them with numbers; that's usually a good -kicking-off place, and then I can work into body parts, relationships, -and—"</p> - -<p>"Whoa," said Lloyd. Craig could be talkative on his professional -topics. "I don't want the details, just some results. Kroner and I -should be back in about an hour. I'll talk with Ulkay then, if you can -show me how to reach him."</p> - -<p>He and Kroner strode off to their ship, set onto the cold red sands a -mile away.</p> - -<p>It would take nearly three minutes for a message to reach Earth, -and another three, at least, before the reply came back, so Lloyd, -dispensing with formality, sent, "This is Lieutenant Lloyd of the -<i>Sherlock II</i>. We have landed successfully on Mars, discovered a -decaying Martian city, and eight inhabitants, so far. If you read me, -set up a recorder and signal me when you are ready to tape my report."</p> - -<p>He sat back in the chair with a sigh. "There, that cuts out a lot of -fuss," he remarked to Kroner.</p> - -<p>"And the less time spent away from our men, the better."</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Lloyd. "How does this thing—well, how does it <i>feel</i> to -you?"</p> - -<p>"Too easy," said Kroner without hesitation. "Of course, there's no -reason why it should feel at all <i>hard</i>, is there?"</p> - -<p>"No," Lloyd admitted reluctantly. "No reason at all why we shouldn't -establish contact with these Martians, find them friendly, get our -information about their city, way of life, and so on, and go back -safely to Earth and home. But—"</p> - -<p>"Yeah," said Kroner. "'<i>But!</i>'"</p> - -<p>"They <i>act</i> friendly."</p> - -<p>"Maybe that's all it is, an act. But if they're not going to be chums, -why go to all this trouble? You know what I mean, sir?"</p> - -<p>Lloyd leaned back in the padded chair and scratched his short-cropped -head. "Beats me. And yet I can't help feeling uncomfortable -about—There's the blinker. Earth's ready to record." He dropped the -conversation and set himself to telling Earth of developments so far.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"Is it some sort of taboo or what?" Lloyd demanded irritably of Craig. -It was three hours since he and Kroner had returned from the ship, and -communication with Ulkay and his bunch had been established—but with -one annoying and unexpected feature.</p> - -<p>"I can't seem to find out, sir," Craig said miserably. "He's responsive -on almost every other topic, but when I ask him about the city here, he -says he can't tell me. I've asked him why, but his answer escapes me."</p> - -<p>"When he says he 'can't' tell you, does he mean he is physically unable -to, or forbidden to?"</p> - -<p>"I'm not even sure if it's '<i>can't</i>.' It might just be '<i>won't</i>.' But I -<i>am</i> sure it's a negative of some sort. They shake their heads and nod -same as we do for yes and no."</p> - -<p>"Let's see that list," Lloyd said, his voice tired.</p> - -<p>Craig held it out, but Kroner took it. "You've looked at it ten times -in the past hour, sir," he apologized. "Let me have a whack at it."</p> - -<p>Lloyd started to argue the point, then gave it up. "Okay, Sergeant. See -what you can make of it. If you can ask a clear question of Ulkay and -Company with those choice bits of language, I'll put in your name for a -decoration."</p> - -<p>Kroner scanned the list, noting with fading hope the vocabulary he had -to work with. "Wish we had more verbs!" he said.</p> - -<p>"They're the hardest, always," said Craig. "Active ones are easy -enough, though the tenses and irregularities can be tough, but the -non-active—the intransitive—can't be demonstrated the way actions and -things can."</p> - -<p>"Well, we've got <i>Mars</i>, and <i>city</i>, and—that's a good one—<i>men</i>. -That's them?"</p> - -<p>Craig nodded.</p> - -<p>"Hey, weren't there <i>eight</i> of those guys a while back? We're two -short!"</p> - -<p>"What?" said Lloyd, looking over at the aliens. "You're right, Kroner! -Ulkay's gone, and—let me see—that heavy-set one with the big -shoulder-span. Where the hell—?"</p> - -<p>Tandy and Harrison came up at that moment.</p> - -<p>"Sir," Tandy looked disgusted, "we can't find out a thing from the -rubble. No heavy radiation present, so it kind of discounts an atomic -war, although—"</p> - -<p>"Never mind the surmises for now," said Lloyd. "Tell me just what you -know for sure."</p> - -<p>One side of Tandy's mouth twisted. "Yes, sir. Very little of the rubble -seems to be due to any <i>heavy</i> damage. I mean, no buildings have -collapsed or anything like that. It's just as though time had crumbled -off a brick hole here and there, and nobody bothered sweeping the -street."