diff options
| author | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-01-28 04:36:07 -0800 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-01-28 04:36:07 -0800 |
| commit | c3097cd81bd961f45a71def33064f3db799aebce (patch) | |
| tree | 11679ab4cff4bfda6cb571b3cabce9b9ea4fa7ee | |
| parent | a912c571a53d669b182bc7d4f725fcc00a70a700 (diff) | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 4 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/61863-8.txt | 1286 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/61863-8.zip | bin | 25854 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/61863-h.zip | bin | 489180 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/61863-h/61863-h.htm | 1409 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/61863-h/images/cover.jpg | bin | 329236 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/61863-h/images/illus.jpg | bin | 133839 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/61863.txt | 1286 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/61863.zip | bin | 25837 -> 0 bytes |
11 files changed, 17 insertions, 3981 deletions
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..de360c4 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #61863 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/61863) diff --git a/old/61863-8.txt b/old/61863-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index ca04030..0000000 --- a/old/61863-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1286 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of 4 1/2 B, Eros, by Malcolm Jameson - -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: 4 1/2 B, Eros - -Author: Malcolm Jameson - -Release Date: April 18, 2020 [EBook #61863] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 4 1/2 B, EROS *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - 4-1/2B, EROS - - By MALCOLM JAMESON - - "4-1/2B, Eros."... A strange code, but - grizzled space-trader Karns used it to - break the perilous Mercury-Venus Jinx. - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Planet Stories Spring 1941. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -"Makee chop chop. Kwei! Kwei!" - -The two Venusian coolies squatted down between the shafts and with one -quick motion elevated the sedan chair to shoulder height. Then they -started off in a lazy run through the torrential downpour, splashing -mud right and left as their sturdy yellow legs struck into the watery -lane of muck that passes for a road in Venusberg. Captain Hank Karns, -the Lone Trader, sank back in his seat and watched idly with mild blue -eyes as first one grass hut and then another appeared momentarily -through rifts of rain. There would be time enough to worry about Cappy -Wilkerson's plight when he reached the administration building and -found out more about the charges against him. No doubt it was just -another shakedown, the effort of some minor official to pry loose a -little more than the customary cumshaw. - -Captain Karns had berthed his own old trading tub not an hour earlier -and as he registered the arrival of his _Swapper_ he noted that under -the date of three days before there was the entry: "_Wanderer_, Captain -Wilkerson, en route Mercury to Luna." After it was the notation in red: -"Detained by order Collector of the Port; captain in custody." - -Hank Karns thoughtfully pawed his long white beard. Cappy Wilkerson was -a careful and upright man and a lifelong friend; what manner of charge -could they have trumped up against him? That they were trumped up he -took for granted, for the local government of autonomous Venus was -notoriously corrupt and always had been. The Venusians themselves were -the descendants of coolies brought centuries before from tropical Asia. -They took little or no interest in government. Politics had, therefore, -fallen into the hands of white adventurers, most of whom lived on Venus -for the very good reason they were not wanted elsewhere. The Central -Council of the loose Interplanetary Federation seldom interfered with -them unless for acts so flagrant as to affect the Federation as a whole. - -The old space merchant left his chair at the courtroom and squeezed -through the crowd at the back just in time to hear the whack, whack, -whack of the gavel marking the end of the trial. Standing defiantly -in the prisoner's box was Cappy Wilkerson, his eyes flashing and his -iron-gray mane thrown back. He looked like an indignant old lion -brought to bay by a pack of jackals. The judge, a young man with a -monocle and a stiff black pompadour, was dressed in a smart military -uniform which made him appear anything but judicial. He was biting out -his words as if what he was saying was inspired by personal venom. - -"I have heard all you have had to say, including your filthy -imputations as to the integrity of this court. Your guilt is so -apparent that we need not trouble even to preserve the record of your -silly and malicious allegations...." - -Here the judge contemptuously tossed a sheaf of papers into a -wastebasket. - -"Therefore, bearing in mind not only your guilt but your contumacious -conduct before me, I sentence you to five years at hard labor in such a -one of our prison camps as the Director of Welfare and Beneficence may -select. - -"It is further directed that your ship, together with its illicit -contents, be confiscated and sold at public auction in order to defray -the cost of these proceedings. Marshal! Take him away." - -Hank Karns was on his feet at once, elbowing and pushing his way -forward through the departing throng of curiosity-seekers. His voice -was shrill with indignation. - -"Hey, you can't do that!" he yelled. Officials closed in on him at -once, and the judge's face grew red with anger. "This is a court of -law," he said, "and the decisions of the presiding judge are final. Now -get out before I haul you up for contempt." - -"Tarnation damn!" muttered Hank Karns as he turned and left the -building. This was no ordinary shakedown. This called for action, and -quick action, for it was unthinkable that his buddy should be carted -off to the insect-infested, fever-ridden, infamous Great Swamp of -Venus. White men lived but a few months there; a year, let alone five -years, was as good as life. - -A bulletin caught his eye, and as he read it he gasped. The paste -that fastened it to the board was still wet, but the paper bore -characteristics of printed type. It must have been prepared at least a -day ago. It read: - - COLLECTOR'S SALE - - One confiscated tube ship, the _Wanderer_, complete with fittings. - The cargo of the same consisting of miscellaneous trade goods. - Saturday. Inquire at Collector's Office for details. - -"Phew!" gasped Hank Karns. "_That_ was quick work. And planned." He -turned and made his way to the Collector's Office. - -The man at the front desk gaped at him woodenly. - -"S'already sold," he said indifferently, the third time Karns put his -question. - -"But it says Saturday...." - -"Okay--it says Saturday. So what?" - -"B-but this is only Tuesday...." - -"We have a Saturday every week, dodo. Now trot along and annoy somebody -else for a change. I have work to do." - -Hank Karns blinked. Why, Saturday was the day the _Wanderer_ docked. -These Venusians were getting raw. They must have sold her that very day! - -"Who is that old man? Throw him out!" - -Karns turned slowly and viewed the new speaker. He was a big man, -with piercing black eyes and a hawk nose, and heavily bearded--a -strange sight for super-tropical Venus where men kept clean shaven -for coolness. But the man turned abruptly away and entered an inner -office, slamming the door behind him. Hank Karns' eyes followed him -all the way--they were fixed on the back of the fellow's neck. There, -oddly enough, just above the shoulder line, peeped a line of color -demarcation. Above the line, which was made visible by the fact that -its wearer had pulled open his collar for comfort, the skin was the -normal pallor usually seen on Venus; below, it was a mottled chocolate -color. - -"Didja hear what the collector said?" snarled the clerk. "Scram!" - -Without a word, Hank Karns turned and left the office. He passed -through the thronged corridors almost in a daze. There was Cappy -Wilkerson, gone to the Swamp, virtually condemned to death. There was -his ship sold, even before the trial which was to condemn it. And -everywhere there was high-handed insolence, seemingly inspired by this -overbearing man with the duplex complexion. What did it mean? And the -fact that he could not yet place those sharp eyes and that predatory -nose, though somewhere, sometime, he had encountered them before, -puzzled Hank Karns still more. Something stank in Venus. - - * * * * * - -An hour later he sat morosely in a tiny tavern he had long known, -hidden up the blind alley known as Artemis Lane. For half a century it -had been familiar to him as the hangout for his kind. - -"So you see how it is," the bartender was concluding. "At this rate -there won't be any more. With all the old-timers dead or in the Swamp, -how in hell can _I_ keep running. No sir, this joint is for sale--for -what it'll bring. Drink up and have another." - -Captain Karns took the proffered drink from the grizzled tavern-keeper, -but despite its cheering nature--for it was purest "comet-dew"--he took -it glumly. Never in all his long and active life had he heard so much -evil news at one sitting. Another of his old pals had come to grief, -and all because he had touched at Mercury. Mercury, it appeared, was -poison to all his tribe. The record was too consistent to be accounted -for by coincidence. Coincidents do not occur in strings. - -"And what makes it stink all the worse," persisted the indignant -bartender, bitterly, "not a damn finger is lifted to stop the flow of -trilibaine. The town is lousy with it. Half these natives stay hopped -up all the time." - -"I thought the Federals had cleaned that up ten years ago," commented -Hank Karns. - -"It's back," was the laconic retort. - -Hank Karns said nothing. The fact that three of his buddies were -languishing in the malarial swamps of Venus, continually subject to the -indignities of brutal guards was uppermost in his mind. And besides -that, two others--Bill Ellison and Jed Carter--had died on Mercury -when their ships mysteriously blew up on the take-off. That, too, had -an especial significance, for those two were the only members of the -trader tribe who had any sort of reputation as fire-eaters. In their -youth, of course, all of them had been bolder and more truculent, but -as they gained in experience they learned that there is more to be -gained by soft words than bluster. If Hank was to secure the release of -his friends it must be by guile, the use of a cunning superior to that -employed by their common enemies. - -_If_ he was to secure! There was no if about it. He must. For it was -Bob Merrill and Ben Wilkerson who had once rescued him, Hank Karns, -from an even more deadly situation. More than twenty years ago that -had been, on far-off Io, and Hank Karns winced at the memory of it. On -that occasion he had, through the machinations of the notorious Von -Kleber gang, been convicted and sentenced as a pirate. Ten hateful -and horror-filled days and nights he had spent in the mines of Sans -Espérance, the Federal Penitentiary, digging radioactive ores. Two of -his friendly competitors heard of it and pled for a new trial wherein -it was shown that he had been sent up through perjured testimony to -screen the trial of the real culprits. The wave of public opinion they -started then did not subside until Von Kleber and his outlaws were put -finally behind the bars. - -No, there was no choice. Cappy Wilkerson and Cappy Merrill must be -released and Ellison and Carter avenged. How? That remained to be seen. - -"Wa-al," drawled Hank Karns, elaborately, now that his mind was made -up, "I'll be seein' you. I'm taking a little trip into Mercury and -back." - -The bartender shook his head ominously. - -"No fool like an old fool," he said, and he didn't laugh. - -In the rain-lock, or the vestibule outside the bar, Karns stopped. He -felt inside the lining of his vest and after much fumbling produced a -dog-eared memorandum book. He ran through the yellowed pages until he -found one covered with cryptic entries. They appeared as if made long -ago, but several interlineations in various colored inks showed that -amendments had been made from time to time since the original writing -of them. - -Halfway down was the group P2, and what followed had been -twice changed. The line that stood in lieu of them read: -"Vbg--wickerware--4-1/2B, Eros." Hank Karns read the line through -two or three times, then snapped the book shut and replaced it in -its hiding place. He carefully buckled up his slicker and jammed his -sou'wester tight upon his head. Then he stepped forth into the steamy -drizzle of Artemis Lane. - -He sloshed his way through mud and water until he came to the main -drag. He turned to the right and splashed along until he came to the -corner where Erosville Road turned off. He took the turn and plugged -along for four blocks of its twisting, boggy length. A dozen steps -farther on he lifted his eyes and peered from beneath dripping brows -at the signs about. Across the street was what he sought--a sagging -awning crudely painted with the legend; "An Shirgar--Dealer in Native -Basketry." On the bedewed window below was another, "Hir Spak Anglass." - -Hank Karns stopped under the awning long enough to squish some of the -water out of his shoes, then he entered. A swarthy, turbanned Venusian -met him, rubbing his hands together obsequiously and bowing jerkily at -every step. - -"Yiss, milord. Valcom to mizrable shop. Vat vishes milord?" - -"Wickerware," said Hank Karns, tartly, for him. "For export." - -"Ah," breathed the representative of An Shirgar. "Zhipluds, eh? You -pay?" Captain Karns shook his head, and pointed to the private door at -the back. - -"Ah, vickware. No pay. Maybe boss ut see, eh?" - -"Yep, trot him out," said Hank Karns, and began fingering the clever -basketware of the Venutian hillmen. He knew it would be quite a while -before the Earth-man came, if this was operated like the Callistan -branch had been, twenty years before. After a time, without quite -knowing how he knew, he was aware that someone else was in the -showroom, studying him from a distance. - -"Howdy," he said, turning around. "I kinda wanted to finance a deal -that's too big for me to swing--is this the place?" - -"Might be," said the man non-committally. He was a typical Terrestrian -business man, not much over thirty, baldish, and plainly not given to -foolishness. "I don't touch anything as a rule unless I see a profit in -it. And no chance of loss. What is your collateral?" - -Hank Karns mentioned his ship. The man snorted, and started to turn -away. "You're wasting time." - -"I got a ring, too. It's a--well--sorta heirloom." - -The man came back. He was still not interested, but he took the ring -Karns offered him and weighed it in his hand. Then he applied a loup to -his eye and examined it closely. - -"You've hocked this before?" - -"Yes," chuckled Hank Karns. "And got it back, too." - -"Hmmm," said the man. "It looks genuine. What do you want?" - -"I--uh--am dropping into Mercury to do a little trading. When I get -back I might want to buy a chair or so--mebbe a houseful of stuff--and -just wanted to be sure my credit was good." - -"You speak in riddles, my friend," said the man with a curious, tight -little smile. He was tossing the ring thoughtfully all the while. - -"I'm only a lone trader," said Hank Karns, wistfully, "and don't know -no better. Supposing you keep the ring while I'm gone--to appraise it, -so to speak. All I want to know is who to call for when I get back. -_If_ I get back." - -The man pocketed the ring. - -"Where will the call come from?" - -"I dunno. Space, mebbe. Jail, mebbe." - -"My radio call is care assistant dockmaster, Venusberg sky-yard. -Mention berth twenty-three somehow. As to the jail angle, I do not as a -general thing do business with people in jail. In that event, I might -send you a lawyer, in consideration of this ring. Tell Rashab, the -night turn-key--you'll know him by the double scar on his chin--that -you want to see Mr. Brown. I can't guarantee he'll go, but if he does, -bear in mind he's a very cagy fellow and that Venusberg jail is studded -with dictaphones and scanners. If what you have in mind smacks at all -of illegality, it's likely he'll walk out on you." - -"Yep," snapped Hank Karns, beginning to shut the clasps on his slicker, -"I'll remember. Only I don't think it'll be a lawyer I'll need. If the -joint is lousy with spy-machines, what I'll want is an old friend--a -man of my type." - -The man, whatever his name was, for he had still not given it, laughed -outright for the first time. He slapped the Lone Trader on the back. - -"Men of your type, you old humbug, are extinct as the horse." - -Hank Karns looked up to laugh back at him, but he was gone. In his -place stood the turbanned Venutian, still doing washing motions with -his hands. - -"Milord no like vickvare? Milord go now?" - -"My Lord, yes. I go now." - -Karns jammed on his sou'wester, took a deep breath, and pushed open -the door. A half hour later he was making ready for the take-off for -Mercury. It was a shot in the dark, but it was a chance he had to take. - -"To hell with that," thought Hank Karns. Then briskly to the boy he -had brought with him this trip as a general utility man, "Hey, Billy, -look alive! Bear a hand with getting them there rakes stowed!" - - * * * * * - -"So that's Mercury," exclaimed Billy Hatch, four days later, as -he stared goggle-eyed into the visiplate. This was his first -interplanetary trip. - -"Yep," said Karns, "That's her, the doggonedest planet barrin' none in -the whole dad-frazzled system. After you've been here you can tell 'em -you've seen wind blow, and I mean blow. That's what them rakes is for. -To get around you lie down on your belly and pull yourself along by -them. It's a helluva place. The sun on your back'd fry you, 'cepting -there's always a ice-cold hurricane cooling you off." - -"How can that be, cap'n?" - -"Convection's the ten-sol word for it. It's cause she's sizzling hot -on one side and colder'n the underside of a iceberg on t'other. The -wind goes straight up over the desert and comes straight down over -the back side glaciers. Then it scoots for the desert again--and how! -Nobody could live an hour in any part of the place if it warn't for -the temp'rate strip, and that's cockeyed enough. You gotta steady, -hundred-two-hundred-mile wind going straight into the sun, for that's -right down to the horizon. In the lee of a house you burn up, in the -shade of it you'd freeze solid in five minutes. And the houses have to -be stone and streamlined." - -Hank Karns kept a watchful eye on the terrain coming up to meet them. -Mooring a ship in that wind required the utmost art. - -"As I told you, itsa helluva place. Nuthing grows there but a sort of -grass and some moss. The only animals is varmints, like the cangrela -and the trocklebeck. It's cangrela claws and trocklebeck hides we trade -for." - -Billy Hatch listened, wide-eyed. This was romance. - -"The trocklebeck is a critter something on the order of a armadillo, -only it's got horns and big claws to hang onto the ground. It grazes, -with its head allus into the wind. The cangrela is built along -the lines of a crab and has claws, too. It crawls up behind the -trocklebeck and kills 'em while they're feeding. Trocklebeck scales and -cangrela claws are both harder'n hell. They use 'em in machinery." - -"Oh," said Billy Hatch. - -"But you better git forrard there and tend to them grapples, 'cause -a-gitting hold of the ground here is ticklish business. Ef we miss it's -just too bad. We'll roll over and over for miles and miles, like as -not." - -Hank Karns said no more for