</p> - -<p>"The city gates were knocked down," Lloyd protested.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Tandy shook his head. "Not knocked down, sir—fallen. It's my opinion -this place is just obsolete, a sort of last-year's model that needs a -new coat of paint and an engine overhaul. Except for all the dust, sand -and crumbled material, it's in pretty good shape."</p> - -<p>"You mean it's unfashionable but serviceable?" said Kroner. "Like a -spring-driven phonograph?"</p> - -<p>"That's about it, Sergeant," Tandy nodded. "Anything else, you're going -to have to ask the Martians themselves."</p> - -<p>"Which brings me back to my earlier apprehension," said Kroner. "I -don't like the idea of two of those guys being missing. Hold on—there -they come! And with a small cannon, unless I miss my guess!"</p> - -<p>The Earthmen were all on their feet now, facing the pair of aliens who -lugged a heavy contraption with a tubular nozzle on the front of it up -the street toward the waiting group.</p> - -<p>"It can't be a cannon," said Lloyd, puzzled. "Why would they bother, -when hand-weapons would do?"</p> - -<p>By that time, Ulkay and his crony had the gadget set down on a tripod -base and were turning dials on its side. The Earthmen, every one of -them, loosened pistols in their holsters, but only Tandy actually -brought his out.</p> - -<p>Then they jumped as a metallic voice came out through the gadget's -nozzle. "Men!" said the voice. "Do not possess fear."</p> - -<p>"A miracle!" gasped Craig. "It's a translating machine!" He rushed -forward to view this thing, his face glowing with delight.</p> - -<p>Lloyd, recovering from his start, saw that Ulkay was speaking into a -tube at the side of the machine, and realized that his translated voice -had been the one heard.</p> - -<p>"Ulkay," he said, going toward the machine, "does this work both ways?"</p> - -<p>Ulkay nodded and pointed to the nozzle on the front. "This," said his -voice from the nozzle, "picks up as well as recepts."</p> - -<p>"<i>Receives</i>," said Craig automatically.</p> - -<p>"—as receives," said the nozzle automatically. "There will exist some -few ungrammatics but it will mostly make sensible."</p> - -<p>"Man, this simplifies everything!" Lloyd exclaimed. "Ulkay, do you mind -if we ask you some questions?"</p> - -<p>Ulkay, via the nozzle, replied with dignity, "You and your Craig have -questioned with relentless of us. Can we be allowed the similar luck?"</p> - -<p>"I beg your pardon," Lloyd said sincerely. "Go ahead and ask."</p> - -<p>"These transparents you wear upon your faces, why?" asked the nozzle, -in a mechanical monotone.</p> - -<p>"The air." Lloyd gestured with a sweep of his arm. "It is too thin to -support our kind of life without these masks."</p> - -<p>"Strange," said the nozzle. "And where are your women?"</p> - -<p>"We did not bring them with us," said Lloyd. "We made this trip -strictly to find you."</p> - -<p>Ulkay stared at Lloyd a long moment. Then the nozzle asked, "What trip?"</p> - -<p>"To your city," said Lloyd. "To your planet."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Ulkay frowned, then fiddled a moment with a dial on the side of the -machine. The nozzle spoke slowly this time. "Repeat your response. It -was not a sensible."</p> - -<p>"We came here. To Mars. To find you." Lloyd said it carefully and -distinctly, feeling very uneasy.</p> - -<p>"But this is Earth," said the nozzle loudly.</p> - -<p>"To <i>you</i> it is Earth," said Lloyd, with a tolerant smile. "I think -we're having a semantic problem, Ulkay. Each planet's self-name would -translate as 'Earth.' This machine cannot make the proper distinction."</p> - -<p>"No, no, no!" came the nozzle's voice. "You say your planet is called -'Earth'. Why do you now call it 'Mars'?"</p> - -<p>"We don't," said Lloyd, bewildered. "We call <i>this</i> planet Mars. <i>Our</i> -planet is called Earth—"</p> - -<p>"Sir!" Kroner grasped his arm tightly. "Wait a minute! I think I get -it!... Ulkay! Is this <i>your</i> planet?"</p> - -<p>"No," said the nozzle. "Is it not <i>yours</i>?"</p> - -<p>"Numbers!" said Craig. "Ask him by the <i>number</i> of the planet from the -sun."</p> - -<p>"We are from Earth, the third planet from the sun," said Lloyd, holding -up three fingers for emphasis. "Where are you from?"</p> - -<p>"We are from Earth," said the nozzle, "the second planet from the sun." -Ulkay held up two digits.