a time. As a matter of fact, he was far -from ready to land. He had deliberately come up on the wrong side -of the planet for making the landing at Sam Atkins' little trading -store. He wanted to give it a general bird's-eye view. It was in a -valley scooped out by the wind that he saw the first sign of a major -alteration. Behind a huge artificial wind-break lay a group of new -buildings, and one of them was dome-topped with a squat chimney. A -matter of ten miles farther away was another new house and a small -warehouse behind it. Just over the next low ridge lay Atkins' place. - -"Standby," warned Hank Karns, as he brought the ship's nose into the -hurricane and began losing altitude. "Don't let go 'til I tell you--and -that'll be when we're practically down." - -Just as the keel kissed the ground, Karns gave the signal and the -anchors fell. At the same instant he cut his rockets and the ship began -falling away to leeward, dragging her anchors behind. In a moment they -grabbed, pulled loose and grabbed again. That time they held. Karns -released a long pent-up sigh. It was a perfect landing. Sam Atkins' -house lay but a bare hundred yards on the quarter. - -There was still the business of shooting a wire over the trading post -and making it fast at both ends, Atkins coming out to do his share. -Then Captain Karns slid down the wire to the shack and allowed himself -to be hauled in by the trading post keeper. - -"I'm glad to see you, Cap'n, and sorry at the same time," was his -greeting from Sam Atkins. Atkins was a grumpy sort and a self-made -hermit. He seemed to enjoy the solitude of windswept Mercury and the -tedious, strenuous work of snaring cangrelas. - -"How come sorry, Sam?" asked Hank Karns, as innocently as if he had -never visited Venus. - -Atkins looked mournfully at him and jerked a thumb eastward. - -"I've got neighbors--bad ones. Whatever you do, don't go over there. -They'll trick you somehow. They don't want outsiders coming here, -they've got a ship of their own that makes a trip every week or so." - -Hank Karns raised his eyebrows. - -"Trocklebecks must be breeding faster'n they used to," he observed. -"Mercury never produced enough to justify more than two trips a year, -if that." - -"Trocklebecks," stated Atkins, "are practically extinct. And the -cangrelas are starving. I doubt if I could scare up four cases of prime -claws to save my soul. It's _pagras_ that's doing it. The place is -crawling with them. They bite the trockelbecks and they curl up and -die." - -"Mmm," commented Hank Karns. He remembered those serpents well. They -were originally a Venusian beast--a variety of dragon, and extremely -venomous. They were really legged snakes, having thirty-six pairs -of taloned legs and crab-like claws near the head, but the body was -slender, rarely exceeding a yard in girth, for all their thirty-foot -lengths. - -"I'm closing up shop here," said the gloomy Atkins next. "You can take -the pick of what I own if you'll set me down at the next stop you make." - -"Now you just keep your shirt on, Sam Atkins," replied Hank Karns, "I'm -not a-doing anything of the damn kind. I'm going over and have a talk -with those gents in the next valley...." - -Sam Atkins glared at him. - -"No fool like an old fool," he remarked, hopelessly. - -Hank Karns chuckled. - -"Seems folks are agreed pretty well about me. But let's eat, so I can -get along my way." - -Unmooring and getting in the anchors was a troublesome job with only -a green boy for a helper, but Hank Karns managed it. At that it was a -much easier maneuver to move the ship that mile over the ridge than to -try to crawl it in the teeth of a permanent typhoon. Moreover, if there -was cargo to take aboard--and Hank Karns felt sure there would be--the -ship would have to be moved anyhow. So he took off, circumnavigated the -planet, and came up again, this time to the little office building and -warehouse next to Atkins' shack. He took good care not to go near the -other group of buildings. - -As he descended, casting about for a good spot to fling out his -grapnels he kept a sharp eye out for signs of life about the buildings. -All he saw was a couple of bronzed men, both bald as billiard balls, -working over some object in the lee of the warehouse. Upon sighting the -descending spaceship one went inside the warehouse and the other caught -hold of the guide-wire and let himself be blown down to what appeared -to be the office building. The man had on a heavily quilted suit of -gray material--quilted so that if he lost his hold and was blown away, -he would not bruise himself to death along the ground. - -On the fourth try, Hank Karns managed to ground his ship not far from -the office door. This time he landed to leeward and had to make his way -up-wind by crawling, assisted by a Mercurian "staff," or one of the -rakes among his trade goods. As he crawled, he observed he was being -watched from a loophole beside the door. But as he drew himself erect, -the door opened and a man came out to greet him. - -"Hello, Captain," said the man, cordially, "we're very glad to see you. -Come in and rest yourself." The man, Karns observed, was dressed in a -heavily quilted suit and was breathing heavily. But he had a full head -of hair and a luxuriant mustache. - -"Howdy, yourself," returned the Lone Trader. "Phew! It's shore dusty -hereabouts--I've heard of the place but I never seen it. The far -Trojans is my bailiwick and the asteroids in that corner...." - -"Really?" said the man, helping his visitor through the door. The -office was a single room, and no one else was in it. There was a bottle -of voilet-hued liquor on the table and two glasses. "Have a drink? This -is home brew--our Mercurian version of comet-dew--made from flowers -that grow under the glacier lips." - -"Don't care ef I do," remarked Karns, and sat down in the seat -indicated. "As I was saying, I thought I'd look in on this place, -seeing as how I had to make the perihelion hop home. Have to git home -to see my oldest grandchild married." - -"Wouldn't be interested in a bit of cargo, would you?" asked the man. -"Our own ship is overdue, and I have some freight for Venus." - -"I'm allus interested in a bit of cargo," said Karns, "but this trip I -can't stop by Venus--time's too short." - -"Oh, well," said his host, indifferently, "it doesn't matter about -that. I was thinking of shipping some boxes of claws and hides to -our agent at Venusberg for sale there. We are a new company and have -no outlets on Terra yet, unless you wanted to speculate on your own -account and buy them outright." - -"Speculation's my business," said Hank Karns, serene and bland. And -added, with just a touch of foxiness, "_ef_ the buying price is right." - -"Oh, we won't quarrel about that," laughed the man. "The hides are -a by-product with us--this is a pharmaceutical outfit. We make a -preparation from the hormones of these beasts. You can have the horns -at almost any price." - -They spent the better part of an hour in good natured haggling, the -child-like old man raising first one trivial objection after another to -win small advantages--chiefly in the matter of valuation of the various -items of trade goods he had to offer. None of the lone traders ever -dealt in cash. The _Swapper_ was most appropriately named. - -At last they shook on the bargain--and a bargain it most obviously was -from the trader's point of view. Mr. Raoul Dement, or so the company -man styled himself, presented the visiting captain two flasks of the -violet liquor after the old custom of the trade. - -"Nice stuff," observed Hank Karns, licking his lip. "The best I ever." - -"There's twelve cases of it in the warehouse," said Dement, with a -wink. "Now, if you were the smuggling sort, there would be a nice -profit for you. But, of course...." - -"Hell," exploded Hank Karns, "running comet-dew's no sin. Wisht I had a -decimo for every gallon I've hauled. Once in a coon's age I get stuck -with a little fine, but shucks--the customer'll allus pay that for -you." - -There followed more dickering, but the upshot of it was that Hank Karns -signed up for everything that had been offered him. - -"Bon voyage," said Mr. Dement. "If you ever pass this way again, drop -in and visit." - -"Sure will," said Hank Karns, looking his man in the eye. He was -interested in his host's forehead. About an inch from the right temple -there was a slight depression--the ineradicable scar of an old skull -injury. - - * * * * * - -Mercury was still a big disk behind when the _Swapper_ straightened out -on her earthward trajectory. - -"Step alive there, Billy, we got lots to do." - -All the blandness, all the gullibility and child-like faith were gone -from Hank Karns' face now. He looked much more like work-ridden gnome -than an emaciated Santa Claus. For they had unpacked every case and -strewn its contents on the deck, looking for contraband of a more -serious nature than the harmless comet-dew. But no case contained -anything except what the invoice declared. Hank left the job of -repacking to the boy and went about a minute search of the ship itself. - -In that he was not a moment too soon. Behind the control board--hidden -under the vine-like mass of electric leads--were two thermobombs. Their -detonating coils were already hot. The control board was divided into -three panels, each controlling an opposite pair of the six tubes which -were arranged hexagonally about the stern. Two of the panels were about -to be ruined by fire. - -Hank Karns' first impulse was to snatch the bombs loose and let them -burn out harmlessly on the deck, but suddenly he checked it. Instead he -withdrew his hand and stuck his blistered fingers in his mouth. Then he -shouted a warning to Billy Hatch. - -"Hey! Stand by for a blast. Bring an extinguisher, quick!" - -The boy ran up, but nothing happened for several minutes. Then the two -boards flashed fire. They put the fire out, but the damage was done. -The _Swapper_ was not nearly up to acceleration. She could never get to -Earth at that velocity. She would have to limp into Venus on her two -remaining tubes and have yard electricians renew her wiring. - -"Pretty neat," said Hank Karns, admiringly, contemplating his ruined -controls. - -"I did the best I could, Cap'n," said Billy, modestly, thinking the -compliment was meant for him. - -"You did all right, son," said the skipper. "Supposing you turn in now. -I'll do what's left." - -Hank Karns did not at once change course for Venus. He was still -unsatisfied that he knew all he should know about his ship and its -seemingly innocuous cargo. It was too obvious to miss that Dement had -ordered the bombs planted to ensure the _Swapper's_ going into Venus. -It was an easy guess that the suggestion to take liquor on board was a -device to ensure the ship's arrest and the confiscation that was sure -to follow, Venusian courts being what they were. But to Hank Karns' -suspicious mind there was much more to it than that. In the first -place, he could have obviated both. He could have snatched the bombs -before they exploded, and he could yet jettison the liquor. Moreover, -if the mere elimination of all visitors to Mercury was what they -were after, those bombs could just as well have been of feroxite and -designed to destroy the ship entirely, as was done in the case of the -openly hostile Merrill and Carter. No, the master plot required the -_Swapper_ to go into Venus and be done away with there. Why? He thought -that over. - -Suddenly he arose and unlocked his little safe. From its lead container -he withdrew a small pellet of radium and set up his fluoroscope. -Then he dragged out one of the trockelbeck hides. He searched it -systematically from horn to stubby tail, from the scaly back to the -claws of the feet. Then he put his fluoroscope away. Grinning into his -beard, he went aft and got a pair of pliers, a hammer and a cold chisel. - -One of the horns came away as he screwed it off. He knew already -from its fluorescence that it was hollowed out and filled with some -substance, but he wanted to make sure. He shook the pale green powder -inside out into his palm and sniffed it. Yes, that was it. There was -the unmistakable odor of crushed cherries and the sickish sweetness -of the hashish of the skies--trilibaine! Ah, now he was getting -somewhere. And as he split a few back scales at random he found that -each had a few grams of the insidious drug within it. One such hide -would supply a retail peddler for many months, each scale a separate -delivery. - -He delayed no longer. He shifted his course toward Venus and at the -same time sat down to his radio key. He sent: - -"URGENT: Venusberg Sky Yard. Attention assistant dockmaster. Four -tubes disabled account switchboard fire. Please reserve for me berth -twenty-three. Litigation in prospect. Can you recommend lawyer? -(signed) Hank Karns, captain, TS Swapper." - -"Well," he said to himself as he carefully swept up the tell-tale green -dust from the deck and added it to the bundle of broken scales and -neatly bored and threaded horns preparatory to firing it all through -the garbage tube into his wake, "I've shot my wad. Now let's see how -smart Mr. Brown turns out to be." - - * * * * * - -He learned very soon that the thermobombs were but an added precaution. -He had not been waiting more than a couple hours when his loudspeaker -began to buzz. He glanced at it in surprise, as he was still a long way -from Venus. The message began coming through, harsh and peremptory, -"Lay to, _Swapper_, to receive a boarding party. Lay to, or take the -consequences. Sky-guard calling. Lay to!" - -Hank Karns cut his rockets and went to the airlock to await the arrival -of the cruiser. It was not long in coming. - -Two smartly uniformed young officers sprang in. - -"Let's see your manifest," ordered one, curtly, while the other headed -for the hold. In a moment the second came back with two flasks of the -pale violet comet-dew. - -"The old boy is lousy with the stuff," he reported to the other. "Cases -and cases of it." - -"Yes," said the first, "and not a damn word about it in the manifest. -This makes the second one of these old coots we've hauled up this -month--what do you say, shall we call this one conspiracy?" - -"Why not?" countered the other. - -Karns said nothing beyond the usual blustering protests that would be -expected of him. Then he lapsed into silence as the two took over -after ordering their own vessel to proceed. - -They did not go to the commercial sky-yard, but to the official one. -Other officers met them, and Hank Karns was led straight away to jail. -He protested every step of the way, demanding to be taken before the -Terrestrial resident commissioner, or to be booked in the usual way. -Both those demands were refused, whereupon he asked for a lawyer. - -"Don't kid yourself, old man," said one of his guards. "You're in Venus -now. Here you are." - -[Illustration: Ray-gun levelled, the guard shoved Hank stumblingly -forward. He staggered and nearly fell, striking his head against the -barred window. Outside he could see the form of a spaceship. But it was -not the _Swapper_. The guard laughed and swaggered out.] - -There he was. There was no question about that. The barred door slammed -behind his departing escort with an air of utter finality. - -"Hi-ya, pop!" screamed some hoodlum down the corridor. "Whatcha in for?" - -After that nothing happened. Hank Karns looked about him at his cramped -cell and settled down to make the best of it. It would be tiresome, -locked up alone this way, but in a day or so perhaps the mysterious Mr. -Brown would put in his appearance. - -The next day came, but no Mr. Brown. However, early in the morning -another visitor came in his place. Karns heard footsteps approaching -and the jangle of keys. His door was flung open and a tall stranger -stepped in. The man was quite old and clad in the blue uniform, faded -and patched, of a space skipper. He was obviously a lone trader, but -if he was, he was the only one in the universe that Hank Karns did not -know. For this man, with his beetling gray eyebrows and hard steely -eyes beneath, he had never laid eyes on before. - -"Two minutes, no more," warned the guard, and stood back in the -corridor where he could both see and hear. - -"Howdy Hank," said the newcomer. "Danged if it ain't gitting so that -Tom Bagley spends half his time bailing you out or paying fines. Why, -I'd hardly landed here but what I heard you'd been slung into the -calaboose again, and I says to myself, says I...." - -"Yeah, Tom, I know," said Hank Karns, penitently, trying not to look -at the eavesdropping guard. Inwardly he was seething with doubt and -curiosity. Could it be that this was some minion of the collector -trying to trick him, or was he acting for Mr. Brown? He remembered -telling the fellow in the wickerware place that what he really needed -was a man of his own type. Maybe they had found one. At any rate, he -chose to pretend he knew him. - -"Anyhow," went on the stranger, "I looked up a feller named Brown that -I know here and asked him what to do. He said things looked pretty -black and his advice was to plead guilty and say nothing. Might get -off with a fine or something. And that he had a little money of yours. -He got me this pass, but said he couldn't work it twice. Now tell me, -Hank, what do you want me to do? I gotta get out of here for Mercury in -a day or so." - -Hank Karns looked at the man steadily for a moment. He was on the -spot. The man was evidently from Brown, but he knew neither of them -personally. But worse, the guard was listening to every word, and there -were doubtless dictaphones as well. But the two minutes were running -out and there would not be a second visit. - -"I'll tell you, Tom, there isn't but one thing you can do. I'll have -to take my medicine, I guess, but I hate like everything to lose them -trocklebeck hides and horns. The critters is dying off--poisoned by -pagras. Them danged snakes are all over Mercury. You might not have -money enough to buy 'em in, but sorta keep track of 'em, won't you? -They're not worth much now, but they'll be _mighty_ valuable some day. -There's a man here from Io that'll pay a good price for 'em, ef you can -find him." - -"Time's up," snapped the guard, coming forward. - -"All right, you old scalawag," said the phony trader captain, jovially, -"I'll do my best. But watch your step with that jedge. He's tough." - -"I know," said Hank Karns, despondently, and settled his face in his -hands. - -The door slammed and the footsteps withdrew, ringing emptily down the -metal passage. - -Dreary day followed dreary day. Time after time Karns heard footsteps -ringing in the corridor, and as often he heard the rattle of keys as -some door was opened and another unfortunate was ordered out to meet -his doom--the sentence that was to change his state from slow dry rot -to the swift wet rot of the Swamp. But it was never Karns' door. - -Then at last came the day when guards took him to the identical court -where Wilkerson had been tried. The evidence was brief and to the -point. He was apprehended trying to sneak into Venus when his clearance -papers called for Terra as his destination. He had on board eight cases -of illicit liquor. He had no acceptable explanation. Guilty. Two years -in the Swamp and the loss of his ship was the sentence. Then they took -him back to his cell to await the next caravan to the penal camps. - -The second stretch of waiting was harder to take than the first, for -he had placed the enigmatic collector now in his memory. The man was -Von Kleber, thought to have died many years ago in the uranium mines -of Sans Espérance. Karns knew him to be a convict from the fact that -he had grafted new skin on his face and head so that the burns and -baldness caused by radioactivity would not show. But that he was the -notorious Von Kleber himself had not occurred to him. And with that -recognition came the other. Raoul Dement was the man known as Frenchy -the Hop, vice-president of the Von Kleber ring. It was he who had -operated the narcotic racket while the big boss turned his attention to -such other lines as piracy, white-slaving and smuggling in general. If -such men could flourish unchecked in the well-policed Jovian satellites -for more than a decade, it was hopeless to expect to dislodge them from -their place on corrupt and autonomous Venus. - -And so time dragged on and Hank Karns sat, awaiting the day when he -would be taken away to the Swamp. He wondered apathetically whether he -would be sent to the same camp where Wilkerson and Hildreth were. But -at last there came a day when footsteps rang again in the corridors and -he heard doors being opened and men taken away. Finally men stopped -before his own cell and called him forth. Between two soldiers they -marched him away. - -To his surprise they took him first to the street, where three sedan -chairs were waiting. The guards very politely indicated that Karns was -to get in the middle one and they took the others. Hank clambered in -and they set off. Shortly they drew up before the courthouse. - -He was met inside by a tall, slender man of nearly his own age who wore -the uniform of Chief Inspector of the Interplanetary F.B.I. - -"How are you, Captain?" he said cheerily. "Sorry you had such a long -stay in jail, but we'll try to make that up to you. Come in here and -let me show you something?" - -Hank Karns looked at the inspector in amazement. He was Frank Haynes, -the man who had broken the Von Kleber case years before. There had been -a time when they worked closely together on the information that Karns -furnished when he was released from Sans Espérance. He said nothing in -reply, though, as Haynes was leading the way into the courtroom. In the -dock were two baldheaded prisoners--Von Kleber, erstwhile Collector -of the Port, and Mr. Dement, manager of the Mercurian drug works. The -judge was a new one--a judge who looked like a judge should look. - -"There they are, thanks to you," said Haynes, pointing. "Two as clever -criminals as ever plagued the system. We've been a long time catching -them. But their career is over now. - -"Our local operative, known as Brown to you, has been trying for months -to locate the source of the trilobaine flood but without avail. The -Venusian authorities blocked him at every turn but there was nothing -we could do about that unless we could hang a Federal offense on -them. It was you who did that for us. I am very glad I gave you that -identification ring after our cleanup on Callisto and the list of -the secret addresses of our agents. I felt then that you were a man -of discretion and would not abuse its privileges and today I most -certainly am more than justified. When I interviewed you in your -cell...." - -"You!" - -Inspector Haynes grinned at Hank's surprise. - -"Pretty effective disguise, eh? Well, as I was about to say--you gave -me all the tips that were needed. First of all, your mention of the -scourge of pagras told me it was trilobaine you had aboard, for that is -a distillation of pagra venom. That gave us jurisdiction. I attended -the secret auction and tried to bid. Everything in the ship went for a -song to Von Kleber's pals, but when I went to bid on the trocklebeck -hides I ran into stiff opposition. They were not to be had at any -price. So I stopped bidding. - -"Our operatives trailed those hides through five sets of owners before -we came to the Collector himself. Early this morning we made our raid -and took in all their supplies of drugs and twenty-five of their -peddlers. Previously we had raided Mercury and those men came in about -an hour ago. They had quite a thriving little business, and why we -didn't think of their method of smuggling in the trilobaine before this -I'll never know. We knew, of course, that it must be coming in the -ships that they confiscated. That much we were sure of. But we couldn't -prove a damn thing until we knew _how_. Thanks to you, the ring is -busted now, and we can do something for those poor devils who were -innocently duped into being carriers of the drug. Runners have already -been sent to the Swamp to bring back your friends. And there you are. -You'll find your old _Swapper_ in the Yard, completely overhauled and -stocked to the gunwales with grade A trade goods." - -Hank Karns, trader, tugged at his grizzled beard and looked rather -sheepishly at the floor. - -"Dag it all," he said "that's fine enough. But gosh, I sure hated to -make a damfool of myself in front of everybody thataway." - -Inspector Haynes broke into laughter and crossed over and slapped him -on the back. - -"You old liar. You loved it!" - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of 4 1/2 B, Eros, by Malcolm Jameson - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 4 1/2 B, EROS *** - -***** This file should be named 61863-8.txt or 61863-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/1/8/6/61863/ - -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. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive -specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this -eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook -for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, -performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given -away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks -not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the -trademark license, especially commercial redistribution. - -START: FULL LICENSE - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full -Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at -www.gutenberg.org/license. - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or -destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your -possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a -Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound -by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the -person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph -1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this -agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the -Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection -of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual -works in the collection are in the public domain in the United -States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the -United States and you are located in the United States, we do not -claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, -displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as -all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope -that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting -free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm -works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the -Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily -comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the -same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when -you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are -in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, -check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this -agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, -distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any -other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no -representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any -country outside the United States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other -immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear -prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work -on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, -performed, viewed, copied or distributed: - - 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. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not -contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the -copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in -the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are -redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply -either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or -obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any -additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms -will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works -posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the -beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including -any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access -to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format -other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official -version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site -(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense -to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means -of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain -Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the -full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -provided that - -* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed - to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has - agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid - within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are - legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty - payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in - Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg - Literary Archive Foundation." - -* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all - copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue - all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm - works. - -* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of - any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of - receipt of the work. - -* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than -are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing -from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The -Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project -Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may -contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate -or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other -intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or -other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or -cannot be read by your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium -with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you -with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in -lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person -or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second -opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If -the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing -without further opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO -OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT -LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of -damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement -violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the -agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or -limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or -unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the -remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in -accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the -production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, -including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of -the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this -or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or -additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any -Defect you cause. - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of -computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It -exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations -from people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future -generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see -Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at -www.gutenberg.org Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by -U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the -mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its -volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous -locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt -Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to -date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and -official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND -DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular -state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To -donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and -distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of -volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in -the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not -necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper -edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. - diff --git a/old/61863-8.zip b/old/61863-8.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index b00785a..0000000 --- a/old/61863-8.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/61863-h.zip b/old/61863-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 3e5775c..0000000 --- a/old/61863-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/61863-h/61863-h.htm b/old/61863-h/61863-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index e720e24..0000000 --- a/old/61863-h/61863-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1409 +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=iso-8859-1" /> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of 4-1/2b, Eros, by Malcolm Jameson. - </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; -} - -.caption p -{ - text-align: center; - text-indent: 0; - margin: 0.25em 0; -} - -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; -} - -.blockquot { - margin-left: 5%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - -.ph1 { text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; } -.ph1 { font-size: medium; margin: .83em auto; } - - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of 4 1/2 B, Eros, by Malcolm Jameson - -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: 4 1/2 B, Eros - -Author: Malcolm Jameson - -Release Date: April 18, 2020 [EBook #61863] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 4 1/2 B, EROS *** - - - - -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="351" height="500" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1>4-1/2B, EROS</h1> - -<h2>By MALCOLM JAMESON</h2> - -<p>"4-1/2B, Eros."... A strange code, but<br /> -grizzled space-trader Karns used it to<br /> -break the perilous Mercury-Venus Jinx.</p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Planet Stories Spring 1941.<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>"Makee chop chop. Kwei! Kwei!"</p> - -<p>The two Venusian coolies squatted down between the shafts and with one -quick motion elevated the sedan chair to shoulder height. Then they -started off in a lazy run through the torrential downpour, splashing -mud right and left as their sturdy yellow legs struck into the watery -lane of muck that passes for a road in Venusberg. Captain Hank Karns, -the Lone Trader, sank back in his seat and watched idly with mild blue -eyes as first one grass hut and then another appeared momentarily -through rifts of rain. There would be time enough to worry about Cappy -Wilkerson's plight when he reached the administration building and -found out more about the charges against him. No doubt it was just -another shakedown, the effort of some minor official to pry loose a -little more than the customary cumshaw.</p> - -<p>Captain Karns had berthed his own old trading tub not an hour earlier -and as he registered the arrival of his <i>Swapper</i> he noted that under -the date of three days before there was the entry: "<i>Wanderer</i>, Captain -Wilkerson, en route Mercury to Luna." After it was the notation in red: -"Detained by order Collector of the Port; captain in custody."</p> - -<p>Hank Karns thoughtfully pawed his long white beard. Cappy Wilkerson was -a careful and upright man and a lifelong friend; what manner of charge -could they have trumped up against him? That they were trumped up he -took for granted, for the local government of autonomous Venus was -notoriously corrupt and always had been. The Venusians themselves were -the descendants of coolies brought centuries before from tropical Asia. -They took little or no interest in government. Politics had, therefore, -fallen into the hands of white adventurers, most of whom lived on Venus -for the very good reason they were not wanted elsewhere. The Central -Council of the loose Interplanetary Federation seldom interfered with -them unless for acts so flagrant as to affect the Federation as a whole.</p> - -<p>The old space merchant left his chair at the courtroom and squeezed -through the crowd at the back just in time to hear the whack, whack, -whack of the gavel marking the end of the trial. Standing defiantly -in the prisoner's box was Cappy Wilkerson, his eyes flashing and his -iron-gray mane thrown back. He looked like an indignant old lion -brought to bay by a pack of jackals. The judge, a young man with a -monocle and a stiff black pompadour, was dressed in a smart military -uniform which made him appear anything but judicial. He was biting out -his words as if what he was saying was inspired by personal venom.</p> - -<p>"I have heard all you have had to say, including your filthy -imputations as to the integrity of this court. Your guilt is so -apparent that we need not trouble even to preserve the record of your -silly and malicious allegations...."</p> - -<p>Here the judge contemptuously tossed a sheaf of papers into a -wastebasket.</p> - -<p>"Therefore, bearing in mind not only your guilt but your contumacious -conduct before me, I sentence you to five years at hard labor in such a -one of our prison camps as the Director of Welfare and Beneficence may -select.</p> - -<p>"It is further directed that your ship, together with its illicit -contents, be confiscated and sold at public auction in order to defray -the cost of these proceedings. Marshal! Take him away."</p> - -<p>Hank Karns was on his feet at once, elbowing and pushing his way -forward through the departing throng of curiosity-seekers. His voice -was shrill with indignation.</p> - -<p>"Hey, you can't do that!" he yelled. Officials closed in on him at -once, and the judge's face grew red with anger. "This is a court of -law," he said, "and the decisions of the presiding judge are final. Now -get out before I haul you up for contempt."</p> - -<p>"Tarnation damn!" muttered Hank Karns as he turned and left the -building. This was no ordinary shakedown. This called for action, and -quick action, for it was unthinkable that his buddy should be carted -off to the insect-infested, fever-ridden, infamous Great Swamp of -Venus. White men lived but a few months there; a year, let alone five -years, was as good as life.</p> - -<p>A bulletin caught his eye, and as he read it he gasped. The paste -that fastened it to the board was still wet, but the paper bore -characteristics of printed type. It must have been prepared at least a -day ago. It read:</p> - -<div class="blockquot"> -<p class="ph1">COLLECTOR'S SALE</p> - -<p>One confiscated tube ship, the <i>Wanderer</i>, complete with fittings. The -cargo of the same consisting of miscellaneous trade goods. Saturday. -Inquire at Collector's Office for details.</p></div> - -<p>"Phew!" gasped Hank Karns. "<i>That</i> was quick work. And planned." He -turned and made his way to the Collector's Office.</p> - -<p>The man at the front desk gaped at him woodenly.</p> - -<p>"S'already sold," he said indifferently, the third time Karns put his -question.