</p> - -<p>"Venusians?" Tandy squawked, while Harrison doubled up in a fit of -laughter as the idea sank in. In another moment, both groups—Ulkay's -and Lloyd's—had joined him in a tension-breaking paroxysm of mirth.</p> - -<p>"Where are <i>you</i> parked?" asked Kroner, the first to recover some -semblance of control.</p> - -<p>Ulkay, still chuckling, pointed in the opposite direction to that in -which the <i>Sherlock II</i> was standing. "Outside the west gate of the -city," said the nozzle. "Where are you?"</p> - -<p>"Outside the east gate. We thought you were Martians—people of this, -the fourth planet."</p> - -<p>"And we in turn thought you were Martians," said Ulkay, through the -nozzle. There was more laughter in both groups.</p> - -<p>"For Pete's sake!" muttered Lloyd. "For Pete's sake! Look, Ulkay, why -don't both our groups get some rest and we'll make our inspection tour -of the city tomorrow, the two groups together?"</p> - -<p>Ulkay, after a babble of discussion with his men, was in agreement with -this plan, and they and the Earthmen shared a large room within one of -the old abandoned buildings.</p> - -<p>"Will your air supply not run out?" Ulkay queried.</p> - -<p>"Not on these," Lloyd explained. "They're not tank masks; they're -compression masks. A hydraulic system inside the suit keeps a -compressor running in this gadget on our backs, as long as we're -moving about. Martian air is thin but non-poisonous."</p> - -<p>"But if you sleep?"</p> - -<p>"The air runs low, which makes us fidget, which pumps more air through -the compressors," Lloyd explained.</p> - -<p>Ulkay expressed admiration at the cleverness of Earth scientists, and -then joined his men in slumber. The Earthmen, tired and happy, fell -soundly asleep.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>It was still dark, the chill purple dark of Mars at night, when Lloyd -awakened abruptly. His body was tense and his mind keenly alert. -Something was wrong. He felt it, but couldn't place the source of his -uneasiness.</p> - -<p>He sat up and looked about him. Starlight, coming in bright pinpoints -through a high arched window, glinted reassuringly off the helmets of -his men, lying in pools of deep shadow all about him. He looked for -Ulkay and his group, and saw their smaller silhouettes huddled on the -stone flooring. Feeling a little better, he lay down once more and -tried to fall back to sleep. But there was a gnawing, nagging something -in his mind that would not allow sleep to come.</p> - -<p>"What's bothering me?" he asked himself. "Is it something about Ulkay -and his bunch? The only really odd thing about them is that they -don't wear any breathing equipment in this thin air, right? And didn't -Ulkay explain that the atmosphere on Venus is just as thin? It didn't -jibe with Harrison's opinion about atmospheres, but Harrison hasn't -actually <i>been</i> to Venus, after all, and the cloudiness still keeps its -atmosphere a secret from Earth's spectroscopes, right?"</p> - -<p>His mind assured him that this was right and he felt a little better, -but not much.</p> - -<p>"So what's eating me? A hunch? Intuition? Or just alien-planet nerves?" -he went on. "Why should I wake up in the middle of the night feeling -scared? Aren't my men all present and accounted for? Aren't they -sleeping quietly, just as they should be?"</p> - -<p>Feeling annoyed with his own nebulous fears, Lloyd sat up again and -looked over the groups, Ulkay's and his own. As he watched, Kroner -grunted in his sleep and rolled over. Tandy's helmet emitted gentle -snoring noises. Harrison and Craig lay more quietly, but their chests -could be seen, even in that dim light, rising and falling normally. -Lloyd excoriated his imagination for worrying him—it had fed him a -quick suggestion that perhaps his companions' masks had been slit, -suffocating them silently to death.</p> - -<p>"I <i>must</i> trust Ulkay; it's necessary," said Lloyd to himself. "I -can't let these groundless fears spoil future relations between Earth -and Venus. The Venusians are friendly and intelligent, and not really -odd-looking, once you discount the number of digits on their hands and -a few unearthly color schemes on their torsos. So what am I scared of?"</p> - -<p>Cold touched his spine, shocking him into alertness, as he isolated his -fear. He rolled over and shook Kroner awake with barbaric callousness.</p> - -<p>"Huh? Wha?" said Kroner, sitting up.</p> - -<p>"Sergeant," said Lloyd, trying to confide his fear to the other man, -"when we got here, we were nervous about making contact with aliens, -right?"