</p> - -<p>"But it says Saturday...."</p> - -<p>"Okay—it says Saturday. So what?"</p> - -<p>"B-but this is only Tuesday...."</p> - -<p>"We have a Saturday every week, dodo. Now trot along and annoy somebody -else for a change. I have work to do."</p> - -<p>Hank Karns blinked. Why, Saturday was the day the <i>Wanderer</i> docked. -These Venusians were getting raw. They must have sold her that very day!</p> - -<p>"Who is that old man? Throw him out!"</p> - -<p>Karns turned slowly and viewed the new speaker. He was a big man, -with piercing black eyes and a hawk nose, and heavily bearded—a -strange sight for super-tropical Venus where men kept clean shaven -for coolness. But the man turned abruptly away and entered an inner -office, slamming the door behind him. Hank Karns' eyes followed him -all the way—they were fixed on the back of the fellow's neck. There, -oddly enough, just above the shoulder line, peeped a line of color -demarcation. Above the line, which was made visible by the fact that -its wearer had pulled open his collar for comfort, the skin was the -normal pallor usually seen on Venus; below, it was a mottled chocolate -color.</p> - -<p>"Didja hear what the collector said?" snarled the clerk. "Scram!"</p> - -<p>Without a word, Hank Karns turned and left the office. He passed -through the thronged corridors almost in a daze. There was Cappy -Wilkerson, gone to the Swamp, virtually condemned to death. There was -his ship sold, even before the trial which was to condemn it. And -everywhere there was high-handed insolence, seemingly inspired by this -overbearing man with the duplex complexion. What did it mean? And the -fact that he could not yet place those sharp eyes and that predatory -nose, though somewhere, sometime, he had encountered them before, -puzzled Hank Karns still more. Something stank in Venus.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>An hour later he sat morosely in a tiny tavern he had long known, -hidden up the blind alley known as Artemis Lane. For half a century it -had been familiar to him as the hangout for his kind.</p> - -<p>"So you see how it is," the bartender was concluding. "At this rate -there won't be any more. With all the old-timers dead or in the Swamp, -how in hell can <i>I</i> keep running. No sir, this joint is for sale—for -what it'll bring. Drink up and have another."</p> - -<p>Captain Karns took the proffered drink from the grizzled tavern-keeper, -but despite its cheering nature—for it was purest "comet-dew"—he took -it glumly. Never in all his long and active life had he heard so much -evil news at one sitting. Another of his old pals had come to grief, -and all because he had touched at Mercury. Mercury, it appeared, was -poison to all his tribe. The record was too consistent to be accounted -for by coincidence. Coincidents do not occur in strings.</p> - -<p>"And what makes it stink all the worse," persisted the indignant -bartender, bitterly, "not a damn finger is lifted to stop the flow of -trilibaine. The town is lousy with it. Half these natives stay hopped -up all the time."</p> - -<p>"I thought the Federals had cleaned that up ten years ago," commented -Hank Karns.</p> - -<p>"It's back," was the laconic retort.</p> - -<p>Hank Karns said nothing. The fact that three of his buddies were -languishing in the malarial swamps of Venus, continually subject to the -indignities of brutal guards was uppermost in his mind. And besides -that, two others—Bill Ellison and Jed Carter—had died on Mercury -when their ships mysteriously blew up on the take-off. That, too, had -an especial significance, for those two were the only members of the -trader tribe who had any sort of reputation as fire-eaters. In their -youth, of course, all of them had been bolder and more truculent, but -as they gained in experience they learned that there is more to be -gained by soft words than bluster. If Hank was to secure the release of -his friends it must be by guile, the use of a cunning superior to that -employed by their common enemies.</p> - -<p><i>If</i> he was to secure! There was no if about it. He must. For it was -Bob Merrill and Ben Wilkerson who had once rescued him, Hank Karns, -from an even more deadly situation. More than twenty years ago that -had been, on far-off Io, and Hank Karns winced at the memory of it. On -that occasion he had, through the machinations of the notorious Von -Kleber gang, been convicted and sentenced as a pirate. Ten hateful -and horror-filled days and nights he had spent in the mines of Sans -Espérance, the Federal Penitentiary, digging radioactive ores. Two of -his friendly competitors heard of it and pled for a new trial wherein -it was shown that he had been sent up through perjured testimony to -screen the trial of the real culprits. The wave of public opinion they -started then did not subside until Von Kleber and his outlaws were put -finally behind the bars.</p> - -<p>No, there was no choice. Cappy Wilkerson and Cappy Merrill must be -released and Ellison and Carter avenged. How? That remained to be seen.</p> - -<p>"Wa-al," drawled Hank Karns, elaborately, now that his mind was made -up, "I'll be seein' you. I'm taking a little trip into Mercury and -back."</p> - -<p>The bartender shook his head ominously.</p> - -<p>"No fool like an old fool," he said, and he didn't laugh.</p> - -<p>In the rain-lock, or the vestibule outside the bar, Karns stopped. He -felt inside the lining of his vest and after much fumbling produced a -dog-eared memorandum book. He ran through the yellowed pages until he -found one covered with cryptic entries. They appeared as if made long -ago, but several interlineations in various colored inks showed that -amendments had been made from time to time since the original writing -of them.</p> - -<p>Halfway down was the group P2, and what followed had been -twice changed. The line that stood in lieu of them read: -"Vbg—wickerware—4-1/2B, Eros." Hank Karns read the line through -two or three times, then snapped the book shut and replaced it in -its hiding place. He carefully buckled up his slicker and jammed his -sou'wester tight upon his head. Then he stepped forth into the steamy -drizzle of Artemis Lane.</p> - -<p>He sloshed his way through mud and water until he came to the main -drag. He turned to the right and splashed along until he came to the -corner where Erosville Road turned off. He took the turn and plugged -along for four blocks of its twisting, boggy length. A dozen steps -farther on he lifted his eyes and peered from beneath dripping brows -at the signs about. Across the street was what he sought—a sagging -awning crudely painted with the legend; "An Shirgar—Dealer in Native -Basketry." On the bedewed window below was another, "Hir Spak Anglass."</p> - -<p>Hank Karns stopped under the awning long enough to squish some of the -water out of his shoes, then he entered. A swarthy, turbanned Venusian -met him, rubbing his hands together obsequiously and bowing jerkily at -every step.</p> - -<p>"Yiss, milord. Valcom to mizrable shop. Vat vishes milord?"</p> - -<p>"Wickerware," said Hank Karns, tartly, for him. "For export."</p> - -<p>"Ah," breathed the representative of An Shirgar. "Zhipluds, eh? You -pay?" Captain Karns shook his head, and pointed to the private door at -the back.</p> - -<p>"Ah, vickware. No pay. Maybe boss ut see, eh?"</p> - -<p>"Yep, trot him out," said Hank Karns, and began fingering the clever -basketware of the Venutian hillmen. He knew it would be quite a while -before the Earth-man came, if this was operated like the Callistan -branch had been, twenty years before. After a time, without quite -knowing how he knew, he was aware that someone else was in the -showroom, studying him from a distance.</p> - -<p>"Howdy," he said, turning around. "I kinda wanted to finance a deal -that's too big for me to swing—is this the place?"</p> - -<p>"Might be," said the man non-committally. He was a typical Terrestrian -business man, not much over thirty, baldish, and plainly not given to -foolishness. "I don't touch anything as a rule unless I see a profit in -it. And no chance of loss. What is your collateral?"</p> - -<p>Hank Karns mentioned his ship. The man snorted, and started to turn -away. "You're wasting time."</p> - -<p>"I got a ring, too. It's a—well—sorta heirloom."</p> - -<p>The man came back. He was still not interested, but he took the ring -Karns offered him and weighed it in his hand. Then he applied a loup to -his eye and examined it closely.</p> - -<p>"You've hocked this before?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," chuckled Hank Karns. "And got it back, too."</p> - -<p>"Hmmm," said the man. "It looks genuine. What do you want?"</p> - -<p>"I—uh—am dropping into Mercury to do a little trading. When I get -back I might want to buy a chair or so—mebbe a houseful of stuff—and -just wanted to be sure my credit was good."</p> - -<p>"You speak in riddles, my friend," said the man with a curious, tight -little smile. He was tossing the ring thoughtfully all the while.</p> - -<p>"I'm only a lone trader," said Hank Karns, wistfully, "and don't know -no better. Supposing you keep the ring while I'm gone—to appraise it, -so to speak. All I want to know is who to call for when I get back. -<i>If</i> I get back."</p> - -<p>The man pocketed the ring.</p> - -<p>"Where will the call come from?"</p> - -<p>"I dunno. Space, mebbe. Jail, mebbe."</p> - -<p>"My radio call is care assistant dockmaster, Venusberg sky-yard. -Mention berth twenty-three somehow. As to the jail angle, I do not as a -general thing do business with people in jail. In that event, I might -send you a lawyer, in consideration of this ring. Tell Rashab, the -night turn-key—you'll know him by the double scar on his chin—that -you want to see Mr. Brown. I can't guarantee he'll go, but if he does, -bear in mind he's a very cagy fellow and that Venusberg jail is studded -with dictaphones and scanners. If what you have in mind smacks at all -of illegality, it's likely he'll walk out on you."</p> - -<p>"Yep," snapped Hank Karns, beginning to shut the clasps on his slicker, -"I'll remember. Only I don't think it'll be a lawyer I'll need. If the -joint is lousy with spy-machines, what I'll want is an old friend—a -man of my type."</p> - -<p>The man, whatever his name was, for he had still not given it, laughed -outright for the first time. He slapped the Lone Trader on the back.</p> - -<p>"Men of your type, you old humbug, are extinct as the horse."</p> - -<p>Hank Karns looked up to laugh back at him, but he was gone. In his -place stood the turbanned Venutian, still doing washing motions with -his hands.</p> - -<p>"Milord no like vickvare? Milord go now?"</p> - -<p>"My Lord, yes. I go now."</p> - -<p>Karns jammed on his sou'wester, took a deep breath, and pushed open -the door. A half hour later he was making ready for the take-off for -Mercury. It was a shot in the dark, but it was a chance he had to take.</p> - -<p>"To hell with that," thought Hank Karns. Then briskly to the boy he -had brought with him this trip as a general utility man, "Hey, Billy, -look alive! Bear a hand with getting them there rakes stowed!"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"So that's Mercury," exclaimed Billy Hatch, four days later, as -he stared goggle-eyed into the visiplate. This was his first -interplanetary trip.</p> - -<p>"Yep," said Karns, "That's her, the doggonedest planet barrin' none in -the whole dad-frazzled system. After you've been here you can tell 'em -you've seen wind blow, and I mean blow. That's what them rakes is for. -To get around you lie down on your belly and pull yourself along by -them. It's a helluva place. The sun on your back'd fry you, 'cepting -there's always a ice-cold hurricane cooling you off."</p> - -<p>"How can that be, cap'n?"</p> - -<p>"Convection's the ten-sol word for it. It's cause she's sizzling hot -on one side and colder'n the underside of a iceberg on t'other. The -wind goes straight up over the desert and comes straight down over -the back side glaciers. Then it scoots for the desert again—and how! -Nobody could live an hour in any part of the place if it warn't for -the temp'rate strip, and that's cockeyed enough. You gotta steady, -hundred-two-hundred-mile wind going straight into the sun, for that's -right down to the horizon. In the lee of a house you burn up, in the -shade of it you'd freeze solid in five minutes. And the houses have to -be stone and streamlined."</p> - -<p>Hank Karns kept a watchful eye on the terrain coming up to meet them. -Mooring a ship in that wind required the utmost art.</p> - -<p>"As I told you, itsa helluva place. Nuthing grows there but a sort of -grass and some moss. The only animals is varmints, like the cangrela -and the trocklebeck. It's cangrela claws and trocklebeck hides we trade -for."</p> - -<p>Billy Hatch listened, wide-eyed. This was romance.</p> - -<p>"The trocklebeck is a critter something on the order of a armadillo, -only it's got horns and big claws to hang onto the ground. It grazes, -with its head allus into the wind. The cangrela is built along -the lines of a crab and has claws, too. It crawls up behind the -trocklebeck and kills 'em while they're feeding. Trocklebeck scales and -cangrela claws are both harder'n hell. They use 'em in machinery."</p> - -<p>"Oh," said Billy Hatch.</p> - -<p>"But you better git forrard there and tend to them grapples, 'cause -a-gitting hold of the ground here is ticklish business. Ef we miss it's -just too bad. We'll roll over and over for miles and miles, like as -not."</p> - -<p>Hank Karns said no more for a time. As a matter of fact, he was far -from ready to land. He had deliberately come up on the wrong side -of the planet for making the landing at Sam Atkins' little trading -store. He wanted to give it a general bird's-eye view. It was in a -valley scooped out by the wind that he saw the first sign of a major -alteration. Behind a huge artificial wind-break lay a group of new -buildings, and one of them was dome-topped with a squat chimney. A -matter of ten miles farther away was another new house and a small -warehouse behind it. Just over the next low ridge lay Atkins' place.</p> - -<p>"Standby," warned Hank Karns, as he brought the ship's nose into the -hurricane and began losing altitude. "Don't let go 'til I tell you—and -that'll be when we're practically down."</p> - -<p>Just as the keel kissed the ground, Karns gave the signal and the -anchors fell. At the same instant he cut his rockets and the ship began -falling away to leeward, dragging her anchors behind. In a moment they -grabbed, pulled loose and grabbed again. That time they held. Karns -released a long pent-up sigh. It was a perfect landing. Sam Atkins' -house lay but a bare hundred yards on the quarter.</p> - -<p>There was still the business of shooting a wire over the trading post -and making it fast at both ends, Atkins coming out to do his share. -Then Captain Karns slid down the wire to the shack and allowed himself -to be hauled in by the trading post keeper.</p> - -<p>"I'm glad to see you, Cap'n, and sorry at the same time," was his -greeting from Sam Atkins. Atkins was a grumpy sort and a self-made -hermit. He seemed to enjoy the solitude of windswept Mercury and the -tedious, strenuous work of snaring cangrelas.</p> - -<p>"How come sorry, Sam?" asked Hank Karns, as innocently as if he had -never visited Venus.</p> - -<p>Atkins looked mournfully at him and jerked a thumb eastward.</p> - -<p>"I've got neighbors—bad ones. Whatever you do, don't go over there. -They'll trick you somehow. They don't want outsiders coming here, -they've got a ship of their own that makes a trip every week or so."</p> - -<p>Hank Karns raised his eyebrows.</p> - -<p>"Trocklebecks must be breeding faster'n they used to," he observed. -"Mercury never produced enough to justify more than two trips a year, -if that."</p> - -<p>"Trocklebecks," stated Atkins, "are practically extinct. And the -cangrelas are starving. I doubt if I could scare up four cases of prime -claws to save my soul. It's <i>pagras</i> that's doing it. The place is -crawling with them. They bite the trockelbecks and they curl up and -die."</p> - -<p>"Mmm," commented Hank Karns. He remembered those serpents well. They -were originally a Venusian beast—a variety of dragon, and extremely -venomous. They were really legged snakes, having thirty-six pairs -of taloned legs and crab-like claws near the head, but the body was -slender, rarely exceeding a yard in girth, for all their thirty-foot -lengths.</p> - -<p>"I'm closing up shop here," said the gloomy Atkins next. "You can take -the pick of what I own if you'll set me down at the next stop you make."</p> - -<p>"Now you just keep your shirt on, Sam Atkins," replied Hank Karns, "I'm -not a-doing anything of the damn kind. I'm going over and have a talk -with those gents in the next valley...."</p> - -<p>Sam Atkins glared at him.</p> - -<p>"No fool like an old fool," he remarked, hopelessly.</p> - -<p>Hank Karns chuckled.</p> - -<p>"Seems folks are agreed pretty well about me. But let's eat, so I can -get along my way."</p> - -<p>Unmooring and getting in the anchors was a troublesome job with only -a green boy for a helper, but Hank Karns managed it. At that it was a -much easier maneuver to move the ship that mile over the ridge than to -try to crawl it in the teeth of a permanent typhoon. Moreover, if there -was cargo to take aboard—and Hank Karns felt sure there would be—the -ship would have to be moved anyhow. So he took off, circumnavigated the -planet, and came up again, this time to the little office building and -warehouse next to Atkins' shack. He took good care not to go near the -other group of buildings.</p> - -<p>As he descended, casting about for a good spot to fling out his -grapnels he kept a sharp eye out for signs of life about the buildings. -All he saw was a couple of bronzed men, both bald as billiard balls, -working over some object in the lee of the warehouse. Upon sighting the -descending spaceship one went inside the warehouse and the other caught -hold of the guide-wire and let himself be blown down to what appeared -to be the office building. The man had on a heavily quilted suit of -gray material—quilted so that if he lost his hold and was blown away, -he would not bruise himself to death along the ground.</p> - -<p>On the fourth try, Hank Karns managed to ground his ship not far from -the office door. This time he landed to leeward and had to make his way -up-wind by crawling, assisted by a Mercurian "staff," or one of the -rakes among his trade goods. As he crawled, he observed he was being -watched from a loophole beside the door. But as he drew himself erect, -the door opened and a man came out to greet him.</p> - -<p>"Hello, Captain," said the man, cordially, "we're very glad to see you. -Come in and rest yourself." The man, Karns observed, was dressed in a -heavily quilted suit and was breathing heavily. But he had a full head -of hair and a luxuriant mustache.</p> - -<p>"Howdy, yourself," returned the Lone Trader. "Phew! It's shore dusty -hereabouts—I've heard of the place but I never seen it. The far -Trojans is my bailiwick and the asteroids in that corner...."</p> - -<p>"Really?" said the man, helping his visitor through the door. The -office was a single room, and no one else was in it. There was a bottle -of voilet-hued liquor on the table and two glasses. "Have a drink? This -is home brew—our Mercurian version of comet-dew—made from flowers -that grow under the glacier lips."</p> - -<p>"Don't care ef I do," remarked Karns, and sat down in the seat -indicated. "As I was saying, I thought I'd look in on this place, -seeing as how I had to make the perihelion hop home. Have to git home -to see my oldest grandchild married."</p> - -<p>"Wouldn't be interested in a bit of cargo, would you?" asked the man. -"Our own ship is overdue, and I have some freight for Venus."</p> - -<p>"I'm allus interested in a bit of cargo," said Karns, "but this trip I -can't stop by Venus—time's too short."