</p> - -<p>"Yeah," Kroner said sleepily. "But it turned out okay, sir, didn't it?" -He shook his groggy head. "I mean, Ulkay and his bunch are okay, aren't -they?"</p> - -<p>"Yeah," said Lloyd shakily. "<i>They</i> are fine—but, Kroner, they're not -the right aliens!"</p> - -<p>It took Kroner a moment to get it. When he did, he came awake with a -jolt. "And we haven't even posted a guard!"</p> - -<p>Lloyd, his worries abetted by Kroner's response, got to his feet, -shouting, "<i>Mayday! Mayday!</i>"</p> - -<p>His men—and Ulkay's a few seconds later—were up, everybody snapping -on portable torches and setting the chamber alive with flashing lights.</p> - -<p>"Ulkay!" Lloyd said, rushing to the Venusian. "If <i>you're</i> not the -Martians, and <i>we're</i> not the Martians, then there is still a chance -that someone <i>else</i> is the Martians!"</p> - -<p>Ulkay yelled something to his men, and Lloyd watched with horror as -each Venusian fumbled at an empty scabbard upon his belt. Lloyd's hand -shot to his holster and found there just what his men were finding in -their own holsters: nothing.</p> - -<p>"Do you think we've discovered the Martians?" said Kroner, his voice -hoarse with fright.</p> - -<p>Then the glaring overhead lights of the room came on, revealing the -surrounding phalanx of hard-eyed, armed creatures.</p> - -<p>"Unless I'm mistaken," Lloyd said, "the Martians have discovered us."</p> - -<p>An instant later, there was nothing in the center of the alien room -but half-molten air compressors and the charred, smoking remains of a -funny-looking little nozzle, still echoing a bilingual chorus of agony.</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Contact Point, by Jack Sharkey - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CONTACT POINT *** - -***** This file should be named 60928-h.htm or 60928-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/0/9/2/60928/ - -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 print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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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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: The Contact Point - -Author: Jack Sharkey - -Release Date: December 15, 2019 [EBook #60928] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CONTACT POINT *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - the contact point - - By JACK SHARKEY - - _Somewhere on Mars there had - to be a meeting of the minds...._ - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Worlds of If Science Fiction, January 1961. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -Lieutenant Lloyd spotted the first alien in the ruins of the strange -red Martian city on the second day of exploration. His first impulse -was to call out to the other men--but then, afraid his voice would -startle the creature down at the end of the rubble-strewn street, he -silently unholstered his military service pistol and crept forward -toward the back (he hoped it was the back) of the alien, his breath -rasping behind his faceplate. - -He was a mere ten paces short of his goal when loose gravel beneath his -heavy boot betrayed him. Even in the thin Martian atmosphere, the sound -was a sharp one. The creature spun about, one appendage gripping the -haft of a slim crystal tube. He froze there, watching Lloyd with odd -oval-shaped eyes, yellow-orange in color. Lloyd's thumb slid back the -safety catch on his automatic, slowly, carefully. - -Then the creature lowered the tube and its wide lipless mouth curled -in what had to be a grin. "Ookl okkl?" it said distinctly. - -Lloyd looked into the alien eyes and was pleased to see the -intelligence within their depths. He reholstered his pistol and held -out his hand. "Lieutenant Lloyd of the _Sherlock II_," he said. - -The alien hesitated, then inserted the four flaccid stalk-things at the -end of its "arm" into Lloyd's hand. They shook these clasped appendages -solemnly, then withdrew their own with relief. - -"Boy, am I glad you Martians are friendly!" Lloyd laughed. "When I -saw you up the street, I envisioned a full-scale guerrilla attack -and--Damn, you're not getting a word of this, are you?" - -In reply, the creature pointed to its thoracic region and said, "Ulkay -Blet." It pointed to Lloyd again and enunciated carefully, "Lieutenant -Lloyd." - -"Glad to know you, Ulkay. Or do I call you by both names? Or just -Mister Blet?" - -"Ulkay," the alien said. "Blet," he added. "Ulkay Blet," he clarified, -with an almost Earthlike