</p> - -<p>"Oh, well," said his host, indifferently, "it doesn't matter about -that. I was thinking of shipping some boxes of claws and hides to -our agent at Venusberg for sale there. We are a new company and have -no outlets on Terra yet, unless you wanted to speculate on your own -account and buy them outright."</p> - -<p>"Speculation's my business," said Hank Karns, serene and bland. And -added, with just a touch of foxiness, "<i>ef</i> the buying price is right."</p> - -<p>"Oh, we won't quarrel about that," laughed the man. "The hides are -a by-product with us—this is a pharmaceutical outfit. We make a -preparation from the hormones of these beasts. You can have the horns -at almost any price."</p> - -<p>They spent the better part of an hour in good natured haggling, the -child-like old man raising first one trivial objection after another to -win small advantages—chiefly in the matter of valuation of the various -items of trade goods he had to offer. None of the lone traders ever -dealt in cash. The <i>Swapper</i> was most appropriately named.</p> - -<p>At last they shook on the bargain—and a bargain it most obviously was -from the trader's point of view. Mr. Raoul Dement, or so the company -man styled himself, presented the visiting captain two flasks of the -violet liquor after the old custom of the trade.</p> - -<p>"Nice stuff," observed Hank Karns, licking his lip. "The best I ever."</p> - -<p>"There's twelve cases of it in the warehouse," said Dement, with a -wink. "Now, if you were the smuggling sort, there would be a nice -profit for you. But, of course...."</p> - -<p>"Hell," exploded Hank Karns, "running comet-dew's no sin. Wisht I had a -decimo for every gallon I've hauled. Once in a coon's age I get stuck -with a little fine, but shucks—the customer'll allus pay that for -you."</p> - -<p>There followed more dickering, but the upshot of it was that Hank Karns -signed up for everything that had been offered him.</p> - -<p>"Bon voyage," said Mr. Dement. "If you ever pass this way again, drop -in and visit."</p> - -<p>"Sure will," said Hank Karns, looking his man in the eye. He was -interested in his host's forehead. About an inch from the right temple -there was a slight depression—the ineradicable scar of an old skull -injury.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Mercury was still a big disk behind when the <i>Swapper</i> straightened out -on her earthward trajectory.</p> - -<p>"Step alive there, Billy, we got lots to do."</p> - -<p>All the blandness, all the gullibility and child-like faith were gone -from Hank Karns' face now. He looked much more like work-ridden gnome -than an emaciated Santa Claus. For they had unpacked every case and -strewn its contents on the deck, looking for contraband of a more -serious nature than the harmless comet-dew. But no case contained -anything except what the invoice declared. Hank left the job of -repacking to the boy and went about a minute search of the ship itself.</p> - -<p>In that he was not a moment too soon. Behind the control board—hidden -under the vine-like mass of electric leads—were two thermobombs. Their -detonating coils were already hot. The control board was divided into -three panels, each controlling an opposite pair of the six tubes which -were arranged hexagonally about the stern. Two of the panels were about -to be ruined by fire.</p> - -<p>Hank Karns' first impulse was to snatch the bombs loose and let them -burn out harmlessly on the deck, but suddenly he checked it. Instead he -withdrew his hand and stuck his blistered fingers in his mouth. Then he -shouted a warning to Billy Hatch.</p> - -<p>"Hey! Stand by for a blast. Bring an extinguisher, quick!"</p> - -<p>The boy ran up, but nothing happened for several minutes. Then the two -boards flashed fire. They put the fire out, but the damage was done. -The <i>Swapper</i> was not nearly up to acceleration. She could never get to -Earth at that velocity. She would have to limp into Venus on her two -remaining tubes and have yard electricians renew her wiring.</p> - -<p>"Pretty neat," said Hank Karns, admiringly, contemplating his ruined -controls.</p> - -<p>"I did the best I could, Cap'n," said Billy, modestly, thinking the -compliment was meant for him.</p> - -<p>"You did all right, son," said the skipper. "Supposing you turn in now. -I'll do what's left."</p> - -<p>Hank Karns did not at once change course for Venus. He was still -unsatisfied that he knew all he should know about his ship and its -seemingly innocuous cargo. It was too obvious to miss that Dement had -ordered the bombs planted to ensure the <i>Swapper's</i> going into Venus. -It was an easy guess that the suggestion to take liquor on board was a -device to ensure the ship's arrest and the confiscation that was sure -to follow, Venusian courts being what they were. But to Hank Karns' -suspicious mind there was much more to it than that. In the first -place, he could have obviated both. He could have snatched the bombs -before they exploded, and he could yet jettison the liquor. Moreover, -if the mere elimination of all visitors to Mercury was what they -were after, those bombs could just as well have been of feroxite and -designed to destroy the ship entirely, as was done in the case of the -openly hostile Merrill and Carter. No, the master plot required the -<i>Swapper</i> to go into Venus and be done away with there. Why? He thought -that over.</p> - -<p>Suddenly he arose and unlocked his little safe. From its lead container -he withdrew a small pellet of radium and set up his fluoroscope. -Then he dragged out one of the trockelbeck hides. He searched it -systematically from horn to stubby tail, from the scaly back to the -claws of the feet. Then he put his fluoroscope away. Grinning into his -beard, he went aft and got a pair of pliers, a hammer and a cold chisel.</p> - -<p>One of the horns came away as he screwed it off. He knew already -from its fluorescence that it was hollowed out and filled with some -substance, but he wanted to make sure. He shook the pale green powder -inside out into his palm and sniffed it. Yes, that was it. There was -the unmistakable odor of crushed cherries and the sickish sweetness -of the hashish of the skies—trilibaine! Ah, now he was getting -somewhere. And as he split a few back scales at random he found that -each had a few grams of the insidious drug within it. One such hide -would supply a retail peddler for many months, each scale a separate -delivery.</p> - -<p>He delayed no longer. He shifted his course toward Venus and at the -same time sat down to his radio key. He sent:</p> - -<p>"URGENT: Venusberg Sky Yard. Attention assistant dockmaster. Four -tubes disabled account switchboard fire. Please reserve for me berth -twenty-three. Litigation in prospect. Can you recommend lawyer? -(signed) Hank Karns, captain, TS Swapper."</p> - -<p>"Well," he said to himself as he carefully swept up the tell-tale green -dust from the deck and added it to the bundle of broken scales and -neatly bored and threaded horns preparatory to firing it all through -the garbage tube into his wake, "I've shot my wad. Now let's see how -smart Mr. Brown turns out to be."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>He learned very soon that the thermobombs were but an added precaution. -He had not been waiting more than a couple hours when his loudspeaker -began to buzz. He glanced at it in surprise, as he was still a long way -from Venus. The message began coming through, harsh and peremptory, -"Lay to, <i>Swapper</i>, to receive a boarding party. Lay to, or take the -consequences. Sky-guard calling. Lay to!"</p> - -<p>Hank Karns cut his rockets and went to the airlock to await the arrival -of the cruiser. It was not long in coming.</p> - -<p>Two smartly uniformed young officers sprang in.</p> - -<p>"Let's see your manifest," ordered one, curtly, while the other headed -for the hold. In a moment the second came back with two flasks of the -pale violet comet-dew.</p> - -<p>"The old boy is lousy with the stuff," he reported to the other. "Cases -and cases of it."</p> - -<p>"Yes," said the first, "and not a damn word about it in the manifest. -This makes the second one of these old coots we've hauled up this -month—what do you say, shall we call this one conspiracy?"</p> - -<p>"Why not?" countered the other.</p> - -<p>Karns said nothing beyond the usual blustering protests that would be -expected of him. Then he lapsed into silence as the two took over -after ordering their own vessel to proceed.</p> - -<p>They did not go to the commercial sky-yard, but to the official one. -Other officers met them, and Hank Karns was led straight away to jail. -He protested every step of the way, demanding to be taken before the -Terrestrial resident commissioner, or to be booked in the usual way. -Both those demands were refused, whereupon he asked for a lawyer.</p> - -<p>"Don't kid yourself, old man," said one of his guards. "You're in Venus -now. Here you are."</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus.jpg" width="434" height="500" alt=""/> -<div class="caption"> -<p>Ray-gun levelled, the guard shoved Hank stumblingly -forward. He staggered and nearly fell, striking his head against the -barred window. Outside he could see the form of a spaceship. But it was -not the <i>Swapper</i>. The guard laughed and swaggered out.</p> -</div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>There he was. There was no question about that. The barred door slammed -behind his departing escort with an air of utter finality.</p> - -<p>"Hi-ya, pop!" screamed some hoodlum down the corridor. "Whatcha in for?"</p> - -<p>After that nothing happened. Hank Karns looked about him at his cramped -cell and settled down to make the best of it. It would be tiresome, -locked up alone this way, but in a day or so perhaps the mysterious Mr. -Brown would put in his appearance.</p> - -<p>The next day came, but no Mr. Brown. However, early in the morning -another visitor came in his place. Karns heard footsteps approaching -and the jangle of keys. His door was flung open and a tall stranger -stepped in. The man was quite old and clad in the blue uniform, faded -and patched, of a space skipper. He was obviously a lone trader, but -if he was, he was the only one in the universe that Hank Karns did not -know. For this man, with his beetling gray eyebrows and hard steely -eyes beneath, he had never laid eyes on before.</p> - -<p>"Two minutes, no more," warned the guard, and stood back in the -corridor where he could both see and hear.</p> - -<p>"Howdy Hank," said the newcomer. "Danged if it ain't gitting so that -Tom Bagley spends half his time bailing you out or paying fines. Why, -I'd hardly landed here but what I heard you'd been slung into the -calaboose again, and I says to myself, says I...."</p> - -<p>"Yeah, Tom, I know," said Hank Karns, penitently, trying not to look -at the eavesdropping guard. Inwardly he was seething with doubt and -curiosity. Could it be that this was some minion of the collector -trying to trick him, or was he acting for Mr. Brown? He remembered -telling the fellow in the wickerware place that what he really needed -was a man of his own type. Maybe they had found one. At any rate, he -chose to pretend he knew him.</p> - -<p>"Anyhow," went on the stranger, "I looked up a feller named Brown that -I know here and asked him what to do. He said things looked pretty -black and his advice was to plead guilty and say nothing. Might get -off with a fine or something. And that he had a little money of yours. -He got me this pass, but said he couldn't work it twice. Now tell me, -Hank, what do you want me to do? I gotta get out of here for Mercury in -a day or so."</p> - -<p>Hank Karns looked at the man steadily for a moment. He was on the -spot. The man was evidently from Brown, but he knew neither of them -personally. But worse, the guard was listening to every word, and there -were doubtless dictaphones as well. But the two minutes were running -out and there would not be a second visit.</p> - -<p>"I'll tell you, Tom, there isn't but one thing you can do. I'll have -to take my medicine, I guess, but I hate like everything to lose them -trocklebeck hides and horns. The critters is dying off—poisoned by -pagras. Them danged snakes are all over Mercury. You might not have -money enough to buy 'em in, but sorta keep track of 'em, won't you? -They're not worth much now, but they'll be <i>mighty</i> valuable some day. -There's a man here from Io that'll pay a good price for 'em, ef you can -find him."</p> - -<p>"Time's up," snapped the guard, coming forward.</p> - -<p>"All right, you old scalawag," said the phony trader captain, jovially, -"I'll do my best. But watch your step with that jedge. He's tough."</p> - -<p>"I know," said Hank Karns, despondently, and settled his face in his -hands.</p> - -<p>The door slammed and the footsteps withdrew, ringing emptily down the -metal passage.</p> - -<p>Dreary day followed dreary day. Time after time Karns heard footsteps -ringing in the corridor, and as often he heard the rattle of keys as -some door was opened and another unfortunate was ordered out to meet -his doom—the sentence that was to change his state from slow dry rot -to the swift wet rot of the Swamp. But it was never Karns' door.</p> - -<p>Then at last came the day when guards took him to the identical court -where Wilkerson had been tried. The evidence was brief and to the -point. He was apprehended trying to sneak into Venus when his clearance -papers called for Terra as his destination. He had on board eight cases -of illicit liquor. He had no acceptable explanation. Guilty. Two years -in the Swamp and the loss of his ship was the sentence. Then they took -him back to his cell to await the next caravan to the penal camps.</p> - -<p>The second stretch of waiting was harder to take than the first, for -he had placed the enigmatic collector now in his memory. The man was -Von Kleber, thought to have died many years ago in the uranium mines -of Sans Espérance. Karns knew him to be a convict from the fact that -he had grafted new skin on his face and head so that the burns and -baldness caused by radioactivity would not show. But that he was the -notorious Von Kleber himself had not occurred to him. And with that -recognition came the other. Raoul Dement was the man known as Frenchy -the Hop, vice-president of the Von Kleber ring. It was he who had -operated the narcotic racket while the big boss turned his attention to -such other lines as piracy, white-slaving and smuggling in general. If -such men could flourish unchecked in the well-policed Jovian satellites -for more than a decade, it was hopeless to expect to dislodge them from -their place on corrupt and autonomous Venus.</p> - -<p>And so time dragged on and Hank Karns sat, awaiting the day when he -would be taken away to the Swamp. He wondered apathetically whether he -would be sent to the same camp where Wilkerson and Hildreth were. But -at last there came a day when footsteps rang again in the corridors and -he heard doors being opened and men taken away. Finally men stopped -before his own cell and called him forth. Between two soldiers they -marched him away.</p> - -<p>To his surprise they took him first to the street, where three sedan -chairs were waiting. The guards very politely indicated that Karns was -to get in the middle one and they took the others. Hank clambered in -and they set off. Shortly they drew up before the courthouse.</p> - -<p>He was met inside by a tall, slender man of nearly his own age who wore -the uniform of Chief Inspector of the Interplanetary F.B.I.</p> - -<p>"How are you, Captain?" he said cheerily. "Sorry you had such a long -stay in jail, but we'll try to make that up to you. Come in here and -let me show you something?"</p> - -<p>Hank Karns looked at the inspector in amazement. He was Frank Haynes, -the man who had broken the Von Kleber case years before. There had been -a time when they worked closely together on the information that Karns -furnished when he was released from Sans Espérance. He said nothing in -reply, though, as Haynes was leading the way into the courtroom. In the -dock were two baldheaded prisoners—Von Kleber, erstwhile Collector -of the Port, and Mr. Dement, manager of the Mercurian drug works. The -judge was a new one—a judge who looked like a judge should look.</p> - -<p>"There they are, thanks to you," said Haynes, pointing. "Two as clever -criminals as ever plagued the system. We've been a long time catching -them. But their career is over now.</p> - -<p>"Our local operative, known as Brown to you, has been trying for months -to locate the source of the trilobaine flood but without avail. The -Venusian authorities blocked him at every turn but there was nothing -we could do about that unless we could hang a Federal offense on -them. It was you who did that for us. I am very glad I gave you that -identification ring after our cleanup on Callisto and the list of -the secret addresses of our agents. I felt then that you were a man -of discretion and would not abuse its privileges and today I most -certainly am more than justified. When I interviewed you in your -cell...."</p> - -<p>"You!"</p> - -<p>Inspector Haynes grinned at Hank's surprise.</p> - -<p>"Pretty effective disguise, eh? Well, as I was about to say—you gave -me all the tips that were needed. First of all, your mention of the -scourge of pagras told me it was trilobaine you had aboard, for that is -a distillation of pagra venom. That gave us jurisdiction. I attended -the secret auction and tried to bid. Everything in the ship went for a -song to Von Kleber's pals, but when I went to bid on the trocklebeck -hides I ran into stiff opposition. They were not to be had at any -price. So I stopped bidding.</p> - -<p>"Our operatives trailed those hides through five sets of owners before -we came to the Collector himself. Early this morning we made our raid -and took in all their supplies of drugs and twenty-five of their -peddlers. Previously we had raided Mercury and those men came in about -an hour ago. They had quite a thriving little business, and why we -didn't think of their method of smuggling in the trilobaine before this -I'll never know. We knew, of course, that it must be coming in the -ships that they confiscated. That much we were sure of. But we couldn't -prove a damn thing until we knew <i>how</i>. Thanks to you, the ring is -busted now, and we can do something for those poor devils who were -innocently duped into being carriers of the drug. Runners have already -been sent to the Swamp to bring back your friends. And there you are. -You'll find your old <i>Swapper</i> in the Yard, completely overhauled and -stocked to the gunwales with grade A trade goods."</p> - -<p>Hank Karns, trader, tugged at his grizzled beard and looked rather -sheepishly at the floor.</p> - -<p>"Dag it all," he said "that's fine enough. But gosh, I sure hated to -make a damfool of myself in front of everybody thataway."</p> - -<p>Inspector Haynes broke into laughter and crossed over and slapped him -on the back.</p> - -<p>"You old liar. You loved it!"</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of 4 1/2 B, Eros, by Malcolm Jameson - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 4 1/2 B, EROS *** - -***** This file should be named 61863-h.htm or 61863-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/1/8/6/61863/ - -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. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive -specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this -eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook -for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, -performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given -away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks -not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the -trademark license, especially commercial redistribution. - -START: FULL LICENSE - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full -Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at -www.gutenberg.org/license. - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or -destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your -possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a -Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound -by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the -person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph -1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this -agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the -Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection -of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual -works in the collection are in the public domain in the United -States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the -United States and you are located in the United States, we do not -claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, -displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as -all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope -that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting -free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm -works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the -Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily -comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the -same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when -you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are -in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, -check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this -agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, -distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any -other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no -representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any -country outside the United States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other -immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear -prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work -on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, -performed, viewed, copied or distributed: - - 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. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not -contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the -copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in -the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are -redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply -either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or -obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any -additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms -will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works -posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the -beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including -any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access -to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format -other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official -version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site -(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense -to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means -of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain -Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the -full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -provided that - -* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed - to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has - agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid - within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are - legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty - payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in - Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg - Literary Archive Foundation." - -* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all - copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue - all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm - works. - -* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of - any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of - receipt of the work. - -* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than -are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing -from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The -Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project -Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may -contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate -or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other -intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or -other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or -cannot be read by your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium -with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you -with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in -lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person -or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second -opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If -the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing -without further opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO -OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT -LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of -damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement -violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the -agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or -limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or -unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the -remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in -accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the -production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, -including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of -the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this -or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or -additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any -Defect you cause. - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of -computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It -exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations -from people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future -generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see -Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at -www.gutenberg.org Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by -U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the -mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its -volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous -locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt -Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to -date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and -official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND -DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular -state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To -donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and -distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of -volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in -the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not -necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper -edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. - - - -</pre> - -</body> -</html> diff --git a/old/61863-h/images/cover.jpg b/old/61863-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index f6cd279..0000000 --- a/old/61863-h/images/cover.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/61863-h/images/illus.jpg b/old/61863-h/images/illus.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 63d41c7..0000000 --- a/old/61863-h/images/illus.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/61863.txt b/old/61863.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 678dc67..0000000 --- a/old/61863.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1286 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of 4 1/2 B, Eros, by Malcolm Jameson - -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: 4 1/2 B, Eros - -Author: Malcolm Jameson - -Release Date: April 18, 2020 [EBook #61863] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 4 1/2 B, EROS *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - 4-1/2B, EROS - - By MALCOLM JAMESON - - "4-1/2B, Eros."... A strange code, but - grizzled space-trader Karns used it to - break the perilous Mercury-Venus Jinx. - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Planet Stories Spring 1941. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -"Makee chop chop. Kwei! Kwei!" - -The two Venusian coolies squatted down between the shafts and with one -quick motion elevated the sedan chair to shoulder height. Then they -started off in a lazy run through the torrential downpour, splashing -mud right and left as their sturdy yellow legs struck into the watery -lane of muck that passes for a road in Venusberg. Captain Hank Karns, -the Lone Trader, sank back in his seat and watched idly with mild blue -eyes as first one grass hut and then another appeared momentarily -through rifts of rain. There would be time enough to worry about Cappy -Wilkerson's plight when he reached the administration building and -found out more about the charges against him. No doubt it was just -another shakedown, the effort of some minor official to pry loose a -little more than the customary cumshaw. - -Captain Karns had berthed his own old trading tub not an hour earlier -and as he registered the arrival of his _Swapper_ he noted that under -the date of three days before there was the entry: "_Wanderer_, Captain -Wilkerson, en route Mercury to Luna." After it was the notation in red: -"Detained by order Collector of the Port; captain in custody." - -Hank Karns thoughtfully pawed his long white beard. Cappy Wilkerson was -a careful and upright man and a lifelong friend; what manner of charge -could they have trumped up against him? That they were trumped up he -took for granted, for the local government of autonomous Venus was -notoriously corrupt and always had been. The Venusians themselves were -the descendants of coolies brought centuries before from tropical Asia. -They took little or no interest in government. Politics had, therefore, -fallen into the hands of white adventurers, most of whom lived on Venus -for the very good reason they were not wanted elsewhere. The Central -Council of the loose Interplanetary Federation seldom interfered with -them unless for acts so flagrant as to affect the Federation as a whole. - -The old space merchant left his chair at the courtroom and squeezed -through the crowd at the back just in time to hear the whack, whack, -whack of the gavel marking the end of the trial. Standing defiantly -in the prisoner's box was Cappy Wilkerson, his eyes flashing and his -iron-gray mane thrown back. He looked like an indignant old lion -brought to bay by a pack of jackals. The judge, a young man with a -monocle and a stiff black pompadour, was dressed in a smart military -uniform which made him appear anything but judicial. He was biting out -his words as if what he was saying was inspired by personal venom. - -"I have heard all you have had to say, including your filthy -imputations as to the integrity of this court. Your guilt is so -apparent that we need not trouble even to preserve the record of your -silly and malicious allegations...." - -Here the judge contemptuously tossed a sheaf of papers into a -wastebasket. - -"Therefore, bearing in mind not only your guilt but your contumacious -conduct before me, I sentence you to five years at hard labor in such a -one of our prison camps as the Director of Welfare and Beneficence may -select. - -"It is further directed that your ship, together with its illicit -contents, be confiscated and sold at public auction in order to defray -the cost of these proceedings. Marshal! Take him away." - -Hank Karns was on his feet at once, elbowing and pushing his way -forward through the departing throng of curiosity-seekers. His voice -was shrill with indignation. - -"Hey, you can't do that!" he yelled. Officials closed in on him at -once, and the judge's face grew red with anger. "This is a court of -law," he said, "and the decisions of the presiding judge are final. Now -get out before I haul you up for contempt." - -"Tarnation damn!" muttered Hank Karns as he turned and left the -building. This was no ordinary shakedown. This called for action, and -quick action, for it was unthinkable that his buddy should be carted -off to the insect-infested, fever-ridden, infamous Great Swamp of -Venus. White men lived but a few months there; a year, let alone five -years, was as good as life. - -A bulletin caught his eye, and as he read it he gasped. The paste -that fastened it to the board was still wet, but the paper bore -characteristics of printed type. It must have been prepared at least a -day ago. It read: - - COLLECTOR'S SALE - - One confiscated tube ship, the _Wanderer_, complete with fittings. - The cargo of the same consisting of miscellaneous trade goods. - Saturday. Inquire at Collector's Office for details. - -"Phew!" gasped Hank Karns. "_That_ was quick work. And planned." He -turned and made his way to the Collector's Office. - -The man at the front desk gaped at him woodenly. - -"S'already sold," he said indifferently, the third time Karns put his -question. - -"But it says Saturday...." - -"Okay--it says Saturday. So what?" - -"B-but this is only Tuesday...." - -"We have a Saturday every week, dodo. Now trot along and annoy somebody -else for a change. I have work to do." - -Hank Karns blinked. Why, Saturday was the day the _Wanderer_ docked. -These Venusians were getting raw. They must have sold her that very day! - -"Who is that old man? Throw him out!" - -Karns turned slowly and viewed the new speaker. He was a big man, -with piercing black eyes and a hawk nose, and heavily bearded--a -strange sight for super-tropical Venus where men kept clean shaven -for coolness. But the man turned abruptly away and entered an inner -office, slamming the door behind him. Hank Karns' eyes followed him -all the way--they were fixed on the back of the fellow's neck. There, -oddly enough, just above the shoulder line, peeped a line of color -demarcation. Above the line, which was made visible by the fact that -its wearer had pulled open his collar for comfort, the skin was the -normal pallor usually seen on Venus; below, it was a mottled chocolate -color. - -"Didja hear what the collector said?" snarled the clerk. "Scram!" - -Without a word, Hank Karns turned and left the office. He passed -through the thronged corridors almost in a daze. There was Cappy -Wilkerson, gone to the Swamp, virtually condemned to death. There was -his ship sold, even before the trial which was to condemn it. And -everywhere there was high-handed insolence, seemingly inspired by this -overbearing man with the duplex complexion. What did it mean? And the -fact that he could not yet place those sharp eyes and that predatory -nose, though somewhere, sometime, he had encountered them before, -puzzled Hank Karns still more. Something stank in Venus. - - * * * * * - -An hour later he sat morosely in a tiny tavern he had long known, -hidden up the blind alley known as Artemis Lane. For half a century it -had been familiar to him as the hangout for his kind. - -"So you see how it is," the bartender was concluding. "At this rate -there won't be any more. With all the old-timers dead or in the Swamp, -how in hell can _I_ keep running. No sir, this joint is for sale--for -what it'll bring. Drink up and have another." - -Captain Karns took the proffered drink from the grizzled tavern-keeper, -but despite its cheering nature--for it was purest "comet-dew"--he took -it glumly. Never in all his long and active life had he heard so much -evil news at one sitting. Another of his old pals had come to grief, -and all because he had touched at Mercury. Mercury, it appeared, was -poison to all his tribe. The record was too consistent to be accounted -for by coincidence. Coincidents do not occur in strings. - -"And what makes it stink all the worse," persisted the indignant -bartender, bitterly, "not a damn finger is lifted to stop the flow of -trilibaine. The town is lousy with it. Half these natives stay hopped -up all the time." - -"I thought the Federals had cleaned that up ten years ago," commented -Hank Karns. - -"It's back," was the laconic retort. - -Hank Karns said nothing. The fact that three of his buddies were -languishing in the malarial swamps of Venus, continually subject to the -indignities of brutal guards was uppermost in his mind. And besides -that, two others--Bill Ellison and Jed Carter--had died on Mercury -when their ships mysteriously blew up on the take-off. That, too, had -an especial significance, for those two were the only members of the -trader tribe who had any sort of reputation as fire-eaters. In their -youth, of course, all of them had been bolder and more truculent, but -as they gained in experience they learned that there is more to be -gained by soft words than bluster. If Hank was to secure the release of -his friends it must be by guile, the use of a cunning superior to that -employed by their common enemies. - -_If_ he was to secure! There was no if about it. He must. For it was -Bob Merrill and Ben Wilkerson who had once rescued him, Hank Karns, -from an even more deadly situation. More than twenty years ago that -had been, on far-off Io, and Hank Karns winced at the memory of it. On -that occasion he had, through the machinations of the notorious Von -Kleber gang, been convicted and sentenced as a pirate. Ten hateful -and horror-filled days and nights he had spent in the mines of Sans -Esperance, the Federal Penitentiary, digging radioactive ores. Two of -his friendly competitors heard of it and pled for a new trial wherein -it was shown that he had been sent up through perjured testimony to -screen the trial of the real culprits. The wave of public opinion they -started then did not subside until Von Kleber and his outlaws were put -finally behind the bars. - -No, there was no choice. Cappy Wilkerson and Cappy Merrill must be -released and Ellison and Carter avenged. How? That remained to be seen. - -"Wa-al," drawled Hank Karns, elaborately, now that his mind was made -up, "I'll be seein' you. I'm taking a little trip into Mercury and -back." - -The bartender shook his head ominously. - -"No fool like an old fool," he said, and he didn't laugh. - -In the rain-lock, or the vestibule outside the bar, Karns stopped. He -felt inside the lining of his vest and after much fumbling produced a -dog-eared memorandum book. He ran through the yellowed pages until he -found one covered with cryptic entries. They appeared as if made long -ago, but several interlineations in various colored inks showed that -amendments had been made from time to time since the original writing -of them. - -Halfway down was the group P2, and what followed had been -twice changed. The line that stood in lieu of them read: -"Vbg--wickerware--4-1/2B, Eros." Hank Karns read the line through -two or three times, then snapped the book shut and replaced it in -its hiding place. He carefully buckled up his slicker and jammed his -sou'wester tight upon his head. Then he stepped forth into the steamy -drizzle of Artemis Lane. - -He sloshed his way through mud and water until he came to the main -drag. He turned to the right and splashed along until he came to the -corner where Erosville Road turned off. He took the turn and plugged -along for four blocks of its twisting, boggy length. A dozen steps -farther on he lifted his eyes and peered from beneath