shrug. - - * * * * * - -It was strictly a take-your-pick name, Lloyd saw. He took his pick. -"Ulkay, tell me, are you the last of your race, or are there others of -your kind still left alive on Mars?" - -Ulkay just stared, friendly but lost. - -Lloyd tried again. "I--" he pointed to himself--"am here with more like -me--" he pointed to himself, held up one finger to Ulkay, then pointed -in a long sweep behind himself toward the end of the street and held -up four fingers. His only success was an envious look from Ulkay at -Lloyd's extra finger. - -"Hoo boy!" said Lloyd, smacking his brow in chagrin. "This is a rough -one. Look, Ulkay, you hold on and don't be scared." He laid a hand -upon Ulkay's shoulder for assurance, then turned his head and shouted, -"_Here! This way, men!_" - -The sound of heavy booted feet began, far up the cluttered street. -Lloyd felt Ulkay grow tense. "It's all right," he said slowly, -soothingly, as one talks to a horse or dog, knowing the tone conveys -what the words cannot. Ulkay seemed to sense the assurance and relaxed -a little. - -In another minute, Kroner, Harrison, Tandy and Craig were beside their -commanding officer, gaping with unconcealed glee at the slightly under -five-foot form of Ulkay, who stared right back, steadily if not boldly. - -"Our first contact with a Martian!" Kroner exulted, his voice metallic -through the oxygen helmet. - -"Does he talk?" Harrison wanted to know immediately. - -"Where are his friends?" asked Tandy, frowning. - -Craig, unable to think of a question, was silent. But it was to Craig -that Lloyd addressed his first statement. "He speaks a language. His -name is Ulkay Blet. Think you can rig a written or oral Rosetta Stone -for us, Craig?" - -Craig shuffled his feet bashfully. "I can try." - -"Is he _alone_, though?" said Tandy, irked that his question had gone -unanswered. "His buddies might be around here waiting to pick us off. -This is their city, after all, and we're trespassers." - -Lloyd shook his head dubiously. "I think you're wrong, Tandy. Ulkay's -got some sort of weapon with him and he put it away without trying to -use it. If there are others, they're probably intelligent and friendly, -too." - -"Unless I'm mistaken," Kroner remarked dryly, "we're about to put your -statement to the test." - -"What--?" said Lloyd, and looked where Kroner was now facing. - -Seven creatures like Ulkay were on their way toward the group, each -bearing one of those long crystal rods. At first glance, they all -looked alike to Lloyd. Then, as they drew nearer, he saw that they were -as different from one another as he from his own men. - -"Ulkay," he said softly, "would you tell _your_ friends that we're -_their_ friends? They look kind of trigger-happy and...." - -Ulkay, catching Lloyd's meaning from the way he looked toward the -approaching squad, turned and babbled something at them. They -hesitated. Then all put their crystal rods into short scabbards hanging -from their belts. - - * * * * * - -Behind him, Lloyd heard Tandy's sigh of relief. He turned to Craig. -"You and Ulkay see if you can set up something to bridge the language -barrier, while Kroner and I go back to the ship and radio the news back -to Earth." - -"Okay," said Craig. He was the expedition's linguist, but extremely -shy, considering he was the liaison man with any aliens they -encountered. "I'll start them with numbers; that's usually a good -kicking-off place, and then I can work into body parts, relationships, -and--" - -"Whoa," said Lloyd. Craig could be talkative on his professional -topics. "I don't want the details, just some results. Kroner and I -should be back in about an hour. I'll talk with Ulkay then, if you can -show me how to reach him." - -He and Kroner strode off to their ship, set onto the cold red sands a -mile away. - -It would take nearly three minutes for a message to reach Earth, -and another three, at least, before the reply came back, so Lloyd, -dispensing with formality, sent, "This is Lieutenant Lloyd of the -_Sherlock II_. We have landed successfully on Mars, discovered a -decaying Martian city, and eight inhabitants, so far. If you read me, -set up a recorder and signal me when you are ready to tape my report." - -He sat back in the chair with a sigh. "There, that cuts out a lot of -fuss," he remarked to Kroner. - -"And the less time spent away from our men, the better." - -"Yes," said Lloyd. "How does this thing--well, how does it _feel_ to -you?" - -"Too easy," said Kroner without hesitation. "Of course, there's no -reason why it should feel at all _hard_, is there?" - -"No," Lloyd admitted reluctantly. "No reason at all why we shouldn't -establish contact with these Martians, find them friendly, get our -information about their city, way of life, and so on, and go back -safely to Earth and home. But--" - -"Yeah," said Kroner. "'_But!_'" - -"They _act_ friendly." - -"Maybe that's all it is, an act. But if they're not going to be chums, -why go to all this trouble? You know what I mean, sir?" - -Lloyd leaned back in the padded chair and scratched his short-cropped -head. "Beats me. And yet I can't help feeling uncomfortable -about--There's the blinker. Earth's ready to record." He dropped the -conversation and set himself to telling Earth of developments so far. - - * * * * * - -"Is it some sort of taboo or what?" Lloyd demanded irritably of Craig. -It was three hours since he and Kroner had returned from the ship, and -communication with Ulkay and his bunch had been established--but with -one annoying and unexpected feature. - -"I can't seem to find out, sir," Craig said miserably. "He's responsive -on almost every other topic, but when I ask him about the city here, he -says he can't tell me. I've asked him why, but his answer escapes me." - -"When he says he 'can't' tell you, does he mean he is physically unable -to, or forbidden to?" - -"I'm not even sure if it's '_can't_.' It might just be '_won't_.' But I -_am_ sure it's a negative of some sort. They shake their heads and nod -same as we do for yes and no." - -"Let's see that list," Lloyd said, his voice tired. - -Craig held it out, but Kroner took it. "You've looked at it ten times -in the past hour, sir," he apologized. "Let me have a whack at it." - -Lloyd started to argue the point, then gave it up. "Okay, Sergeant. See -what you can make of it. If you can ask a clear question of Ulkay and -Company with those choice bits of language, I'll put in your name for a -decoration." - -Kroner scanned the list, noting with fading hope the vocabulary he had -to work with. "Wish we had more verbs!" he said. - -"They're the hardest, always," said Craig. "Active ones are easy -enough, though the tenses and irregularities can be tough, but the -non-active--the intransitive--can't be demonstrated the way actions and -things can." - -"Well, we've got _Mars_, and _city_, and--that's a good one--_men_. -That's them?" - -Craig nodded. - -"Hey, weren't there _eight_ of those guys a while back? We're two -short!" - -"What?" said Lloyd, looking over at the aliens. "You're right, Kroner! -Ulkay's gone, and--let me see--that heavy-set one with the big -shoulder-span. Where the hell--?" - -Tandy and Harrison came up at that moment. - -"Sir," Tandy looked disgusted, "we can't find out a thing from the -rubble. No heavy radiation present, so it kind of discounts an atomic -war, although--" - -"Never mind the surmises for now," said Lloyd. "Tell me just what you -know for sure." - -One side of Tandy's mouth twisted. "Yes, sir. Very little of the rubble -seems to be due to any _heavy_ damage. I mean, no buildings have -collapsed or anything like that. It's just as though time had crumbled -off a brick hole here and there, and nobody bothered sweeping the -street." - -"The city gates were knocked down," Lloyd protested. - - * * * * * - -Tandy shook his head. "Not knocked down, sir--fallen. It's my opinion -this place is just obsolete, a sort of last-year's model that needs a -new coat of paint and an engine overhaul. Except for all the dust, sand -and crumbled material, it's in pretty good shape." - -"You mean it's unfashionable but serviceable?" said Kroner. "Like a -spring-driven phonograph?" - -"That's about it, Sergeant," Tandy nodded. "Anything else, you're going -to have to ask the Martians themselves." - -"Which brings me back to my earlier apprehension," said Kroner. "I -don't like the idea of two of those guys being missing. Hold on--there -they come! And with a small cannon, unless I miss my guess!" - -The Earthmen were all on their feet now, facing the pair of aliens who -lugged a heavy contraption with a tubular nozzle on the front of it up -the street toward the waiting group. - -"It can't be a cannon," said Lloyd, puzzled. "Why would they bother, -when hand-weapons would do?" - -By that time, Ulkay and his crony had the gadget set down on a tripod -base and were turning dials on its side. The Earthmen, every one of -them, loosened pistols in their holsters, but only Tandy actually -brought his out. - -Then they jumped as a metallic voice came out through the gadget's -nozzle. "Men!" said the voice. "Do not