dripping brows -at the signs about. Across the street was what he sought--a sagging -awning crudely painted with the legend; "An Shirgar--Dealer in Native -Basketry." On the bedewed window below was another, "Hir Spak Anglass." - -Hank Karns stopped under the awning long enough to squish some of the -water out of his shoes, then he entered. A swarthy, turbanned Venusian -met him, rubbing his hands together obsequiously and bowing jerkily at -every step. - -"Yiss, milord. Valcom to mizrable shop. Vat vishes milord?" - -"Wickerware," said Hank Karns, tartly, for him. "For export." - -"Ah," breathed the representative of An Shirgar. "Zhipluds, eh? You -pay?" Captain Karns shook his head, and pointed to the private door at -the back. - -"Ah, vickware. No pay. Maybe boss ut see, eh?" - -"Yep, trot him out," said Hank Karns, and began fingering the clever -basketware of the Venutian hillmen. He knew it would be quite a while -before the Earth-man came, if this was operated like the Callistan -branch had been, twenty years before. After a time, without quite -knowing how he knew, he was aware that someone else was in the -showroom, studying him from a distance. - -"Howdy," he said, turning around. "I kinda wanted to finance a deal -that's too big for me to swing--is this the place?" - -"Might be," said the man non-committally. He was a typical Terrestrian -business man, not much over thirty, baldish, and plainly not given to -foolishness. "I don't touch anything as a rule unless I see a profit in -it. And no chance of loss. What is your collateral?" - -Hank Karns mentioned his ship. The man snorted, and started to turn -away. "You're wasting time." - -"I got a ring, too. It's a--well--sorta heirloom." - -The man came back. He was still not interested, but he took the ring -Karns offered him and weighed it in his hand. Then he applied a loup to -his eye and examined it closely. - -"You've hocked this before?" - -"Yes," chuckled Hank Karns. "And got it back, too." - -"Hmmm," said the man. "It looks genuine. What do you want?" - -"I--uh--am dropping into Mercury to do a little trading. When I get -back I might want to buy a chair or so--mebbe a houseful of stuff--and -just wanted to be sure my credit was good." - -"You speak in riddles, my friend," said the man with a curious, tight -little smile. He was tossing the ring thoughtfully all the while. - -"I'm only a lone trader," said Hank Karns, wistfully, "and don't know -no better. Supposing you keep the ring while I'm gone--to appraise it, -so to speak. All I want to know is who to call for when I get back. -_If_ I get back." - -The man pocketed the ring. - -"Where will the call come from?" - -"I dunno. Space, mebbe. Jail, mebbe." - -"My radio call is care assistant dockmaster, Venusberg sky-yard. -Mention berth twenty-three somehow. As to the jail angle, I do not as a -general thing do business with people in jail. In that event, I might -send you a lawyer, in consideration of this ring. Tell Rashab, the -night turn-key--you'll know him by the double scar on his chin--that -you want to see Mr. Brown. I can't guarantee he'll go, but if he does, -bear in mind he's a very cagy fellow and that Venusberg jail is studded -with dictaphones and scanners. If what you have in mind smacks at all -of illegality, it's likely he'll walk out on you." - -"Yep," snapped Hank Karns, beginning to shut the clasps on his slicker, -"I'll remember. Only I don't think it'll be a lawyer I'll need. If the -joint is lousy with spy-machines, what I'll want is an old friend--a -man of my type." - -The man, whatever his name was, for he had still not given it, laughed -outright for the first time. He slapped the Lone Trader on the back. - -"Men of your type, you old humbug, are extinct as the horse." - -Hank Karns looked up to laugh back at him, but he was gone. In his -place stood the turbanned Venutian, still doing washing motions with -his hands. - -"Milord no like vickvare? Milord go now?" - -"My Lord, yes. I go now." - -Karns jammed on his sou'wester, took a deep breath, and pushed open -the door. A half hour later he was making ready for the take-off for -Mercury. It was a shot in the dark, but it was a chance he had to take. - -"To hell with that," thought Hank Karns. Then briskly to the boy he -had brought with him this trip as a general utility man, "Hey, Billy, -look alive! Bear a hand with getting them there rakes stowed!" - - * * * * * - -"So that's Mercury," exclaimed Billy Hatch, four days later, as -he stared goggle-eyed into the visiplate. This was his first -interplanetary trip. - -"Yep," said Karns, "That's her, the doggonedest planet barrin' none in -the whole dad-frazzled system. After you've been here you can tell 'em -you've seen wind blow, and I mean blow. That's what them rakes is for. -To get around you lie down on your belly and pull yourself along by -them. It's a helluva place. The sun on your back'd fry you, 'cepting -there's always a ice-cold hurricane cooling you off." - -"How can that be, cap'n?" - -"Convection's the ten-sol word for it. It's cause she's sizzling hot -on one side and colder'n the underside of a iceberg on t'other. The -wind goes straight up over the desert and comes straight down over -the back side glaciers. Then it scoots for the desert again--and how! -Nobody could live an hour in any part of the place if it warn't for -the temp'rate strip, and that's cockeyed enough. You gotta steady, -hundred-two-hundred-mile wind going straight into the sun, for that's -right down to the horizon. In the lee of a house you burn up, in the -shade of it you'd freeze solid in five minutes. And the houses have to -be stone and streamlined." - -Hank Karns kept a watchful eye on the terrain coming up to meet them. -Mooring a ship in that wind required the utmost art. - -"As I told you, itsa helluva place. Nuthing grows there but a sort of -grass and some moss. The only animals is varmints, like the cangrela -and the trocklebeck. It's cangrela claws and trocklebeck hides we trade -for." - -Billy Hatch listened, wide-eyed. This was romance. - -"The trocklebeck is a critter something on the order of a armadillo, -only it's got horns and big claws to hang onto the ground. It grazes, -with its head allus into the wind. The cangrela is built along -the lines of a crab and has claws, too. It crawls up behind the -trocklebeck and kills 'em while they're feeding. Trocklebeck scales and -cangrela claws are both harder'n hell. They use 'em in machinery." - -"Oh," said Billy Hatch. - -"But you better git forrard there and tend to them grapples, 'cause -a-gitting hold of the ground here is ticklish business. Ef we miss it's -just too bad. We'll roll over and over for miles and miles, like as -not." - -Hank Karns said no more for a time. As a matter of fact, he was far -from ready to land. He had deliberately come up on the wrong side -of the planet for making the landing at Sam Atkins' little trading -store. He wanted to give it a general bird's-eye view. It was in a -valley scooped out by the wind that he saw the first sign of a major -alteration. Behind a huge artificial wind-break lay a group of new -buildings, and one of them was dome-topped with a squat chimney. A -matter of ten miles farther away was another new house and a small -warehouse behind it. Just over the next low ridge lay Atkins' place. - -"Standby," warned Hank Karns, as he brought the ship's nose into the -hurricane and began losing altitude. "Don't let go 'til I tell you--and -that'll be when we're practically down." - -Just as the keel kissed the ground, Karns gave the signal and the -anchors fell. At the same instant he cut his rockets and the ship began -falling away to leeward, dragging her anchors behind. In a moment they -grabbed, pulled loose and grabbed again. That time they held. Karns -released a long pent-up sigh. It was a perfect landing. Sam Atkins' -house lay but a bare hundred yards on the quarter. - -There was still the business of shooting a wire over the trading post -and making it fast at both ends, Atkins coming out to do his share. -Then Captain Karns slid down the wire to the shack and allowed himself -to be hauled in by the trading post keeper. - -"I'm glad to see you, Cap'n, and sorry at the same time," was his -greeting from Sam Atkins. Atkins was a grumpy sort and a self-made -hermit. He seemed to enjoy the solitude of windswept Mercury and the -tedious, strenuous work of snaring cangrelas. - -"How come sorry, Sam?" asked Hank Karns, as innocently as if he had -never visited Venus. - -Atkins looked mournfully at him and jerked a thumb eastward. - -"I've got neighbors--bad ones. Whatever you do, don't go over there. -They'll trick you somehow. They don't want outsiders coming here, -they've got a ship of their own that makes a trip every week or so." - -Hank Karns raised his eyebrows. - -"Trocklebecks must be breeding faster'n they used to," he observed. -"Mercury never produced enough to justify more than two trips a year, -if that." - -"Trocklebecks," stated Atkins, "are practically extinct. And the -cangrelas are starving. I doubt if I could scare up four cases of prime -claws to save my soul. It's _pagras_ that's doing it. The place is -crawling with them. They bite the trockelbecks and they curl up and -die." - -"Mmm," commented Hank Karns. He remembered those serpents well. They -were originally a Venusian beast--a variety of dragon, and extremely -venomous. They were really legged snakes, having thirty-six pairs -of taloned legs and crab-like claws near the head, but the body was -slender, rarely exceeding a yard in girth, for all their thirty-foot -lengths. - -"I'm closing up shop here," said the gloomy Atkins next. "You can take -the pick of what I own if you'll set me down at the next stop you make." - -"Now you just keep your shirt on, Sam Atkins," replied Hank Karns, "I'm -not a-doing anything of the damn kind. I'm going over and have a talk -with those gents in the next valley...." - -Sam Atkins glared at him. - -"No fool like an old fool," he remarked, hopelessly. - -Hank Karns chuckled. - -"Seems folks are agreed pretty well about me. But let's eat, so I can -get along my way." - -Unmooring and getting in the anchors was a troublesome job with only -a green boy for a helper, but Hank Karns managed it. At that it was a -much easier maneuver to move the ship that mile over the ridge than to -try to crawl it in the teeth of a permanent typhoon. Moreover, if there -was cargo to take aboard--and Hank Karns felt sure there would be--the -ship would have to be moved anyhow. So he took off, circumnavigated the -planet, and came up again, this time to the little office building and -warehouse next to Atkins' shack. He took good care not to go near the -other group of buildings. - -As he descended, casting about for a good spot to fling out his -grapnels he kept a sharp eye out for signs of life about the buildings. -All he saw was a couple of bronzed men, both bald as billiard balls, -working over some object in the lee of the warehouse. Upon sighting the -descending spaceship one went inside the warehouse and the other caught -hold of the guide-wire and let himself be blown down to what appeared -to be the office building. The man had on a heavily quilted suit of -gray material--quilted so that if he lost his hold and was blown away, -he would not bruise himself to death along the ground. - -On the fourth try, Hank Karns managed to ground his ship not far from -the office door. This time he landed to leeward and had to make his way -up-wind by crawling, assisted by a Mercurian "staff," or one of the -rakes among his trade goods. As he crawled, he observed he was being -watched from a loophole beside the door. But as he drew himself erect, -the door opened and a man came out to greet him. - -"Hello, Captain," said the man, cordially, "we're very glad to see you. -Come in and rest yourself." The man, Karns observed, was dressed in a -heavily quilted suit and was breathing heavily. But he had a full head -of hair and a luxuriant mustache. - -"Howdy, yourself," returned the Lone Trader. "Phew! It's shore dusty -hereabouts--I've heard of the place but I never seen it. The far -Trojans is my bailiwick and the asteroids in that corner...." - -"Really?" said the man, helping his visitor through the door. The -office was a single room, and no one else was in it. There was a bottle -of voilet-hued liquor on the table and two glasses. "Have a drink? This -is home brew--our Mercurian version of comet-dew--made from flowers -that grow under the glacier lips." - -"Don't care ef I do," remarked Karns, and sat down in the seat -indicated. "As I was saying, I thought I'd look in on this place, -seeing as how I had to make the perihelion hop home. Have to git home -to see my oldest grandchild married." - -"Wouldn't be interested in a bit of cargo, would you?" asked the man. -"Our own ship is overdue, and I have some freight for Venus." - -"I'm allus interested in a bit of cargo," said Karns, "but this trip I -can't stop by Venus--time's too short." - -"Oh, well," said his host, indifferently, "it doesn't matter about -that. I was thinking of shipping some boxes of claws and hides to -our agent at Venusberg for sale there. We are a new company and have -no outlets on Terra yet, unless you wanted to speculate on your own -account and buy them outright." - -"Speculation's my business," said Hank Karns, serene and bland. And -added, with just a touch of foxiness, "_ef_ the buying price is right." - -"Oh, we won't quarrel about that," laughed the man. "The hides are -a by-product with us--this is a pharmaceutical outfit. We make a -preparation from the hormones of these beasts. You can have the horns -at almost any price." - -They spent the better part of an hour in good natured haggling, the -child-like old man raising first one trivial objection after another to -win small advantages--chiefly in the matter of valuation of the various -items of trade goods he had to offer. None of the lone traders ever -dealt in cash. The _Swapper_ was most appropriately named. - -At last they shook on the bargain--and a bargain it most obviously was -from the trader's point of view. Mr. Raoul Dement, or so the company -man styled himself, presented the visiting captain two flasks of the -violet liquor after the old custom of the trade. - -"Nice stuff," observed Hank Karns, licking his lip. "The best I ever." - -"There's twelve cases of it in the warehouse," said Dement, with a -wink. "Now, if you were the smuggling sort, there would be a nice -profit for you. But, of course...." - -"Hell," exploded Hank Karns, "running comet-dew's no sin. Wisht I had a -decimo for every gallon I've hauled. Once in a coon's age I get stuck -with a little fine, but shucks--the customer'll allus pay that for -you." - -There followed more dickering, but the upshot of it was that Hank Karns -signed up for everything that had been offered him. - -"Bon voyage," said Mr. Dement. "If you ever pass this way again, drop -in and visit." - -"Sure will," said Hank Karns, looking his man in the eye. He was -interested in his host's forehead. About an inch from the right temple -there was a slight depression--the ineradicable scar of an old skull -injury. - - * * * * * - -Mercury was still a big disk behind when the _Swapper_ straightened out -on her earthward trajectory. - -"Step alive there, Billy, we got lots to do." - -All the blandness, all the gullibility and child-like faith were gone -from Hank Karns' face now. He looked much more like work-ridden gnome -than an emaciated Santa Claus. For they had unpacked every case and -strewn its contents on the deck, looking for contraband of a more -serious nature than the harmless comet-dew. But no case contained -anything except what the invoice declared. Hank left the job of -repacking to the boy and went about a minute search of the ship itself. - -In that he was not a moment too soon. Behind the control board--hidden -under the vine-like mass of electric leads--were two thermobombs. Their -detonating coils were already hot. The control board was divided into -three panels, each controlling an opposite pair of the six tubes which -were arranged hexagonally about the stern. Two of the panels were about -to be ruined by fire. - -Hank Karns' first impulse was to snatch the bombs loose and let them -burn out harmlessly on the deck, but suddenly he checked it. Instead he -withdrew his hand and stuck his blistered fingers in his mouth. Then he -shouted a warning to Billy Hatch. - -"Hey! Stand by for a blast. Bring an extinguisher, quick!" - -The boy ran up, but nothing happened for several minutes. Then the two -boards flashed fire. They put the fire out, but the damage was done. -The _Swapper_ was not nearly up to acceleration. She could never get to -Earth at that velocity. She would have to limp into Venus on her two -remaining tubes and have yard electricians renew her wiring. - -"Pretty neat," said Hank Karns, admiringly, contemplating his ruined -controls. - -"I did the best I could, Cap'n," said Billy, modestly, thinking the -compliment was meant for him. - -"You did all right, son," said the skipper. "Supposing you turn in now. -I'll do what's left." - -Hank Karns did not at once change course for Venus. He was still -unsatisfied that he knew all he should know about his ship and its -seemingly innocuous cargo. It was too obvious to miss that Dement had -ordered the bombs planted to ensure the _Swapper's_ going into Venus. -It was an easy guess that the suggestion to take liquor on board was a -device to ensure the ship's arrest and the confiscation that was sure -to follow, Venusian courts being what they were. But to Hank Karns' -suspicious mind there was much more to it than that. In the first -place, he could have obviated both. He could have snatched the bombs -before they exploded, and he could yet jettison the liquor. Moreover, -if the mere elimination of all visitors to Mercury was what they -were after, those bombs could just as well have been of feroxite and -designed to destroy the ship entirely, as was done in the case of the -openly hostile Merrill and Carter. No, the master plot required the -_Swapper_ to go into Venus and be done away with there. Why? He thought -that over. - -Suddenly he arose and unlocked his little safe. From its lead container -he withdrew a small pellet of radium and set up his fluoroscope. -Then he dragged out one of the trockelbeck hides. He searched it -systematically from horn to stubby tail, from the scaly back to the -claws of the feet. Then he put his fluoroscope away. Grinning into his -beard, he went aft and got a pair of pliers, a hammer and a cold chisel. - -One of the horns came away as he screwed it off. He knew already -from its fluorescence that it was hollowed out and filled with some -substance, but he wanted to make sure. He shook the pale green powder -inside out into his palm and sniffed it. Yes, that was it. There was -the unmistakable odor of crushed cherries and the sickish sweetness -of the hashish of the skies--trilibaine! Ah, now he was getting -somewhere. And as he split a few back scales at random he found that -each had a few grams of the insidious drug within it. One such hide -would supply a retail peddler for many months, each scale a separate -delivery. - -He delayed no longer. He shifted his course toward Venus and at the -same time sat down to his radio key. He sent: - -"URGENT: Venusberg Sky Yard. Attention assistant dockmaster. Four -tubes disabled account switchboard fire. Please reserve for me berth -twenty-three. Litigation in prospect. Can you recommend lawyer? -(signed) Hank Karns, captain, TS Swapper." - -"Well," he said to himself as he carefully swept up the tell-tale green -dust from the deck and added it to the bundle of broken scales and -neatly bored and threaded horns preparatory to firing it all through -the garbage tube into his wake, "I've shot my wad. Now let's see how -smart Mr. Brown turns out to be." - - * * * * * - -He learned very soon that the thermobombs