possess fear." - -"A miracle!" gasped Craig. "It's a translating machine!" He rushed -forward to view this thing, his face glowing with delight. - -Lloyd, recovering from his start, saw that Ulkay was speaking into a -tube at the side of the machine, and realized that his translated voice -had been the one heard. - -"Ulkay," he said, going toward the machine, "does this work both ways?" - -Ulkay nodded and pointed to the nozzle on the front. "This," said his -voice from the nozzle, "picks up as well as recepts." - -"_Receives_," said Craig automatically. - -"--as receives," said the nozzle automatically. "There will exist some -few ungrammatics but it will mostly make sensible." - -"Man, this simplifies everything!" Lloyd exclaimed. "Ulkay, do you mind -if we ask you some questions?" - -Ulkay, via the nozzle, replied with dignity, "You and your Craig have -questioned with relentless of us. Can we be allowed the similar luck?" - -"I beg your pardon," Lloyd said sincerely. "Go ahead and ask." - -"These transparents you wear upon your faces, why?" asked the nozzle, -in a mechanical monotone. - -"The air." Lloyd gestured with a sweep of his arm. "It is too thin to -support our kind of life without these masks." - -"Strange," said the nozzle. "And where are your women?" - -"We did not bring them with us," said Lloyd. "We made this trip -strictly to find you." - -Ulkay stared at Lloyd a long moment. Then the nozzle asked, "What trip?" - -"To your city," said Lloyd. "To your planet." - - * * * * * - -Ulkay frowned, then fiddled a moment with a dial on the side of the -machine. The nozzle spoke slowly this time. "Repeat your response. It -was not a sensible." - -"We came here. To Mars. To find you." Lloyd said it carefully and -distinctly, feeling very uneasy. - -"But this is Earth," said the nozzle loudly. - -"To _you_ it is Earth," said Lloyd, with a tolerant smile. "I think -we're having a semantic problem, Ulkay. Each planet's self-name would -translate as 'Earth.' This machine cannot make the proper distinction." - -"No, no, no!" came the nozzle's voice. "You say your planet is called -'Earth'. Why do you now call it 'Mars'?" - -"We don't," said Lloyd, bewildered. "We call _this_ planet Mars. _Our_ -planet is called Earth--" - -"Sir!" Kroner grasped his arm tightly. "Wait a minute! I think I get -it!... Ulkay! Is this _your_ planet?" - -"No," said the nozzle. "Is it not _yours_?" - -"Numbers!" said Craig. "Ask him by the _number_ of the planet from the -sun." - -"We are from Earth, the third planet from the sun," said Lloyd, holding -up three fingers for emphasis. "Where are you from?" - -"We are from Earth," said the nozzle, "the second planet from the sun." -Ulkay held up two digits. - -"Venusians?" Tandy squawked, while Harrison doubled up in a fit of -laughter as the idea sank in. In another moment, both groups--Ulkay's -and Lloyd's--had joined him in a tension-breaking paroxysm of mirth. - -"Where are _you_ parked?" asked Kroner, the first to recover some -semblance of control. - -Ulkay, still chuckling, pointed in the opposite direction to that in -which the _Sherlock II_ was standing. "Outside the west gate of the -city," said the nozzle. "Where are you?" - -"Outside the east gate. We thought you were Martians--people of this, -the fourth planet." - -"And we in turn thought you were Martians," said Ulkay, through the -nozzle. There was more laughter in both groups. - -"For Pete's sake!" muttered Lloyd. "For Pete's sake! Look, Ulkay, why -don't both our groups get some rest and we'll make our inspection tour -of the city tomorrow, the two groups together?" - -Ulkay, after a babble of discussion with his men, was in agreement with -this plan, and they and the Earthmen shared a large room within one of -the old abandoned buildings. - -"Will your air supply not run out?" Ulkay queried. - -"Not on these," Lloyd explained. "They're not tank masks; they're -compression masks. A hydraulic system inside the suit keeps a -compressor running in this gadget on our backs, as long as we're -moving about. Martian air is thin but non-poisonous." - -"But if you sleep?" - -"The air runs low, which makes us fidget, which pumps more air through -the compressors," Lloyd explained. - -Ulkay expressed admiration at the cleverness of Earth scientists, and -then joined his men in slumber. The Earthmen, tired and happy, fell -soundly asleep. - - * * * * * - -It was still dark, the chill purple dark of Mars at night, when Lloyd -awakened abruptly. His body was tense and his mind keenly alert. -Something was wrong. He felt it, but couldn't place the source of his -uneasiness. - -He sat up and looked about him. Starlight, coming in bright pinpoints -through a high arched window, glinted reassuringly off the helmets of -his men, lying in pools of deep shadow all about him. He looked for -Ulkay and his group, and saw their smaller silhouettes huddled on the -stone flooring. Feeling a little better, he lay down once more and -tried to fall back to sleep. But there was a gnawing, nagging something -in his mind that would not allow sleep to come. - -"What's bothering me?" he asked himself. "Is it something about Ulkay -and his bunch? The only really odd thing about them is that they -don't wear any breathing equipment in this thin air, right? And didn't -Ulkay explain that the atmosphere on Venus is just as thin? It didn't -jibe with Harrison's opinion about atmospheres, but Harrison hasn't -actually _been_ to Venus, after all, and the cloudiness still keeps its -atmosphere a secret from Earth's spectroscopes, right?" - -His mind assured him that this was right and he felt a little better, -but not much. - -"So what's eating me? A hunch? Intuition? Or just alien-planet nerves?" -he went on. "Why should I wake up in the middle of the night feeling -scared? Aren't my men all present and accounted for? Aren't they -sleeping quietly, just as they should be?" - -Feeling annoyed with his own nebulous fears, Lloyd sat up again and -looked over the groups, Ulkay's and his own. As he watched, Kroner -grunted in his sleep and rolled over. Tandy's helmet emitted gentle -snoring noises. Harrison and Craig lay more quietly, but their chests -could be seen, even in that dim light, rising and falling normally. -Lloyd excoriated his imagination for worrying him--it had fed him a -quick suggestion that perhaps his companions' masks had been slit, -suffocating them silently to death. - -"I _must_ trust Ulkay; it's necessary," said Lloyd to himself. "I -can't let these groundless fears spoil future relations between Earth -and Venus. The Venusians are friendly and intelligent, and not really -odd-looking, once you discount the number of digits on their hands and -a few unearthly color schemes on their torsos. So what am I scared of?" - -Cold touched his spine, shocking him into alertness, as he isolated his -fear. He rolled over and shook Kroner awake with barbaric callousness. - -"Huh? Wha?" said Kroner, sitting up. - -"Sergeant," said Lloyd, trying to confide his fear to the other man, -"when we got here, we were nervous about making contact with aliens, -right?" - -"Yeah," Kroner said sleepily. "But it turned out okay, sir, didn't it?" -He shook his groggy head. "I mean, Ulkay and his bunch are okay, aren't -they?" - -"Yeah," said Lloyd shakily. "_They_ are fine--but, Kroner, they're not -the right aliens!" - -It took Kroner a moment to get it. When he did, he came awake with a -jolt. "And we haven't even posted a guard!" - -Lloyd, his worries abetted by Kroner's response, got to his feet, -shouting, "_Mayday! Mayday!_" - -His men--and Ulkay's a few seconds later--were up, everybody snapping -on portable torches and setting the chamber alive with flashing lights. - -"Ulkay!" Lloyd said, rushing to the Venusian. "If _you're_ not the -Martians, and _we're_ not the Martians, then there is still a chance -that someone _else_ is the Martians!" - -Ulkay yelled something to his men, and Lloyd watched with horror as -each Venusian fumbled at an empty scabbard upon his belt. Lloyd's hand -shot to his holster and found there just what his men were finding in -their own holsters: nothing. - -"Do you think we've discovered the Martians?" said Kroner, his voice -hoarse with fright. - -Then the glaring overhead lights of the room came on, revealing the -surrounding phalanx of hard-eyed, armed creatures. - -"Unless I'm mistaken," Lloyd said, "the Martians have discovered us." - -An instant later, there was nothing in the center of the alien room -but half-molten air compressors and the charred, smoking remains of a -funny-looking little nozzle, still echoing a bilingual chorus of agony. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Contact Point, by Jack Sharkey - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CONTACT POINT *** - -***** This file should be named 60928.txt or 60928.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/0/9/2/60928/ - -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 print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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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