were but an added precaution. -He had not been waiting more than a couple hours when his loudspeaker -began to buzz. He glanced at it in surprise, as he was still a long way -from Venus. The message began coming through, harsh and peremptory, -"Lay to, _Swapper_, to receive a boarding party. Lay to, or take the -consequences. Sky-guard calling. Lay to!" - -Hank Karns cut his rockets and went to the airlock to await the arrival -of the cruiser. It was not long in coming. - -Two smartly uniformed young officers sprang in. - -"Let's see your manifest," ordered one, curtly, while the other headed -for the hold. In a moment the second came back with two flasks of the -pale violet comet-dew. - -"The old boy is lousy with the stuff," he reported to the other. "Cases -and cases of it." - -"Yes," said the first, "and not a damn word about it in the manifest. -This makes the second one of these old coots we've hauled up this -month--what do you say, shall we call this one conspiracy?" - -"Why not?" countered the other. - -Karns said nothing beyond the usual blustering protests that would be -expected of him. Then he lapsed into silence as the two took over -after ordering their own vessel to proceed. - -They did not go to the commercial sky-yard, but to the official one. -Other officers met them, and Hank Karns was led straight away to jail. -He protested every step of the way, demanding to be taken before the -Terrestrial resident commissioner, or to be booked in the usual way. -Both those demands were refused, whereupon he asked for a lawyer. - -"Don't kid yourself, old man," said one of his guards. "You're in Venus -now. Here you are." - -[Illustration: Ray-gun levelled, the guard shoved Hank stumblingly -forward. He staggered and nearly fell, striking his head against the -barred window. Outside he could see the form of a spaceship. But it was -not the _Swapper_. The guard laughed and swaggered out.] - -There he was. There was no question about that. The barred door slammed -behind his departing escort with an air of utter finality. - -"Hi-ya, pop!" screamed some hoodlum down the corridor. "Whatcha in for?" - -After that nothing happened. Hank Karns looked about him at his cramped -cell and settled down to make the best of it. It would be tiresome, -locked up alone this way, but in a day or so perhaps the mysterious Mr. -Brown would put in his appearance. - -The next day came, but no Mr. Brown. However, early in the morning -another visitor came in his place. Karns heard footsteps approaching -and the jangle of keys. His door was flung open and a tall stranger -stepped in. The man was quite old and clad in the blue uniform, faded -and patched, of a space skipper. He was obviously a lone trader, but -if he was, he was the only one in the universe that Hank Karns did not -know. For this man, with his beetling gray eyebrows and hard steely -eyes beneath, he had never laid eyes on before. - -"Two minutes, no more," warned the guard, and stood back in the -corridor where he could both see and hear. - -"Howdy Hank," said the newcomer. "Danged if it ain't gitting so that -Tom Bagley spends half his time bailing you out or paying fines. Why, -I'd hardly landed here but what I heard you'd been slung into the -calaboose again, and I says to myself, says I...." - -"Yeah, Tom, I know," said Hank Karns, penitently, trying not to look -at the eavesdropping guard. Inwardly he was seething with doubt and -curiosity. Could it be that this was some minion of the collector -trying to trick him, or was he acting for Mr. Brown? He remembered -telling the fellow in the wickerware place that what he really needed -was a man of his own type. Maybe they had found one. At any rate, he -chose to pretend he knew him. - -"Anyhow," went on the stranger, "I looked up a feller named Brown that -I know here and asked him what to do. He said things looked pretty -black and his advice was to plead guilty and say nothing. Might get -off with a fine or something. And that he had a little money of yours. -He got me this pass, but said he couldn't work it twice. Now tell me, -Hank, what do you want me to do? I gotta get out of here for Mercury in -a day or so." - -Hank Karns looked at the man steadily for a moment. He was on the -spot. The man was evidently from Brown, but he knew neither of them -personally. But worse, the guard was listening to every word, and there -were doubtless dictaphones as well. But the two minutes were running -out and there would not be a second visit. - -"I'll tell you, Tom, there isn't but one thing you can do. I'll have -to take my medicine, I guess, but I hate like everything to lose them -trocklebeck hides and horns. The critters is dying off--poisoned by -pagras. Them danged snakes are all over Mercury. You might not have -money enough to buy 'em in, but sorta keep track of 'em, won't you? -They're not worth much now, but they'll be _mighty_ valuable some day. -There's a man here from Io that'll pay a good price for 'em, ef you can -find him." - -"Time's up," snapped the guard, coming forward. - -"All right, you old scalawag," said the phony trader captain, jovially, -"I'll do my best. But watch your step with that jedge. He's tough." - -"I know," said Hank Karns, despondently, and settled his face in his -hands. - -The door slammed and the footsteps withdrew, ringing emptily down the -metal passage. - -Dreary day followed dreary day. Time after time Karns heard footsteps -ringing in the corridor, and as often he heard the rattle of keys as -some door was opened and another unfortunate was ordered out to meet -his doom--the sentence that was to change his state from slow dry rot -to the swift wet rot of the Swamp. But it was never Karns' door. - -Then at last came the day when guards took him to the identical court -where Wilkerson had been tried. The evidence was brief and to the -point. He was apprehended trying to sneak into Venus when his clearance -papers called for Terra as his destination. He had on board eight cases -of illicit liquor. He had no acceptable explanation. Guilty. Two years -in the Swamp and the loss of his ship was the sentence. Then they took -him back to his cell to await the next caravan to the penal camps. - -The second stretch of waiting was harder to take than the first, for -he had placed the enigmatic collector now in his memory. The man was -Von Kleber, thought to have died many years ago in the uranium mines -of Sans Esperance. Karns knew him to be a convict from the fact that -he had grafted new skin on his face and head so that the burns and -baldness caused by radioactivity would not show. But that he was the -notorious Von Kleber himself had not occurred to him. And with that -recognition came the other. Raoul Dement was the man known as Frenchy -the Hop, vice-president of the Von Kleber ring. It was he who had -operated the narcotic racket while the big boss turned his attention to -such other lines as piracy, white-slaving and smuggling in general. If -such men could flourish unchecked in the well-policed Jovian satellites -for more than a decade, it was hopeless to expect to dislodge them from -their place on corrupt and autonomous Venus. - -And so time dragged on and Hank Karns sat, awaiting the day when he -would be taken away to the Swamp. He wondered apathetically whether he -would be sent to the same camp where Wilkerson and Hildreth were. But -at last there came a day when footsteps rang again in the corridors and -he heard doors being opened and men taken away. Finally men stopped -before his own cell and called him forth. Between two soldiers they -marched him away. - -To his surprise they took him first to the street, where three sedan -chairs were waiting. The guards very politely indicated that Karns was -to get in the middle one and they took the others. Hank clambered in -and they set off. Shortly they drew up before the courthouse. - -He was met inside by a tall, slender man of nearly his own age who wore -the uniform of Chief Inspector of the Interplanetary F.B.I. - -"How are you, Captain?" he said cheerily. "Sorry you had such a long -stay in jail, but we'll try to make that up to you. Come in here and -let me show you something?" - -Hank Karns looked at the inspector in amazement. He was Frank Haynes, -the man who had broken the Von Kleber case years before. There had been -a time when they worked closely together on the information that Karns -furnished when he was released from Sans Esperance. He said nothing in -reply, though, as Haynes was leading the way into the courtroom. In the -dock were two baldheaded prisoners--Von Kleber, erstwhile Collector -of the Port, and Mr. Dement, manager of the Mercurian drug works. The -judge was a new one--a judge who looked like a judge should look. - -"There they are, thanks to you," said Haynes, pointing. "Two as clever -criminals as ever plagued the system. We've been a long time catching -them. But their career is over now. - -"Our local operative, known as Brown to you, has been trying for months -to locate the source of the trilobaine flood but without avail. The -Venusian authorities blocked him at every turn but there was nothing -we could do about that unless we could hang a Federal offense on -them. It was you who did that for us. I am very glad I gave you that -identification ring after our cleanup on Callisto and the list of -the secret addresses of our agents. I felt then that you were a man -of discretion and would not abuse its privileges and today I most -certainly am more than justified. When I interviewed you in your -cell...." - -"You!" - -Inspector Haynes grinned at Hank's surprise. - -"Pretty effective disguise, eh? Well, as I was about to say--you gave -me all the tips that were needed. First of all, your mention of the -scourge of pagras told me it was trilobaine you had aboard, for that is -a distillation of pagra venom. That gave us jurisdiction. I attended -the secret auction and tried to bid. Everything in the ship went for a -song to Von Kleber's pals, but when I went to bid on the trocklebeck -hides I ran into stiff opposition. They were not to be had at any -price. So I stopped bidding. - -"Our operatives trailed those hides through five sets of owners before -we came to the Collector himself. Early this morning we made our raid -and took in all their supplies of drugs and twenty-five of their -peddlers. Previously we had raided Mercury and those men came in about -an hour ago. They had quite a thriving little business, and why we -didn't think of their method of smuggling in the trilobaine before this -I'll never know. We knew, of course, that it must be coming in the -ships that they confiscated. That much we were sure of. But we couldn't -prove a damn thing until we knew _how_. Thanks to you, the ring is -busted now, and we can do something for those poor devils who were -innocently duped into being carriers of the drug. Runners have already -been sent to the Swamp to bring back your friends. And there you are. -You'll find your old _Swapper_ in the Yard, completely overhauled and -stocked to the gunwales with grade A trade goods." - -Hank Karns, trader, tugged at his grizzled beard and looked rather -sheepishly at the floor. - -"Dag it all," he said "that's fine enough. But gosh, I sure hated to -make a damfool of myself in front of everybody thataway." - -Inspector Haynes broke into laughter and crossed over and slapped him -on the back. - -"You old liar. You loved it!" - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of 4 1/2 B, Eros, by Malcolm Jameson - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 4 1/2 B, EROS *** - -***** This file should be named 61863.txt or 61863.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/1/8/6/61863/ - -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. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive -specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this -eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook -for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, -performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given -away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks -not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the -trademark license, especially commercial redistribution. - -START: FULL LICENSE - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full -Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at -www.gutenberg.org/license. - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or -destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your -possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a -Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound -by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the -person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph -1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this -agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the -Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection -of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual -works in the collection are in the public domain in the United -States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the -United States and you are located in the United States, we do not -claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, -displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as -all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope -that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting -free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm -works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the -Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily -comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the -same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when -you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are -in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, -check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this -agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, -distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any -other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no -representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any -country outside the United States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other -immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear -prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work -on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, -performed, viewed, copied or distributed: - - 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. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not -contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the -copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in -the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are -redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply -either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or -obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any -additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms -will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works -posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the -beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including -any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access -to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format -other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official -version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site -(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense -to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means -of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain -Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the -full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -provided that - -* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed - to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has - agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid - within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are - legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty - payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in - Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg - Literary Archive Foundation." - -* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all - copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue - all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm - works. - -* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of - any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of - receipt of the work. - -* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than -are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing -from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The -Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project -Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may -contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate -or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other -intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or -other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or -cannot be read by your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium -with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you -with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in -lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person -or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second -opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If -the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing -without further opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO -OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT -LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of -damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement -violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the -agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or -limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or -unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the -remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in -accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the -production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, -including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of -the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this -or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or -additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any -Defect you cause. - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of -computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It -exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations -from people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future -generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see -Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at -www.gutenberg.org Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by -U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the -mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its -volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous -locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt -Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to -date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and -official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND -DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular -state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To -donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and -distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of -volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in -the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not -necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper -edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. - diff --git a/old/61863.zip b/old/61863.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 0fe18bc..0000000 --- a/old/61863.zip +++ /dev/null |
